19^th December

I shivered as the cold wind blew.

People passed by with rather quick pace. Some couples were holding hands or cuddling each other, as the weather got colder. I got a feeling it would snow in several next days.

I took a glimpse on my watch. It was 3 o’clock, it would take another hour before the practice ended.

The choir practice, where Miyoung joined for Christmas Eve’s performance.

I sat on the only bench on the park in front of the building where the practice was held, alone. Not having anything to do, the yesterday’s conversation was then played in my mind.

 

“Long time no see, Jongin”, Miyoung started, as everyone was already on the dining table. She sat in front of me, while my sister sat on Miyoung’s side.

I gulped nervously. “Yeah, I barely had breaks, even vacation”, I said before taking a spoonful of my sister’s cooking. It tasted strangely good, when did my sister could cook this good?

“I cooked that”, Miyoung said, like she could read my mind. I nodded in response, my eyes didn’t meet hers. It went silent then, all of us ate and focused on our food.

I tried to start another conversation. “What makes you come here, Miyoung? I thought you’ve got new place in Seoul.”

My sister put her utensils right after I said that. “She always comes, every year, a week right before Christmas”. My sister then got up and took her plates.

“Unlike you”, she continued, then went to the kitchen to wash them. I was left with Miyoung. She smiled and continued eating her food.

Sadness was radiating from her.

“You were here every Christmas? Why didn’t I know?”, I asked again, putting away the food. She nodded, not even looking at me. My eyes went to her hand, noticing that the ring were still there.

“Then what did you do for a whole week? It’s not that your parents live in this city anymore”, another question went.

“Choir”, she shortly answered. Oh right, choir. She always joined the Christmas Eve’s performance since we were in junior high school.

The same choir where my brother joined.

 

The memory stopped playing as I realized a group of people went out from the building. I stood up and dusted my clothes. I put my hands inside my pocket and went closer to the building, eyes searching on familiar figure.

Oh there she was, walking down the stairs with music sheets in her embrace.

She noticed my presence, then she approached me.

“Jongin?”, the first word she said as she reached me. “What are you doing?”

I cleared my throat first before answering her. “Picking you up?”, I said in doubt, while she just looked me confusedly.

“What for?”, she asked back.

“W-well, I was wondering if I could have lunch with you though…”

She chuckled, before checking her watch. “I think it’s too late for lunch though”

Oh right, fool me.

“A-aren’t you hungry after your practice?”, I asked again. Why did I insist on going for lunch? It wasn’t like she was hungry or something.

She let out a short laugh, before grabbing my arm, making me turned around as my body followed where she went.

“On a second thought, let’s go eat somewhere”, she said brightly.

 

***

 

We reached the place, straightly tagged on a table on the corner of the room. She went to read the menu, while my eyes examined the place.

It wasn’t changed much.

From all of the place, she chose this place.

This sure brought a lot of memories,

...of our first meeting.

 

 

“Welcome!”

People went inside excitedly. Usually they came in large group or couples. The restaurant was famous for its food and coziness. It was where me and my brother worked, as part-timers.

That time, there was this girl coming alone on herself. She hesitated first, before walking in. And that time too, I was the one who needed to take her order.

I went to her table with paper and pen in my hand. “Are you ready to order?”, I asked. She looked up from the menu to meet my eyes. Whoa she was one of the beauties.

“Wait, let me choose”, she said. Her voice was soft and nice. I gulped nervously and waited for her order. She was one with long, brownish hair that reached her back. She had this soft and warm aura. She still wore her uniform, which was similar to my brother’s. My face was flushed as I noticed her skirt was a bit short and showing a bit part of her legs. I caught some of the customers were also looking at her legs. Damn.

My eyes went away, as I noticed some music sheets placed besides her bag. Was she in music group or something?

She then said her order and I scribbled on my paper. “Please wait and have the welcome snack, it’s near the cashier”, I said before leaving her. I then went to the kitchen, passing the order to my brother.

“Jin-hyung, new order!”, I said as I hung the order in front of him, who was busy chopping ingredients, preparing for the chef to cook. I looked at the surrounding and didn’t find anything to do, so I ended up staying near the kitchen. My eyes found the girl was standing and queuing for welcome snacks. She sure stood out from others. Well, maybe because it was mostly men who came here.

“Jin-hyung, look at that girl”, I said.

“No time for wingman-ing, sorry” , he said.

I rolled my eyes. “I wasn’t going to hit on her. But I think she’s your schoolmate”

“She didn’t come in group right? Then it’s okay”, he said. What a weirdo. Did he think that some of his fanclub were here to stalk him or what? Like he had a fanclub anyway.

“HEY WATCH WHERE YOU WERE GOING!”

The loud voice of man echoed in the room. When I looked at the scene, I found a man, whose shirt was soaked with water, standing in front of the girl, who wore the same uniform as my brother, sitting down like she fell down. Seemed like she bumped into him that her drink spilled on him.

“I’m sorry”, she said as she dusted her uniform and stood up. The man grabbed her wrist and pulled her.

“You think that apology will fix this?”, he grumbled with this voice. His glares were deadly and it made her a bit flinched that he gripped her wrist too tightly.

“Let go of her! She already apologized!”, I said as I stormed to approach them. I pulled the man’s hand away from her. I pushed him away from her, not caring how well-built the man was. What I didn’t expect was the punch I got on my face afterwards. I fell down as my cheek was stinging.

“Don’t act like a hero to her!”, he said as he grabbed me in collar. I smelled alcohol from him. Oh, a drunkard, no wonder. I took a glimpse to the girl who was standing in fear, and realized that the man was about to blow another punch. I closed my eyes, ready for another stinging pain.

But nothing happened.

Next moment I opened my eyes, I was already standing on my feet, with my brother offering several sheets of money.

“Take this money to fix your clothes and go away. You disturb our customers”, my brother said calmly. The man seemed flustered as he realized that several pairs of eyes were watching him. He angrily took the money and went outside. I was just sitting there, rubbing my cheek. Damn, it was a strong one.

“You are still 9^th graders with no experience in fighting. Don’t act like you are strong or something”, my brother scolded as he pulled me up.

“You don’t have to scold him, he was trying to help”, the same soft voice interrupted my brother. He then looked to the girl, and recognized her right away.

“Kwon Miyoung? What are you doing here? Are you by yourself?”

Then they went on conversation, as I silently watched them from side. They seemed so friendly to each other, and I noticed her eyes went twinkling everytime my brother talked. My eyes then went to her legs, which were shown as pairs of eyes, belonged to mostly old men, were looking at them. Damn those old men.

I decided to leave them, turned around and went back to kitchen. The owner offered a bag of ice cube, but I didn’t take it as I went to the locker room. I took my jacket and went back to the kitchen, to find my brother was already back.

“So you know her?”, I asked and he nodded.

“Schoolmate, like you said.”

I ignored him and went to her table. She noticed me right away and smiled.

“You are Seokjin’s brother right? Seokjin just told me ab-”, I ignored her question and shoved the jacket to her. She was confused at my act and looked at me like I was from other planet. I took another glimpse to the room and found the old men sighed in disappointment, going back to their own conversation.

“Please cover your legs, our customers are mostly men and sometimes they are drunk, wearing short skirt will only be your disadvantage”

She was silent at first, before letting out a soft laugh.

 

 

“Thankyou for caring, and helping me back there, Seokjin’s brother”

 

“What are you ordering?”

 

 

The same soft voice interrupted me. I looked at her and found her already looking at me. She wasn’t exactly changed since the first time we met, still beautiful. Maybe the difference would be the short hair and the sad aura she had.

Did she still affected by that?

“I’ll have a cup of coffee with creamer”, the waiter scribbled it and went away. I then looked at her again and noticed her wearing short skirt, though she covered her leg with long socks, it still showed parts of her legs.

And again, people were looking at her legs, probably confused of her unmatched fashion to the weather. It was breezing like ice outside.

I took off my jacket and gave it to her.

“Cover your legs”

She smiled and took the jacket.

“You don’t change, do you?”

I didn't respond and she just laughed.

Though her eyes were silently watching the kitchen counter.

Probably looking for the faint existence of my brother.

 

Kim Seokjin.

 

 

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Hi! Sorry for late post, so the brother is Kim Seokjin.

Yes, that Kim Seokjin a.k.a BTS Jin :) -> ARMY detected

Happy reading!

Oh bytheway, Merry Christmas, World!