Song Hee-Jin is a bubbly bright girl on daily basis. She always energized and happy, she was workaholic due to ‘needs for money’. She lives alone, away from her family who lives in Jeju. Seoul was a big city still for her who is still trying to fits in. It's been almost a year for her but life still hard and she doesn’t want the family worry about her well-being in the far city. She’s a normal college student by day and cafe part timer by night. Her life is boring and exhausted but she determined to be success so her younger siblings will lives better than she did.

 

It all started on one day; This guy who is regular customer of her cafe. He always visit at 6PM straight. Ordering a cup of coffee and sit by the window at the corner. Although it's far, the place still have the best view to the counterㅡto Hee-Jin without being obvious, of course.

 

Kim Minseok, two year senior of her in the collegeㅡwas in another major than her, who has a big crush on her since long time ago. He is a quiet, shy boy. He loves to observe Hee-Jin from afar. He first saw her was at the college’s park. She was with her friends eating and talking. He was with his friends, doing their homework. He remember he can’t focus on whatever he did back then. He believe he just saw an angel that time. He smile ear to ears whenever he spotted her. He doesn’t meant to stalked her, just coincidentally he loves coffee too and the cafe near his dorm.

 

“Hey, It’s you again” Hee-Jin greeted displaying her sweetest smile, the smile that makes his heart beating like metallica drum beats. “What do want for today?” She continued to ask, her eyes drift back to desktop in front of her and began typing on its screen. Her hair was only tied half with the rest of it falling gracefully on her back. The big red ribbon was placed at the back of her head. Today she looks as amazing as usual, Min Seok thought. He snapped into reality when she poked his arm gently. “You daydream again, Min Seok-ssi” Her melodic voice sounds like music to his ears.

 

“Sorry, Hmm.. I’ll get a cappuccino and a muffin” He shyly replied with a smile, Hee-Jin laugh at his cuteness but continue her works. She hand him the round machine that will vibrate when his order finished with question looks. Min Seok will usually choose waiting by the counter and watching her doing his order and Hee Jin knows that too, but she still asked for the sake’s of regulations.

 

They used to know each other just by the name and a simple greetings whenever they saw each other. Hee-Jin must admit they grew closer. He was no longer a simply regular customer at the cafe. He is now her official project partner for the next 6 months. She wasn’t sure how it's happened but Min Seok shouldn’t have be in her class.

 

He said he failed the semester because of this specific subject they were in so he was there to repeat the class. She believed it.

 

“I only have time until 5.30 PM tho, It's that alright oppa?” Hee-Jin asked. He said it's felt distanced if she keep being formal with him, since then he decided she must called him, Oppa.

 

That day they supposed to work on the project they were assigned. Min Seok was the one gathering the material while Hee-Jin been busy by other classes. It was 3 PM when she finally freed from the college’s activity. Min Seok waiting her by the bench under the big tree that shelter him from the blazing sunlight.

 

Hee-Jin approached him with slightly guilty in her face. “Sorry, the lecturer take more time that he already had.”

 

Min Seok quickly stood up, shook his head and said it's okay. He kept repeated he was just arrived at the meeting point to make her less guilty whereas he was to excited on their first project outside college together that he was already waiting thirty minutes earlier. Guess for her, it was worth it. She worth it.

 

 

 

Hee-Jin now lives almost a year in the sleepless city and it almost been a five months she knows Kim Min Seok, the generous senior with the brightness smile ever she seen. First time she met him, she felt it by then, a tingling butterflies effects playing within her stomach.

 

It was sunny afternoon when she and her friends went to campus park to have a lunch together. She was still new student but luckily she made few friends quickly, they’re Dia and Sohee. Sohee was excitedly telling her stories when he glanced at the across the table a cute boy was caught staring at her, she quickly drifted back her focus to her new friend and continue their story.

 

Unable to resist her urges, she glanced once again towards that boyㅡhe no longer stared at her or she thought so.

 

As she found a part-time job to help her finance little bit more. She learned that he is regular customer of that place. Every time while working she spotted him stopped by for a coffee, definitely make her diligently work.

 

Hee-Jin never been happier when she knows he joining one of her class for the whole semester.

 

 

 

Hee-Jin giggling over the phone when Min Seok asked if she would like to come to his brother celebration of graduation party. Obviously she would say yes to him, does she even have to think? No. Min Seok try hard to seal his lips together to cover his shriek when he got Hee-Jin agreed to come. He thought he never been so happy after he won first at the singing contest.

 

“Yasss!” He exclaimed. As soon as he turn off his phone he jump up the creaky bunky bed and shout of his happiness as if it was trampoline. His roommate threw him shampoo bottle from inside the bathroom to shut him down.

 

“Ouch” He whine when the half-filled shampoo hit his head. His head bounce backward from the force the bottle hold, he fall to the bed.

 

“Seriously half-filled?” He shout back, do not accept how he had be treated just now but instead of reply he get, that person instead turn on the shower and fill the silence room with flowing water. Min Seok click his tongue but in split second his mood goes back brighter as he smile.

 

He rest on the bed with both of his hands sustain his head from behind.

 

He can’t wait the very next day to come already.

 

 

---

 

 

Knock. Knock.

 

He knock on her dorm’s door to pick her up. That day he dressed well as he can to impress her. As waiting for her to open the door he touch his hair to make sure it’s still perfect. It’s not even date, it not even the first time they going to go out. But maybe because he always excited when it’s come to Hee-Jin. His heart flutter like always.

 

The door opened. Hee-Jin flashed her smile at him as she open the door wider, “Oh! You already here!” She said a little flustered at his visit. He came way earlier than she imagined. Hee-Jin scratched her head and gave him little awkward smile at the door frame.

 

“Uhmm, I haven't dress-up, would you like to get in and wait a bit? I’ll be quick” She offering quiet unsure, not that she can just leave him to wait outside her door. That’s rude. But then, it's just as rude to invite a guest into crazy mess room of hers.

 

Oh well, I have no choice, she thought.

 

She open the door wider and move herself so he can get it. She lead him in as busily grabbed anything her hand can reached and dump it under her bed next they arrived at the middle of the room.

 

“Sorry messy, I got no time to cleaning. I just recently moved in” She tell honestly but the half mess was contribution of the clothes she busy picking to wear that night. Hee-Jin eyes widen when she saw her pink polkadot bra lying freely right behind of his shoes, she must missed it when she dumped it.

 

“OH! Would you like to having tour of my room?” Randomly she asked pushing his body forward as she get behind him. Min Seok got flustered at the sudden skinship and gently walk forwards. Hee-Jin use her feet like pro athlete and kick the bra back to the place it belong.

 

Min Seok cleans his throat as she keeps on pushing him towards the... wall.

 

What's wrong with her? he thought raising his eyebrow.

 

“Hee-Jin, didn’t you said you want to get ready?” He stop on his step and turn around. Hee-Jin that didn’t expected his sudden move, she startled her as she unconsciously fall back and as if time were slowed like those everyone must’ve once seen in movie or drama. He caught her gently like one of the romantic waltz moves.

 

“Are you alright?” He asked with worried looks in his eyes. The eyes that melt her heart everytime she sees.

 

Without she even realised she shuttered, “Ye-es”. Although she wished she could stay longer in that position with him, she has to get herself together or else her crazy beating heart will explode. “Sorry, I was startled.”

 

He shook his head to her and let out a small laughed. “I was the one that wrong, I’m the one should be apologizing” Unlike the words he muttered, he seems happy.

Hee-Jin smile bashfully, she shouldn’t but she can't control her body. “Ah right! I gotta change” She exclaimed to changed the topic and grabbed one of the dresses hang by the closet’s door.

 

“You can sit..” Her words trailed as her face began to examine her tiny room before open again to say, “Anywhere you like.” With that she leaves into the tinier room in her tiny room; bathroom.

 

After good five minutes she came out looking pretty. She is always pretty despite anything she wears, he thought. A grin form on his face and try to look somewhere else to hide it. She approached the mini table beside the cupboard and comb her hair. Min Seok look at her figure dreamily.

 

“Min Seok oppa, can you pass me the lipstick inside that hand bag behind you?” Hee-Jin asked while busy curling the tip of her hair.

 

“Where?” He asked while looking for the bag she meant. When he found it, he quickly grabbed it and search thoroughly. He scanned through everything until he found the black cover lipstick designed like a bottle wine and show to her incase he was wrong, “This one?”

 

“Not that one, the pink ones”

 

“Pink…” He whispered as he look for it again. As he found it he quickly handed it to her by give it to her directly. “There you go, baby girl~”

 

Hee-Jin starts to smile before broke into laugh. Her laugh getting louder as Min Seok giving her the weird looks. Hee-Jin placed down the curling tool and place her left hand on top his shoulder. “I was lying. It’s the black cape ones hahahahah” She said in the middle of her laughed.

 

When Min Seok finally grabs the situation, he widened his eyes the next second and placed his hands onto her stomach to tickling her and there they were, giggling and laughing to each other. Hee-Jin try to release herself from him but he lock her in his arms, finally when they were close to the bed, she push him down with both her arms after finally getting away from his grabs. She joined him next, by land exactly on top of him. They stared into each other eyes, soon enough both form a smile on their faces.

 

Min Seok starts to lean forward to her, while they deeply stared into each other eyes. It feels like they’re the each opposite of magnet, they couldn't took their eyes off each others. He lean closer, his lips touch hers. There not even slightly shock looks in her face as if she been waiting for it.

 

Hee-Jin slowly closed her eyes. Min Seok grab her waist her as they kiss and changed their position and made himself on top. Hee-Jin brought her hands to circle his neck. The kiss felt sweet and none of them were rushing. One hand on the loose, he caress her soft cheeks. He nibbled on her lips then smile when Hee-Jin moan.

 

He come back to fully took her sweet lips for a deeper kiss.

 

Each moves he does to her lips, leave her wanting more and more. She can feels her cheeks heating up from embarrassment when he keeps compliment her in between their kisses. She was blush fifty shades the moment he pulled out. He brought his hand to caress her hair, running through the tresses slowly.

 

Min Seok beautiful fantasy was broken into pieces when Hee-Jin shook his body hard enough to snapped his back to reality. “Earth to Min Seok Oppa!”

 

“What were you dreaming of? You were daydream for long!” Hee-Jin exclaimed worried when Min Seok finally seems to back in his sense. “By the way I’m ready. We can leave now”

 

He felt at loss when she broke off his fantasy but then he realised he was being coward this whole time. If only he was brave enough and confess but then again he was just afraid, he afraid that she will leave him just like a girl he known long time ago. His trauma.

 

“Alright, let’s go” He said as cheery as possible despite feeling lifelessly. Even the smile so stiff.

 

 

---

 

 

“Wow, I really didn’t know I was the only girl friend you invited!” Hee-Jin utter as he walks her back to her dorm. She tightened his jacket around her petite figure when the night wind blows.

 

“Is it cold? Sorry, If the car wasn’t used by my brother. I would drive you back”

 

Hee-Jin shook her head a little. “I’m totally okay, I told you”

 

After that, a silence took over between them. Min Seok is rarely down like he is right now. He seems off since the evening. Hee-Jin was super curious about it and she feels like she can’t take it anymore.

 

“Min Seok Oppa, can we stopped by the playground over there?” Hee-Jin questions finally make him lifted his face that was continuously facing the ground. He raised his eyebrow, baffled. Leading the path Hee-Jin walks ahead of him and sat down on a bench right before the slide.

 

“Why suddenly you want to be here?” Min Seok asked curiously. Finally, he sounds like his usual self. Hee-Jin smiled.

 

“That’s what I wanna know as well”

 

Min Seok really took back by her question. Why did she ask back? He thought curiously. He began to scratch his back awkwardly and smile stiffly. “Hehe, Something wrong?”

 

Hee-Jin turn her head to face him, “That’s what I wanted to ask you, is there something wrong?”. She stares at him with a look that telling him that he can share anything with her, that she will be there to listen to every concern he has like once she did. She hoped he would trust her.

 

Min Seok didn’t answer her right away but stare into nothingness spread in front of him. Did she notice? He asked himself. How did I suppose to tell her the reasons behind of it? He internally battled with himself.

 

I’m not ready yet! His mind screams.

 

“Oppa!”

 

“Min Seok Oppa!” Hee-Jin called out again until he finally snapped his head towards her, “You space out a lot today. What’s wrong..?” Her mien soften. Her gaze filled with warmth. Min Seok let out a sighed and pretend a smile. An awkward curved up line.

 

Seeing him trying hard to covering something, without even thinking she muttered right way, “Do you not trust me enough to share?”.

 

She thought they’re close. She thought they’re friend. She thought he thinks her as his close friend. She thought he will be as much open up as she was when they spend almost up all night drinking to celebrate their A+ for the hardest project ever they encounter and that was all probably her own thought all this time.

 

In the state of realization she, herself gets dumbstruck.

 

“That’s not it!” He voices out, makes her turn her head to him. She wasn’t sure if she was feeling at loss but she does feel bitter.

 

“No Oppa, I completely understand if you feel that way. I mean we just got close lately, I was far ahead myself”

 

“No Hee-Jin--You’re really getting the wrong assumption.” Min Seok grabbed her wrist as she looking at him emptily. A bitterness wasn’t clear show in her face but Min Seok know he just hurt her and he feels incredibly sorry.

 

A silence surrounds them. His hand still held her wrist tightly, unwilling to let go. He wanted to break the silence but he doesn’t know how. She wanted to break free from him but she likes how he held her like that. The moment she realized that if he really didn’t even think of her as friend scared her. She likes him, she likes being around him. She doesn’t want to lose him.

 

“Hee--”, “Min Se--” They called out each other name at the same time finally breaking the silence. They both got surprised but quickly Min Seok tells her to go on first, this time he slowly letting go of her wrist but Hee-Jin shook her head and tell him to go first so he nodded.

 

“I’m sorry. It’s not that I don’t trust you really. I just…,” He stopped to sigh. She watches him closely. “ I’m going to tell you, come” he continued, beckoning his hand to her following him to sit back on the bench behind them.

 

“Long time ago, I had a friend..” he began his story. “She was my best friend. She was my first love..” He staring ahead of him as he speaks. “I was a coward--I still am, haha” He stopped then forced an awkward laugh to ease the tense in himself.

 

It was happening almost ten years ago. He was 10 years old, chubby and smart. He has a lot of friends being friendly boy himself. That day a new student coming to their school. They ended up in the same class. She is friendly just like him. They getting along so well. two years passed and they end up being a super best friend. They get real close and share everything as if they’re in each other eyes.

 

Few times she coming over crying to him whenever she broke up with her boyfriend and Min Seok will calm her down and make her feels better. He unknowingly falling for his own best friend. At first, he doesn’t know what to do, he started to hate all the guys that try to getting close to her. After quite sometimes until he thought he can’t keep the feeling to himself anymore, he decides to let her know his real feeling.

 

He predicted she will be shocked and perplexed but he never imagines that she will immediately see him in a different light, disgusted at him. It was all totally out of his imagination. She started to accused him this and that. They were too young so maybe her reaction was reasonable but it left him trauma.

 

“That was horrible, I mean she is horrible!” Hee-Jin speak up when he was almost done with his story cutting him off. She feel anger building up inside her as listening to his story but at the same time, she feels sad for him. Suddenly pang of guilty all over her. If she didn’t act up and all, he won't re-open his wound, don't he? She thought.

 

“Hm. I’m sorry oppa. I shouldn’t have acting up and made you spill something you probably don’t want to remember anymore..” She looks down and sighed. When Min Seok insisted it was okay, she knows he doesn’t mad at her. She looks back at him and starts to thinking, “So you were down because you were thinking about her? What made you suddenly did so?” She wonder.. out loud then widen her eyes. “No! I’m so sorry. I don’t mean to say that! You don’t have to tell me, it's okay!” she cupped after finish talking to prevent another thinking out loud.

 

At the exact moment, he turns his head to her. His eyes were different. It shows a little bit of sorrow that overpowered by determination and confident. His deep eyes boring holes into her, not blinking.

 

“What’s wrong Oppa?”

 

“Actually the real reason I was down was not that,” He started, “Hee-Jin, I--I-”

 

She was waiting for him to say something.

 

“I--ugh never mind”

 

“It’s okay you don’t have to force yourself to tell me everything” She assured him but she had no idea what makes him suffered. He doesn’t want to make the same mistake like in the past. He doesn’t mean to tell her about his past love story but maybe that was all he can think of to escape her question but something inside him still tense and won’t relaxed, exactly like he was facing 12 years ago.

 

“Hee-Jin, I like you…” It came off as whisper she barely caught so she leaned closer to him.

 

“Yes?”

 

He grabbed her wrist to him as she leans closer and makes her facing him as he stare at her deep with his eyes. A surge of courage suddenly fill him up. “Hee-Jin,... I love you.”

 

Hee-Jin is perplexed at his confession, she freezes at her position, got him worry.

 

It won’t repeat, doesn’t it? he wondered hard.

 

“Say it again” she asked can’t believe her own auditory.

 

The uneasiness creeps into him from below his feet up to his scalps “I said I love you, Hee-Jin” he said again with the last confidence left in him. His uneasy completely gone when she start to smile widely. He doesn’t know if she accepts his feeling yet but he believes it was something positive.

 

She quickly jumps into him and hugs him tightly out of happiness.

 

“Woah--Wait Hee-Jin, does this mean..?”

 

She let go of her hug and stand in front of him. He does as the same. Her face lit brightly decorated with her sweetest smile Min Seok always love to see. “Yess! I like you too, Oppa! I love you from a long time ago” her cheeks forming pinkish shades as she began her own confession. It was not makeup, Min Seok convinced and her confession definitely makes his heart flutter so much.

 

“So we are dating?” he asked and she nodded shyly. If he knows Hee-Jin likes him too, and if he knows that he will be this happy and easy. He should’ve done it long, long, long time ago.

 

He caresses her cheek with one of his hand, staring at the shy her and smile along with her. Min Seok starts to lean closer to her, his lips drawing near, Hee-Jin lips parting to receive them. He stops inches away, to eyed her and ask, “May I?”

 

She nodded.

 

Sparks flew in every direction, and the world was slowly disappearing around them, at least that how they both felt. Problems, worries, troubles are all disappearing along with it. She made it feel like none of that mattered. It was a small yet warm kiss. He was imagining all this time and honestly never knew a kiss so innocent could be so alluring and electrifying.

 

Their lips were moving in perfect sync, they savor each lip with every emotion, doesn’t care about what happening around them. His hands slowly went down feeling her waist; pulled her closer. Their kiss deeper, more passionate.

 

For that single moment, time stops.

 

 

Fin

 

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Dear HeeJin,

Hai! Hello! Konichiwa! I'm sorry I couldn't use the prompt you gave. I tried but I got writer block so I changed quickly and also sorry if this doesn't meet your expectation at all but still, I hope this make your hearts flutter~ ♡♡♡

ps.ily♡
pss. xoxo

Love, 
Husky