you don't really know when exactly it starts, but at one point in your mundane work life, your red, tiny hatchback car is always parked next to the same dark blue saloon that looks a lot like those expensive sports car and probably costs a fortune to be insured.

the lot you're parking in, numberless and barely visible with its yellow paint is not assigned to you, and you think the same goes to the car next to yours.

and yet, without fail, you will occupy the same spot, and so will this curious stranger's car.

your working schedule doesn't match either, you clock in at 8am, and you're already out by 4.30pm. you arrive well before the blue car, and you will leave before they do.

so you've never actually seen the driver.

you know full well that you really want to see them.

•••

you run a bit late to your work one day because the water in your apartment doesn't run due to a burst pipe, and you had to drop by the gym you frequent to be presentable (or as much as a gym’s shower allows you). you greatly underestimated the rush of traffic at a later time than your usual commute.

as if the day hasn't thrown you off your schedules enough already, the parking lot next to your usual place is already taken by an unfamiliar car.

surprisingly that is more of an annoyance to you than finding out your apartment’s plumbing hates you. you pull into your unmarked (but definitely yours) parking spot with your eyes glinting in quiet, but apparent vexation.

even though you're already late to your work, you circled and glared at the unsuspecting car parked in your special place for a good ten minutes.

•••

as you set up the folding chair beside your car, on the parking lot that has an owner assigned in a very personal way to you, you fiddle with your bangs nervously.

you think that maybe you're pushing things too far. after all, you did just take a precious day off so you could sort out the water issues at your home, then you went to your office building anyway because the plumber will not arrive until hours later, just to ensure that the parking lots will not be robbed off.

you sigh into your breakfast croissant, seated in your fishing folding chair, a purchase that you'd never think will ever be used to stake out a parking lot.

the buttery croissant is just finished when the car you're waiting for clears the corner. it creeps slowly down the way to your seat, and you try not to look ridiculous, but you are seated in a small folding chair, so you probably give out the stalker vibe that you fear you are.

the blue saloon stops as you hastily stand to clear the way, and you're expecting a horn to sound, but the door to the driver's side pops open instead.

and out comes a woman, well dressed with a grey blazer over a red dress shirt, and looking every bit of a powerful business woman you envision the driver to be, and the grip you have on your folding chair is weak and your hands are clammy.

you take some time to register all of the woman’s facial features, one you think will be just as beautiful even if she choose to scowl at you, her shapely doe eyes studying you just as intrigued, then to her raven hair, parted to her left and cascading down her small shoulders and back, elegant.

you hope you don't reek of gym sweat smell, you made sure to use double the amount of body shampoo at the gym's shower this morning.

she tilts her head as she walks to you in calculated strides, and you're pretty much a nervous wreck as you lean your folding chair to the door of your small hatchback car.

she sees this, and again you meet her curious eyes, trying to peek down the window to her heart and soul.

you figured you should explain yourself first. so of course you go on your non-stop ramblings. “you weren't… you weren't here, yesterday, there was another car parked at your spot. i, uh, it felt really weird because i think we've both parked next to each other for a few months? i mean, i don't actually know if you do it consciously because i don't think you're a colleague of mine and the office i work at is the only one around here with a different operation hours so i've never run into you and…”

throughout your whole running of your mouth, she watches you with a soft gaze and a small smile and you can't be sure that you have your whole heart anymore, you think edges of it is already given to this mystery lady in the periods of you looking into her car despite its tinted windows and you can't help but to happily let it all dissolve.

you could only hope you haven't scared her off.

“i do it consciously.” she says, and her voice is pitches higher than yours and pleasant in a sing-song way and it's exactly how you hope she sounds like because she is beautiful and she just said she purposely parks next to you and it is increasingly possible that your brain is currently melting.

“oh,” you say dumbly. “you do?”

“yes,” she nods adorably, burying her hands into her blazer’s pockets. “i was very disappointed yesterday when i see the other car parked at my spot. at first i didn't see yours so i felt even worse, but then i got closer and your car’s boot shows up behind the stranger's car. it's such a cute, small car so i didn't see it at first.”

you turn to study your red hatchback, glaring at it because she calls it ‘cute’. you're jealous of your own car.

“maybe you should park a little bit away from the center so i wouldn't have to suffer from anymore small heart attacks?”

you chuckle softly. “i'll do that. i’m kang seulgi.”

“nice to finally meet you,” the beautiful woman grins. “so, seulgi. don't you think it's high time we get our own assigned parking spots?”

“i’m sure the only people with assigned parking spot in this section is my ceo and cfo.”

“yes, well, my name is bae joohyun,” again the cheeky smile forms, and you falter at the next few words. “i'm the owner of this office complex.”

“oh my god.” is all you could utter.

two days later, yours (and hers) previously unassigned parking lots are newly painted and tagged, and your red hatchback sits quietly next to her blue sports saloon, and the both of you rightfully belong to each other.

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More stories by bubunn