“Going out with Minho again? Aigoo, the two of you should just go get married so you can lock him up for yourself entirely.” You teased your best friend Gwiboon as she phoned you that she’ll not make it for your ‘best friend dinner’ that she’d been postponing for the nth time because her boyfriend Minho sets up a date for the two them coincidentally on the same date you’ve set every darn time,

Gwiboon lets out a loud half-sarcastic, half-bitter laugh through the speakers,

“Jinsil Honey, how I wish he’d propose to me soon. Don’t worry I’ll make it up to you okay? And you too! You better get a boyfriend for yourself so whenever Yeobo sets up a date I can tag you and your guy along…” You hummed and sat at the edge of your bed while looking at your mirror, gazing upon how you’ve neatly dressed up for tonight’s supposed-to-be dinner,

“…wait! Has Taekyung called you yet?” Gwiboon’s voice a little lisped, perhaps she’s putting on makeup as you speak,

“Taekyung? Who’s that?” Gwiboon’s irritation towards your reply was too obvious when you heard some items which are probably makeup being dropped on the floor,

“Yah, Kim Jinsil how can you get a boyfriend if you’re like that? You know, the hot pilot we met at the airport last time? He asked for your number didn’t he?” Your mouth shaped into an ‘O’ when you suddenly remembered who Gwiboon was talking about. Yeah, that guy sure did ask for your number but Gwiboon was the one to give it,

“Oh, yeah I remember. He called me last time but I told him I ain’t interested.” You nonchalantly muttered while you playfully bob your feet in the air,

“You what?! Look, I understand you’ve been seeing HANDSOME GUYS since birth being the daughter of the great and mighty Siwon-ahjussi and the sister of Kim Jonghyun. But hey! Taekyung is not bad? I mean, NOT AT ALL. DID YOU SEE THOSE ABS IN HIS LATEST INSTAGRAM POST? OH MY GOD KIM JINSIL.” You laughed at how Gwiboon giggled over that Taekyung guy. Well, sure, abs are abs, but you just aren’t interested. Besides, that Taekyung guy definitely looked like some womanizer,

“By the way, I gotta go Honey. I can buy you your favorite cake and go to your house after our date if you want?”

“Nah, I’m cool. I’d drop by at the café alone for dinner. Enjoy your date Gwiboonie~”

You sighed to yourself as you walked your way towards the café. It was actually a huge tree turned café; yep! Because tree houses are boring, this one’s a tree café. People from your village actually liked going there, because aside from the chic aesthetic having a mix of nature and industrialized furniture, it was believed that the tree had been standing for more than three centuries; and everyone just loves the mystery that lies on it,

You found yourself drenched in your own blood, clenching at the little life that remained in you,

“Jihyun-ah, I promise, in our next life, I will be the first one to find you.” He said as he caressed your hair while you are wrapped in his arms. You chuckled weakly at his remark,

“How would you manage to recognize me in our next life? You don’t even know how I look.” You tried to mock but your voice betrays you and breaks; with tears rushing down your cheeks. He manages to reach for your hand and placed your palm on his left chest,

“Trust me, I would know.” His lips curved into a smile until finally connecting it with yours.

You shook your head vigorously at the sudden flash you just had. You placed your fist on your chest that had been pounding loudly, your breath erratic. You tried to grasp on a post and it was then that you noticed you’re already in front of the tree café.

It has always been like that. You’ve always had flashes in your head as if it were you from a different era, being with a guy whom you cannot even see clearly. It was crazy but with every flash that you encounter, it was as if you’ve been living in that feeling, as if it were real, as if you’re looking, holding, and are with someone you truly love more than life itself; if that does even make sense. Which is why, for your twenty four years of existence, no one managed to steal your heart at all. Everyone thought your standards are just way too high since you have such handsome and well accomplished men at home but you know better. Sure, boys are cute, you’re just like any other typical girl that would giggle over them but falling in love is another thing. It’s as if you know your heart is already reserved for that one person and you wouldn’t want to waste your time and effort ‘til that person comes. Scary thing is that, you never know if that person actually exists.

You climbed the wooden stairs ‘til you reach for the glass door and pushed it open. As the chimes sound at the entrance of the café, the owner, sitting behind the counter greets you with a warm smile,

“Gwiboonie stood you up again?” you rolled your eyes and sighed as you walked towards him to place your order,

“Yeah, always on a date with her boyfriend Minho that she doesn’t have time for her best friend anymore. Aigoo, they even work at the same place, aren’t they tired of seeing each other very often? You know my usual order for dinner, Jinki-ahjussi.” the early-forties male chortled at your frustrated expression,

“It’s okay, Jinsil-ah. I’m sure you’ll come to understand Gwiboonie when you fall in love.” You widen your eyes at him and folded your arms,

“Eh?! Of course not! You know me Ahjussi, I’m not like Gwiboonie when it comes to boys.” He just let out a playful nod, as if trying to believe your words but knows you’ll chew on them when the time comes,

“My wife’s like that when she said she’ll never date a guy like me. Well, we have three kids now…” grinning widely, you just rolled your eyes at him as you handed your payment and he hands you a stick with a plastic card at the tip with a number. You flashed a smile at him as you turned your head and spot an empty table near the glass walls; your favorite spot. It gives off the view of the city lights — not the usual city lights you see if you’re viewing it from high rise buildings but the kind where you see those lights from a farther point of view making the flicker smaller as if it were stars sparkling on Earth,

“Wait…” you were about to pace towards your desired spot until you heard a voice calling you from behind as he clutched on your hand. The contact of your skins was mysteriously electrifying that your heart started to pound loudly with that single unexpected touch.

You turned to look at him and knew at first glance he’s probably new in this neighborhood. Being the best friend of Gwiboon who literally knows everyone and is known by everyone in your village and at least three other villages more, this guy is definitely from somewhere farther. You tried to scan his features – he’s tall, with light brown, neatly combed hair, wide, innocent-looking eyes, pointed nose that had a cute mole on the right side somewhere around his nose bridge, and plump lips, his touch soft and perfect. His eyes on you were too much, but it’s as if they’re filled with questions too, as if you can feel his pulse beating loudly too, you can feel your heart racing harder with every second that passed when he suddenly bursts your bubble,

“…y-you dropped this.” He says, avoiding your gaze as he hands you your locket. The locket your father bought for you in an antique shop when you were nine as you wouldn’t stop crying and begging him to buy it for you ever since you laid your eyes on it. You abruptly took the locket and threw it in your bag then tucked a hair lock in your ear to mutter,

“T-thank you.” You said half-heartedly, avoiding his eyes as you proceeded to take your seat and stuck the stick with the order number on its wooden stand,

Relax, relax, relax Kim Jinsil, he’s just another handsome boy, you chanted to yourself with closed eyes and took deep breaths, bewildered on why you can’t control yourself in front of a guy you just met. You placed your hand on your chest as you kept going until you felt your breathing returned back to normal.

By the time you open your eyes though, the first thing you saw was that darn pretty boy’s face dangerously near yours. His face rested on his hand while his elbow was against the table, leaning in to you. He eyes didn’t seem as if it were filled with questions like it was earlier, rather, he’s giving you a genuine breath-taking smile,

You feel your cheeks flushing, your heart racing for the third time of the darn night, and your eyes squinted to avoid his stare. Luckily, Jinki-ahjussi’s wife comes to your side to place food on your table; however, she gives you a look by the time she noticed you were sitting with a guy — a devilishly-handsome-boyfriend-material-guy,

“Oh, you didn’t tell me you have a boyfriend Dear.” You gave her a surprised look while the boy in front of you was just trying hard to suppress his chuckle,

“N-no! He’s not my boyfriend! I-I don’t even know him.” You protested but she just hummed and took the stick with the order number,

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