“Middle school reunion?” Jiyong moves the phone to his right ear and looks up at the traffic light, waiting for it to change color. “You mean, all schools reunion? Not only our class or our batch?”

“It’s not only for our batch,” Seunghyun said at the other end. “All alumni may come. In fact, the invitation for the alumni had been distributed a month before. You don’t receive it?”

“No.”

“Well, maybe because moved abroad before the school year was over,” Seunghyun guessed. “That's why they don’t know how to contact you.”

The traffic lights change color and Jiyong quickly crosses the road with another group of pedestrians. “But can I join? I mean, I didn’t get the invitation.”

“Ah, you don’t need to worry about that,” Seunghyun said lightly. “Let me take care of it. You just need to be present.”

“When is the reunion?”

“About a week after the New Year. I forget the exact date. I’ll tell you again later.”

“Okay. But do we have to come alone or…”

“Ah, you mean can you invite a partner? Of course. You know, many of our friends will invite their husbands or wives.” Seunghyun pauses for a moment, then asks jokingly, “Why? Is there someone you want to go to the event with?”

Jiyong smiles. “Maybe.”

Seunghyun sighs. “Looks like you don’t want to tell it now. It’s okay. But I hope you can invite her and introduce her to me.”

“Alright,” said Jiyong, laughing.

“Maybe I will also invite someone,” Seunghyun said suddenly.

“Wait a minute. A few days ago when we had lunch together, you said you didn’t have a girlfriend. Right, you said you didn’t have time to date.” Jiyong walks along Myeong-dong which is crowded with pedestrians. Various boutiques, cafes, fast food restaurants and other small shops targeted for young people are lining along the streets. Jiyong nudges someone’s shoulder and he mutters his apology without stopping his walk.

“Indeed. But isn’t life strange?” Seunghyun’s voice is cheerful. “I met her right after I had lunch with you that day. Since then we had met several times and I had invited her to lunch or drink coffee occasionally. I don’t know if she wants me to really ask her out.”

“One of the beautiful new nurses?” guessed Jiyong.

“I did meet her at the hospital, but she isn’t a nurse,” said Seunghyun, still in a cheerful tone. “Take it easy, you’ll meet her later during the reunion.”

Jiyong ends the call and enters one of the shops on his right and smiles at the shopkeeper who greeted him. “Has the order on behalf of Kwon Jiyong already been finished?”

The shopkeeper smiles broadly. “Ah, of course. Please wait a moment.”

Soon the friendly girl returns with a paper bag and hands it to Jiyong.

Jiyong takes out several large photos from the paper bag and examines each sheet. All the photos are the results of his shots since he set foot in Seoul. The views of Seoul, pedestrians on Hongdae streets, children running around Bukchon Hanok Village, some famous temples. And Park Dara.

Jiyong holds one of the photos of Dara he took when he saw the girl sitting alone in one of the cafes in Hongdae. He had often photographed Dara and most of the photos were taken without the girl’s knowledge. If Dara knows that Jiyong was taking her photos, she would grumble at length about herself not being a photo model and not intending to be one.

“Everything is complete, isn’t it?” asked the shopkeeper.

Jiyong looks up and smiles broadly. “Yes,” he said. “Thank you very much.”

Looking at the Dara’s photos in his grasp, Jiyong remembers something. Before he invites the girl to his school reunion, there’s something else he wants to say to Dara. He reaches into the inside pocket of his jacket and takes out two tickets to the ballet show. Swan Lake, one of the best-selling shows that Dara really wants to watch. The show date printed on the ticket is December 24, so Jiyong hopes that Dara won’t have any important event that day.

***

Dara crouches down the books on the bottom shelf while humming softly. The library is quiet at that time. There are only a few people who read books at available tables. Dara really likes the lonely atmosphere of the library. So peaceful. She stands up and looks out the window. Christmas is coming in just a few more days. She hopes the snow will fall on Christmas Day.

Dara sighs softly and glances at her watch. It’s time to go home. All of a sudden the 200% song sounds so loud. Dara hurriedly takes out her phone.

 “Hello?” She whispered. Her face felt hot when she sees several people turning their head towards him. She quickly leaves the row of bookshelves and returns to her desk.

“Dara-ssi.”

Hearing Seunghyun’s voice on the other end, Dara immediately slows down in surprise. “Doctor Choi?”

“How is your ankle?” asked Seunghyun. “Is there any problem?”

Automatically Dara looks at her left ankle which is no longer bandaged. The bandage was opened yesterday. “I think no. It’s healed completely,” she said with a smile. “Are you still in the hospital?”

“Yes, but soon I’ll be home. Do you have an agenda tonight?”

“Mmm... No, not that I know of. What’s wrong?”

“Do you want to have dinner with me?”

Dara doesn’t take long to answer. “Why not?”

***

Busy.

Jiyong closes his phone. He tried three times to contact Dara but the girl’s phone was busy. It’s okay. He will go to meet the girl in the library where she works. Jiyong glances at his watch. There’s still time. Most likely he can get there before the girl comes home. Then he can take Dara to dinner.

But it turns out that Dara isn’t in the library. According to one of her coworkers, Dara came home early today. Jiyong glances at his watch. Then he will meet Dara at home.

***

He should wear gloves. Jiyong shivers and stuffs his hands into his coat pocket as soon as he left the subway station. White steam comes out of his nose and mouth along with each breath. Very cold. It looks like it will snow soon.

“Hyung!”

Jiyong turns towards the sound and sees Seunghoon running towards him.

“Oh, Seunghoon.”

“Cold... Cold...” Seunghoon shivers excessively and rubs his palms together. “Do you want to go home? Come on, let’s go together.”

The two men walk quickly along the uphill road that led to their apartment building.

“So how?” Seunghoon asked out of the blue.

“What?” Jiyong asked again.

“About Christmas.”

“Huh?”

“Have you asked her out?”

“Who?”

Seunghoon stops walking. “Didn’t you say you wanted to spend Christmas with someone? But at that time you hadn’t asked her yet. So have you asked her now?”

Jiyong also stops his move. He looks at Seunghoon for a moment, then smiles. “Oh, that.” Then he continues his steps.

Seunghoon follows him. “Yes, that one. So?”

“I’ll ask her out tonight.”

“You still haven’t asked her yet?”

“I told you, I’ll ask her tonight.”

“Have you forgotten my words about moving fast?”

“Gosh, this kid! Didn’t I say…?”

“Eh, whose car is that?”

Jiyong holds back his scolding and looks straight ahead. A black car stops in front of their apartment building, not so far from them. The door on the driver’s side opened and a man wearing a long brown jacket comes out.

Jiyong’s eyebrows rise. Oh? Isn’t that Choi Seunghyun, he thought, narrowing his eyes to see more clearly. Why is he here? Looking for Jiyong? Nah. Jiyong is about to speed up when the passenger side door opened and a girl steps out. Jiyong stops his steps and blinks when he recognizes the girl.

Dara?

“Oh? Isn’t that Dara Noona?” Jiyong heard Seunghoon ask.

“Who is the person with her?”

Jiyong doesn’t answer. He himself is also surprised. Dara and Seunghyun?

“Don’t tell me he’s the doctor,” Seunghoon interrupted suddenly.

Jiyong turns towards Seunghoon beside him. “Who?”

“Dara Noona’s first love. The one who called her when we were all eating shabu-shabu at Grandpa Shin’s house.”

Jiyong’s head turns back to look at Dara and Seunghyun who are standing face to face. They are busy talking about something, then laugh.

That’s true. Dara once told him that the name of her first love is Seunghyun and he works as a doctor. Could it be that the Seunghyun who is Dara’s first love is also the same person as Seunghyun who is Jiyong’s close friend? Plus, Seunghyun mentioned about the woman he just met. Is the woman he meant