Winter Days Spent Somewhere Far Away

Pt.1

By Eiryia

It was the beginning of December and Seungyoon was about to book his flight home for Christmas like he always did. Or, at least for the last five years, because that how long he had been single for. 

Searching for a suitable flight it dawned on him that he had yet to check with his mother if there was any changes to her plans. He did this every year, but there never was any, yet he felt he had to ask. 

He picked up his phone with some effort as it had slid down between the couch cushions while he had worked on his computer for most of the evening. 

It was passed midnight and he could not sleep. 

What was he supposed to do now? Stay home alone for Christmas? 

His mother’s best friend had walked in on her husband cheating only a couple of weeks ago and now his mother had agreed to go with her friend on a cruise to the Bahamas for Christmas because her friend didn’t want to be alone for Christmas. 

Instead he would be alone for Christmas. 

His mother had invited him to tag along, but the thought didn’t really appeal to him. 

It’s one in the morning and he still cant’t sleep. Maybe he should go to the Bahamas after all? 

Two in the morning. He had to get up in four hours. Brain please shut off now. 

Three in the morning. That settled it, he would go on a holiday of his own. 

His boss would definitely not mind as he could just take his work with him and he had yet to take a proper holiday since starting work for the publishing company three years ago. 

It was decided. He would go. On his own.

He woke up the next morning not feeling rested at all. 

Deciding to just drop of his notes at the office he could be home by noon for a nap and keep working in the afternoon in stead. Having studied literature at the university had he been told countless times that it would be hard getting a job, but whether it was pure luck, his dedication to do the field of work or actually being skilled at what he does he didn’t know. 

Having joined a newly started publishing house straight out of university they had struck jackpot with their first book and then not long after the second. Now both authors were world known and they got so much to do his boss kept having to hire more people. 

Working as an editor was surprisingly rewarding, especially when a story he had picked up on and helped polish had gone on to do so well. This second draft he had been going over was nothing short of a masterpiece, he knew this sequel would be just as great as the first one, he just knew it. 

It was still to be counted as morning when he handed in his work at the office. After that had he headed back out into the cold to run some errands before returning home.

On his way home had he picked up a larger suitcase as he only owned an overnight bag and he was now dragging it along with him down the street to his apartment building. The first snow in Seoul that year had erupted out of nowhere on them that morning, leaving him to slip through a wet grey mush the entire way home.

He didn’t offer the bad weather much of a thought because in his mind he was going over places he had always wanted to travel to, but never actually gone to. 

By the time he had arrived home had he decided on Europe. Now he just needed to make up his mind about which country and make more detailed plans. 

Having picked up some lunch on his way home he now sat down on his bed with his laptop to look for inspiration on where to go. He traveled quite a bit for work as he had gone on tour with the company's first star author, but now they got other people to do that. 

Still the thought of staying at a hotel didn’t really appeal to him. 

Looking at home rentals he soon eliminated countries that didn’t speak english well and in the end had he found himself looking at places to stay in England. 

All of these cities seemed so interesting to him. Bath, Oxford, Manchester, London.. His eyes lingered on London. It seemed like the obvious choice, but did he really want to trade one big city for another? 

He was tired of Seoul, there was no denying that, so why would London be any different? 

Hours later and he had settled on a tiny stone cabin for rent for two weeks over Christmas simply because it looked so idyllic and almost too picture perfect to be real. If that couldn’t bring him some calm and maybe some new resolve to strike out in a new direction in his life then what would? 

If country life became too boring then he could always take the train to London. 

Even the thought of commuting in some other city appealed to him as he was so tired of the daily grind in his own. 

All he had needed to do to get his holiday granted was to make a quick call to his boss the same evening. Having promised to keep editing on his trip there had been no issues and the later part of his evening he had spent planning and casually packing for his holiday despite it still being a couple of weeks away. 

Deciding to live out his inner literature nerd vision to the fullest he packed clothes he usually wouldn’t feel bold enough to wear: Matching tweed suit, pants of corduroy and turtleneck sweaters. Three pairs of glasses despite only using his black thick framed ones at home. On this trip he would be himself a 100% and if no one liked that then it wouldn’t matter because he would be going home again in two weeks.

He then kicked life into his old printer and printed a couple of submissions he had been asked to read through before the year was over. 

Usually he read and made all his notes digitally, but the thought of dealing with a manuscript the old way with inked notes appealed to him so much it made the hairs on his arms rise in excitement. 

Next on his packing list was a few good books. 

Something to balance things out if what he was working on proved to be terrible. A classic or two maybe? His index finger slid past the spines of his classics collection, all in bright colors, all collectors editions, because surely someone with a literature degree could allow themselves to indulge in such things. 

In the end he had been unable to decide, he would buy more books in London instead. Not bringing any was the perfect excuse to buy more after all.

The days until his holiday flew by at incredible speed, usually when he was looking forward to something the hours snailed by, but not this time. 

Maybe it was because he was secretly very nervous about it? Going alone? Spending Christmas alone? Maybe in the end he would feel even more alone stuck in some small stone cabin on the other side of the world? 

He was about to find out.

It was the day of departure and he was both nervous and excited.

Putting on his dark blue suit, his grey turtle neck and his dark grey scarf he took one last look in the mirror. All doubts aside he was truly looking forward to leaving everything behind for a while. 

Next thing he knew he was seated between an old Finish couple flying home from Korea after visiting their daughter. He would have to switch planes in Helsinki before landing in London severely jet lagged, but very happy. 

Navigating the massive airport of Heathrow had been surprisingly easy and with some help by a friendly local he had bought the correct train ticket and was now headed for the train which would take him towards the city. 

He had planned it so that he would be staying a couple of nights in London when he first arrived, just to check if it was somewhere he would miss. 

His hotel was perfectly positioned just a short walk from Hyde Park and the Marble Arch subway station which also meant he was positioned only a couple of streets away from Oxford street and he spent his days in coffee shops and trailing the smallest bookstores to the massive ones. 

Eating at an Italian restaurant with another bag of books nestled in the chair beside him he couldn’t help but to feel a little sad that he weren’t sharing this trip with anyone.  His last relationship had ended so many years ago and he had never managed to find anyone after that. 

Thinking back on that relationship he knew it was nothing to miss, they weren’t right for each other. Both of them had felt trapped and miserable by the end, but even so had it taken them way too long to agree to end it. 

Maybe the next year would be his year? The year he found love? Or at least made some new friends? That would be good too. As fond as he was of his books were they poor company in many a situation.

Mino looked up at the man sitting across from him on the train wondering if he should wake him. This was a commuters train, meaning it would take the poor soul way out into the countryside if he was to sleep long enough. 

He adjusted his way too loose tiny pony tail in the back at the neck, reminding himself a haircut was long overdue, before nudging the old mans knee lightly with his hand. 

The man let out one last loud snore before jolting awake. 

    "I’m sorry, but I just wanted to make sure you didn’t miss your stop because you have been sleeping for quite a while" he explained straightening up in his seat now that the man was awake. 

Watching the old man rub his beard, look out at the snow flurry before checking his watch he wondered if the man was actually grumpy about having been woken up or if this was his usual self. 

His answer came as the train slowed down for the next stop as the man got up, put on his hat only to lift it slightly in a silent thank you, before stepping off of the train moments later. 

    "Lucky" Mino mumbled to himself before stretching out his legs now that the space in front of him was free. 

The next stop was his own and so he gathered up his stuff and put on his coat and scarf readying himself to brave the snowy weather. 

As he stepped of the train had he noticed how only a few others had done the same. A  pair of old squabbling women, a young couple with a baby and a man looking quite stylish yet terribly out of place. 

Lingering to watch the confused man he couldn’t quite pin point what it was that had caught his attention, but the outfit obviously was one of them. It was too perfect to be British, the logo on the suitcase screamed Asia and of course the ruffled jet black hair kinda gave him away too. 

Now the man had moved over to the railway map by the stairs leading down to the street bellow. Following after him under the excuse of having to re-tie his scarf to shield better against the weather he got a better look at the young man’s face. 

He was handsome, t