It was that time of the year when the city has turned into a mayhem, where everyone else was so busy fulfilling their Christmas punchlist may it be for buying gifts, celebrations, parties and vacations. And just like any person in the world, Jungeun loves cramming just as much as how she loves her iced americano. So she scurried into the crowd, trying to find the best gifts to her loved ones.

Jungeun was proud of herself though because given the time left for her, she is now one gift away from finishing her list. And to her luck, a cashmere navy-blue pair of gloves caught her attention as she passed by the aisle of a certain luxury brand store in Itaewon – 세렌디피키. She went near to the display and reached in for the pair of gloves when another hand landed on top of hers.

“Oh my gosh, sorry!”

“Woah, sorry!

The stranger was just as surprised as Jungeun with the coincidence of getting the same (and maybe the last) pair of the gloves. But instead of getting pissed, Jungeun was stunned when the stranger’s eyes locked in with hers. She thought that the girl with the hair color same as with the gloves in front of her is way too pretty, and might be the prettiest she had seen so far. And for a moment, her heart skipped a beat when she heard her chuckle.

“Do you want these?” the stranger offers.

“Oh no, please.” Jungeun handed over the gloves but the stranger just smiled. 

“You go ahead, I think it’s the last one.” Not wanting to disappoint the navy blue-haired girl, Jungeun hollered at the salesman. She put the gloves back on display.

“Uh, sir, do you have another pair of these cashmere gloves?”

“Whatever’s out is what we have.” The salesman answered nonchalantly.

“You don’t have a stockroom?”

“Nope.”

“An attic, maybe?”

The salesman looked at her, deadpanned.

“Or a basement?”, Jungeun pushed further, making the stranger look at her worriedly. Jungeun felt funny when the stranger’s hand landed again on her arm, tugging her to let go of the argument. She’s not sure if it was because of her petty reasoning, or because of the butterflies raging in her stomach.

“Uhm, listen, just… take them, I don’t need them.”

“No, no, no. You saw them first, I– “

“Please, I insist.”, Jungeun said.

“Take them. Wait a minute.” The stranger was about to take the gloves again to hand it over back to Jungeun when another person grabbed it. “Oh! Oh! Hold on!” The stranger swatted the hand of the lady, who is in their 50s, but barely managed to get back the gloves they were eyeing earlier.

“Excuse me ma’am, those are ours.” Jungeun defended as she stood in front of the stranger.

“Your gloves? Oh, how come? They were just sleeping in there, with their little price tag on.”, the lady rebutted. 

“We were just discussing them, alright?”, the navy-blue haired explained. But the lady doesn’t seem to be budged.

“Well, I have news for you. You can go on discussing them long after I paid for them.”

The lady started to walk pass by them but the duo blocked her way.

“Yah! Where do you think you’re going?”, Jungeun unexpectedly snapped which made both of the ladies look at her, puzzled.

“Calm down, okay?”, the navy blue haired woman asked her.

“Calm down? It’s five days before the Christmas! Hold on, she’s asking me to calm down, in the middle of a department store!”, Jungeun was slowly losing her patience because aside from the fact that she’s losing the last item on her list for a stranger, she was also losing her chance to show-off to the girl beside her. Wait, show-off for what? 

The stranger took the cue and stepped in between Jungeun and the lady.

“Uhm, miss. These were meant to be a very special gift for someone.”

The lady looked skeptically at the navy-blue haired woman, but soon fixed her demeanor when she saw her smile. There’s a calming effect with the way the stranger stood still and smiled at the lady. Jungeun felt that this was going in their favor so she backed up what she was saying.

“Yeah, actually, we put quite a lot of thought into those. Isn’t that right?”, Jungeun nudged the other woman and she looked back with her with a nod…and another smile. Jungeun thought her jaw just dropped on the floor.

“Well, who were they for?”

“My boyfriend-“

“My girlfriend-“

They said in unison. They both looked at each other quite shocked at the mismatch of their statements. So they tried again.

“Her girlfriend-“

“Her boyfriend-“

The lady smirked at their antics, but she was entertained.

“One pair of gloves for…two people?”

Jungeun answered before the stranger could in. “Uh, well. My girlfriend…who turns out to be his boyfriend’s sister is…”

“…is going home this Christmas… after 18 years…” the stranger continued.

“For her operation. Her nosejob got botched…” Jungeun flinched at what she had just said. The stranger, on the other hand, summoned all the angels she could pray for to help herself not to laugh.

“And we wanted to make her feel better. And she loves cashmere gloves so…do you understand?”

The lady went mum for a moment, carefully pondering on the duo’s ‘story’. Although she couldn’t trust what Jungeun is saying, she is putting her life on what the navy-blue haired girl was pointing out. 

“It doesn’t make sense. But...”

The lady handed over the gloves to the stranger in front of her, which got the duo gasp in surprise, so Jungeun held both of the lady’s hands and bowed to her. The navy blue haired can’t also stop herself from smiling, she felt relieved to say the least.

“Oh my gosh, thank you so much, ma’am!”

“Uhm, no. But Merry Christmas anyway.” And with that, the lady left the duo, who soon realized that they were hugging each other already. Jungeun felt warm at the gesture, as she removed herself from the grinning girl. She bowed a few times trying to ease up the tension between them.

“Well... you earned those.” Jungeun felt shy all of a sudden and scratched her head.

“Thanks, it was a team effort though.” The stranger said as they walked towards the cashier to pay for the gloves. 

“Yeah, yeah, it was. It was.” Jungeun said, brushing her hair from her forehead backwards, a habit she seemed to get used to whenever she’s feeling shy. Yes, the Great Kim Jungeun is shy in front of…what’s her name again?

“I don’t know how to thank you.”

“Well…”

 

- - - 

 

The duo ended up lounging in a nearby café, wherein the navy blue haired girl insisted that she’d pay for their bill just to make up for every trouble she’s caused to the blonde. Jungeun didn’t mind, though. Besides, she didn’t wanna end this day without knowing the girl’s name. And she knew this is her only chance to give it a shot.

They were seated on the table near the window, a perfect spot to see the view outside. Their drinks came right after they have settled on their seats.

“Hmm, this is…ughh, so good.” Jungeun couldn’t stop herself from as she tasted the iced americano that she ordered. There’s nothing special with the blend of the coffee, but there’s something about the mood and the ambiance and the person whom she’s with right now that makes the coffee the best iced americano she had tasted in her life.

The woman in front of Jungeun looked at her quite amused at her reaction. The woman mentally gave herself a pat for choosing the right café because just like Jungeun, there’s something with this blonde that draws her towards her, like she’s gravitating towards the blonde without her knowing, and the next thing she knew was – she’s mesmerized with the way she scrunches her eyebrows; she’s drawn on how she shows her bright set of teeth whenever she’s laughing; and she’s amazed with the way this very blonde makes her heart skip a beat, as if this feeling had become so foreign to her.

“I don’t know how it didn’t made any sense to that lady. You were pretty clear with your reasons.”

“Sheesh, I know right! But, kidding aside, i’m pretty serious about the check. It’s the least that I can do.” 

“Well, thank you, but, see…now I have to go find something else for my girlfriend.”

The navy blue haired girl was a bit perplexed at the admission, but she never let it show and maintained a glee expression. Teasing, even.

“Oh, they were for your girlfriend?”

“Yes, they were.”, Jungeun responded as she sips on her coffee. It felt strange, but she definitely saw the stranger’s right eye twitch. Was she bothered by the fact that she has a girlfriend?

“Oh, I can’t accept them then.” The woman picked up the paper bag and pushed it towards Jungeun, but Jungeun immediately refused to accept it.

“Well, you have to. Or else, you won’t treat me. Really.”

“Fine.”

A moment of silence came upon them but it wasn’t the uncomfortable. It was a perfect pause from all the jitters and rambling of thoughts for both of them. 

“Hm, just tell me something interesting.”, Jungeun said, breaking the silence.

“Interesting, what?”, the woman raised an eyebrow.

“Uhm, anything you wanna share to me? A story? A rumour or a number combination for the lottery, perhaps?”

“Well, I chose this café because of the name.”

“Serendipity? Because it’s the same with the name of the department store? Or do you own a conglomerate?”

“No, you dork.” The stranger just giggled at Jungeun’s exaggeration. “Serendipity. It’s my favorite word.”

“It is? Why?”

“‘Cause it’s such a nice sound for what it means… a fortunate accident.”

“Mm… Except that I don’t really believe in accidents.”

The woman looked at Jungeun, challenged.

“I think fate’s behind everything.”

“Oh you do?”

“I think so. Everything is predestined.”, Jungeun replied as she munched the chewy cookies. “

“You mean, we don’t have choice at all?”, the navy blue haired girl inquired further.

“I think… look, we make our own decisions. It’s just that fate sends us little signs and it’s how we read the signs that determines whether we’re happy or not.”

Jungeun said that in one breathing, slightly amazed at her mini speech, and finished the cookie as well as the drink she had. She leaned backwards and stretched her arms, trying to ease the tension from the look that the woman was giving her. It wasn’t intense or daring, but you can see the glint on her eyes, shining as if she’s seeing the most adorable person in this café. Jungeun couldn’t help but feel warm in her cheeks.

“So, little signals huh? Still, it’s a ‘fortunate’ accident.”

“Uhuh… convince me more.”

“Hmmm… Columbus in America. Archimedes’ eureka moment. Or… Fleming discovering penicillin.”

“Fleming is his name?”

“Duh?” The woman just rolled her eyes at the teasing blonde. Jungeun, on the other hand laughs her teeth out at the other woman’s reaction. 

“I have one, though. Jungeun and the Gloves.”

“I don’t know that one.”

“What? You don’t know that story? Gosh, where on Earth were you?”

The woman just smirked, leaning her back on the seat with her arms crossed. 

“Okay so… Jungeun, our hero, goes out in search of a blue gloves. An in a perfect act of…’serendipiocity’ or ‘serendipaciousness’,” Jungeun animatedly showed an air quote, then continued, “she runs into a beautiful, attractive, Korean girl with a boyfriend. You have a boyfriend, right?”, Jungeun pushed her luck.

“Yeah, I do.”

“That’s what I thought.”

“And you have the glove lady.”

The blonde cleared . The woman in front of her seemed to not wanna lose in this teasing battle. “Yes, I do.”

“Mm-mhm.”

Both of them chuckled, realizing that it was hilarious to be openly flirting at each other given their current status.

After their ‘date’ at the café, the pair headed out and went back to in front of the mall they visited earlier to look for a cab. They walked side by side on the street, trying to avoid the sea of people that has been swarming on the side walk.

As they reached the waiting shed, the woman stopped and turned to Jungeun.

“It was a nice time.”

Jungeun swears she could stare all day at her angelic face. And that smile…she cursed internally not being able to resist the charm of this particular woman.

“Well, I hope you enjoy the gloves you bought.”

“Oh, i’m sure I will.”

“I usually appreciate my own thoughtfulness.”, Jungeun then winked at the taller woman.

“What do you want for Christmas?”, asked the navy blue haired girl.

“Espresso machine.”

“Ohh, okay. That’s i–“

“So you’re gonna meet your boyfriend now?”, Jungeun inquired, taking a step towards the other woman. 

“Uhm, no. He’s probably out doing what you’re doing.”

“Getting a crush on someone else’s girlfriend?”, the blonde took another step. Close, but not too close.

“No. L-look.” The stranger sighed, but still maintained her composure. The girl in front of her was just too much to handle.”I’m sorry, but I just meant to say I really had a great time.”

“You know, maybe you should give me your number. You know, just in case.”

“In case of what?”

“In case of life! Damn, sorry but… I just had a great time. And… i’d never be able to find you again.”

The stranger grinned and stepped closer to Jungeun, and at this moment, Jungeun could feel her heart beat double time.

“We’ll if we’re meant to meet again, then we’ll meet again. The stranger cleared the hair that was blocking the blonde’s face, sending shivers to Jungeun. A good kind of shiver. “It’s just not… the right time now.”

“Maybe we were supposed to meet on American time, and we’re 11 hours too early.”, Jungeun pleaded. They stared at each other for a moment, realizing that their faces were only a few inches apart. Breaking herself from doing something irrational, the woman snapped out of herself and turned around to hail a cab. Jungeun just followed behind her.

“Come on, I don’t even know your name! I’m Jungeun.”

The stranger remained silent as she waited for a cab, but her lips were curved upwards.

“Yah~ does that make you wanna tell me something?”

Finally, a cab stopped in front of the navy blue haired girl and when she was about to go in. She hesitated for a tad bit, then turned back to Jungeun.

“Yeah, it does.”

Jungeun looked at her, suddenly confused at the turn of events, because she had no time to react when she realized that the stranger was already in front of her and gave her a peck on the cheek.

“Merry Christmas, Jungeun.”