Son Seungwan has fallen in love three times. Once when she was 10 years old, she liked a boy with bowl cut hair and monolid eyes. She carried the torch for two years before the boy fell sick. Seungwan was so worried that she folded 1000 paper cranes and gifted them to him to express her love. Naturally, she was rejected. If you are a 12-year-old, you don’t understand love all that much and if someone gifted you a heavy burden of 1000 paper cranes, you probably would feel uncomfortable too. It didn’t bother Seungwan all that much and she got over it quickly. As I said, 12-year-olds don’t understand love all that much.
 

            At age 17, Son Seungwan liked senior from her college in the dance department. He is especially charming when dancing and great at sports. However, there wasn’t any chemistry outside of his talents. He knew that Seungwan likes it when he dances so he dances, a lot. When they go on dates, he seems to have the personality of a cardboard and if I may, that is a compliment to the cardboard. The breakup should feel much sadder than funny if he wasn’t trying so desperately to dance in the middle of a crowded street to chase Seungwan back.

            At age 24, Seungwan dated an office clerk at her workplace. He was sweet, easy to talk to and clumsy. A little too clumsy. It was cute at first, but it quickly devolved into Seungwan having to protect him at every small juncture. The breakup was clumsy too. When it happened, the office clerk said thank you for the breakup and Seungwan said ‘you’re welcomed.’ They parted ways but realized they had to walk in the same direction for another 20 minutes.

            Seungwan now at age 29 realized something a little bit about love. Everyone she dated has a little something that she loves but they were always insular. Just falling for a person’s single trait or charm is not enough, the love that she wants should be constant. She continues to muse about her 10,000 word thesis on love but she suddenly hears a snore through the other side of the phone call.

‘Seulgi, SEULGI!’

‘Wha.. what?’

‘Did you really just fall asleep when I’m talking to you about the most important thing in life?’

‘Food?’

‘No! Love!’

‘Seungwan, you have been talking for 2 hours. It’s already dawn. Please hang up.’

‘Don’t wanna. You hang up.’

‘No way, you hang up first. I don’t really know what’s the big deal anyway. Being single during Christmas is whatever.’
 

‘It’s not. I’m saying I’m discovering what my ideal type is and it-‘

‘Yeah, I know, I know. You told me the stories a dozen times.’

‘Why are you so snappy with me? I’m just asking you to listen and you don’t ever offer to help, ever.’

Seulgi can almost hear the pout and she got a bit flustered.

‘That’s not true. I…uh…’

‘Seulgi, remember that time I helped you with baking muffins?’

‘Uh…’

‘Remember the supper runs that only I would accompany you on?’

‘Uhh…’

‘Remember how I helped you with finding your sweet rental apartment? Prepare you for your job interview? Gift finding for your parents?’

‘UHHH…’

‘KANG SEULGI, face it! You are a leech!’

‘Goddamnit, fine! I’ll find you the perfect guy. How’s that? Happy?’

‘You know like a total of zero guys, Seulgi.’

Seulgi begins to sweat bullets and her mind scrambles for someone suitable for her best friend. After a short buffering, an bolt of lightning hits her.

‘I know just the guy!’

‘Really? Who?’

‘My mother’s son, Kang Garam! He dances(badly), he is sweet(sometimes) and he has a nice personality(this part is true). Best of all, if you marry him, we become sisters.’

‘First of all, I don’t want to be your sister, ew. Secondly, Garam hyung? I haven’t seen him since high school.’

‘Take it or leave it, Son Wandy. Know that if you reject this, you can’t call me a leech anymore. I did offer to help.’

‘Oh alright.’ Seulgi can hear her friend’s exasperated sigh but oh well, beggars can’t be choosers.

‘Great! I’ll let him know and you guys can have dinner on Christmas eve!’

 

            The two friends talked a bit more before ending the call. A little part of Seulgi is excited at the idea of Seungwan being with Garam. Imagine being a family with Seungwan, living together, going on trips together and just being together every day, how wondrous would that be. Seulgi starts to plan a perfect date with all the details and itinerary in her own little mind. When she hears Garam waking up next room and shuffling about, Seulgi dashes out to lay out her masterplan.

‘What? No way.’

‘What do you mean no way?’

‘Christmas eve is tomorrow, that’s way too last minute! And Wendy is sweet and all but I haven’t seen her since high school.’

‘Shut the hell up, you are going to the date whether you like it or not!’

‘No, I’m not! I’m going to play games with friends at a PC café!’

The two siblings begin to tussle at each other, but neither is giving the other an inch.

‘Okay fine! Go to the date then go to PC bang.’

‘No can do, dawg. I’m doing a 12 hour gaming marathon.’

‘You little- If Seungwan calls me a leech again, I’m gonna set your sneakers on on fire.’

‘What’s that got to do with me, man? I’m not going, end of story.’

Garam grabs his snacks and shut the door on Seulgi before she can continue the discussion. It was over. Just 30 minutes ago, Seulgi was talking up Garam… about what a great guy he is, what a perfect gentleman he has grown up to be and how good looking he is. Seungwan agrees on the latter because he is an exact carbon copy of Seulgi growing up. There were times people would mistake the two of them in school.  At odd times, girls would confess to Seulgi thinking she is Garam and guys to Garam thinking he is Seulgi. Suddenly, Seulgi has an idea.

‘What if… it’s just for one day. Seungwan can’t know the difference, right?’

‘Right?’

___________

Inspired by this picture, haha