2 Years Later, Christmas Eve

Dara’s POV

I hugged my pink diary- A priced possession, tighter to my chest. The weather was turning chilly as the Sun laid comfortable in the horizon.

I opened the diary again and looked at its new contents. That’s enough for the day, I guess. I stood up from the bench and tucked my diary into my bag. I began to walk carefully through the field that lay before the abandoned train station.

I looked down at my watch. There would be ample time to get Bom a hair accessory for Christmas if I hurried down. I quickened my pace to get to the town centre.

“Merry Christmas unnie!” a young girl ran up to me, giggling.

I smiled affectionately. “Merry Christmas too!” I ruffled her hair, and chuckled as she ran off to her Mom.

Many unfamiliar faces passed by me and wished me a Merry Christmas afterwards, but I did not pay much attention to them. After all, I would just forget about them afterwards. Not that I do not want to take the effort to remember, but I would just…forget.

I stepped into a shop, and the tinkling of the bell aroused the attention of the shopkeeper. She gave a warm smile when she saw that it was me.

“Dara!,” She gave a hearty chuckle, ”I thought you wouldn’t be coming!”

I gave her a smile. “Mrs Kim, Do you have it?”

She nodded furiously. She hurried to behind her counter and took out a beautiful hair band from her drawer. It had caught my eye since a few weeks ago. Bom always had a weakness towards pretty, shiny accessories.

It had two rows of crystal rhinestones that lined the outline of the hair band and was set in a silver tone metal. The price of the hair band was hefty but it was worth it. ‘This would sure put a smile on Bom’s face.” I thought happily.

I handed the stack of money I had safe for quite some time. Mrs Kim gave me the hair band, and sent me off with a motherly smile. ‘Hurry home now dear, I am sure your sister is impatiently waiting for you.” She let out a small laugh, seeming to remember Bom’s horrible temper.

As I stepped out of the shop, the town bell rang six times. I was horrified- I couldn’t have taken up so much time! I ran back to my house, going as fast as my feet could, clutching the hair band close to me. Bom is so going to kill me.

Just then, I could vaguely see a person carrying a heavy stack of papers running towards my direction and immediately, my mind knew we would hit each other. I struggled to stop but my feet would not listen. I closed my eyes and braced from impact. When I opened them, I found myself staring into the stranger’s smoky black eyes. Suddenly, I was in a daze. His eyes were so captivating, and I could not bring myself to look away.

“Are you okay? I’m terribly sorry!” the stranger exclaimed.

He extended a hand to help me up. I accepted his help but continued to be in a daze. His sheepish eye smile made me feel butterflies in my stomach, and the warmth from his hand made me feel secure.

I snapped out of my daze and began helping the poor stranger who had his paper strewn around the area.

“You’re new around here?” I said casually as I glanced at the title of his documents.

“Yep, I came here myself to enroll into the local university. It’s time I tried being independent.” His words reminded me of Bom, as just like him, she came to this town for she wanted to be independent too.

As we pick up the papers, I silently studied his features carefully. He was tall and no doubt, his looks were outstanding. But it was his stormy eyes that captivated me the most, and it took all my will power not to just stand there and stare at him – him and his gorgeous eyes. For some reason, I felt that this was a person I had to remember.  This meant a lot, for usually, I would never bother to remember any stranger.  It just took too much effort, and the next day I would just forget and I wouldn’t be able to recognise the person again.

After picking up the papers, I stood up and patted the dust off from my knees, getting ready to sprint again.

“Wait,” The stranger’s melodious voice called.

I stopped, looking at him confused.

“What’s your name?” He asked with a cheeky grin.

“Sandara Park. People call me Dara” I replied.

“I’m Jiyong.” The stranger said, smiling. “Dara…what a nice name.” he complimented, throwing me a flirty grin.

I blushed, and feeling embarrassed, I muttered a quick ‘I really got to go now’, and sprinted home.

As I ran, a smile unknowingly crept up my face.

Jiyong, huh?

They finally met! Things will be so much more interesting from this chapter onwards. Just take the previous few chapters as an intro haha