There’s nothing wrong with his house, Minseok thought. So he just unlocked the door and walks in. He throw his bag to the kitchen counter with a loud groans. His eyes were on the glass door when he drinks the whole bottle from his refrigerator. There’s a light coming from his backyard and Minseok’s sure that he never put any lamps or anything on that side. Curiosity took him to the said place and he finds 7 jars with candles (and some with flowers in it), 4 hanging on the branch and 3 on the ground. Each jars have their own number written on it. Minseok takes a jar with big-bold ‘Day 1’ on it and read the note that sticks on the back of it.

“I hope we can meet somewhere, not the shop nor your house.”

Minseok frowns. Someone has put these jar lanterns at his backyard and asking him to meet up somewhere?. He shook his head and look at the other jar.

“Maybe a place where the stars and the moon could be seen, a place where I can use these lanterns to see your angelic face.” Said the note at Day 2 jar –Minseok almost run to his bathroom.

And the other notes just describe how the meeting place looks like; fireflies, one-way street, lanterns, hill, grass, morning dew. Minseok thought it’s just a troll and he’ll throw away these jars tomorrow. He goes to his house, runs a bit and get ready for sleep.

--

The next day is Tuesday and Minseok find 8 jar lanterns at his backyard. Day 8’s note said, “I don’t know someone could be that adorable other than you. Even those baozi are jealous of you.” His face turn bright red. Who the hell is this secret admirer? Minseok thought. He looks around, maybe this secret admirer still in his area. But he find nothing than just some trees, flowers and those jars.

Minseok sighs, take a glance at those jars infront of him, hands on his waist.

“You made my backyard looks more beautiful,” he said, realize that the sender placed each jar in a perfect way.

“I’ll let you stay here and maybe take care all of you.” And then he goes back to his kitchen after turn off all the candles.

That night, his mind once again filled by jar lanterns, admiring notes, and the new co-worker.

--

The other day, the sender keep sends Minseok jar lanterns and notes. One of them has a dirty steamed bun in it. The note says, “Are you get sick today? I saw you drop my poor baozi with that pale face. You know, it rolls to my shoe and cried to me. You made me worried so much that I need to watch you on your way back.”

“Thank you, but that’s mean you’ve stalk me.” He shivers. No wonder he feels like someone’s watching him behind his back the whole day. But this ‘stalker’ said Minseok drops his baozi that day, does that mean he’s one of his customer?. Minseok taps his chin, tries to remember everyone he met.

“Are you that little girl with wide grin or the Big-and-Thick-Glasses boy?” Minseok asked to the warm jar with puffed cheeks. He has dropped it 3 times to the customers –Minseok hopes it wasn’t that 50 years old man. But the jar stay silent, maybe it has no idea who puts it here too, Minseok’s cute side of mind thought.

The other notes caught his attention the most. Or should we call it a message? Since it was much more longer. It was a daisy white paper tied with dried wild flower, there’s a red chrysanthemum along with it.

“Am I lucky or something? You never caught me send these jars. I feel both relief and sad. I’ve been in your steamed bun shop for 2 months already, but I see you never noticed me :<. Ah, it’s my twelfth jar already and I had to confess...that I...umm, how should I write it? I...aish, my hand’s trembling!” Minseok almost laugh at the last line. The stalker’s must be really nervous while writing those lines, his/her writing is like a bacon strips.

“I feel my heart skips a beat and it’s hard to breathe. There’s a weird feel in my chest and my stomach. Those all happens when I see you, I think of you, when I come to the shop you work at... I just...it’s really hard to explain what I feels. Like the whole world was get in slow motion everytime you run to me with that smile... you understand, don’t you?”

And also the note with egyptian blue paper, “I see you haven’t notice me yet. Well, you seem to care so much on that boy. I’m jealous. Really really jealous. Why can’t I get your attention when that boy can? :’( “

--

Since the twelft jar, Minseok has a hard time during works. Luhan, the new worker caught him checking some customers multiple times a day. Minseok even ask for Tao, the cashier to make a list of customers that come often. He still haven’t figured out anything yet.

But this Saturday, Minseok can’t go anywhere. Lay has come this morning and told him that he must stay because of the fever. Minseok agreed though, he lays on his warm bed for the rest of the day –Kris once come and take care of him.

He’s re-reading the note he’ve got yesterday when it reach 5 pm. As he heard a weird sound at his backyard, he hurriedly get up on his slippers and run to his window.

“I feel bad for you. You look really sick today. Why don’t you just take a rest at home?” the words keep echoing his mind. He takes a peek to the outside, jaws drop at the sight of his backyard. Someone has just jump through his fence and now tip toe-ing to Minseok’s jar lanterns. He wears a white shirt with black shorts and white sneakers; it was Minseok’s steamed bun shop’s uniform. His hand is holding a jar with candle in it and bring it to the group.

“Isn’t he that new co-worker?” Minseok frowns. When the boy pulls a sticky notes and a red colored pen from his pocket, Minseok quickly run downstairs. He reaches his kitchen as the boy stick his white note on the 14th jar. The boy is sure taller than him. His black bang falls infront of his thick glasses and his white long fingers stuck the note carefully. And all of those perfection make Minseok’s heart wants to explode.

Maybe Minseok’s heartbeat was just too loud that it reach the boy’s ears, Minseok thought. The boy now looks at him with a surprised expression plastered on his face. One minute staring at each other is enough for Minseok to realize who is this boy. He’s the new co-worker, the one who gets Minseok’s address from a short convo in the kitchen, The Kim Jongdae. Jongdae held his free hand, waving happily like a 5 years old.

“What the...” Minseok raises his eyebrows. Why he seems so happy after being caught?.

The now smiling boy again stuck in his notes while writes something. After wasting some notes and a bit cursing at his own trembling hand –at least it looks like it is for Minseok, Jongdae finnaly had done his writing and stuck it on his jar. He held his jar high in the air, running towards Minseok.

Minseok frowns, trying to read the very big words on the jar with his blurry sight.

“I’m Kim Jongdae, the new chef! Let’s get together and have a lots of babies!!! <3”

Then Minseok faints with pink cheeks and an abnormal heartbeat inside his chest.

The candle in Minseok’s jar now has been .