I’ve always liked reading, whatever the genre maybe and yes, even the educational books although anything with numbers, anything mathematical for that matter is most definitely exempted. Usually, I read during my shifts, well I don’t do much for my job anyway. And because of said job, I get to finish a book in a day’s shift or even two, yeah, that’s how boring it is.

 

 

Today was just another ordinary, boring day, save for my habit of leisurely sitting at my post reading from my phone when someone tapped my shoulder asking me about a missing or a lost and found item. I feigned ignorance then the person prodded with a pout.

“Don’t kid with me Jinki,” she said in a supposedly irritated tone.

I smiled and asked suspiciously to describe the umbrella, “What if you’re just lying because it just started raining now and you need something that is not actually yours.” She juts her lower lip at me but described the appearance of the umbrella correctly anyway. I handed it to her – a light shade of pink small umbrella.

“Thanks Jinki,” she said sweetly this time. “Must be pretty bored, huh?” she countered with a knowing smile.

“Well, what do you expect, miss,” I said, I have to be polite, I’m just a security guard of this building after all.

“Didn’t get a Leave for Christmas?” she asked, now she was smirking as she readied her umbrella, propping it up.

I shook my head in dismay, she giggled. “That’s what you get for playing with me.”

I was about to make a smart answer when her officemates came out from one of the elevators. They greeted her first then at me and I greeted back shyly or not, depending on who it was since I was beginning to make some close ties with the older employees now.

 

“Luna,” the always fashionably dressed Kibum called as he drapes an arm comfortably over Luna’s, the woman I had been talking with until the intrusion, shoulders. “The Christmas party later, okay?”

“Of course Key, we have a dance number, remember?” Luna rolled her eyes. “Are you drunk even before everything’s started?” Luna added as she takes Kibum’s arm off her.

“Be careful Luna, that guy’s dangerous when he’s drunk,” warned Amber who is, as always, dressed in boyish outfit which befits her anyway. Odd, how she still looks quite feminine with boys’ clothes, a strong sort of feminine though. The other laughed as if they shared a common unforgettable memory, Luna laughed along with them.

“I know,” Luna exclaimed. “Who would’ve thought English is our official language?”

Everyone laughed out loud except for Kibum whose face was slowly growing sour. “Ha ha, very funny guys, anyway let’s go. We still have one final practice,” he said as he makes the first move to leave the building. The others continued to tease on the way out.

 

“Bye Jinki,” Luna said with a wave and a sweet smile and I waved back with a simple, tailored smile. Still, you should know my heart skips a few times whenever she calls my name or just greets me whenever she comes to work or get off from work, on the basis of my schedule. But Luna has always been sweet and friendly to people especially when she’s familiar with them.

 

 

 

*~*~*

 

“Oh, you’re new?” someone said suddenly. I looked up from surprise; I was in the midst of orientation from my new job by the senior security member.

“Hi Miss Park and Miss Liu,” the senior security greeted them with a bow but with a warm smile I may add. Realizing they were workers and had been there for some time for the old man to be friendly-ish warm with them I gave a bow myself. One of them giggled at how mechanical I moved, well sorry for being new, surprised and just nervous but I just smiled to them.

“Shindonggie sir, we told you,” the woman with a boy-cut hair said with her lips askew from disapproval. “You can call us Amber and Luna,” she finished softly.

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Shindong, the senior security said with a patient smile.

“You said that the last time though,” Amber pointed out.

“Ah, don’t worry about it Amber, Shindong’s just messing with you,” the other girl, I deduced to be Luna, said. Amber pouted. Luna nudged her, “That’s your fault for a grown-up version of his ten year old daughter,” Luna laughed then Amber and even Shindong joined in.

 

The conversation was back to me though. Shindong introduced me to them and told unnecessary information that warranted a face palm. “You’re a Law student?!” both of them exclaimed.

 “Then why are you here as our new security guard?” Amber asked curiously. I just scratched my temple.

Luna took a look from her wrist watch and reminded Amber of the time when Amber didn’t budge and I didn’t answer Luna said suddenly, “You know, because he’s a Law student so he’s enforcing law as our security guard.”

“What’s the connection?” Amber asked with a breathy laugh.

“Security guard is a branch something of police something which enforces the Law which Law students study,” Luna explained, sounding matter-of-factly with a couple of head bobbing. Amber guffawed and gave up pursuing her questions on me. Both of them finally left with warm farewells to Shindong and a sheepish one to me, well Amber was friendly enough but Luna just smiled with a little wave and I bowed with my head.

 

 

And that was how we first met. It had been one or two months since then. But the first two weeks were a little noisy because of how my educational background spread like wild fire that day. Almost everyone and probably everyone in their team asked me the same questions – why did I become a security guard? Have I continued my education or am I still a student, like a working student sort? And some unrelated questions, Jinki do you have a girlfriend? How about facebook? Twitter?

 

“Maybe you should just give or ask Jinki a bio-data or something,” Luna said one of those days, with her hands resting behind her, on the insides of her cheeks. “Or let him sign an autograph book, right, right,” she said pointing her index finger at the couple of people crowding near me with a knowing smile on her face as if she just gave the brightest idea ever. Well, it wasn’t the worst also, it was a good idea I suppose.

“We’re not in high school anymore,” Sulli, the bubbly one, said.

“Yeah, we’re hungry office workers so why don’t we head to real food at a nearby fast food restaurant or snack shack than devour the poor man, I’m not a cannibal for one,” Luna scoffed and started to walk pass us. Some of them laughed, especially Eunhyuk, exposing most of his gums of which he was known for.

“Very well said, Luna,” he exclaimed with two slow claps. “And for that, you earned a burger meal from me.”

“Yey! I don’t know what’s giving you good vibes but what the heck,” Luna shrugged.

“My girlfriend came over and surprised me during our anniversary,” he explained.

Luna faked a gasped, “Oh, now you mentioned you’ve got an after- glow on you,” she chuckled.

“Green-minded Luna is out,” Kai exclaimed and hooked an arm onto Luna’s and started dragging her out, Eunhyuk followed. People started teasing them, they said, I laughed along, relieved that the attention was slowly taken from me but wired up because for some reason I don’t like the joke. It’s a joke I know, but I still don’t like it. You might think it’s weird, Luna and I barely talk except for the usual greetings and a little exchange of words and yet I’m harboring a crush on her, a high school idiotic crush.

 

 

 

“Serious aren’t we?” it was Luna, she was leaning forward a little, her head tilted a bit so. I feigned that I was less surprised than how I really was. “What’s that?” she asked another.

“You change your hair color again,” I said instead. She purse her lips and straightened up as she looks at her dark chestnut hair meanwhile I mentally smacked my head. That observation was meant to stay inside my head, stupid Jinki!

“Which do you think suits me better, blonde or a more natural one?” she asked.

Anything! Everything fits you! “The natural one,” I opted while I congratulated myself for straining my subconscious, my fan boy subconscious if you may. She smiled then narrowed her eyes at me.

“You’ve been stalking me, haven’t you?” she teased.

“I just noticed your hair dye changed and now I’m a stalker,” I scoffed. Again, well done Jinki.

“Yep, you’re my stalker and everyone else’s because you have to keep an eye on us,” she stuck out her tongue. I was about to talk back when we saw a car swerve by the curb, her brother has arrived to fetch her. She waved goodbye at me, I waved back and watched how her curls would bobble up and down on her back as she skips down the stairs.

 

 

*~*~*

 

I returned to the locker room, it was the end of my shift and what a good way to end it – by seeing Luna off. Still, Kibum should’ve kept his hands to himself, why are these guys so clingy with each other, or with Luna in particular? Was it because she’s single? But most of them are. Maybe because she’s fluffy and cute? Yes she is, I think she is. She just emits that sort of aura.

“Good mood aren’t we?” Kris said from behind me, the snap of metallic doors clashing softly grabbed me out of my reverie. , did I look goofy again? Why do I have to be in this state whenever Kris’s nearby?

“No, I’m not,” I said a bit defensively.

Kris sniggered. “Ask her out,” he suggested offhandedly.

“Ask who out, exactly,” I asked. He gave me a knowing arched eyebrow threatening, teasing me if he should really call out the name. “Actually no, please don’t,” I begged and he just shrugs his shoulders as he walks towards the door with his backpack over his shoulder.

“You know Jinki,” he says as he looks behind him, to me. “There’s no harm in trying, you’re going to quit soon anyway at least if the worst comes, you won’t get to see each other after.”

“Should I take that as an advice?”

Kris shrugged, “You’re the third year proper Law student,” he said.

“Just because I’m a Law student does it always mean I have to know everything?”

“Well, you should be a quick, clever thinker for one,” scoffed Kris and he waves back at me nonchalantly.

 

When Kris closed the door behind him, I slumped and leaned against the lockers with a sigh. And just when I thought I have the stillness to myself, for me to think, my phone bleeped. I groaned from annoyance.

Give her the present, no one would think anything about it. But if you’re that worried, give it when no one’s around. –Kris.

 

I pressed the Reply and told him I would. And I’m not lying, if that’s what you think. I will. I will, I must, I should give it. Kris was right, there’s nothing wrong with giving a Christmas present on Christmas. Luna and I have formed a sort of bond that is near to friendship, so there’s nothing wrong with it or so I try to convince myself of.   

 

 

 

*~*~*

 

Tonight. – Kris. I groaned again and raked a hand through my hair as I received another annoying, nagging text from Kris. Why couldn’t he just take the Holidays and I take the vacation leave instead? He seems to be leaving a more boring life than I do. And it’s not like I don’t know that, of course it has to be tonight, I know that too. But –

 

“Merry Christmas!” I heard Luna’s cheerful voice from behind me. She was dazzlingly beautiful. Her dark curls flowing over her shoulders, making a good strap on her cream-colored tube dress, which she explained was one half of their costume for the dance number. She had make-up on too, and just highlighted her features that would sometimes leave my mind with nothing.

“Work during Christmas,” she teased again, her arms crossed over her torso.

“Someone has to,” I replied, trying to sound sour. She smiled. She stepped a bit closer and raised her hands to pet my head, and unlike the time before where she had to tiptoe a little, she was just the right size.

“Wow, the hobbit has grew a few inches,” I teased and she elbowed me by the rib. I exclaimed in pain, and it was no joke, it was really painful but not too painful. She stuck her tongue out on me.

 

Yeah, because I that one time too, that’s why she hasn’t repeated the same act. I regretted doing that actually. But because of how she pets my head suddenly and just seeing her beautified form now, not that she wasn’t beautiful even without the make-up as I said, I completely let my chance slip.

 

As the hour slowly moves on, the amount of people had doubled then had tripled. What about giving it after the party, you say? Well, after the party their company had an after party at a nearby club, just a few blocks away. They came out in hordes so you could’ve guessed by now that I failed again. But I’m relieved now, because Luna won’t be going out with just a tube top on. She had changed to a comfortable party dress instead.

 

 

Idiot! –Kris. I texted Kris my utter epic failure, I needed someone to talk to, I couldn’t spend the rest of the shift banging my head on the desk or the log book or the gift itself.

Good thing it’s Christmas Eve, you’ve still got tomorrow – he added, point well taken Kris, he should seriously further his education, he might make a good police officer or something better ranking law enforcer. But the flaw of this plan was, I don’t know Luna’s schedule. Would she be working the Holidays too or would she come back on my day-off?

 

 

 

*~*~*

 

December 25, 2012…

It was already nine in the morning and I was back on my depressive, frustrated switch. The building, the area actually, was mostly deserted. It was the most boring day ever. “Ugh, Jinki,” I muttered as I held the package in my hands, over my head. “Why couldn’t you just say ‘Luna, Merry Christmas! Here’s a present for you’?” I grumbled with eyes shut from frustration.

 

“Really?”

 

I opened my eyes quickly and was face to face with a pair of shocked, perfectly round brown pupils. A fain blush was slowly rising to her cheeks. I’m sure it’s nothing to how my face is going tomato, my ears are feeling hot, no less looked red I’m sure. “Err – yes,” I said as I extended the present.

“Ummm.. thank you,” she said as she slowly stretched out her hand until her fingers touched the gift then the gift transferred owners. We were both silent. Awkwardly silent.

 

“Really?” Luna asked again. Now I can’t help but smile and confidently say it was. She read the card. “To Sun Young,” she read. I scrunched my nose, slightly embarrassed.

“I hope you don’t mind me using your real name,” I muttered.

“How’d you know my real name?” she said now looking amused and suspicious.

“I’m not a stalker,” I blurted. It was printed her identification card and I oversee it sometimes, for work.

Her eyes grew wide though it was fake surprise, she was teasing me again and she looked cute doing it. “I didn’t say you were,” she mocked, now she was gaining her confidence. , Luna do you know what you’re doing to me?

“What are you doing here?” I asked, to change topic, take it off me and my blundering feelings.

“Oh yeah,” she said as if she just remembered something. “I forgot something in the office, well, see you later,” she said as she starts to walk towards one of the elevators. I hummed and waited for the elevator doors to close in on her and take her to her floor before introducing my forehead on the desk again.

 

 

“Stupidstupidstupidstupidstupidstupidstupid,” I muttered while still having my head on my desk.

“Wow, I’ve never heard someone made a litany out of the word,” Luna said over my shoulder that I leapt from surprise. Well, she did surprise me, since when has she been there? Again, stupid Jinki! She smiled at me though and it took me a few more seconds to notice – she was wearing my present. My present! The scarf looked good on her, snug and comfortably perfect, now I wish I was the scarf.

 

“Here,” she says, and cuffs out a small gift from her back. I blinked a couple times again and she giggled. She pushed the gift on my hands, I’m sorry, my hands froze okay. Just like how everything else has. It was a book, a thick one. I haven’t opened it yet but I could feel it, the sharp, rigid edges of it. “Tha –” I was about to thank her.

“It’s not a book,” she said, she smiled lopsidedly. “Even though everyone knows you’re such a bookworm but yeah, it’s not book,” she reiterated. Her phone vibrated and it took her some time to check the text message meanwhile I opened the present and true enough it wasn’t a book, just shaped like one, clever girl.

 

It was a tumbler, a Starbucks tumbler, the kind where you can personally write over the surface. When I moved it, something inside shook, inside were a pair of yellow and orange highlighters, pen and mechanical pencils and I had to laugh sticky notes. I wonder how she was able to put everything inside, the tumbler wasn’t that big, just a tall-sized one.

 

“Well, I’ve got to go, Merry Christmas again Jinki,” she said. I looked up immediately and somewhat felt panicky.

How did she know, who told her, how much does she know? Were questions that bombarded my mind and were begging to leap out from my mouth and most importantly should I tell her – I have such a childish crush on you Park Sun Young – should I say it?

“Luna!” I called out before I could think about it. She stopped and looked at me expectantly. Did I looked that distressed? those curious round orbs, that slight quirk of your lips when you find something even just a bit amusing. “H-how did,” I stopped to take a deep breath, she giggled. “How did you know?”

“Know what?” she asked back.

 

Luna stop acting cute! You’re not helping me and my cowardly feelings?!

 

“Jinki, I have to go now,” she reminded me.

“How did you know about ‘Onew’ and also how much do you know about me and my studies?” I gestured to the contents of the tumbler. She purses her lips and twirled the ends of some of her hair to think, I reckon it’s a habit of her. Luna, do you really know your effect on me? I don’t even know what you do and how you do the things that you do to me! I want to kiss you right now, do you know that? erted? I don’t think so, I hope not.

 

Luna smiled finally. “I think it was Kris or Sunny or Shindong, I’m not sure I’ve talked to a lot of the guards and even the cleaners,” she answered with a little shrug. Friendly, didn’t I tell you? Wait, has she been asking about me from the others? Is that it?

“Wait,” I said to clarify things before I lose my rationality again. “You ask about me?” I had a smile up.

“Well, anyone would be curious as to why someone like you would be working as a guard, so yeah,” she answered assertively. She shrugged her bag on her shoulder, signaling that she was going to leave. “Well, I’ll be going then,” she said with finality though with the usual sweetness in her tone. She started to walk off.

 

 

“Luna!” I called again, she turned, and her hair following her and everything went in slow motion, like how it would in those chick flicks. “Yeah?” she asked, waiting.

“Breakfast, a hot drink, and a good book on a cold day,” I muttered instantly without thinking of anything.

“Huh?” she said with an obvious question mark on her face. I cursed to myself silently.

“I mean, it’s my off now so –”

“I already had my breakfast,” she said cutting me off, killing my chances. So is she saying no to me?

“Oh,” I uttered, feeling stupid. Remind self – call Kris or anyone who’d want to pick up my broken heart. “Well, take care and have a safe trip wherever you go,” I said as I try to recover my embarrassment and turned back to my desk.

 

“Onew,” Luna called out exasperatedly. I jerked back up and looked at her. She had her hands on her hips and looked slightly irritated. “I wonder if you’ll make a good lawyer, you give up so easily and timid. I already had breakfast but I don’t mind a hot drink. I don’t have a book with me though,” she said.

“Seriously?” I asked in disbelief.

“Yes,” she said slightly annoyed. “A girl’s asked about you from others, and has prepared a gift for you, doesn’t that mean anything? Actually I thought it was one-sided so I was really –”

“Sorry, I didn’t think I was in any position to ask you out,” I said cutting her off.

She punched me by the arm, “Stupid,” she muttered.

 

 

Right after I took my things out of the lockers and changed hurriedly, we walked towards one of the coffee shops around the area, the farthest from the building, from anyone who can recognize us. I may be comfortable with Luna now but I can’t take any more teasing from others.

“How about your brother, isn’t he picking you up?” I asked although it was actually too late for it.

“I told him I’d be having a date, if it’s okay to say it so,” she said casually. I bobbled my head excitedly agreeably. She laughed and had hit me lightly by the shoulder doing so. “You’re blushing, so cute!” she added with a breathy laugh. I pouted.

 

It’s not fair! Why am I the only one acting high school like, it’s not like she’s the first girl I liked or the first girlfriend I’ll have if everything comes to place between us.

 

“Why do I have the feeling that you were just playing with me about having some feelings towards me?” I muttered bitterly. She glanced sideways at me and leaned her head lightly on my shoulder. “Then would you have made the first move even if I just waited there? It wasn’t easy by the way,” now she was pouting and she walked backwards a bit farther ahead to give me a full view of her pouting face.

“Do you have any idea of the things you do to me?” I blurted out before I got it filtered.

Luna grinned, “No, not really, but I’d be more than happy to listen,” she said in a sing-song.

 

She’s not the first girl for most things but I hope and I know she’s the first, last and only person for whatever’s left of my lifetime.

 

END.