[March 2005] *A coffee shop in Jejudo*

The spring rain dampened Nam Woohyun’s mood that instance. An empty cup kept him company while he stared blankly at the rainy view outside the windows. This was a bad idea from the start, he thought.

A young man’s heart like him wanted to go somewhere fun, like to the Hollywood, Mexico or to the Itaewon at least but what he got for his holiday was Jejudo. How dull and boring, plus the rain made it worse. He stayed at the island for almost two days already but the weather’s nothing but rain. Humid and wet, that’s what he hated the most.

This small coffee shop's the only place where he'd feel home. Caffeine, it's his only soother.

‘You’re planning to stay here until the rain stops?’ He turned to a man, in his forties probably, looking at the wrinkles on his forehead. Being polite, Woohyun smiled lightly and slightly nodded his head.

But then, without being asked, the man sat on the chair in front of him with a warm smile plastered on his face. A small towel was hung around his neck and clad on a brown apron, Woohyun was sure that this man’s the owner or one of the workers there.

‘I also have a son as big as you but he’s too lazy to help me here. Where’re you from?’

‘Seoul.’ A short answer escaped from his lips but he couldn’t help but wonder why’s this ahjussi talking to him? Well, he’s the only one inside the shop, so that’s probably one of the reasons…

‘No wonder you seem so depressed. Look around this island more, young man and appreciate its beauty. I know you won’t understand now but hey, look at the rain for start. I know it’s dull but look behind it. There’s where the beauty lies.’ The man explained, glancing at the window and automatically, Woohyun’s sight followed the owner’s.

Nothing special, blurry and the sound hurt your ears until then, he’s finally left alone. The rain started to cease as Woohyun was lost inside his own little thoughts.

‘Andy-ah! Wait!’

Suddenly, he could hear a faint voice from the light sound of the dripping rain outside. It's not that loud but he managed to hear it still, admist the thin walls of the small shop and also from the rain sound. He squinted to a blurry figure running outside in the rainy weather. A girl, he’s positive. Long golden hair but it’s all wet and she’s trying to catch a fleeing white… cotton? Oh, it’s a puppy, a Golden Retriever to be exact.

His vision got clearer as the rain fully ceased. That girl’s wearing a blue raincoat but she didn’t cover her head, so that’s the reason why he could see her hair… Woohyun kept staring at her until she finally got a hold on the white puppy. At that time, he clearly could see her smiling so brightly in that gloomy weather and somehow, he liked that sight. The girl didn’t seem to notice him and turned away w