sunday afternoon

The sky is a clear picture of tranquil blue and feathery white clouds.

She sits nonchalantly on her favorite wooden bench at the park; legs crossed on top of each other and her nose buried in a book. It's a usual Sunday hobby after going to church. She'll drop by the city library and scan the shelves for a book that would be her perfect company for yet another lazy Sunday afternoon.

It's been a routine of hers for the past three years that somehow, it feels as if there's been an unspoken rule to all park-goers that the said bench is reserved for her during this time of the week. It is always vacant, arms wide open and waiting for her. A habit it has been that the usual park-goers would smile and nod their head towards her direction as they pass her by.

She smiles upon hearing the gentle tinkling of the ice cream bell, signifying the arrival of one of her favorite park characters. The gentle, old ice cream man passes by at exactly two fifteen and she stands up to get her favorite mint chocolate ice cream. She hands him a penny and her usual bright smile and the old gentleman tips off his hat as he waves goodbye. She then goes back to her seat, picks up her book, and lets the warm whispers of the afternoon breeze play with the loose strands of her hair.

It has always been like this for Choi Sooyoung.

Some people may find it rather funny how she spends her weekend doing something like this but it’s one of those trivial joys few souls share that other people will never understand. She goes on reading like she usually does.

For this is but another Sunday.


Beyond children playing on swings, across the shaded bench where a sweet, innocent girl is lost on her world of distant places and little girls growing up to lead a nation, a young man gazes lovingly from afar. It has been his usual Sunday hobby after running errands for his mom. He’ll drop by his favorite fruit stall right across the city library and buy something for his sisters.

It has always been like that for roughly seven years; until three years ago when a new face caught his attention as he was crossing the street after a rather heavy purchase of fifteen oranges, four pomegranates, and twelve kiwi fruits. His feet led him to this old park; his favorite place back when he was around five.

For some reason, the park became his favorite place again. He sits on a bench near the playground that has been a nurturer of his childhood memories. He remembers how three years ago, he would run to the place a little later than noon so that he can get to the bench before the kids and their parents arrive. But somehow, the bench has become his. The grown-ups and the children grew fond of this nice young lad who always sits at that old bench, smiling to himself and looking at a seemingly faraway place.

It has always been like that for Shim Changmin.

But today is different.

He takes a deep breath, smiles to no one in particular, and stands up confidently. He picks up the bouquet of daisies and murmurs silent words of encouragement to himself. His heart is beating wildly but he goes on walking courageously towards the pretty young woman reading a book on that shaded bench across the playground, completely unwary that her usual Sunday afternoons just might never be the same again.