***

I headed to the church as usual one day down in Geumcheon, to play chess with my beloved godfather, the priest of the church. Sounds of chess clinking and clonking was audibly heard when I pushed the door open, I wonder who's playing? Usually it's only me and samchon Kang.

A new figure was seen sitting across samchon Kang, his backline sculpted his evident skinniness, unlike the trend of men having a muscular body and abs. The two were oblivious about my arrive and since they were so drawn into game I decided not to disturb, I let out a small chuckle at the scene of samchon Kang almost hovering his whole face over the chessboard while the teenage boy, I assume, was sitting straight like a pole.

Slowly, I crept upon samchon Kang, ready to scare him when the boy said, "Ahjussi, behind you." He simply pointed at me, crunched behind samchon Kang's chair as he turned to look at me, totally ruining my great plan.

"Gomawo?!" I scoffed at my plan ruiner.

Samchon Kang made a little laugh and resumed to his game with Mr. Plan Ruiner, with me standing behind him and observing the remaining game. Well if you consider this a battle like I do, samchon Kang was losing to Mr. Plan Ruiner bits by bits, until he only had one piece left and was ready to take a step. "STOP!!!!! Samchon don't take that step!" I gasped in panic which alerted samchon Kang.

He cocked his eyebrow then realized what I was talking about, he was about to go forward but ignored Mr. Plan Ruiner's bishop, “Ah nice eyes Minah.” And reversed his step. I glanced around the church, it was rather small in size compared to other churches in the district Geumcheon and Seoul. The decor was simple but not extravagant, couple of rows of benches and a simple stage.

Mr. Plan Ruiner shot me an icy glare for ruining HIS plan this time, I guess we’re even? Still, I returned him a smirk, making his luscious lips frown, wait what was I thinking? “It’s impolite to interrupt a chess game, miss.” Mr. Plan Ruiner stated coldly with his hazel eyes still focused on samchon Kang’s moves. He’s referring to me? I wanted to talk back, but I swallowed back my words to avoid him getting thrown at by chairs and bibles, as sweat formed on my back.

At last, samchon Kang lost to Mr. Plan Ruiner, as predicted. Samchon Kang excused himself from us as he had some daily errands to run. “Great.” I muttered under my breath, leaving me behind with Mr. Plan Ruiner isn’t actually the best idea, especially when I sense his eyes flaring right now, awkward. Then I heard a sigh when I was ready to turn and leave since samchon Kang was gone now.

“I’m Kwon Jiyong.” He said, so Mr. Plan Ruiner has a name eh? Silence and awkwardness embraced the atmosphere again as his voice trailed away. I didn’t know how to respond to such a soothing yet vivacious voice, like a stone was stuck in my throat blocking all my words, all I did was nod. “Ahem, I’m expecting a reply.” He said, clearing his throat.

I resumed back to reality and answered him my name, “Jung Minah.”

“That’s a nice name.” Jiyong said out of nowhere a few minutes later, totally out of time sense.

“No it’s not,” I pointed out to him, “It’s common, almost everyone is called Minah, I know four Minahs already.” One of my aunts is called Minah, two classmates of mine are Minah, while my part-time colleague is Minah as well.

Jiyong chuckled, “Well, I’m Jiyong not Minah. Nice to meet you Minah.” He extended a hand for me to shake which I reluctantly shook or else he would call me impolite again, I don’t like skinship. I kept my eyes away from his almost-perfect outline and had them on the table where they just had the game. “I’m the first Jiyong you know isn’t it?”

"Yes and it's Minah-SSI, Jiyong-SSI."

“You know how to play chess, Minah-SSI?” He asked as I nod in reply, “Good, we can have a game!” And he scurried to one of the chairs, quickly preparing the chessboard for another game, well since I always beat samchon Kang, there may be a chance of winning Jiyong.

But his ways of playing chess were different and unpredictable, after one game, I suffered a crushing defeat. “No fair! You cheated!” I was pretty sure that he won me fair and square but I couldn’t accept the fact that he defeated like nobody else. Pouting, I stood up from the table, “I’m not playing anymore.”

Jiyong shrugged, “Whatever you say.” I stomped towards the door, leaving him behind. I didn’t know why I was so pissed, or was I even pissed? I don’t know, maybe it was something else, it tingled and somersaulted in my stomach, it felt weird, that was all I could conclude. Before I laid my hands on the doorknob, Jiyong called out, “Minah-ssi! Are you free later?”

“Why?” I scrunched my eyebrows together, trying to sound NOT SO enthusiastic, which I was sure that I felt the exact opposite and I wanted to scream out ‘yes’. Calm down Minah. I feel like my pancakes I had for breakfast are flipping inside right now.

“Ah I just thought we could hang out for a while and have some coffee, yeah you know talk about ourselves.” Jiyong sounded relaxed. Oh well. And sure I agreed on his offer, we ended up at this little café around the block corner, it had this song replaying over and over, and the melody was completely comforting along with falsettos. I usually dislike falsettos since I think that anyone could do it but this one changed me, I take what I have said back.

Only the white chair that you sat in has your scent on it.
You left, leaving only a heartless silence.
Waiting for you, this little cafe.

“It’s called ‘Cafe’, haven’t you heard of it, Minah-ssi?” Jiyong asked before he took a sip of his cappuccino.

My eyes blinked in confusion, “Anniyo, never heard of it, it sounds nice though.” Then I looked outside the desolate street, avoiding Jiyong’s eyes.

“Tell me about yourself, Minah-ssi.”

I arched my eyebrow, actually a bit stunned for Jiyong being this blunt, “Me? Ah there’s nothing interesting to say, I’m 20, I live in Geumcheon, I have a family of four, ohmma, appa, Minye unnie, I study in Chung Ang University majoring anatomy and physiology, I work at the supermarket as a part-time sales sometimes when I’m free, hmm… I like ramen and sushi, yeah that’s it.”

“Whoa slow down girl!” Jiyong looked flabbergasted, trying to comprehend my fast talking. I explained once again with more details and added little scenes, nothing special really, normal urban girl going to university, how is it special? After I’m done, Jiyong nodded slowly then asked, “What about the priest back in the church?”

I smiled genuinely as he reminds me of my favourite samchon, “Samchon Kang you mean? Oh he’s my godfather, appa and him were once close colleagues and so yeah we spent time together playing chess.” Jiyong once again nod in acknowledgement, looking uninterested and bored, did I spend so much so much blabbering about myself, told you nobody’s interested. “You?”

So Jiyong comes from a rich family, despite the fact that his parents own the Kwon Enterprise, one of the richest companies in Korea. And since he lived under the wings and shadows of the Kwons, following almost every routine his parents had followed their parents, like how he’s majoring in business and management studies abroad and he’s back for the summer holiday. And from his looks, he’s definitely one of the most wanted bachelors around the place, his fashion taste is awesome even when he’s wearing plain polo shirts and jeans, and has the talent of sketching, he roughly sketched me a sketch of me looking outside the glass windows, it was amazing.

Jiyong was all of my ideal type, good looking, educated, rich, talented, caring, considerate, nice, etc. and using all the good adjectives won’t be enough to describe such a gentleman.

I slowly shifted onto his smooth and moisture skin, then his well-sculpted nose, then his deep and esoteric eyes with the long lashes, lastly his tempting but playful lips, so tempting that I want to crash mine on his already, they must have been kissed a lot though. Aish Minah what are you even thinking?!

“Minah-ssi? Earth to Minah-ssi, earth to Minah-ssi!” Jiyong waved his hand in front of me, waking me up from my imagination.

My cheeks immediately burn up to maybe 1000°C, I’m not sure, it’s the first time I’ve been that close to him, now that I’m sure I’m blushing like an apple, I excused myself to the washroom. In the washroom I splashed myself with cold water, I find Jiyong nice, well maybe more than nice, but he’s just a friend, I conclude to myself. No feelings, no confessions or proposes, no jokes Minah, you can’t date while you’re still studying.

We parted our ways after another talk realizing that it’s already near dinner time, I admit that the time we spent together was great and I really look forward to the second time, if there’s any chance.

And almost everyday, I went to the church, hoping to see Jiyong again with the excuse of saying prayers and helping samchon Kang out. We had thousands of games of chess and out of 95%, he won and I was defeated, there were games that I surprisingly won, but I suspect that he was playing nice and letting me win him for a few rounds.

Soon the holiday was over and Jiyong left without any notice, the church had to be reconstructed again as well. As time passed by, my schedules were really packed and hectic that I couldn’t even squeeze out time for a short reunion for my friends, so the weird feeling I had for Jiyong underwent deep slumber.

6 years later during summer holiday, my arranged fiancé and I were getting married at the same church. Flashbacks of Jiyong and I bombarded my mind as samchon Kang approached me, to be honest samchon Kang and I were getting unfamiliar since I did not visit him and only met him during certain gatherings, “Ah congratulations Minah-ah.” He looks at my fiancé at the edge of his eye, I smile bitterly, Seunghyun and I aren’t even familiar with other yet, the only and suitable word I could use to describe the two of us was A-W-K-W-A-R-D spells awkward.

“Gomawo samchon Kang.” Smiling bitterly again.

Patting me on my bare shoulder since I was in my wedding dress, “Our Minah is becoming a lady now.” I can see happiness in his eyes. Again, all I could do was show him my bitter smile and keep my lips sealed. “Ah ne, Minah-ah I have something for you, in his drawer, he takes out a wooden box with the size of a bible, “Here.”

“It’s for me?” I try to recall memories related to the wooden box now in my hands, but nothing came in mind. Carefully, I open the wooden box’s lid and find a mini chessboard made by jade, with a letter as well.

“A young man came looking for you every summer for these past six years to give you this, and boy he was good looking, he had good chess skills as well! If you haven’t met Seunghyun first, I would have introduced him to you.” Samchon Kang said, and every word he said pricked deeper and deeper into my heart like someone was stepping on thorns step by step. Everything rushed back into me as tears brimmed inside my eyes, but still samchon Kang was oblivious about it.

I unfold the letter, there was a quote with the most neat and beautiful handwriting I’ve ever seen, “Distance is not for the fearful, it is for the bold. It's for those who are willing to spend a lot of time alone in exchange for a little time with the one they love. It's for those knowing a good thing when they see it, even if they don't see it nearly enough.”

Below the words, was a sketch of a girl, a close up to her face, I examined the sketch, she looked like me… a lot.

“Where is he?” I pleaded samchon Kang in tears, my voice was stuttering and hoarse, wishing badly that he would tell me where Jiyong is right now.

But samchon Kang shrugged, “He’s been here every summer, but not this year, I heard that he’s marrying a foreign girl from a rich family.”

It struck me, Jiyong’s getting married, or married. Tears bail out the moment samchon Kang turn around and leave for the guests, I bent down on hug on tightly onto the wooden box, crying soundlessly. He’s getting married, he’s fighting for the love of his life, why are you crying Minah? He’s happy, you should be happy, too. Seunghyun spotted me curled like a furball, he immediately asked what was wrong, I kept my face covered and unshown, not wanting him to see me in puffy red eyes and smudged make-up, I shooed him away and said that I’ll be around when it’s time.

Minye unnie saw me and asked, I didn’t peep a sound and just showed myself, she looked a bit shocked but was then smart enough to realize that she had to make-up me again. “Have you been crying Minah?” She asked with full of love and gentleness.

“Ani.” I flatly answered her as I shook my head as well, then Seunghyun walked up.

“Baby it’s time for the ceremony.” He said. Ugh, the disgusted feeling that squirms all over me when he addresses me as ‘Baby’.

“Just a minute.” I indicated that Minye unnie was still on my make-up, to admit that she was actually done and cooperating with my act.

Seunghyun nodded, “Arrasso, but be quick.” And he rushes off. Minye unnie ‘continued’ on my make-up as I told her about Jiyong and I, everything, how we met, how he told me off to samchon Kang, how he looked, how talented he was. It’s weird that I love him more than I love Seunghyun, we only spent a summer together and we don’t even have each other’s number, while Seunghyun and I have been dating for three years. Yes I do love Jiyong. But it’s all too late, isn’t it.

“Follow your heart, my sister,” she points to the position where her heart is, “It leads you the right direction, now run along, someone is waiting for you.” She ended the sentence with a smirk and left. I look up and saw the reflection of Minye unnie leaving and I, no wait, and someone leaning on the doorframe. 

Oh.

My.

God.

For.

The.

Freaking.

Love.

Of.

God.

I abruptly turn around to see him, leaning on the doorframe with the ultra aura he had, I run towards him as he bearhugs me and he lifts me up, “Oh I missed you yeoja.” Looking straight into my eyes, he had a complicated mixture of feelings of love, miss, and happiness.

“Where have you been for these years Jiyong?!” I smack his forehead lightly with him still holding me up in the air.

He smirks, “Shouldn’t it be me asking you? I’ve been looking for you every summer and yet you disappear.” He chuckles, “Whoa you’re heavy.” And puts me down.

“Yah!!” I punch him in the shoulders, “That’s your punishment for calling me fat.” I raised up my arm for another attack of punches, expecting him to dodge, instead I got interrupted, by a peck on the lips. The scent of Jiyong comes into me as I feel myself like floating, he angled his head for our noses to not bump into each other other’s as his tongue fought to break through. Then it hit me, he’s married, I break the kiss, looking sternly at Jiyong.

And how I loved his priceless clueless expression, “Why did you do that?!”

“I’m getting married, and you’re married.” These were probably the six most hurtful words I’ve said to anyone or myself, I push him away from me slightly, “It’s too late, Jiyong.” Again, tears form.

Jiyong frowns, “Ani I’m not married, who said that to you?” He notices the tears rolling down my cheeks, and quickly comforts me, “Minah you pabo, of course I’m not married, why would you think I’m married, hmm? Can’t you feel my love for you?” He cups my cheeks, I push him away before he’s ready for another kiss.

“Don’t lie to me Jiyong, I trust samchon Kang.”

He crosses his arm, “Is that so? You don’t trust me, do you Minah?” He leaves me speechless, “My fiancée was cheating on me.” I quieted down, you could hear a pin drop.

“Saranghaeyo Jung Minah.” Jiyong pulls me into a hug as I bury my head onto the curve of his shoulder.

“Saranghaeyo Kwon Jiyong.” Our lips met once again, this time our tongues danced around and for I don’t know how long, we finally broke apart and idiotically beamed at each other.

This is what I call love. Vague, exciting, but yet so simple.

“What about Seunghyun?” I ask, worrying about the people outside if I became a runaway bride.

He flicks my forehead, “You’re with me and you think about your fiancé, really Minah?”

“Yah I’m being serious here, Jiyong.” I roll my eyes at the pabo that I love who is in front of me and I so wanna kick him in the sensitive spot for being such a mood killer.

“Come with me to Paris.”

“Aigoo you’re daebak.” Yes I loved the pabo’s idea.

“I know.”

***