CHAPTER TWO
LIKE LANTERN LIGHT

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     “Oh my, you’ve become even more beautiful since I last saw you! You’re really growing into a pretty young lady.” Jimin’s mother, or Parkma (Park and Ahjumma together), as you liked to call her, welcomed you with a hug. You greeted the whole family, who were long familiar to you.

"So did you have trouble getting here? Where are your parents?" She asked motherly questions; it was great. All you needed to do was spend one day with her and you'd fall in love with her. Well, that's how you felt at least - Jimin seemed like he'd rather avoid her at times. 

"They had to work overtime so they just dropped me off. When is our plane?" 

"In about an hour." 

     You sat on the left seat at the end, with all of Jimin's family filling the rest of the seats along the middle row. There were five of you in total; Jimin's parents as well as his aunty came alone to keep his mother company. Apparently Parkjussi (Park and ahjussi) likes to disappear to casinos when he can at night; they didn't mind though.  Jimin sat in the middle, with his father between the two of you. He had music on while you opened a notebook and wrote down some ideas for a new fanfic. You have a fine hobby for writing. Minutes later your thoughts were interrupted when your right shoulder was nudged. You looked up at Parkjussi, who gave a light expression warmly. He looked to his son who was looking at you. 

Jimin repeated his question. "Can I have your phone?" 

You grabbed it out with a stutter and a nod and handed it to him in the most normal way you could. His family had no idea about your crush on him, so when he asked 'Can I have your phone' there was no shake or stutter in his voice, unlike in school - he was completely unsuspicious. It was moments like this that caught you off guard, but it definitely would be less embarassing than having his parents know. Besides, if he's shy at school but casual with his parents around, it means that... not sure how to finish that line actually. Maybe it'll come later. 

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     If there's one thing you've concluded about Jimin's history, it's that 'handsome' runs in the family. 

It's no joke. Let's not go into detail about him first, but his cousins are all beauties too. You've never met any of his male relatives around his age; you assumed it was because he wasn't close to them. There were two relatives he was close to though - they were his cousins, both 17, the same age as him. They were girls, and as just mentioned - like all his other relatives - they were beauties. 

That part sort of got to you - even though you knew very clearly that they were all direct cousins - it still bothered you. 

They hadn't seen each other for about a year and a half, and there was plently to catch up on. You decided to stay in the lounge room of their house with the adults as the three of them were in his cousin's room. The two girls were cousins of each other, as well as each other's best friends. You could tell from the smile they gave when they opened the door that they had missed him, and your awkward presence in the room would just wreck the mood, so you let them take their time. They were just cousins after all. Really, close... cousins. 

Later at dinner, when the house was full with people, roughly three families, the round kitchen table was set with large bowls and plates of delicious home made dishes to be shared. It was Lunar New Year's Eve, and it was going to be one to remember. 

As you wondered around the house, giving yourself your own tour, you stumbled upon one of Jimin's cousin's phone left on the table - their just taken selfie her new background image. Damn, their faces were close - cheek to cheek, and the smiles. God, people who didn't know would literally think they were both dating him at the same time. You scrunched your lips up by yourself before continuing the admiration of the large house, reminding yourself that it's normal, and great, for family members to be able to act so close even with a long gap between seeing each other. 

You had to admit you were a tiny bit jealous though. Not only because... umm... they were squishing their faces up against your crushes, but because he had a big, cheerful family. Growing up with just your two parents, and the rest of your relatives half way across the world, you learnt to make lots of friends - a talent you still bear, and are proud of. 

     Dinner went well. You sat beside Parkma who took care of you well and gave you foods you couldn't reach on the table. Knowing you'd be a bit lonely considering the other three teenagers were sitting together opposite on the massive table, she patted your hand under the table from time to time to reassure you; it was great. She was great. 

The food was great too. Secretly, you felt a bit like crying. You've never really been at a reunion dinner this big before, and surrounded by all these warm people. It was a strong feeling you kept inside as you silently chewed. A feeling so strong that for long minutes you didn't even have the urge to look up at Jimin opposite the table. 

     Family. Friends. And fate. 

It was no longer than four hours later that you tried to write your own fate. 

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     To join in the fun of the New Year, all three families plus you drove in to the city. Parkma told you all about the fireworks, food stalls and large lanterns that were in the city each year on the way in the car. You heard the rest of the dazzling explanation from Jimin's cousins. Their words made you smile - lighting a lantern into the sky sounded nice. Like lighting a hope and watching it fly, hoping it can reach that star that you wished upon, so that your dreams can come true.  

You all started off by walking down the many aisles of things on special sales - many of them red, of course - and as fast as time went by, the sun had set and the lanterns had appeared. 

You saw your first one at exactly 9:56pm. It was beautiful. Written on it was 'Happy New Year' in Korean. You watched as it floated from the couple who let it go from the middle of the bridge above the river, and continued its journey above the river - it's bright reflection in the water following it. It eventually reached another couple who coincidentally were standing in the middle of the next bridge down the river. They were surprised and overjoyed. They lifted the lantern up and it began to go higher into the sky until the distance between you and it made it seem no more than another star. 

Does that mean... their hopes became their dreams? You smiled. You walked along the riverside with one hand on your strap bag lightly; the only sound you made was by your feet, tapping lightly as you let them take you further ahead, as did your thoughts. You reached the stall that sold the biggest lanterns you had ever seen, probably almost your height. 

Parkma offered to buy one for you, but you convinced her that you wanted to buy it with your own money. You wanted to make your own dreams. 

"Since they're so big, everyone just pair up and let them go together. Spread out a bit." You heard one of the adults call from behind. 

"Thankyou so much, Happy New Year." You bowed to the stall owner, who warmly and kindly bowed her head, giving you her best wishes which you saw in her eyes. She didn't really wish you the best physically by words, you just knew she did. 

"Parkma, can I go to the bridge? There's less people there." You looked up and made a random excuse. 

Her lips twisted for a moment before she nodded. "Alright, but stay safe. Meet us back here in latest ten minutes." 

"Yup, I'll be quick!" You smiled and dashed off, walking excitedly through the large crowds on the city streets before finally reaching the edge of one side of the bridge. You closed your eyes and took a deep breath before slowly stepping onto it. There were people who walked along the bridge just to get from one side to the other, but not you. You were just going to go to the middle. The middle, where everything meets and comes together. The spot, where two people can face each other and tell the truth. 

The couple who were there earlier had gone, and you walked towards their spot, without turning or looking behind. It was a nice night, a warm occasion. It was tonight, that you would make a change. A step. One step closer, and another step closer, to the middle - where you now stood. 

"Hey," the voice you waited for made you turn your head back, "can I... light that with you?" 

You smiled before turning around fully and taking one step back, nodding. He smiled before walking slowly forward with stiff legs, nervous. As he pulled out a lighter, your eyes were stuck onto him. He glanced up and smiled back, "Hyesung and Hyemi were lighting one together, so...". He was just finding something to say but you didn't even care. You were overjoyed that he had the courage to come see you alone, on this bridge. This bridge that gave you the foundation of depth, his arrival that gave you courage, and the presence of the two of you right before each other, that gave you the strength to say what you were about to. 

He finally found the candle under all the lantern material and lit it, before putting his small lighter away in his pocket and grabbing the top of the lantern before it flew away. 

"Thanks.... for coming." You said - in the most straight-forward, sincere way you think you'd ever said to him. He lightly chuckled before you both slid your hands from the top of the lantern to the bottom edges. Right now, the lantern itself blocked your view of each other, but that was okay. It was in the middle. The lantern. It was in the middle of the bridge, with the two of you on one side each. Your hope, your wish, your dream, it was all in the middle - where everything meets. 

"Ready?" He shuffled his feet for a second as he was prepared to let go. 

"No wait a moment. Just..." 

You stayed silent and he stayed silent. You took another moment before you began again. 

"Hey," you murmured.

"Yeah?" He murmured back. 

With no where else to really look, your eyes travelled from the heart of the fire in your lantern down to your feet then back up as you spoke. 

"There's... something I want to tell you." 

He stayed quiet as if predicting what you were going to say. 

"It's such a beautiful night, and I feel so... warm. I haven't felt this warm in ages, which is why I'm going to say it. For a while now, I've had feelings for you. Those like-like feelings, and... I guess, I just really like you. When we came here earlier, I saw my first lantern for the night go into the sky at 9:56pm. A couple who were standing in the very spot we are now lit it, and it floated down the river and reached a couple standing at the same spot on the next bridge. I thought it was really sweet and beautiful, and I think of this lantern we're both holding as my feeling of hope and my wishes. So I just want to say, I'm really glad you could be the one to let it go with me."

The words flowed out like the river under you - smooth and sincere. Honestly, you were quite proud of yourself. Confidence ran up as soon as you finished speaking, though you still looked at the ground as the lantern lifted above your heads and revealed his face.

He watched you for a few long moments before you were able to meet his eyes, but you stopped his before he could speak.

"You don't have to tell me your answer now." You slowly moved to lean on the bridge railing and watched your lantern fly, "how about... at the end of the trip? Let's leave this amazing night here, where it'll always be carved in my heart. Where it will be sparling and spectacular forever." You glanced at him and he nodded, leaning off the railing against you.

You both watched the lantern you lifted floated across the sky above you. Silent, but peaceful, the atmosphere was. 

And that was how, probably one of the most heartwarming nights of your life, ended. 

Their words made you smile - lighting a lantern into the sky sounded nice. Like lighting a hope and watching it fly, hoping it can reach that star that you wished upon, so that your dreams can come true.

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