Tuesday

“Mi!” I called out as I sprung up from my bed. Looking around my room the sun ray was coming through my window’s curtain. This time though the sun ray didn’t wake me up but because of the mysterious woman. Getting up from my bed I realized I woke up fifteen minutes late then yesterday. I rushed through the same routine I did yesterday, grabbing my piece of bread and biting onto it with my mouth I opened my fridge to grab a small carton of milk and shoved it inside my backpack. Bidding my parents goodbye in a rush I closed the door behind me.

“Oh Taecyeon you woke up awfully late today.” Mrs. Yoon called out from across as I nod my head. Putting on my backpack I grabbed the piece of bread from my mouth.

“Yeh Mrs. Yoon I got to get going now have a nice day!” I yelled before running down the street. Finishing my piece of bread in a hurriedly manner I swung my backpack in front of me to get my milk and drank it all in two gulps. By the time I reached the coffee shop Junsu was wiping the kitchen counter.

“Oy Taecyeon you’re late.” Junsu greeted me as I walked in. Automatically I turned to my right to see if the mysterious woman was sitting at the far back of the shop. Surely she was and with her steaming coffee on the table. Heading towards the back of the locker Junsu follows suit with his arms crossed.

“Yah you’re never late what happened?” He asks curious as I put my backpack inside my locker.

“I just overslept that’s all.” I explained as Junsu rose one of his eyebrows in question.

“What? That’s unlikely of you to oversleep.” Closing the locker and tying my apron around my waist I look at Junsu as he stared back at me.

“I know and it’s because of this dream I had about the mysterious woman-” I explained letting my last two words slip out.

“Mysterious woman? I see, so you do have interest in her.” Junsu said teasing me as I could feel blood rushing towards my cheeks. As I wrestled with Junsu for embarrassing me he tries to wrestle his way out of my grasp. “Okay okay I get it, I’ll stop.” He gaved in as I let him out of my grasp. “But hyung is going to keep an eye on you.” He teased one last time before getting back to the front of the store.

“Aish why did I let that slip from my mouth?” I hit my head for my stupidity. After a minute after Junsu had left I headed outside of the shop as well. Junsu was taking a customer order as I began to make the drinks. An hour passed as the last of the customer who order a coffee for to-go left. The shop was finally quiet again without the coffee machine blending coffee beans. Junsu gives a sigh of relief for finally getting a chance to relax. As I washed the utensils we used Junsu stood behind the cash register staring at my back.

“Taecyeon,” Junsu calls out to me as I continue to wash the utensils. Without turning around to look at him I answered to his call.

“Yes hyung?”

“What was your dream about?” Stopping my scrubbing I turn to look at him to see if he was serious and he was.

“My dream?” I asks as he nod his head. “I-I don’t really know. I was trying to talk to her but she wouldn’t answer me. I mean-she wants to but something stops her every time.”

“Every time?” Junsu asks as he furrow his brows intrigued by my dream.

“Then she got up from her chair and left. I called out to Mi-”

“Wait who’s Mi?” He asks confuse.

“Mi? I don’t kno-it’s...it is her name. Mi is her name.” I answered, for some reason I was sure that her name was Mi, but yet I don’t know how I knew that.

“Mi? How do you know?” Junsu asks completely confuse.

“I don’t know but I know it’s her name.” I answered as the both of us turn our heads to look at Mi, the mysterious woman who was once again looking out the window.

When ten o’clock was finally rolling around Mi got up to leave once again. I just stared after her as Junsu bid her goodbye. Just then I felt Junsu touch my shoulder.

“I’ll take over your shift you should go after her. I know you do.” Junsu said as I look at him with my eyebrows raised up. “Go.”

Pulling off my apron I left it on the kitchen counter as I ran out of the shop to look for Mi. Looking around the street I finally spotted her walking down the street to my right. Chasing after her I stopped midway and yelled out after her.

“Mi!” I called out for her as she slowly turns around to look at me. When I finally caught up to her I bent over to try to catch my breath as she stares down at me. I didn’t know what to say or what to do, I totally did not think this through. Just then as she placed her hand on my shoulder my breath was caught. I stood still as I brought myself up to look at her. She stared back with those same sad eyes. Then something in me clicked, I grabbed her hand in mine and we ran down the street to a place I love the most.

We were both sitting at the park as children brought by their moms played on the swings and slides. I slowly turn to my right to look at her who was sitting beside me. When she turn to look at me as well I quickly look away. What was I suppose to say and do now? Clearing my throat I took in a deep breath of air before speaking.

“I’m-I’m Taecyeon.” She turn to look at me while this time I turn to look at her as well without breaking our gaze. “You name is Mi right?” I ask as she continues to look at me before finally nodding her head slowly. I breathed a sigh of relief, for some reason I wanted to know that I was right about her name. When I look back at her, her head was tilted to the side as a question.

“Are you wondering how I know your name?” I ask her who gave a small nod of her head.

“I-this might sound odd and weird but I had a dream about you last night. You walked away from me and I called out your name to come back.” I answer her question hoping that I did not creeped her out. She slowly nods her head again as a ‘okay’ sign before the silence brought another awkward silence.

“So why...why don’t you talk? I mean you can talk right?” I ask slowly scared that I might have offended her. She looks down to her hands before sighing and getting up.

“Wait-I didn’t mean to offend you.” I said getting up with her. She turned to look at me in the eye and shook her head.

“Then I’ll follow you wherever you’re going.” I said as she ignores me and continues walking. She walked and walked never taking the bus. When I finally stood in front of her house it was a small house surrounded by a peaceful and quiet neighborhood.

“Ah Mi you’re back.” An elderly in her mid seventies sitting at her front lawn called out to Mi who smiled at her as an answer before grabbing her key from her pocket. Opening the door she closed it behind her leaving me standing outside of her house.

“Hey young man do you know Mi?” The same elderly asks me curiously as I turn to look at her.

“Oh umm sort of.” I answered scratching my head as the elderly woman shook her head.

“She’s giving you a hard time isn’t she? Well don’t worry son she’s just a very quiet girl. She moved here a year ago out of nowhere without saying a word. It took me awhile to become friends with her as well. You’ll get there sonny.” She answers as I smiled and look down at the ground before looking back at her house.

“Mi I’ll be back later okay? We’re going on a picnic be ready when I come back!” I called out to her house before bidding goodbye to the elder woman who smiled back.

When I came back to her place around three in the afternoon the elderly woman was gone. Shifting my backpack that I was carrying I lift up the picnic basket I had in my left hand. I had packed sandwiches and fruits in hopes of getting to spend time with Mi. Smiling I knocked on her door hoping that Mi would answer the door.

“Mi it’s me Taecyeon I’m here to pick you up!” I called out as three minutes passed she didn’t answer the door. Sighing I was about to turn around and leave when the door clicked open revealing Mi. She was wearing a white silk flowy dress with a light blue cardigan. She closed the door behind her and locked it. I couldn’t keep the childish smile off my face as she looks at me with a blank face.

“Shall we go then?” I ask her with a big smile receiving no response I chuckle before taking her hand in mine and led the way. Surprisingly, she didn’t pull away from me and just followed. Since she lived somewhere nears the hills of grass and flowers I decided to take her there. Walking up the hill and settling ourselves on the grass under a tree we looked out across the country side of Seoul. I didn’t need Mi to say anything instead I did all the talking. I told everything I could about myself including about my parents and she listened to them all. She would stare out into the world giving a small hearted smile when I mention something funny. When the sunsets pass to become night slowly all the stars began to show themselves. I watched her stare at the stars smiling before I placed my hand on her shoulder. Turning to look at me her lips were pursed slightly, this was the first time I’ve seen her a bit relaxed.

“Let’s take you home.” I said as I gulp down my urge to kiss her. Getting up from the ground the both of us walked back side by side together without saying a word. When we finally got to her house she turned around slowly to look at me. Staring back at her I gave a smile at her before she extended her right arm up a bit and opened her hands to bid goodbye. Seeing her childish act I chuckled as she opened her front door and closed it behind her.

“Good night Mi-ah!” I called out to her house hoping she’ll hear it. Walking down her street I couldn’t help but feel joy. That night I slept instantly and dreamt of Mi again. This time she was smiling as she drank her coffee. Her smile can give off such warmth to people it could fill your heart wholly.