He heard her before he ever saw her. The click of the camera’s shutter announced her entrance into his world. However, at the time, he was a little annoyed that someone had taken a picture of him without his permission. He turned to say something but was caught slightly off-guard.

                The girl was standing about one meter back from where he was. She was wearing a few more layers than what the weather necessitated over her tiny frame. She had dark circles under her eyes and straight, limp hair that was covered with a black beanie. She seemed so odd that it almost made sense that she had used a Polaroid camera to take a picture of him.

                She grabbed the white and gray sheet the camera spit out and waved it in the air as she waited for the picture to develop. “Hey,” Youngbae called out in an attempt to grab her attention, “Why’d you do that?”

                “Do what?” she asked, cocking her head to the side.

                “Why’d you take a picture of me?”

                “Why?” she asked, as if the thought had never occurred to her. She tapped a corner of the developing picture to her thin lips as she thought. Finally, when he was just about to grow impatient from waiting for so long she answered with a smile, “Probably because you’re beautiful.”

                He should’ve known then—his life would never be the same.