Xiumin had gone walking alone at night in hope of finding something fresh. The days for him were getting more tiresome and pointless, and bitterness was overcoming his mind. As the rain had poured down and battered his shoulders he cursed his luck. Thunder rumbled through the air. Everything out was dark besides for a loud old bar. He stepped in mildly planning to knock his annoyance back with a couple of drinks. The tables were filled with the usual drunks and bar goers at his time. Although the atmosphere was friendly it only made Xiumin more sullen.

He had sat down alone and the bar tender had brought him a drink. Deep smells of alcohol filled his senses, but they were soon numbed by the alcohol in his own system. He breathed heavily, closed his eyes and rubbed his temples. What had his life resolved too? Months before everything was so clear but now his life was as murky as the smoke that swept around him.

He laughed spitefully to himself. This bar was as cloudy as his thoughts, and he really wanted just to find something clear. Just as he got up to leave he heard her voice. Her calming mellow voice flowed through the drunken laughter and clatter of glasses to his ears. Amidst the hazy cigarette smoke a woman sang her heart out. Her eyes were closed in the complete enthrallment of the melody. She moved her hands subtly in time with the music. She was not singing for anyone there; she sang for herself as it was the only way she knew.

Xiumin moved so he could see her more clearly. Dark hair fell to her shoulders flowing gently as she moved. The dress she wore swayed around her legs. Everything about her was in sync. And as the song finished a small humble smile graced her lips. He watched her for the rest of the night until he had to leave. The way she sang made him forget briefly about the troubles that had cursed his mind. When he left the melodies stayed with him for a while, until they drifted away and he was thrown back into his restless life.

The grey days carried on. It was the same routine everyday; there was nothing new in Xiumins life. Everything was so uncomfortably persistent it was driving him mad. But unlike most persistencies where everything is easy, it wasn’t. The fogginess of Xiumins life continued. Which is when he decided to go back to the bar.

He had nearly forgotten the girl whom sang until he heard the sweet music that filled his ears once again. There she stood. The woman who had cleared his mind with her voice, if only for a moment. As he sat surrounded by alcoholics and pub goers he watched and listened.

And the in weeks that followed, Xiumin found himself returning to the bar. All he did was sit and watch, but the music emptied his mind of bitter thoughts.

On one hot humid night, Xiumin sat once again listening to a smooth and sweet song fall from the lips of the woman. As the song came to an end she opened her eyes which landed on Xiumin and gave the small coy smile. In that moment Xiumin didn’t know what to do. The thought of her noticing him had never crossed his mind. He smiled back, a little awkwardly, and gave a short wave. From her slight platform across the bar, she looked down shyly and laughed gently. Xiumin was caught.

During the next day, the small smile stayed in the back of his mind. He decided that he wanted to actually meet this woman. All day he thought of things to say to her but they all came across as creepy and just plain weird. He huffed and closed his eyes. The heat was getting to him, he thought. Everything will be ok; it’s just talking to a girl. Wait, when was the last time he had done that? He sighed and put his head down onto the desk he was working at.

Xiumin put on a clean shirt that evening. He wanted to at least look nice if talking failed. As he walked through the door to the bar he smiled as he could already hear the voice that made him smile. He waited all night as he didn’t want to interrupt. But when the time came to talk to the girl he was so shy. Xiumin had no idea what to do. He watched her walking out of the door. But before she was completely out of his sights he rushed after her, nearly knocking over waiters and glasses in the process. He ran outside.

“Uh, wait…. Please” He shouted to the woman. She turned her head around in shock, not knowing who was calling her. Xiumin walked closer towards her and smiled slightly. He felt bad for being rude but to his surprise she didn’t look offended.  She saw Xiumin standing there and recognised him.

“I, uh, wanted to say hi. I really like your singing” He stuttered. “Oh, yeah, I’m Xiumin, by the way”. She smiled and looked up at him.

“Thank you. I’m Boyun” She offered out her hand to shake. Xiumin hesitated for a split second before smiling back and shaking her hand.

“So, I was wondering if you want to go for coffee sometime, or something” He said, rubbing the back of his neck “I mean, only if you want to, of course” He added quickly before looking up and smiling hopefully at her. Ahh, why was he acting to desperate? He wasn’t normally like this.

“Yeah sure” Boyun said happily trying to ease the awkward atmosphere. “Let me give you my number and we can meet up some time?” Xiumin was overjoyed. All he could do was nod his head as she handed him a card with her number on.

“Thank you” he replied “It was nice meeting you” She waved at him before she walked off. Xiumin stood for a moment smiling to himself before walking home. He was so glad. Boyun, the name rolled of his tongue. What a nice name. Xiumin was getting giddy like a teenage girl but in that minute he didn’t mind.

A couple of days later he built up the courage to text her asking to go out for coffee. And to Xiumin’s joy she said yes. Later that day he sat waiting in a park near his home for Boyun. They had arranged to meet at 3. It was 2:45 so Xiumin waited. As the time ticked by Xiumin started to worry. What if she changed her mind? What if she only agreed on sympathy? And as the time passed 3 he worried even more. Had he come across to creepy? Did she think he was some kind of stalker or..? But just as the thought crossed his mind she came stumbling up to him.

“I’m so sorry I’m late” she gasped “Sorry, I got caught up doing something” Xiumin felt instantly better. Had she been running? So she didn’t think he was a creep.

Xiumin found himself falling in love with her slowly even more as they talked. He continued to watch her sing. He loved her mellow voice that drifted like the cigarette smoke that wound around the bar. He loved the way she closed her eyes and moved her hands in time with the music that she was fully emerged in. He loved the way she smiled and sometimes looked up to him when she finished a song. He fell in love with the way she laughed at him from second hand embarrassment when he did something awkward; with the way they could sit in a comfortable silence; with her. But slowly at first. He fell in love with her slowly at first, but then suddenly all at once, like falling asleep.  

I hope you like it. Please tell me what you think.