“Class, now that we’re in Seoul, remember not to get lost! Seoul is very big!” warned Miss Choi, Kim Eunchae’s teacher.

“Especially you, Eunchae. I’ve got a whole book listing of where you’ve gotten lost,” emphasised Miss Choi.

“I’ll be careful this time, Miss Choi,” I reassured.

“You better be,” mumbled Miss Choi.

Miss Choi was actually a really nice person. All her scolding was only caring for me.

“I can’t wait!” squealed a girl in Eunchae’s class in English.

We were all from America but visited Seoul for a class trip. One of the reasons why the class went to Korea was because our teacher was Korean too.

“Don’t worry Miss Choi! I’m half Korean so I can communicate,” I assured.

I was also very excited. The teachers allowed us to go around Seoul for four hours and return back to the hotel. I couldn’t wait to visit my grandfather in Seoul. I lifted my hand that held a wooden red fox on a thin felt belt. I smiled and thought of a place to buy another one of this for my grandfather. There were only four in the world made by a skilled carver in Korea. My grandfather had two and I had one. There was only one in the world left.

“Alright, we can split up. Remember to return in four hours!” announced Miss Choi.

“Yes, Miss Choi,” we all chorused.

Everyone started to split up into groups of their friends and left. I just left and headed straight to my left, the direction the map told me to go.

I was crossing the road, reading a map, until I bumped into someone and fell.

“Excuse me, Miss but please watch where you are going and not disturb the busy road,” a voice grumbled in English.

I shoot my head up in disbelief. How was there such an impolite person?

“Yah! It’s not my fault! You have to apologise!” I spat in anger in Korean.

“You’re Korean?” he questioned in Korean.

“I demand you to apologise!”

“You were the one at fault so I shouldn’t apologise, Miss Kim Eunchae,” he retorted while looking at my name tag.

“Oh, so you’re a police, Mr Im Seulong,” I read out, squinting at the name on his badge, “now, if you’ll excuse me.”

Seulong stopped me in my tracks. I glared at him from the side.

“What do you want?” I asked impatiently while crossing my arms, still glaring.

“You still haven’t apologised,” reminded Seulong.

Seeing it was not my fault, I stomped on Seulong’s foot and squished it.

“Ah!” groaned Seulong as he grabbed onto his toe and hopped.

Smiling, I happily skipped across the road, faraway from Seulong. I left him crying in the middle of the road.

“Just you wait and see, Kim Eunchae. I’ll get my revenge,” he whispered and continued crying in pain.

Everyone gave him weird looks. Seulong just glared at my back as I left.

 

Finally, I arrived at the wood carvers shop. I entered the shop and the old man that sat at the desk looked up.

“Hello,” I greeted.

“Good morning!” greeted the old man and continued with his carving.

“Excuse me, may I ask if there is a wooden red fox here?” I questioned.

“Oh, you mean that one?” asked the man and pointed a finger, indicating that it was behind me.

I twisted my head around and spotted a wooden red fox.

“Oh, yes, yes!” I confirmed.

I stepped forward and picked it up at the same time as someone else did. We both, still holding the fox, faced each other.

“You!” we both exclaimed and pointed at the other with their other hand.

“Aish, what are you doing here, Mr Im Satan?” I questioned.

“Yah! How dare you call me Mr Im Satan, Miss Kim Lilith?”

“Yah, I asked you first!” I shouted.

“I don’t care.”

Seulong swiftly yanked the wooden red fox out of Eunchae’s grip and faced the old man.

“Excuse me; I would like to buy this. How much is it?” Seulong politely asked.

I was captivated. I never saw this side of Seulong. To me, he seemed handsome, kind and…polite. Especially that dazzling smile of his.

“It’s priceless! It’s not for sale!” the old man’s voice boomed and shook me awake.

“I have money, I can pay.”

“No! I said it’s priceless!”

“No, no, I want to buy it!” I announced.

“Get out of this shop! I’m not selling it!”

The old man got out of his seat and pushed them outside. I fell right at the door step and was heading straight to the floor. Seulong swiftly caught me before she fell. Both of us stayed in the same position for quite some time, mesmerised by the other’s beauty.

He’s not too bad outside of his police uniform. His has flawless skin and a dazzling smile that can wake up the dead, I thought.

She’s quite pretty, if you look closer. Her skin is perfect and she’s a very cute girl, thought Seulong.

“Excuse me.”

We both woke up from our fantasy immediately and let go of each other.

“Sorry for blocking your way,” I apologised to a young gentleman.

“That’s okay.”

I blushed and Seulong felt angered. Why didn’t she apologise to him before but apologised to this guy? Seulong grabbed my wrist tightly.

“Ah, let go!” I cried.

“Why did you apologise to him but not me?” asked Seulong, hurt.

“It doesn’t concern you! Now, let me go! ” I struggled.

Seulong gripped harder. The young man yanked Seulong’s hand off Eunchae.

“You shouldn’t treat a girl like that.”

“It’s none of your business!” snapped Seulong.

“Yes, it is. Now, if you’ll excuse me. I have an important meeting,” the man excused and left.

After the man left, Seulong looked around and didn’t spot me.

“Aish, where’d she go?”

 

I smiled because she had escaped Seulong two times today. I was walking down an alley way when I saw gangsters. Gasping, she tried to retreat but they saw me.

“Hey, little girl, why are you here alone?” the leader asked.

They approached me while Ibacked away. I finally hit a wall behind me. The people grinned. They surrounded me and the leader took the initiative.  He put his arms around me.

“Want to have some fun?” his seductively asked.

“No, no,” I replied.

“Oh, I know you want to have some,” the man concluded and dived for my neck.

“Let me go! Let me go!” I cried.

Tears were streaming down my face in fear. My heart was palpitating against my ribs hardly.

“Let her go!” commanded a voice.

The man stopped and faced the other way, frustrated that someone stopped his fun. I covered my face and slid down the wall, sobbing. I was relieved but scared at the same time.

“What do you want?” grumbled the man.

“You shouldn’t be a girl, especially a high school girl.”

“What’s it got to do with you? Besides, we were enjoying it, weren’t we?” asked the man as he grabbed my hair and pulled me up.

I  furiously shook my head and looked up. I gasped. It was Seulong.

“I’m a police,” Seulong told them as he held up his identification card.

“Run!” instructed the leader and they fled.

Seulong waited for them to leave and approached me. He held my hand and I flung him away.

“Don’t touch me!”

“Eunchae, it’s me, Seulong.”

“S-Seulong?”

“Yes, it’s me,” confirmed Seulong.

I held Seulong tightly and hugged him, tears streaming down and wetting Seulong’s clothes.

 

“Ah, it hurts!”

“You should be careful next time. I’m only bandaging your leg and you’re crying,” Seulong sighed.

Seulong had carried me to his home since I was crying the whole way. i had twisted my ankle and Seulong had no choice but to bring me to his home.

“It’s not my fault I was nearly !”

Tears were threatening to fall and Seulong was scared. He didn’t know how to handle with woman crying.

“Okay, okay, I’m finished. You can go to that spare room,” pushed Seulong.

As I was walking, I tripped and pulled Seulong with me. Now, he was on top of me, his two hands at the side of me. We were both mesmerised, not moving. Seulong slowly leaned in closer, leaning his head to the side. I was waiting for his lips to touch mine too.

“Ring ring!”

Seulong and I looked the other way, embarrassed while my phone rang.

“You should pick up the phone right now,” suggested Seulong.

“Well, you should get off me.”

“Oh, sorry,” apologised Seulong as he got off me.

Seulong dusted the invisible dirt off himself. I stood up and hastily took my phone out of my bag.

“Hello?” I answered.

“Kim Eunchae, where are you!? You said you wouldn’t get lost!” exclaimed Miss Choi.

“Sorry, Miss Choi. I’ll be home in a minute. I nearly got , that’s why,” I explained reluctantly.

“Omo, are you alright now?”

“I’m alright now. I will get this police officer to bring me back to the hotel.”

“Okay, take care,” hung up Miss Choi.

I turned around to face Seulong.

“Can you bring me back?”

“Whatever.”

 

Seulong’s car halted at the front of the hotel. He faced the passenger seat beside him and saw Eunchae sleeping peacefully. Deciding not to bother her from her sleep, he went to the other side of the car and slowly got her out. He wrapped her arms around his neck and carried her into the hotel. 

 

“Knock knock!”

“Coming!”

Shouted Miss Choi and she rushed the door.

“Omo, is that you Eunchae?” asked Miss Choi.

“Ah, yes, it is,” replied Seulong for Eunchae.

“Oh, give her to me,” instructed Miss Choi.

Carefully, Seulong handed Eunchae to Miss Choi.

“Oh, he’s so cute!” Seulong heard so girls compliment him in English.

Seulong smiled at them politely. Once Eunchae was in Miss Choi’s arms, she shut the door on Seulong, not trusting who he was.

Seulong stood there, stunned at the action of Eunchae’s teacher. He could say that they looked like sisters; personality and image.

 

After a couple of days, the both did not meet at all.

Eunchae’s wondering heart needed an owner.

Seulong’s lonely heart needed warmth.

Every day, Seulong could not concentrate at all. Surprisingly, his mind always wondered off to Eunchae. He shook off the thought and continued his work.

Eunchae couldn’t focus either. She was always thinking and that resulted to her not being able to comprehend what Miss Choi says.

Miss Choi was getting very impatient at Eunchae’s behaviour. She knew that the reason Eunchae was like this was because of the police officer. She never knew it affected Eunchae that much. Of course, being a woman herself, Miss Choi did not believe the fibs Eunchae told when she if she was okay. It wasn’t because of the . She knew but she could not trust the young unnamed police officer. It was almost absurd thinking of handling Eunchae to that police officer, not knowing his identity.

 

After getting off work, Seulong walked the road that he would normally to get home. He passed the store that sells the wooden red fox again. He peeked in and wanted to take a closer look at the wooden red fox.

He opened the door with a light push of his hand and the sounds of the bells could be heard. The old man looked up and back down again.

“Welcome!” he greeted.

He didn’t seem to remember Seulong at all. Seulong smiled and slowly crept to the wooden red fox. He smiled as he thought about what his mother had said.

“Seulong, there is an amazing carver in Seoul and I want you to buy a wooden red fox off him.” Mrs Im smiled at her son.

“Why, mother?”

“Because, when we were young, your father proposed to me by the wooden red fix since we were too poor. But slowly, your father’s business grew. I really treasured the fox but unfortunately, I lost it. Soon, I heard that the fox was in the famous carvers hands but I can’t seem it find it at all. I want you, when you like a girl and know she will be yours forever, give her the wooden red fox,” Mrs Im explained.

The old man thought the back view of Seulong looked familiar. He kept thinking and he knew.

“You, what are you doing here?!” exclaimed the old man as he rose in his chair and onto his feet.

Seulong slowly turned around, caught.

“I-I was just looking through,” stuttered Seulong.

“Get out!” commanded the old man.

“No, please, I really want to buy that wooden red fox,” pleaded Seulong.

“No, I promised to return it to a woman by the name of Mrs Im.”

“You mean my mother?” asked Seulong.

“Your mother?” the old man frowned and stopped.

“Was that a proposal item?” clarified Seulong.

“Yes, yes, it was,” answered the old man.

“That’s my mothers.”

“It is?”

“Here, you can call my mother to clarify it.”

Seulong took out his phone from his pocket and pressed a couple of keys. Once finished, he handed it to the old man.

“Hello?”

“Hello, who is this?” the person on the other line asked cautiously.

“It’s me, the skilled carver that’s got your wooden red fox,” explained the old man.

“Mr Kim?”

“Yes, yes.”

“It’s you! How did you find me?”

“Your son wanted to buy that fox off me but I didn’t him, not knowing his identity,” explained Mr Kim.

“Oh, I see. Has he found his one?”

“I think so,” whispered the old man, afraid Seulong would hear him.

Fortunately, he did not.

“That’s good. Can you hand him the wooden red fix, please?”

“Sure!” Mr Kim said and hung up.

“You mother said to give you the wooden red fox to you; you may take it,” said Mr Kim as he passed Seulong’s phone back to him.

“Thank you,” whispered Seulong and walked over to the wooden red fox and put it in his pocket.

“Good luck!” called Mr Kim as Seulong left.

Confused, Seulong turned back and raised an eyebrow.

“You know what I mean,” Mr Kim said and winked at Seulong.

“Oh, thanks Mr Kim!”

And Seulong left in a hurry, not wanting to hold up time.

 

Again, because of the constant pleas of her students, Miss Choi allowed everyone to go outside and do whatever they want –like their first day in Seoul- for two hours. Two hours only.

I used this time wisely and visited the store that belonged to Mr Kim.

I opened the door with a light push and entered.

“Hello, may I ask where the wooden red fox is?” I asked to Mr Kim who simply looked down, his long beard hanging.

“Excuse me, may I please know where it is?” I repeated.

Getting annoyed, Mr Kim simply answered, “Someone bought it.”

“What!? I thought you said it wasn’t for sale!”

“As you said, you thought so,” replied Mr Kim.

Angered, I stomped outside, slamming the door behind me. Out of my anger, I let a tear drop from my eyes. It stung my heart that I couldn’t buy the wooden red fox for my grandfather.

 

“Ding dong! Ding dong!”

“Coming, coming!” yelled Miss Choi as she approached the door of her hotel room.

She hurried as fast as he legs would carry her. She yanked the door open.

“Hi!” greeted Seulong cheerfully as he waved.

“What do you want?” snapped Miss Choi.

“I-I…want to plan something for Eunchae.”

 

I was in the streets, wondering around, disappointed. So, for the whole day, I sulked and played games in the arcade. My hand moved swiftly and easily on the controls and I won a bucket load of tickets. In the end, you came home with a heavy heart, holding a bunch of bears.

 

“Eunchae, where this!” commanded Miss Choi and shoved a dress in my face.

I had just arrived home and saw no body but Miss Choi, even though I had retuned right on time. I examined the dress. It was really pretty and went up to my knees. It had a light colour with small flowers in it.

“Why?” I questioned, confused.

“Just do it! Once you’re finished, go to the roof top.” And Miss Choi left without another word.

I swung around in the dress I was wearing; how it fitted me, its curves in the right places and how I looked. I looked…beautiful. I never knew I would ever say this to myself. I was amazed at how the dress changed me. Just a moment ago, I was plain Jane. But now, I looked graceful and beautiful. I felt giddy that a simple dress like this could change me so much.

Not forgetting Miss Choi’s instructions, I walked slowly to the roof top in the silver flats that were provided at the front of the bathroom door. My shoes made little noise as I approached the roof top.

Finally, I arrived. I gently pushed the door open and was faced with light, a lot of light, emitting from candles placed all over the roof top. It was beautiful.

“Hello,” greeted a silky voice.

I was shocked. What was he doing here? Seulong was wearing a black tuxedo, without one crease in it.

“What are you doing here, Seulong?” I snapped.

“May I?” asked Seulong, ignoring my question and held his hand out.

I crossed my arms, ignored Seulong and stomped over to the chair. I sat, my arms still crossed.

Seulong smiled and pulled out a seat for himself, opposite me.

Just then, two people, my classmates, came up to the roof in a chef hat, holding a dish that had steak.

Surprised, I raised an eye brow. What were my classmates doing here?

“Hope you enjoy your dinner!” they both said cheerfully once they had finished setting the food on the table.

“I-,” but I did not have a chance to ask what was going on as they left.

I sighed and my shoulders slumped.

“Are you going to eat it?”

“Are you going to tell what’s happening?”

“Only after you finish this meal.”

“Fine,” I mumbled and grabbed onto my fork and knife and started shoving food in my mouth.

“Whoa, whoa, slow down. You might choke!” warned Seulong.

“I have to finish this to get an answer out of you,” I said, still munching on my food.

“Fine, slow down. You eat, I talk. How’s that?”

“Okay,” I agreed as she ate slowly.

“Well, today I went around and managed to buy something really precious…”

“Get to the point,” I grumbled.

Seulong chuckled and continued, “it was a wooden red fox.” Seulong laced all those words slowly, making sure I got it.

“You mean…?”

“Yes,” Seulong answered my uncompleted question.

“Give it to me!” I demanded and held my palm out.

“I will, but later. If you behave.”

“Alright, alright, fine,” I compromised.

“Eat,” commanded Seulong.

I was about to argue but stopped, remembering what I promised. I scooped a spoonful of my food and started eating.

 

Soon, even thought it felt like an eternity to me, we had finished eating. I held my palm out without a word and Seulong got my idea.

Confusing me, Seulong got out of his seat and strode to me. Suddenly, in front of me, Seulong got onto one knee.

“Eunchae, will you be my girlfriend?”

“W-what?”

“The days when I was far away from you, I felt restless. I was lost. Every single time I see something it reminds me of you. The rain drops fall, helping me count the minutes I’ve been away from you. Please, can you be mine?”

“I-I…”

I did not know what to say. This came to me in a rush. I didn’t even get time to adapt the information.

“It’s okay. I can’t force you,” Seulong sighed dejectedly.

He started to walk away, his footsteps echoing in my ears.

“No!” I cried as I ran up to Seulong and grabbed him by the body.

My chest was heaving heavily, afraid that Seulong misunderstood.

“No, the days that I wasn’t with you felt like eternity. I was like a wondering soul but I want it to have an owner. Are you willing to be the owner?” my eyes were earnest.

Seulong slowly turned around and grabbed Eunchae’s shoulders. He looked into my eyes.

“I am.”

My face lit up with brightness.

“Seulong, I love you,” I confessed.

“Eunchae, I love you too,” admitted Seulong.

We both leaned in and shared our first kiss. Right at that moment, a shooting star flew across. Both of us broke away and Seulong silently handed me the wooden red fox. I smiled again and leaned in for another kiss, wrapping my arms around Seulong’s neck, deepening the kiss.

They both kissed under the stars shining brightly in the dark sky. That was the beginning of the relationship between Eunchae, a student and Seulong, a police officer.