Destiny ┆Joo Seok Kyung ✗ Han Seo Jun

12

The past month has been the best days of my life. Living with Seojun made me feel how families are supposed to be. We shared a single-serve ramyeon together while cuddling and binging F.R.I.E.N.D.S the entire night, while back at the penthouse, four of us sat at four corners, not speaking a single word on the dining table. Families are supposed to be with each other. No matter how much money we had or how much we pretended to care, we could never be a real family. But here, although we have differences, we cope with each other's fragility.

I was happy that I got to be with the person whom I love the most. He made me feel how love feels like. I thought love was money. My dad gave me money because he loved me. But, it was just an excuse for him to not having to spend his time loving me. Seojun makes me love myself. The little things he does like putting a water bottle at my side table every night incase I get thirsty, always keeping me at the 'safer' side of the road, sending me a goodnight text from his night shift or picking up flowers and tucking it behind my ears. I never knew this is the life I've ever wanted not knowing how much of a hurricane was waiting my way that would flip my new-happy life upside down very soon.

It was Christmas Eve's morning. I woke up to a slight fever and nauseous feeling. The pine smell from the Christmas tree in the streets swooped in the windows mixing in the room's air. The aroma almost made me throw up. But I wanted to plan a small two-people party for us. Pulling up a coat, I wrapped myself up in a warm muffler and put on boots, heading out. 

The street was coated with a thick layer of snow, which was as soft, and as smooth as a fresh scoop of vanilla ice-cream. Along the street, above the distressed shoppers, was a sea of decorations, of all colors, simultaneously changing, on and off, to the rhythm of my feet, whilst ambling through the streets of Seoul. The Christmas lights were shaped in all kinds of shape you could possibly imagine and they were so bright that the twinkle in the lights glistened on the icing floor as though it was a star. Reaching to the nearest store, I brought a small faux Christmas tree.

Back in the apartment, I baked cookies with strawberry frosting and set up my mini party in the living room. The color changing lights went on the curtains, cookies and cake were set on the table and a banner saying 'merry christmas' was hung on the wall. I lit some candles here and there and put on a movie. Seojun was coming home around 7 so I got enough prep time for surprising him. 

Outside the window, the world was a moonscape of white, contrary to the coziness in the apartment thanks to the fireplace. I heard a sound outside however, and I go to the door.  Pretty sure that it is Seojun, I hid my excitement and attended the door. As I turned the round doorknob, someone swung open the door from outside with heavy force, making me fall on my face to the ground, scraping my chin. I watched in terror as my body froze there when a dark silhouette approached me, taking over.

Seojun POV

Frost-spikes hanged off the cafe's window sill like glassy fingers. The pine sweet smell of the trees mixed with the baked scents. People came and went out of the café with cheerful faces. Christmas air made everything so joyous. 

I could see couples holding hands and walking in the colorful streets under the umbrella. Seeing this made me miss her. I wanted to take Seok Kyung to Jeju on Christmas. Having already brought the tickets, I couldn't wait to go home and spend time with her. The chilly weather was surely something. After I was done with work, I immediately dropped by a nearby store to pick up some fresh tulips.

As I was getting into the car, I get a call from an unknown number, quite surprisingly. "Hello?", I ask.

"Hello, Seojun?", a faint but familiar voice replies.

"It's me. Lim Jukyung", she mumbled back after a long pause.

(why is she back?)