Come Find Me Serendipity | PJM

Chapter 1

I've always admired people who put so much trust into a concept such as fate. Maybe everyone once in awhile it would cross my mind that the moment I recognized as being important, was meant to be. Since I'd arrived to Seoul, twice, fate has popped into my mind. The first time was when I stepped out of the airport when I arrived. I felt tingles up and down my body. Of course, the 14 hour flight was probably a major part of it, but it just felt right to be here.

The second time was seven months later when I was in Hongdae. I was supposed to be meeting someone for a date one of my friends from class set me up on. While I waited, I typed away on a paper focusing on the differences and similarities between Chinese, Korean, and Japanese paintings. I'd been through two coffees with double shots of espresso, a splash of cream, and three pumps of hazelnut syrup before my computer dinged and a message popped up on the screen.

Hae Seong
19:05
hey, sorry, can't make it.
i forgot about the paper that's due on monday.
I'll make it up to you on monday!
I'll buy you whatever you want

My fingers froze over the keyboard while I read the messages as they came in rapid succession. I sighed and let my head fall back. This was the second time he bailed on me. It would have been fine if I wasn't the teacher's assistant in the class he was talking about and if we didn't turn in those papers yesterday. I was a third of the way grading them already and his just happened to be one of the 10 I decided on grading.

I really went out to buy a new outfit for this, only it wasn't new anymore seeing as it was the third time I'd worn it only for Hae Song to flake on me. I felt stupid sitting in the cafe by myself with the small box sitting across from me. Soo Min didn't know I actually did like Hae Song. At first it was just playful banter during discussion in our other class we had together. It was the one time that I spoke up during class. My Korean was still really choppy, but I wanted to participate in class. He made fun of the way I pronounced a word. I snapped back that I was at least paying attention in class instead of looking at clothes that I couldn't afford. The class erupted in laughter and he sought after me after class to yell at me, but he didn't.

Soo Min thought maybe it would be best if we just got the date over so she told him to take me out. I chose the place each time and each time he could never come. Each time I placed the matte black box on the table. It wasn't anything special, just a set of earrings I thought he'd like since he was building an extensive collection.

I returned to my paper, banging out two more pages and downing another coffee. By the time I closed my laptop, my fingers were trembling from all of the caffeine. I'd been here for two hours and the glances I was getting from people was starting to make me feel embarrassed. So I got up, stacking my cups together and walked them over to the nearest cup bin. I returned to my table and put my laptop into its proper slot in my purse, checked if I was leaving anything before turning to leave.

The night life was doing its thing. Masses of people flowing quickly by. Bursts of laughter and squeals of other girls on their dates, holding onto them tightly. When I first came down here, it was difficult for me to get around. I wasn't sure when to cut in, because the people moving past was a solid wall. I wasn't a novice anymore, I pushed my body into the current and let it carry me. I didn't want to go home just yet and the trains wouldn't stop for a while. I had time. Even though my first plans fell through didn't mean that I couldn't enjoy the rest of my night.

"Excuse me!" I turn out when I feel someone wrap their fingers around my wrist pulling me out of the hoard of people. The light of the shop illuminated a hand which held a matte black box. "You left this."

In front of me stood someone I recognized from school. I couldn't place his name, but I knew he was in one of my English classes. I remembered because he was one of the few Koreans in the class who could speak English pretty fluently and I sat next to him the first few classes.