"Alright Jiyeon that'll be enough for today" The photographer for "ELLE"magazine said ending our photo session.
"Aaah,khamsahamnida~" I said bowing to all the crew. I grabbed my red coat and walked out the building.
"Aissh,so cold."I shivered. It was December 27th, 4 days till the New Year 2014. The whole of Seoul was bustling about with holiday spirit in the air. Mothers rushing in and out of department stores buying food and supplies they would need for New Year's celebration. Business men rushing to jewelry shops to buy gifts for their wives. Children huddled in front of cake shops and gazing at the cakes on display. Couples walking together laughing and pointing at the displays in stores or having a cup of hot cocoa in a nearby cafe.
As I walked towards my apartment I passed a young couple,probably highschool aged,looking at a cake display through the windows.
"Oppa, that cake is really cute!" The girl said.
"Hmm?Wae? You want it? I'll buy it for you,okay?"
The girl shrieked with delight and hugged her boyfriend. I stopped in front of the bakery and looked at the sign hanging above it. 'Sweet Delights Bakery". A tear started to trickle down my eye,but I quickly brushed it away and started walking again. That bakery,was the exact bakery I celebrated New Year's Eve at when I was 18. The same exact New Year's Eve I last saw my boyfriend, Minhyuk.
I shook my head and pulled the scarf around my neck so it covered my face up until my nose was covered. I couldn't let anyone see me like this. But the feeling was already taking over my whole body. I tried thinking about something else,anything else,but I just...couldn't. The feeling was to overwhelming. The emptiness in my heart that never left. The waiting all these years. The hope that was starting to fade but still wanted to stay. The feeling of a girl who missed her boyfriend so much. Maybe a little too much.
Snow started falling down softly. The sounds of music coming from nearby stores playing songs about the New Year. Children running around in the snow having snowball fights and making snowmen. Icicles dangling from the trees and frost covering the pine trees. It was actually a beautiful sight. But my pained heart made it look all dark and gloomy. As if the snowclouds decided to become storm clouds and carry in a blizzard only I could feel. As if the cold wind was trying to freeze my heart. I missed him. I missed him so badly. The more I thought of him,the more tears started trickling down my cheeks and the harder for me to stop them.
Luckily my apartment building soon came in to view. I rushed up the steps and slammed the door shut behind me. By then my eyes were red of the cold air and tears. I could't hold it in much longer. I kicked off my boots and rushed to my room. I jumped on my bed and hugged my pillow tightly and cried. I couldn't remember how long I cried. 2 hours maybe. But it felt like ages. The pain in my heart was too much.
I wiped my tears and grabbed a photo album from my nightstand. A book I only opened when I felt lonely. And this was one of those moments. I brushed my hand over the cover that read "Our Memories! Ppyong Ppyong~" I smiled remembering when we made that scrapbook together.I opened it slowly. There were pictures of us when we were babies,when we were children and many pictures of us in highschool. I laughed at a picture of Minhyuk trying to dance like Super Junior on my birthday. Minhyuk was a silly guy. Compared to me,he was more of an easy going person. He didn't care much about what went on in his life or what others thought of him. As long as he was happy, nothing else mattered.
I opened the page. We made 2 copies of the scrapbook so each one could have their own. I stared at the last page and my eyes started to tear up again. It was a collection of photos that minhyuk had taken of me and a few with him. There was also a letter glued on to the page. I never dared opened the letter before. But that day seemed like the perfect day to open it.So I did.
********************************************************************************
(Flashback)
December 30th
"Ah ahjumma, your cooking is amazing! I feel like I wanna eat more and more!"
"Oh Minhyuk you're such a flatter! Here! Have some more pasta!"
I shook my head watching this event. It was the night before New Year's Eve and mom decided to invite Minhyuk over for dinner. Minhyuk loves mom's cooking and he always eats more then he can handle!
"Eomma,I'll wash the dishes, you and Appa go and rest for the night. You've worked real hard Eomma."
"Ommoo,what has gotten in to you, Jiyeon-ah? You're usually not this dilligent? Is it because Minhyuk is here?"
"Eomma! Jebal! Stop teasing me!"
"Hahaha ne ne! I will go upstairs now with your Appa, Minhyuk! Watch Jiyeon for me,ne?"
"Ne ahjumma."
As Eomma and Appa walked upstairs to rest I collected all the dirty dishes and started washing while Minhyuk kept eating. I smiled as I washed the dishes. It was nice of Eomma to invite Minhyukkie over. Suddenly I felt someone's arms wrap around me.
"Mmm,my wifey is washing the dishes~ She looks so beautiful in that flower apron~"Minhyuk sang.
"Kang Minhyuk! Stop singing! Your voice is terrible!" I laughed.
Minhyuk turned off the water faucet as I finished washing the last dish and kissed my cheek.
"Wifeey~ I wanna show you something. Kkajaa!!" And he pulled me outside. It was December so the weather was naturally freezing. I was only wearing boots and jeans and a sweater so I could feel the cold wind as if it were piercing my bones. We kept walking,Minhyuk's hand in mine,untill we reached a park.
"This is what you wanted to show me?" I asked.
"Ani, this is."He pulled out a small box and told me to open it. I gasped.
"Oppaya..this..it's beautiful."
"I have the matching necklace,"Minhyuk said as he put the necklace around my neck"but I use it as a keychain instead."
I looked at the small heart charm on the necklace. Mine read 'Minhyuk<3'.
"Oppa....I don't know what to say..."
"Don't say anything chagiya.."
He glanced up at the tree above us. A mistletoe was dangling from one of the branches. The air was chilly and I must've been shivering badly but as Minhyuk gazed into my eyes I felt a sudden warmth surge through my body. We looked into each other's eyes. Minhyuk's nose was red from the chilly air.
"Oppaya..." I started. But I couldn't finish my sentence. Minhyuk hugged me and then our lips met. For the first time. Our first kiss. And no amount of words can explain how I felt that moment.
