“I’m going there too. Let’s go together.”

Ah, is this a dream? 

At this time, at this place. It’s fate, I’m sure of it. 

Thank you, God.

I nodded slowly. “Okay.” 

“I didn’t know you lived so near to me. We should walk home together sometimes.”

“YES!…Yes.” I shrink myself. Calm down, you will scare him. 

I glanced back at In-ho. He nodded lightly. “Okay.”

I’m blessed tonight for sure.

In-ho leads me to the store. We talked about many things while walking. About school, the chaotic trio at school, and even our family.

“You have so many sisters…it must be fun.” Inho's voice sounded a little uplifted.

I shook my head. “No, they are a pain.” 

As we stride along, In-ho looked like he was thinking deeply. “I only have one younger brother. We rarely talked.”

I listened attentively. I found out that In-ho lived with his mother and younger brother. His mother is rarely home due to work. 

When we arrived at the store, I looked around curiously, excitedly. The store is so colourful and bright. The shelves are stacked full to the feet. In-ho showed me around and points to where different snack sections are. He must have been here a lot. He even recommended some good instant ramyun for me to try. He said that one will ‘die in regret’ if they did not try ramyun at least once in their life. I giggled. 

This is so much fun. 

When I first saw him, I thought he looked like the usual ‘good, quiet student’ but it turns out he is so much more than that. He is so much fun to be around with. He throws in sarcasm at unexpected times, makes unhinged jokes —all the while maintaining his unbothered look. No wonder he has so many friends. He is smart, funny, cool…and very handsome.

His hand brushed against mine when he reached for a snack on the shelves. I stumbled a little in reaction, dropping a sealed ramyun cup on the floor. In-ho turned. “Are you okay?” I instinctively picked it up. “Yes.”

“Do you want to eat here or at home?” 

I held my face down. “Um…” 

In-ho stacks his snacks properly in his arms. “Let’s just eat here. Let’s go.”

I followed him to the counter and paid. We then sat at the table while waiting for our cup ramyun to cook. “I actually rarely went out this long at night.” He said, resting his face on one hand.

“I think my mother will scold me after.”

I stared at him. “Is that… alright? You should go home.”

He spaced out a little before looking down on the table.

“No, it’s okay. I want to stay.”

###

Our convenience store trip last night felt like something out of a dream. I’m still processing everything that happened, even in class.

“Did you have a crush on someone already?” Ki-sung tapped me from behind. My head turned and followed him, walking to the front of me. “Sorry?” 

He grinned. “I saw you spaced out in class.” 

“What do you think of korean girls, Lukas? Do you think they’re pretty?” Nam-il bounced in. I think hard for an answer. Korean girls look… delicate. Girls mostly looked like that to me. They’re so small to me.

“What is your type?” Nam-il added.

“Someone…kind. Cool, too.” A quite general answer, but it's true. Those traits are important to me.

“Ey... I mean their looks. Do you like wavy or straight hair? Short or long? Double eyelids or monolids?”

I feel overwhelmed. I rarely think that much about girls' features before. The most recent girl I look at…

“I think Chan-mi is pretty.”

“Ey, forget about it. That girl is no good.” 

Nam-il responded almost immediately. Ki-sung choked on his laughter. 

“Lukas, don’t tell Jin-woo I told you this, but Jin-woo and Chan-mi used to date in middle school.” Ki-sung stated, almost whispering. 

“They are a disaster couple.”

I’m not sure what it meant but it sounded interesting. “I see.”

I suddenly thought about a certain person.

“Have In-ho…dated anyone?”

Ki-sung glanced to Nam-il. “In-ho…I’m not sure…”

“None of us went to the same middle school as him. Knowing him, he probably would be too busy studying to even like anyone.” Nam-il shrugged. “Why did you ask?”

“Nothing…” I turned to my empty desk.