1st ∞

After all the beautiful spring colours that danced along with the flowers and sweet breeze, summer finally came. Replaced by all the illuminating colours was the heat, the ice cream visuals everywhere and the sound of pool water splashing.

That's what summer is all about. Even summer love could be considered an option in everyone's summer list. Although, not everyone has the same idea and list for the summer season.

I stood on my toes, hoping that the line would move faster. I could feel my neck breaking out in perspiration and yet it seemed like the line wouldn't move until the next ten minutes.

I've been waiting for the last fifteen minutes now and somehow, I wondered what exactly the workers—or even customers—were doing right now. What's taking them so long?

I was very impatient when heat comes along and plays a roll. You can just say nobody likes waiting in a line full of sweaty people. I hate it as much as the next person.

But this had to be worth it. They only sold it in one season and one season only. And that season was summer.

The moment the heat started creeping into Seoul, I tried everyday. I tried my best everyday to at least buy it, but everyone beat me to it and it always manages to run out of stock before I could order mine. So I tried my best today. Woke up at 6; waited for the store to open; got tired of waiting and shopped around; regretted it later because there was already a long line surpassing twenty people waiting for the drink; still stuck here in the line.

I don't know what I did wrong. I was on time for almost everything, but now this? I bet everyone just had the same idea of coming early like me.

I checked my watch once again. Seventeen minutes later, still no sign of the line moving whatsoever. Then, an announcement was made, "Sold out!"

Everyone who fell in line groaned loudly as they dispersed their line formation, walking to wherever they had to go and do whatever business they had to do. I remained in my spot, eyebrows twitching in annoyance. It was the fifth time now this week.

I had enough of waiting. I walked up the cashier ahjusshi and asked him, "Ahjusshi, are you sure you don't have anymore in stock?"

The man, before moving away the bucket on the floor, glanced at me from head to toe before replying, "Nope. Sold out, agasshi. Sorry about that."

My shoulders that were raised in hope fell down in disappointment. Nodding my head understandably, I said, "Ah, nae..."

Dang it. I stood in line for five days in a row, for more than ten minutes everyday, and still, I never got a chance to buy it. Why is my luck so bad this season? I always managed to get it last season.

Maybe that was it. I used up all my luck last year so now it was nothing but something meant to go down in the sewer. Too bad, then. I guess I won't be getting any of the Ice Cream Pop Shake.

I walked down the streets, kicking a few pebbles as I messed my hair in frustration. That's it? My summer will end up being a bad memory this year? I guess so, by the looks of it so far.

"Oops, sorry!" I apologized to the guy I bumped into next to me. This was what summer was like. The occasional bumps into the person next to me because of the crowded sidewalks. Summer was the hottest time of the season, and yet, it's somehow the busiest.

"It's okay," he said, flashing me a smile.

I nodded my head and quickly went along with the flow of the crowd. Everyone was basically touching each other, shoulder to shoulder. At least I wasn't squeezed in between perverts in this persisting summer heat some people actually enjoy.

Since I couldn't stop sweating in this heat, I decided to enter a well-conditioned cafe that caught my attention when walking with the flow of people. I pushed the door open and fanned myself with a hand, panting like a dog after a run.

"Annyeonghaseyo. What would you like to order?" a friendly female staff asked me, forcing up a smile to impress customers. They get paid for that so I don't blame their creepy smiles.

"One pure vanilla shake. Large, please," I ordered, pulling my shirt out a little so I could feel cooler. The air-conditioner here was good, so thank goodness. But that didn't mean my sweat evaporated. I have sweated since the last fifty minutes or more.

"Nae, that would be 5, 400 won, please," the friendly staff said, handing me a buzzer that buzzed when your drink was ready.

I handed her the exact amount and in return, she gave me the receipt. I went to sit down to calm myself from the painfully exhausting day I had—I've been having since five days ago. Just for one popular drink, I did all that waiting. And for what? To hear the words 'Sold out'? Aish, what an effort I put in for one drink.

I continued fanning myself and despite telling myself over and over not to glance up to look at the possible people who would somehow be staring at me, I still did. No one was staring but I always had this theory of people staring at other random people because they were bored or because they had nothing better to do with their eyes.

I noticed that most of the girls were wearing shorts. They must not be able to handle the heat. I would have done the same, but I was conscious about wearing shorts so I stuck with skorts. They weren't fully pants, but they weren't fully skirts either. It was a little mix of both and it was efficient for people like me.

I heard from my teacher in junior high that we would always be judged by a pair of eyes, which keeps us conscious. Must also be the reason why most people are shy and not as confidence as they wished to be. Because one action, one movement, you'll be judged by a pair of eyes. No matter who's eyes they belonged to, you'll always be judged.

I wasn't fond of the idea being judged by a pair of eyes. More likely, pairs of eyes. Which was why I wore simple clothing that didn't allow me to stand out. I wasn't the type of person who liked someone looking at me.

Ever since I was young, I have been labeled as 'The Pretty Girl'. But that title was never handy because it meant you would have a lot of spectators. Judging spectators. Sure, I would agree to an extent I was decent-looking, but I wouldn't agree full-heartedly because of all the attraction it would attract.

Not everyone was favourable over the spotlight. There were some that would rather stay in the background, spectating instead. Cheering and clapping for those who were meant to shine.

"Hey, um, can I sit here?"

I looked up from my table and noticed a boy. His face was striking, almost hard to miss and forget. But now I wondered where I saw him before.

"There's no more empty seats in the cafe and your table is the only one which has seats left. You won't mind, right?" the boy asked, holding his cup of ice americano.

"Yeah, sure." If I was 'The Pretty Girl', that didn't mean I was a type of girl who would be rude and tell someone to sit somewhere else. What people forget is that people still have the trait of kindness in them. Even if it would be somewhere deep down. "I hope you don't feel awkward, though. Sharing tables with some stranger, I'd understand."

"No, it's okay. I don't feel burdened, so I hope you don't feel burdened either." That smile. I recognized it well.

"Wait, you're that boy from the streets," I finally clarified. But the timing was off because my buzzer began beeping. "Hold on. I need to get my drink."

After making a quick trip to the pick up counter and getting my delicious and refreshing pure vanilla shake and back, the boy agreed, "Yeah, you're... that girl that bumped into me... right? A few minutes ago."

They say that if you meet a stranger more than once, it was called destiny or fate. But those things were usually found in books, never in reality. You don't see people coincidentally meeting twice again, then calling it fate or even destiny. It was simply a string of hope people gave themselves to convince themselves there's someone out there for them when there could clearly be one right in front of their eyes.

"Yeah," I answered, sipping down my drink in a matter of seconds. In ten seconds, my drink trimmed down to half of the large cup already. The brain freeze started to creep into my head but the heat was doing a good job on stopping it from happening.

"What a coincidence! Maybe it's what they call fate," the boy teased, drinking up his ice Americano.

"Nah, it's what they call a fiction," I said, sipping my drink as well. I scrunched my nose at him, actually having a pleasant conversation with him.

The boy was amused with the way I answered and flashed a small amused smile that showed his teeth and the sparkle in his eye. He was tall, had good figure. I could safely say he was good-looking.

You know what I love about summer? It had that ability to be enjoyable despite the persisting heat that threatens a few lives in South Korea. It somehow manages to bring people together and enjoy the heat and cool it down with friends.

Summer. It had magic in the air. Summer magic, to be exact. What else would be in the air? That was none other than love.

~Author's Notes~

It was a short chapter, I know, I'm sorry. But this is going to be a short story so there might be chapters which have chapters that are long and some that are short. So, expect that, heh.

Hello Kimichies! You have found another (or the first) story of mine! I hope you'll enjoy this short story that will be written by me! :) I'm really excited for this story so hop on in on the train of Paper Heart! :) Enjoy every word :) 

xoxo

Byun Sang Kyung