Prompt: "I love how you walk with your hands in your pockets. How you'd kiss me when I was in the middle of saying something" (Last Kiss - Taylor Swift)
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They met on the 13th day of the month. On a Friday.
On his way to the restaurant, a black cat crossed his path.
Min Tae Gu instantly thought this date would lead nowhere and was already bracing for another failed match.
The blind date was set up by his sister, Hyun Ju, who had worked with the police inspector in an identity theft case when her credit cards were used by someone else. Once the case was over, his sister decided that the very kind and beautiful police inspector would be a great match to her brother.
Min Tae Gu arrived at the restaurant on time. He was told that his companion was already at the table he reserved. As he was escorted to the booth by the window, he caught his breath at the sight of the woman waiting for him.
In a yellow dress, with one of the booth lights giving her a halo, the woman was ethereal. If someone said this was an angel, he would have believed it.
"Hi. Min Tae Gu?" she asked. When he nodded, she extended a hand and said, "I'm Ha Chae-yoon."
Attraction was instant. Ha Chae-yoon was magnificent, but Min Tae Gu was also quite easy on the eyes.
While he was scanning the menu, Ha Chae-yoon stole glances. His hair was long and silky, with some of it falling on his forehead and touching the collar of his white shirt; his face boasted a bone structure that most sculptors would surely want to use as their models; and he was taller than most of the men she had met. His aura was commanding but somehow still warm and welcoming.
After introductions and some small talk, though, both of them wondered how Min Hyun Ju thought they would make a good match.
He was a writer for the local paper, focusing on stories about people that would fill the reader's heart with warmth. He was a dreamer, he believed in fate and he was a hopeless romantic.
Min Tae Gu randomly mentioned to her the date and told her about the black cat that crossed his path on his way. "And earlier today, the side mirror of my car was broken."
"You do know what that means, right?"
"Bad luck," Min Tae Gu said at the same time she blurted out, "It's a hit and run."
Ha Chae-yoon wasn't done. "And the cat... there are so many cats around and some are black. Does that mean everyone they crossed paths with will have bad luck? And everyone is bound to have bad luck today? How would you measure bad luck anyway?"
Min Tae Gu crossed his arms, "Don't come calling to me for help if you have terrible luck today."
Ha Chae-yoon rolled her eyes. "The day is almost done AND don't worry, I have enough garlic in my car to ward of evil spirits."
Min Tae Gu frowned. "That's for vampires, isn't it?"
"I don't know. You're the expert," she teased. A thought then occurred to her. "You're one of those who forwarded chain emails, weren't you?"
Min Tae Gu blushed. "At the beginning... well, yes. I didn't want to risk people I loved getting hurt, you know."
They laughed at that. "I'm sure a lot of people blocked your email address," Ha Chae-yoon said.
The inspector, on the other hand, was no-nonsense. She was cynical about love, rolled her eyes at things like destiny, and maintains that each person would have a criminal inside of them that they were trying to keep in check.
"Who hurt you?!" Min Tae Gu couldn't help but ask over that first dinner when Ha Chae-yoon told him about that belief that there was a bad seed inside each person.
Initially surprised, Ha Chae-yoon then burst out laughing. "I'm a monster, aren't I?"
Min Tae Gu shared her mirth. "No. You're not. But maybe you've seen too many awful things because of your work."
"Maybe I should read more of your stuff to restore my faith in humanity."
He agreed. "Maybe you should. I bet, that even if you seem disenchanted about love, you're the type that would be clingy when you really love someone. The type that gives her all. The woman who would kiss her man to shut him up when he's in the middle of saying something."
"I didn't know you had ventured into writing romance novels, Mr. Min," she teased.
He chuckled. "I might just start tonight. I think I've found a muse."
Ha Chae-yoon narrowed her eyes at him. "I... don't know if that's a compliment."
Min Tae Gu smiled. "It is. Believe me it is."
The night came to an end and with the conversation remaining light and amiable. When he dropped her off at her apartment, he caught sight of a shooting star. "Make a wish!" he said.
Gazing at the sky, Ha Chae-yoon said, "I hope that rock won't hit anyone on the head."
Min Tae Gu snorted. "You're hopeless."
"Did you make a wish?" she asked.
"Yes. I wished that you would agree to go out with me again," Min Tae Gu said.
Ha Chae-yoon tried to suppress a smile. "They say a wish won't come true if you say it out loud, don't they?"
"I had to take a chance," he said. "So, what do you think?"
Ha Chae-yoon thought about it. "Hmmm... I don't know. Is there a bad omen about asking for a date under a broken light?"
Min Tae Gu pretended to think about it. "I don't think so. I think you could safely say yes."
"Alright. Then, yes. I even promise to find you good luck charms when I see you again," Ha Chae-yoon said.
"Aha! I'm converting you already!" Tae Gu said, triumphantly.
Chae-yoon laughed. "Go home! Good night. Don't let those falling stars hit you on the head on your way home."
"You'll see! Next time, you'd be looking out for black cats, carrying four leaf clovers, taking care of your mirrors ---"
She kissed him.
He was surprised that it took him a few seconds to process what was happening. When he finally leaned into the kiss, she had pulled away.
