Destined To Meet You.

The start.

Blazing golden light streamed through the thin curtains adorning your window. Being a deep sleeper, such things never bothered you; in fact, you relished in it, soaking up the warmth that followed the golden rays and listening to the melodic chirping of birds perched outside your room. This morning felt perfect, especially since you managed to wake up on time without the usual cacophony of your alarm blaring twenty times in succession. Rubbing the sleep from your eyes, you allowed your brain and eyes to focus before reaching for your phone. After unplugging it from the charger, you checked the time: 5:45 AM.

As you swiped through your phone, perusing blogs you followed on Instagram and Twitter, thoughts of becoming a stylist filled your mind. You admired how stylists curated looks and themes, dreaming of becoming one of the renowned figures in the industry—someone others looked up to for inspiration and innovation. Your determination to achieve this goal burned brightly.

Exiting the apps, you opened your messages to find one from your closest friend who also worked at Aurora's, your favorite workplace. The store's calm, cozy atmosphere, endless aisles of art supplies, and neutral tones of paint against the walls made it a haven for you. Not everyone saw it the same way, but occasionally meeting someone who appreciated it as much as you did warmed your heart and fueled your passion even more.

5:55 AM 

"Y/n, you coming to Aurora's today, right?"

5:57 AM 

"Ermm, yeah ofc? Wouldn't miss my shift for the world."

"Why?"

"Because I wanna know if I have a shift with you today or not, I miss you :("

"Oh and, new art supplies shipped in, they're so cute!"

"I love this concept they did with it, I think you'd like it a lot."

"Miss you too Soo-Yun."

"I haven't seen the new concept yet, don't spoil!!!"

"I've been avoiding the concepts all week, I'm so excited."

"Knowing you, you'd love it. You're so childish, you'd like this type of thing a lot Y/n."

"That's all I'm saying about it."

"A crap, manager Kim is here, gtg help open up."

"Lol, okay, cya in a bit!"

Read at 6:03 AM.

"Damn, it's already 6:03..." You shut off your phone, slowly slid out of bed, and stretched your body out, relishing the freedom to be overdramatic and extra in your own apartment. While not wealthy, you had a decent job that afforded you a comfortable two-room, two-bath apartment in Seoul, with enough left over to enjoy hobbies and save. You were thankful for your cozy life and always remained grateful.

Heading to the bathroom, you removed your bonnet, revealing a curly mess on your head. As a person of color in Korea, finding hair products friendly to your needs was challenging, so you often ordered them online. It had been nearly a week and a half since your last wash day, but surprisingly, it wasn't too apparent yet—just a bit unruly. You shrugged and continued with your morning routine, which involved brushing your teeth and tongue before taking your face washes into the shower to save time.

After a refreshing shower that included shaving, exfoliating, and a soothing face wash, you emerged feeling rejuvenated. Drying off and slathering cocoa butter over your body, your brown complexion took on a smooth, glowing appearance. You dressed in the clothes you had neatly folded the night before, adding perfume and returning to the bathroom to decide on a hairstyle. After applying oils and creams and combing your hair, you tied it up into a high puff, reminiscing about your mother's struggles with your hair in your younger days. You chuckled at the memory while wrapping a scarf around your head for a stylish touch, then topped it off with medium-sized gold hoops.