To Learn To Love

1. Hello Stranger

With ear phones plugged in and music blasting in her ears, it was easy for Yoo Eun Soo to think of herself as the female lead of a beautiful korean drama. But once the music stopped, reality came rushing back to her.

She was no leading lady of any korean drama. She was just an ordinary twenty one year old girl from Busan, wearing a dreary old apron and an ever more dreary smile, trying to make it big, in bustling city of Seoul, by standing behind the counter of one of the many convenience stores lining the sprawling metropolis of Korea.

Now before you get any wrong ideas and jump to conclusions, let us make this very clear. She is not one of those people who survive in this world by juggling between different part time jobs. She is in fact, a second year student, majoring in arts, at the prestigious Seoul National University.

Ever since she was a child, Eun Soo loved drawing and sketching. And as she grew up, crayons gave way to paints but her love for art never wavered. It, however, took a digital turn when she was in high school and she first came across web comics. She was so enthralled by the beauty of the characters and the scenarios, that she knew in that one instant what she was going to do for the rest of her life.

But her journey from the tiny neighborhood school in Busan to one of the most sought after college in Seoul was not an easy one. She worked hard for it and when finally she got accepted into the university she had only ever dreamed of, she was ecstatic. She felt like she was on top of the world.

Her excitement knew no bounds when she shifted from her home in Busan to a beautiful apartment in the hilly area Dong Soon in Seoul with her two best friends. She was ready for a new start in her life and the prospects of the future excited her.

But all the excitement soon plummeted when she started attending college. It was like a slap to her face, which made her come back to reality. She realized only then that it was nothing special. There was nothing pretty about attending college like they showed it in the dramas which she loved to watch. Nor was there anything special about her. All her life, her parents made her believe that she was special. Even her teachers remarked that she was indeed one of the brightest student, with a very promising future. She had herself come to believe that it was all true when she got selected into this highly acclaimed college. But only after attending this college, she realized that she was no different from the other thousands of students who attended the same college.

Plus, moving out of her parents home meant a whole new load of responsibilities she hardly ever thought she would have to take up. And only then did she realize just how hard earning even a single penny was. Juggling between three part time jobs during holidays and two during the semester, was difficult enough, but even then she hardly made enough money.

With what she earned she had to pay a good part of her tuition fee (the other part coming from her parents) and the endless bills. And to add to it, the amount of money she spent in buying her beloved K-pop merchandise legitimately burnt a big ass hole in her wallet.

No. Scratch that.

It literally burnt down the entire wallet.

But this never put her down. No matter what the hardship, Eun Soo always took everything head on with a big smile. She was the kind of girl for whom the glass was never half empty, but was always half full. 

All that mattered to her was the fact that she was living the life of her dreams. Living in a big city, with her best friends, doing the thing she loved and studying the thing she loved.

But all of this was easier said than done.

She blankly stared at the classifieds in front of her as she attempted to find a job which would pay her a teeny bit more than what she was earning.

Just when she was about to circle an advertisement the bell rang signalling that someone had entered the store.

"Hello! Welco...," she stopped mid-sentence when she took in the sight of the person who had just entered.

Standing at about a staggering six feet and shoulders as broad as Kim Woo Bin and with a beautifully toned body he was easily the most handsome guy who has graced this ratty old convenience store with his presence.

"Damn," she muttered under her breath as he disappeared behind an aisle.

She quickly straightened up and ran a hand through her tousled hair, hoping to look a little more decent than she normally did. After ensuring that she looked as best as she could she placed a polite little smile on her lips and waited for the oblivious hot stranger. Thankfully, before she ran out of patience he came out of the aisle and walked towards her, holding something rather pink in his hands. She couldn't exactly concentrate on what it was, considering the fact that she was busy admiring his perfectly chiselled face.

With every step he took towards her, her frantic heart skipped a beat and she was pretty much blown away by the time he reached the counter. He ran a hand through his long black hair and placed the pink thing on the counter.

She unwilling tore her gaze away from his "manga character like face" and looked at the item he had placed on the counter.

'Strawberry milk??'

'Aaawwwww...Soo cutee... !!''

"That will be 2000 won," she said handing over the pink carton of milk to him.

"Thanks," he said handing over the money. And just as quickly as he had come, he left without a word. The only thing which stood out however, was that when he was about to leave, he turned around, stared at her for a few seconds, his brows furrowing in the process, and finally just before he left a tiny smile spread across his face.

And then, he was gone.

She sighed sadly and her shoulders hunched as the insanely good looking guy left. But suddenly an idea occured to her and her face lit up. Later that evening when the boss came to the store, he found her ready to leave. And within seconds of his entry, she was gleefully running down the side walk as she made her way to the bus stop.

When she finally reached it, there was still time for the bus to come. She sat tapping her foot against the ground, as she impatiently waited for the bus, her mind running far ahead as she pictured the things she was going to draw and the colours she was going to use.

When the bus finally arrived, she happily hopped in, a smile placed on her tiny lips.

She finally had something new.