❝ if you were to choose between two people-
would you choose the person you love or the
person who loves you? ❞
━ a poignant narrative that weaves through the tapestry of girlhood, boyhood, friendship, parenthood, love, and loss. It follows the li...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
FIRST ENCOUNTER | January 15, 1997
ACCORDING TO PARK JIMIN, his first memory of coming to Seoul was meeting Kim Taehyung. He could still remember the events that took place on that cold January afternoon in great detail. Almost like fate had brought them together, he approached the disoriented young boy who had been standing outside the gate of Sinchon Boarding House, holding a piece of paper in his hand.
"Is this the right place?" Taehyung muttered under his breath. At the same time, he heard the clomping of someone's footsteps gradually nearing. Taehyung turned out of curiosity and landed his gaze on the unfamiliar figure.
Park Jimin was looking at him too.
"Are you moving in today?" Jimin said to the stranger. Kim Taehyung seemed like the type who preferred to keep things to himself as he had said nothing but nodded sceptically. "Cool, me too. I'm Park Jimin. What's your name?"
"Kim Taehyung."
It took both of them no longer than a minute to build a connection. For some reason, it felt comfortable—like they had known each other for years rather than a few minutes. As they stepped into the property of the mysterious boarding house, in the littlest time they spent conversing about themselves, both learned a lot from each other. Jimin was fascinated by Kim Taehyung who had apparently grew up in a farm at a place he's never heard of and Taehyung wondered if Jimin had eaten a lot of fish in his life since he mentioned living by the sea.
"Taehyung-ssi, what university do you go to?"
"Yonsei."
"No way, me too! What are you studying?"
The two made their way into the spacious yard which was covered around with colourful azaleas and feverfews. "I'm studying business," Taehyung replied as they ambled down the walkway. Instantaneously, the path they took lead them right outside the Yoon's doorstep which brought the two to an abrupt halt.
"I don't understand why but I feel so nervous," Jimin uttered while observing the door before him. He was sure behind that brown door was a completely different world far from his own. The thought of living with strangers, sharing rooms with them and being separated from his mother who was everything to him—he was terrified of it.
Kim Taehyung, on the other hand, looked composed like he's been preparing all his life for this day to arrive. He stole a quick glance over his agitated friend and brought a hand on his shoulder.
