Jiseok Short Story Collection

The scent of strawberry shampoo beyond the screen

Finally, the day had come. Finally, I was getting to meet her in person. I wanted to make sure she’d never regret buying that plane ticket, but at the same time, I knew very well how much she liked simple, small things. The moment I checked who it was and opened the front door, I couldn’t hide the excitement rushing over me. Like a kid who’d come to Disneyland for the first time, I was so thrilled that I tightly took her hand and led her to my car.

After a 45-minute run of the best in-car karaoke time of my life, we headed to the park near my cousin’s house. It wasn’t just any ordinary park. It was a place with a tradition my cousin and I had every summer. The so-called “park speedrun.” No matter how old we got, we always bet on who could get through the park course faster, then sprinted all the way home for dinner. Someone special... I wanted to share these precious memories and places with the most special person to me.

This time, it was a race to the car. A thrill even deeper than the one I’d felt as a child stabbed through my heart. I shyly reached out, took her hand, and looked straight into her eyes.

"So, you go past that swing set, up the stairs, then down the slide, cross that stepping-stone path, and then run back to the car. Ready?"

She nodded with a bright smile all over her face. Seeing how happy she already was made me feel so much more at ease.

"Three, two.... one!" I shouted and lunged forward fiercely.

'Should I just let her win? Or should I win and ask for a victory kiss? Would she like that too?'

I was so distracted by all the thoughts swirling in my head that I didn’t notice she’d already reached the final obstacle. I hurried after her, but she touched the car first by a hair. She hopped in place, giggling, then before long, as if out of breath, she plopped down by the side of the road, leaning against the car and gasping. I burst out laughing and sat down beside her.

"What would you like as your victory gift?"

"Food. I’m hungry." she said with a laugh. "That flight was seriously long."

"I was so excited to show you this that I forgot to feed you! Sorry." I whined with a face that looked like I was about to cry.

"It’s okay. Should we go home and order delivery? Let’s pick something to eat on the way back."

I smiled brightly, nodded, and took her hand to help her up.

The delivery app was packed with food, and it wasn’t easy to pick just one thing for her, since she hadn’t had much Korean food before. She kept scrolling through my phone, thinking hard. Every time she saw something tasty, her voice would rise a notch, only for her to change her mind again, saying it wasn’t what she was craving right now.

When we finally got home, she made her final decision with jajangmyeon, a familiar food she hadn’t eaten in a long time. She said she’d "try the other dishes starting tomorrow."

Watching her wiggle with excitement at every bite, I smiled. She looked tired, but even that was adorable. I’m definitely crazy about this girl.

"Can you get me some more drinks? I’m not sure where they are." she asked, her mouth full of jajangmyeon.

I nodded, took the cup, and stood up from my seat. But in the process, I stumbled, and the sauce and food on the table spilled all over her white shirt. We both froze in shock. As I panicked and flailed helplessly, she burst out laughing instead.

"That’s why you shouldn’t wear white. My stuff is still at the hotel, so I don’t even have anything to change into right now."

I quickly shoved some tissues into her hands, then rushed to my room to find something she could change into.

"I put a shirt on my bed, so change into that for now! I’ll clean up this mess here as fast as I can."

She nodded in the direction I pointed and walked over.

"What about this shirt?" A moment later, when I turned back, she was standing there holding up the stained shirt.

Just as I was about to answer, my voice suddenly disappeared. She looked so small and so big at the same time in my shirt. It was already an oversized shirt on me, but seeing her wear it made me realize all over again just how huge it really was. She stared at me with a curious smile, and I could feel my cheeks burning hot. Without saying a word, I took the wet shirt from her hands and headed to the laundry room. She was so cute I couldn’t stop smiling, and I let out silent little chuckles to myself.

When I came back to the living room, she was stretching and yawning. It seemed the long flight and jet lag were hitting her all at once. I went over to her on the sofa and subtly closed the distance. I was trying to strike a pose and put my arm around her shoulder as naturally and coolly as possible, when she let out a snort of laughter.

"If you want to hug me, just hug me. You don’t have to act like you’re not."

My own state was so ridiculous I let out a hollow laugh, then finally pulled her gently into my arms and leaned back comfortably on the sofa. This was the first time we’d actually been in the same space, face to face, instead of through a screen. The faint strawberry shampoo scent drifting from her hair, the softness of it, the pleasant weight as she settled more comfortably into my arms, and her breathing gradually calming down... it was paradise beyond paradise. I thought I wished this moment would never end. I pressed a soft kiss to the top of her head, and I closed my eyes too, settling into an even more comfortable position.

"I love you."

"I love you too."