Not Too Late | Choi San

CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR

love you have scars
but so i do.
i love these scars,
and so should you.

•••

      New Year's eve is Mingi's favourite holiday, and it didn't take long for San to figure that out. the boy looked excited and bouncy the whole day and when he proposed they go out to celebrate the end of the year to San and his mother, it seemed like his mother liked the holiday a lot as well.

so now they're strolling on a street full of light and decoration, one that San has never been to before (he's never been to Bucheon-si before). the dark sky contrasts against the lights hung against the trees and the twinkling of the Christmas trees they occasionally pass by make it all the more dazzling. everything looks majestic, and even the stalls littering the streets have this kind of decoration as if waiting for the king to pass by. the streets are busy with people of all age and colour, all laughing and chattering as they buy from the different stalls and take pictures next to the different trees as each one is decorated in a unique style.

"let's buy fishcakes!" Mingi bounces as he points at a fishcake place, smiling big and giving way for his gums to show.

"ok, fishcakes it is!" his mother smiles as she begins walking to the stall with the two boys in tow. San feels strange and out of place. everyone around him is happy and smiling so big, so why does he feel so dead? he watches as Mingi's mom order and Mingi pulls him by his jacket to the empty seats to the side with a small round table.

as San sits down in front of Mingi, his eyes roam around the place again and again. he's never been to a place like this before in his miserable life. it's his first time witnessing something like this and it saddens him as much as it fascinates him.

"so, are you liking the festival so far?" Mingi asks with a big grin as he looks at him. he looks happy. "this is one of the reasons why i like this holiday— also let's take selfies next to that tree!"

San looks behind him to where Mingi's pointing and he sees a tree decorated with numbers and clocks and golden sparkly lights. it looks weird but also cool at the same time. he looks back at Mingi.

"yeah— i l-like it."

"cool!!" Mingi claps as his mom comes back with a serving of eight fishcakes.

"i got three for each of you," she says as she sets the tray down. "they're just to get started. there's still gimbap stalls further down and i think kimchi pancakes are sold here too. there's also bingsu we can have for desert later on."

San's eyes widen and he stares at the lady with pure shock adorning his eyes. "y-you want me to eat all this?!"

"yes? i mean, Mingi can probably eat more but judging from how fat he is and how fit you are, i guess you'll just have to get stuffed."

Mingi chokes on the fishcake he's been eagerly feasting on. "what? oamma!! how can you call your dear son fat?!"

"you're a piggy," she puts her tongue out at him, making him pout. "but a cute one though."

Mingi whines, "stop harassing me in front of my friend honestly."

"shh, eat up you giant," she chuckles as Mingi continues to gulp down his skewers and pushes the plate towards San more. "come on, eat up son."