HERSHE - TIAOM

Serendipity

December 31st - Taiwan

Kim is strolling around the streets of Taipei that cold morning, a coffee on one hand. She always loved the feeling of the wind breeze during that season. Her dad is currently busy with a client meeting — which she wondered why it happened on the 31st — so she made up excuses to go out.

Sigh. I'm terribly missing you now.

It has been two days now since she last saw Pie. Waiting for another two more days before she could see the woman's beautiful face again feels like hell. After her realization days ago, Kim had accepted the fact that what she's feeling now is one-sided. She's not expecting anything from Pie — at least for now — because she's contented with their little friendship.

Although she feels she has some importance in Pie too, Kim doesn't want to keep her hopes up. She is truly aware that Pie's affection for her is pent within the barriers of friendship. The best Kim could hope for is for Pie to stay single while she's being a hopeless romantic, or until she finds someone to channel the love she's feeling now. Hopefully, Pie will not meet her Mr. Right yet so Kim wouldn't have to endure the pain of seeing the woman with somebody else.

After walking for quite a while Kim decided to take a break. She sat on a bench near a lamppost while sipping her coffee. She's got the view of Taipei 101 in front of her.

Kim could only simper when Pie came into her mind once again. After admitting to herself that she had completely fallen in love with that petite lady, her thoughts have been in auto-pilot mode. Pie is consistently on her mind, literally like every single minute of the day, even when asleep.

I wonder, is she thinking of me now?

The idea made Kim giggle. It seems impossible but if ever that's the case, even just a tiny chance, then she'll be on cloud nine.

"Well, hello there, stranger. Do you have company?"

Before Kim can take another sip of her coffee, someone called her attention. She looked up and saw a person pointing at the vacant space beside her. The woman has a long hazelnut hair with wavy ends. She's wearing a suspender skirt strap dress and a white off-shoulder blouse. Kim shook her head without taking her eyes off the stranger.

Who would say no to this type of beauty?

"Thanks!" The woman sat beside Kim.

Kim gestured a "you're welcome" bow. Although the stranger has a friendly aura, Kim isn't in the mood for little talk now. Unfortunately, seeing this woman made Kim miss Pie even more. That woman and Pie have somehow the same fashion style; the hair, the dress, the shoes, except for the height that Pie had seemed to lack.

"Ooh... it's really cold today, huh?" the woman spoke again, rubbing her palms against her arms.

Since it's just the two of them on that bench, Kim knew that question was intended for her. "Y-yeah, that's what I love about this season."

"You don't seem to be from here," said the woman, crossing her legs. The friendly aura and the cheerful mood that hangs around her is something welcoming for a stranger. "Where are you from?"

"Bangkok. You?"

"Really? Where in Bangkok?"

Kim was a bit confused by the woman's reaction. "Ratchathewi?" It turned out to a question instead of a statement.

"Are you serious?"

"Yeah, why?"

"I live in Lumpini, I own a flower shop there!" the woman exclaimed, smiling.