Egoistic- p.jm

01

Intro

It was December. The streets of Seoul were bustling with people. Cake shops already had their decorations up and everything just screamed festivity.

I went into the grocery shop and got everything on my list.

As I got home, mum welcomed me with a tray of chocolate chip cookies in her hands with a sweet smile on her face.

I smiled and took a piece, relishing the taste of my favourite snack.

"sweetie, could you please hand some of these to our new neighbour. they just moved here about a couple of hours ago."

I remembered our old neighbour Mrs. Lee leaving to live with her daughter in Gwanju. But I didn't know someone had moved in already.

"okay. but have you met them or know who they are?"

Mum sighed, "no, but I heard they moved from Busan."

"mum! you don't even know who they are!"

I pouted and whined.

"sweetie, I'm busy. otherwise I'd have gone with you or something."

I still tried to convince her to give it to them tomorrow but she kept saying that we should welcome them the day they've moved in and that's what Mrs. Lee did when we first moved in this house from our apartment.

Seeing that I can't win this argument, I give in.

Having a bowl filled with delicious and aromatic cookies I stood on my neighbour's porch after knocking a couple of times.

After about a minute the door opened and revealed a guy with a black mask on, a beany covering his head, while his whole body was attired with a comfy and fuzzy tracksuit. I mean, I'll admit, it was very cold as I shivered when a cold gush of wind blew past me as I tried smiling at him.

"um, hello. Do you need something?" He asked hesitantly.

"hello! I'm Haeun, your neighbour! My mum made some cookies and I brought them for you and your family!"

I tried to speak as cheerfully as I could. I felt at ease as I saw his chocolate brown eyes crinkle into small crescents, telling me that he was smiling underneath the mask he had on.

"Thank you. Come in."

I got in and immediately felt cozy. The inside of their house was as warm as I had remembered when I used to come over to meet Mrs.Lee.

"mom! we have company!"

He told me to sit on the couch as he went over to call his mother.

Soon after, he returned with a lady who seemed nothing but kind as she gave me a warm smile and approached me.

"hello dear."

I smiled back as I handed her the bowl of cookies. "my mum made these for you guys but she couldn't find the time to come and give it to you herself so I did."

"oh that's so sweet of her and thank you dear. i'd look forward to meeting her."

She gave me one last smile before turning to her son. "jiminie, come with me."