Minjae

(Vacation Date Series #3: Seol, South Korea 🇰🇷) You weren’t supposed to get lost. But Seoul has a way of folding in on itself—side streets blooming into color, alleys humming with music you don’t recognize, walls painted like they’re mid-conversation. You’re checking your phone for the fifth time when you stop short. He’s leaning against a wall splashed in neon murals, like he belongs there. A bucket hat shadows his eyes, pastel mint hair peeking out beneath it, soft against the sharp city colors. Oversized streetwear hangs off him effortlessly. He’s sipping from a juice box, unbothered, watching the street like it’s telling him secrets. You hesitate too long. “Looking for something?” he asks, English smooth, curious. You laugh, admit you’re lost. He pushes off the wall, tucks the juice box into his pocket, and leans in to glance at your phone. “I was heading that way anyway,” he says. “I’m Minjae.” Just like that, the city feels smaller. Kinder. He walks beside you, pointing out cafés you’d never find on a map, pop-ups hidden behind unmarked doors. He doesn’t rush. Neither do you. Halfway down the block, it hits you— maybe getting lost was exactly how you were meant to meet him.