A magical café.
The day was exactly on Friday of November 8th, 2013. As clear as I remember the date, the remnants of memories from back then still lingers in my mind. To the majorities it might seem like an ordinary day as usual, yet for me it was the day right after College Scholastic Ability Test, which is the most important test for university entrance to Korean teenagers. Perhaps the reason why the day adheres so hard within me is that the whole day was one of my happiest moments in my life.
But don't get me wrong; I neither aced the test nor did I completely fail. The results were unknown then, however I was as light as a feather since actually it was my second year for the test tryout and was glad that it was finally over. So I wasn't fully obsessed with the aftermath, but the next day I woke up still having this ambiguous sense that approached to me in a somewhat combined form of worry and delightfulness. At that point, I literally had nothing to do except to wait until the test results come out, later that month. I usually enjoy having a time of my own, and that day I was desperate of it. Leaving all my parents' concerns behind, I went outside without any plans or whatsoever and just started to walk slowly. It's hard to express the mixed emotions I felt at that time into words, yet I simply felt as if I were riding a never ending rollercoaster. While heading to no destination set and my inner self undergoing all those ups and downs, I decided to block all my senses and solely concentrate on the path I was walking and its surroundings. The weather of November was very chilly. Despite of the thick layers of clothing I wore, wind fiercely pierced through my skin, making my unknown journey difficult to continue. So as I decided to contour, a small building caught my eye.
The building was actually turned out to be a two stories high café. Later I found out that it was originally a house but the family members renovated it to a large café. The place was not that far from where I lived, however to my surprise it was my first time knowing the existence of it. As I entered the place, I was first amazed at the interior and its cozy atmosphere. Unlike other nearby buildings, it was built with real brown bricks and in the inside with huge light bulbs hanging from the ceiling. The lights shined so brightly and warmly, faking the customers as if there were hearths within. It gave the touch of warmth to every furniture and interior decorations.
Since the time I visited was quite early, not many people were there and I was able to sit around the corner, which always is my favorite spot. With delicious hot cocoa served, seated at my most preferred seat where there seems to be absolutely no disturbance, great instrumental music streaming into my ears, and finally with the slight touch of sunlight reflected by the large window made everything around me stop. It was a moment captured for my entire life. I simply loved the place and the atmosphere. I enjoyed watching people outside walking pass by, the leaves falling to the ground, and cars moving slowly and steadily in a sound motion. There, all my combined feelings of anxiety and worry were melted away. Instead, it was altered to peacefulness. It was the first time I could relax and the first satisfactory time spent by my own.
From that day on, whenever I want to take a rest I go there early in the morning and of course take the most preferred seat. I order other delicious menus and literally enjoy my time being there. Particularly, I love to visit the place during winter seasons as the coziness and beautiful scenery appears more dramatic to me. Especially on Decembers, I always have a strange ritual of my own in terms of sending Christmas cards to my close friends and relatives. So with a bunch of cute cards and stickers, I run to the cafe and start to write one by one. As soon as I grab a pen, the special memories related to each recipient pops out from my recollection repository, which were thought to be completely forgotten. Likewise, the café is a perfect place, helping me to find the lost memories and allowing me to sink deeply into every one of them.
It wasn't exactly a long way until I reached the place of my lifetime. It was first coincidentally found and I was attracted to it with no specific reason. Now to me the café itself is like the hugest tangible recollection repository I could ever have. I go in there with excitement and come out with holding a bunch of happiness, tagging precious reminiscences along. Indeed, it is a magical place to me.
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