Geochang, December 30, 2009
Today is my 14th birthday and it’s quite difficult to contain my excitement. Sure, it’s been a few days since Christmas passed and tomorrow will be New Year’s Eve, but today I get my soulmate’s key and my lock necklaces. I’ve always liked the concept of these locks and keys ever since I knew what they represented.
At school, I’ve seen everyone get them earlier than me, especially since my birthday is so late into the year. But it doesn’t matter anymore! I’m getting one today!!
My parents and I have saved up enough money to be able to afford these types of things since we only have enough to pay for the house, buy food and essentials, and to be able to afford to go to school. I’m not unaware of these struggles since it can be difficult sometimes, but today is an important day for all of us.
This morning, I headed to the dining table and my mother, my grandmother and I were eating seaweed soup until my dad came in from the front door.
“Taehyung! Here it is!” exclaimed my father, with small bits of snow on his clothes and a bag in his hand. After he takes off his shoes, he kind of speedwalks to his and my mother’s room, then comes back out in comfier and simple clothing, placing the bag on the dinner table.
The bag had some shop’s name on it and my dad took a box out before I could read the name, then he put the box in front of me, which had a beautiful ornate star design on it.
"Open it, Taehyungie!" said my mother.What was inside was a simple (yet somewhat colorful) padlock, a key, and two necklace chains.
"Well, what are you waiting for? Put it on!!!" exclaimed my grandmother.
There was an instruction card in the box under the lock and key, and then I read what was printed on it:
"Thank you for choosing Written in the Stars! The lock you’ve been given belongs to you and the key(s) unlocks your soulmate(s) lock(s)!”
I didn’t know people could have more than one soulmate. Quite interesting! I thought.
“Soulmate Necklace Assembly Instructions / Step one: Put on the longest necklace chain. You may need help if you’re having trouble putting it on.
Step two: Get your lock and lock it with the chain in between the lock’s arch. If you don’t know how to lock it in place, just push the lock arc into the lock with the hole under the end of the lock. [DISCLAIMER: MOST LOCKS ARE FIXED TO STAY THIS WAY SO YOU CAN ONLY PUSH DOWN. NOT ALL LOCKS ARE THE SAME]
Step three: Grab the shorter necklace chain and get the key threaded into it. [DISCLAIMER: OUR KEYS HAVE A HOLE DRILLED INTO THE KEY FOR THIS TO BE POSSIBLE, AND SOME HAVE A WIDER HOLE MOLDED INTO THEM. NOT ALL KEYS ARE THE SAME]
Step four: Put the necklace with your soulmate’s key on the same way you put the other necklace on.
You now have your lock and key necklaces assembled correctly! Find your soulmate and come back to our shop to let us know!”
Under that sentence was the address to the jeweler shop and a corner of the card was colored red, so I flipped the card over.
“Reminder: The only times you’re able to take off these necklaces are:
When you take showers/baths. These can rust if frequently worn and exposed in wet weather and conditions!
When you find your soulmate(s). Some of us, as this jewelry shop has noticed, that some people can have more than one soulmate at once! This isn’t possible for everyone, but if you are one of these people with more than one soulmate, it also means you’ll have more than one key and lock (your locks will be the same as the first one you get if there’s more than one soulmate!)
Once you find your soulmate(s) you’re able to take these necklaces off and do what you’d like with it (such as framing them or putting your locks together to place elsewhere)
Be aware that our locks and keys are infused with stardust! Take good care of your locks and keys and eventually, you'll find your soulmate(s)!
- Seo Taiji, CEO and high locksmith of Written in the Stars”
I put the card down and looked at the open box. The lock I got was quite small, yet in a shape I didn’t expect. The lock had a silver metal handle and the rest of the lock was red and in the shape of a heart. The key next to it was slightly longer than my lock, but it was made of silver and it looked a little old.
I reread the instructions carefully and got the lock and key on their own necklace chains.
“Your necklaces suit you, honey bear!” my grandmother said while giving me a really strong and warm hug, and a peck on the cheek.
“Wait! There’s another gift for you, Taehyungie!” my dad said as he pulled another gift out of the bag, it was wrapped in more of the Christmas wrapping paper from when we were wrapping a couple gifts for other family members.
Pulling off the wrapping paper, inside was a phone, my first one! I’m quite happy with it. I guess I didn't notice how I was reacting because my parents and my grandmother were asking me why I was crying.
“Huh? I’m crying?? Wait, I’m not sad! I’m just very happy with this gift!!” I had to explain to them. I really was touched by this, we couldn’t afford any of the newer phones but my parents were able to buy me a flip phone, which is just as nice as any other phone.
“Get dressed, Taehyungie, we need to get groceries so we can cook something later and for tomorrow!” said my mother, getting up to find a jacket.
Looks like I’ll have to personalize my phone when I get back home, I thought.
It’s still very cold outside since it is the wintertime, so I headed to my room to find my warmest clothes to throw on and then waited at the door for my mother.
And then, we both headed off into the cold winter morning together.
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