I

THE COLD WHISTLES OF AIR could be heard as heavy snow was falling continuously from up to the sky into the white ground. As the trains were approaching or leaving the railway station, sounds of shunting trains, ringing, rumbling, train whistles softened into a melody by the distance, creating a perfect harmony with this little piece of the world filled with different types of people living in this city called Daejeon known as the 5th largest city in its whole country, South Korea.

This city didn't start at first as big as it is now. It was a small unknown village called Hanbat. Now it's a place where people all across the country come to study and understand the complexity of technology and science. Every year in this town people come to its science and technology festival.

Or is that the only reason to come to Daejeon?

A big metal machine was moving towards the station as the steam locomotive made a whistle, warning its fast approaching while opening its doors after arriving in the station. People leave the train, pushing each other aggressively towards the exit while carrying their personal belongings.

The bittersweet smell of coffee that filled the air combined with the smell of wet dirt made a special atmosphere specific only for this season. The bright lights were flickering with all different types of colours in the distance, announcing about the soon to be Christmas, the significant day of the birth of Jesus, or what people actually see it as today, reunion with the loved ones, being filled physically with all sorts of food, sweets & gifts and mentally with love and happiness.

In the big crowd of agitated people, there was a brunette young girl, who was puzzled by all the signs and people speaking in korean. Although she looked korean, most of her life she spent it abroad having nobody to help her keep her native language alive. In other words, she knew... but not knew how to speak korean. It didn't really help either that most people she tried communicating with did not know english so well to understand what she was trying to say, they would just stare at her amazed because of her american accent, which would just frustrate and annoy even more the poor girl.

This girl wasn't nor tall or short but she had a very petite and small body, making her look pretty short. She had gorgeous features: fierce cat dark chocolate eyes, a small mole below her left eyebrow, a small cute nose and perfect plumpy lips.

What was different about her was not the way she looked-- I mean she may have looked korean, but her aura was different. The way she smiled openly and her english accent made her different. She never lived by the korean standards. It took her about three days to realize that hugging or waving at someone was not something so normal in South Korea. On her way from Seoul to Daejeon (she had to fly to Seoul and from there to take the train) she stopped at a small local store to buy some snacks and water for the road. The cashier—an old lady, was so nice to her, she smiled and waved saying goodbye in a casual way, exiting the store and leaving the old lady with a terrified face.

The brunette looked around the station with her fierce and curious stare as the cold air was hitting her face making her blink numerous times. The girl pulled her scarf over her nose furiously while walking towards the exit of the station, in a parking lot with taxis everywhere. She got in the first taxi and said two words in a husky voice yet almost whisper:

"Daedeok District."