The Northern Thief

Busy streets filled with people going to and fro; bustling wide roads commanded by green, yellow and red traffic lights; leaden buildings standing tall and proud under the sepia painted skies – touchdown, B City!

Han Yi Shin ceremoniously took a sip of her caramel macchiato. A satisfied smile on her lips as she scanned through a series of snaps she took of this breathtaking city.

She couldn't help but admire this place even more now that the dusk had befallen as opposite from where she came from, this place grew livelier the moment evening arrives.

Indeed, she made a good job convincing her family to let her fly a week earlier before her cousin's wedding. She inwardly congratulated herself for doing such a good job. If she were back home, she would either be watching dramas or surfing the internet until she falls asleep. What a fruitfull thing to do!

Not to dread her boring and overly pampered life, but if she were to choose between this and that? She'd pick this one a thousand times over her boring all-white bedroom walls back in X City.

After quite some time of selecting the most decent raw picture of her as she dreamily watched the picturesque view from the coffee shop she was currently in, she uploaded it on her SNS.

The moment a notif appeared that her photo was uploaded successfully, her phone lit and vibrated on the table. On the screen displayed the name of her dearly beloved, most favored cousin in the whole world — Han Si Jian.

She put her camera down to pick up the call. "Yow! How's the soon-to-be groom?" Yi Shin cheerfully greeted.

"You're in B City? Already? Does Gramps know about this?" The caller immediately bombarded.

Ai ya! Why does he sound like she eloped or something?

Disregarding his accusing tone, she proudly answered. "Yup! Actually, I just got off from the airport express about uhm... more or less, thirty minutes ago. And yup, they all knew about this. Aren't I amazing?!"

The other line fell silent as he tried absorbing her vague explanation.

"Wait, you haven't even welcomed me yet and now you're even doubting me?! Ouch! Jian-Gege, you've successfully broken this cousin's young heart into pieces. How cruel!" Yi Shin chided and acted like she was offended but not really.

Si Jian sighed like he did not know what to do with her. Knowing his mischievous cousin? Flying all by herself, not to mention, this was the first time she ever did so. Who knew what she had done to be able to achieve this?

"Okay, what did you bargain this time?" 26-year-old, Si Jian, sounded calm and controlled but for all she knew, he was only bracing himself for the bomb that she was about to drop.

Si Jian and Yi Shin are cousins on the father side. Ever since young, both have been each other's crony, protecting and helping each more than real siblings do. Although, most of the time she took the lead in doing mischiefs while poor Si Jian was the one cleaning up her trail. Once, he even went as far as covering up for her mistake and accepting the punishment on her stead. These two were an inseparable pair!

Veraciously speaking, he and their grandfather are both consenting parties who spoiled this young lady. So Jian had no one else to blame but himself.

"Calm down, Jian-Gege. I really did not do anything this time. Gramps and I just had a heart-to-heart talk. After all, a certain somebody is finally getting married, leaving this poor cousin lonely." She sneered with an image of her cousin's awkward face in mind.

Honestly, she was fine with her cousin finally tying the knot. But their grandfather thought otherwise. He was worried and assumed that Yi Shin's sudden isolation had something to do with it, when in reality, Yi Shin was only planning her trip.

Well, it's good that he thought that way and gave her the idea. She only took the opportunity. Right, not her fault at all!

"Tss!" Si Jian rebuked, finally defeated. "Anyway, do you want me to pick you up?"

"N-No! That won't be necessary." Yi Shin instantly refused. "Besides, shouldn't you be getting ready for your bachelor's party tonight?"

"That can wait."

Now, it was her turn to sigh.

"Gege... You are about to get married. Please don't get torn between your personal commitments and cousinly duties with me." Her expression that was supposedly serious suddenly turned into a smirk. "Seriously, you got a weird habit! Should I kill you before you lay eggs?" She snorted at her lame joke, and he rolled his eyes.

"Says the 16-year-old shorty who hasn't ridden a taxi her whole life," Si Jian remarked as-a-matter-of-factly. "You sure you don't want a ride? You probably don't even know which way your hotel is."

"Ai ya, how dare you underestimate me?! You seem to forget that internet exists. Also, isn't your wife a shorty too?" She argued.

"You... Han Yi Shin!" Her last sentence probably hit bull's eye. Oops! "How dare you look down on my future wife?" He snapped.

"What? You started it! How dare you look down on us shorties too?!"

Hell hath no fury for a shorty scorned! Thus began their row of useless banter.

At 167 cm, she isn't that short. He's the giant one as he was a head taller than her.

Come to think of it, only Yi Shin can snap her usually calm demeanored and uptight cousin into childish fights like this. Makes her wonder how her Ting-Jiejie managed to entangle this man for four years.

Imagine, LDR for four years?! If it was her, she'd probably get paranoid over time. Especially if her boyfriend is like her cousin: a man of few words. Just thinking about their almost inexistent conversations makes her laugh. A cricket opera, might even be more entertaining than talking to this awkward wall.

"Seriously, Meimei. This vlogging series of yours, I don't feel good about it. What if you really get lost?" Si Jian told Yi Shin after learning the truth.

She rolled her eyes heavenwards. That's the idea!

"Since when did you become a pessimist, Jian-Gege? That's so not you. Have you finally gotten tender feelings after meeting Ting-Jiejie? Oh, the cringe!" The sound of her exaggeratingly rubbing her goosebumps came through.

"Shut up!"

Yi Shin giggled. Her mighty guard finally had an Achilles heel! How convenient!

"I'll be fine, Jin-Gege. Unlike you, I pretty much can go ask people directly."

"That's exactly the problem. What if you happen to ask a scum?"

"Then, what's the use of my jiu-jitsu brown belt?"

"It's not black." He retorted bluntly.

This person just won't yield!

"Ugh, fine! I'll call you if I need anything, okay?" She paused, filling her lungs to the brim then exhaled. "Just, please... Wait for me to call you first and not the other way around. You promise?"

It took a while before her cousin hummed in agreement. And with that as her cue, she shouldn't spare him anymore minute to retract his approval.

"I gotta go now."

"En." He conceded. "Enjoy your dumb countryside girl moments, shorty. Call me when you end up in jail. Bye!"

"Wuuu!" The insolent bastard had already ended the call before she could even retort. Unbelievable!

She stomped her feet, sulking then collected her things and trudged out of the shop.

Good thing she planned this trip ahead. Guided by a handful of traveler vlogs, she was able to book a decent hotel fifteen minutes by foot from where she was.

Later that night, Yi Shin prepped her self to sleep. With the help of her grandmother's scented candles, her homesickness was temporarily relieved. Tomorrow would be a long day for her.

...Moments later and she drifted off to dreamland with an expectant smile on her lips...