Autumn was the next time I saw you.

An entire season went by and I hadn't seen you once. 

I only thought about our run-in at the market for a week or so, but as life would have it, my mind was overrun with work and exhaustion. 

It was mid-evening, the sun was setting, and the air was beginning to get cooler. 

I was coming from a friend's art exhibit in the city and wanted to wait outside afterwards, away from the crowding people. 

My artist friend and I were supposed to be going for drinks later that night, but there was a change in plans after I met you.

Not exactly a formal introduction but...you remember this part well.

I was outside of the gallery, leaning against a rail, hugging my jacket closer to me as the chilling winds grew stronger.

There was laughter from a group of girls at the end of the walkway, six of them total.

They were incredibly noisy, but not so much that I couldn't drown them out if I tried just a bit. 

But as the group walked further up, their laughter became more invasive to my preferred silence.

I looked over at them with an intimidating glare. 

One of the girls caught me staring and abruptly stopped her chuckling. 

She tapped the shoulders of the girls closest to her and tried to slyly point towards me. 

The others followed her finger, all turning their heads to look at me.

I kept my stare, unwavering, hoping we could stay like this for the sake of silence but then...

You.

You turned your head slowly and suddenly I broke and blinked.

Once. Twice. Several times.

Your honey brown hair, bobbed to frame your round face.

Your bright umber eyes and your rose pink lips, slightly agape, forming an 'o' in wonder.

I couldn't take my eyes off of you; not for the moment.

"Eunji, I think, that guy, he's staring at you," one of the friends suggested. 

Immediately I shot my head downwards and stood frozen with my hands tucked deep into my pockets.

That's when I heard the pitter patter of shoes on the sidewalk.

I looked up from the ground and you were standing right beside me, intruding my personal space. 

Your eyes were shining and your lips were spreading to the sides of your face. 

It was the most comforting smile I'd ever seen.

It warmed my hands, my cheeks, and my entire chest. 

And that feeling...

The fresh breathing feeling...it returned again.

And that's when it dawned on me, that I'd seen you before. 

"Has your mom never taught you proper manners? You know it's rude to just stare at someone." 

You said this to me with a smile still on your face, letting me know that it was only to be taken lightly. 

But still, even with the notion that this was merely a joke, I was speechless. 

My nerves were wrecked, and you noticed it too.

You placed your small hand on my sleeve in an attempt to soothe me.

"I'm kidding. I'm sorry," you spoke softly, smile falling a tad. 

I stared bug eyed at your hand touching me for a moment. 

I was still trying to register my feelings, but I wasn't doing it quickly enough. 

You had me completely, for the first time in my life, flustered. 

I hated it.

Without saying a word, I removed your hand from my jacket sleeve and stormed away. 

You know that part well though. 

How rude I was to you.

It's like that's your favorite memory of me.

The memory you replayed over and over in your head to help you ease your pain.

The memory you used to relieve yourself of guilt when you finally, for the first time...

Walked away from me.