Spring, 2016

To: Hyerimmie

Hi, I don’t know where to start. But to be honest, I really like you. I don’t know whether this feeling is mutual thus I’m not ready to say it directly to you, yet. I think maybe, as I’m trying to build my courage up, I’ll start by sending you flowers and card like this until I have the guts to finally meet you. I’m really a shy person and I’m afraid that I’ll embarrass myself in front of you instead. Thus, I’m hopefully asking for your consideration. But I promise, it won’t be too long until I finally face you later.
Maybe you have not any clue of who I am. You may not recognize me either even though actually we’ve known each other for some reasons. And I want to tell you that I wasn’t falling for you just recently. It may sounds creepy, but actually I was falling for you just from looking at you on this picture I found when I was little. And when we finally met for real long after I found that picture, I couldn’t help but feeling that fluttering effect inside my heart. I was too excited that I couldn’t even take a direct look at you the first time we met. My heart was bursting, because you look much prettier than in the picture.

-G-

Jung Eunji had never had any clue if there was someone out there ‘waiting’ for her heart. She had no idea if there was a man who had a crush on her for such a long time—even longer compare to one of a certain crush she had for someone. All she knew that after she had broken up with her last boyfriend who did promise to marry her but in the end he then left her for some nonsense reasons and after she heard that the man who was her long time crush was planning to marry someone, there was this bouquet of daisy flowers sent to her by a deliveryman with a card and an old picture, the same one she had from many years ago.

At first, Eunji was confused when she read that the card was addressed to ‘Hyerimmie’—‘Hyerim’, the first name she had when she was still in primary school before her father change it for some reasons to be her current name, Eunji. Her childhood friends sometimes still called her ‘Hyerimmie’, but Eunji wasn’t really sure because the sender of the bouquet and the card said that he had met him the first long after he saw her picture.

Her picture, when she was laughing brightly when she was watching a magician show at her primary school’s festival in Busan, sixteen years ago.

***

Summer, 2000

There was a festival in Busan National Primary School to celebrate the school’s anniversary. A man was taking pictures here and there around the school area, recording some memories of people attending the festival to be sold on the instant photograph stand he had for this event. So then, right towards the end of this event, he eventually went to afdruk the pictures he took and then display them on his stand for sell.

The event photographer eventually recognized a little girl with cute bang and bright smile approaching his stand with her supposed mother. Just now, he took a picture of her laughing heartedly while watching a magician show. Somehow falling for the bright smile she had, he intentionally made three copies of the picture. In case, one might be asked by her, so he made another copy to be displayed on his photo studio later. And for another one—well, more was better than less, right?

“Eomma, look! That’s me on the picture!” the little girl pointing excitedly.

“Omo, the photo comes out so good. How much is it, sir?” the mother asked.

“Well actually, it wasn’t for sell,” he told when the mother frowned. “I mean, I was going to give it for free for this bright girl you have, ma’am,” he added as he smiled and patted the girl’s head for a brief. “I was actually about to ask you if I may have another copy of this picture because I really want to display it on my photo studio as a promotion since the picture comes out so nicely, more than I expected. Well, probably because of the bright smile your daughter has….”

“Omo, I feel so honored for you asking the picture of my daughter. But she wasn’t a celebrity or anything, are you sure…?”

“In case you don’t believe me. Here, you can take my business card. There’s also the address of my studio so you can give a visit and checking the picture I’ll put on display. Is that okay?”

“Oh, don’t worry. I do believe you. It just that… I’m not sure if Hyerim’s picture is that valuable to be put on your display,” she smiled awkwardly while taking the card the photographer to her grasp.

“No, no, no, of course she’s valuable! She’s valuable! Every smile of our child is of course valuable…,” he said softly while looking at the little girl who was already mesmerized by other pictures in that stand while smiling. “To be honest, she’s kinda reminds me of my sons…,” he reminisced. “Her bright smile somehow reminds me of the smile my sons have. They smile so cute and bright, and it will always be my fuel to start the day and also my healing for my tiredness. It’s been a long time since last time I met them. And to be honest… I really miss them,” he smiled shyly at his own confession.

The mother’s eyes were glistened when he was confessing his ‘real’ reason of asking her daughter’s photo. She was touched and somehow curious of what happened to the photographer’s son. “You must be missing them so much…,” she nodded. “But excuse me; may I know where your sons are now?”

“I left them to live with their grandparents in Incheon as I have to make some money for my family, for them. It will be much harder if they live with me and my wife since we couldn’t give much attention for them while we’re focusing on work,” he answered. “Yet, I regret it sometimes since I can’t see them often….”

“Have you visited them recently… Mr.—?”

“Bang. You can call me Mr. Bang,” he smiled. “And no—I have not visited my children in… seven months?” the tone of his voice got lower.

“I see… probably it’s time for you to take a break and go visit them. They must be longing for their parents too.”

“You’re… right. I’ll try to take a break so that I can visit them,” he nodded.

“Well then, I shall take this picture and I’ll make sure to visit your studio later—and also making sure that you have already visited your sons. How is it?” she smiled while taking the picture of her daughter from the display stand.

“That sounds… good. Thanks Mrs.—?”

“Jung. Mrs. Jung it is.”

“Yeah, Mrs. Jung. I feel so grateful for your concerns,” he bowed deeply then showed his gummy smile.

“Oh, don’t mention it. I’ll probably do the same if I was you,” she retorted and bowed politely the same way he did. “Hyerimmie, come on! Say thanks to Bang-ahjussi, he is going to give you this photo for free!” she gestured her daughter to do a polite bow towards the man. “What you must say if someone gives you something, Hyerim-ah?”

“Thank you, Bang-ahjussi