Yeouido, Seoul, South Korea – March 202* (Spring)

      Spring is a symbol of happiness, they say. It’s a fizzy tonic, like a slowly overflowing bottle of bubbling joy. It’s like a box of crayons that colors onto the land and up to the grey clouds of winter. The cold wind and frosty snow melts as a ray of sun is felt. Buds blossom, trees thaw and grass grows. Spring just shouts, ‘joyfulness’ but whenever this particular season comes, I can’t help but to feel sad and distant, like the coldness of the winter air.

      It is a sunny afternoon. There were lots of cyclists on the street and people walked by the pavements as they marveled and graced upon the cherry blossom trees. It is the time of the year, where winter ends and the beginning of spring have come. I sat on the bench just beside a fully bloomed cherry blossom tree and watched the people pass by. I love how the carnival of scents blew in the air and how the strands of thin light came from the sky. It has been long since I went back here in South Korea. Now that I came back after two years, the first thing that I want to see is the Cherry Blossoms because it reminds me of the transience of life. It reminds me of how short life is and that I need to value it every day.

      I was spacing out but I was sent back to reality when I saw a cherry blossom fall on to my lap. I quickly picked it up and smiled, “しょっちゅう, (Shotchu,)” I whispered into thin air.

      It is still vivid, like the memories were just yesterday. I can still remember the very first time I’ve met her, her voice repeating at the back of my head like some kind of melody. It is the same time of the year, the first time I saw her in the busy streets of Tokyo. However, our meeting wasn’t so pleasant but if I were to go back to time, I would still choose to meet her that way. I would still love how she screamed at me and how she walked away. Our start may be a rough road but on the way, it became a flowery path where good things happened and happiness blossomed—a road where you will treasure every moment.                                                             

      “Kai!” I looked back and saw a beautiful woman running towards me.

      A smile quickly formed into my lips, feeling that heavy burden being removed into my shoulders. I stood up and stared at her as she walked closer to me. She still looked the same as I last saw her two years ago. Her long wavy brown hair was the same and her beautiful doe-like eyes were twinkling as she approached me. Gosh, I missed her so much.

      Before she could even reach my spot, memories started to flashback my very eyes like a tape recorded in my head. It was also the third month of the year, March 2016.

Tokyo, Japan – March 21, 2016

LEE JIYEON | AYAKA

      I have lived my whole life here in Japan and I enjoyed every single day that I’ve spent here. I’m a Korean but I was born here when my mom and dad migrated from Korea because of their business. After two years in Japan, mom gave birth to me in Sapporo while they were having a vacation together. It was on the 20th of May, 1998. Mom told me that the cherry blossoms were in full bloom when I was born. Sapporo was really beautiful that time she said and she couldn’t help but to name me after the flowers. They were supposed to name me Sakura but since it was a common name, they thought of something that has a deep meaning. My dad suggested the name Ayaka which means colorful flowers. And for my Korean name, my mom came up with the name Jiyeon from their names Jihoo and Yeonhwa which means embodiment of beauty.

      It is the first bloom of the cherry blossoms today here in Tokyo and I decided to see it since I will be leaving Japan next week. My dad decided to bring me back to Korea to learn the culture of my mother land since I wasn’t able to experience it firsthand. I can speak Korean fluently since my family practices it at home so I guess language barrier won’t be an issue when I go to Korea. I have been waiting for this season and finally, flowers began to wave at the ecstasy-blue sky again. After the cold winter days, cherry blossoms bloomed and manicured with bliss-pink petals. I was walking in the busy streets of Tokyo when my phone rang. I looked at my phone and saw that it’s my mom calling me.

      “Hello?” I greeted.

      “Honey, where are you? It’s almost dinner time. Go home now,” she said on the other line.

      “Okay mom, I’ll be on my way home. I just decided to watch the cherry blossoms.” I explained with a bright smile on my face.

      “Okay honey, be home before dinner time. Your brother will be joining us tonight.” She exclaimed.

      “Bye,” I exclaimed as I hang up.

      I started walking towards the bus stop but while I’m on my way, I heard two people shouting at each other. Their voices were so loud and as I can recognize it, they’re speaking in Korean.

      “I decided to go with my mom here in Japan just so I can see you and then what? I’ll be seeing you flirting with a girl?!” the woman shouted.

      “Let me explain Soo,” the man exclaimed as he tried to reach the girl.

      “Don’t call me Soo!” the woman shouted as she brushed the man’s hands off her.

      “I don’t even know the girl, she was just gawking at me!” the man explained, “It wasn’t my fault!” he defended himself.

      I don’t know why but I was suddenly drawn into their conversation. Those two are a couple obviously, I can tell very well.

      “No! I definitely saw it with my two eyes! You were flirting with her!” she shouted again.

      “I’m tired Sooyeon, please don’t get me started.” The man lowered his head as he sighed heavily.

      “Don’t get you started? What? You’re the one at fault here and you’re telling me not to get started?” the woman asked as she laughed sarcastically, “Fine, I’m wrong. I’m always wrong! And you, you’re the one who’s always right!” she shouted angrily.

      They were gathering crowds already and the woman is really pissed right now.

      “Can’t you understand?! I said I don’t know the ! Why can’t you understand me just this once?!” he shouted back at her.

      I was shocked. I was shocked because of that man’s choice of words and how he shouted at his girlfriend. My dad always told my brother to never shout at a girl and he also said not to call any girl, a but this guy right here just did everything! He is surely not a gentleman.

      “I hate you!” the woman exclaimed with anger lacing in her voice.

      Her tears started to well from her eyes and ran away from the park. He should run after her! He was about to run after the woman when someone called him.

      “Oppa!” the man looked back and saw a girl running towards him.

      I was surprised to see a beautiful girl approaching the man with a bright smile in her face. It seems like she is a year younger than the man. Wait, don’t tell me that the guy is cheating on his girlfriend?!

      “Yeri-ah,” the man called.

      The girl looked at the man’s girlfriend and looked back at the man.

      “Do you know that girl, oppa?” she asked.

      Oppa? Did that girl just called him “oppa”? I can’t believe this!

      “Her? Uhm… Naah,” he answered as he shook his head, “I don’t know her. She was just asking for directions.” He answered as he scratched the back of his head.

      He doesn’t know her?! Did he just deny his girlfriend in front of that girl?! I suddenly felt my anger boiling at the pit of my stomach. Ugh, he’s really something! I always hated the guts of people who deny their girlfriends to people they know. I don’t know why but I suddenly felt pissed and I wanted to teach that guy a lesson but I decided to just leave and go home but it doesn’t mean that my anger and irritation towards that guy vanished. Actually, I kept on thinking about him as I walked to the bus stop and as I was walking, someone approached me.

      “Uhm, k-konichiwa, [Hello,]” I looked back and I was surprised to see the same guy from the park.

      He was the jerk that I saw a moment ago. Suddenly, I felt my blood boil and I can feel my anger raising. I wanted to punch him to teach him a lesson but that’s just psychotic, I mean, I don’t even know him and then I would suddenly punch him with no apparent reason.

      “Sumimasen, anatawa kankokujin desu ka? [Uhm, excuse me... Are you a Korean?]” He asked me.

      I surely understand what he said but I decided to lie as I looked at him from head to toe. This man deserves some lesson and I know just what to do.

      “Iie. [No.]” I answered and he seemed puzzled but I guess he understand since it is basic Japanese.

      “Uhm, is that so?” he mumbled in Korean.

      “Uhm, I want ask… Uhm…” he stuttered.

      He probably doesn’t know how to speak in English as well. I wanted to laugh at him because he looks so lost with everything.

      “Do you know uhm… where is bus?” he asked as he showed me some actions.

      I controlled my laughter because he sure looks pathetic and silly by the way he showed me his actions. Too bad my annoyance towards him suddenly got the best of me.

      “Nani itteruno? [What are you saying?]” I asked, acting like I don’t understand him at all.

      I just can’t stand the fact that this guy was a jerk towards his girlfriend! I’m doing his girlfriend a favor, so she better thank me later if ever we have a chance to meet. I saw how his forehead creased and it seemed like he has no clue with what I was saying.

      “Uhm… bus… where is bus?” he asked again.

      Some people started to look at him while he was doing his weird actions and he seemed a bit embarrassed with what he’s doing but he continued to do it anyway.

      “Nani? Basu? Anataga nani wo kikitai no ka wakatteru kedo, oshienai! [What? Bus? Even though I understand and know what you're asking for, I won't answer you. Jerk!]” I exclaimed knowing that he will not understand any words that I’m saying.

      Some people who heard me laughed while others shook their heads. He looked at the people who was looking at him and scratched his head, probably clueless with what I just said.

      “What the heck is she saying?” he mumbled under his breath but I was quick enough to catch it. What he said made me smirk. You deserve it, jerk. “Uhm, miss… I don’t understand you,” he finally exclaimed in Korean.

      He was probably frustrated with me. Well, he deserved it. He should be thankful that this is the only thing that I did and not worse.

      “Soko ga pointo nandayo! Anta ne, kanojyo o uragiru nante hido sugiruyo! Ato so no ko to? Hontouni aho ne! [That's the point! You know jerk, it's not good to cheat on your girlfriend. You're such a jerk to cheat on her, with some girl? That's funny.]” I told him with a smile on my face, trying a cool façade.

      “Oppa!” I looked at the back of the guy and saw the girl approaching us. She’s the girl who called this guy, ‘oppa’. She glared at me and then turned to the guy, “Let’s go, that girl is saying bad things to you,” she exclaimed.

      “What?!” the man asked, surprised.

      “Sokono anta! Nani sono kuchuo wa?! Dare sama dato omotteruno?! [Hey you! How dare you say that to him, huh?! Crazy girl.]” she shouted at me as she drag the man away while the man was dumbfounded as he looked back at me but I just laughed at him.

      Tss, serves him right. I am really a woman of justice. If I think that someone did something bad, I will make sure to let that person pay in any way that I can. That man is just unlucky that I saw his misfit, he experienced my wrath. After that weird conversation with Mr. Jerk, I continued walking myself to the bus stop. When the bus came, I decided to sit on the middle row beside the window. I looked far outside and suddenly my phone rang. My mom was calling again.

      “Hello?” I greeted.

      “Ayaka! Where are you?” she asked, “What’s taking you so long?”

      “Uh, I just run into some things. I’m on my way.” I answered.

      “Okay then, be safe.” She bid goodbye.

      “Ne, eomma! [Yes, mom!]” I said as I hang up.

      “Not a Korean huh?” I was startled when somebody suddenly spoke beside me.

      I looked on my side and saw the same man earlier. I was surprised to see him here but I guess he already found his way here at the bus stop? But ugh! Why do I keep on bumping with him?!

      “Anta?! [You?!]” I asked.

      “Will you stop speaking Japanese? I know that you speak Korean and you understood me a moment ago.” He exclaimed.

      “I will speak in Japanese whenever I want to, so don’t tell me what to do.” I exclaimed as I looked away.

      “You made me look like an idiot. You’re going to pay for that.” He exclaimed.

      I laughed sarcastically and turned to him.

      “Oh come on, you don’t even know me,” I answered back.

      He’s being ridiculous. The reason why I messed with him is because I know too well that we will never see each other again and here he is, spatting nonsense.

      “Ayaka, that’s your name.”

      “What the hell?!” I exclaimed, surprised.

      How did he know that?!

      “I heard it from the phone,” he exclaimed as if he can read my mind.

      I wanted to get back at him however the bus stopped, signaling me to go down since it’s my time to leave and go home.

      “Aish! You creep!” I exclaimed as I went down from the bus. The guy looked at me and made silly faces, “Arghh!! That guy is seriously something!” I exclaimed, irritated.

Matthew 5:16 - In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.