“The only thing left is for all of us to be happy.”

- Lee Seung Hoon.

The cold wind was blowing on my face while I was waiting for a phone call or text from my love. The past four years have been the longest years of my life, it’s been an eternal wait for me to be able to have him in my arms everyday, to wake up every morning next to him, to kiss him goodbye before I go to work and start my daily activities, to finally start our lives together.

I have traveled to Korea at least 2 times every year during the past four years and I tried to make every stay as long as possible, we also talked to each other almost everyday on the phone, our love for each other has not faded away with the distance and time, on the contrary I could say that it has grown stronger, wit the anxiety and yearning to be next to each other, and the knowledge that now nothing will be able to keep us apart ever again.

My mother tried to break us apart by putting distance between us, she had no idea how strong and real our love was, that it would overcome any obstacle she could put between us. She didn’t do any more harm though, Jinu obviously won her heart over in less than a year. He became really close with my sister, he visited them regularly and even cooked for them many of the new dishes he was learning to make. Then one day my sister got really sick with appendicitis and she was admitted to the hospital, since my mom was really busy with work and most of my sister's friends live either in China or America, Jinu took care of her and stayed over with her every night until she was discharged. That’s when my mom was convinced of what type of person he really was, of his pure heart and good intentions and from that moment on she started to love him as if he was her own son. She apologized to both of us and told us how much she wished for Jinu to stay on our lives.

The snow started to fall, but my heart was feeling warm with the excitement of seeing him again, of this three days that are ahead of us, of time off before we start our responsibilities in the real world and before the start of our new lives together. Suddenly, I felt my phone vibrating in my pocket, he was finally reaching me, I told him I was going to pick him up at the airport but he refused, only telling me that he was going to contact me at the right time and surprise me.

From: boyfriend ♥

Come to Central Park, I’m waiting for you.

And that was it, no more clues of the exact location where he was at, no directions or instructions to follow, just a simple and plain message for me to do the rest of the work. I tried to asked him where should I look for him but he only read my messages and not once sent me a reply to my questions. There I was dying to see him, longing to kiss him, to be with him and to wrap his small figure with my arms and there he was just playing cat and mouse.

I called a cab and headed myself to look for him in Central Park, how the heck I was going to find him in those 3.41 km² when he wasn’t giving any clues of his whereabouts, was he punishing me or something? I felt frustrated, all I wanted was to be with him and he was playing with me. I looked for him at The Carousel and he was nowhere to be seen, I went to Conservatory Garden and saw beautiful flowers but not the flower that I was looking for, the most precious one, I also tried to find him in the Bow Bridge expecting for him to be waiting for me there, but there was no trace of him there either.

After a couple of hours, while I was walking through The Mall to the Bethesda Terrace, I remembered that it was also the walkway that John Cusack walked in the movie “Serendipity” while he was reading his obituary, then it hit me and I remembered a conversation we held a few years ago.

- Mino, do you think meeting each other was destiny? – he asked very serious.

- Why do you ask that?

- It’s just that, you just came into my life out of nowhere and all the sudden and now we’re best friends. Is even hard for me to imagine school, the soccer team… life, without you.

- Like it was meant to be. – I told him.

- Exactly. – he said.

- Then… it must be.

At that moment I changed my plans and started running towards the Wollman Rink, the ice skating rink, he had to be there. Finally, there he was laying with his back on the ice and my heart was overwhelmed with happiness because that was the most romantic thing he ever did for me. He was shivering, I felt sad thinking that he was alone there freezing and waiting for me, so I walked over to him to warm him, but before he could see me I removed my glove and it flew with the wind over to him until it landed on his chest and then he saw me.

- What took you so long? - he asked all blush and cold. - I thought it was going to be very easy for you to find me here.

- And what made you think that?

- Don’t you know this place? - he asked standing up from the cold ice. - A famous movie ending was filmed in here, the movie it’s about love and destiny and since you are my love and my destiny, I thought you would be able to piece things together.

- I’m Song Minho. - I said and grabbed his hand.

- I’m Kim Jinwoo. - he answered me back and I kissed his red, full, heart shaped beautiful lips.

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To continue with our movie-themed date, we went to Serendipity III and shared a Hot Fudge ice cream, we were talking and catching up with the latest news and gossips about our friends and relatives, like how Yoon was actually planning to propose to Eunji already and about Hoony who had decided to stay in Los Angeles to start creating his new fashion line. But we weren’t just gossiping about other people, we also talked about our own plans and work.

- How are things going at work? - I asked him.

- They just hired a new Executive Chef, his name is Kim Sooro and he’s really good, he doesn't just delegates all of his work in the Sous Chef, I’m learning a lot from him, I think that things will get much better from now on. - he was telling me while scooping a big spoon of ice cream on his mouth.

- I’m happy to hear that, I want you to have a positive work environment. - I said trying to eat before he finished it all.

- And what about you, when do you start? - he said moving my hand away from the cup.

- Next Monday. - I said already surrendering, he wasn't going to share with me anymore.

- That soon!? Gosh, we better take advantage of this three days that we have. - he said surprised.

- Oh, I forgot to tell you, we have a double date tomorrow with Seungri hyung and Dara noona, he called me yesterday to let me know that they’re here in New York. - I told him already looking at the menu to order something else.

- That’s awesome!! I haven’t seen noona in a long time. - he said the spoon.

- I still can’t believe those two are getting married.

- I’m more astonished at how much she changed because of him and I still can’t believe she is moving back to Korea to be with him. - he added.

- It’s the power of love. - I told him holding his hand.

- The most powerful magic in the world. - he said squeezing my hand in return.

- Oh, babe, how’s the apartment search going? - I asked him curious.

- So far so good, but it doesn't feel right to do it just by myself, the both of us will be living there after all.

- I don’t care, I can live in a dumpster and still be happy if it’s with you. - I told him shrugging.

- Well it won’t be a dumpster and it has been narrowed down to just two apartments, so you can help me pick between those two two, I will let you have the last word on it.

- That’s sound great!

- I’m still sad that I’m leaving my mom though, but to be honest with you, I just want us to be able to have all the time and we can’t do that if she lives with us. - he whispered all blush.

- That’s my naughty boyfriend!! - I said and stole a kiss from him in front of everyone.

After a quick visit to Bloomingdale’s, just to buy a pair of black gloves that we were going to share, we walked to the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel where we were going to stay for those three days as the last event of our movie-themed date. As we were walking holding hands we both received a text message at the same time.

From: Yoon

SHE SAID YES!!

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(4 years later)

It’s been ten years since I met the angel that is walking next to me right now, he is pouting and throwing daggers at me with his eyes, because he can’t believe where I took him for our date, the location is Anmin High School and we are here today enjoying a walk together holding hands, well at least I am.

Ten years ago, I was a confused and lonely little kid that didn’t know what to do with his life and who had only one friend in Korea, where my mother had sent me to live with an aunt that I barely knew. But also ten years ago, during this school’s festival, I met a girl that was dress like a maid and that turned out to be a boy, that boy was the captain of the soccer team and he welcomed me to his world and he finally gave meaning to my life and he showed what happiness was really about, there’s no need to say that he is the love of my life.

- I still can’t believe you brought me to the school, I thought you said that today was special.

- It is, and with those pouty lips and those killing eyes, I can already picture you exactly like how I saw you for the first time, you’re just missing the dress.

- Ahh… the school festival! - he says finally with a smile on his beautiful face.

- Yes, exactly ten years ago sweety. - I say and discreetly kiss him on his temple.

- I don’t like that nickname Mino-yah, you sound like my mother, can you just call me babe like before?

- I will if you give me a cute nickname too. - I say and wink my eyes at him.

- Oh, you already have a nickname. - he says and then whispers in my ear. - Is hugeboy!!

- Naughty boyfriend is back!! But that doesn't count because is for when we are under the sheets only.

- Ummm… what about… Mino-yah!!

- Okay. - I give in. - As long as you say it with aegyo.

- Adaso!! - he says as we walk to the field of play where we used to practice.

- We are here!! - I say in the middle of the field and then I kneel down in front of him. - Kim Jinwoo, we have know each other for ten years already and the last four years we have lived together and you have been the best boyfriend I could ever ask for, I couldn't even dream of having someone as good as you in my life... God, I used to be so much better with words. - I chuckle and then I grab a ring box out of my pocket and I open it.

- Hahahahaha… - he starts laughing nervously.

- Babe why are you laughing? Seriously, you're breaking my heart, why are you laughing? - And then he kneels down and grabs another ring box out of his pocket.

- Mino-ya, do you want to spend the rest of your life with me and star a family together?

- Yes, yes, yes and yes!! - I say and we hug each other still on our knees.

- I asked you first!! - he says giggling.

- Araso!!

Bravo, bravo

my life, my life

for your courage

that has brought

yourself this far!

Bravo, bravo

my life, my life

for our splendid

Future!

Spring Summer Fall Winter: Bravo, My Life! (2002) // Lyrics & Music by Kim Jong-jin

THE END