The plane landed safe and sound. It’s still early and I still have 6 hours before the meeting time. I asked the taxi driver to bring me to the baywalk Ren mentioned on the last postcard he sent me. Aside from the whereabouts of the place where we’ll meet, he also included some landmarks where I can go. “I’m sure you’ll be inspired to draw once you go there” he wrote. It’s not bothersome to walk because he also wrote that I don’t need to bring a lot of things, he’s willing to share some of his clothes to me. So here I am in a foreign place one entire ocean away from South Korea with only a backpack and a good amount of money with me. I forgot to bring a lot of English too, hope I’ll be able to survive the entire 6 hours alone.

I reached my first destination after the tiring 45-minute taxi ride. Jetlag. While I’m inside the taxi I feel like sleeping there for an entire day. But when I saw the water and the view of skyscrapers on the other side of the bay all the weariness disappeared. Ren’s right, this place is food for the human eye. It can also cheer up the human soul. After stretching a bit I began to walk. There’s a big flower sculpture at the end of the baywalk, wait for me there. Now all I need to do is walk up to that flower sculpture, right? I still can’t see a bit of the structure but the driver said I’ll be able to see that if I continue walking.

Walking in a place as quiet and clean as this reminds me of Ren.

He asked to switch places with me because he can sleep more peacefully on my used-to-be seat. Our classmates were surprised when they saw that Minki and I exchanged seats. They asked me how I did that. How I did what? Did I talk to Minki, did I beg? I also ignored their questions and curious stares. It was irritating and uncomfortable that the people started noticing me because I switched places with the batch genius. Minki didn’t seem to care though, he just played with his pen or stared outside when he wasn’t sleeping.

I thought I wouldn’t be able to talk to him again, and I actually didn’t mind. I could look at him any time I wanted since we switched places. I’d always shift my gaze to anything outside the window if he happened to look at me and I actually prepared an explanation if ever he asked me why I kept on looking. He never asked though.

One day after class, I was about to stand up when he dropped a letter on the table. It had my name on it so I read it when everyone including Minki were already outside.

Childish, but I always bring that letter with me.

“Jonghyun-sshi, can we meet on the place where we first saw each other? Later at 5pm. I’ll wait. – Minki”

Of course I went there! Our class ended at 3pm, and after that I rushed to the very bench where I first saw him. I was so excited I didn’t mind waiting for extra 2 hours. What is 2 hours when there’s a big possibility of me being a friend of Choi Minki after 5pm? Don’t get me wrong, from the very start I found the pretty boy attractive, not in a romantic way, he’s shining, unique, mysterious. 30 minutes had passed and I was just staring at nothing. I didn’t bother going back to the dorm because I was too excited. Good, I had my sketchpad with me. I began to draw the tree on the other side of the bench. There were a lot of benches which I only noticed just that moment when I had a clearer view of it. Ever since I sort of met Minki there I never really went back. Call me boring, but my life used to revolve on the classroom, cafeteria and dorm room.

I had a great time sketching the tree and the benches and everything in front of me. When I finished the sketch I heard someone clap from behind. I looked back and saw a clapping poker-faced Choi Minki. I jumped out of my seat and dropped the pencil and sketchpad because I was so surprised. How long had he been there? I didn’t have the chance to ask, he gave me that smile again. Did he like my work? Until now I still don’t know the answer.

I gathered my things so fast I swear I looked so disoriented. I am a bouncing ball of awkwardness since birth and I won’t be able to change that. I invited him to sit when I was sure that the bench looked like a bench again. I was glad he didn’t reject my offer. We sat there in silence for God knows how long before I had gathered the courage to talk.

“Why did you want to meet Minki-sshi?” I asked.

He cleared his throat first then answered me. “Jonghyun-sshi, I’m sorry. Because I asked you to switch places with me they bothered you so much. I am really sorry.”

I didn’t really expect that answer from him. He looked so cold on the outside but he actually thought about my discomfort when our classmates started questioning me. I was bothered but by the time he apologized I really didn’t care anymore. I can also give cold stares and glares when I want to and I actually used those to them so they stopped bothering me. I told him that it’s okay and I am fine. After that we were back to the silence again.

It was really awkward but he didn’t seem to mind. I also shrugged it off, the change in the sky’s color’s too beautiful that I couldn’t help myself but admire it. We stayed quiet for almost half an hour before a single word was uttered.

“Jonghyun-sshi, how can a person achieve happiness?”

“Eh?” not an intelligible answer but that’s the only word my mouth seemed to produce.

“You look really happy when you were sketching a while ago. Actually, every time you draw you look happy.”

I smiled at the thought that he’s observing me too. How’d he know if I look happy while drawing if he didn’t take a glance every once in a while, right? Without actually thinking, I told him what I was thinking that time. “I am just doing what I like Minki-sshi. Maybe that’s why I am happy?”

And for that day, the last word has been said.  On the next day he talked to me again. At first he was like forcing himself to do so that I also felt uncomfortable. We only talked when we’re alone by ourselves. He didn’t want me to be bothered by our classmates again, and I didn’t want to be seen talking a lot too. It went on for weeks that both of us got used to it. The silence every break time and lunch period didn’t feel so awkward anymore. We weren’t talking about anything but we’re okay with it. When we’re alone, we talked about the most random of things. He’s not cold like what he seemed to be. Definitely not. I always had a good time when he was having a lot of feels. That’s how he called it. He told me that he likes photography. I told him to take photos when he felt like it but he said he couldn’t. When I asked him why, he didn’t answer. When we had times like that we just let it pass.

On the first month of our secret talks and meetings, he told me that his childhood friend was transferring to our school. He really looked happy while talking about that childhood friend. He said he was a very pretty boy, tall and smart. He also talks a lot. His friend will be transferring on Monday.

Time went by so fast, and it was already Monday. The day before, Minki and I agreed that we’d be coming to the room very early. I arrived 5 minutes before him, and we arrived at least an hour before the others. He couldn’t contain his excitement because he’d be able to see his friend again. I somehow got a bit jealous because I didn’t know if I was already a friend too. When he called me Jonghyun that time, I told him to call me JR instead. That’s how my friends in Kangreung called me.

“JR-sshi…”

“Just JR, Minki-sshi.”

He laughed when I replied like that.

“Wait, why are you laughing?”

“You’re unfair.”

I swear I shook when he said that. He was still laughing but why was I unfair? I obviously took what he said negatively that I felt bad. He stopped laughing when he noticed that I looked different.

“Oh, JR, I didn’t mean it the negative way.”

“Then why am I unfair Minki-sshi.”

“Drop the –sshi, and change the name to Ren.”

Huh? I actually didn’t understand what he said that I knitted my eyebrows hard I made him laugh again.

“My friend said I am like a lotus flower with an outstanding beauty.” He said as he nodded.

“You’re praising yourself very well Minki—“

“But seriously, I don’t know why he called me Ren all of a sudden, and then I learned that Ren’s the Japanese term for Lotus. So call me Ren too because that’s how my friend calls me.”

Am I a friend? Does that mean I am already a friend? I smiled so hard that I almost couldn’t see him because my eyes were closing. When I seemed to move on, I tried calling him by that name.

“Ren.”

I have walked a bit long by now and finally, I can see the flower structure. Why am I not surprised that the flower is actually a Lotus?

---

Update. I actually don't know if I should make this longer so... please tell me when something confuses you, actually my own story confuses me too. XD And do you like it? Unbeta-ed, so a lot of errors, sorry.

nowplaying: 弾き語り (Garnet) - Oku Hanako