For Lycheeeho

Angelica

I was super excited. I couldn’t wait. I had been dreaming of this moment ever since I had found out that he was doing a book signing. I was still outside the entrance, in a line that’s barely moving, but I clutch my favourite book in my hands and wait to meet the author. His name is Suho, and even though he has never released pictures of himself online, or had it printed on the back of his novels, I fell in love with the way that he wrote. Chorong teases me about possibly being in love with an old man who is seeking attention from young girls with his book, but I know that he isn’t a creep because I connected with what he wrote. An old balding guy could not have written about the struggles of college life and infused it with mystery, romance and dark humor so well. Older guys tend to write about the deep and meaningful experiences, but younger guys just write to get their point across to their target audience, in this case, teenagers and those in their early twenties.

I watch as some girls exit the bookstore, clearly energised from the meeting, even having the book splayed against their chest, as if the autograph that the author had given was a love note that they were trying to keep in their heart. I rolled my eyes, but then I realised I shouldn’t be a hyprocrite because there was a chance that I would act that way as well. The line moved and I was now in the door. I still could not see his face, but somehow, I wanted to be surprised. So, I buried myself in reading my favourite chapter from the book, and before I knew it, I was face to face with my dream guy.

I opened the book to the front page and when he asked me what my name was, I faintly replied that it was Bomi, as the cogs in my head began to turn and I tried to figure out where I had hear that voice before.

When I looked up, I saw a smirk plastered across the guy’s face, and instead of being elated, I felt wronged. Suho was just a pseudonym. I actually knew they guy. He was the jerk that Namjoo had set me up with, Kim Joonmyun.

Three days earlier…

“Unnie! Just go meet the guy!”

Namjoo had been pestering me all week. Her boyfriend, Chanyeol, had this friend who wanted to meet me, apparently, and Namjoo already promised that I would go before even consulting me. I had tried to avoid it, but Namjoo was that kind of dongsaeng that just wouldn’t give up, and eventually I gave in.

It was a casual lunch date so I turned up in a pair of skinny jeans that I paired with a fitted t-shirt and wedges. Even though I turned up slightly late, not from being stuck in traffic or anything, but purposefully, to see if I could piss him off, he still greeted me with a smile and acted as if I was right on time. The introductions had been pleasant, and he had this suave vibe around him and whatever he said could reel me in. We ordered our food and made some small talk. When it got to the topic of special interests and hobbies, things began to go downhill. He said that he was a writer that was looking for inspiration so that he could write a piece that he was proud of and could make an impact on someone’s life, as if he was an experienced and wise old person, and I said that I was an avid reader of books. When he asked me what my favourite book was, I blurted out that it was a novel by an author named Suho and he scoffed. When I looked at his expression, he looked like he was genuinely disgusted by the book.

I played it off casually at first, and then I prodded to see why he didn’t like the book.

“What’s wrong with the book?”

“I don’t know. I feel like there’s something lacking…like there was no inspiration…like it was meaningless…”

“I thought that it was well written and that the current generation of young people could actually relate to the themes and topics that were being explored…”

“Or maybe I just didn’t like the way the author sounded…”

“What’s wrong with his expression?”

“It’s like he was a know it all, but in fact he doesn’t know what he’s talking about. There was no air of realism in the text…it seemed to be fake…”

“Whatever…”

“And the things that happened were a bit predictable…”

“Not really…”

“He could have been a bit more original on the plot…”

My blood wasn’t boiling, but it was sure as hell simmering at that point, and the food hadn’t even arrived. He spoke as if he personally knew the author, and I wasn’t really happy when other people criticised the things that I liked.

After about five minutes, the food came and I was glad that I only ordered a salad because I could eat those things within five minutes. The rest of the meal was spent in silence, and when we had paid the bill, I gave him a quick goodbye before turning on my heels and walking out, happy that I wouldn’t have to see the guy ever again.

Present Day…

I was no longer happy. In fact, I didn’t want him to sign my book and I wanted to rewind back to ten minutes ago so that the image of my dream guy in my head wasn’t ruined. I didn’t even look at him, or stop and have a conversation. I just waited for Suho, or Joonmyun to sign and then made my way out. I flipped open the page, and was surprised at the message that he wrote.

Hey, Bomi!

Plot twist? I’m the guy you had a blind date with…

I apologise for my behaviour earlier, wanna grab a coffee at the place that we met?

I’ll be waiting…

-Joonmyun

I closed the book. I was going to go home, but then decided against it. I liked plot twists. You never know where they’re going to take you.

One year later…

A new bestselling book had come out entitled Angelica: Inspiration. It was written by a guy named Kim Joonmyun, who had been formerly known as Suho. The story was about a girl that got set up on a blind date with her favourite author, and they lived a fairytale ending.