Third house down from mine, the girl with the dimples reside. To say hello is all I’m going to do. Make her feel welcome in the neighborhood. Nearing her house I, of course, slowed down. 2:30 pm and there she is watering her lawn. I should approach her now or another day? I assess her more. Today she’s wearing a black top and camo cargo shorts. She has a bit of a boyish style, but yet she is so…cute. My eyes wander to her hands—the way she grabs the hose and how she hold it told me she’s- I’m such a ert. What am I thinking?! Deciding this isn’t the time to see her, I was about to pull off when she made eye contact with me. She’s looking at me. Oh , she know. She knows I’m a stalker now. Not breaking the hold with her I pull myself together.

“Hey!” She calls out. Oh, no. Too late to avoid her now. Parking in her driveway, I coolly stepped out, adjusting the collar of my Saint Laurent button down. She’s in arm’s length in my reach. She’s even more breath taking up close and also more tiny. Barely over five foot (153 cm). Looking up at me, she bows her head a bit. “Hello.” Returning the gesture, I introduced myself confidently.

“Hello, I’m Soohyuk.” A small pause passed between us. Not wanting it to become an awkward silence I continued, “I’m your neighbor. I live about three houses down.” I pointed in the direction and heard a small laugh come from her.

“Oh, I’m sorry,” she said in English. “I’m learning Korean, and I guess it’s for nothing seeing how I did not understand a word you just said.” She mutters the last part more to herself, but still audible for me to hear. “Can you speak English?” For some reason that took me by surprise. I guess because I assumed for her to be Korean. Her features are definitely Asian. Her skin isn’t pale at all, but isn’t an unachievable color for a Korean to have. I’ll just assume she’s American for now.

To answer her question, I gave her a nod yes. Thankfully I learned English when I was doing more work abroad. “Yeah, I speak English.” She flashes me a grateful smile as I repeated what I said in English.

“Oh, I knew you live near here. You drive rather,” she pauses for a moment giving me a look, a knowing look, “slow when you drive by.” Mastering the technique of not showing my emotions, I give her an easy grin while in the inside I’m mildly freaking out.

“Well, you know, this is a neighborhood. A child could run into the street at any moment. I rather be cautious than sorry.”

“Oh, really? That’s all?” She challenges me.

“Uh, yeah that’s all. Why? Are you insinuating something?” I challenge her back with a slight mocking tone in my voice. She squint her eyes up at me pursing the perfect line of her lips. I want to know what she knows- or at least what she thinks she knows. I’m probably right. She knows that I’m-

“I’m not insinuating anything…unless you have a reason for me to.” Her sentence cuts off my thought. Clearing my throat, I nod once.

“And I don’t have a reason to, miss…um, I apologize. I didn’t get your name.” Giving her an expectant look she gives me a small, mischievous smile.

“That’s because I didn’t give it to you.” Never the one to be lost for words, I found myself stumped here. How to answer that? What game is she playing—wait is she even playing one? “Soohyuk,” she calls pulling me away from my thoughts. “Now you have a reason to come see me again.” Such a playful smirk played her lips. “You’re welcome.” Looking down at her large golden watch, she mumbles, “I got to go.” She sets down the hose after turning it off and closes the front door behind her leaving me in this spot looking dumbfounded. What e