Imagination.

As google defines it, it is the faculty or action of forming new ideas, or images or concepts of external objects not present to the senses.

It is something we make up, or rather our minds that do. It is something writers, like me, live off of. It is the very thing that everyone lacks, and that even includes the person who has it most. Even when we think the same thing, we don’t. And thus our claiming of imagination, because imagination is made up of new ideas. And nothing is new if it isn’t already created or as others with higher of such ability, in other words imagination, come to try and prove me wrong. They come to conclude that the words I have spoken are false. Believing that an item or invention, already created, can still be new if to make a mass amount of the product. But those with higher realistic sense come to believe that it is not the item I speak of, but rather the idea of making it. I can go on with chapter after chapter about imagination, but no claim is a good claim if we don’t have evidence to back us up.( And also perhaps that speaking of such thing is not all that interesting. I’m not that interesting of a writer to create a writing others would be interested in reading even if I were to make chapter after chapter about imagination.) So therefore, I wish to give you an example of how a girl I met changed my way of thinking and has broadened my horizons to create such reality from imagination.

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Like any other day, I walked down the street not too far away from my home. Men in suits, women with children, that one guy with a bike, little kids who somehow already has phones, a girl jogging, and an extremely tall guy listening to music behind some short asian old guy came into view. It was like any other day. Being a short asian myself, no one probably saw or really cared of my existence walking by me like any other stranger would. It always fascinates me how people you see everyday can still be strangers, but I haven’t really spoken to any to change our relationship to something more than that. So as usual, I walked past them as well.

I headed to the cafe before the intersection. Entering in towards the counter after hearing the bell that signaled my arrival.

I ordered my coffee and walked to the seat I always sat on.

I sat down and opened my laptop. A minute passed and I had yet to get something written down. I continuously tapped on my keyboard thinking of something to type for my report.  

“You need help?” It was not until the girl had asked the question that I realised I sat on my usual seat without realising the table has already been occupied.

I bit my bottom lip and covered my face, being embarrassed of the situation my midget mind brought me to.

I looked up to the girl and gave my stupid smile as I found it hard to voice something out as her angel-like features encaptured me to feelings I only knew how to write about. My heart beated fast inside my chest. My eyes couldn’t wander off too far observing every part of her face.

When my eyes met hers, I realised that I was admiring a stranger and falling for them when I come to argue to myself that there is no such thing as love at first sight. I’m such a hypocrite. I looked off back to my laptop not wanting to meet her own eyes, who seemed to look at me with confusion.

“I-I’m sorry. I didn’t notice you were sitting here already. “I stood up immediately after my apology.

“It’s alright. You can stay. I mean that is if you want to.” She suggested. “I mean all the seats are already occupied and I’d look like a loner if it were not for you”

“ Thanks” I sat back down. Her face seemed blank and she seemed cold, but her kind actions spoke louder words that made me think otherwise. She had a pretty face and a warm heart. Only someone more stupid than I am would reject such offer.

“ So what are you writing about?”She asked.

“ I write about anything, but as of right now I have nothing…That’s if you count nothing as something. So much for a writer.” I sighed looking at the blank page.

“ It’ll come to you. Besides, imagination takes us a long way. And based on how you speak, you’re quite the poet.” She assured me with a smile.

My heart beated faster again with the smile she carried. If I had my coffee right now, I’m sure I’d already have a heart attack.

“ I hope it comes sooner. It’s been a few days already and I have yet to come up with something to write about. I lack new ideas.” I pouted and she emitted a laughter.

“ New ideas can be based upon things already created.”

“Never thought about it that way.” I answered honestly. “Still very true. You seem like a writer yourself.”

“ I’m not that smart. And besides, I much rather sleep.” We both laughed at her reply. Being the stupid midget I am, it didn’t occur to me I didn’t know her name until I heard mine being called.

“Hey, I’ll be right back. My coffee is ready” I excused myself from the girl and stood to the counter to get my cup.

I grabbed a straw and walked back to the table the girl and I shared. She was typing something on her phone, which I perceive was a text message to someone.

“ Taeyeon, right?” She turned her attention back to me.

“Yup. What is your name? I forgot to ask earlier.”

“Jessica. Jessica Jung” She lent a hand towards me. I realised it was for a handshake, an action foreigners, which she looked like, formerly did to introduce their self.

I shook it briefly and we shared a smile. Her hands were soft, hands I wanted to hold a little longer but stopped myself from to avoid any awkwardness.

I was falling for the girl in front of me whom I just met. But I couldn’t blame myself. The girl was perfect. She was comfortable to be around with even as we stayed silent in moments and I think I was falling harder for the girl as more time passed by.

“ Are you new here?” I asked the weirdest question ever, and regretted asking it as soon as it left my mouth.

“ I just returned to Korea a few days ago” I thanked her in my head for answering it nonetheless.

“ You’re hangul is good” I complimented.” Where are you from?”

“I was born in America, but my parents are both Korean so I grew up with the language.” She seemed so open about herself. I admired her. I am very inverted. I don’t tell people much about myself, yet alone a stranger, but I guess she can’t be considered as a stranger anymore. She is now Jessica.

“ Are you enjoying Korea so far?” I asked.

“ I’ve spent most of my time sleeping because of jetlag and because I don’t have much to do here. You can say you made me enjoy Korea a lot more, so thanks”

“ I think I owe you a thanks too then. You can say you made me enjoy my boring life a lot more.” I cheekily replied as I felt my own cheeks heating up from her reply.

“ Write that down. That’s pretty good poet.” She teased.

“I should, right?” I played along.

We spent a few more minutes laughing and teasing each other before she got a text message and had to go.

“ I hate to have to go, but I can’t do much about it. I wish I can spend more time making fun of you midget”

“That’s Taeyeon to you white girl” I corrected. She glared at me playfully. Her cold icy stare somehow melted me. Ironic. She’s proving a lot of my old theories wrong in just one encounter.

“Good luck on your writing, Taeyeon. Remember, always use this” She pointed at my head with one finger. “As cliche as it may sound, nothing is done without starting there. You should know at least that poet. ”

“ I’ll keep that in mind. Shall I you out?” I stood up and lent a hand, like a butler.

“ Gladly” She hesitated for a second before taking my hand with hers.

I smiled and placed my laptop back in my bag and walked out the cafe with her.

It amazed me how bold I was to take her hand. But I felt closer to the girl than to anyone I have ever met before in my whole life.

“ You don’t find it weird, right?” I asked her.

“ What?”

“ Holding hands with a person you barely met?”

“ You mean this?” She held our hands in front of our faces and I simply nodded. “No. Why do you?”

“ No. I’m just making sure you don’t” I laughed.”I didn’t want to weird you out or anything.”

“ You don’t weird me out. I feel comfortable around you” She held my hand tighter.

“My fingers are curling up” I teased.

“ I so regret telling you that” She rolled her eyes.

“ Too bad” I stuck my tongue out at her.

“ You’re such a child. If only you can think of things as fast as they do, you’d probably have more than what you have right now”

“ They can’t write as well as I do” I said proudly, which I earned a hit for from the ice princess walking beside me.

We walked and walked emitting laughter in the quiet neighborhood. It is a conversation that if a person were to hear it they wouldn’t be able to imagine that the girl and I just met.

She stopped walking and stood still, pulling me back as I continued.

I stopped soon after and walked backwards back to her location and she laughed at my action.

“ Guessing this is where you live?” I asked.

“ Good job figuring that out Sherlock” She stated with much sarcasm.

“ Well...” I cleared my throat before continuing. “Take care, Jessica.” I didn’t want to bid goodbye and I’m sure she didn’t want to either, but I knew someone had to bid their farewell since someone was apparently waiting for her.

“ I’ll see you around, Taeyeon.” She smiled her angelic smile once more.

“You too” I let go of her hand slowly and patted her head.

She pivoted her step towards her house, before turning back to me.

I was shocked as she pulled me in an embrace.

“ I meant it when I said thanks earlier. And don’t find it weird that I hugged you. It’s the proper way of saying goodbye in the U.S.” She joked.

“ But we’re in Korea” I joked back and we shared another laughter. I my hand on her back once before pulling away.

“ For real this time, I’m going” She smiled and walked inside.

I checked my watch and headed back to my own house.

I finally had something to write about.

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So, here I am with this evidence and a new view in life. I have yet to meet her again, but I’m happy and lucky enough that I met her. I can’t help but smile at the thought of her. Or smile at anytime, since ever since that day, I always think about her.

It is not but imagination to believe the girl would ever be mine. As much the ups of imaginations, there is always a fine line separating it from reality. It takes us away from those thoughts that imagination can be thought of as reality or an escape from it.

So go on, close your eyes. Think of anything or anyone. Think of something you would never think to happen even in your wildest dreams. Think of the things you have come to face you’ll never have, like the job you wished for when you were a kid.Think about where you’d like to be now or in the near future. Join me into a new world.

Welcome to imagination.

To the very place that everything we have now were once of existence; to the very item that has made all of us where and with the things we have now. It doesn’t hurt to imagine things, it hurts when we don’t. Keep imagining, who knows when it will become reality.

And on a side note, I think I’ll keep imagining myself with the girl I met over coffee, Jessica.