Ahjussi ?  Nope. He’s Just A Normal Guy

The first time I saw him, I thought he was an ahjussi sleeps randomly even in the park.

7 years old, grade school student

“Hey, Suzy !”

I turned back, looking towards my best friend, Min.

“Hey !”, I shouted as I waved my hands.

“Let’s have a sleepover this weekend !”

“Can I ?”

“Sure ! And bring over some of your home-made cookies !”

“Okay !”

12 years old, middle school student

“Min”, I called her.

“What ?”, she asked coldly.

“I’m sorry”

“No need to be sorry. I won’t forgive you anyway”

That time, I thought I’ll lose this friendship forever.

13 years old, middle school student

I didn’t speak with her for 1 year. And I hated myself for being the worst friend for her.

But one day…

“Suzy”, Minhyuk called me, “can you come for a second ?”

Minhyuk was Min’s first love. She liked him for a long time. And when she told me about Minhyuk, she will always smile happily and she will blush.

But, the time Min confessed to him, Minhyuk replied that he liked me, not Min.

Min knew about that, but she still wanted to be with me. But, I, failed at protecting our friendship.

And today,

“I liked you”, he said.

From the first time, I never thought of Minhyuk as a guy that I love. I only thought of him as a friend.

“I’m sorry”, I said, “’Cause you’ve hurt my best friend by saying that you liked me. Please consider others feelings”

I knew I was too direct that day, but I want to end this misunderstanding with Min. And so, I rejected him, and told him to consider Min’s feeling a bit.

When school ends that day, I had a face-to-face talk with Min.

“Suzy, I’m sorry”, she said, as she looked down.

“No. I’m sorry”, I said as I reached my hand to hold her hand.

The both of us looked at each other.

“We’re sorry”, the both of us said altogether.

Maybe you were confused why Min suddenly said this to me.

“Minhyuk told me”, she said as she smiled, “I realized how important it was to protect my friendship with you. There is no other friend like you in this world. I’m so grateful, that you’re willing to be my friend”

That day, our friendship has started again from stage one.

16 years old, high school student

Min went to study at the States, and I was left here in Korea. She promised that she’ll come back to meet me when she finished her study, and that she’ll still like Minhyuk even if he liked me.

I only replied with a nod. I knew she’ll say this, ‘cause she’s a girl that will never give up.

I’ll miss her, and I’m sure, she’ll miss her like I did.

20 years old, graduated.

Min still hasn’t come back yet, but we keep contacting each other through LINE.

And, now, what did I see ?

A brown haired guy, sleeping on top of my favorite bench in the park.

An ahjussi.

I was about to wake him up, when I thought that maybe he was tired or something. So I decided to let him sleep on the bench.

I took my favorite pink blanket out from my backpack and puts it on top of him.

Somehow, the moment I saw him, I can feel this lonely aura coming from him. Is he really lonely ? I never knew.

When I left him there, I thought that I’ll lose my pink blanket forever because it will be impossible to meet him in this large-sized Seoul.

But, I was wrong.

I met him again at the minimarket, and became a neighbor of his. This is unexpected.

Really unexpected.

But, I knew something for sure.

I will keep on bumping to him, for like forever. ‘Cause somehow, I felt that our distance was not far apart since I met him the first time.

Ahjussi, let’s meet again.