With the dose of wine, intoxicated in reminiscence, Seungho gave a dreamy smile at Sohyun. “Then?”, Sohyun asked gazing into his eyes with a pleased smile. He turned to Mr. Kang carrying a peeved face, “How can she infect me with that gaze and smile?”. He is drunk, Mr. Kang concluded. But, Seungho continued narrating the story.

After that encounter in the subway, I didn’t see her again. I told myself that it could be my imagination, but, whenever I took the subway, I never failed to scan the people in the opposite platform. And soon, I enlisted in the military, it changed me. My life was kind of rudderless until then. I got new friends and Yoonpark was one of them. Our bond grew strong, even after the service ended. Five of us got into the same university, though of different disciplines we held onto each other. At first, we assisted each other but gradually we started to lend our assistance. We could stand up to anyone, anywhere! We were ‘The untouchables’. (He said holding a proud smile)

“You got into fights?”, Mrs. Kang probed.

“Exactly! They loved butting into other’s business!”, Sohyun cried.

(Seungho retorted) We did social service! We resolved conflicts…

“With fights?”, Sohyun finished his sentence and added, “He looked calm and friendly on the outside, but…”. He stared at Sohyun which made her to stop the tattletale.

I’m sure, you know the reason behind the fight! (He asked her raising his brows)

Sohyun looked away while Mr and Mrs. Kang looked at him expecting the reason for the fights.

I don’t want to reveal it… (He pouted) Six months after my discharge from the military, during one such fight, while I raised my fist at one of the jerks after grabbing his collar, I heard someone crying, ‘Oh God!’. I turned my head and it’s her again! How could she casually walk in and out of my life? She was in the bus stop across me, in a school uniform. Her hands closed the eyes of an elementary school boy next to her, to prevent him from witnessing the fight. When I saw them, my anger dissolved into dust, I immediately put my fist down, released my hold on his collar and patted the jerk to flee the scene. She rushed the little boy to board the bus and got on along with him. Before she boarded the bus, she turned to look at me with an anger and fear in her eyes. I couldn’t tear my eyes off her and I’ll never forget hers. My friends shook me up asking if I’m all right. In that split second, she disappeared with the bus.

That night, after we came back to our room, my mind was preoccupied. And obviously my friends caught up on it and took their seat around me. But, I didn’t say anything except, “Which school has tan blazer uniform?”. My question seems to puzzle them as they looked at each other. They all then looked at me with intriguing look. “I swear I didn’t fall for her! I didn’t even take a good look at her!”, I told them. They zoomed in to read my lines. “I admit that she is beautiful with black hair and bangs especially with the blush on her cheeks…”. Yoonpark cut my conversation saying, “You told us you didn’t even take a good look at her!”. I sighed out loud and left my seat more like . I didn’t fall for her, it’s just that this time, I regretted that I left a bad impression with her.

Next day, thankfully it’s a weekday. I waited in the bus stop, I didn’t have the courage to wait in front of her school, though after a lot of effort I found it with just her uniform colour. She came with another girl today. Must be her friend. They seem close with all those chatting and laughter. Just to confirm, I read the school name on the batch of her uniform. I took me seconds to confirm the school name but to read her name, I have to stare at her uniform for a long time. But, I don’t want to leave a bad impression again. I stood at a distance of about ten feet pretending to wait for the bus while she was in my hindsight.  I smiled at her jokes and nodded as she spoke with her friend. I wanted to explain myself to her about yesterday, but the question ‘why I have to explain?’, didn’t hit me that time. I rehearsed in my mind. How should I start? Hello? Hi? Or should I just start with an apology? Or should I introduce myself? Since, we already met, should I start a casual conversation like asking if she had her breakfast?

Mustering the courage, I turned towards her. But, she stood facing the other side looking at the approaching bus. Before, I could say another word, the bus pulled over and she boarded after taking a glance at me.  I stood still, letting go of the chance to explain. She took a window seat and looked at me and SMILED! She gave a quick smile and glanced away. Before, I could respond, the bus took her away from me.

I smiled like an idiot unable to control my expression. She forgave me!

Sohyun listened to him with a beatific smile while resting her chin on palm.

That night, Yooram invited me and my friends to a treat. He sent an unknown location. We thought it would be in a big restaurant since he got a job at a big firm, but it was a tent bar. Yet, nothing is more comfortable than that. It was a place where we can drink to get drunk.

After some glasses, they got drunk. I didn’t want to go through the slump the next morning, So I had my drink within the limit. Few started crying, few became angelic and started pouring about their concern about us and some worried about the black hole in space! And there is this one guy named Yoonpark, who thinks of himself as my guardian angel! He sang, “Seungho-ya, if you had told me earlier, I would’ve arranged a meeting with that girl through my connections! I heard you couldn’t even utter a word to her. Poor you!” I gasped. Yooram looked at me with a sly smile. I know what that smile means, so explained him everything. He listened to it with a lingering smile on his face. Yoonpark intervened grabbing on my shirt and trying his best to be as dramatic as possible, “You like her, don’t you?”. I shoved him off, ignoring his question. But, I told myself that I’ll never go out of my way to meet her again.

It’s been three months… since the semester started and since I have seen her. Our department must go for an industrial visit as per the curriculum. We can choose our own site for the visit, but it should be in a batch of five. My batch decided on an industry at Busan. We booked a ticket in express train at the last minute. It was the vacation time, so our seats were scattered.

We all boarded the train but on different coaches. I walked in search of my seat number holding the ticket in one hand and wearing the backpack. After I found my seat, while placing the bag in the luggage lot above, I found a trolley bag decorated with kakaotalk ducks. It put a smile on me. I guessed the owner of the bag is the one sitting opposite to my seat, so I regained my composure and took my seat. I looked outside the window, to check if the train had departed since its time. Leaning on the seat, I looked at the person seated opposite to me.

It’s her! She had her eyes on the book while mine was on her. I wonder what song is playing through her earphones. Though I forgot her, there isn’t a single day that passed without thinking about her.

Personally, I don’t believe in destiny or fate, coz if everything happens by the fate then, what’s the brain for? What’s the difference between the robot which functions on codes and us who function on fate?

But, I don’t want this meeting to be framed under the term ‘mere coincidence’, I looked for something special like miracle, destiny, or fate!

I’m hyperventilating! I ran my fingers through my hair. It made her to look away from her book at me. My eyes wavered and I immediately looked through the window. Does she remember me? I breathed out. She gave a quick look at me and got back with the book. I stomped on the floor of the train with loud thud to attract her attention. She did look at me, knitting her brows, confused by my action. I breathed out again. She put her book on her lap, “Are you ok?”, she asked. I bewildered. “Are you panting?”, she asked again. I guess, she is worried. I nodded saying, “Yes”.

“You need a doctor?”, she asked.

I pointed her and withdrew. She arched a brow. “It’s because of you!”, I said.

She rolled her eyes and sighed, “Are you trying to flirt with me?”

I shook my head in denial and said, “Really, I’m panting… And I don’t need a doctor… I need… huh… some oxygen”. I got up from my seat and immediately walked away. I don’t know what came over me. I found myself standing in front of the mirror in the restroom. Idiot! Idiot! Idiot!... I slapped my face. My heart is pounding hard and I could hear the BTS’s Butterfly song playing as the background score. But, I found a new stranger in me. I heard someone knocking on the door, followed by her voice which asked, “Are you alright?”. Before replying anything, I hurriedly adjusted the wrinkles in my clothes and fixed my hair by combing with my fingers.

When I opened, I saw her hand in the air which was about to knock the door again. She immediately put her hand down and moved aside to stand in the spacious corridor.

I knew she was standing there because she wants to talk with me or enquire about my health, yet I wanted to act coy and walked past her. “You are Yoo Seungho-sshi, right?”. She successfully stopped me. I turned and looked at her surprised. Before my mind could process any question, she said, “I saw you near the bus stop few months ago, right?”

I nodded.

“I remember you fighting with some people”, she said smiling.

I nodded again. 

“But, for a good cause, I heard! That’s very nice of you… I heard abo…”, I cut her in with, “I think I’ve fallen in love with you”, I confessed like a dialogue conversation.

She was certainly taken aback by my sudden confession. But, I wanted a smile. On recovering from the shock, she sighed and took a step away.

“Don’t brush it away or judge me! I’m serious…”, She stopped walking and gazed at me, I said it in a tone that was never as serious as this before, and continued, “I have never behaved like this before! I haven’t got such guts before! I never knew I had such guts either! But, I haven’t felt like this before! I don’t wanna let it go! So, I really have to tell you this… I’m in love with you.”

“What do you expect me to say?”, she asked bluntly crossing her arms.

I nodded saying, “Ok… I understand! Nothing is expected from you. Just answer three questions”, I took a step closer and counted with my fingers asking, “Are you married?”

She let out a quick laugh and shook her head in denial.

“Boyfriend?”

She shook her head again.

“Do you love someone?”

“No”, she said hesitantly.

A smile crept in me. I thought only the three words (I love you) would make me happy, but I never knew her three noes could do the same. “That’s more than enough! I’ll come into your life and I’ll sweep you off your feet”, I said with confidence and without any inch of shame.

She stood stunned but, she smirked and said, “That’s not easy! Coz, Kim and Yoo don’t go well together!”

I realised it then! I understood what she meant. I took a step back and leaned on the partition. But, …

“SEUNGHO! …”, a voice cut in his narration and everyone looked at the entrance of the house, where the voice came from.

It was Seungho’s mom and Chaeyoung. Seungho and Sohyun stood up from their couch surprised by the sudden visit. Seeing them, Mr. and Mrs. Kang were on their feet too. The sight of them made him sober. He immediately rushed and hugged his mom. Chaeyoung joined the group hug. “Did you forget about us after moving out?”, Chaeyoung asked.

“If you had come any later, maybe I would have!”, he joked after breaking the hug.  

Chaeyoung who saw Sohyun standing beside them quietly with a pleased smile, embraced her into a hug.

Seungho introduced Mr and Mrs. Kang to his mom and Chaeyoung. They took their leave from Kang’s house and headed towards their stay. After they left, Mrs. Kang whined, “He left the story in the midway!”. Mr. Kang joined, “So, pouring the wine was in vain!”

On climbing the stairs, and walking past the courtyard in the front, Seungho’s mom saw a small apartment. She saw Sohyun opening the lock of the main door with a brass key and asked worriedly, “Is it safe to have lock and key system for the main door?”

“Nothing to steal anyway!”, Seungho replied while Sohyun nodded.

On entering the house, Seungho and Sohyun welcomed them in and he asked his mom and Chaeyoung to take their seat on the couch, while Sohyun went inside the kitchen to prepare the refreshments. Seungho followed her behind to the kitchen, leaving the guests in the living room.

“What are you doing?”, he asked her.

“Making tea for your mom and juice for Chaeyoung”, she answered while rummaging the fridge to get the fruits. She got to know their preferences while she met them before the marriage.

“I’ll help you!”, he said and took the kettle to boil the water for tea.

On getting the things from the fridge, she immediately rushed to Seungho and grabbed the kettle from him saying, “I’ll be careful enough not to burn, so, show your mom and sister around the house”. “But…”. “Don’t you miss them?”, she asked in a soft voice. Before he left the kitchen, he planted a kiss on her forehead and said, “I’ll be back to help you in the kitchen soon”. She smiled and went back to prepare the refreshments.

By the time they finished the tour around the house, Sohyun came out with the refreshments. Seungho rushed to receive the tray from her and served it to the guests. When Seungho was about to take his seat beside his mom on the couch, “Sohyun-ah, come and sit here!”, Mrs. Yoo said.

Mrs. Yoo clasped hands with Sohyun and continued the conversation with Seungho. They talked about the changes that went over in his parent’s house after he left. They came to visit without Mr. Yoo’s knowledge. Though, he explained things in detail so that Sohyun could understand and join the conversation, she smiled appreciating his effort. But, she has no idea when to speak and when not to. Sohyun laughed and smiled with them. They are such lovely people but, Sohyun was a passive audience in the conversation. They reminded her of her family. She missed her parents and Jiwoo. She wiped away her longing tears under the guise of the laughter. They left after the dinner in the restaurant nearby.

As soon as Sohyun and Seungho came back home, he wrapped her waist in his arms from behind and lifted her asking, “Why is my wife so quiet?”. “Put me down”, she said tapping his arms. He lowered her but, turned her around still wrapping his arms around her. She gazed into his eyes and said, “You know, I’m in love… with you!”. His reminiscence took her back to those days where she couldn’t speak her mind like now. So now, she wanted to answer his confession then.

He nodded saying, “I know”, with a blissful smile.

She continued, “In love for a long time, when you were 24 and I was 18, …”, she wrapped her arms around his neck and said in a pleasing tone, “I was 15, when I saw you first, it could’ve been from then too!”.

He planted a series of kisses on her forehead, cheeks, and tip of her nose and said, “I’m happy with you by my side!”. He asked her in an earnest tone, “Are you happy?”

She nodded replying, “I’m happy!”

Days scrolled on like a movie and happiness, teasing, sharing, dedication, appreciation, and companionship became the chapters of their life.

One morning, Sohyun shook him up who was sleeping soundly on the mattress, “Wake up! It’s already late!”

He woke up rubbing his eyes and the first thing he asked was, “Did you receive any report through post yesterday?”

“I woke up early, made the breakfast, got dressed, did my hair and woke you up looking all beautiful, and you are worried about the report that arrived yesterday?”

“Report arrived?”, he asked expectantly.

She left the room, brought the report, and asked, “Choose… report or wife?”.

He got up from bed and cupped her face saying, “Obviously… the report!” and tried to get the report. She hid the report behind her. He closed in, leaned forward, and wrapped her in his arms. While she closed her eyes to receive his kiss, he took the chance and grabbed the report from her and fled the scene shouting, “Should I forget the world after marriage?”

Author’s note:

Hello again! Thank you for reading!

(I wonder, when it comes to the author’s note, the readers would be like, ‘The usual blah, blah, blah… I know’. Ok, honest thoughts apart;) )

Thanks to all the subscribers! You’re my constant source of motivation :)

See you again with next chapter :) Hearts! Hearts! Hearts!

Next Chapter preview: Marriage is bed of roses, but roses have thorns!

P.S: Are the fonts too big?