It was the Winter of 1997, and before Christmas and Winter break marks itself evidently incontestable, the local bands at the Uni thought of holding some kind of gig for the crowd. These kinds of performances are what unites the entire student body as one - followed with the assistance of liquor, drugs, and rebellious youth persona. Keep in mind these bands are not the mainstream, and these are indie, college rock, and alt groups who didn't give a damn about a liner placed on their amps during performances. They just want to play music, strum their guitars, slam their cymbals to the ground, and make everyone dance. You've always been that Walkman-carrying, headphones-wearing 'slacker' in campus who barely makes their grades, but never fails the classes either. If it isn't a weeknight spent playing the PS1 with your roommate, it's a night spent with vodka and gin at the nearby 7/11's parking lot. Life was great, and with a few days away before having to go back to your parents for the holidays, this gig was the perfect send-off for the year '97. 

The university allowed this gig (or concert, as the adminsitration wanted to refer to it as) but they had one condition. Since the outside parts of the campus were basically drenched in inches of snow, it would be too dangerous to hold such an event within those parameters. It was approved instead for this gig to happen inside the university's indoor assembly. Lots of students were surprised that this was the only change to the original intention, yet of course everyone knows the liquorfest will happen inevitably even with a restriction, so why bother? 

The night was young and with a bottle of Budweiser in your right hand, and the other hand inside your jeans, it was a perfect jam for everyone. The first few bands to play have done their duty, and the ensemble at the stage now is just knocking back on Foo Fighters covers, with distorted guitars and non-stop songs from 'The Colour and The Shape' album. This was your R&R of sorts, and with food apparently provided by the university for everyone the entire night, there were no issues in sight at all. 
How can it get any better? The scenery of seeing the jocks just headbanging their necks out with the geeks, and alt dudes who were arguably wearing the same clothes as you was a feast for the eyes. Well, it can always get better or worse - it just depends now how you'll interpret this angel that you just exchanged glances with. 



Her beauty was immaculate, you were completely blown away. Happenstance? If so, you can thank all your lucky stars for that moment when the beer's effect and the band's closing song was on the outro already to give you the courage you can garner for yourself in this moment of moving closer. The band has said 'goodnight', and they've started unplugging their gear from the technicals. Time to take a deep breath, and walk over to that girl you've drawn attention to. She was somehow alone as well, you weren't so sure if she really was or her friend just went away for a bit to get another drink or go to the comfort room. Nonetheless, you appraoched her and bowed for a greeting. She bowed in return, and said hello. 

"Hi, I was just over there and our eyes kinda crossed paths. I noticed you weren't with anybody at all, did you come here alone?" 
"Yeah, my friends packed up early and went back to their homes before Uni even proclaimed the break." 
"I see. Well, allow me to introduce myself, my name is-" 

The microphone gave a hefty feedback just as you were about to introduce yourself to the girl. And this took almost everyone's attention to be directed to the MC on the stage. He's currently introducing the next band who seems to have broken through the status of anonymity in the recording label streams, and has signed with a prominent name. In the midst of you two listening to the bloke at the front, you both continued conversating. 

"My name is Kim Sejeong. I'm a Journalism student." 
"Oh! Magnificent name you got there. I'm guessing it's Korean?" 
"Oh wow, how did you know? Usually, people think I'm Chinese..." 
"They're idiots who can't be bothered to use their eyes." You replied with confidence gleaming through your words. 

Sejeong just replied with a chuckle as she gives you momentary glimpses, purposely dividing her attention likewise yourself. You took another sip of your beer, and right that very second after your hands were free to give an applause requested by the MC so the crowd can welcome one of the 'revered' bands of the night - Kara's Flowers. 

"I've heard about this band, they're from Los Angeles. Damn, they went all this way just to have a random gig at some Uni in America." 
"Shows you much of their dedication and passion, doesn't it?" Sejeong uplifts them. 

You nodded with an agreeing smile on your face, and you offered Sejeong if she wanted something to nibble from the food options the university arranged, or if she wanted a beverage to eliminate her parchedness. She was to decline, until she changed her mind last minute for a pint like yours as well. You cordially asked yourself to be excused to grab another bottle of Budweiser from the cooler. It wasn't gonna take long, but you were in a state of hurry when the band has finished making adjustments and the frontman started testing his mic. 

"Good evening, everyone. We're Kara's Flowers - and this song is titled 'Soap Disco'. 

The distorted guitars started playing, and so did the lead vocalist who was singing the lyrics of this song only a few people in the crowd are familiar with. You were walking back to where Sejeong was when you left her, and when she sensed you returning, she quickly turned to you and gestured you to hurry up. You can see from a distance earlier that Sejeong was one of those persons in the crowd who knew what this song was, as she mouthed the lyrics and danced a bit to the tune. You paced back to Sejeong's side and you handed over the bottle. She thanked you for it, and the chat that was only possible through clamor has begun. 

"I know this song! I heard it on the radio the other day!" Sejeong shared. 

"It sounds tight! Pop rock at its core, yeah?!" 

"Dance with me!" Sejeong said as she grabbed your hand and dragged you near the stacked crowds in the middle. 

You two were still holding your drinks at the other hand when Sejeong dragged you and herself to the dance floor. A few drips spilled to the floor, but Sejeong couldn't care less! She wanted to dance and so she did. She started shaking her hips and swaying her arms around. You've never seen such a sight of a wonderful and pretty lady not giving a care in the world, and just expressing herself through the music of the soundwaves. This hyped you in a groovy way, and you started dancing like what Sejeong did. Halfway through the song, it was like everyone else disappeared and it was only you and her jiving to the band who was solely there to play their songs for Sejeong's enjoyment and yours. In some corners of the walls, people who identify the same music taste as yours would more or less find it appalling to see a fellow unwind themselves to this music. But frankly, you couldn't mind it at all - because the girl who lead you to the spot was the only thing you could care about tonight. 

- 

The time drifted away to 1:01 AM, and the night was dying with sedation. Bands were still playing, and a few people are still in attendance but most numbers have depleted because they either went back to their lofts to sleep or carry on something else. Or, the reason maybe like what you and Sejeong hatched up. The plan was to head to the football yard and just hang by the bleachers smoking a cigarette. Watching this empty and dark field only fathom the designated lights open tells a lot on how much this place was a discreet pattern. Proven it was because you can also hear voices of the other students who had the same scheme as you and Sejeong did, but you can't particularly see any of them because they're dispersed all over the dark like you. 
You and Sejeong decided to overcome that stereotype of just spending the minutes together because the courtesy of the merriment calls for it, and you both wanted to become friends. Sejeong started talking about herself, and you started giving our your identity as well. Sejeong told you that once the break is here, she's gonna fly back to South Korea to spend the Christmas with her parents. She also told you bits of her childhood that make her the music-loving blonde she is to this day. All of this under the simple hand of fate that lead you to be hers for the night, and so was she for you. It was magical whilst the cigarettes you were both wasting away were indicating the moments left until you two were heading to where the setting took you. 
You and Sejeong threw the cigarette butts under the bleachers, and with just one stare in each other's eyes, the kiss followed. You and Sejeong were enamoured with this living, heavily-excited by this connection promulgated by a tender embrace and her lips warmly mounted unto yours in the cold night of Winter season. You both wished to just stay like this forever, or until the sun rises from the east - whichever may come first. Sadly, this want couldn't be seen through as a campus guard patroling the football field sees the plethora of silhouettes masked by the feign dark. He blew his whistle and starts yelling the repirmands. You and Sejeong quickly got up from your seats and ran off to the deputed exits of the stands. One by one you saw the other people scatter from the scene, and come the campus guard who was eager to put at least one set of students to custody. Hopefully, he didn't catch any of you. 

After a distant run to the campus dorms, you and Sejeong were helpless to breathe as the mix of laughter and lack of oxygen from the physical exertion was still dangling its effect on you both. Still, it didn't stop you both from maintaining eye contact, and this proved even more the lingering character of love you found from each other. 

"So yeah ... That's my dorm over there, near the University fence." 

"Right, the building is literally beside the fence." 

"Tell me, did you have the hots for me the first time you saw me?" Sejeong asked. 

"Honestly, all I saw was this woman who looked way out of my league. But, I didn't think of it as a discouragement, rather being your friend alone was enough." 

"Then you didn't want to kiss me at all?" Sejeong curiously dives the topic. 

You took a few steps alongside Sejeong to choose the right words to say. The few steps that contained nothing but resonated its existence with the pavement, and Sejeong was starting to worry because the silence was becoming a ground for awkwardness. 
You consolidated with the next few words. 

"It's not that I didn't want to kiss you. It's quite peculiar for a person to want to kiss someone the first time around they met, correct? I was simply wanting you instead. All night I only wondered the same thing over and over again, and not that it's by my words - but I was completely stunned and convinced by this idea of maybe ... Just maybe, beautiful girl like you ... Can also fall in love with me too?" You stuttered. 

The timing sold itself to the end of your statement when the doorstep of Sejeong's dormitory was imminent. She went forward from you, and this signalled the fact she was meaning to head upstairs and put a dot on this long and curious story. It doesn't necessarily mean a tragedy, or a happy glory. The sun has to shine, and the moon has too as well - everybody knew that. 
Before entering the building, Sejeong turned around to give you a kiss on the cheek, and responded only with:

"Maybe she can." with a wink.