I'm in love with Minjeong.

 

I think I've always been in love with her. 

 

There wasn't an exact time of when it happened, when I felt it, I just knew. 

 

Because isn't that what love should feel like? 

 

Or maybe it's just me? 

 

I don't think I can ever explain it using my own words– what I feel for Minjeong, that is. It's not something I can easily word out. But one thing I know, I want her to feel it. I want to show it to her, just how much I love her, like how I've been wishing to do so in the past two and a half years.

 

Even since nung bago pa kami maging mag "best friends", I already knew that I could never see her as just that. I spoke with her once, and then boom. I was attracted, endeared, intrigued, and all things captivated. Minjeong was just– and still is, a very likeable person in general. She's naturally enticing, and even her flaws could still be considered as one of her charming traits. 

 

When we first met, I always wanted to be close with her somehow. I wanted to be able to look at her and just be like, oh, I can talk to her. I can hug her, or simply hold her.

 

But Minjeong... she's something. Hindi siya isa sa mga considered as "normal" if there's even such thing. She's from a whole other world, literally.

 

She's been through a lot. She lost her home, parents, friends, her everything. Alam ko na jumping in a romantic relationship is probably at the very last of her long list of the things she'd like and should do. So I take what I can get, and relish what she can give. 

 

Best friends. 

 

And I'm more than fine with it, just as long as she knows she has me, in every step of the way. 

 

That's why I never made a move– until now.

 

 

Flashback

 

Kakauwi ko lang from school. I had a short morning class at 5:30 AM kasi, and it ended at 9:30 AM

 

I was just about to open the gate of our house nung biglang may kumalabit sa balikat ko. Confused, hinarap ko kung sino man ito.

 

A girl. A cute one, at that. 

 

She's not that short, but I'm taller than her. Her hair is jet black and is cut in an adorable bob with bangs. Nakaflannel din siya, matched with comfortable sweatpants na para bang matutulog na siya at any moment. 

 

She looked nervous.

 

On top of that, she's also holding a– tablet? I'm not sure. It looks like one, but a bit... different? I don't know. It seems more futuristic than some normal gadgets out there.

 

“Hi?” I greeted first since she doesn't look like she'll be speaking any time soon, considering na nakatingin lang siya sa'kin.

 

“H–hello.” 

 

And she has a cute voice too.

 

Then she cleared nung tinaasan ko lang siya ng kilay, silently asking for what she needs.

 

“Ak– ako... Ako–” she pointed to herself, at halatang nahihirapan siya magsalita. “Ako si Minjeong.”

 

I crossed my arms, curious. Ano ba kailangan niya? “Okay?”

 

Nanlaki naman ang mga mata niya sa sinabi ko, at dali-daling nagtap doon sa tablet niya.

 

I just watched her. 

 

Few seconds later, she looked up again with those innocent gaze, ”Ma...maaaariii... mo b–ba akong tulo–tulu...ngan mag–hanap ng masss...si...silungan.”

 

It took her an exact minute to finish her words.

 

Is she a foreigner? 

 

Korean, perhaps? 

 

Oh, no, is she lost? 

 

“Wait, are you lost?” I asked in English, for sure she can understand me naman, right? 

 

Turns out I was wrong.

 

Because as soon as I asked, her eyes widened even more in panic and began anxiously typing on her tablet again. 

 

Mukhang hindi rin siya marunong mag English.

 

“Ah, khap kuvaium!” she whispered to herself, but I heard it. She's still tinkering with her tablet.

 

What language was that?

 

“Everything okay?” Tanong ko ulit since I'm starting to get worried with the way she looks.

 

Mas lalo pa siyang nagpanic sa tinanong ko.

 

Nag-sigh naman siya in relief nang mukhang nahanap niya na ang hinahanap niya sa tablet niya. “A–anong wika ang si...sinabi mo...?”

 

Is she... Is she using Google translate?

 

I couldn't help but chuckle in amusement. 

 

“English. You don't know how to speak English?”

 

She just blinked at me.

 

Right, she probably didn't understand what I just said.

 

Since nagtatagalog naman siya with the help of her translator, I figured na mas better if mag Tagalog na lang din ako.

 

“Where are you from?”

 

I mentally slapped my forehead. That was definitely not Tagalog. 

 

“Um, taga-saan ka?” ulit ko.

 

She seemed to be in so much relief nung nag-Tagalog ako. Siguro dahil naka-default na sa tablet niya yung Tagalog and hindi na siya mahirapan pa mag translate.

 

Because apparently, her ‘futuristic’ tablet could actually understand me. I just realized it nung nakita ko na umilaw ito at mukhang automatic na nag-translate ng sinabi ko, judging by the look on the girl's face. 

 

Ah, technology.

 

“Kwangya.”

 

Huh.

 

I don't know where that is. Somewhere in Europe?

 

“Kwangya?”

 

“Zhi– ah, o–oo. Kwangya. Oo.” She nodded, tapos tumingin ulit sa gadget niya. “Zim o–opo. Kwangya, opo.”

 

Okay, I gotta admit, amidst her nervousness, I actually find her adorable.

 

But where the heck is Kwangya?

 

Since I know naman na medyo mahaba ang mapag-uusapan namin considering the circumstances, siguro mas better if papasukin ko nalang siya inside, kesa naman na nakatayo lang kaming dalawa dito sa labas.

 

She leaned back instantly, papalayo sa'kin nung nalapit ko yung ulo ka sa kaniya unintentionally so I could take a look around kung may mga tao na ba sa kalsada. Wala naman. Tulog pa rin siguro silang lahat since it's still early in the morning.

 

“Gusto mo bang pumasok?” tanong ko nang tumingin ulit ako sa kanya. Nasa work naman na si dad, at si mom naman, mamayang 10 AM pa makakauwi. 

 

She looked down on her tablet again, then tumango. 

 

 

 

“Okay, okay, let me get this straight.” Tumawa ako, though walang humor sa tone ko. “Nanggaling ka sa planetang Kwangya, which exploded two months ago— which makes you an alien refugee.”

 

At this momen