It was a night in September when my friends and I were joking about our future and eventually these jokes lead to getting married in a coffee shop. I can remember everything clearly until now. How could I not? There’s not a single thing worth forgetting because it was the day that I met you.

For the second time.

I was not used to drinking coffee before. In fact, I really hated it. I can’t even stand the smell of it a couple of feet away from me. I don’t get why people spend hundreds of bucks just to get a cup of coffee. It’s not even a good healthy lifestyle drinking coffee every day.  Well to get to the point, I hated coffee before meeting you at a coffee shop when my car got flat tired and I had no place to go to but that nearby coffee shop.

I hated the place. Why? Because the only vacant table was a spot I did not like. And the spot that I liked was taken by someone. Apparently, you were the one sitting on it. The coffee shop was getting crowded every second I stood astounded by the scenery. With no choice left, I lined up to pretend that I’m a coffee lover to buy one. Unfortunately, you were on my way and cut in the line before me. With that, I realized another thing. You’re giving me so many reasons to hate you. I know I was being childish for sitting on your table while you were on the line. Got you!

You came back to the table and saw me sitting on it. We were completely strangers but we started arguing. You were very hot-tempered. The only thing left for you to do was to spill the hot coffee to me. But you did not.

The next thing I knew was you walked out of the coffee shop causing more ruckus. I saw you left your bag and for some reasons, I ran after you to give you back your bag. Or probably to argue more. I just knew that the best feeling would be to win that argument.

But you were nowhere to be seen.

I took the chance to return your bag the next day. I came back to the same coffee shop.

It happened thirty times. For thirty days, I’ve been heading to the same coffee shop just to return you stupid bag which you stupidly forgot.

I stopped coming to the same coffee shop after a month. Can you imagine that I endured the scent of coffee for thirty days without even seeing you again. Plainly stupid.

But I did not know how it happened when September came and my friend treated us to this same coffee shop. And that’s when I saw you again. After thirty days of going back every single day and a month of break. You’re there.

We caught each other’s gaze for a second but I simply looked away. That’s when I told my friends, “I don’t see the importance of marriage. Can’t two people just stay together without getting married? If it’s only love that matters, why marry? I can say I love this person or that. But marriage won’t prove it.”

It was surprising that you heard what he said so there you went again, causing a surprising hysteria saying, “If that’s your perception of marriage, I hope you’ll never find a girl to marry.”

And again, you found your way out of the coffee shop.

After that night, I realized one thing. You amaze me. And that I had to make it up to you and get to know you more by enduring another thirty days of meeting you at the same coffee shop just to finally have the guts to get your number.

Look at my enemy, she’s now standing before me listening to my vow to love her forever. I never believed in love at first sight, but now I finally do. I never believed in true love, but at this moment, I finally do. I have never believed in forever, but the moment I started saying my vow, I already did.

Seo Joo Hyun, I hope you accept this heart of mine. When you hoped for me not to find a girl to marry, I was glad because I only found you.

Kai,

The first time we’ve met and argued upon a coffee table was indeed hilarious and stupid. But I walked away because the morning of that day... was the moment when my fiancé and I called off our marriage and he broke up with me. I cried over a chair. Why? Because I only asked God one thing that day after my boyfriend left me, and that is to give me what I want for that day. And that’s just that perfect spot of the coffee shop. And I cried because God couldn’t give it to me. And that was just a chair. So I lost hope for God to give my boyfriend back to me.

I know I lost my temper that time, I could just spill the coffee on you. But I always thought, I can never give pain to others just because I’m the one suffering. I was miserable, and I’m sorry we met at a very unexpected time.

Thirty days, I spent my days and nights crying. I was miserable. Thirty days and thirty nights before I realized my bag was missing. I was too blinded by my broken heart.

So I decided to go back to the coffee shop. For thirty days, I kept on going back to the coffee shop for only one reason. That is to claim that seat as mine. I completely forgot about my missing bag. And for thirty days, I was happy because God finally bestowed me what I asked before. That is, for that coffee table to be always vacant for me.

One night came and I did not expect to see you again. You were talking about marriage with your friends and I can’t help but listen. I was so bitter about marriage. I’m sorry I came up cursing you to never find a girl to marry.

Thirty days and you asked for my number. I know I rejected you three times before finally saying yes to dating. I did not know you would stay with me even if I was still in love with my ex-boyfriend.

I always thought that whenever I walk out of that coffee shop, I’m walking out on the people inside. But it wasn’t the same—I’ve walked out a lot of times because of you. but you always found me. I only met you once, you were a stranger, but I didn’t know I couldn’t just walk out of your life. You stepped in mine, so I ought to keep you in it.

I know standing before you, in this aisle, before God, will always remind me of the first that I lost. But now that you’re with me, I think He was right when he said love your enemies. All the days before today, I hated this spot, but now that I’m standing right here, all the bitter memories I had for this are gone. It’s only you that matters now, Kai.

I want to say thank you for hating me before, because it feels so nice now to know that you love me.

When I say forever, I mean it. And I’m glad I haven’t said it to anyone yet, nor made a mistake of saying it to someone else. I looked for that reason before, and now, I guess I finally found it.

I love you, Kai. And forever, I always will.