We met in the garden. Do you remember?

It was the middle of autumn, my favourite season.

The leaves on those old grand trees. They looked painted in array of golds and reds. The sky the bluest I had ever seen and the sun brighter than ever. With every step I took, golden leaves crunched beneath my crimson sneakers as I welcomed the magnificence of it all.

I peered down at my favourite flower. The rich violet blossoms, star shaped and in a delicate bell formation; it had always been my favourite. I pulled a flower towards me when you appeared with your smug expression.

“Doraji,” was all you said as I looked over at you in confusion.

“What?”

“Platycodon grandiflorus,” my puzzled expression did not leave my face as you sighed and explained simply with three words, “The Chinese bellflower.”

I straightened myself up and asked you, a complete stranger, “You like flowers?”

You laughed at me and slipped your hands into the pockets of your denim jeans. I watched your eyes dart down towards the floor in what seemed to be embarrassment. The stopped at my sneakers where you commented, “Nice shoes.”

“Thanks,” was all I said, unsure in what I was meant to say.

A silence broke out between us and just as I was about to make my way to class and carry on with the rest of my day until you quickly interjected, “My name is Bang Yongguk.”

I turned to look at you in all your social awkwardness but a smile broke out across my face. “Kim Himchan.”

“I come here on my time off to relax. The scenery here is really beautiful,” you blurted, desperate to keep the conversation going.

“It is,” I agreed. “My sister’s favourite flower was the bellflower. I remember having these plants in our backyard when I was younger and I used to dig the roots up for my grandma so she could make a tonic for my sister.”

“She was sick?” you asked with tenderness in your voice, capable of melting hearts.

I nodded as I continued to look at the flowers my sister loved. “Yeah, she had cancer.”

“I’m so sorry,” you replied with such devastation and sorrow, it made me wonder why you cared so much. I was nothing more than a stranger to you, yet you sounded as if you opened your heart entirely to me, despite not knowing one another at all.

“It’s okay,” I smiled, not a happy smile but a smile to let you know I acknowledged your words.

“Can I buy you lunch or maybe a coffee or something?” you asked as your cheeks flushed an intense red that it made my shoes appear almost pink.

I turned to look at you to make sure you weren’t simply fooling around. I had always been teased and mocked for the way I looked so of course I had taken your request as initially a joke. But after seeing your distressed expression, how could I say no?

“I’ve got a lecture in a couple minutes,” I explained and watched your face droop down, “But I’m sure I can skip it just this once.”

It was like watching a child on Christmas Day. Your face lit up and your hard expressions softened into something most kind. If you had not been so socially awkward I was sure you would have embraced me into a tight hug but you were and instead offered your hand at me. I looked down at your delicate hands and took it with an embarrassed smile. Your goofiness and strangeness was something I could definitely never forget.

“You’re studying medicine?” you questioned me with such surprise it was almost offensive.

We were sitting in a local café and you had bought me lunch and coffee as you promised. I chewed my croissant with an unimpressed expression to see how you would react. You seemed to have picked up my displeasure as you quickly attempted to correct yourself.

“No, I don’t mean you look stupid or anything,” you panicked as you waved your hands around frantically, “I mean I thought someone like you would be doing art or maybe design.”

I picked up my coffee mug and sipped it with my eyes merely blinking at you. I didn’t say anything since I wondered how far I could push you until you completely freaked out and would begin to apologize. I wasn’t a tortuous person but I enjoyed watching you being all flustered and embarrassed over small things.

“I don’t mean all medicine kids have to look all nerdy or that all art students are good looking. But I just saw you and I guessed you were,” you continued to panic.

“So you think I’m good looking?” I asked with a raised brow and watched you fidget with your napkin.

“No,” was the first thing you said and attempted to correct yourself, “I mean yes. Maybe.”

I placed my mug back onto the table and began laughing at you in all your flustered glory. I had never seen someone so timid despite such a fierce look. You were wearing combat boots, loose fitting jeans and a shirt that practically screamed ‘I’m a tough guy’; of course I would find the idea of watching you dig your own grave entertaining.  

“I am doing medicine though,” I pointed out, “Right now I’m missing my afternoon lecture on anatomy.”

“I’m sorry,” you panicked again, “Maybe you should go to it. It’s an important class isn’t it?”

I laughed even harder and shook my head, “I told you I was going to skip it for lunch. Also it’s going to be about the skeletal system. I already know my bones.”

“Oh,” was all you said, unsure on what to say next.

“So what do you do?” I questioned curiously as I watched you take a sip of your coffee.

“I’m a soldier,” you answered, impressing me greatly.

“A solider?" that was not the answer I had been expecint, "You must have a lot of stories then.”

A smile flashed across your face as you gazed downward onto the table shyly. “I’ve got too many to tell.”

“We got time.”