I was sitting on the chair playing with my phone while I await the news of your arrival. I chose to occupy myself with games rather that to remain standing and be constantly hopping on my feet. They told me that you look stunning in your white gown, but I told them that you’ve always been stunning no matter what you’re wearing, earning me some fake punches on my shoulder. Luckily, I had also donned a strapless gown so they cannot do anything bruise-inducing to me. I was busy trying to beat my own high score when our past suddenly pop in my mind.

Do you remember when we first met? I was hanging from a branch upside down with my eyes closed when I suddenly felt someone’s lips pressed on mine. It turned out that you were trying to escape the bullies that were mocking your failed Korean and you cannot see clearly were you were going. I was startled, to say the least, making me loss my balance and I fell. You came rushing to my aid, profusely saying sorry as I held my aching . I told you I am okay, but just as you were about to say more, a man in a black suit came, telling you that your father is waiting for you in the car.

Do you remember how I first approached you? It took me another 6 months to pluck the courage to do it and introduce myself to you. But hey, although I was a little bit slow in that department, I did not stay put during those times. I made sure that those bullies stay away from you, using my brother’s fist as an effective deterrent tool; he always made sure to tease me right after each encounter. He knew about my blossoming feelings for you, and although we both knew that it is not ideal, he supported me, telling me that if that’s what’s makes me happy, then he’ll be happy for me. I really love my brother, even if I become, most of the times, the victim of his pranks.

Back to the day when I introduced myself to you. From my research, I found out that you’re a pink maniac. You’ve got a pink bag, a pink lunchbox, pink notebooks, pink pen holder, pink hanky; basically, everything that is allowed to be pink, you have them in that colour. So I set myself to get you a Hello Kitty plushie, cracking my piggy bank and asking my brother for some when my cash in hand was not enough to buy one. I waited for you in the garden on the back of the school, knowing that you prefer to watch the flowers therein as you wait for your chauffer. I inhaled deeply and then walked towards you, clearing my throat out loud for you to know my presence. You immediately smiled when you saw the plush I was holding, and it made my heart beat fast; you have the most amazing eye-smile in the whole, wide universe. I fumbled a little with your name, using ‘p’ instead of ‘f’, and while most people would find it offensive, you just chuckled and told me to call you anything I like.

Do you remember the first family member we introduced to each other? I introduced you first to my brother, and boy, how embarrassed I was when he began telling you how much of a coward I was when I was still thinking of how best to approach you. You laughed from his stories and while I was still annoyed with him, I was relieved to hear you laugh.

It was the school’s founding anniversary when you introduced me to your father. And what great shock it brought me when you finally told me who he was. I still can’t believe that I am friends with a diplomat’s daughter. A week after, I asked you why you were enrolled in our school when you’re clearly qualified to enter an international school, and you answered that it was partially your late mother’s wish for you to be able to experience authentic Korean culture, including being enrolled in an ordinary Korean school.

Do you remember the rest of our high school years? They went in a blur, and then it was time for us to choose our courses and schools for college. I was confident in my math, so I opted to enrol a double major in statistics and legal management, while you chose to enrol in a business course, having fashion in your mind. I was hoping that we’ll get enrolled in the same university, but I was really disappointed when you told me that your father chose your university because it means that it will not be the same as mine. But I did not let it dampen my spirit. I told myself that we can still see each other and be the best friends that we are. To my great surprise, you told me that your father has purchased a two bedroom condo unit for you and asked me if I wanted to share it with you. I was hesitant at first, but you really know how to make me agree.

Do you remember the time when we first got to be housemates? It was not smooth sailing at first, which I can assure you. We may be the best of friends, but living together certainly opened my eyes to some of your ‘not so good’ qualities (to say the least), like, I know that you don’t know how to cook, but I did not know that you’re really a disaster in the kitchen. So, after that night when I caught you trying to put out the fire on the wok, I set up some rules – you are not to cook anything unless under my strict and personal supervision. To make up for that, you assigned yourself to washing the dishes. We ate with smiles on our faces right after.

Living with you also made me realize that I was only falling deeper for you. I was not planning to tell you my feelings any sooner but it just happened that you heard me talking in my sleep one night I forgot to close my door, saying how much I love you. I did not know at first, but then you started showering me with more affection than what you normally did. I brushed aside your actions, not letting myself hope high, but then the biggest surprise in my life came when you told me straight to my face that you love me as more that your best friend. I was not able to answer first, my mind in a haywire after your confession, and if not for you hanging your head down and your hand losing its grip on mine, I could have spent the night in that state, but luckily, something clicked inside me and I smiled widely as I hug you tightly and told you that I love you too. You wrap your arms on my waist and exhaled loudly on the crook of my neck, telling me how nervous you were when I did not answer immediately. I your hair and told you how happy I am that I have come clean to you.

Do you remember whom we first told about us? Like in the past, it was my brother who was the first to know about our relationship. He gave me a very tight hug and praised me for my courage, but then he laughed at me when I told him that it was you who confessed first. I wanted to strangle him at that moment, but thinking about the things he has done for me and for us, I let it pass.

We were in our third year in college when I received the devastating news. My brother secretly called me one night to tell me that I should cancel whatever plan I may have in visiting home for the meantime. I was puzzled, since I have been anticipating the day when I am going to introduce you to my family not only as my best friend but also as my girlfriend. However, my resolve collapsed when he told me that apparently, Umma and Appa one day decided to surprise me only to see us giving each other a peck on the lips before entering the lift to our unit. He told me how furious Appa was, and that Umma has been crying; the only thing preventing Appa from skinning me alive was a little compassion for me as his child, but other than that, I was totally non-existing in his eyes.

I was hoping that my family, particularly my parents, would eventually learn to accept me for who I am when we entered our last year in college, but I was proven wrong. Oppa informed me that he’s going to enter the army for his mandatory service and that we should come and send him off. I was so excited to see him as we have not seen each other for almost a year, forg