The next couple of months gave way to a new routine for you. Taewoo picked you up for work. The two of you had lunch together. And at the end of the day, he took you home. Maybe you had been too distracted by Him to notice before, but you actually really liked Taewoo. It wasn't a romantic interest, but you certainly liked him as a friend. He had made you smile, really smile. He could make you laugh. He even had you listening to music and watching dramas again. He put color back into your world.

When Taewoo was around, you found yourself not thinking about Him. But was that enough to make you fall in love? Taewoo certainly hoped so. He often told you that one day, you would just wake up and realize you were in love with him. Part of you hoped he was right, another part was sure it would never happen.

You continued to see him anyway. On weekends, he would take you out on dates. He had taken you to the movies, to a park to ride bikes, to a fancy dinner, and all sorts of other things. And he always seemed to know when you needed a night in. When that happened, he showed up with your favorite junk food and the perfect movie. The two of you would sit on the couch, eat, talk and watch the film. By the end of the movie, he would have an arm around you and you were leaned into his chest. You didn't fight this anymore. You didn't want to. You liked the warmth, the feeling of having someone close to you. This also wasn't romantic for you, but it was comfortable.

One a particularly warm Saturday in spring, Taewoo set out to change everything. He took you on a picnic at the park near the Han River. The food was simple, but delicious. He had looked up recipes for American picnic staples and prepared them for you. When you finished eating, he put an arm around you while you looked out at the river.

"I know you might not be ready for this yet, but I have to know. I can't keep doing these things and hoping for a future that may not be feasible." He then reached into his pocket and pulled out a black box. He opened it to reveal a set of gold couple's rings.

You stared at the box. You knew that eventually something like this would happen. Taewoo wasn't the kind of guy to be happy in such a strange relationship for long. But it still took you by surprise. At first, you wanted to pull away, to reject him again. Part of you fought against that. Rejecting him would send him away, sending you back into your grey world. Your world with Taewoo may not be the the most vibrant, but there was at least color. And you did like Taewoo. Maybe doing this would help you see him in a romantic light. Perhaps you could learn to love him.

You had spent so much time in your own head that when you focused back on him, you realized how nervous he was. You looked up into his eyes and smiled, a genuine smile. You reached out for the box, pulled out the ring meant for you, and slipped it onto your finger. You then held your hand out for the both of you to inspect. Taewoo's arms flew around you, pulling you into his chest. When he released you from the hug, he put his own ring on and held it down next to yours. There was a huge grin spread across his face.

"This means we're official. You know that right? I can tell people you're my girlfriend and you can't disagree."

You nodded, still smiling. "I know. But you have to own up to being my boyfriend." The word slipped out almost too easily. The smile on your face felt too natural. And when Taewoo leaned in and placed a soft kiss on your lips, you didn't want to push him away.

Maybe he had been right all along. Maybe you were finally waking up and realizing that you were falling in love again.