hello. bcuz you guys have been so supportive n made me happy...i decide to give this fast update...xD (i wasn't expecting to get any comments for the lame prologue where nothing happened so yeah....) ...and for some odd reasons, anonymous ppl are starting to attract me more than writing real idols with their lazy-to-give-feedback yet extremely stalkerish fans at least those stalkers don't stalk anonymous ppl...xD...i hope.

Thank you for being so sweet^^ /bricked for cheesiness/

"Ahh."

He rubbed his wavy, medium-length brown hair, wincing to himself as if he had just knocked his head on something, before catching my improper staring up at his tall, thin frame, and stopped his action, replacing it with bowing at me with a friendly smile I couldn't help but to return, even if I had no clue who he was, and what he was doing at my doorstep early morning. Friendly warm smiles don't come my way often, so it was a very pleasant way to start my day even as I was still confused and my eyes still hurting from the lack of rest.

It was a relief Mother decided to spend a few days at my aunt's house, since the lady sprained her ankle and couldn't move much and could use some company, considering she's living alone after her husband passed away and her children were all staying away after getting married. It'd be better for mother to be there, or else they might start gossipping that I couldn't live on my own and still needed administration from my mother all the time. I'm thirty nine years old for crying out loud! I'm old enough to be a mother, or in older societies that get married at very tender age, I probably could pass as a granny already.

The thought of grannies and aunts reminded me of my dream encounter. I've decided that it was all just a dream. It couldn't be anything more. Or I'd never be able to move on. He was an illusion, a fantasy, a dream, a hope of my youth. Soon I'd be turning fourty. I couldn't afford those mystical sounding things anymore. I need to put all my focus on advancing in my career so that even if I have no husband, my relatives couldn't undermine my monetary condition and work status. As of now, I'm still just a regular office worker in an advertising agency, nothing boast-worthy. And that's what I need to work on improving. It's not everyday I got to encounter nice dream. It'd be painful to convince myself to accept everything that happened and felt, as merely a dream, but it was the only way I succeeded to fell asleep.

And woken up by the doorbell, and this stranger. Is he the new newspaper guy? But newspaper guys don't ring your doorbell. Do they? Anyway, why is he smiling like an idiot for no reason?

"Uhm, why are you smiling?"

"Huh?...You're smiling too." He flustered but was quick to point at my face funnily, that it made me laugh inwardly though I tried to kept a serious facade, before I remembered what he just said.

"I... was smiling?"

He nodded, the smile on his face still not leaving. And the way it made his small eyes disappeared behind his thin gold wire rimmed glasses, that kind of smile can really brighten the day, no matter how idiotic it looked. It was a blessing he appeared whoever he is.

But who is he?

"Uhm, how may I help you by the way...?" I wasn't sure how to address him. Since I couldn't really guess his age. He didn't look older than myself, but he didn't look like a kid either, though something about his smile still had that youthful childlike streak.

"Oh...here." He took out something from his beige coloured hoodie's pocket and handed to me...my own identification card.

"What? How did you have this?!"

"I...found it in front of my house." He scratched his head.

"But...it can't be. I don't know you. I don't know your house either. But this is...mine. How?" I examined the card. It really is mine. But how come it's with him?

"It's alright. Don't worry about it. It doesn't matter. What matters is that you've got it back now, isn't it?"

I thought of his words for awhile, and realized he was right. But still...

"But it's still too weird! And impossible. Let's see...yesterday, I went to...the family gathering...and then the river...and then..."

"River?"

I nodded. It seemed I had been mumbling louder than I should.  I thought it all happened in my head.

"Why? Is your house near the river? I mean, I don't know the river's name...but could your house be near any river?"

He seemed to ponder for a bit before giving a firm nod.

"I suppose, you left it somewhere there and the wind blew it to my doorsteps." He laughed.

How could he be so carefree about it? Didn't he find it strange? Wasn't he worried or suspicious that I might've been a burglar trying to break into his house and left a piece of evidence there? Or something like that?

"I'm really sorry for the inconvenience." I bowed down as low as I could, suddenly feeling the guilt of having him coming all the way to my house to return it, when he could've just left it at the nearest police station to his place.

"No, don't be, please." He nearly pulled my arms up but hesitantly stopped the moment I looked up.

"I'm...I'm really sorry, and thank you for going through the trouble to send it here."

"I don't think of it as trouble, I'd say fate is a better word."

"What?" Did I hear things wrongly?

"You know, everything happens for a reason, and people are met with each other for a reason too. Don't you believe in that?"

"I...I guess..." Well, at least he's not angry at me, that should be a good thing, I guess.

"Well, I'll see you later." He smiled again, and gave a little goodbye wave.

"Wait...uhm, would you like to come in for some coffee or tea first? I mean...as thank you, at least..." I didn't know what I was saying in fact, I just knew it wouldn't be right to let him go just like that after what he had done for me. But after making the offer, only did I notice something was off.

"It's alright. You look like you've just woken up, maybe it's too early for breakfast?" He raised his eyebrows as I looked at myself in horror, still clad in my faded pajama pants, and ten year-old sponsored T-shirt from one of our company's old client and...and...I bet my hair and face were even worse. I straight away went to open the door in the middle of sleep just now after hearing the doorbells. No.

"I...uhm, thank you then." I was more than ready to get back behind my door and hit myself for being so embarrassing.

"So, I guess, I'll see you again sometime later, maybe tonight."

I nodded mindlessly, still disturbed by my own carelessness before his words echoed inside my head and it hit me.

"Wait...what do you mean see you later?"

"I thought you wanted to say thanks? I'd be free for dinner."

"Dinner? But but...I..."

"Gotta run to work now. I'll see you later at seven?"

"But...but how...why...I might be working late and..." 

"Well, if we met once by chance, then fate will find its way for a second. Besides, I know where you live anyway." He winked while I was left in confusion once again.

"Wait!" Unknowingly....I called out to him again, but couldn't brought myself to ask the question barely kept in my mouth.

He turned around with a puzzled look that effortlessly morphed into a smile again, this time, calmer and not as blindingly bright as before.

"But...I don't even know who you are or what to call you. I mean...how..."

"Does it matter?" His unexpected response made me numb and my jaw just dropped on its own, judging from the way he suddenly laughed shyly. Yet, I knew not how to answer, the question that had suddenly become so strangely familiar.

"It's alright. It doesn't matter if you don't know me. I know you. I'll find you. Just wait for me, and I'll find you."

I closed the door behind me as quietly as possible, after he had left, leaning against it, after being sure I heard the soft click indicating it's really shut, feeling more confused than ever. What just happened? Did he...did he just...ask me out on...a date? And did I...did I just agreed to a stranger's invitation? After I let a stranger confused me last night, and now there's another one? What did I just got myself into? Why did I even agreed when I don't even know him? Am I that desperate? I don't think so. But even more than that, how could he casually asked a stranger for a date? An old ahjumma at that. No, no...it's just to return the favour. He really went through the trouble to send my identification card. It's normal that I have to show my gratitude. Nothing more. Even if his talks about fate and all were just weird. But still...

"You'll believe me, right?"

I do.

I don't know why but I do.

Maybe that was one of the reasons I agreed.

Did you send him to me to fulfill that promise? Is that why some things about him reminded me of you?

"Does it matter?"

Just that question, made me smile to myself like a naive teenage girl I once was, now.

In my life, so many things mattered and needed to be regarded carefully. But just within less than half a day, I've met more than one person who told me that it doesn't matter. Isn't that funny?

He wasn't bad, in fact, he's cute, and quirky in his own understated way. At least he doesn't seem to be such a young kid, although that doesn't mean anything. I'm just curious what kind of a person you sent me. Maybe I should just board on this surprise train, and see where it goes from here, if it does go anywhere. Maybe it'd just disappear, like you did.

And when that happens, I wouldn't blame him, just like I wouldn't blame you. What can an old spinster like me hope for, anyway? I'll just take it as an experience, of my first date in like...thirteen years? Yeah, I haven't been on one for that long that I no longer knew what to expect or if I should even expect anything.

But I'll just go with it, because I believe you, somehow. Like a fool.

It was eight in the morning, first of June; when the first promise of June was fulfilled.

And I wondered if this new stranger was really a fate, or just another dream.

And if he would really find me, or just never appearing again.

so how's the new guy? hope he's not too shabby...xD