Writing Prompt: Eye-contact
It was a busy weekend and I was alone on the floor running this way and that, losing my breath and most likely wiping sweat from my brow. Becoming overwhelmed by the unfairly matched set of work coming in through the restaurant doors, I stormed to the sweltering kitchen and confronted my mindless boss. "I can't do this!" I assume I admitted with a soft and cowardly tone. At last, I was permitted to give folks a wait time or send them away altogether.
As the sun began to set and exhaustion overtook my muscles, another would-be customer slipped through the door. He was Korean this time, giving me a sense of anxiety that I would ruin the reputation of my boss's establishment if I were to turn him away. I did it anyway! Claiming that our wait time was at least an hour to two hours out, I apologized and watched him walk out. That was the first time Yoojun and I made eye contact. The way his glossy hair curtained his face was the first thing I must've noticed. Then his dark thick eyebrows and most certainly his cute giant moon-shaped glasses. If it wasn't his accent, it was the oversized white shirt with slightly longer than standard American sleeves that communicated to me that he was very Korean. Most importantly, his eyes; although I only caught a momentary glimpse of them, I think I remembered them the most.
Yoojun came in the next day around lunch and cultivated my curiosity towards him even further. Koreans frequented the restaurant all the time but he seemed to stand out in my mind above all. He would come in, wait patiently to be seated, accept my apologies kindly, eat his food in peace with no further instructions, and read his little webtoons. I would oft make comments to try and gather his attention for my own, but it availed to little success. That is until he would begin to talk to me first! Commenting on Blackhorse or asking if I was a student... which led to my number being surrendered to him. I sigh in romantic recollection... Long before this point, I knew his name of course, via the aid of his credit card. I also stalked his Instagram because I'm insane.
Later on, Yoojun and I would meet outside of work at the public library where we would conduct my first Korean lesson. It was a disaster in my mind as I remember saying foolish things and failing to properly focus on the task at hand. How could I focus when the moment I saw him walking across the parking lot I gasped audibly in shock. How handsome... Our lessons sadly never had a revival, for I knew all too well that I couldn't be in the same room with him without feeling my stomach drop to my butthole. This was a clear indication that I only wanted to date him, kiss him, and hold his hand forever. That of course was a foreboding sign because I was in a relationship with a hobbit at that time.
Later on, he would text me or I would text him, not being able to hold myself from the temptation. But nothing came of it. That is until I broke up with my hobbit and put my intentions on the highest level; to pursuance we ride! It was an egregious process that brought me many tears and second thoughts as to whether I was setting myself up for a lifetime of regret and heartbreak or not. One dinner together at Naru led to a full-blown 노래집 where we sang Hyukoh, Lee Moon-sae, and many other classics. We drank and had a great time. He inched closer to me every minute on the couch. As 2:00 A.M. rolled around I announced my departure. Outside of his apartment building, he asked if I was looking for a relationship which I answered very vaguely. I didn't want him to think I was desperate... while in truth I was DYING to be his. After that night there wasn't much of a blooming of the relationship. Distraught but not ready to give up hope, I sent him an invitation to a sibling-oriented gathering at the local fair, not knowing it would be the building blocks for the most wonderful and dreamlike experience.
On the day of the county fair/"Yoojun will be here oh my god" event, feelings of shame, fear, and intense anxiety held tightly to my very soul. Yoojun was non-communicative as usual, which only further beat down my battered heart and on the way to the fair I shed two tears. Shortly after, he responded, "I am on my way." We arrived and waited for him until he too eventually showed up and we all sauntered onto the fairgrounds shrouded in black and stinking of trouble with our one singular diverse companion tagging along close behind us. In line at the ticket booth, he pulled a hair from my black shirt, which simultaneously made me want to kill myself and hide my blushing face. My experience with him at the fair made me believe that I had zero chances with the silent but deadly heartthrob. But a couple hours after we arrived at the house and settled in with alcohol in our systems, something magical occurred. Singing a particular line from a deplorable Frozen song, "Love is an open door" with passion in his lungs Yoojun outstretched his hand in my direction and sang! But I quickly looked away in disbelief and delight...
We found ourselves alone outside on the front porch where he asked me on a date for the following day. Of course, at the moment of his asking, I was calm and collected but expressing my interest very well. But after he left, I exploded with feelings I only believed could be possible in movies and books. Excitement so strong that every other second my stomach flipped inside of me and a smile tugged at my lips.
On our first date, I couldn't eat, my card got declined, and I got a headache... But we kithed and said goodnight and I drove home screaming and hollering in disbelief at my luck. How could such a kind and handsome boy want to date such a yucky poor smelly white girl? I still don't know the answer to that question and I believe I never will.
Now, I have two of his beautiful paintings hanging in my bedroom, several bouquets of dried flowers, an elaborate traditional 매듭, and Plan B on my nightstand.
