A story of two strangers striking up a conversation through an app, unaware that they are neighbors residing in adjacent apartments. As they share their stories and experiences, the revelation of their close proximity adds an unexpected twist to the...
I had a bit of a rough start today since I was expecting my morning to start at 10 AM, but it ended up starting at 7 AM instead. The humidity outside after last night's heavy rain made it difficult for me to get out of bed. I wasn't quite sure how the rest of the day would go yet, but I think I might skip running my errands this morning to conserve my energy for my afternoon shift.
I felt like my life was currently in a stable state. Nonetheless, by "stable" I mean that nothing exciting has happened to me lately. I didn't necessarily feel sorry for myself, but I did feel a need to experience a new atmosphere and surroundings. My closest friends and family were away from me in Utah and building up a new one from scratch seems like a lot of jobs.
Sighing at the thought, I tried to recollect myself and get up from bed. I made myself a simple avocado toast with a glass of coffee. I didn't usually go for coffee at this point of my day, but seeing myself in such agony from waking up so early urged me to get one. I pulled up my window, and Koreatown came off a bit more packed this morning. It's actually a very good way to start my story of living in a Korean-dominated neighborhood in LA.
I remember the day vividly, it was a sunny afternoon and I had just moved into my new apartment. As I was unpacking my belongings, I heard a knock on the door. When I opened it, I was greeted by a friendly Korean woman who introduced herself as my neighbor. She brought me a plate of homemade kimchi and welcomed me to the neighborhood. From that moment on, I knew that I was going to enjoy living in this diverse community where people from different cultures and backgrounds come together to create a unique and vibrant atmosphere. Despite not having any Korean ancestry, residing in a Korean-dominated neighborhood presents me with a great chance to experience a different culture. I'll tell you why.
When the word "LA" came out in your topic and people tended to be like, "Ugh, the only special thing about LA is because there are too many influencers and people who spend $20 on Erewon smoothies for no reason." That would be correct, but people needed to get the good side of living in this neighborhood. One thing I loved to brag about was the plenty of delicious food available here in Los Angeles. It's also worth mentioning that LA was one of the most culturally diverse cities in the world. For instance, Koreatown was located next to a large El Salvadorian population, and there's even a Little Ethiopia in Mid-City. It always felt so exciting to share how much I enjoyed living here.
With a grin lighting up my face, I sauntered over to the couch. Instead of turning on the TV, I reached for my phone, eager to dive into its endless possibilities. As I waited for my coffee to cool down, my eyes rolled over to everything I checked on the screen, and the first thing that caught my attention was a little message from Aven— my co-worker.
Aven: you should try this Aven: sent a picture
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Maeve: wtf? Maeve: dating apps?
Aven: wow good morning early birds Aven: yeah, it's actually not always end up as a lover yk
Maeve: small chance but ok Maeve: it's interesting tho, do u use it?
Aven: nope, things go better with Julian so I skip this one Aven: u always grumbled about how friendless u are so better act upon that
Maeve: yea well stfu and thank u
Despite my hesitation creeping into my head, I decided to take a chance and try to alleviate my friendless phase by downloading this app. The installation process was quick and hassle-free, and I was able to create an account in a matter of minutes. With this app, I could browse through potential matches and swipe right to express interest or swipe left to dismiss them entirely. The action of swiping right or left was fun until the moment that I finally got a match.
"Shit," I murmured to myself. "How do I do this?"
Eve: hi there :)
I expected a reply from him within minutes but honestly, what can I do? This is just a stupid friend-making app that no one could ever take seriously. I believed that I would not get a reply from anyone, but if I did, then that would be fun.
