Translation of Love

4

Taeyoung reaches into a backpack beside him and pulls out some papers. They look like worksheets an elementary student would use. He hands them to me and gives me a pen as well.

"Okay, let's start. You can't go around Korea not even being able to read the alphabet."

***

The next hour is spent with me tracing symbols on the worksheets and Taeyoung sounding out the letters. He forces me to repeat after him, in which I do very softly, embarrassed that others will hear.

He's leaning over on the table, elbows propped, hand pointing to the next letter, eyes watching my hand foolishly trace over the lines. He's close. Close enough that I can smell the coffee in his breath. It makes it all that much harder to focus, my eyes constantly peeking upwards to observe his face. Eventually, I notice my body has gradually moved forward as well; now we are both leaning over the table, staring at the worksheets way too intently.

"Rieul." His lips let out the sound of the next consonant. "Repeat." He looks up at me, not phased at all by how close he is.

I try to repeat the sound, but it's too foreign. Is that an r or an l? I repeat and repeat, stuttering each time. His eyes are focused on my mouth, probably looking at how I'm pronouncing the letter, but little does he know that this makes me even more nervous. My cheeks feel much too hot, and my tongue begins to feel dull again from the hot tea.

Now my repetitions are so soft that they just kind of fall out of my mouth and onto the table. His gaze is moving so slowly that I wouldn't notice if he wasn't this close, but I catch his eyes grazing up from my mouth, over my nose, and that's when I stop saying the letter because I realize he isn't even listening anymore. Before his eyes reach mine I clear my throat, which causes him to back up just the slightest and repeat the letter, "Rieul, like this." He shows how his tongue moves with the letter.

"Don't even un-clench your teeth, just move your tongue to the roof of your mouth like this," he tries to show me. "Just behind your front teeth, but don't touch them."

As much as he demonstrates it, I can't get it, although having an excuse to stare at his lips is appreciated.

I try saying it again while looking at his mouth. Then something I didn't see coming happens, the corners of his mouth lift and he smiles. Like actually smiles in this dorky looking way. I look up to his eyes, which are smaller now, the half-moon shape much more pronounced. When he sees me staring the smile drops and he tries again.

"Rieul," he says this while we look into each other's eyes.

His gaze causes me to grow even tenser than I already am. There's something about him—maybe it's because he's too attractive—either way, there's something about him that seems to pull me in. But it simultaneously makes me feel sick with nerves.

"I-I can't get it. Maybe another day I will." I softly say this, just wanting to go home now. This boy is putting some sorta spell on me and I'm starting to wake up from it. I didn't come to Korea to be infatuated with boys.

He pauses for a moment.

"Okay." He moves back into the seat and puts his stuff away. "Keep those worksheets and practice."

I nod.

"We should meet here again on Saturday to keep practicing."

"Okay."

"Okay." He repeats.

We both stand up and reach the doors. Luckily we're going in opposite directions.

"Bye... should I call you Summer or Sohee?" His question makes me pause more than it should.

Summer I think.

"Sohee," I say.

Why did I say that?

"Okay. Bye Sohee." He leaves with the faintest of smiles.

"Bye Taeyoung," I practically whisper back.

What was that?

We didn't talk about ourselves, not even an introduction. We completely ignored the fact that we had met twice before. I don't even know why his English is so advanced. All we did was learn the alphabet.

That was it.

And yet, it was enough to set me on fire.

. . .

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Love,

Sooaura