18 2 35

18 2 21

But thanks to my brave endeavor, we were able to upgrade our relationship with the help of technology, Kakao talk to be specific.

She was a year younger than me, three heads shorter than me, played the piano, and loved to eat. Slowly, step by step we got to know each other as we got chattier by the night.

Months passed by and I was already reaching the end of my high school life and I plucked up my courage and went on our chat to ask her out for a date.

"Would you like to go to my school prom with me?"- it took me a whole week to come up with this pathetic sentence, this simple pitiful sentence.

Exactly 12 minutes later, her reply came. And it was far from what I was expecting, I had originally thought that she was going to think I was a freak and delete my number from her phone. I planned to just go to prom with one of the many girls that had given me shy prom proposals.

"Alright", followed by a string of cute emojis. A short message, but it brought me happiness like no other.

Few days from that night, I met her at the same bus stop. Wearing a black dress shirt and dark blue blazer coat over, I remembered waiting anxiously for her when she came walking down the same zebra crossing like a literal angel.

Ye Jin was wearing a blush-colored knee-length dress, she even had her hair curled loosely. She looked so pretty.

"Am I late?"

"No...of course not, it was me who was too early- it's my fault actually." Babbling, there I go again with the babbling again. Great going Bin!

"Umm...No, an...anyway thanks for umm...coming?"- Awkwardness filled the entire conversation and I waited for the earth to swallow me whole.

"Is that for me?"

Ye Jin pointed to the small purple lilac bouquet I had in hand. Obviously, it was for her- I had spent my entire weekend pestering my mother to help me find the perfect flowers. I clumsily handed the bouquet to Ye Jin while scratching the back of my ear.

"I hope you like them Ye Jin"

"I love them! Thank you, Bin"- she sounded so grateful and happy as she took a small sniff of the flowers.

During prom we awkwardly did a waltz dance together and I for once lived the night of my own romantic drama. I felt like the main lead of a Korean rom-com drama.

We childishly yet vividly romantically ran under the pitter-patter raindrops, sharing the tiny space under blue blazer, I held over our heads- that honestly did nothing to save us from the rain. We were drenched and cold but nevertheless they were one of the few moments in life that I would never forget.

Walking her back to the doorstep of her house, we didn't speak- not even a word. Silence washed us both with overwhelming sadness. This could potentially be the last time we would ever get to see each other.

I would soon be driving around in my graduation present- my Honda civic that my parents had gotten me. There would not be a need for me to be present at the bus stop or much chance for me to meet this beautiful girl.

And I thought that there was as far as we both could go. Occasional message-pals that only spoke through the convenience of the phone.

***

Twenty and I entered university, Uni life was awesome- I only needed to wake up at nine before getting ready for classes. As predicted, I only got to see that girl through Skype, well that was an improvement. But honestly it made no sense talking to a girl who's living in the same state between two glass screens.