Wishes

3: Paper Planes

Shortly after that day, Young-ro began to appear at the bus stop across the street from the convenience store. He spotted her swinging her feet to her music every time he walked in for work, singing vintage tunes loud enough for even him to hear as he pulled down his cap to hide his widening smile. 

It didn't take long for Manager Kim to take notice of his distraction.

"What is this... What are you smiling for? The cash register is right here," he rebuked and was ready to continue until he spotted the girl at the bus stop.

"Ah, no wonder. Who's that? Your crush?"

Soo-ho laughed (a very rare occurrence), yet it was still characteristically laced with sadness.

"My first love."

Sang-beom was silent for a moment. "You young people and first loves... I can't even remember my wedding day," he grumbled. "Maybe if you hadn't dropped out to become a bum, you would've met her somehow. Young college girls like her don't go looking for love in convenience stores, you know."

As Manager Kim walked away, Soo-ho lingered on his words and frowned, a knot suddenly forming in his stomach. The girl who had just entered the bus looked not much younger than the girl he knew. Just like him, she hadn't changed a bit, as if she was frozen in time right until he had laid his eyes upon her again. Inexplicably, he felt sick. When Manager Kim came back in, he asked to leave, and after seeing his deathlike pallor, his boss had no trouble obliging him. Later, at home, the realization settled in and his trembling hand reached for the notebook beside him.

25 March 2014

I found her again. But now I know that after I left, she followed me soon after.

*

She was there again the next day. And the day after that. As if mocking his helplessness–the sight, a blessing, and a curse, for to look from afar is a tortuous process. But knowing she was well, that would be enough. He made it through his days with this reassurance in mind. Seeing her happy was a salve, and numbness to all became a wound of the past. These days, her smile came from the script in her hand, filled to the brim with page markers, and she could be heard reciting her lines with fervor.

"O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?"

In big, bold letters, the front of her book was inscribed with Juliet Capulet.

And Soo-ho quietly observed.

The cycle lasted a week or so but it was a Monday when things began to change. When his heart and mind behind pulling him in two different directions.

He was steps away from his work when something flew at his face, hitting him squarely on the cheek.

"What the hell..." Looking down, he didn't finish his sentence. He picked up the item, choked up at the sight of it, and glanced up to catch the sender. She was staring straight at him with curious, bright eyes, urging him to open her letter. His breath hitched, and remembering himself, he diverted his gaze and rushed into the store.

The bus then came and took her away.

Inside, he unfolded the paper plane, and his eyes desperately read the message:

Dear Stranger,

You may think I'm strange for sending this to you, but just hear me out. I don't know how to explain it, but you seem very familiar to me. Is it possible that we have met before? I don't think we have, but even so, now we can! My name is Choi Young-ro and I'm a college freshman. I take theatre and literature. What about you? Do you have any hobbies? Please answer ASAP, I do not like being ghosted!!! :(

Sincerely,

Your new friend :)

P.S. I just wanted to send you this because you seem very lonely. I hope you have a good day, eat good food, and smile a lot. Whatever is making you sad, I hope you will find the solution.

He laughed happily as he put down the paper. She hasn't changed a bit. Soo-ho hadn't realized, but he was tearing up, and his heart was once again warmed by her kindness, a precious memory rekindled with her heartfelt act. An innocence not yet tainted, preserved from a forgotten age. Untouched by him.

He hesitated, but one glance at the paper plane sent him into action and he grabbed a random sheet of paper, his hands quickly remembering each fold and crease.

Dear Young-ro...

*

Young-ro's vintage tune for this week!