The Red of the Rose | Taeyong

03 | New Places, Old Faces

Miah was left standing alone near the bell statue when Mark ran to meet his friends. But she didn't mind. In fact, she had insisted he goes when his friends called him over. Tilting her umbrella back, she saw the academic building in front of her. Mark had been giving her directions since morning. She was supposed to meet her Professor Advisor before starting classes.

Carefully placing each step on the slippery concrete below her, Miah walked towards the main building and held onto the railing tightly to climb the few steps leading up to the entrance. It somehow looked smaller now that she was standing so close to it.

Shrugging the excess water off her umbrella, she was shutting it close when she bumped her shoulder into a guy.

'Sorry–' She looked at the guy's face and stopped. 'Oh!' Miah's eyes widened. 'Young-ho!' she exclaimed.

The guy standing in front of Miah stood still. He had last seen Miah on the day of their high school graduation after which she went abroad for college. They didn't speak much during their time in school but Young-ho had always admired her.

'Miah! How long has it been?' He hugged her. 'I thought you were studying abroad.'

'I was. But I guess, I missed home.' Miah shrugged. She was glad to spot a familiar face. 'So here I am.'

'You have taken admission in this college?' Young-ho looked at her incredulously as though all his wishes have been granted today.

'Yes. I am starting from today,' Miah replied.

'What course? What are your classes? Where are you going?' Young-ho flapped his arms around uncontrollably.

'Well, right now, I am a little lost it seems. I have a meeting with my Professor Advisor but don't know where to go.' Miah looked around the different corridors branching from where they were standing.

'Let me take you then.' Young-ho didn't even wait for Miah to reply and started walking.

He looked around awkwardly, trying to think of something to say to her. 'So, when did you come back?'

'Yesterday actually,' Miah replied. 'This is which block?' Miah was focused on memorizing her way around the campus.

'Block A.' Young-ho didn't want the conversation to be about college or campus or what block they were in. Young-ho wanted to talk about her, about them.

They walked in silence together for a bit as Miah was checking the name and the room number of the Professor.

'It says, his office is on the second floor.' Miah looked up from her phone and turned to Young-ho.

'Yes, we'll take the stairs or do you want to take the elevator?'

'The stairs are fine,' Miah replied and Young-ho smiled knowing he had managed to get more time with her.

But even with the additional time he had bought, the conversation was dry and mostly stayed on Miah asking him about things like the location of the cafeteria or the different department buildings. When they had finally reached the top of the stairs on the second floor, Young-ho's could feel the heat rising to his face. It is now or never. He could see the office right in front of him. Miah was going to walk away any moment now.

'Do you want to go out with me?' he blurted out.

It was so abrupt that it took Miah a moment to register what Young-ho had just asked. She took a breath and finally spoke, 'Young-ho...'

'It's just that when I asked you back in high school, you said you couldn't because you wanted to focus on studying.' After passing the initial hurdle, Young-ho found himself blurting it all out. 'And, then you were gone. And we are meeting again like this. It has to be fate, right?' Young-ho stepped closer to Miah with his widened eyes. 'You couldn't go out with me then. But now you don't have any excuse. Be my girlfriend.'