STAY WITH ME - (KOREAN LOVE) - PRINCE MEHRA

Episode 1: The Silent Petals

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Seoul, Springtime.

The soft fragrance of cherry blossoms filled the air as young Seoyoon sat by the window, lost in her thoughts. Her favorite poetry book lay open on her lap, a beautiful Korean poem about love and time. She loved how the words danced on the page, creating worlds of emotion in her heart.

Seoyoon’s best friend, Jihoon, had always teased her about her love for poetry.

Jihoon: (laughing) “Seoyoon, you’re like an old soul stuck in a young body! Who reads poetry these days?”

Seoyoon: (smiling softly) “Poetry isn’t just words, Jihoon. It’s the silence between the words that makes you feel something deep inside. Like this one…” (She points to the poem on the page.)

Jihoon: (leans over) “Let me see what’s so special about it.”

Seoyoon starts reading aloud, her voice barely louder than a whisper.

Seoyoon: “The wind does not ask where it goes, yet it finds the quiet heart…”

Her voice trails off as she watches the petals of a cherry blossom flutter down from a tree outside the window. The world feels so delicate, like the poem itself.

Jihoon: (grinning) “Okay, that was pretty good. But don’t you ever want to do more than just read about life? You could live it, Seoyoon. We could go out, explore the city! You know, have adventures.”

Seoyoon turned to him, her eyes still dreamy from the poem.

Seoyoon: “Sometimes I think living through words is the most beautiful adventure. It’s like traveling without ever leaving home.”

Jihoon shook his head, laughing. He was always so full of energy, ready to drag her out into the world, while she was content with her books and her quiet thoughts. It was a friendship that balanced them both, though Jihoon often wondered if Seoyoon was hiding behind her poems, avoiding something deeper.

The phone buzzed, interrupting their moment.

Jihoon: (checking his phone) “Ah, looks like my shift at the café is starting soon. You coming by later?”

Seoyoon nodded, tucking her book away. She often visited him at the café, sitting in the corner with her notebook, writing down her thoughts while watching people pass by. It was her way of interacting with the world, silently observing life as it unfolded.

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Later at the café.

Seoyoon walked in, the scent of freshly brewed coffee enveloping her. Jihoon waved at her from behind the counter, busy preparing drinks for the afternoon rush.

Jihoon: (teasingly) “Your usual spot, right?”

Seoyoon: (grinning) “Of course. You know me too well.”

As she sat down, she pulled out her notebook and pen, but today something felt different. She found herself staring at the people walking by, lost in thought. Her mind drifted back to the poem she had read earlier, about love and time passing like the wind.

She sighed. Maybe Jihoon was right. Maybe she was living too much in her head. What was she waiting for? Life wouldn’t wait for her forever, just like the wind didn’t wait for the cherry blossoms to bloom before moving on.

Just then, a stranger walked in. He was tall, with a quiet presence, dressed in simple clothes that spoke of comfort rather than fashion. His eyes scanned the room before they landed on Seoyoon, who was too lost in her thoughts to notice.

Stranger: (to Jihoon) “One Americano, please.”

Jihoon, ever the curious one, struck up a conversation.

Jihoon: “First time here?”

Stranger: (nodding) “Yeah, I just moved into the neighborhood.”

Seoyoon’s attention was finally drawn to the stranger. Something about him seemed familiar, though she couldn’t place it. He took his coffee and, to her surprise, sat down at the table next to hers. For a few moments, there was silence as they both sipped their drinks, lost in their own worlds.

Then, out of nowhere, the stranger spoke.

Stranger: (gently) “Do you believe in poetry?”

Seoyoon blinked, caught off guard. She turned to him, unsure of how to respond.

Seoyoon: “Poetry?”

The stranger nodded, a small smile playing on his lips.

Stranger: “Yes. The way words can capture something so fleeting, like a moment in time or a feeling you can’t quite describe.”

Seoyoon felt her heart skip a beat. It was as if he had just reached into her soul and pulled out the very thing she held dear. She stared at him, not knowing what to say.

Seoyoon: (softly) “I do. I believe in it.”

The stranger’s smile widened, but it was a smile filled with understanding rather than amusement.

Stranger: “I thought so. You look like someone who carries poetry in her heart.”

For a moment, Seoyoon felt a strange connection with this man she had just met. It was as if he could see past the walls she had built around herself, straight into her quiet world.

Seoyoon: “Do you… write?”

The stranger shook his head.

Stranger: “No. But I read. A lot.”

Before Seoyoon could respond, Jihoon came over with a mischievous grin.

Jihoon: “Ah, I see you’ve met Seoyoon. She’s a poet herself, you know. Writes some pretty amazing stuff, though she’s too shy to show anyone.”

Seoyoon shot Jihoon a look, her cheeks flushing.

Seoyoon: “Jihoon!”

The stranger chuckled softly, but there was no mockery in his eyes. Only curiosity.

Stranger: “I’d love to read your work someday.”

Seoyoon opened her mouth to protest, but something stopped her. Maybe it was the way he said it, with such quiet sincerity. Or maybe it was the poem still lingering in her mind, reminding her that time waits for no one.

Seoyoon: (whispering) “Maybe.”

The stranger smiled again, this time more warmly.

Stranger: “I’m Minho, by the way.”

Seoyoon: (smiling back) “Seoyoon.”

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As the evening sun began to set, casting a golden glow over the café, Seoyoon felt something stir in her heart. It was subtle, like the first breeze of spring. But it was there, and she knew, in that moment, that life was starting to change.

Jihoon glanced at her from the counter, a knowing smile on his face. He didn’t say anything, but Seoyoon could feel his silent approval. For the first time in a long while, she felt like maybe, just maybe, she was ready to step out of her quiet world and into the one waiting outside.

And with Minho sitting just a table away, sipping his coffee and reading his book, she wondered what new chapters were about to unfold in her life.

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To be continued...