How I Married My Bias

CHAPTER 15

The car ride home was quiet. I leaned my head on the glass window and stare at the shadows of trees on the side of the road, trying to count them but failed.

The trees started to turn into suburban buildings and up ahead I could see the tall buildings as we approach the city. I tried to keep calm and shake the thought that I’m riding a car with Wonwoo.

I contemplated on the things that I’m experiencing right now. I’m so happy right then. Not only did I talk to him but I also felt close to him like I’ve always known him, like he and I were long lost friends.

My thoughts turned back to when I first came to Korea. It was five years ago. I don’t know anyone and my Korean skills were just enough to understand street signs and stuff. I don’t know anything or anyone and it was terrible.

The pain throbbed in my heart like a drum. I don’t know if you call it self-pity but I pitied myself five years ago.

Just then, tears welled up in my eyes. I tried to conceal it by facing the window. The car speed down the city road and different colors of lights flashed on the glass windows.

My vision was blurred by my tears making blokes out of the lights reflected on the window. I tried to brush the tears with my sweater, slowly, trying hard not to let him notice. But he did.

“Are you crying?” he said as he turn from the road and fixed his eyes on me. I shook my head.

But he pulled out of the road and parked it in a cul-de-sac. I gazed outside and noticed that we are almost home. We’re at the park near my apartment.

“Thank you for the trip. I had fun. I lived just nearby and I can manage to go home. Thank you again,” I said and bowed.

I opened the car door and hopped out. I walked away, making my steps big. I hate this park. It’s benches, the trees, the light posts – EVERYTHING. I walked fast, tears falling staining my face.

All the memory from that night rushed into me. Five years ago, I was here on this park. I just came to Korea and I didn’t know anyone. I asked people on the streets, asked for direction but they just pass me by.

I’m like a beggar on the streets. Then it started raining, I had nowhere to go, no one to ask help to. I sat here on this park – wet, cold, and alone.

I sat on the one of the bench near the pond. I buried my face on my palms and hugged my knees. I missed my family and the memory from that first night was like a nightmare that I buried deep and now it resurfaced and haunts me like a ghostly apparition of my past. It was unbearable.

Then someone sat beside me. I felt it though I can’t see because my face was still buried in my palms. I heard a click noise. I looked beside me and saw Wonwoo sitting there with an umbrella opened. I reached my hand out towards the space beyond the umbrella. It wasn’t raining or even drizzling.

He held the umbrella up over us. My vision was blurred by tears but he still looked beautiful – the kind that you won’t get tired looking at. He was beautiful without even trying. He put his arm around me and leaned my head on his shoulder.

“It wasn’t raining,” I said with a husky voice.

“Yeah but you needed this umbrella five years ago and now I want you to forget that night where you stood under the rain. I want you to remember this night instead.” He said.

I don’t know but I just sat there with my head on his shoulder under an umbrella. In that moment, I knew, I felt some sort of relief – like a warm fireplace after a long walk on a snowy day. A safe place, a warm shelter.