Well Done Again Today

Lea Reyez: The Graphic Artist

This is my friend, Lea Reyez. She's graduated from the Technological University of the Philippines with a major in Graphic Design. She worked hard during her college years and succeeded in graduating. However, once she started searching for a job, no opportunities came. She decided it was time for her to look elsewhere. She left her home country, her friends, and her family to work in an entirely new place. She finally found a job...in Korea.

She was hired by a company that outsourced graphic designers to companies that needed one. Her salary was barely enough to help her get through, sometimes when she didn't have any clients, she would consume only the bare minimum.

This was one of those instances. She sat at the convenience store, having her first meal of the day, a cup ramyun.

A man entered the store wearing a black hoodie, grabbed a cup ramyun, and sat a seat away from Lea. She didn't even bother looking at him, she just kept on eating her food.

"Lea, Ex-cuji me." He said in broken English. "Do you like..kimchi?"

Lea turned to look at him and to her surprise, it was V from her favorite idol boy group, BTS. "Oh my God."

V just smiled at her, making his eyes turn  into two horizontal half moon shapes. "Annyeong."

"What is this?" Lea said, hiding her blushing face in her hands.

V looked confused. "Sorry, my English not very good."

Lea patted her red cheeks. "Ah, gwaenchanhayo. I can speak Korean." 

"Oh, that's good." V replied. "Are you still hungry?"

"A bit."

V got up from his seat and grabbed Lea by the hand. "Come on, I'll take you somewhere."

They came out of the convenience store and got into a taxi to go to their destination.

"Where are we going?" Lea asked V.

V thought for a bit. "Do you like sushi?"

Lea nodded back. "I love sushi."

They went to a fancy sushi buffet restaurant. "Order whatever you like." V said as they sat down. "It's my treat."

"Really?" Lea exclaimed excitedly.

They started eating the sushi and the expression on Lea's face compared to when she was at the convenience store was a lot brighter. "Are you enjoying the food?" V asked, smiling at Lea as she ate.

"This is delicious." She replied. "Thank you so much."

"So, you're from the Philippines, right?"

"Yes."

V started thinking. "Ma-mahal kita."

Lea almost spit out the California roll in her mouth. "That means I love you."

"Oh haha." V started blushing. "That's all I can remember from when we went to Manila. But if you're from the Philippines, why did you decide to work here."

"Well, I couldn't find a job there and I didn't want to waste the four years of university that my parents worked hard to pay for."

"I see. Are you enjoying it here in Seoul?"

"I want to enjoy it. But a lot of times life gets hard so I don't really have time to appreciate where I am. I don't even have the time to make new friends here. When I do have time, I don't have enough money to go out and have fun."

V patted the top of her head. "Don't worry, you'll get through this. Some day, you'll be the best graphic artist in the world. I believe in you."

After dinner, V offered to walk Lea home because her house was close by. "Don't give up, okay?" V told her as they stood at the end of her street. He then wrapped his arms around her, squeezing her in a tight embrace. "God gave you this life because he knew you were strong enough to live it."

Lea, a weary young woman in her own daily routine, always had the power to keep her going. She only needed someone to listen to her story. 

Well done again today, Lea.