Letting out an annoyed grunt, Jisoo walked into out into the street. The sidewalk was too crowded with people running around and pushing to get to the square or a bar. Thirty minutes to midnight, the new year was on the horizon, but once again she was away from Lisa. For the third year in a row.
After all the planning she and Lisa had done, it all went to waste that morning. Just as Lisa and Jisoo got ready for a day of fun, a panicked call from Jennie and Rose ground it to a halt. The two were broken down on the side of the road and no tow truck service was open around them. So, Jisoo left and took the pair home, expecting plenty of time to get home to Lisa.
Instead, traffic gridlocked. After three hours of waiting on the highway, Jisoo pulled off to a town close to the city her and Lisa were staying in. She had gotten as far as the time zone line before traffic completely stalled again. Eventually, she called Lisa and told her what was going on. No matter how understanding and concerned the woman was, it made Jisoo feel terrible.
Lisa instructed her to go get lunch and try finding a hotel for the night. Though she was only a bridge away from her friend, it was impossible to get over it now. Not long after Jisoo sat down for lunch there was a wreck on the bridge. People that were in front of her that afternoon were just then getting back on the road.
Girl Scouts made a killing selling cookies to the stuck drivers though. Dialing her phone, Jisoo waited for Lisa to pick up. "Jisoo," the Thai woman asked.
"Hey, Lisa."
"How are you? Did you find a place to stay for the night? Do I need to swim across the river to get to you?"
Jisoo giggled softly and shook her head, though the other woman couldn't see. "Yeah, I'm standing in the street. The sidewalks are so packed. I've been trying to get to my hotel for an hour. Are you at home?"
"No, I'm on the Ferris wheel." There was a beat of silence as Jisoo looked at her feet. They were supposed to go on the Ferris wheel to watch the fireworks. She was going to tell Lisa how she felt then too. But the universe had other plans.
"Are you still going to stop at the top to watch the fireworks?"
"Yeah. I'm the only single person riding so the operator felt bad." Jisoo gritted her teeth. She was supposed to be with Lisa in that car. "But I have a clear view of that hotel with the big music note on it. It's literally right in front of me. What time is it there?"
"11:35. I'm an hour ahead of you."
"That sucks. Maybe next year we'll be able to spend New Year's together."
"Yeah, next year," Jisoo grumbled. She looked to the sky and frowned. The sky was a clear midnight blue, but with all the lights, the stars were invisible. Her eyes wandered over the high rises, one stick out to her in particular. A building with a giant red music note. An idea struck her, igniting her eyes in excitement. "You said you're looking at a red music note right?"
"Yeah, I can see the roof from here."
"And you're absolutely sure you'll be staying at the top for the fireworks, right?"
"Yes, yes, I'm sure. I just now realized I'm going to be stuck in this cold car for another hour and a half. I should have brought that blanket."
"No, no that's good. I'll call you back okay?"
"Okay," Lisa said. Confusion as clear in her voice but she let it go as Jisoo hung up. Wildly looking around, Jisoo found a store full of New Year's props. Racing to it, she pushed through several people to the door.
"Sorry," she called, not meaning it in the slightest. Once she was in the store, she ran around the aisles, looking for garden lights. Carrying an arm full to the front, Jisoo threw it all on the belt, startling the bored cashier. After she had another armful of garden lights and several packs of batteries, the cashier checked her out. Once everything was paid for and bagged, she dashed out the door and ran in the middle of the street.
Quickly she made her way to the building with the music note. Fifteen minutes left. Going up to the highest floor she could, Jisoo took the stairs the rest of the way. Huffing and puffing, she finally made it to the rooftop door. Pushing it open, she looked at her phone. Eight minutes. Using her phone's flashlight, she loaded the garden lights with batteries and turned them on, careful to keep them out of sight.
Setting everything in place, Jisoo's eyes found the Ferris wheel car at the top and the lone dark-haired girl sitting in it. She was looking the other way at the skyline, waiting. Jisoo's numb hands dialed Lisa again. After running around for so long, the cold was starting to sink back in. Her fingers felt like stumps, her nose was running, her toes frozen. Breathing on her cold hands, Jisoo waited for Lisa to pick up.
Two minutes left. "Jisoo? What happened?"
"I have to tell you something. But I need the time to be right."
"What? You know you can tell me anything." Jisoo smiled.
"Then turn around." Lisa furrowed her brow, slowly glancing back at the music note. Jisoo stood on the roof, illuminated by the garden lights. Her icy skin glowed like the moon, she black hair the same color of the sky.
"Jisoo? What are you doing up there," Lisa asked. Excitement bled into her voice as she waved at the girl on top of the building.
"Lisa." Taking a deep breath, Jisoo looked directly into the tall woman's eyes. "I love you. I have for a while now. And I want to be with you. Will you please be my girlfriend?" Lisa's eyes widened at the sudden confession.
"I-"
"The fireworks start in thirty seconds. What do you say?"
"Y-yes. Yes, I love you too." Jisoo smiled brilliantly at her just as an explosion lit up the sky. Lisa's eyes flew to the red and green sparks, but Jisoo's remained on her girlfriend. Colors danced on the glass that separated Lisa from the outside air. Blue, gold, green, red, but none of the colors or images could hold a candle to the girl inside the glass car.
Once the explosions stopped, Lisa looked back at Jisoo. "Happy New Year's baby," Lisa told Jisoo.
Instead of saying it back, Jisoo sat on the edge of the building, dangling her feet off. "So, what are we going to do tomorrow?"
"Aren't you going to head down?"
"No. We still have an hour before your New Year. I'm not moving from this spot until its 2020 for you too." Lisa smiled and looked at her lap. Definitely, the best New Year's she had ever had.
