Theo-centric

Theo

I first met Theo in South Korea, around the time that North Korea was releasing bombs off the coast of Japan. We had both missed the memo that the Meetup group was cancelled for the day and went anyway. I thought it was odd when I saw only Korean faces, save Theo's, in the internet cafe, or PC Bang - as the locals called them. And it's hard to miss a group of foreigners in Seoul.

A stranger I met years ago said it was fate. Back then, after all Theo and I had been through, I thought it was too. That we were as close to soul mates as was realistically possible.

I clearly remember that day, but I'm surprised I do. It was an insignificant day. I went to work in the morning, taught several classes of bright eyed students, and came home to change. Everything worked like clockwork. Like normal from sun up to sun down.

I was standing in the front of the neon lit PC cafe in my midi skirt and vintage blouse. Theo had heard me asking the employees if the place was booked for a group and walked up to me, asking, "Are you here for the International Meetup?"

I turned and when for the first time I got a good look at Theo, not a passing glance like I had in our previous Meetups, I felt that he was truly handsome. There was something about his eyes, his bright eyes with that well intentioned look, that captivated people. That day, the moment I met Theo, really met him, it felt like the clock that governed my life, the same routine day in and day out, broke - whether for the best or not, I don't know. All I knew was that my life had changed from that moment on, slowly but surely adjusted to a new presence in my life, one that captivated me in ways I still don't understand, especially now.

I called it a crush back then. That light, airy feeling that filled my chest as I gazed at him.

You couldn't blame me. Theo was crush material. Back then, he was tall and handsome with a clean shaven, well sculpted jaw and whipped back hair. He was in his late 20s and very well spoken but seldom spoke at all. At least, to me. I was teaching English to kindergartners, and Theo was running around the world with his Apple notebook and his ThinkPad laptop and all the coding languages he had learned while in school, living it up in a different city every month. Wasn't hard to when you made ten grand per month.

"Yeah," I replied, a bit surprised to hear him talk. I recognized Theo from the other Meetups - the quiet one sitting at the corner with muted emotions, confident but a bit shy with expressive and intelligent eyes. This was more than he had ever said to me, not that we had ever talked for long. "Where's everyone else?"

"Not sure," Theo said. A pink glow from the neon lights fell over his face. It gave him a sort of mystique that made him even more attractive. "I'll give them a few minutes, but we can start playing now, if you want."

"Okay." I shrugged.

Theo waited as I paid for an hour of gaming and then headed down the aisles lined on either sides with violet neon lights. I trailed after him, nervously adjusting my bag and wondering where everyone else was. It felt too intimate to be with Theo without the others. Speaking of the others, where were they? I thought. We were supposed to meet up at 4PM for a few games, get food and drinks at the festival, which was within a few minutes walk from the internet cafe, and end the day with a movie. I was really looking forward to that movie too - Your Name, I think it was called. Guess I would have to watch it on another day, I thought glumly.

We walked past rolls of gamers, some alone, some chatting excitedly with their neighbors in Korean until we found two vacant seats. I took a seat next to Theo, leaning back on the cushions with a sigh. The chairs at the PC Bang were so comfortable - so plush and firm at the same time - nothing like the office chairs in the US.