West Seoul University Series

by Leigh Ban

  “One iced Americano and one hot cappuccino please,” Isaac said.

  After he paid and received the buzzer, I mouthed, “Thanks.”

  Isaac gave me a gentle nudge. “So why am I an exception? Is it because you want to know everything about me? I hope you’re not going to hire a private investigator. My life is not as interesting as it may seem.”

  “All I want to know is whether you were writing about me. Don’t get too excited.” I winked at him. “The only reason I feel, ahem, entitled to look is because you snooped at my scholarship essay that day at the autumn harvest festival.”

  When we arrived at our table again, I pointed at his laptop.

  He sighed and laughed dryly. “I was writing a summary for our date at the children’s ward.”

  “Then why are you so secretive about it? You’re not going to badmouth me to Professor Lim, are you?” I said, even though I wouldn’t have been willing to show him my summaries either.

  “I wouldn’t dream of it, Yumi. You’re the best class partner I’ve ever had.” He ruffled my hair as I sat down. “Now, I’m going to the bathroom. I trust that when I come back, my laptop will be shut. If you really want to take a look, I won’t stop you. Just don’t bring up what I wrote later, okay?”

  “Gotcha.” I nodded, round-eyed. “Now pass me the buzzer.”

  Date #1

  My first date with Yumi was at the Seoul Autumn Harvest Festival. For me, the highlight of the festival was the giant pumpkin display. Although Yumi wasn’t impressed by the display at all, I was in awe of how the farmers managed to grow pumpkins the size of sofas. Sure, the pumpkins weren’t exactly pretty, but at the end of the day, nobody cares about what the ingredients in a delicious pumpkin pie or pumpkin soup originally looked like.

  Anyway, enough praise about the pumpkins. Since we needed to set a photo of us at the festival as our profile picture, I was able to convince Yumi to pose behind the pumpkins with me. A kind stranger offered to take the photo. I wonder if the other students in our class took selfies or asked a random person to take their photo. Maybe Yumi and I should take selfies for our next date. Hopefully that’ll break the ice.

  To conclude, although Yumi and I didn’t get a chance to explore every booth, the festival seemed like an upbeat, cheerful date destination for couples. Definitely worth spending the weekend exploring.

  Date #2

  Yeouido Park was packed to the brim. There were a lot of couples, families, and pet owners eager to make the most of the spectacular autumn weather. In the beginning, Yumi and I could barely move through the crowd without losing each other. I suppose that’s the only downside of visiting the park on such a perfect day.

  As an update, Yumi and I did end up taking selfies for our second date. To be honest, I don’t think we grew closer from the rather awkward, irritating experience of me fiddling around with my phone and adjusting the angle because of the sunlight. However, we did embark on a mini adventure afterward when we saw a lost child who’d fallen over and scraped his knees.

  Date #3

  Like everyone else who grew up in Seoul, I have fond memories of visiting Unicorn World when I was younger. Although I never got to go to the theme park during Halloween season, I remember hearing about how piss-your-pants-scary the haunted houses were from my brother’s friends. Each year the theme and concept of the haunted house is slightly different. The haunted house for this October was called the Danger Zone.

  When Yumi agreed to enter the Danger Zone with me, I felt like I was finally going through some bizarre rite of passage to become an adult resident of Seoul who’s enjoyed Unicorn World to the fullest. There was a big fuss about us having to read the disclaimers before we entered. Once we went inside, I immediately understood all the fuss. Although the Danger Zone looked like a gimmicky black shipping container attraction from the outside, it was thoroughly built to scare. Once we were inside, Yumi was no longer a nonchalant cool girl. She was clinging onto me like there were arrows flying toward her and I was her trusty steel shield. It was endearing, to say the least.

  Due to some unexpected issues that arose, Yumi and I didn’t get to ride the Unicorn-ster, the newest attraction at the theme park. I suppose we could always plan another visit to the theme park though. As cliché as theme park dates may be to some people, I’ve got to give it to Unicorn World for being the place where Yumi and I started to really connect.

  Date #4

  For our fourth date, Yumi and I saw The Nutcracker at the Seo Woo Center for Performing Arts. I hadn’t visited the center since middle school, when I used to go to the ballet with my mom, so I was pleasantly surprised when Yumi insisted we watch The Nutcracker. Even though I’ve seen the show countless times, I enjoyed seeing it again. The music evoked nostalgia and got me into the Christmas spirit to the point where I began hoping we’d be assigned a festive activity for our fifth date.

  My trips to the center as a middle schooler definitely paid off. Not for the obvious reasons—I didn’t turn into an artsy-fartsy wannabe critic. I was able to score boyfriend points by taking Yumi to the rose garden and pavilion behind the main building. When I asked a florist to make the perfect bouquet for Yumi, the florist surprised us with peach and white roses. There was only one deep red rose in the center. Though the flower arrangement could’ve just reflected the florist’s mood, I like to think she saw through Yumi’s dark lipstick and all-black-wearing front to spot her soft, sweet side—a side I’m slowly getting to know.

  Date #5

  Throughout this semester, Yumi has told me so many interesting details about her life, which is why, for our final date, I wanted to plan an activity that would reflect her background and have personal meaning to her. Ever since she revealed that she dreamed of being a fairy as a little girl, I’ve pondered over ways to recreate the magic of childhood. When my father told me Seoul Modu Hospital was recruiting volunteers for the annual Christmas event at the children’s ward, everything clicked together in my mind.

  Fortunately, the event was a success. The kids at Seoul Modu Hospital adored Yumi. Once we purchased their toys and arrived at the hospital, we spent the rest of the afternoon singing Christmas songs and giving them each a present. At first, Yumi was hesitant to sing along, but encouraged by the adoring eyes on her, she eventually joined in the fun. By the time we started handing out gifts, she was leading the room with confidence.

  Chapter Thirteen

  “Want to take a walk?” Isaac asked as I put down my empty cup.

  I gazed into his eyes. He stared back at me expectantly.

  “Alright. Let’s go,” I said, pushing myself up from my seat. After we made our way toward the entrance of the student center, I asked, “Do you think it’s going to start snowing soon?”

  “I hope so,” he murmured.

  “Because it gets you in the Christmas spirit the way The Nutcracker does?” I laughed.

  He shook his head at me, grinning. “This is why I didn’t want you to read my summaries.”

  “But now I can put my mind at ease knowing you don’t plan on complaining about me to Professor Lim,” I pointed out.

  “But what about me? I don’t get the peace of mind knowing you’re not going to tattle on me. How unfair,” he said playfully as we stepped out of the building.

  “Live with it.” I stuck my tongue out. “You have everything else you could ever want otherwise.”

  “You’re right.” Isaac stopped in his tracks and turned to me with a tender look in his eyes. “I have you.”

  I smiled nervously, unsure of what to say in response.

  He put his hand out. A tiny snowflake landed on his palm. “It’s the first snow of the season.”

  “Right.” I lowered my gaze. The ground was slowly turning white.

  “When I got accepted to West Seoul University, people around me—my cousins, my brother’s friends, even my parents and teachers—told me I should start living it up. Some of them told me I should go on as many dates as possible,
while others of them said I needed to hurry up and find a girlfriend. At the time, I had no clue what I wanted.”

  “You were what, eighteen? Of course you had no idea. You were still a kid in many ways,” I said.

  “To be honest, I was a little embarrassed and overwhelmed by all the remarks. So I pretended I wasn’t into the cutesy couple culture. I told people I couldn’t stand the mushy, cheesy part of relationships. But I wasn’t entirely honest.”

  “You were a closet romantic?” I teased.

  “If having one snowy day fantasy qualifies me as a closet romantic, then I guess so. Occasionally, I imagined myself asking the girl of my dreams out on the day of the first snow.” He scratched the back of his head, biting his lip. “Which is why I asked you to meet me today. I know it’s silly. There’s no reason to wait until the first snow. People should ask their crush out whenever they want. In my defense, the hallway of a hospital is not exactly a romantic spot.”

  “How thoughtful of you,” I said, using my thumb to dab the snowflake on his cheekbone.

  “Yumi, I know you wouldn’t have gone on a single date with me if I didn’t happen to be your class partner for an experimental fake relationship course. But I must confess, I stopped seeing you as a fake girlfriend long ago. I’m genuinely head over heels for you.” He paused to take a deep breath. When he exhaled, a cloud of warm air came out. “I don’t care whether you write me a love letter or not. As I told you earlier, I’ve been doing better this semester. I’ll be fine even if I get a C or a D for Society and Love. I just want you to know that despite bickering all the time initially… all of our memories together are invaluable to me. It’s been a pleasure getting to know you. Thank you for opening up to me.”

  “You know what my answer is going to be, don’t you?” I purred, wrapping my arms around his neck. “So can I just kiss you?”

  Isaac swiftly leaned in. Within seconds, our lips were pressed together, and our tongues were entwined. In the beginning, his mouth was cold and minty, but it didn’t take long for him to warm up and make my entire body tingle with desire. As we kissed fervently, the tip of his nose brushed against mine, tickling my skin. I couldn’t help but giggle.

  “What is it?” he whispered.

  “I want to say it out loud. Isaac, I’m yours.”

  Dear Isaac,

  I don’t believe in love at first sight. Does that make me cold-hearted? No. Because I do know what it’s like to be in love—I’m in love right now. And I owe it all to you.

  Truthfully, it took me a while to grow fond of you. But that’s made the process of falling for you even more rewarding. As you know, on the first day we met, I got mad at you because you accidentally plugged off the computer I was using. It’s funny writing that out—the problem seems far more trivial now. Although you apologized, I was so set on my opinion that you were supercilious and didn’t take me seriously. Over the course of this semester, I learned that I couldn’t have been more wrong. You are an extremely caring person. During our dates for Society and Love, you consistently treated strangers with respect, listened to my stories with empathy, and even stood up for me at Unicorn World. Isaac, I’m sorry I judged you so harshly at the beginning of the semester. I wish I could time-travel back to the past and tell myself to enjoy our precious first dates. Your playful and confident demeanor is one of my favorite things about you now.

  Until I fell for you, I used to fear getting into serious relationships. For many years, I thought I was the voice of wisdom for my friends because I discouraged them from fawning over guys they’d only just met. A while ago, you brought up how, just as my friends have no idea if the guys they like are actually as amazing as they seem in the early stages, people can end up connecting with someone who they might not have initially hit it off with. I don’t know what took me so long to accept that, because you’re totally right. In hindsight, I was essentially making excuses for myself and searching for reasons to avoid falling in love. I think I was scared of unreservedly opening up to someone because there were many things about me I was afraid to confront—insecurities, secrets, and scars from the past.

  I’m not sure I want you to read what I’m about to mention, because I’ve already complimented you enough. I know you pretty well now. You’re probably smiling from ear to ear while you’re reading this. Am I right? The grin on your face is going to widen even further now, since I’d like to thank you for the effort you put into making our evening at the Seo Woo Center for Performing Arts magical. I’m incredibly grateful to you for taking me to the rose garden. You see, I had insanely high expectations for my first ever date to the center, as it was literally the place of my dreams.

  Should I go on and divulge in the details? Seeing as you shared your romantic fantasy about the first snow of the season, I suppose it’s only fair if I share exactly what I so badly hoped for. I wanted a night where my hot date and I were both dressed to the nines (check—we did that), stared at each other with adoration in front of the spectacular landmark building (also check), then watched the ballet together (a third check). My obsession with the center continued growing as time passed. Earlier this year, when my friend, who’s an exchange student, went on a date to the center with her then-boyfriend, I was happy for her, but I felt inexplicably upset deep down. Perhaps the bitter cynic inside me was subconsciously telling myself that I, on the other hand, would never get the chance to have my very own romantic night at the center. Simply just thinking about our wonderful movie-like date brings me to tears of joy. And you know, I rarely cry.

  Everybody has good days and bad days. I’m a glass-half-empty type of person. I know better than anyone that the downright awful, I’ve-had-enough-of-humanity days are bound to arise. Even a beautiful rose garden has its thorns, after all. But with you by my side, I know I’ll never feel as forlorn as I did before I met you. Although I don’t know exactly what my life will be like ten years—or even ten months—from now, there is one thing I’m sure of: I see us happy together. Because you have a knack for making the most difficult situations entertaining.

  Isaac, you healed my wounds with your love. Thank you for giving this pessimist hope.

  With lots and lots of love,

  Yumi

  Chapter Fourteen

  “This is going to be my last one,” I said, grabbing the tequila shot in front of me.

  “What do you mean? You’re not even tipsy yet. We’re supposed to be celebrating tonight,” Stella replied, slurring her words. Although it was only around nine, we’d already been drinking for a couple of hours.

  “Celebrating what? The middle of finals period? Unlike you two lucky souls who are done with this semester, I still have a term paper to write,” I pointed out before knocking back the shot. I’d taken my last exam several hours earlier. Afterward, I submitted my partner assignment summaries and love letter for Society and Love, two days before the deadline.

  Stella scratched her temple. “Well then, you can celebrate… having done well on your exams so far.”

  “And having found love,” Dana chimed in. “Don’t forget, Yumi has a boyfriend now.”

  “A boyfriend who most definitely wants me to maintain composure so I can return to my apartment safe and sound.” I emitted a wide, fake yawn, which turned into a real one. “Sorry, guys. I’m going to have to call it a night.”

  Stella jabbed me with her elbow. “You’re not going to meet up with him tonight, are you?”

  “Are you accusing me of trying to ditch you guys for my boyfriend? Oh, I wish. He’s meeting up with his best friend from high school right now. Apparently his friend’s on vacation from the military.” I snorted. “In all seriousness, I’m really just exhausted. Plus, I have an early morning ahead of me.”

  “You do?” Dana clicked her fingers. “Aha, I remember. You’ve got a fancy-schmancy event to attend, per Professor Byun’s request.”

  “How exciting. Where is the event held, Yumi?” Stella asked.

  I shrugged. “It’s ju
st a brunch event on campus. There’s no dress code or anything. Not that I know of.”

  “But you’re not going to go wearing a pair of sweatpants, are you?” Dana said, alluding to the fact that I hadn’t been spotted in anything else since the start of December. “Don’t forget, you were personally invited by Professor Byun, the head of the economics department, also known as Mr. Three-Piece Suit.”

  “No, but I’ll be putting on another pair of pants with an elastic waistband, just in case the catering is good,” I joked.

  “I look forward to seeing your photos later,” Dana remarked.

  I left the bar half an hour later. Once I parted ways with Dana and Stella, who were headed to Bubble Bomb, one of our favorite hangout spots, I made my way toward my apartment. From loud crowds of freshmen who seemed eager to go bar-hopping to businessmen who were back in the college area to reminisce about old times, the streets were lively since it was Friday night. Just as I took out my phone to check if Isaac had replied to my last message, I heard someone call out his name and immediately turned my head.

  “Isaac, stop. I’m fine. Put me down,” a woman blurted out. She pounded her boyfriend’s shoulders with her fists while he carried her on his back.

  I couldn’t see her boyfriend’s face. Ordinarily, I would’ve walked away without much thought. However, he was tall and well-built, exactly like—

  “Not a chance. I’m taking you home. Let’s catch a taxi.”

  A chill ran down my spine. It was Isaac’s voice. The moment I woke up in a taxi next to him flashed through my mind. I couldn’t believe it had simply been part of his repertoire with women. While he hadn’t tried to make a move on me then, I didn’t know whether that would’ve been the case with the woman he was carrying. Besides, they seemed to have been drinking together when he was supposed to have been hanging out with his high school friend.