"This is the part you make a wish, Baechu"
Hora just looks at me and resigns herself.
Putting her hands together, she closes her eyes and ponders deeply before taking a deep breath.
Blowing out the flame with a gusto, causes the wait-staff and surrounding customers to break into a mild cheer.
The commotion soon settles and the restaurant returns to its previous state.
We make light work of dessert, and as appreciation for their effort I leave a more than hefty tip.
When we exit the restaurant, Hora walks with a brisk pace as is I have to break into a light trod to catch up with her.
Deciding to break the Ice a bit. I face the still beet red little lady and ask, "So what did you wish for?"
She has clearly not forgiven me for putting her in that situation, and it appears that my teasing was in the words of a Pokemon move 'NOT EFFECTIVE!'
As if I'm made glass, she ignores my attempts and just stares straight through me.
With no regard to her current mood, I continue and double down quite annoyingly "How about I guess? Uhm maybe you wished for a handbag or ... shoes or maybe you wished for something magical like a unicorn or .... a devilishly handsome boyfriend. Oh wait you have that already!"
I flash my pearly whites and stare into her doe-like as she shakes her head and says "You are an Idiot!"
Now that she is speaking to me again, I press on "So what did you wish for?"
"Hmmmm. That I never met you"
"Oh"
Even though I know she's joking, it still hurt quite a bit.
*Insert Katy Perry meme* They ask you how you are and you just have to say that you're fine and you're not really fine and you just can't get into it because they would never understand.
Noticing my crestfallen expression, she realizes that I didn't take the joke quite as well as she had hoped.
She suddenly grabs onto my shirt and tugs it.
I stop in my tracks, "What now?"
"We are here"
Looking towards the neon sign post that reads 'now showing', I see a large picture of two people kissing under the rain.
"Let's head in" I put on a brave face and lead the way.
I rented it out for the entire cinema this afternoon. Perks of being rich, maybe it's a bit much but I go hard.
After purchasing a few concessions my arms are full carrying popcorn, snacks and drinks.
The dimly lit theater has about 200 seats so we have our choice of leisure.
Soon thereafter the movie starts playing and we are drawn into it.
......
Allie: Why didn't you write me? Why? It wasn't over for me, I waited for you for seven years. But now it's too late.
Noah: I wrote you 365 letters. I wrote you everyday for a year.
Allie: You wrote me?
Noah: Yes… it wasn't over, it still isn't over.
Drenched in October rain which is so loud that were in not for the post-edit it would have probably drowned out all other sounds.
They gave in then to everything they had fought the last fourteen years. Noah rushes into her embrace and kisses her passionately on the lips.
He leans in slowly and kissed her again, and this time she kisses back, feeling the years of separation dissolve into passion. She closed her eyes and parted her lips as he ran his fingers up and down her arms, slowly, lightly. He kissed her neck, her cheek, her eyelids, and she felt the moisture of his mouth linger wherever his lips had touched.
The world seems dreamlike as she pulled back from him
.......
I reach for my drink as I can feel my throat becoming parched. Despite its 13+ advisory rating, this movie is pretty steamy.
I turn to Hora whose fixated on the screen, smirking I lean in and whisper, "How about we try that too?"
Her eyes bulge and her hand that was filled with popcorn is flung at me, going into everywhere nook and cranny. She is relentless in her assault as handful after handful heads my way.
"You are wasting food!" I plea. "Stop it"
She is relishing in my plight and laughs, "Serves you right"
I pout and start eating the discarded popcorn kernels from.
Doesn't taste too bad though. Cream cheese and Chives flavoring, could have been worse.
My focus once more returns to the screen and not there long after the film ends.
As we leave the theater, I find that the temperature has cooled quite a bit given that that the hottest period of the day has passed.
Hora's eyes are red with tears, that I can't help but ask, "Was the ending really so sad?"
She looks up-to me, "They both die, he only got a short moment with her after she remembered"
With a hop skip and jump, I land in-front of her "You think so? I don't really feel that way"
"What do you think of it then?" Hora questions.
Walking backwards, as the descending sun sets behind me, "This movie is about Noah telling Allie their story to see if she remembers anything right?"
"Yes"
"Well you see, sometimes life gets very tough, as it was for Allie after being diagnosed with Alzheimer. Life has many obstacles, you know but you can overcome them with people you love next to you. Eventually we all are going to die, and if we are too then the best way to die is very old with the love of your life next to you. " I shrug "Don't you think?"
She stops her step steps, taking a moment to think over the words I've just said.
I guess she wasn't expecting a thoughtful answer from me. How low is her expectations of me anyway?
"I said something smart just now, didn't I" I say completely disregarding her revelry.
"And! .....You just ruined it. Idiot!" She breaks into a loud chuckle, before composing herself. " Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened - Dr Seuss"
"That's some higher grade reading, Ms Bae"
She pushes me away from her softly, "Well it's true. And I kind of get it now."
"Oh you do?"
"Yeah. A little more now" She says with a serene smile of sweetness that sends shock-waves through my entire soul.
Taking a moment, she breathes in before saying " I really didn't wish that. You know"
"Huh"
"I didn't really wish .... that we never met" She says softly leaving me stunned as she walks forward.
Watching her walk away slowly, It takes a while before my brain processes what just happened, chasing after her as I shout "So what did you wish for!?"
She turns back, sticks her tongue out and runs away
"It's a secret! "