'God this can't be,' I muttered as I held my breath. Is this really true?
I went back inside the retreat house and took deep breaths. I needed to be calm, it might only be a figment of my imagination.
It's too impossible.
But then, as the door opened, a familiar face came. A soft featured, thin-bearded guy who had the softest gaze I could ever remember came face to face with me. Wearing a clerical collar over his black shirt, I recognized my very good friend in college, Father Christian.
'Hannah,' he said in a brotherly voice, the voice he used to talk to me way back then. His gentle voice that eased my whole being when I was nursing the absence caused by one person. As soon as I saw him, I gave him a bear hug and smiled warmly at him.
'Oppa,' I said. 'How are you?'
'Oh, I'm good,' he replied as he led me back to my seat. 'But, I'm afraid we'll have to wait for a moment for the other person you will be working closely with on this,' he said. I looked up at him and was quite annoyed. Time is an important element in meetings so I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. But just as I was about to open it, I heard a knock on the door, and when I directed my gaze to my priest-friend, he smiled at me. He went near it and opened it.
'Hyung, I'm really sorry I'm late.'
I froze the moment I heard that voice.
----
'How are you holding up to your practices?' Geoff asked as we were having some refreshments at the nearby convenience shop.
I took a deep breath and sighed. He voice is soothing and when I saw him smiling, I pouted. I asked him why he was doing that, he replied.
'Because I love the way you express yourself in front of me.'
'Huh? I am always like this,' I replied.
'And that's why I like you. Because you are never afraid to do so,' he said. 'I could see you are tired?'
'Can we just walk around that stage? Anyway it's for a fair?' I complained to him, while leaning my head on his shoulder. He took my hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.
'You can't just walk around in there like casually. It's a pageant, and I guess you have to feel like you really are in one,' he replied. 'Besides, you don't want to embarrass everyone, right?'
'How come you always say the right words?' I asked him.
He only gave me his smile. I then decided to tease him.
'Hmm, won't you get jealous if I win and those boys flock on me? You know how it is at school fairs,' I said. I then saw the change in his aura and I tried hard to control my laughter. Clearly, this guy was turning green at the thought.
'No, of course not,' came his flat-toned reply.
'Are you sure?' squinting on him teasingly. 'You'll be okay with that?'
He sighed and I knew I won.
'Of course I'll get jealous,' he replied, head hung low while displaying his pout for me to see. I couldn't help but let out a laugh while looking at him. But I must admit, it made him a lot cuter when he did so.
'I knew it!' I said then grabbed his cheeks between my hands. Turning his head to my side to let him look at me, I teased all the more.
'Geoff is jealous!' while making some funny faces. A few moments later, I noticed his lips curve upward and his dimples were in full display. He looked at me and smiled, before he leaned over and gave my forehead a kiss.
'I hope you don't mind,' he said while resting his lips softly on my forehead. I had a few, hot breaths which I know he felt. His neck was in front of me, and I could see his Adam's apple bobbing up and down. I wondered what I felt so I moved a bit further away from him.
'No, I don't,' I replied as I took a sip of cold water from the bottle. 'And you don't have to be jealous,' I said as I looked at him. Somehow the cold water eased what I was feeling earlier. I smiled and continued speaking.
'I said yes to you, remember?'
He smiled and held my hand a bit tighter, before we headed out and went home.
Few days later, the school fair had commenced and the pageant was part of the opening salvo. Geoff had told me earlier that he will be in charge of one soccer game, and after which he will go directly to the auditorium where the pageant will be held. As I was preparing, my trusty friends were with me and were wishing me good luck. They put my makeup on and were also in charge of my outfit for the pageant. I couldn't help but feel nervous, because even when they gave me words of assurance, there was something inside me that held me back.
I tried to peer in to the audience to find him but then he wasn't there yet. I had to take deep breaths, and I realized, how can Geoff make an impact in my life in such a short amount of time?
'You can do that!' I remember him telling me before he went out to the game and left me in the care of my friends.
'I can,' I whispered. Just then, we were advised to get ready as the show will start in five minutes. Where is he?
The first three candidates sashayed around the stage, but it was somehow quiet. My turn then came and as soon as I got out, I heard the uproar of the whole auditorium cheering for me. What?
I wore my biggest smile and walked onto it.