I went home to Seoul thinking about that woman. I send her off in a cab, but I never really heard anything about her ever since. She is braver than me when it comes to confronting fears, while I escaped from my marriage because I cannot confront the betrayal. She has undergone a lot to face hers.
I was back in Copenhagen after six months. I am attending another workshop at ITU for my final thesis with my master's degree. Henry is not with me this time, he had different topic for his thesis. I have not thought much about the woman at the bar these past months. But that night still lingers in my mind once in a while. Probably, there are those kinds of coincidences once in our lives, in order for us to learn from it. Since that night, I have been contemplating how to confront my wife and my best friend. And I decided to finally go back to Seoul after this workshop to give my signature to the divorce papers. It's time to move on.
I am with this thought at the Metro when I saw a familiar face descending from the stairs. Her eyes no longer empty but with clear determination, although she still looks like she has a lot on her mind. The forlorn aura from the night at the bar is now transformed into confidence. I can't see any trace of her from that night at all. I was staring at her so intently that the line behind the ticket machine build up. Then she approached me, she asked where I am going and if I know about the line behind me. The train going to ITU is already approaching the platform when she offered to just buy me the ticket.
We stopped at the same station, she offered to walk me to ITU, I didn't tell her I already know where it is. She probably thought I needed direction. I wanted to be with her, so I just feigned ignorance. She brought me all the way to the pathway going to ITU. When she's about to leave her books fell down and all the papers inserted on it scattered everywhere. I helped her gather the papers and when she realized she is running late. She bid goodbye in a hurry. There's another paper left, but she's already gone. And I didn't even get the chance to know her name. I am still her stranger.
They say it's fate when you coincidentally meet someone three times. I believe in this fate, why else would I meet her? She always has this distant look whenever I see her, her mind is always wandering somewhere. She always looks so far-away. She's just sitting there looking by the window, in her deep thoughts. I'm now beginning to think that these random meetings with her is somehow bringing us together. I am going back to Seoul for a seminar after a week in Copenhagen. I would have not taken this flight if there wasn't any available seat, but my secretary somehow managed to get me a seat beside her, of all places.
I tried to have a conversation, but she seemed irritated to be disturb. She still doesn't recognize me. She was glaring at me; I felt a bit uneasy. I might have caught her eye at least. I sense that she is troubled, but she is in control of her feelings now. That girl from the bar is a distant memory to both of us already, I guess. Ara Rivera, that's her name. For the third time meeting her, I finally have her name.
I gave total control to fate to do whatever it is that it wants for the both of us. She's an admirable woman, and I'm beginning to be pulled closer and closer to her. I took the opportunity to finally take the first step towards her. She's going to be in Seoul for almost a week, if I won't take courage to ask her out, who knows when we will meet again. I wanted to finalize my divorce because she inspired me to take courage. Two and a half years of rebelling with my signature for the divorce is already becoming childish. No matter how long I will delay the finalization of my separation, it won't hide the fact of what happened.
I think I'm beginning to like her. It's funny, and people might think it is impossible, but I felt like I have known her for so long. We parted ways at the airport, I gave her my business card, hoping that she will give me a call. But it seems that we are really meant to play a part on each other's lives because the seminar that I am going to be a speaker in, is the same seminar she is attending in Seoul. I almost declined going to the welcome party. I never really wanted to do this kind of events, it's just a way of people to know who they can use more to build their network. I'm glad I went. I would have never seen her this stunning. She's totally changed, from that night at the bar up until this night, I feel somehow proud to have seen how well she had transformed.
I just came from a meeting with Nan-do and Seo-hyun and our lawyers, to finally sign the divorce paper, with it is the acknowledgment of their relationship, and the freedom to finally let go and move on. Ara Rivera: she is the woman who inspired me and helped me confront my fear and my pain. And she is here, dazzling so bright you can't disregard her presence. Is it possible to be this confident in your own emotions towards someone who is still practically a stranger?
It was my time to tell her my story that night. Somehow, she still cannot remember that night at the bar. I would have told her how she gave me courage to do what I supposed to have done 2 years ago, but I want to keep it for myself. I want to know how long this fate is taking us.
I finally knew a side of her that is playful. She becomes more adorable as I get to know her. At this rate, I might have already fallen for her. It was an eventful night ended with an awkward peck on the cheek, it wasn't as awkward as the first time though. I could have easily kiss her right then, but I gathered my courage not to. I have never expected that we'll going to share something else after that night.
The publicity came 2 days after. It was that day when Seo-hyun and Nan-do finally went public with their relationship. And that ordinary peck on the cheek became a reason for a headline. I have never expected that coming back to Seoul will put me back to the spotlight that I have hated for a long time.
I suddenly felt worried. I felt ashamed to be dragging her into this. She's an unknowing stranger to this scene and I don't know how to react, because she is neither my friend nor my woman. I am worried how she would react and that she may not want to see me again. My excitement for our date this evening became fear. I don't want to lose her because of this. I'm just beginning to know her. I rushed to the hotel; the lobby is full of reporters that I needed to call Ji-hwan, my brother-in-law, whose family own the hotel, to have access at the back entrance. I brought Joon-o with me, he has been my assistant, confidante, friend for a long time, I can trust him with my life.
She opened the door, and she doesn't seem to be affected by what's going on, or she probably haven't heard anything. I was wrong though, because when we reach inside the room, she is already with someone, the person who picked her up from the airport. She already seems to know what's happening, but she doesn't look worried. That night, I got to know another side of her. She is not just courageous; she is a no-nonsense type of person, a pragmatist. She doesn't seem to falter into trivial things. She speaks her mind and say things as they are not thinking how it will affect the person hearing it. I asked to be alone with her, thinking that we should sort things out. She is not up for it, and she wanted to dismiss our acquaintance altogether. I felt uneasy, I don't want that to happen. Her assistant seemed sensible enough to feel what's going on, and she respectfully take her leave.
We are left alone at that hotel room. I finally poured it out. I confessed my feelings towards her. I left out the part from the night at the bar, to not make her feel awkward. She is uptight and for a courageous woman, she still has lot of fears. I finally handed back her letter to remind her of the words on it. I am ready to open up to her, because I like her. I'm ready to be with her, no matter where it will be, I wanted to tell her that. But she seemed too guarded. I felt a sense of disappointment, I decided to let her think through.
I left her with a heavy heart and the thought that I might not see her again. She's fighting it and I felt sad. What am I expecting? I stayed by the door to finally make it sink in, the thought of never seeing her again. I am standing there still pondering what to do, if I would have gone a minute earlier, I would have not seen her anymore. The door opened, and it opened to a whole night of experience for both of us. The door opened to possibilities of the future.
But she left by morning with just a note. Giving all the power to fate. What else will I do? I have only good memories with her, enough to believe that fate might have a plan for both of us. I believed in it, because from the moment we met up until now, it was all because of fate. I finally settled in Seoul and accepted my life as it is, but with the hope of that day when fate will finally bring her back to me.