Austin sat on an office desk chair in his office, where he worked as a clerk, he brought out a wallet from his pocket. From it, he retrieved a photo of a beautiful lady. He clutched the photo in his hands, staring at it with love and deep emotions. Overwhelmed by her beauty, his heart filled with joy, and his lips curled into a deep smile as he gazed at it steadily.
"Emma, I will always love you. Nothing will make my love fade away for you," Austin murmured to himself as he stared at the picture in his hands.
"Hahaha, Austin, not again," one of his colleagues in the office, John, said to him, while walking towards where Austin was sitting.
You didn't even notice my entrance from the door Austin, that's weird of you, John said.
"John is more like a very close friend to Austin. They were colleagues for a long time, they even got the job at the same time and resumed the same day.
"I've been observing you for a long time. You always have this woman's picture with you everywhere you go. You can't just stop looking at it anytime you're alone."
"Hahaha, John," Austin laughed. "I didn't notice you had been observing me all this while. Now I know, I'll have to hide somewhere more private to stare at my baby girl."
"You say baby girl? Is she your kid or what?" John asked, jockingly.
"Haha, you fool, she's not," Austin said. "She's my fiancée, more like a wife-to-be."
"Wow, that's good news. You finally got one for yourself. I was wondering when you would get a fiancée. Haha, Austin has grown up."
"Stop joking, John, you're making me nervous," Austin said. "But there's one thing I'm still doubting about doing. I want to engage her, so I know she's mine and mine alone."
"Wow, that's a very important thing to consider, Austin," John said. "It's a good idea. Go for it. Get a ring and propose to her if you truly want her to be your forever partner, or else someone will take her from you."
"Yeah, but I'm still confused about how to start or begin," Austin said.
"That shouldn't be a problem, Austin. I'll give you advice on how to do it, in a special place that will light up the mood, that sweet romantic atmosphere that will make it unforgettable."
"Why not fix a dinner with her at the Sheraton restaurant? That place is unique and beautiful. It's the best choice I will ever consider. Go for it. They have a wide variety of food, and you could buy flowers and give them to her as well."
"Or, you could even buy the flowers, put the ring inside, and give it to her. Haha, when she opens it, she'll be like, 'Austin, what's this for? I love the flowers. Are you proposing to me, she will then ask? Then replied, "That sweet baby, then accepts, stands up, hugs you, and accepts your proposal.
"Hahaha," Austin laughed while looking at John as he made his silly jokes. "But John, you're making it look like she'll reject me in a blink, the way you made it sound."
"No, not that. You don't have to worry much, Austin. Just take my advice and do as I say, you'll see the changes," John said with his lips curling into a smile and his cheeks rising upward.
"But if I may ask, Austin, how many years have you been in this relationship? The last time we spoke about you being in a relationship, you said you didn't have any. Then all of a sudden, you got one, John asked.
"Yeah, I know. We had a conversation like that some months ago. My relationship with Emma is not up to six months. But I just feel like she's the one I want to spend the rest of my life with. That's why I want to get married to her," Austin replied.
"Okay, that's nice," John replied while walking out of Austin office. He reached the door, grabbed the door handle with his left hand, then turned and looked at Austin. He lent out a sharp smile and said, "Anything that gives you happiness, brother, chase it with all your might. I will give you my hundred percent support."
"Haha, I can't wait for you to be a father."
"Father? Haha, that's ridiculous, Austin laughed. I haven't even gotten married to her yet, and you're telling me about having kids," Austin said with a smile evident on his face.
"Yes, of course. Don't you want to have kids?" John said, while laughing back at Austin.
"Yes, of course I want to, but not this soon," Austin replied.
"Okay, if you say so," John said while walking out of the door.
Austin sighed, lending out a deep breath, then gently relaxed his back on the chair and looked out the window, staring at the beauty of the city. His heart was overwhelmed with joy and happiness as he stared outside. The sweet morning sun shone on his face, and with a deep smile, he said, "I can't wait to see her again, and engage her t once."
Emma lived in the same city, Eldorado, but was always busy with her job as a chef at Winstone Hotel. She hardly spent enough time with Austin, but their communication was frequent over the phone, compared to in person. Their love always grew stronger. Sometimes Emma do comes to Austin's home and spend a day or two with him, using her leave from work.
Sometimes Austin does visit the hotel where she work to check up on her, but due to her busy schedule, she couldn't spend much time with him, anytime he comes. Despite this, Austin kept loving Emma, and Emma reciprocated.
Emma and Austin had been friends since childhood and had developed feelings for each other for a long time. However, they were separated due to Emma relocating to a new town about a thousand miles away from where Austin stays. The bond faded due to the distance. But after 17 years, when Austin was 27 and Emma was 26, they found themselves at a movie show where Austin went to watch a famous anime movie called Naruto Uzumaki, the rebirth of the new kage. Emma was also at the show that day.
It happened that they sat in the same row of chairs, but she was two seats away from him. When Austin saw her, he couldn't believe his eyes. After 17 years, and now he could see her again, is she the one or is just look alike, he pondered in thought.
He was shocked, full of surprise and wonder. But he wasn't sure if she was truly the one; it had been a very long time, it could be that his memories are playing him.
When the movie show was over, Austin approached her, wanting to have a conversation to know if it was truly her.
He walked towards her and stopped her, while she was walking. he asked if she was Emma. She was surprised at how a random man could just walk up to her and call her name. She was confused, but Austin assured her that she was safe, that he wasn't just some random man looking to harass women.
He asked her if she came from the town of Silvermist, where both Emma and Austin grew up before they were separated. She hesitated at some point in answering his question. She asked why he needed such information and decided to walk away from him.
Not until he shouted her name twice and said, "I am Austin, your childhood friend. It's been long since we met, so you must have forgotten my face, but I can still remember your face and that beautiful smile of yours," he said, while standing from a distance.
Hearing this, Emma turned and looked at him. "You said you are Austin?" she asked. "Then suddenly, her face flashed like a memory in her head, and she remembered. She ran to him and hugged him. "It's been long since we've seen each other, I think over 16 years," she said.
"No, it's 17 years actually," Austin replied.
She laughed and looked at him. "You live in Eldorado City now?" she asked.
"Yes, I live in Eldorado City. I work as a clerk at a telecommunication center in Megasinda Residence," Austin said. "I'm really glad to see you, Emma. Why don't we meet at a restaurant where we can talk more?" he asked politely. She replied without hesitation.
"Yes, sure, "This is my number. You should call me when you get home and we can arrange which restaurant to meet at. I have a lot to say to you, Austin. I can't wait to hear your jokes and bring back the childhood memories when you always make me laugh. Haha," Emma laughed.
Austin brought out his phone and collected her number. "I will call you, okay," Austin said.
Emma walked to her car and drove away with a steady smile at Austin.
This was how Austin reunited with Emma after 17 years of not seeing each other. When Austin got home, he quickly brought out his phone and called Emma. She picked up, and they started a conversation, fixing a place to meet—a restaurant opposite the street where he lived. He later met with Emma, and they started a conversation. After that day, they called each other frequently, and the next month, they started dating.
It was like a fairy tale, to Austin.