[Short Story] Spring, Cherry Blossoms

{Kang Daniel} Spring, cherry blossoms

It was a warm spring day when I met you.

I was 20 years old at that time

It was an age when I was very interested in love.

That day, I really wanted to see cherry blossoms.

이루미

Hmm...let's see...

After searching around for places where cherry blossoms were in full bloom, I decided to just go to the cherry blossom festival.

이루미

Okay, this is good~

I was so excited about going out that I put on a pretty dress and put on makeup for the first time in a while.

이루미

Hmm! Shall we go out now?

So I left the house

I was hurrying towards the festival site, which was closer than I thought.

이루미

wow...

The festival we arrived at was surprisingly crowded.

Excited, I quickly joined the crowd to admire the cherry blossoms.

이루미

I should upload it to Facebook later~

I took some photos and selfies to post on social media and took a leisurely walk for once.

But, as expected, there were a lot of couples because it was the cherry blossom festival.

A couple walking affectionately arm in arm, a couple bickering and joking...

Looking at couples like that, I felt lonely.

I've been single for 20 years. I'm not that ugly, but I haven't had a boyfriend in 20 years.

I couldn't help but feel envious whenever my friends would come and brag about their boyfriends.

When I stopped walking for a moment because I was gloomy

A cherry blossom petal fell before my eyes.

I had vaguely heard that catching falling cherry blossom petals would lead to love, but I reached out to the petals in disbelief.

Snap-

And I thought I caught a flower petal

The warm and soft feeling in your hands...

It was a human hand

I was startled and quickly let go of his hand.

이루미

Sorry! I was trying to grab the petals and...

As I was apologizing, the man I was holding my hand started talking to me.

강다니엘

It's okay! I was trying to catch a flower petal when that happened to me too.

He smiled at me.

강다니엘

I guess you came alone?

When he asked, I nodded quietly.

이루미

I didn't have anyone to come with, but I wanted to see the cherry blossoms, so I just came.

Then he

강다니엘

Really? Then

"Do you want to walk together?"

I couldn't refuse him when he asked me with a smile, so I nodded.

강다니엘

There aren't many people over there, so let's go over there.

He grabbed my hand and ran.

There really weren't many people where he took me.

이루미

It's pretty here too, but there aren't many people.

강다니엘

Haha, isn't it amazing?

Instead of answering his question, he smiled.

강다니엘

Don't you have a boyfriend?

이루미

I've been single for 20 years...

I looked at his face as I answered the sad reality.

...he looks really handsome at first glance

이루미

You don't have a girlfriend-

강다니엘

I'm not that guy, I'm Kang Daniel-

Ah... ahem, he cleared his throat and asked again.

이루미

Mr. Daniel, don't you have a girlfriend?

강다니엘

There isn't one yet, but I think there will be one soon.

I stared at him wondering what he was talking about.

강다니엘

What is your name?

이루미

Irumiyo

강다니엘

Oh, I see

강다니엘

Mr. Rumi

"Would you like to meet me?"

...

My train of thought was momentarily interrupted by Daniel's sudden appearance.

이루미

N...Yes?

강다니엘

Are you going to meet me?

What woman wouldn't fall for a smile that makes her eyes dazzle like that?

That's when I met you, as if it were fate

And now, three years later

We are walking along a road lined with cherry blossoms in full bloom, just like back then.

이루미

Niel, if I hadn't come to see the cherry blossoms back then, I wouldn't be walking with you like this now, right?

강다니엘

You call that talking? I'm already lonely and depressed.

강다니엘

And then I lied -

이루미

What is it?

강다니엘

I told you that I grabbed the flower petals and accidentally grabbed their hands.

강다니엘

Actually, I fell in love with you at first sight, but I held on to you because I thought I'd regret it if I let you go.

이루미

Huh? Really?

강다니엘

Yeah, really

Daniel gave me a wide-eyed smile.

Just like the day we first met

{Kang Daniel} Spring, Cherry Blossoms END