Chapter Text
I shifted in my seat, hot, the heater was blazing. Professor Lander was explaining our next art project, a portrait of someone you loved or liked.
The girls in the class wisphered to each other that they were going to draw their boyfriends or husbands.
"Alice, are you going to draw your Korean Star?" My bf leans over and asks me.
"Duh, Kaley. I love SeungGi Oppa!"
"Opa?! As in the Greek restaurant? Plus he's way too old for you"
"No, Kaley. Never mind. Almost everything about him is perfect - he's human so he can't be completely perfect. I love all the little things about him. From the way he smiles - it's so contagious, I start to smile myself- to his laugh. But we are so far apart - it's so depressing! SeungGi is only six years older than me."
"Alice, you will find a man out there,"
"I know but I have dreamed about it. It seems so real."
Ring
"Well anyway see you tomorrow! Bye Alice!"
"See you too!" I yell to her as she flys out the room. I grab my bag and head out too.
I was the only one of my college ring that wasn't engaged or married. I was starting to think that I was a lost cause. But I just needed to think of SeungGi and I would always feel better.
I stood, waiting at the bus stop. I hopped on when it came to a halt. I sat down in the nearest Available seat.
I pulled out my Samsung Galaxy S6 and scrolled through my playlist, stopping on Invite by Lee Seung Gi.
My obsession started in grade nine when I was bored and played around on Netflix looking for something to watch when I spotted a foreign TV show called "My Girlfriend Is A Gumiho." I pressed play and was sucked into the kdrama world. The story was about a rebellious college boy who wants to throw everything away to be a action star. His grandfather disproves and tries to send him to a different school when he escapes and ends up at a temple where he accidentally releases a Gumiho who saves him when he falls off a cliff. Then he had to watch over her because she saved him.
It was the best tv show I had ever seen at that point in time, since then I have watched all of his TV shows and his movie, buying all his singles. I was head over heels in love.
I hopped off at my stop and walked to my apartment building where I entered my code to open the door. I waited for a few moments for the elevator doors to open. I pressed the 11 button and the doors closed.
When the elevator stopped the doors opened and let me out. I hurried to my room. 221b. I turned the key and entered.
The room is dark. Another reminder of what I've lost. My little siblings (twins at five years old) and my parents both were killed in a accident where a teenage drunk driver drove off a overpass that was in construction and onto my parents car, killing them instantly.
I remember that night, coming home since I was at a friend at that time. I remember my friend telling me that she heard it on the phone while I was in the bathroom and pulling me into a hug when I came out. I cried too much for a eighteen year old. Not teenager should ever have to burry her family into the cold hard ground of February.
I was in a state of depression for months on end. But eventually I realized that my family was watching over me and they wanted me to live a happy life.
My voicemail blinks before I press play.
"One new message. Hello, I'm Karen from EverythingKorean.Ca. I'm here to inform you that you have the ability to enter our lastest contest only being offered to members of five plus years. The I ❤️ Korea contest will begin tomorrow and lasts two weeks. You are to create a visual representation of what you love most about Korea. There is only one entry per member and you need to mail them to our building in Montreal, Quebec. Thank you for your time."
I stood still. I was going to do it. I checked the website for more details but the 3rd, 2nd and grand prizes were a secret till the winners are announced.
I grabbed my sketchbook from my bag and began a rough draft, not forgetting SeungGi dimples that showed when he smiled, I fell asleep on the couch.