Mine

“Andrea? Andrea, you’re late for the exhibit!” My mom pounded on the door.

“Yes Mom!” I’m already an official college graduate (the march was last week) but my Mom still dictates the places I need to go to, the events I need to see. Well, it’s not that bad. The woman holding the exhibit was Rye’s mom. Rye – the apple of my eye since college. No, since high school. Wait, ever since… I could remember. Our parents were college friends and we were introduced to each other way back during childhood. He was four years older than me, yet we got along really well. We had the same interest in music, books, game—-

“Andrea Lee, what’s taking you so long?” Mom pounded for the nth time.

“DONE!” Gosh. How can a girl do some reminiscing here?

~

I entered the exhibit venue. It was on one of the most prestigious hotels in town. The Parks (Rye’s family) have always been well off, no wonder his mom could afford a place like this. She greeted me not long after I set foot on the reception area and led me to the room. I recognized some other family friends among the guests. Then his mom left to allow me to see the photos at my own pace. I obliged.

~

The first photo on the hallway was one with a music sheet on top of a piano. The sheet was the subject, and only a few piano keys were seen on the photo. I remember that time when mom forced me to take piano lessons under Rye’s supervision. I was just a little girl then, carefree and naïve. I was just making fun of the lessons, just like other third graders would. Good thing Rye didn’t gave up on me, or else I wouldn’t be the school organist during my college days.

~

The next photo on the hallway had a neatly wrapped gift placed on a bench. As I gazed at the photo, the memory of our graduation came back to me. Rye was graduating from high school, and I from elementary. Silly as I was, I prepared a gift for him, just like the other girls in our school. His ‘fangirls’ were all over the school, to my dismay. Hushed whispers by girls on the corridors were frequently about him. He was a school icon. With a flawless academic record, school musician and boy-next-door personality, who wouldn’t be? I crunched the gift as I stared at him from afar. When I took a step toward him, a bunch of girls overtook my path and handed him a big paper bag. He gladly accepted it, and they giggled loudly. I hid the gift behind my back, just in time he gazed at my direction.

~

The next photo was a pen placed on top of a paper. These two were very special to me since they always remind me of Rye. He could draw amazingly with it, write interesting stories and articles, or even make the cutest doodle when he’s bored. Each pen and paper has its own wonders I could almost hear him say.

~

The next photo was an armchair inside a classroom. I used to stare at the chair in front of me way back during my first year in college when Rye was teaching. He was a fresh graduate then, and was allowed to teach at the local college where I was attending. I was so shocked when I saw him enter the room that day. I thought he was just asked by my mom to give me something but when he sat on the teacher’s table, I felt so uneasy. Rye, my teacher? No way. Luckily, he was just a substitute. But after that, I saw no sign of him. Til now.

~

“Andy?” His mom stood behind me.

“Oh, hi Aunt Ria,” I managed to break free from my thoughts.

“Have you seen the Rye’s photo already?”

I blinked. “Displayed here? Which one is it?”

“I see you haven’t found it yet. I’m sure you’ll recognize it at once. I’ll go ahead so you can find it yourself,” she smiled almost mischievously.

I was thinking about a reply, but I couldn’t find my voice. Just then, I caught sight of a photo to my right, one that made my mind go blank. I think I already know which photo Rye’s mom was talking about.

~

Of course I couldn’t see how my back looks like, but this sure looks like me. This is a blurred stolen photo of me. I was looking intently at somewhere straight ahead. As I was getting nearer, I realized it wasn’t just blurry – it was a collage. There were other little photos of me. Some of them were stolen, and some of them were, as I remember, taken by Rye.

Someone cleared her throat behind me. Or is this a he? I turned. Second option was right.

“Hey.” I was surprised at how cool I sounded.

“So, you’ve seen the main attraction,” Rye smiled proudly, eyes on the photo.

I ran out of words.

He looked at me, still with that smile that I missed so much.

“So… I see you’re fond of me?” I finally re-discovered my talent in teasing.

He was silent for a moment. “Well. Yes. But there’s an incorrect word in your sentence, Ms. Lee.”

“And what is that, Sir Park?” We sounded like the teacher-student that we were, almost three years ago.

“Fond. It doesn’t really express the exact thought. Try using ‘like’,” he smiled proudly again.

I smirked. “Okay. I see you’re like of me?” I laughed.

He couldn’t help but laugh out loud. “You’re sense of humor hasn’t changed a bit, Ms. Lee,” he said, still not meeting my eye.

“What have you been up to, all these years?” I was brave enough to ask.

“I’ve been busy with photography. Well, I was violating a rule in the school then, so I resigned immediately.”

“What rule?” I insisted.

“I was getting attached to a student.” He smiled.

Silence.

“I have one more question, Sir Park,” I was a bit serious now.

“What is that?”

“We’re not in the classroom now, but why are you still calling me by my surname?”

And for the first time that night, he looked at me in the eye. “Because you won’t be using it for long. You’ll soon be using mine.”      

MVJLO 03.05.11