Memorized

Eight o’clock.

Arriving home on the dot.

Like she always does.

You hear the locks on your door click as you get up to meet her. She tiredly shuffles into the apartment, fatigue painted across her face. You let her fall into your embrace as you help her with her bags. Through the hug, she looks up at you with tired eyes. Despite all that, she still manages to make a joke.

“Hi.” she giggles with a soft smile.

“Hey Gaeul.” you respond, “Tiring day?”

“You kidding?” she jokes in reply, “I could dance for four more hours.”

“That’s a shame.” you joke back, “I already have a bath running for you. Though I could always take a crack at it.” 

The last comment has you both laughing. The cackling only stops when she pulls you in for a quick and playful kiss. A short and sweet reminder of the taste of her lips, though you could never forget them anyway. When you pull away, you whisper against her lips:

“Go get washed up, I’ll order your favorite.”

She smiles against your lips before she pulls away. As much as you wanted to keep her in your arms, you let her make her way to the bathroom. Slow steps in the short journey. A scene you still find hard to believe is real.

“You got my favorite candles.” Gaeul confirms your good memory as you enter the bathroom, “And my favorite bathbomb too.”

“I find it hard not to remember things about you, Gaeul.”

It wasn’t hard because you made a mental note of it when she first told you. 

You kneel beside the bathtub, a hand dipping into the water to check if the temperature is just right. 

“Your favorite Kimchi rice is on it’s way.” you say as you play with the water, your other arm resting on the edge of the tub.

“You’re too good to me, you know that?” She sighs as she gets comfortable in the warm water.

“You deserve the best.” you answer, “and speaking of the best, I was thinking we could finally go on that trip you wanted on your next break.”

“Really?” she exclaims. A shine runs through her eyes, fatigue gone after the bath and the good news. 

“Easy, now.” you try to settle her back down. “We can talk about it later. For now, just relax and enjoy your bath. Okay?”

She eases back into the water. A smile adorns her face, which only grows wider when you kiss her forehead. 

You sneak out of the bathroom slowly, making sure not to disturb her peace. Though, you pause by the door and take one last look at Gaeul. You meant every word you earlier said.

She deserves the best.

The food arrives while she’s still in the tub. You set up a bowl each for her and yourself, spreading the rest of the food on the coffee table. As you continue to wait for her, you load up netflix and get her favorite comfort movie on the screen. 

After a few minutes, you hear her finally exit the bedroom. She’s wearing her favorite set of pajamas, out of the growing collection she’s starting to amass. She joins you on the couch as you hand her a bowl, snuggling under your arm just as you start the movie.

You both sit in silence, letting the film play as you eat dinner. Every so often she brings a spoonful of her meal to your mouth, inviting you to take a bite. In return, you do the same. The movie reaches its halfway point before Gaeul breaks the silence. 

“So…” she starts.

“So?”

“This little trip you have planned…”

“You did say you’ve been wanting to go to Jeju again.”

“So you’re serious?”

“Very.”

“Well… It would be a great way to celebrate our third.”

You know, it actually flew over your head that your third anniversary was coming up. Almost three years together. A year since moving in together as well. Time flies way too fast when you’re with the woman that you love. A perfect excuse for your forgetful ass. You were never really good with remembering dates. 

Well, except Gaeul’s birthday. You have that stamped on your mind. Like you said earlier, it isn’t hard remembering things about her. 

All her little quirks.

All her little mannerisms.

You don’t just take note of them.

You have them under lock and key in your heart.

Yet, even having known all this about Gaeul, you still have this anxiety— this one uncertainty.

Right now, as she snuggles deeper into your embrace with the scent of hair filling your nostrils, all you could hope for is that everything goes according to plan on your trip. That everything would be perfect. So that maybe at the end…

Maybe she would say yes.