"Why not we meet each other? Just say hi and be awkward together?"
That was my proposal when we first saw each other. We used to be part of a group chat that talked about MBTI personality types. He's a shy INFJ (MD) and I am a bubbly ENTP (CPA).
I was attending a birthday party when he said he's going to watch Aladdin to de-stress (he plans to go alone after a toxic incident). When I said I want to watch a Disney film too, albeit I'll be coming from Tagaytay, he was a bit hesitant. But when I counter-proposed that I'll be arriving for dinner at 7, he suddenly replied "OMW".
I came on time; he was there earlier than expected. He had that vantage point when I was lost in Food Court, with my imperfect eyes and confused mind, braving the cacophony of the crowd. He was behind me by that time, little did I know that he was actually watching me from afar.
We said our Hi's, and then we took a Ramen Nagi for dinner. We both aren't fond of Chinese, something that made us click. We talked of work, but not the usual résumé-like; He chronicled his unusual gig in Project Management, while I contributed an anecdote about refining a Mop's patent and its financial projections. Ramen was good, but we ate them quick. Both of us are actually afraid to be late for the premier. Both of us loved Disney and music; theatres and grandiose of sounds with its production. I remember the Bollywood vibe of Aladdin, and I still remember that loud thump at the beginning of the movement that jolted us both. Pareho kaming magugulatin.
But before entering the movie house, he steered me away from the queue and asked for something else, "My moral compass wants us to drink something". He was craving for a milk tea. He saw a Gong Cha stand near the Director's Club and he insisted to treat me on a sweet drink. We ordered the best sellers and mentioned his name. The tea came, but not on his name. It was "for Grace!"
No one was on that queue. There was no queue at all. We were both weirded and both laughed wondering where did the name came from, when I clearly said "Kris".
Kristofer, with a K.
It has been a year since that first date. And a lot of things happened in the past twelve months (including Covid-19 and our opposing socio-political views), but we have decided to stick together through thick and thin. Pandemic or no epidemic. We choose to understand our differences and we choose to be kind with ourselves, and with each other. He'll be definitely surprised when he reads this long prose, but this is how I express my romance.
I love you bb.
