family affair parte cinco

Currently listening to: earthquake – JISOO

It hits me like an earthquake (Uh-huh)
더 빠르게 my heart race (Uh-huh)
My heart races faster (Uh-huh)
온몸이 떨려 can’t stand (Uh-huh)
My whole body is trembling, can’t stand (Uh-huh)
널 부정할 수 없게 (Uh-huh)
I can’t deny you (Uh-huh)
I think I’m gonna

I was sitting in a coffee shop, minding my own business, savoring my drink, when a Korean woman—dressed to the nines—rushed over to me with a sense of urgency. She looked me straight in the eye and asked for my name.

Confused but polite, I gave it to her. She beamed, practically glowing with satisfaction. Meanwhile, I was sitting there, bewildered, wondering what just happened. It wasn’t until later that evening that my mom casually dropped the bombshell—this impeccably dressed woman was the mother of a man she had set me up with for a blind date. Apparently, she had been scouting me in real time, and I had unknowingly passed her inspection.

God help me.

According to my mom, the guy’s family was affluent and well-known in her church. His parents were on a mission to find the perfect wife for their son—someone respectable, traditional, and not short. Without so much as consulting my thoughts on the matter, the parentals had already decided when and where their son would pick me up for our date. At this point, I felt less like an independent woman and more like a prized dairy cow being shuffled around for everyone else’s benefit.

No one seemed to care how I felt about it.

Elijah—a name so classically Christian—arrived on time. He was about 5’10”, Korean, and average-looking. Not ugly, not breathtaking, just… there. But I could tell right away that he had good manners, happy disposition, and proper etiquette, which I appreciated.

As we settled into the car, silence stretched between us. I finally asked what kind of food he was in the mood for, and he suggested Mexican. Solid choice. We drove around in search of a good spot, which quickly became a challenge because, in typical fashion, I decided to rely on my gut instincts instead of Google maps. Big mistake because I’m directionally challenged.

I had no idea where we were going.

We ended up taking an unintentional scenic route, and I braced myself for some annoyance on his part. Instead, he seemed completely unfazed by my lack of navigational skills. I was relieved because I know most people would have been irked.

When we finally arrived, I went all in and ordered a California burrito—stuffed with fries, because let’s be real, why wouldn’t I? He didn’t judge. In fact, the conversation flowed effortlessly as we chatted about everything from our jobs to our favorite animals. He was a contract engineer, making a great living, and genuinely seemed to enjoy his work. There was an ease between us that I hadn’t expected.

After dinner, we grabbed coffee at Starbs—the only place still open nearby. Between sips of caffeine and bursts of laughter, I actually found myself enjoying his company. It was refreshing, really. No awkward forced small talk, no unbearable pauses, just a good vibe.

When he dropped me off at home, he told me to call him later. Ugh.

I hate talking on the phone.

Instead, I told him to call me when he got home, so I’d know he made it back safely. He actually did, about 40 minutes later, which I thought was nice.

A couple of days passed. No text. No call.

I replayed the night in my head, dissecting every moment. Did I say something wrong? Did getting lost turn him off? Maybe he thought I was an idiot with zero sense of direction. Or worse—maybe he thought I ate too much. I mean, it was a lot of carbs… rice, fries, tortilla… fuck.

A week later, an email (yes, an email) landed in my inbox.

He wrote that he’d had a wonderful time with me but was about to take a six-month contract (minimum) with the military in Syria. Given the circumstances, he didn’t think it was fair to pursue anything further.

I’m not gonna lie—I was a little disappointed. But I got it. And if we’re being honest, I wasn’t about to wait around for him either, so it was probably for the best that we ended things right there.

And just like that, the chapter closed before it ever really began.

I know that my mother was a bit annoyed at the situation since she had gotten her hopes up.  But that’s what she gets for not vetting people and meddling in my life.