Tell it to the Moon (A 500-Word Short Story Collection)

Found Love

In life, you met someone briefly and that short moment could change your life completely. A young lady caught my attention and eventually, my heart twelve years ago. The biggest mistake that I did in life is when I left Maggie swiftly the day we met. I was catching a flight to America the day I saw her at the outreach program. I looked at her at my grandparents' place as I waited for my parents to bid them farewell. I couldn't just look at her from afar so I decided to approach her. I was speechless and couldn't think of anything to say so I offered her food.

I caught myself daydreaming about our encounter, as usual. I was snapped back to reality when my phone rang. I was surprised as the call came from my good friend in Thailand that I haven't talked to in years. 

"It's been a long time, Arak! How have you been doing?" 

"I'm doing great, Nitchakhun. I'm going to quit beating around the bush, Khun. I got very good news for you." The happiness he felt was evident and I imagined him smiling while saying this.

"Then, spill it out!" I admit I was excited to hear it. 

"I heard Maggie is in Thailand now so I went to Krabi. They had another outreach program. I learned that it was her second time since the last time she visited here. I didn't know that she worked in Phuket for ten years. Khun, for ten years!" Arak raised his voice. "You looked for her in the Philippines while she was just in Phuket."

It was incredulous. It felt like I wasted my time finding her when she was just close to me. I wanted to cry, cry for joy because I could see her again, and cry for the wasted years that I could have spent with her. 

Here I am again, looking at her from afar like the very first time I saw her. I wasn't the timid 29-year-old anymore but a 41-year-old bachelor. It had been twelve years of missing her. Twelve long wasted years of waiting and expecting to see her again. I couldn't wait to talk to her and this time it would be a long worthwhile talk. I was nervous but smiling while making my way to her. I kept hoping she wasn't married yet. Who was I trying to kid? 

I was behind the lost-and-now-found love of my life with some snacks to offer her when she turned around and stared at me. It felt so surreal. It was as if the time froze and we were back in the past. The scene was so familiar and we recreated it unknowingly.

She smiled at me with tears falling down her face and right there and then, I planted a kiss on her lips. It was the only thing I could think of to greet her after twelve years of missing her. Imagine two old people, a bachelor and a spinster kissing unmindful of the people around them.

Yuchae Moon

05May2021