Monday evening, 7 PM

The matching team leader, who seemed determined to marry me off, contacted me frequently, though not too often.

I wasn't sure if it was purely for the sake of incentives or if there was something more genuine behind it.

I was waiting for the right time to tell her that she should give up on this quest.

However, she recently sent me a profile, claiming she found a good person to introduce me to.

He lived nearby, was taller than me, and only two years older.

I had always been rejected by men who weren't much older than me, so I wasn't expecting much.

I casually replied, "I'll meet him if he accepts," but to my surprise, he agreed.

She asked when I would be available. Unexpectedly!

"Please check if you're available on Monday evening."

I didn't want to wait until the weekend and decided to meet him early in the week and get it over with.

So, Monday evening, 7 PM. Our meeting was set at a cafe near Hongdae.

The summer was approaching, bringing with it the early heat, but then it started to rain, making it feel cool.

I finished work, put on my makeup, and took the subway to the cafe.

I arrived 15 minutes early and stepped into the cafe, but there was only one other customer, leaving me feeling a bit flustered.

With such silence, I felt self-conscious about the cafe staff hearing our conversation.

I looked around for a good spot to sit, settling on a table in the corner.

And almost immediately, my phone buzzed with a text notification.

"Hello~! This is OOO, the one you're meeting soon. The cafe is really quiet.

You'll easily find me since I'm the only one here when you arrive. Take your time!"

Huh, he's already here? Then...

"Oops, I just got here too. I think I know who you are."

I quickly replied and, grabbing my bag, walked over to the man sitting by the window.

"Hello."

We exchanged names and greetings.

My first impression was that he had really big eyes, was neat, and had a clean look.

Masks were mandatory, so we only got to see each other's faces after ordering our drinks.

Honestly, masks had made me realize the importance of a person's lower face that I hadn't noticed before.

I had no idea there were so many people in Korea with beautiful eyes.

So, there were often times when I was surprised or disappointed after seeing someone's face without the mask.

Ah, he has a good impression, and he looks young.

Without realizing it, I smiled. It had been a while since I met someone whose first impression I liked!

He didn't ask any rude or strange questions, and I just enjoyed talking to him more and more.

We talked about our exercise routines, our interests in our free time, places we had traveled to,

work stories, and our favorite foods.

We had similar hobbies and preferences, and I guess you could say we had the same kind of thinking.

As we effortlessly moved from one topic to another, if he hadn't asked if I was hungry, I wouldn't have realized how much time had passed.

It's just our luck that we had to go out and eat.

We ended up not eating, but we agreed to meet again, and after a long conversation of over two and a half hours, we said goodbye.

Overwhelmed with excitement, I texted my friend on my way home.

"I met someone I liked on a blind date! We have similar tastes, and he seems like a good person."

"Oh my god."

"We met at 7 PM and talked until now."

"It's so hard to find someone you like!! He seems nice!!"

"He asked if he could have my KakaoTalk ID, and I said yes. He seems to like me too.

He's gentle and calm. I like him so far. Is this why they say you should let go to find what you're looking for?

I didn't have any expectations. I just thought I'd have a drink for an hour."

"Right, I feel the same way."

"It feels like we're starting to get to know each other. Even if it doesn't work out, getting to know someone is always a good thing."

"It's like a source of energy in life. Hopefully, he's a good person as we get to know each other!!"

I was so happy when he texted me to ask if I got home safely, but I tried to stay calm.

It could have just been a polite message. It had happened countless times before.

He texted me the next morning on his way to work, asking for a second date.

He didn't forget to send me a little message at lunchtime and after work.

We finally started a perfect “썸” (meaning a flirty, not-yet-relationship).