Rereading his text in the elevator
His short text keeps seeming different as Jisu reads it in the elevator. She reads it again, wondering if he likes her too.
In the elevator, Jisu rereads one short text, facing both his words and what she hopes they mean.
After their evening together, Doyun sends Jisu a brief text. On the ride home, she reads it over and over. In the counseling room, she admits to Yeonhwa that she doesn’t know if he likes her. Yeonhwa asks her to separate what the text says from what she hoped to hear, but Jisu can’t quite put either one into words yet.
When you keep rereading a text
It may help to set the words in the text beside what you hope they mean.
When you reread a text, which words catch your eye first?
I keep thinking about Jisu rereading the same text in the elevator. When one short message holds both what we think the other person feels and what we hoped they’d say, it can get hard to tell which one we’re reading. If you’ve ever reread a similar text, I’d be glad to hear about it. We can take our time and listen together, like setting down a cup of tea.
Scenes
- 01 · One short text One short text — As the elevator rises, Jisu rereads Doyun’s text: “I had a nice time today. Let’s do it again sometime.”
- 02 · Words and hopes Words and hopes — Doyun’s text is open on the phone on the counseling room table: “I had a nice time today. Let’s do it again sometime.” Jisu: I don’t know if he likes me too. Yeonhwa: Jisu, which part of that text have you found yourself looking at the longest?
- 03 · Let’s do it again sometime Let’s do it again sometime — Jisu reads “Let’s do it again sometime” on the screen. There’s no date for another plan. Jisu: I guess I wanted it to sound like a promise. Yeonhwa: Beside those words, what did you wish you’d heard, Jisu?
- 04 · At the edge of her lips At the edge of her lips — At Yeonhwa’s question, Jisu opens her mouth, then stops. Doyun’s words and the words she wished she’d heard remain together on the table. Yeonhwa: Jisu, which of those words comes to mind first, even now? Jisu: …
Stories by Yeonhwa
- Yeonhwa
- The way people spend at work dinners keeps catching my attention.
- I keep thinking about the conversation that ended, every afternoon.
- On my way to work, I heard about a big expense.
- On their birthday morning, you hold back the greeting, afraid your feelings might show.
- I want to choose someone to live with, but I’m just waiting for the tarot reading.
- Every lunch break, I’m left alone, wondering where my part ends.
- On my birthday morning, I’m ready, but they aren’t yet.
- My heart starts racing in the car.