LRT Tales: Ang Magkasintahang Koreano

    It's very fun that to think that of all places that I could be, there's a story always ready to be foretld. Like this one I had when I was at the LRT.

    The LRT train I was on was close to being jam-packed, however, there is still room on this side of the train where I was on. When it had a stop-over at UN Ave. Station, a couple (the stars of our story) went inside and standed next to me. These couple are Koreans who are probably studying in one of the colleges lined along Taft Avenue by looking how young they are. At first I didn't noticedthat the guy was a foreigner since he spoke a Filipino phrase in an almost unaccented manner (He said "tabi po"). His girlfriend seems like she's whining about something but it is obvious taht it is her first time riding the LRT. Good thing that the boyfriend is familiar with the stops, making me think that he was here in Manila longer than her.

    I didn't mean to eavesdrop but I was practically beside them so I can't help but trying to understand what they're talking about. I could almost undertsand them since they speak colloquial Konglish, code-switching between Korean and English. It looks like they were going to eat at a mall in Monumento, the LRT's last stop, but when we passed on this mall before reaching Central Terminal, the girl asked the guy if it is a mall. The guy said it is and told her that it is SM Manila (the mall's name). The girl probably know about SM so she asked him why not eat there. I had no idea what the guy answered.

    Playing tourist guide, the boyfriend showed all the places familiar to him to the girl, including a church when we passed by Sta. Isabel College, the Quezon Bridge along the Pasig (so that's its name), and the Pasig River itself. Beside those was Feati University on the other side of the river. When the train stopped at Carriedo, the girl was amazed by the throngs of people she saw over the station's window, which overlooks Carriedo Street (one of the busiest commercial streets in Manila where it is jam-packed full at night).

    Since I was standing, a passenger sitted in front of me got up and left, leaving an empty seat. I offered the seat to the girl although I didn't say anything. Over the next station (Doroteo Jose), the guy showed his metal ticket to the girl, pointing on their destination which is the Monumento Station. I undertsand since they don't have Korean terms "Doroteo Jose" and "Monumento", add to the fact that Filipino and Korean are both somehwat phonetic as compared to English. The girl got sad since they still have a long way to go.

    Later on, another passnger in front of me got up and left another vacant seat. The boyfriend of the girl offered me the seat but I politely declined. I told him "No, you go". I offered that seat to him so at least he and the girl could sit together. There was another seat left vacant so I took it and was sitted next to the couple. I knew that I made a good decision to give the seat to the guy for the rest of the ride, they were in each other's arms. The girl was sleeping at his side and the guy was holding her tight. Now that's true love!

    I was happy and all the way smiling since it really feels good to see couple in love (although I dislike some couples showing intimate PDAs in public). It's like watching seeing a movie in reality. There's a lot of stories to tell, even just in the LRT. So I wonder...