The next morning, as I woke up, I saw a message from Bayarkhuu.
"Good morning, beautiful. Did you sleep well? What are you doing?"
Just reading those words made my heart flutter uncontrollably. No matter how I tried to stay calm, I couldn't help but feel happy—thinking that he must like me brought a quiet warmth to my chest.
I replied,
"Good morning to you too. I slept well. Did you? I'm about to head to class."
"I slept well. I'm on my way to work," he wrote back. "What time do your classes end?"
"At 4 p.m. Work hard. Good luck," I answered.
"Thank you. Good luck to you too. I'll text you tonight."
The thought that there was someone who cared about me filled my heart with a sweet sense of happiness. I spent the entire day smiling to myself during class.
That evening, just as classes were ending, he called me.
"Hello?" I said, picking up.
"Hi, beautiful. Are your classes over?" he asked.
"They're just ending."
"I'm outside your school. Can you come out?"
Startled, I quickly replied, "Oh—really? Okay, I'll come now," and hung up.
I grabbed my bag and hurried outside. There he was—standing with a plush toy in one hand and a single rose in the other.
"Hi… what's this?" I asked, surprised.
"I just brought these for you. To celebrate seeing you again."
It was the first time I had ever received a gift from someone like that. My heart raced as I took them.
"For me? Thank you…" I said softly, lifting the rose to my face.
He extended his hand toward me.
"So, are you ready to go on our next date?"
I nodded, placing my hand in his. We walked together, hand in hand.
Just then, my friends came out behind me, teasing loudly,
"Oooh, Gerlee! Is that your boyfriend?"
I turned back, flustered. "See you tomorrow! Bye!" I called, before hurrying off. Their laughter trailed behind us.
We got into his car—only then did I realize he had one.
"Where to, milady?" he asked playfully.
"I've always wanted to go to Zaisan Hill… I want to see how the city looks from up there."
"Understood, milady. Zaisan Hill it is."
We drove to the hill south of Ulaanbaatar, where the memorial to Soviet soldiers stands. I had heard there were 712 steps leading up.
After parking, we began climbing, counting the steps as we went. After a few hundred, I was already out of breath and needed to rest.
"I'll carry you," he said, and before I could protest, he lifted me onto his back.
"You're so light. What do you even eat?" he joked.
"I eat a lot! I just walk home after school, so maybe that's why I don't gain weight," I replied.
After a while, noticing his legs growing tired, I said, "It's okay, I can walk now," and got down.
When we finally reached the top, the city stretched out before us in the evening light.
"It's so beautiful…" I whispered.
"It really is. Look at how many buildings are going up," he said.
We talked about everything—the districts of the city, landmarks, even the buildings themselves. Having grown up here, he knew so much and eagerly shared it with me.
When I asked his age, he said he was 28.
I blinked in surprise. "You're much older than me…"
He smiled. "If two people connect, age doesn't matter. Don't you think?"
"I suppose…" I said, though uncertainty lingered inside me.
He told me more about himself—he had studied civil engineering and now worked with his older brother, running a small construction team specializing in interior finishing. He liked the color blue, loved eating tsuivan, and enjoyed walking in his free time.
His openness intrigued me.
As darkness fell, the lights around Zaisan turned on, making everything even more beautiful.
He wrapped his arms around me from behind.
"Do you like me?" he asked softly. "Tell me honestly."
Though I hesitated, I answered, "Yes… I do. I like your smile… the way you carry yourself."
He smiled at me and gently kissed my cheek.
After lingering there for a while, we decided to head back since it was getting late. He drove me home and, before leaving, kissed me on the lips.
The next day, he told me he had taken on a construction project and wouldn't be able to meet for a while. For a week, we stayed in touch through messages—more intimate this time.
Every morning: "Good morning. Did you sleep well, beautiful?"
Every night: "Sleep well. Dream of me."
Those words made me feel cared for, and I found myself waiting for his messages.
The third time we met, we decided to hike to the summit of Bogd Mountain—Tsetsee Gun Peak.
We left the car at the base and began climbing hand in hand. Though I was slim, I struggled with the ascent, growing breathless quickly.
Each time, he would stop and say, "Let's rest for a bit."
I felt embarrassed for slowing us down so often.
Finally, we reached the summit. It was surprisingly flat—a curious formation. We sat in a resting area meant for hikers, sipping tea.
Then, he pulled out a small box from his backpack.
Kneeling on one knee in front of me, he said,
"Gerlee… will you officially be my girlfriend?"
For a moment, I was stunned into silence.
Then, thinking of his feelings, I nodded.
"Yes… I accept."
I took the box, and he immediately pulled me into an embrace. We looked into each other's eyes—and then we kissed.
His lips were warm, his tongue unfamiliar against mine, creating a strange yet overwhelming sensation. I realized I didn't really know how kissing worked—but we continued for a long time.
A warmth spread through my heart. It felt… good.
Afterward, I opened the box. Inside was a pair of matching necklaces.
He fastened one around my neck, then asked me to put the other on him.
Looking into my eyes, he said,
"From now on, we're a couple. Like these necklaces, let's always stay together."
I felt happy… truly happy.
And yet, somewhere deep inside, a quiet thought echoed—
So this is what it means… to belong to someone.
It felt as though a part of my freedom was slipping away, leaving behind a strange, unfamiliar unease.