Tianqi & Yin

“Hey classmate, are you also taking ECE637?” Neither of us ever could have imagined that greeting in the library could take us this far. Every time we met, there has never been as much discussion about the class projects. Simple meetups at lunch time started to stretch to numerous afternoons spent together, and the talks just went on and on about the best clips from the book 1984, songs that gave the most nostalgia, and embarrassing moments from college. One day we realized this has become something so much more than contours in the dark regions or sRGB gamuts. “嘿，同学，你也上637吗？” 谁曾想一句图书馆里的寒暄， 回头看看已经带我们走过了这么远。 从那以后每一次见面， 却从来与课程无关。 本来只是约了简单的午饭， 谁也不曾料到每个下午话题的不断。 从发现碰巧都喜欢1984书里同样的片段， 到讲述喜欢的歌里最感动的瞬间， 再到害羞的分享大学经历过的尴尬事件。 直到有一天， 我们终于意识到这些交谈并不足以让我们流连， 而是因为对方是我们最轻松的港湾。

The journey from Wabash river to La Jolla cove is not just a one-week drive in a tight rental car under the COVID lockdown. It is costarred by someone who knows nothing about cars and a life-long Apple hater, who exchanged Lego technics collectibles and Mac products on Valentines day, birthdays, and anniversaries. It started when we drew doodles for wild wolf disco at the Starry Night fair, and extended to evening walks in the hot and damp summer when we greeted every deer, raccoon, and firefly that we met. It lasted longer than the numerous hours spent before every meeting in EE46 for final hour progress, as well as the late nights after every meeting for planting roses and catching tarantulas in Animal Crossing. It also featured the first-in-life skywheel ride for a height-fearer at Pike Market, and the red eyes and runny nose from the tulip field at Windmill Island. It is loaded with all the MacDonalds kids meal toys from the dinners before evening meetings, and all the lids for every new flavor of Noosa yogurt. 这段旅程从Wabash河畔到La Jolla海边， 不只是疫情封锁时一周暴走开车那么简单。 也许它开始于那个画野狼disco涂鸦的星光集市的夜晚， 延伸到期待着每天夏夜饭后散步都能遇见萤火虫的光点。 每次和SunValley会前在EE地下室疯狂改幻灯片， 每次和HP会后在动森里种玫瑰抓狼蛛直到哈欠连连。 还记得派克市场边的摩天轮里的心悬， 风车岛上郁金香田里又红又痒的双眼。 你不再拦着我收集酸奶盖只为在墙上摆一个难看的图案， 我也不再嘲笑你吃的麦当劳儿童套餐把送的玩具都堆成了小山。 一个汽车小白买到乐高兰博基尼闪电， 一个终极果黑却攒齐了苹果全家套餐。 我们都慢慢的为了对方而改变， 因为我们知道这旅程有你才是心安。

“Hey you want to get married and raise a whole soccer team together?” With the fireworks right above the sleeping beauty castle, and a ring pulled out from the robin egg box, she said YES. The rest of the day has been a total blur, loaded with sweaty palms from all the roller coasters, and sore feet from the endless waiting lines. The only thing that I did see clearly was the joy that we knew we were prepared to start the next chapter of our lives, and we were committed to spending all of our times together, joking about the awkward greeting when we first met. “嘿，结婚吗？一起生一个足球队那种。” 睡美人城堡上正划过最璀璨的火焰， 钻戒上的光芒却不及你眼角的一半。 那天其余的的记忆都已模糊不堪， 可能只有过山车上的故作镇定和手心的汗， 还有排长队时心里的忐忑的和脚酸。 此生只愿有你相伴， 听你嘲笑我当初在图书馆打招呼笑的像个憨憨。