Valentine's Day always found me single. It didn't matter how well the relationship was going; by the time it was Valentine's Day, it would be over, and I would be wallowing in loneliness. I thought I was cursed because, no matter how hard I tried, my love life was just a mess, and I felt it would be nice to have a valentine that would stay for once.

One day, I was talking to a friend, and she mentioned that she wasn’t sleeping well. I told her I would get her some chamomile tea to help her sleep soundly. I got to the shop and bought the tea, but the front desk attendant didn’t have change. For over 10 minutes, I stood at the counter trying to send Momo, but the network was so bad it wouldn’t go through.

Then, a young man entered the shop and made a purchase. He was in a hurry, but when he noticed our struggles, he paid for me to speed up the line. I was grateful, so I waited for him outside the shop and thanked him again for paying. We waved each other goodbye.

We didn’t see each other again until the following year at the same shop. I was buying chamomile tea again because my friend liked it and had started regularly requesting it. As I was paying, he dropped by to buy herbal products. He said hi, and I said hi back. I had forgotten all about him, but when I stepped outside and saw his car, I realized it was him.

He also stepped out and smiled when he saw me. "You remember me now," he said.

"How have you been?" I asked.

He nodded with a smile. He was holding a box of chocolates.

"Looks like you just got your Valentine's gifts ready," I teased him.

He smiled. "I don't have a valentine this year. This is the first time in years that I don’t have one."

I wanted to ask what happened, but instead, I found myself saying, "Aww, then give it to me instead. I've never had a valentine before."

He looked amused. "How old are you? Sorry for asking."

"Twenty-nine," I responded.

"And no valentine?"

I shook my head. "Never."

"Why?" he asked again.

I shrugged. "Maybe I have a bad character, probably."

He laughed, and I laughed too. He then asked me to show him where I lived, and I did.

The next day, he brought me my first Valentine’s gift on Valentine’s Day—a nice teddy bear and a note that read:

"Maybe the character isn’t too bad for me. I want to break your Valentine’s curse."

And that’s how we became friends.

The following year, we fought a day before Valentine’s Day, but on Valentine’s Day, he still came with a bigger teddy bear. The note read:

"I’m still mad at you, but I promise to break your Valentine’s curse. So just be mine. Your character is bad but not too bad for me."

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I hugged him, and he has stayed true to his word to this day. He brings me gifts every year, even after many years together. And yes, he handles me like no one ever has—my character is bad, but not too bad for him.