This story captures the nostalgic essence of the 1990s, centering on the lives of Hanifa and Afrin.
Romance of 90's
A small suburban town in the 90s. In those days, romance meant the rhythmic "ring-ring" of a landline telephone and the scent of hand-written letters. Hanifa was the neighborhood's typical "bad boy"—shirt collar slightly upturned, a pen always in his pocket to fix tangled cassette tapes. On the other hand, Afrin was the quiet, reserved girl next door; Hanifa's afternoons were spent watching her dry her hair on the balcony.
A Bitter Start to a First Love
Their relationship didn't start sweetly. Hanifa once tried to show off bicycle stunts to Afrin's younger brother and accidentally knocked him into a roadside ditch. From that day on, Afrin would turn her face away whenever she saw him. Hanifa realized that his "bad boy" image wouldn't win Afrin's heart.
One afternoon, finding Afrin alone at the corner of the alley, Hanifa stood his ground with feigned confidence.
Hanifa: "Listen, Afrin, does looking angry make you feel pretty? Here, I got this Blue-Diamond ice cream for you."
Afrin: (Sharply) "Eat your ice cream yourself. And stay away from my brother, or I'll tell my father!"
But Hanifa wasn't one to give up. Knowing Afrin loved Lata Mangeshkar's songs, he used his savings to make a mixed cassette tape and tossed it onto her balcony. On the cover, he wrote in bold letters— "Forgive me if I'm wrong, but please don't hate me."
A Rainy Afternoon and an "Awkward" Romance
A rainy day in the 90s. The power was out, and the scent of Kadamba flowers filled the air. Afrin was standing in a corner of Hanifa's rooftop, watching the rain. Hanifa crept up and appeared beside her.
This time, Afrin didn't get angry. That Lata Mangeshkar song had melted her heart. Hanifa stepped closer. Looking at Afrin's rain-drenched face, there was a strange, soft magic in the air. "Why do you keep coming in front of me?" Afrin asked in a low voice. Instead of answering, Hanifa took her wet hand in his. The moment was romantic but clumsy. In his excitement, Hanifa leaned in to kiss Afrin's forehead but accidentally bumped his nose against hers!
Afrin burst out laughing. "Why are you so clumsy at everything?" Hanifa, blushing, replied, "Nineties romance is just like this—a little bit of error, a little bit of madness."
The Twist in the Tale
Their bittersweet romance found its rhythm through the yellow neighborhood landline. Secret late-night calls, the constant fear of getting caught, and the occasional wrong number—together, their story became the most talked-about romance of the era.
Even today, when Hanifa and Afrin open their old diaries, they laugh together thinking about that clumsy romance and those golden days of the nineties.