Single’s Day 2024
Septembers ago, we had gone on our first date—a pizza place. And what a mistake it was, ordering two whole pizzas for two. I ended up eating two slices, and he, eight.
The rest of the night went by in a dizzy blur. But even through the rose-tinted glasses, I remember he was sweating from the ungodly amount of Meat Galore in his gut.
Even now as good friends, I tease him about it, calling him out for first-date-nervous-sweats. But no, I was sure then, and today, that it was the pizza.
Oh yes, spoiler alert: we’re not together anymore. And today, a year on from our split, I’m observing Singles Day with a twinge of nostalgia, just enough to go on a trip down memory lane. Join me?
It’s Chinese New Year. After a whole day of visits, some together, some apart, we find ourselves each holding traditional ice cream slotted between wafers, walking round the heartland mall. I’ve got peppermint chocolate chip, he’s got raspberry ripple. It’s really not the most elegant, but amidst the drippy mess, we walked and talked for hours under the moonlit sky.
It’s my birthday. He really outdid himself this time. Man’s baked a whole strawberry shortcake, complete with layers, strawberry cream, and sliced strawberries delicately stacked atop each other. I laugh at him, saying he’s finally putting his Thermomix to good use—but secretly my heart was all smiles that day.
The Strawberry Shortcake in all its glory
It’s just a few days before I was due to move to Paris for work. COVID-19 meant there was no fancy wining and dining to be had, but we weren’t going to mark the start of months apart with no fanfare. So we dressed up, got takeout, and found ourselves at the rooftop of the Esplanade building. Just us, bowls of Yakiniku, and the sparkling city lights. It was magic.
It’s the night we caught a ballet. I almost feel bad about this night—not only did I drag him to watch a concert he knew zilch about with me, but our dinner was tremendously mediocre pasta. The driest vongole I’ve ever had, plus the blandest Iberico pork. Still, he made light of the moment and showed up for me, as he always did.
It’s a random Sunday night. I joined his family regularly for dinners, but this time, his parents had huge Japanese oysters to share. There was so much laughter that night, as we figured out how to shuck the creamy oysters and guzzled them down with lemon and soju. To this day, still the richest, tastiest oysters I’ve had.
We’re nearing the end.
We had talked about our issues for months at this point, and over our bowls of chirashi don, we knew it was time to call it. I can’t remember how the sashimi tasted that night, but I remember the strange mix of heartache and gratitude. I was glad it was him sitting across from me, digging into the yakitori sticks, and I was sad it was him who would have to go.
It was our last date. He had baked chocolate chip cookies, his first attempt. Our (charitable) consensus was that they were just a little too dense, a little too dry. And as our relationship finally ended, our hopes disintegrating bit by bit, I thought, oh, how the cookies crumbled.
There are so many other moments that I could conjure, from late night drive-throughs to steamboats for two. And each of them would have been just as special, because I truly celebrate the wonderful people we were, the wonderful memories we made.
Despite the end of our three-year relationship, I’ve come to realise that nothing can take away from the time we had spent together. Those moments, frozen in time, remain close to my heart.
Know that single or otherwise, this rings true for all our loved ones. The laughter over meals, the warm feeling of cooking for someone, the excitement of trying new food together… every minute, every meal is something worth cherishing. A little morbid for a Monday night read, but you never really know when you’ll have to say goodbye.
As for me and my ex-partner, I still celebrate the new people we meet, the new memories we continue to make on our own. We may not have been the half for each other after all—but I’m more than happy with the two slices I got.
