I set foot on American soil in 1994 at the age of thirty.

I only knew three words in English: "hello," "sorry," and "okay," but with those, I managed to run two clothing stores in Queens, New York for nearly 30 years.

When I first opened the store, the display was shabby, and the sign was handwritten by a friend.

Back then, I relied more on my face than on the products. Even without knowing English, a smile worked wonders.

When customers came in, I greeted them with a bright "hello~".

Pointing to a shirt with my finger and saying "good price~" helped them get the idea, and there were regular customers who bargained for discounts since they came often when payday arrived.

Among them, there is one person I still remember.

A middle-aged black man named 'Andrew' would come every third Saturday of the month to buy 3-4 shirts or t-shirts. He would always smile and say, "These clothes are the most comfortable here" while checking out.

Of course, not all memories were good.

I was robbed three times.

The first time was in 1995, around closing time. A young man wearing a hat came in, pulled out a gun, and demanded money. I must have been fearless back then, as I shouted, "No money!" and called the police right away. Fortunately, he fled.

The second time was in 2007. It was a day when I was alone in the store. This time, two robbers came in with knives. They took all the money from the register... I couldn't sleep for days.

The third time was in 2016. I had gone out early to receive a delivery and was robbed while coming out of my car with an envelope of cash.

Still, I did not close the store.

It was my workplace and my life.

With the two stores, I sent all three kids to college and worked alongside my wife without a day off.

It was tough, but I am most proud of creating a space for my children to study.

However, things have changed lately.

For the past three years, foot traffic has dropped significantly.

They say it's the era of buying clothes online and shopping through social media.

In the summer of 2023, I finally closed the store.

As I took down the sign, I said to myself, "I made it this far."

What am I doing now?

I live off the allowance my children give me.

My eldest son runs a business, and my second son is an accountant. They say, "Dad, take a break now," and even gave me a card...

It was such a touching moment.

I still wake up early in the morning.

My body remembers.

Holding a cup of coffee and looking out the window at the people passing by,

I find myself silently saying "hello~" in my heart.

My life? Just 'hello' was enough.

With that, I raised three kids, laughed with people, and cried as well.