BE MY VALENTINE — Cody x Stella

”There’s a particular type of relationship- you get what I think from eye contacts. You know I’d always be there whenever and wherever you need me to.” - Cody

“When I see your smile, everything seems wonderful. We’re ordinarily close with each other, I don’t think there’s anything interesting nor unforgettable about us. The love that we have is that, even if one day she left me, I wouldn’t ask for anything back but to give my blessings. I think it's nearly impossible for me to find another person like this, but I’m with one right now.” - Stella

Cody and Stella’s friendship is extraordinary, they’d share looks as if their minds are syncing during the interview. The happy-go-lucky chemistry between them played as a stimulant that they chortled at the end, the joy was so simple and beautiful.

Q: Tell us about yourselves.

Cody: Hello everyone, my name is Cody. I am a floral designer. Obtained an American AFA Chicago floral design certificate about a year ago. Sometimes I do freelance cases for illustration, color works, and graphic design. I am really casual and irritable, hahaha! That’s about it.

Stella: Hello, everybody, my name is Stella. I am a tattooist aka a tufting artist. From the look of my style, I look intimidating. I am grumpy, stubborn, and the roller coaster-like personality also makes me act like a pinball. I have a sense for justice, love talking, and also like to say sorry after saying something funnily-offensive. In my perspective, Cody is kind of slow, she’s kind and she actually has a good temper (her face would turn red like a tomato if she was really mad), and she is hard-working and doesn’t complain.

Q: Can you tell us some interesting memories and how did you meet each other?

Cody: Stella and I were in the same class the first year in high school, we didn’t become close until junior year.

Stella: We became so close in junior year in high school. We had done so many fun and intimate yet ordinary things together. For example, we’d dye our bangs the same weird color, get tattoos, and go see underground bands. The bands MGMT, The Ting Tings, Yeah Yeah Yeahs were popular at the time. We’d stay in her dorm room and eat the delicious butter noodles in Fu Jen U., go to IKEA together and shoot her graduation photos for her; just like a couple.

Q: Did something happen between you two that made you feel the activation of love?

Cody: Stella acts like a boyfriend even more than a boyfriend( although I don’t have one). She thinks of me whenever she sees things that I like, and says that my future boyfriend has to love me more than she does! Sometimes I think about Stella’s standard of my future boyfriend, I think I won’t find one that meets. (chuckles)

Stella: I think we had too much activated love. We share everything. She wrote me countless cards and took care of me when I was in the ER. She would pat on my back to let me know that everything is okay.

Q: What anime character would you say the other person resembles?

Cody: Stella looks like “Little My” in Moomins because she’s tiny, quirky, grumpy, and can be loud sometimes. Hahahaha, but she’s cute!

Stella: Cody is like “Moomins”, she’s pale and slow.

Q: Share some heart-to-heart confessions with each other.

Cody: Oh, so shy… Well… Thank you for being there supporting me and tolerating me. I never felt bored or lonely knowing you’re in my life. I’m clumsy, so your constant reminders and guidance have made you into a lighthouse for me, and I’m that lost fisherman. Stay in my life in the future because I can’t live without you~ You should also be more confident, you’re a bright star and we both will continue to shine in places on earth.

Stella: “I’m not a perfect person nor will I look for perfection in you.” I personally think that both good and bad make you who you are, so I embrace everything about you. I am the most honest and myself with I’m with you, I hope to continue our journey together and to experience the good and bad. I’m not scared of anything as long as I’m with you!

Q: Is this the first time you’ve tried this style of shoes? It seems like you wear sneakers more often, how do you feel about the pair you have on right now?

Cody: Today is the first time I’ve worn flats~ they’re more feminine and cute. I have a neutral style so this is sort of a breakthrough for me and they have also shifted my perception about flats.

Stella: I don’t usually wear this type of shoes but surprisingly thought they go with everything, plus they’re super soft and comfortable.

Q: How did you feel on the day of the shoot?

Cody: It was so interesting and fun on the day of the shoot, it was also the first time Stella and I were being filmed together. There was some intimate contact between the two of us such as body to body, head to head etc. We don’t really have too many physical contacts, well we probably both have a straight man’s soul in us, hahaha! By chance, I also took advantage of the shoot and got even closer to her( shy). I also witnessed how Stella did the shoot with ease, she is so different from my poker face. Thank god she’s there!

Stella: I really appreciate the photographer’s extreme professionalism. This experience gave Cody and I a cherishable memory that is worth celebrating, it was tiring but enlivening!

Photographer/ Toby Hsu @presstheshutter99

Texts/ Lin Chin @chih_____lin

Cody/@cclcclccl

Stella/@mybadrug

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