First Love [Chapter 1]

The first time I met you, we bumped into each other.

*A secondary school girl bumped into a secondary school boy on a street. Both of them fell down. The girl’s books were thrown on the floor. The boy gets up and helps the girl picked up her books. The girl quickly grabs her book from the boy and run to catch her bus.*

“Thank you and sorry,” the girl said with her head turn back and looked at the boy with a smile.

The boy smile back. ‘She’s quite a cute girl. Hope we can meet again.’ He thinks in his mind.

The second time I met you, we were in the same classroom.

*The boy was sitting in his tuition classroom. Then two girls came into the class and sat in front of him. He got stunned because one of the girls was the one he bumped into the other day.*

‘Wasn’t she’s the one I bumped into the other day? She was in this tuition centre also? Erm… Should I greet her?’ He thinks in his mind.

“I like this watch so much. It’s so beautiful. You see the design. It’s simple yet stylish,” the girl said.

“Yeah. But it’s a little bit expensive. How are you going to buy it? You are a student. Remember?” her friend said.

“I’ll save money for it. Let’s see. *counting with her fingers* Erm… about 5 months I’ll be able to buy it.”

“Why don’t you just ask your parents to buy for you?”

“Eh, hello. It’s not that you know me for a day or two. You know I don’t like to ask stuffs from my parents. I prefer buying things using my money.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah. Independent girl. But what’s so independent if you’re receiving pocket money from your parents. What’s the different? Haha…”

“Argh!!! You… Feel this”

The girl tickles her friend until her friend surrender. She and her friend keep on chatting and sometimes tease each other. I higher up my head to see the watch on the magazine that she is talking about.

That weekend I went to a shopping complex with a few friends of mine. I stopped at a watch shop. I look at all the watches in the shop and finally found the watch that the girl likes. I bought the watch and have it nicely wrap up.

The next tuition class, I brought the watch with me. I planned to give her the present and ask her to be my friend. I’ve been practicing the lines overnight and I’m so nervous. The moment she stepped into the classroom, my heart beat increase it’s speed. The moment she sat in front of me, I can feel that my heart will jump out any moment. I hold my hands together tightly. I cannot brave myself up to give the present to her and say out those lines that I’ve practiced. Till the class finished, I still don’t have the guts to do so. I watched her leave the class. I went home in dismay. I pampered myself with “There will be next time”.
Since then, my feelings for her grow stronger and stronger day after day. Whenever I overheard her conversation with her friend, I hope it was me rather than her friend. I’ll buy the things she likes but I never presented the presents to her. I kept it nicely in my glass cupboard. Soon enough, it becomes a collection.

The hundred and thirty ninth times I met you, it was on the orientation day of our college.

I went into the college main hall for the freshmen briefing by college’s principal. When I ready to settle myself, I heard a voice which I recognized and misses the whole holiday. I try to track the voice and stop my eyes on the girl who sat in front of me. It was her.

‘I thought I will never see you again. I miss you so much.’ I think in my mind.

I was not paying attention on the briefing. My eyes were focused on the girl that sits in front of me. I’m so happy that I was able to see her again.

The hundred and fortieth times I met you, it was in the ice breaking activity.

I was surprised that you are in my group. I mean. We are in the different course and out of 18 000 people, we are in the same group.

“Okay, juniors. Settle down yourselves now. Our activity will start now. Firstly, I need you all to find a partner. It’s easy right?” said the senior.

“Yeah.”

“But in 1 condition. You all must find the opposite gender to partner with you. Let’s start now.”

The situation was chaotic. All people were trying to find their partners. I stepped back to get myself out of the messy situation. Then, I looked to my right. I saw the girl was standing there. And out of the sudden, she looked at my way. I turn around and look whether there is another person that she might look at. She laughed at my behaviour. I blushed. Then, I show a hand sign pointing me and to her asking whether she wants to be my partner. She nods her head and both of us walk nearer to each other.

“Hi, my name is Kim Jae Joong. You can call me Jae Joong.”

“Hi, my name is Park Hyun Ri. You can call me Hyun Ri. Nice to meet you.” she smiled and held out her hand.

“Oh. Nice to meet you too.” I shook her hand.

‘Her smile was so sweet. I miss that and her laughter too.’ I think in my mind.

That day was very fun. And I actually got to know her name after these 2 years. I’m so happy. My dream that night was full of her. Full of her laughter, smile and others.

The next morning I woke up, I smile to myself. I was so happy and yesterday was a good start. I will have more chances to see her and speaks to her now.