Chapter 1

Ever since our first year in middle school, I had a crush on this guy call Choi Seungcheol. He’s kind, smart, athletic, handsome, and most of all, well loved. No matter who you are, if you are in need of assistance, he’ll be there to assist, as you will.

We weren’t particularly close at first, but since we were both part of the same club, Seungcheol and I quickly became friends, along with other members of the club. The sixteen of us got along very well, and many time, because of our large group with so little girls part of it, things didn’t go well, but being young, we didn’t care. Not one bit.

The first two years of our youth, everyone was very happy, all just mingling with one another. My two best friend, Jin and Sumin, the only other girls in our group, fell in love.

“Faye,” Seungcheol calls my name quietly as he took a seat beside me.

Urging for my heart to slow, I took a deep breath before looking up casually. “Hey, you’re early today. No one’s here yet.”

“I know,” He answered with a sigh, which is strange already. “I wanted to speak with you.”

Feeling my heart beat faster, I couldn’t help but let my hope up. Is he going to tell me what I dream of hearing. “What is it?” Asking him the dreaded question calmly, I was so proud of myself. All the practices really did pay off.

When he stayed silent, I waited as long as I possibly could, “So……?”

“Are you….” He paused, scratching is flushed cheek shyly, he avoided my eyes. “What’s your ideal type?”

“Wh... what?” Stuttering out the simple question, I played with the arrow in hand. Did he really ask that? Is my dream really going to come true?

“What’s your ideal type?” He ask again, this time, looking at me with those large eyes, and pink face. “You and Jin are close, so you two must have similar types. I really want to become someone she likes, maybe then I’ll have a chance.”

My heart broke that day.

It’s sweet really, the relationship the two had found, and I was happy for them, Jin especially. She and Wonwoo were the perfect match, Jin being very social, and quite talkative, compliments Wonwoo’s cool personality. Similarly, Sumin’s hyperactive ways compliments Jihoon. But mostly, I was most happy for Jin because Seungcheol no longer have a chance with her.

My happiness didn’t last long, with the two new couples in our group, and Seungcheol’s heartbroken by the news of his ideal girl and close friend becoming a couple, everything just slowly fell apart. Don’t get me wrong, there were no fights between the two guys, but things were awkward and tense since no one but I knew of Seungcheol’s feelings towards Jin.

Slowly our group separated, the coming of our first year of high school led us all to new things. Our two couples remain steady, and slowly, everyone began to find their own love. Seokmin’s interest in soccer pulled him away from our archery club. Junhui and Minghao were forced to return to China because of their visa, and last I heard, returning during our second year of high school. Sumin, Joshua, Jeonghan, Seungkwan, Hoshi, Chan and Jihoon took time off for each other, and their passion, music and dancing. Then Hansol, Mingyu, Wonwoo, Jin, and Seungcheol uniformly came together to do hip hop and rap. No matter how hurt he was, Seungcheol continues to remain by his unrequited love’s side, along with his close friend.  

I truly do admire him, the guy is selfless, the opposite of myself. Me on the other hand, I stayed with whoever wants to hang out with me at the time, moving around the groups, and just enjoying all the times I had with my friends. Even though everyone is spread out, we remain close, meeting up on the weekends, and at lunch. However, half way into our first year of high school, my family suddenly move away.  

Looking back, I don’t remember telling them a single thing, only leaving Jin and Sumin a note. We kept in contact, but with how busy everything is, slowly, the contacts went from nightly, to weekly, and finally, once per month. Since then, 6 years have passed, and similarly to everyone, I grew a lot, but I never once fell out of love with that sweet boy from my high school days. Never once, did I stop thinking about Choi Seungcheol. Even after all the relationships I had, my one unrequited love is still deep in my heart.

“Faye!” The sound of my name being called pulled me from my daydream. Looking up from my phone, I smile when I saw Sumin and Jin coming my way, Wonwoo, and Jihoon right behind them. That’s right after all these years, those four are still happily together.

Quickly standing up, I greeted them all with a hug. “Hey, wow!” It’s amazing to see them grow so much, 6 years really is a long time. Pulling away, I look the two girls up and down. “You two… I can’t even recognize you two anymore!” Looking over their shoulder, I nodded to the two guys. “You both as well, everyone grew so much. I feel like I’m the only one who didn’t!”

“Nonsense!” Jin laughs, “You got a lot shorter.”

“You!” Just like before, as if my reflex, my hand shot forward, and smack her arm lightly. Some things just never changes. When they all just continues to laugh, all my annoyance dissipated, replaced by warmth, and embarrassment. “My hair is just longer now.” I retorted, this is just like old times.

“Of course it is,” Sumin snorted, petting my head like a child. “Miss ‘I grew 3 cm in 6 years’, and let me remind you, your words not mine.”

Catching the smiles from the two standing just slightly behind their respective girlfriend, who might I add, are still laughing. The warmth I felt were replaced by feelings of irked. “And what are you two laughing at?”

“Nothing!” They instantly said even though their shoulders are still shaking.

“It’s just… This is just like back then.” Wonwoo gestures to us three, “Jin tease, and either you, or Sumin would join in to tease the other. Usually, it ends up with Jin getting slap.”

“Either that, or Sumin and you would steal all of Jin’s favorite snack to get back at her.” Jihoon puts in his two cent.

They were right, this is just like old time. “It really is, isn’t it?” All the annoyance of being tease flew away, replaced by happiness again. Looking up at the Jin and Sumin, I felt my eyes watering. Taking both their hands in my own, I held it tightly. “I really missed you two, all of you. I really miss you all so much.”

“Us too.” They both said quietly, their voices were slightly shaky. “It’s been a really long time.”

“Yeah, it has.” That was when the waterworks started, bursting out in tears, I hug them both tightly. Six years have really gone by since.

Standing in that little secluded corner of Seoul’s station, we had a tearful reunion wrapped in each other’s arm. “I really hated Tokyo, it was really lonely.” I remember saying that as we all hugged each other, Jin, Sumin and I in the center while Wonwoo and Jihoon comforted us all from behind. Before I knew it, a group hug started, but for some reasons, it felt like there were more than just the five of us.