I swear my heart stopped beating for a moment as I looked at Yoona holding that picture. Why was I so careless that I just put it on my desk where anyone could see it? I mean, I didn’t think ahead that I’d be bringing people to my house, people that don’t know about my past.

“Yuki-sshi?” I heard Yoona say. She was waiting for an answer. Should I? I don’t really have that much of a choice. She already saw the picture.

“Let’s talk about it in the living room,” I managed to say.

We sat on the couch, sitting beside each other. My high school picture with him was still in Yoona’s hands. I took a deep breath and I explained to her about me and the boy named Lee Jonghyun.

He and I went to the same school in Busan. Every year we were classmates yet we did not talk to each other much. He was in the same martial arts class as me.

People said I was always an exceptional kid, smart, athletic and multi-talented. I never gave much thought to that. I just wanted to do stuff as a kid.

During 5^th grade, a sparring in Taekwondo class, I never expected the teacher to pair me up with a boy, “Let’s see how good you are, Yuki,” was what he said. I beat the boy easily and left afterwards like it was no big deal. Later that day, as I was talking to my friends, the boy came up to me.

“I won’t let a girl like you beat me,” he said. Naturally I was annoyed. But I remembered what oppa said that other kids teased me because they were just jealous.

Instead, I smiled at him and replied, “I’m sure you’ll be as good as me if you try harder. I’ll help you if you want. I’m Kim Yuki, by the way, what’s your name?”

“Lee Jonghyun. And I know who you are, we’ve been classmates ever since,” he wasn’t smiling. Actually, he looked kind of annoyed that I wasn’t mad at him or something for interrupting my time with my friends. He left without another word and I followed him.

“You know, Jonghyun-sshi, we can be friends,” I said.

He sneered, “Hah. Friends?”

“I think I can put up with you,” I concluded as we walked through the school, side by side.

***

Before I knew it, we became best of friends. He would wait for me outside the house so that we could walk to school together, eat lunch together and I would help him with homework. We both got our black belts in Judo on the same day.

On 7^th grade I decided to learn how to play an instrument and I had decided on the guitar. I surprised Jonghyun at how fast I was learning. He was always into music, so we would spend some afternoons jamming, me playing and him singing. I always thought his voice was amazing. It was comforting to hear him sing.

Before our first year in high school, he decided to learn playing the guitar too. I didn’t need to help him learn because he surprised me himself when he played and sang for me. I thought that as long as I was with Jonghyun, I would be happy. We went to the same high school in Busan.

A few months before the end of classes, my parents told me we had to move to Seoul for my brother. I had said that I wanted to go to a Performing Arts High School anyway and Seoul was the perfect place for opportunities. Naturally, I didn’t want to go. I didn’t want to leave Jonghyun, he was the only friend I had.

To my surprise, one day, Jonghyun called me out of the house to tell me something.

“I’m going to Seoul, too, Yuki. I’m going to go to school where you will be going,” he told me he accepted an entertainment company’s offer to become a trainee through Yonghwa, who lived near him. They said they would take him to Seoul and he can continue his studies there.

I cried, I knew how much Jonghyun loved his family. His parents, his little sister.

“Why would you do something like that?” I asked him as my tears fell.

“Because I like you, Yuki. I need you.”

I was stunned at his answer. I liked him too. I wanted to be with him. I was happy that he felt the same way. He hugged me and I hugged him back as we had our silent agreement to never let each other go.

***

Yoona gasped and she hugged her pillow tight, “Yuki-sshi! You and Jonghyun were a c-couple?”

“As much as I hate to admit that now,” I replied. I didn’t know why I was telling her everything. I guess I really treated her as a friend.

“Something happened, right? Let’s get back to your story!”

I sighed and braced myself to tell her what happened next.

***

Jonghyun and I eventually went to Seoul Arts High School- School of Performing Arts. We were still classmates. Talk about fate. Though I would see him less and less because he was training in FNC Academy. I also noticed that his guitar skills were getting better so I shouldn’t lose to him.

We met Miyo and Eri during our first year in Seoul and they became our friends. Us Busan people tend to stick together.

Jonghyun and I shared a lot of interests, though I should be the one to blame for his addiction to Japanese things. He lived in Japan before, but could barely remember since he was still young. We could talk about anime and dramas all day.

I thought our happy times would last forever, until graduation came.

We were at a graduation party of one of our classmates and Jonghyun pulled me aside to talk privately.

“What is it? We’re missing all the fun. You can’t expect me to have fun with just you, now?” I . I should’ve known better. I should’ve noticed that expression on his face.

“Yuki, you saw those people from the company earlier?” he asked. I nodded in reply. He breathed in deep and said, “They told me we had to go and leave the country for training abroad.”

My expression fell. Abroad?

“I’m leaving in a few days.”

I didn’t even notice the tears falling. All I knew was that I felt numb. What about our promise?

“I want to go too.”

“Don’t be stupid, Yuki. You know you can’t.”

“I’m not the stupid one! You are! You said, you promised…” I was crying a lot. My chest felt tight. Every part of my body hurt. I knew he had no choice. He signed up for it, he had to go all the way.

I could hear thunder. The weather was mimicking my conflicted feelings. I didn’t want him to leave but I knew this was for his own good too. He was going to become a musician, like he wanted, like he decided. If I liked him, no, if I loved him, I had to let him go.

“Yuki-“

“I understand.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t say that-“

“I promise I’ll come back for you.”

“Don’t make promises you can’t keep.”

“I love you, I really do.”

“Same here.”

“Say it for me, please.”

“I love you too, Jonghyun”

“Goodbye, Yuki.”

And the rain fell, drenching the both of us, washing away my tears as I looked at him walking away. From me. From us.

“YAH, LEE JONGHYUN! DON’T REGRET DOING THIS! I’LL BE WATCHING!” I called after him and he turned, giving me his dimpled-smile that I always adored.

There I was, crying… broken… the girl in the rain.

I have to be honest, the end part kinda made my eyes tear up a bit. 

So, there you have it, the reason et cetera et cetera and Ichi described in a previous chapter what happened after that and so on and so forth.

Sorry I haven't been updating everyday (school's back!). I felt kinda guilty so I made 2 chapters for today: the previous and this one.

As you may have noticed, Yuki left out most of the mushy parts because she doesn't really want to remember. Hope you understand.

I really want the Mnet stage to come really soon! I'm excited. Hehehe^^

Anyways, thank you, readers!

I'd appreciate every comment and subscription!

[BANNER COMING SOON!]