1.

Three days earlier, I knew nothing of my impending death.

All was well at Gwangsu National University. It was the summer of my third year at campus, and it couldn't have started off better: A's back on all my tests and assignments, exam preparations for the semester already in order albeit early, and the year's biggest research project well under way.

'Can you stop slobbering over him for just one second, Saerin?'

'Huh?'

Startled, I snapped my head in Gayoon's direction, in turn forgetting about the straw in my drink and having it stab me in the nose in the process. 'Ouch!'

'Hansol, duh!' my classmate chuckled, staring at me with wide eyes. 'You've been staring at him the entire time. Did you even hear a single thing I said?'

Rubbing my nose, I offered the girl a sheepish look at which she responded to with a resigned sigh. 'Woops. Sorry. My head's everywhere but here these days.'

'Clearly. Spill the beans, girl.'

'Well, I've just been thinking...'

I paused for a moment to peer back out at the field. Its neon green grass and bright blue skies a fitting image of the summer we recently transitioned into. It was a Tuesday midday when the campus football club took to the outdoor grounds, and ever since I'd been invited by Ji Hansol two years ago when we became friends to the team's practice sessions, I rarely missed the spectacle.

Not that I knew anything relatively impressive about the sport. I still had no idea what an offside was, but considering my real reason for being here, that mattered little.

'It's going to be our first anniversary soon.'

Gayoon gasped. 'Soon when?'

'Friday.'

'Girl!' she cried, and with a wide grin, nudged me in congratulation. 'That's great. And what a way to celebrate it, at the party of the year! How dreamy.'

I laughed at the combination of the faraway look in her eyes and her pout, when in actuality, I only did so to mask the fact that my relationship with Hansol still rendered me unbelievably coy towards it. Surely, being together for a year should have done the trick making me immune to all those teen-like responses around their crush, right? Turns out love worked a lot more different than I imagined. Because almost twelve months in, and I still couldn't stop the flutters I got every time we so as held hands or did other sorts of couple stuff.

'Well, it's actually on Thursday.'

'Ah, but his internship...?'

'Yeah,' I mumbled thoughtfully. 'He's got the usual going on for the internship he's part of. So Thursday's out of the question.'

'What about at night?' she grinned. 'Imagine a romantic dinner. A late night stroll. A kiss under the stars! Make it a night thing for sure.'

'No way, Miss Cheese,' I scoffed at the places Gayoon's mind was taking her, throwing her an incredulous look. 'Besides, he's always training at night because he's so active at college in the day with all this club and his course stuff. So it's not an option.'
 

It was much later in our relationship that I had learned Hansol was in fact the only son of a growing corporate group in the country. He rarely spoke on the topic, but it didn't take a genius to tell he was in deep with the family business and that the pressure to excel in all aspects was a most apparent one. There were days when we went without talking, even. Hansol having to tend to such corporate practices for days at a time in the nearest big city, Gwangju, all the while juggling his coursework and other activities.

It was at first overwhelming to have dates cancelled and days where he went without replying to my texts. I liked to think I had grown used to it. The soccer practices though were by far the hours we spent the most time in each others company, albeit indirectly. But hey, it was still something, right?

'Oh, speak of the devil.'

Pulling me out of my reverie, I turned my head in the direction Gayoon did before having my eyes settle on the tall blonde approach us. Dressed back into the casual shirt, jeans and sneakers I'd seen him in before practice again; his jacket folded over one arm; Hansol smiled as he neared, which gave rise to a tingle at the pit of my belly.

'Hey,' he greeted, adjusting the heavy-looking tog bag on his right shoulder. 'Sorry you had