Eun Jung left at two in the afternoon without notifying her parents nor the 2PM guys. It's been five years since she had the habit of sneaking out at that certain hour every Saturday. Yet her parents always thought that she was fishing. It's still too hot for comfort and not a good hour for fishing anyway. 

Eun Jung went to a hill where there was a small house that had a stone monument in it and the crypt underneath it. Beside the crypt  was a picture of a guy Eun Jung's age. On the monument was written 'Migakami Juntaro'. As Eun Jung went inside the house, she began to light incense and bowed to the ground in respect for the deceased. Then as she rose up, she smiled with tears in her eyes.

"Juntaro-kun, I'm here. Ogenki desu ka (How are you)?"

She knelt there for an hour, recalling all the memories she had of Juntaro as tears flowed silently from her cheeks.

"Anata ga inakute shabishii desu ( I miss you)..."

***

Juntaro was Japanese orphan Eun Jung's obaasan had adapted after her own children went to have their own families. As life was so cruel for Juntaro, being adopted had been a very good experience for him.

Juntaro and Obaasan came to Korea when he and Eun Jung were seven years old. At first, they never could stand each other. Obaasan, though she couldn't speak fluent Korean, would say what she meant in English, as she was also an English teacher in the school where she taught. Juntaro learned English faster than Eun Jung. But Eun Jung, being a precocious girl, didn't want some Japanese kid to outdo her. So, she kept visiting her obaasan to teach her English. Later, because Juntaro was also a fast learner, Obaasan decided to take the kids under her care when it came to education. Juntaro had a photographic memory, so he can retain well whatever was taught to him. But Eun Jung was not that kind. However, she had guts and determiniation. So she sweat her way out to study hard and outdo Juntaro. It was also because Obaasan seemed to favor Juntaro more because he was Japanese and Eun Jung was Korean that the latter had been scolded and insulted a lot of times and being compared to Juntaro. Yet, Eun Jung didn't let this deter her. Instead, she made it as a challenge for herself to surpass Juntaro, not only in academics, but also in everyday living, even in the school's extracurricular activites. Eun Jung also did this to earn her grandmother's love and affection. When Obaasan would not be teaching them, she would ask Eun Jung to sing her a song. And the girl had advantage because she can sing better than her rival.

They didn't go to the same school either. Yet, because of the training Eun Jung had, she excelled well in class. Juntaro excelled in his class too. Both graduated valedictorian in grade school and in highschool. But Eun Jung managed to get the highest CSAT score among all the students that school year. Mrs Ham couldn't have been proud of her daughter. Yet she knew the pain Eun Jung had to undergo just to please her obaasan. Eun Jung had this habit of not telling others how she felt, not even how painful the experience had been. She'd just cry to herself in secret, then always telling herself afterwards that she is a strong girl and that she can do it. In effect, she kept diaries to ease her pain. 

One afternoon, while obaasan was sleeping and Eun Jung and Juntaro were studying, Juntaro suddenly looked at Eun Jung (they were already nineteen at that time). EUn Jung at first was oblivious to this. But suddenly, she felt that Juntaro was staring at her, so she looked up to him.

"Mwoeyo?" Eun Jung asked. 

"I have something to show you."

"Nan desu ka?"

"Come, follow me."

Juntaro led Eun Jung to a small hill on the eastern side of the house. There grew some asters. These were Eun Jung's favorite flowers. To her delight, she kneeled and began to pick some.

"Suteki desu! Arigato, Juntaro-kun..."

Juntaro knelt beside her and picked some asters. He began to weave them and made a crown. He placed it on her hair while tucking a stray piece of hair away from her face.

"Anata wa kirei desu..." he said as he traced her face with his fingers.

Eun Jung blushed. She knew the sun was strikingly hot, but she knew she felt hotter inside her.

"Na..nani? Neo...johahae?" She was confused now.

"Ne.." Juntaro answered in Korean. 

"Demo...demo..."

"But..what?"

"You're always making fun of me in front of obaasan. You even scorned me all the time because you're smart and I'm not."

"Ani...as a kid, yes, I did like making fun of you. But I when I saw your persistence, I began to be drawn to that. In time, I didn't realize that I'm slowly falling in love with you."

"Since...when?" Eun Jung felt that her heart skipped a beat. For the first time, she realized that she was falling for Juntaro too.

"Since when? Since we were in 5th grade."

"And you had the guts to tell me just now?"

"Hai...because I'm afraid you'll reject me. Believe it or not, Eun Jung-ah, a lot of boys were head over heels for you."

"Honto ni? Wow..I never realized that."

Then Juntaro moved towards Eun Jung so that his face was an inch closer. "Can you be my kanojo?"

"N...ne..." And they shared their first kiss. 

They decided to keep this a secret even to their families for fear that they'd be separated from each other. Both young hearts even managed to keep the feelings to themselves so that their families would't know they were dating. One day, Juntaro proposed to Eun Jung that they go to college together in Seoul no matter what course each will take. Juntaro was so into computers, so he decided he'll take up Computer engineering. And Eun Jung wanted to teach, so she took up teaching. They promised to each other that they'd remain loyal and faithful to each other and that they'd get married when they are ready.

And so, it happened that they did go to Seuol to take their tertiary education. They met once a week on certain places they agreed to in order to catch up for the time lost.

One day, Eun Jung texted Juntaro that she'll be going home for a week because the teachers were having a convention. Juntarto permitted her to. But at the back of Eun Jung's mind, she felt that something bad was about to happen. Three days after she arrived in Cheongsong, while she was fishing, her eomma called and told her that Juntaro had been in a car accident. Eun Jung's body began to shiver in disbelief. She wanted to cry, but she couldn't. She knew she had to keep their relationship a secret even until death. So, Eun Jung stood up and told Obaasan about it. When the old woman heard of the news, she cried. She told Eun Jung she wanted to go to Seoul and see her adopted son. That lunch time, obaasan and Eun Jung went to the hospital where her friend said Juntaro was in.

He was in the ICU and was in bad shape. The doctors said he had a slim chance of survival. Apparantly, the doctor told them,Juntaro was riding on a car with a friend who was drunk. During the wee hours of dawn, they decided to come home after a party. The friend drove too fast and didn't come to a full stop when a truck happened to run on the road too on a green light. The friend was supposed to be on a stop light, but he went on. The truck hit the side Juntaro was in, and the car skid to another truck on  the left side of the road, hitting the drunk friend. Both guys were rushed to the hospital, where the friend was declared dead on arrival, while Juntaro was in critical condition.

Obaasan cried her heart out and began pounding the bed where Juntaro was. But Eun Jung, who was supposed to appear stoic, suddenly shed silent tears. Obaasan fainted, and the nurses and the resident doctor attended to her. When they managed to declare that she was fine, Eun Jung went back to the ICU. Looking at Juntaro, more tears fell from her eyes.

"Uso-tsuki (Liar)...you told me you'd wait for me. You told me that we'd graduate together and live our lives here in Seuol. You promised to me that you'd be careful always. Why did you do this? Why did it have to be this way? Are you going to leave me? Juntaro, answer me!!!"

Tears began to fall on Juntaro's eyes as a reply. In his vegetative state, he just thought what he wanted to say to his girlfriend.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwqElTk6u1Y

Mianhe..mianhe...mianhe...I cannot keep my promises anymore. I cannot be with you any longer. I cannot  be with you when you graduate, or see your dreams fulfilled. I'm sorry if I will not be the husband I said I wanted to be..

And quoting from your favorite song: I'm sorry I can't be the one I said I wanted to be. I'm sorry that I let go of our promises and we have to part ways. I couldn't bear our goodbye; I didn't think it'll end like this. I'm sorry, I'm sorry I cannot say anything else, but our love has to end.

And as if as a cue, Juntaro's cellphone began to play that sad song. Then his vital signs began to go awry as EUn Jung panicked. SHe began to call the doctors and the nurses. In their efforts to resuscitate him, he said goodbye forever....

***

Eun Jung got her cellphone and began to play the song again. She and Juntaro both loved the song even though it was a song of parting. But then, everytime she hears it, she's always reminded of her first love.

"I malbakke motae mianhae jikyeojuji motaeseo mianhae
Uri sarangeul geu yaksokdeureul nohabeoryeoseo mianhae
Jal garagon chama motaeseo ijen kkeuchiragon motaeseo
Mianhadago mianhadago dareun mareun motagenneunde mworago kkeutnaelkka"

Juntaro, I love you...