Jiyong's POV

It’s lunch break. While walking at the hallway, I tend to find a place where I can hide myself from those girls following and taking pictures of me, and where it’s peaceful enough for me to have some rest.

I am a transferee, so I’m still new to this place. But I remember hearing that there’s an open rooftop on this school’s building that no one seems to visit that place. So I decided to go there.

When I arrived at the rooftop, as expected, there are no students. I immediately lie down on the corner of the wall, covering my eyes with my right arm. Several minutes later, I heard the door opened. I just ignored it, for the thought that it’s just the school’s janitor.

And then, I heard a guitar playing. I lift my arm and position myself in sitting so that I can see the person playing it. It was a girl, but I can only see her back facing me. Then she sang a familiar song, 2ne1’s “Lonely”. I don’t know why but I can feel that she’s sad, not just because of the song, but the way she’s singing it. I don’t know why but I stood up while listening to her sweet but sad voice.

“…….Baby I'm sorry neowa isseodo nan lonely”

Saranghagin naega bujokhanga bwa

Ireon motnan nal yongseohae

“I'm sorry ige neowa naui story”

Sarangiran naegen gwabunhanga bwa

Ne gyeote isseodo

“Baby I'm so lonely lonely lonely lonely lonely”

Baby I'm so lonely lonely lonely lonely lonely

“Baby I'm so lonely lonely lonely lonely lonely”

Baby I'm so lonely lonely lonely lonely lonely…..

After she finished singing, I walked closer to her to see her face. Then she seems to hear my footsteps that she turned around and looked at me with a shock on her face.

“Your voice is great, why don’t you sing where all the people can hear it? And why is it that the song your singing is a sad one” I said, not knowing what came in my head. I’m not usually the type of person who likes to praise someone.

Then I got shocked when she suddenly loses her balance. At first, I thought she collapsed, but then she sit on the ground and started to cry. I don’t know what I should do, I’m not used to see someone cry before me, especially a girl. I suddenly sit beside her and patted her back not knowing what I’m doing, but I think what I did was effective because she slowly stopped crying. All of a sudden, she told me what happened to her during her middle school years trying to sing in front of many people. Not knowing what to say, I just listened to her. This is the first time someone have told me their life story.

“What are you doing here anyway? And you’re comforting someone who is a stranger…” She asked me. What she said was right, I don’t know her. But, I feel comfortable with her, especially when she shared her story to me. “ I’m Kwon Jiyong, and you are...?” “Sandara Park”…. “Nice to meet you Sandara. Now, we’re not strangers” I don’t know why, but when she smiled, I think I saw some sparks.

After that day, every lunch break, we always meet. I always accompany her. I feel comfortable being with her. I like watching her being pissed off by me. But she doesn’t get mad.

Starting that time, she became my closest best friend. During recess, lunch and even dismissal time, we always stay at the rooftop. Doing her usual,  she sings and plays her guitar while I am just listening to her and watching her every emotion. It became my habit of staring at her when she sings. She always asks me why I stay here, doing nothing but just listening to her. Lost for words, I just said that I like the sound coming from her guitar making her think that I’m a jerk. Actually it’s not the guitar, but her beautiful and angelic voice that draws my attention to her. Even I want to compliment her, I just can’t. I think that there’s something wrong in me because even the simplest admiration that I want to express, I can’t say it in words. I remember that the only time that I compliment her is the time we first met. 

Every day, she sings different songs, but each song has the same meaning and all has a connection with friendship or happy memories. Time passes by, and the usual sad songs that she’s singing turned to happy and fast beat songs. Because of that, I feel happy for her.

I’ve always wanted to help her concur her stage fright, but I don’ have the courage to ask her about it. Then one day when we were still doing our usual on the rooftop, I finally asked her about her dream, the dream of singing on stage in front of many people. I said that I’m going to do something about it.

The next day, it was on our music subject and the topic is about singing. The teacher told us that we have the chance to sing in front. The truth is, I already knew about this. Yesterday after Sandara and I talked, I went to our music teacher and asked a small favour if we could have singing as our topic and to give someone a chance to sing tomorrow. And luckily, she agreed.

After the teacher told us about our topic, I immediately stood up and said,”I would like to hear and watch Sandara Park sing… in front!!!”everyone including me looked at her, and I saw how nervous she was. I know right now, she thinks of me as a jerk, teasing her again. But, this is for her. I wanted her to reach her dream. Everyone agreed, the teacher said that she may give Sandara a high score if she’ll sing. I smiled as I see her stood up and walked to the front, looking down with her hair covering her face. And when she looked up, our eyes met. It makes my heart skip a beat that I silently say “fighting!” to give her courage. As she started singing, everyone was shocked hearing her beautiful voice. I just smiled, and stare at her.

The next morning, as I enter our classroom, I heard the teacher asking Sandara to represent our class for the “Sophomore Acquaintance Day” by singing. I know she’s gonna say NO, but of course, being a REALLY good best friend to her, I immediately said that “She would love to.”  And after that moment, she always receives invitations to sing for some events, and of course, she couldn’t refuse, because I’m always beside her, answering before she could. And now, I’m happy that she’s slowly going closer and closer to her dream.