It wasn’t the first time he kissed me nor was it the last.

I was eight when he first kissed me.

We were walking in a line during our field trip to the botanical gardens. I loved the many flowers and butterflies. They were all colorful and very pretty. But the place was packed and it seemed like there were couples everywhere unashamedly flaunting their love for each other.

The rest of my class were whispering to each other. The more advanced kids in class called it kissing. I saw my parents do it once and it didn’t bother me before but somehow my classmates were all buzzing because of it.

I heard one girl said kissing gave you the cooties. I didn’t know what cooties were and I didn’t care. But then my parents did the same. Did they also have cooties?

Just then one boy spoke up and broke my thought.

“That’s not true! I’ll prove it!” he said.

And in front of everyone, that little boy who dared disprove cooties came up to me and kissed me right on the lips. It was over just as it began like a butterfly ghosting over my lips followed by a weird pull in my tummy.

Oh no! cooties! I ran as fast to the teacher and told her what happened.

I told her that Kwon Jiyong gave me the cooties.

I remember that the teacher laughed at me and told me that such things did not exist. But just the same she scolded Jiyong for kissing me in public without my permission. She told him that you only kiss the person you love.

Jiyong seemed ashamed and sorry with his flushed cheeks and downcast eyes that I felt pity and told him I forgive him. It was then that we became friends.