“Ya,” a voice interrupted my blank mind. I looked up at her from where I was seated and found Soo Jeon and her two underlings stood in front of me.

I took off my earphones and innocently spoke, “Waeyo?”

The three girls shoot me with deadly glares. Soo Jeon let out an irritated sigh, “’Waeyo?’ Ya come with us for a second. Let’s talk.”

I was about to reply when my phone beeped. It read; Hongki: I’m at the Han River. I need you, I’m hurt.

 My eyes popped out, “Let’s talk later Soo Jeon-ssi. I have something to attend to. Chosunghamnida.” I bowed and ran full speed.

“Ya chakaman! Ya! Aish! Chincha!” I heard the girls curse as I left the classroom.

~~

Out of breath, I finally reached the Han River with first aid materials on my hand, which I bought on my way. I spotted Hongki seated on a bench. I called out his name. As soon as he turned his head to my direction, he smiled a smile as if saying ‘thank god you came’.

I rushed up to him feeling nervous that I was too late, “Yah where are you hurt? Is it bad? Why didn’t you just go to the hospital instead of waiting here for m—“

“Sit first,” he said cutting me off as he patted the empty space beside him. “Sorry I made you worry.”

“How could I not worry when I knew you were hurt? And we had a promise right?” But even though we didn’t have that promise I will still come. I can’t stand seeing you hurt, I felt as if my blood pressure just rose. “But—ya! You seem fine? Are you playing with me again?”

“I’m not playing with you. I really am hurt—but not physically,” he sighed as he sit back and stared blankly at the waters.

“Mwo?”

“Fatty-ah,” he looked at me with gloomy eyes. “Please let me stay like this for a moment,” he then closed his eyes as he leaned his head on my shoulder.

I froze and couldn’t argue at all. I gulped as he moved his head in a position his comfortable with. After a moment of silence he finally spoke up, “The thing I’m going to tell you at the beach. I think it can’t wait any longer.” He pulled his head up, held both of my arms and looked deeply into my eyes. “Nan—Nul—“

“Hongki-ah!” someone called from behind leaving what he was about to say hanging in the mid air.

We both turn our heads in the direction of the voice. Not far from us stood a pretty girl about our age, her smile slowly faded as she approached us. Her eyes weren’t leaving me.

Stopping the girl on her tracks, Hongki, who was still holding my arms suddenly pulled me towards him and—chu~~! Our lips met and it stayed there for a while as if time just suddenly stopped. His lips felt soft against mine and his breathe was warm that it made me high. I didn’t know why but I closed my eyes and let myself be drowned in this moment that I felt like I was in heaven.

I heard footsteps running away and with that I snapped back to reality. I pulled back with my eyes widely open while blood rush to my face. I stood up and ran away without looking back at the first man I have ever kissed. My first kiss, I thought as I run touching my lips.

~~

“Yah Ji Yeon-ah! Are you listening to me?” I heard omma called out from the kitchen.

I sat on the carpet staring blankly at the television screen. I dropped the pencil that I have been biting which landed on the pile of papers and notebooks on the table. “Ah… What were you saying omma?”

“Haish~ chincha. I said go to your room; it seems that you can’t concentrate on your homework because of what you are watching.”

I checked out the home works I was working on and dang! I haven’t started anything yet. I sighed and dragged myself up to my room. As soon as I was there I threw my whole body and so as my notebooks on the bed. I lied flat on my stomach while my head was buried on the pillow. A moment later, I heard the door suddenly shut open.

“Wae?” I pulled my head up to see who that was and as expected it was my mother.

“Hongki-ssi’s looking for you. I told him to wait in the living—“

I gasped and immediately sat up in panic. I felt my blood rush to my face like it might start to squirt out from my nose or something, “Omma! Why did you let him know I was here?!”

“Omo! Wae? It’s my first time seeing you not so excited about Hongki?” she grinned.

“It’s not that omma,” I paused as an idea came up to me. Coughing, I pulled the comforter up to my head and whispered in a hoarse voice, “Omma I think I caught a cold. Tell him I can’t talk to him for now or he’ll get sick too.” I coughed again.

“Aigoo~ araso. I’ll tell him that…teenagers really are aigoo~ never mind. Oh anyway I know you’re doing fine so don’t forget to finish your home works before you go to sleep okay?” I heard her sigh as she closed the door.

Good thing God gave me a mother who can see right through me but understands my feeling all too well. Saranghae omma!...Sarang? Sarang. The word suddenly made me think of Hongki and the kiss we had yesterday. Not realizing at all, my fingers were touching my lips and I was actually blushing but then, reality came striking me like thunder.

Why the hell would he kiss me?

Why did he do that after he saw that girl?

Who is that girl anyway?

~~

The next morning, Sunday, I decided to take a walk. But as soon as I was out of our apartment I saw the least thing I ever expected to see. No, it’s not a baby being abandoned nor a kpop artist who happened to be sleeping outside our apartment’s door but a pretty girl who stood beside Hongki’s apartment. Yep, who would expect to see that girl again at this very moment?

She returned my shocked gaze with a blank one and then her lips twitched into a cold smile. But not the arrogant way, it just felt like the smile was accompanied with nothing, no feelings nor emotions attached.

“Annyeong hasaeyo,” she started as she approached me. “If I’m not mistaken, you were the girl with Hongki last time right?”

“Ah—d-de,” I bowed at her and she did the same.

“I’ve bee wishing to talk to you since that day. Do you have a minute?”

I nodded and with that we came down at the café next to our building.

~~

Silence. Cold eerie silence. Those words maybe the best to describe the air that surrounded us as we sat opposite from each other at a table inside the café. The girl had been silent for a while it made my saliva almost dry. Calculating what she was about to say maybe? Aish! Molla! I have been confused enough about the kiss already she isn’t going to add more, is she?

“I think we haven’t been introduced properly yet, right?” she tried hard to smile but her eyes gave her away. I don’t why but for some reason I felt like this girl looks sad and lonely even though she tries hard to mask it with cold, emotionless expression.

“Ah de,” I smiled awkwardly.

“I’m Kang Min Ji.”

“Park Ji Yeon hamnida. Nice meeting you.”

She nodded while biting her lower lip, “the reason I wanted to talk to you was about Hongki-ah. Mmmm…I don’t really know what your relationship with Hongki-ah is but all I know is that he and I haven’t broken up yet.” She started as tears suddenly fell from her eyes. I was surprised not only by the fact that she is crying but the fact they haven’t broken up yet.

The girl who left Hongki in pain and without friends is this very same girl I’m talking to?

 “He and I have been in a relationship since we entered high school and I know I have hurt him enough by living him and because of that I’m willing to forget what I have seen last time. I understand why he have done that, he wants me feel the very same feeling he felt when I left him. I know he still loves me and I’m willing to wait until he comes back to me again so please don’t misunderstand the kiss and please don’t make him confused anymore if—you don’t really love him.”

The girl continued to shed tears while I—I was left frozen. He still loves her that’s why they haven’t broken up yet? He has been waiting for her all this time? That kiss we shared—mean nothing at all? It was just to make her jealous? But after that he will run back to her again? How can I be this stupid? Of course he just sees me as a friend because this girl here is the one he really loves. Babo.

I stood up and look at her holding back my tears, “What do you mean I don’t really love him? I—I love him—as a friend. Of course! Yes! Don’t worry Min Ji-ssi I’m just his friend. And—and yeah! We really planned on making you jealous but we haven’t got the time to think of a decent plan that’s why we ended up kissing. I didn’t take that kiss seriously; it doesn’t mean anything at all of course. Well—I’ll better get going and oh! Please don’t tell him I blurted out the whole jealousy scheme. Well goodbye.” I tried hard to smile as I walked out from the café.

As soon as I was out of the suffocating place, I broke into a run. I didn’t care about how clumsy I am and how weak my cardio-respiratory system were, all I care was to run far away, away from reality.

I really am a liar.