I am your typical high school girl with your normal mundane life but someone without many friends. I was quiet and reserved. My family isn’t something I like to talk about, but I like to draw in my free time, because it is the one and best way to relieve the pain I’ve bottled up.

Remember that summer when he came into my life unexpectedly. He was an exchange student from the country side. He was quiet too just like me, but he had a smile that could light up the whole town and a voice that was soft and melodious like tingling bells on a windy day. He walked to his seat with pride, head up high and an A3 size drawing pad by his side, his backpack slung across his shoulders. Even though all the girls in my class were literally swooning over his looks, he didn’t even give them another look.

His name is Luhan.

That year, we were 16. I met him for the first time.

He sat two seats away to my right. We were both at the last row. I couldn’t help but sneak a few peeks at him. Because he wasn’t always paying attention in class, he was always drawing on his sketch pad. And he seemed the happiest when he drew.

That day during lunch break, I waited for him to exit the class. Curiosity got the better of me and I walked slowly towards his desk and sat down slowly on his chair. I traced my finger across the table top remembering the moments when I would catch him drawing. His side profile is breathtaking against the sunlight that shone on his face. He was the most suitable candidate to be seated in that seat. I smiled and reached under the table. The sketchpad was there.

I took it out and flipped through it slowly. Scenery, people, flowers, animals all came to life from his drawings. Even his art was literally breathtaking. Then I stopped flipping, staring in surprise at his drawing of me. He drew my side profile in class, from his point of view. Why didn’t I catch him staring? I didn’t realize I smiled like that in class. He made me beautiful like that.

Taking a few cautious glances of my surroundings, I closed it immediately and put it back. My heart was racing and heat rose to my cheeks at that very instant unable to forget his sketching of me.

After school I intentionally waited for him to leave. I stayed to watch as he exited the classroom, his back view seems a little lonelier then.

That summer, we were 16. I didn’t know what is love.

We had our first class activity together. Strangely, our teacher had paired us up. He exchanged seats with the person beside me and pushed his table to mine. Without a word he sat down beside me biting the tip of his already sharpened pencil and pushed the piece of worksheet to me. I didn’t even realized how I was holding my breath and suddenly conscious of my hair. We sat side by side just like that, for a while nobody spoke while the rest of the class had already turned into a noisy scene infront of our eyes.

‘Annyeong, I’m Luhan.’ He finally said. The second time I’ve heard his voice after his introduction infront of the class. I turn around and our eyes met for the first time. I looked away immediately feeling butterflies in my stomach and stuttered. ‘An..Annyeong. I..I’m Ji Min.’

He flashed me a smile and tapped the piece of paper infront of us. ‘Maybe we should start.’ I nodded bashfully and picked up my pencil.

The class activity ended too quickly. I didn’t want him to return to his seat when we finally had some actual conversations. But he smiled and returned to his seat as soon as it was over. But he left a little present for me. A chibi drawing of us on the back of my note book. I didn’t even realize how and when he drew it and I smiled the widest that day.

After school, I intentionally waited for him to leave again. But this time, he didn’t. Instead he sat in his seat for a long time and the classroom was almost empty. I stood up finally and walked past him, preparing to leave. But he caught the helm of my skirt and tugged it gently. I turn around, slightly flabbergasted.

He was smiling as he stood up with his sketchpad on one hand. He grabbed my hand with the other and started running. His touch on my skin sent an electric shock down my spine, but I didn’t resist. I ran behind him, past the crowds, past the eyes of the other students, past the parking lot and out of the gate.

When he finally stopped, we were panting so hard I thought I could faint just to catch my breath. He straightened up after a while and pointed at the top of a slope. He didn’t wait for me to reply and began walking