Seoul city is lovely at night. The Han River allows me to release all my stress and forget all my worries. It’s really the best medicine out there. I continue to amble next to the River when I see a boy skating right towards me. Being a stubborn fool, I don’t move to the side and the next thing I see is a skateboard on my face, the palms of my hands stinging.

“Ah , are you alright? Sorry, I’m so sorry!” I feel two strong arms lift me up from the ground. After a moment of blurriness, it clears to reveal a cute smiling boy with a glint in his eyes.

“Ah yeah I’m alright. Thanks.” I smile back, my heart skipping a beat.

“By the way, my name is Jun. What’s yours?” He asked, a smile spreading on his face.

“I’m Chaerin.”

“Want to join me in my strolling?” He looked directly in my eyes; I think I stopped breathing for a while.

“Sure, if you don’t mind.”

“Of course I don’t. You’re cute.”

Now this may seem a bit too fantasy-like for you, but it is true, I did meet such a person. That day, it was like a dream, to hang around with someone you like and spill out all your worries to them. It lasted a couple of weeks, until one night his younger sister called me and cried her heart out into the phone. He had passed away in a car accident. Words could not describe how I felt. My heart shattered to pieces; I had lost my mother and my sister the year before. My first crush was gone too. I never had the chance to tell him that I liked him. Loved him perhaps.

It rained during his funeral. Only his sister, Minji, and my father and I were present. Afterwards, she moved in with me, starting her new life as my little sister. I found out that they were both orphans; he quit school and worked full-time at a convenience store to pay for his sister’s education. To Minji, he was a father, a brother and a best friend. God must have sent me to look after this young, innocent girl. Over a time period of three months I changed from a normal university student to a mother. My father was happy to have a new daughter in the family. I missed him terribly, but I knew I had to get on with life.

...

A year later...

“Minji, eat your breakfast!”

“Chaerin-unnie I have to go to school! I’ll be late!”

“Rilakkuma is crying about this! He wants you to eat your breakfast!”

“Sorry Rilakkuma! I’ll bring your girlfriend home today!” Minji sprinted out of the house, just making it on time for the bus.

“Aish, this girl, always staying up to study hard. She’s so dedicated, like her brother Jun...” I paused, the memories flooding my thoughts. A year had passed, yet it seemed like yesterday that we had talked near the Han River.

How have you been Jun? Is the grass a paris green? The sky azure?  I miss your laughter and your smiles.