Reply Eight

It was our seventeenth autumn. It was like just yesterday the sun burned on our skin, like it kissed our hair. It was like we were able to remember every detail from Summer 2008. The memory of Woohyun and me sitting on the basketball field was like a replaying clip in my head. It marked the end of summer. Autumn was the new start.

It was September which meant the Ipod nano forth generation came out. As I mentioned before, Eunji and I complained the whole day. During our walk to school where we contemplated how to keep that information away from our parents. Since we weren't too keen in getting scolded and yelled at. We complained when we sat in the bus, refusing to use the Ipod in our hands. We even complained at school in our classroom. Like I have said, Howon almost flipped the table. He couldn't believe it as much as we couldn't. It was like Apple trolled us consumers, squezzed the money out of us. And like always, the rich kids got the new Ipod nano 4. They bragged about it, just like Eunji and I did last year when our parents bought us one. We behaved exactly like them and now we became the uncool ones. 

During homeroom, our teacher told us we were going to have an Autumn festival at our high school. I couldn't understand the fact why we celebrated in autumn when summer was even prettier. When in summer it was even hotter and the weather was nicer. But since I kind of liked autumn, too, while I hated winter because of the cold atmosphere, I got excited. Since school festivals always meant we were able to meet the others. Since it was always an excuse to talk with the other students at this high school.

Of course, I had Woohyun in mind. All I wanted was to talk with him like we did on the basketball field. I didn't actually pay attention when the teacher asked who of us wanted to be a committee member to organize and lead the preparations for the festival. Howon behind me put an earplug into my right ear without the teacher noticing. He wanted to show me some music since I was too bored to listen to the teacher's words. Howon, or, as I usually called him later on,  Hoya wasn't listening either so we both starting bopping our head to his music.

Since we were careless and carefree during high school. Since we were stupid and dumb. Since we were still teenagers, but going-to-be adults. Since we were two idiots, the teacher caught us listening to music. He was mad and decided to pick us as the committee members. Since no one else wanted to do that job. Since it was tiring to do that job. And thus, we had to do that job.

We sat at our usual spot during lunch break. Howon right next to me, still complaining about the job we had to do from now on. Right after the teacher called us to his desk, scolding us and intructing us about the job as a committee member, Busan guy almost kicked the bin on the hallway down. I noticed how his lips were tugged upwards, still. He was just exaggerating. Doing it out of fun. Trying to make me laugh. I rather laughed at his failed attempt to do so. Eunji sat next to me, talking with some classmates about something. I didn't listen, I wasn't interested since I rather fixed my eyes on Woohyun who was approaching us with Sunggyu. Upon seeing that hamster - that was my new nickname for him, by the way - I felt myself grinning like an idiot. His appearance just reminded me of what Woohyun told me about calling his dog after his friend. Just imagining Sunggyu to be a dog was too funny.

"Oh, what's this?" Woohyun stared at my lunch box my mother made. She was in a good mood, that was why she made me some kimchi along with rice. My father even profited from that since he really was obsessed with kimchi.

Out of reflex, I took some with my chopsticks and held it in front of his mouth, urging him to open it. My free hand was situated under the one with chopsticks to catch the falling rice. I said out of reflex because for the last weeks I have been feeding Howon with food. Because he was apparently too busy inventing dance moves for some battle he told me about which I didn't understand at all. And since he couldn't even prepare lunch for himself, I had to tell my mother to made a portion more for me. So I could feed Busan guy. He paid for my bus tickets instead.

Woohyun chuckled lightly before opening his mouth me shoving the food into it. Only after that scene, I actually realized what I did. That I just fed my first love. That I did it out of habit because of Howon. And suddenly, I felt my cheeks heaten up. Out of a sudden, I had to clear my throat out of awkwardness. "Thank you."

"You guys look like a couple." Sunggyu, the one I always was about to slap, mentioned before Howon beside me flinched. Even he felt disturbed by that hamster's presence. He had that talent to make people uncomfortable around him.

"No, I'm not her type. She even rejects Myungsoo." Woohyun took a seat next to me since Eunji disappeared off with the classmates - it seemed urgent - not without giving me a suspicious glare.

"Don't say it like he actually confessed." I added, feeling embarrassed just by the thought. Never in this world would that Handsome boy confess, no, even fall in love with someone like me. Not that I complained though. I wasn't interested either. I was solely interested in that cheesy guy next to me who thought he wasn't my type. I couldn't help but surpress my laughter. He just didn't notice yet.

"Well, you were even at his place."

I widened my eyes at him, surprise written across my face. I couldn't believe he just told everyone. Well, Howon knew about it already so it wasn't a big deal. But that hamster boy didn't. He didn't know that I went to Myungsoo's place. Not even Eunji knew about it because I forgot to tell her. Or she might even think I seriously liked that Handsome boy. But what irked me and made my heart flutter at the same time was that laughing Woohyun next to me. He didn't even feel bad. And I kind of hated it. But I liked it, too. I just couldn't organize my feelings anymore. He was teasing me. "Hey!"

He couldn't stop laughing, as he held his stomache in pain. Because he laughed so hard. Because he couldn't stop it. I shook my head at him, inwardly smiling like a retard. Smiling because teasing was a sign of liking someone. Even though it might not be the kind of liking I hoped for but still. Because I wasn't a little girl anymore who started hating guys because they . Woohyun slowly calmed himself down, as he looked into my eyes, a grin still plastered on his lips. "Ok, ok. Sorry."

"Are you guys in the festival committee, too?" Howon started asking when silence took place. Woohyun next to me wouldn't stop teasing Sunggyu by pulling at his uniform. Back then, when I was 14 years old, I couldn't even imagine him to be doing stupid and childish things in front of me. I couldn't even imagine him to be sitting next to me, teasing his friend. 

"No, only losers do that job. And would you stop that?" It was Sunggyu who answered, the latter sentence being directed to Woohyun. That hamster boy acted like he was annoyed by him, but a smile still appeared on his face right after yelling at him.

I mentally slapped myself for even staying with that idiot. I just didn't have another choice. I wanted to spend some time with Woohyun, I wanted to hang out with Howon but I just couldn't click with that hamster. Even the remembrance of me thinking he might become a good friend at Lotte Mart crept me out. I just didn't like that guy. Because he always made things uncomfortable. Therefore, I was glad when Woohyun spoke up before I accidentally let my tongue slip. "You guys are committee members?"

"Unfortunately."

So for what did our class decide to do during the festival? Cosplay. They seriously chose cosplay as the activity we would present for other students. They decided to collect all the cosplays we stored at home - apparently, a girl in my class had a mother who loved sewing costumes - so we could provide them those fun clothes to take pictures. I couldn't quite understand what they actually liked about cosplay. I liked Sailor Moon, Dragon Ball and Pirates of the Carribbean, but I never thought of cosplaying as one of those heroes. What kind of crazy mindset did my classmates had to like it? They were so excited to do that activity.

Eunji bizzarely liked the idea, too. She wanted to cosplay as Girls' Generation with me. But I wasn't too keen in doing that. Since we didn't have bodies like them. We weren't as thin and beautiful as them. I wasn't keen in embarrassing myself for a fail attempt of cosplaying as the members of a Korean girl group. But I did agree to dance at the talent show of this festival. Since we both already practiced Wonder Girls' Nobody. Even though it was still new, we both really liked the tune of this song, thus, we felt the urge to dance along. I even asked Howon to teach us since he also registered to dance at the talent show. Of course, he would. If not, I would have forced him. That dancing machine had a real talent. I just wished, I could dance like him.

"Ok, class. Name the costumes we want to provide." I directed my words to everyone in the room. The teacher left to collect some papers from the office. Even though we were alone in the classroom, no one distracted themselves with other things. No one talked to their neighbors. It was like they actually listened to us. Yeah, us committee members. Howon and me.

"Son Goku." One male at the back shouted in. He was famous for his big mouth.

"Bunnies." I rolled my eyes, trying to keep my temper. I knew exactly how erted those male students in my class were. They seriously needed some girlfriends, those desperate idiots.

"Can we please be more serious?" I remarked.

"How about kimonos?" A girl next to Eunji suggested. 

"That's a good idea. Howon, write it down." The latter one was directed to Busan guy who was in charge of writing the costumes and ideas on the blackboard. I actually wanted to do that job since I wasn't satisfied with talking to my stupid class, but in the end, he won the rock-paper-scissor game.

"I think, we could provide them with costumes that remind them of their childhood. I mean, everyone misses their childhood."

I actually really liked his idea. Even though the whole cosplay thingy wasn't my cup of tea, I still could imagine myself - if I had to - dressing up as Sailor Moon. Since I really liked her even now. Even when I was already 17 years old. Howon smiled at me, being proud of himself that he had a good idea. I noticed the guy at the back, who mentioned Son Goku, scoffing. No one listened or appreaciated his thought. Since no one really liked him. He was annoying as hell.

In the end, we decided to make use of costumes, representing our childhood heroes. The girl whose mother loved sewing consented to collect the costumes while Howon and I divided the class into four groups. One for designing the posters and banner on which we would write the offers and prices while the second group was responsible for additional work regarding the costumes. We couldn't let one girl and her mother do all the job. The third group had to design the backgrounds for the photos, matching the costumes and the last group, in which Howon and I were put into, dealt with the whole organization. Like recording the shifts every student had to undertake during the festival. We organized the switches between the periods of work. Our group had to make sure that the responsible students showed up at the right time to do their jobs and that no one lazed around. The teacher actually told us that it was our job but we just secretly distributed our task to the others. Howon and I, we were of the same opinion of putting some burden from our shoulders on others'.

But until the day of the festival arrived, we had to prepare everything. The good thing was, we didn't have to listen to the teacher's speeches. We didn't have to study or try hard. Since the lessons we attended were purely for the festival. Thus, now we - I meant Howon and myself - were sitting on the ground, checking the banners. The group wrote the word 'cosplay' wrong. They seriously forgot the 's'. Now it sounded like a baby, who always added an 'l' after an 'o', trying to pronounce the word 'coffee' in Korean. I, as bold as I was, knocked the one who was responsible for that on the back of their head. They only had one task.

A classmate approached me, saying they didn't have enough paint for the posters. Since I was the committee member, I decided to walk all the way to the art classes to ask for some. I told Howon to stay with the incompetent class. Since you couldn't trust those people. They were too stupid.

I passed by the respective classrooms on the hallway of the third years. The doors were wide open as I expected them to be. Since students walked in and out of the rooms for material. I noticed how class 3 - 2, which was right in the opposite of us, prepared for a horror-themed ghost house. Myungsoo and that giraffe recognized me, grinning widely. I quickly smiled back, being not in the mood to listen to that giraffe. Even though I wanted to thank Myungsoo for not being awkward with me even not after the visit. We occasionally texted each other, asking whether the other has already eaten but nothing special in general. In contrary, my text messages with Howon were... well, they were kind of strange. But this I will maybe reveal later.

Do you believe in fate? Or would you rather call it coincidence? The dreamy and naive girl I was, I always believed in fate when something unexpected happened. Like yesterday, when my chef told me I could just go home since there wasn't much work to do and I actually wanted to ask him for approval since We Got Married was airing and I really wanted to watch it. I jumped like a little kid when I got to know the news and immediately hugged my chef. It was plain awkward and I'm ashamed of myself but back then - being yesterday - I didn't care. All I thought about was my favorite variety show.

Just like fate, or coincidence - well, depends - Woohyun walked out of his classroom, almost crashing into my petite but not slender body. Because of my inability to balance my weight, I nearly fell to the ground if not for his arms. He caught me in time, being closer than ever. I even felt his breath tickling my neckline. I mentally thanked God for giving me such an opportunity. For using his power to bring us together. Even though the position was kind of awkward and I couldn't help but wait to be out of his arms, strangely enough, I still enjoyed every bit of it. Wasn't it stupid? Well, yes it was. I couldn't understand myself either. I was too pure to even have skinship with him, but bold enough to like it at the same time. Blame it on the hormones.

"What is wrong with us? Always bumping into each other." He laughed, his eyes turning into crescent moons. I couldn't decide. What I liked more, that is. Was it his throaty laugh and his deep voice or his eyesmile? I just couldn't choose. It was like choosing between Big Bang or DBSK. Some might find it easy but for me, I liked both of them - maybe Big Bang more. But let's imagine it that way: If I could only save one of the groups from drowning, I wouldn't know the answer. Since I actually liked DBSK, too. I wouldn't be able to let them die.

"Next time we crash into each other unexpectedly, you have to treat me to something." I retorted back, putting a y expression on my face jokingly. I remembered what Eunji told me when we first entered high school. That teasing meant liking. And that guys who teased a girl probably liked that girl. But it didn't mean, girls couldn't tease. She told me that no one liked girls who only complimented the boys without being random. Random. That idea was something Eunji supported the most.

"I already treated you in Lotte Mart." His lips curled into a smile, showing me the reason why I liked him.

Upon hearing the name Lotte Mart, I felt my lips tugging upwards into a grin. I could have called the incident fate, too. Since no one actually expected him to be there, too. No one expected him to be looking for sweets, too. I was glad, it happened. Even if the whole peanut scene wasn't really something worth remembering. I posed a question after realizing none of us attempted to speak. "What is your class doing at the festival?'

He turned his head around to look inside his classroom. I, too, followed his glance with my eyes, noticing Hara drawing something on a poster. They probably divided the whole class into the same groups like ours did. At second glance, I also recognized Sunggyu in the crowd of students, as Woohyun replied, facing me again. "Kpop meets Cuisine."

"Kpop what?"

He chuckled lightly, probably appreciating the fact that confusion was written across my face. "We are going to provide you with some awesome food while the hit songs of the most popular idol groups will be played in the background."

"And you are in charge of? Attracting customers?" It was the first thing I thought of. I mean, he was the most popular guy at our high school. He had the looks, he had the charme. I lied when I told him his charme lost its magic. How could Namgrease ever die out?

"Cooking." His mouth was formed into an o-shape as he pronounced the word. "We have to dress up as Kpop idols."

I parted my lips in comprehension while nodding, as he questioned my presence on the hallway. "What were you doing?"

"I need to fetch some paint." 

"I need to go to the toilet."

"Too much information." He chuckled at my remark, turning his head back to his classroom. He was probably looking at Hara since she called out for him, until she noticed me on the hallway smiling at her. She was a friend now. That was what I told myself, what I have written in my scrapbook. I considered her to be friend, since she knew about me liking Woohyun. Since we both cried with one another. Because I got really attached to her ever since the incident in the ladies' restroom. I would never like her as much as I loved Eunji but I knew she would become someone important to me. Hara winked at me, before yelling to Woohyun that it wasn't that important. She told him that he shouldn't mind it anymore since it was already solved. I knew she was lying to make him stay with me a bit longer. She was my supporter. Hell, I had two supporters. Two people who wanted my love for Woohyun to succeed. I couldn't help but smile at the thought.

"Let's go together since the restroom is on the way."

Want to know what I have written in my scrapbook in September 2008? Yes, I collected all those scrapbooks I have written ever since I was young. I still kept them. One of them, the light wood-colored one with the red binding, was placed in the drawer next to the letter from Elizabeth to Johnny. It was the one I started writing when I fell in love with Woohyun. Well, to be honest, the first pages consisted of poems and stories I have written before I turned 14 and before I met him. But overall, it was a scrapbook that described my feelings for him the best. When I flip the pages to the one that was written in September 2008 before the autumn festival, I see a poem and a little drawing as an illustration. I read my feelings between the lines. I notice my heart flutter. I see Woohyun's handwriting.

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