1^st Year

“Yah! Gimme back my wallet!”  I waved it in the air then pass it on to my friend. We were inside our room and we have no class so I decided to play a prank on him.

“Come and get it Channie!” I again. Chanyeol looked outraged. My friend threw it back to me. I ran around the room, laughing so hard.

He continued to follow me and I placed myself between my other classmates to look inside his wallet. I saw a picture. Ha Na: the one who topped at everything. Pretty, smart and had a very nice personality. No wonder he liked her.

Everyone knew that he was into her. It has been since our middle school years, even though we’re studying at different schools. It has been a trend. Till now.

“Oooh,” I said and he caught up to me and snatched the wallet.

“Yah! Who told you to look at other’s stuff, eh?” I grinned at him.

“Okay class, back to your seats,” Our teacher, Ms. Lee came in.

“Here we go again,” I rolled my eyes. She was our Home economics teacher and her discussion was ALWAYS boring. I mean really boring to the point where I doze off.

We sat down on our respective chairs where I sat next to Chanyeol. “Yah,” I whispered at him, “I'm gonna tell you something. But promise me you won’t tell anyone. Especially HER,” I pointed at Ha Na who was sitting on the opposite side of the room.

I saw Channie’s face turned red. I chuckled. “You remember when we had that contest last year? It was held at Daegu,” I started. He’s not looking at me but I know he is listening.

“I knew what happened there.” He looked at me, “What happened where?”

I moved closed to him and whispered, “The letter.”

“Yah!” he shouted. The whole class looked at him and roared with laughter.

“Mr. Park, please pay attention to class.” Ms. Lee said and continued with her discussion.

“What are you talking about?”

“We’ve read it together,” I chuckled. “You---“ He started and just shook his head. “You have to promise me that you won’t tell anyone about it.” I stuck my tongue out to him. He sighed.

“Which one did you read?”

“It was the one entitled ‘Why’…” I said a bit loud just to . He covered my mouth with his hand. It was soft, by the way. I blew on his palm.  

He quickly got it out, “You, I don’t know what to do with you anymore.” I grinned widely at him. “Since you knew that already, I just have to tell you. So just shut up, okay?! Shut up!” he said furiously.

I looked at him with puppy eyes and nodded. He seemed a bit shocked and quickly looked away. He told me all of it (even the time when he said that she gave him the picture as a gift!) and I listened to every word he was saying.

After he finished saying, I'm still looking at him. I was too engrossed with his story that I have to rewind all over again.

He looked at me.

I looked at him.

 We stared at each other for a long time. A reaaalllyyy long time, until he gave up and looked away. I noticed that he was forcing himself not to smile.

“Yah, you keep looking at me. Seriously, am I that really good looking?” he asked. I rolled my eyes. “Actually, I didn’t imagine you being romantic as this. I thought you were only on stuffs like computer games and so.”

“Well, you don’t know it but it’s my charm,” he grinned at me showing those perfectly white teeth. “Ugh, eww.” I said.  But he just laughed. We continued to chat until the class ends and eventually, I have gotten to know more about him until the school year ended.

2^nd year

It was September 9^th. It was my lucky day. Or so I imagined. Anyways, my father had bought me a new hand phone! And I really love it. It has a camera and you can change the theme for it. I could also store different songs. Ah, how I really loved my father for buying me this.

I went to our room and showed it off to my friends. Well, I don’t care what they think of me right now but I'm just appreciating the beauty of it.

“It looks cool right? And here, you can change the wallpaper and… hey wait, do you have a Death Note theme? I'm sure I've seen something like that on your phone,” I asked my friend. Luckily, she found it and sent me the file via Bluetooth. I really loved that anime and even the movie.

“Milky-way.” I knew that voice. And it always irritated me when he called me that. I was so disappointed that he knew about my crush. Who the hell told him?!

Well, honestly, I did. T_T It just slipped out of my mouth one time. And now, he always teased me “Milky-way” because he said that his (my crush) skin was so white like milk.

“What? You tarsier,” I snapped back. I called him tarsier because when we went on a field trip during our freshmen year, he got scared and jumped because of a tarsier.

“They’re starting at it now,” my best friend, Seo Jin commented. The whole class was teasing us again.

I felt my cheeks blush for unknown reason and I just wanted to smile widely. The heck?

Channie just shook his head and turned around. But before he could do so, I saw a glimpse of his teeth as he smiled.

And I smiled too.

It all started just these past months when Ha Na transferred to another school. I didn’t know what had gotten in this monster’s head when he suddenly jammed with us (Seo Jin and I). He would go with us at the cafeteria, would chat with us all day long and would even come with us when we were going home.

Unbelievable. I could only think that he does this because Ha Na was not around and he could freely express himself and not to impress anybody. “SHATAP!” I just shouted at them which made them laughed and teased us more.

-----Exam Day----

“Biology, Biology, please have mercy on me,” I just wanted to cry on the spot. I hated this subject. Honestly, no. I mean, not the subject but the way our teacher taught us. Ugh!  I couldn’t understand anything about it. “Riinnggg!” the bell rang and we took our seats.

“Okay class, your exam will end in an hour so do your best,”  Mr. Cho said. “Fighting!” he even added.

I loved our adviser. He would always make jokes to lighten up our mood and help us do things. He wouldn’t even mind if we cheat. Hehe.

I moved my chair under the fan. It was not moving and just steadied itself in one direction so I sat under it. It was so cool. I liked the feeling.

I was enjoying the feeling when suddenly, it left me. I looked up and saw that the fan was not on me anymore.

I looked sideways and noticed that Chanyeol have gotten hold of a stick which he used to change its direction. I was irritated that I went to our broom box and got a broom.

I moved the ceiling fan back. He moved it too. We looked at each other and smiled evilly.

“Ladies’ first?” I said.

“You? A lady? Ha-ha,” He replied. I smiled widely and more evilly.

“Yah, could you stop that LQ of yours and get on with the test?” Seo Jin got my broom and moved the fan on her direction and started the exam.

I frowned at her but moved my chair beside her.

Chanyeol also moved his at our back.

“Yah! Why you here?” I asked, loudly enough that my classmates hushed me.

“I won’t give all the glory to you, Milky-way,” he said, grinning from ear to ear.

“Ugh!” I just gave up and started the exam.

I looked at the paper and I don’t know what to write. Oh well, good luck to me. T_T

I answered one by one not knowing if it was right.

And then a prick, OUCH! I wanted to cry out loud. I looked back and saw Chanyeol. He was saying something while pointing at his paper.

I frowned at him. Did he intend to lose my concentration now?

I couldn’t understand what he was saying and looked at my paper instead.

And that’s when I noticed that all my answers were wrong. I wrote the opposite of it so I immediately changed it. I looked back at Chanyeol who was looking at my work and I mouthed him, ‘Thank you, tarsier’ and smiled which he also replied with a smile and said ’you're most welcome, Milky-way’.

I turned my head towards my paper and continued to answer with a smile that never left my face. Huh?!

That day, I felt something different that I haven’t felt before.

Or maybe it’s just my imagination. Yeah.

----------Vacant time-----------

I was showing something nice to my friends. And that was a theme I just got from my uncle. Another one! I was collecting themes now, and it boomed over a hundred! Haha. So happy with it.

“It looks like shining,” my friend, Ha Eun said.

“What? SHINee??” I asked them.

“No, I knew you really loved them but no.” She said.

“Okay, cool,” I said and moved a little bit farther away from them.

I was so busy playing a game at my hand phone when suddenly it rang.

xxxxxxx calling.  I answered it,”Hello?” it took a long time before the other line responded, “Hi,” it said.

I very well knew that voice. I looked around the room and saw him. Chanyeol, who was also holding his phone on his ear. “You really knew how to spoil the moment, know that?” I said to him but I was a bit touched ‘cause it was somehow… cute.

He laughed. I was speechless and just watched him from afar.

“Still there?” he grinned when he met my eyes. I suddenly needed air.

“Yeah,” I said softly, “wait.” I handed my phone to my classmate who was nearest to me and mouthed ‘speak to it’. And they did. I was silently catching my breath when they turned back my phone.

“Yah, why’d you handed it to us? We knew that was Chanyeol,” they secretly smiled as if knowing something.

I avoided their gaze, “Yeah, I don’t care anyway. He just wanted to annoy me.”

They all looked at me with curious eyes. “Yah! It’s rude to look at someone without permission, you know!” I said to them pushing them away.

“Really? So it’s just alright in your case when you looked at him?” Seo Jin motioned her finger towards Chanyeol who was now sleeping on his desk.

I felt my face grew hot.

“She’s blushing,” one commented.

“Yeah, she really is,” another added.

I got up and went out of the room while they were still laughing at me. I went to the bathroom and washed my face and shouted, “AHHHH!!”

3^rd year (Senior Year)

“And I’d give up forever to touch you, cause I know that you feel me somehow, when every thing’s made to be broken, I just want you to know who I am,” I ended the song with a strum on my guitar.

It was the one song I got addicted with right now. Iris by Goo Goo Dolls. I was playing my guitar alone inside the room.

Anyways, I brought my guitar at school because we had to do some intermission number for the program on the 9^th of September next week. We’re now on our last year in High School and I wished to make this as perfect as ever, even though my best friend Seo Jin transferred to another school.

I put my guitar on the side of our locker and stretched my hand. My fingers were already sore from playing almost 5 songs. But I liked it though, doing something you enjoyed.

“Milky-way,” I looked back and was greeted by a hand—wait, a monstrous face who was smiling at me.

I gathered my courage then looked straight into his always-smiling eyes. Wrong move. I felt melting every second I stared at those.

I walked away, pretending to fix my things.

 “What do you want tarsier?” I asked, not looking at him.

He followed me on my seat and said, “I want to ask a favor.”

“Ha, seriously?”

“Yeah,” he simply said. I looked back at him and saw that he was indeed serious.

“Okay, spit it out.”

“I was wondering if you could let me play next week for our presentation.”

I scowled at him ,”No.”  I loved playing it and I don’t want anybody else to do it except me. Me! I was the first one to volunteer. Then I realized something, “Do you even know how to play?”

He just shrugged. Seriously? I raised my eyebrows. I suddenly thought of something. he-he (insert wicked smile here)

 “What are you thinking?” he asked.

I faced him with a nasty smile, “do you really want to play?”

“Yes,”

“Prove it.” Ha! Wait for your judgment, pabo!

He was slightly alarmed but recovered quickly. I really thought he wouldn’t do it but he took my guitar and started playing a song.

Marry Your Daughter.

I was shocked that he was indeed expert in playing it. The melody, the way his hands moved as he plucked the strings. It was too beautiful.

He started singing. I cannot say anything. I was taken aback.

“Sir I'm a bit nervous ‘bout being here today,” he looked straight into my eyes as he sang. I can’t… move.

As soon as he finished, he put the guitar back and asked me, “Is that good enough?” I hardly nodded. “Thank you,” he smilingly said as he walked away.

Just then my classmates entered the room. All of them. Together. And I was standing on my spot, still as a statue.

------------The next day-----------------

“Kyaaaa! Why’s it raining so hard? I don’t even have my umbrella with me,” I cried.

It was already late and my parents would probably scold me. After a few seconds of thought, I have decided to clash with the rain. It took me almost thirty minutes, soaked, to reach our house. So obviously, the next 3 days, I stayed at home because of cold.

“I left my precious guitar at school. I'm only left with my phone and laptop,” I gloomily said into the air.

I opened my chat box on the phone and saw a message from Ha Eun.

Yah! Why didn’t you come to school? She sent.

I was sick. I caught a cold because of the rain. I replied.

What?! Why didn’t you tell us sooner?

Because, duh, I can’t move because my body felt like carrying tons of weight.

For 3 days? Yah, we’re just concerned.

Sorry, I'm just bored here. I don’t have my guitar with me.

Yeah, WE know. But someone’s taking care of it for you.

I read her message again. Who? I asked but I think I have a clue.

Chanyeol. My eyes stuck at her message, unable to move it away. I was right.

Hey, still there? She asked. Yeah, I replied.

I think he really likes you.

I froze. I could feel the heat coming up my face. As if I'm interested on that, don’t joke around with me now, please?

I'm serious. You know how it is a trend in school now. Since yesterday, he was always alone playing with your guitar, so quiet and we can’t open up a conversation with him unless you’re involved.

I read the message several times before it struck my mind. My heart… oh no. What's happening to me?

I didn’t reply to her message and just got my notebook which was my only way of getting out of boredom. I scanned it all and I noticed that it was full of C’s and… hearts? I didn’t realize I was writing things like this. For three straight days. Ohmygosh. I think… no. Can’t be. I couldn’t be in love with him, right?

I went to class the next day feeling absolutely fine. Except for one thing.

“Good morning!” I happily greeted them as I entered the room. But they just looked at me and on my back which I felt someone.

My heartbeat quickened and my world seemed to stop. I was so familiar with his presence.

Someone in the room then, cleared his throat and all of them teased us. It felt different, the way they teased us during junior high and now. It felt really different. Like something was so serious and true and I wanna hide myself and never show my face.

Chanyeol, I thought would just laugh, but no. He went to his seat without saying another word. Ouch.

All day long, he never spoke to me.

Yeah, I think I like him. I couldn’t stand him not talking to me. I wanna hear his voice, I wanna hear his annoying words, I wanna hear from him again. I've missed him. It has been only three days but yeah, I really did.

This realization of mine made me sad. Cause I knew he likes someone. But not me.

That afternoon, I walked on my way home, alone. I was thinking of getting my headphone and phone and listened to some music to refresh my mind, but I didn’t. As I reached our home I went directly to my room and searched for my phone but it was nowhere to be found.

I felt my body shiver. I don’t wanna lose it now. I've lost many things, not that too. I've lost my best friend, now my phone, and even Chanyeol. Life sometimes .

I lie down on my bed face down and cried with all my heart.

--------September 9^th----------

“Oh no, I'm gonna be late,” I hurriedly walk to school because I didn’t have my alarm cause I didn’t have my phone that serves as my clock.

A ten-minute walk slash run had come to an end and I was breathing really hard as I went to our room. Everyone went to the gymnasium now and I was the only one left in the room. Or so I thought.

“Hey,” a voice, so beautiful, so addictive, said behind my back.

I turned around and greeted him with a forced smile, “Channie.” It was the first time I called him by his name. Usually, I would name him as ‘tarsier’.

“Why are you late?” He said very gently and walked towards me. “I lost my phone so I have no alarm,” I said to him then walked my way to my desk, avoiding his gaze. Why am I even explaining, eh? As if he cared.

“Yah,” I turned around, startled with his voice so near my ear, and came face to face with him. His face just a few inches away from me. I started to walk backwards but was ended up banging my head into a wall. I snapped out of consciousness.

“Aww!” I caressed my aching head. “Easy there,” Chanyeol moved his hand to my head then slowly caressing down my cheeks. I was not able to move by his gesture. And i cant even hear anything, just the loud beating of my heart.

He lifted my chin up then looked directly to my eyes and said, “Don’t ever hurt yourself again. Ever.”

Then he started to lower his head. He stopped as his forehead touched mine. I could feel his sweet breath inches from my face. I told my feet to walk but it won’t obey. 

I just stared at his eyes and saw mixed emotions that I couldn’t explain myself. I knew that he would kiss me. I've seen this in movies.

He suddenly closed his eyes before letting me go.

He left me, wondering and hurt. My tears started to fall fror no reason as I saw his figure walking away from me. His steps were like stabs.  He continued to walk before he cursed loudly enough for me to hear, “Damn it!”

He walked back to me then kissed me fully on my lips. it was just a peck but I was so shocked that i felt my head spin and my eyes were open until he released me once again and went away, for real.

I stood there, unable to think and say anything. All I could feel was my heart beat racing and the feel of his lips as if it were still on mine. I slumped down on the floor, my knees couldn’t stand anymore. i sat there for a few minutes before hearing someone get in.

“Yah!” I looked up and saw Ha Eun. She looked at me with curious eyes, “what happened? Why are your cheeks so… red?” he sheepishly smiled. I didn’t answer her because my head was still not on its normal state.

“I saw Chanyeol outside. He went here?” she said. I looked up and I could feel my cheeks blush. “He--” I started to say. “Ah, I get it now. He finally made his move, eh? I thought he would be pre---“ she stopped and covered when she noticed my bewildered expression. 

“What are you talking about?” I found my voice.

“Oh I'm sorry, Chanyeol!” she whispered.

“Who finally made his what?” I was so curious that I shook her.

“Come!” she then grabbed my hand then we walked towards the gym. As we walked towards it, I noticed that everyone was looking at the stage. I couldn’t see clearly who it was but as soon as I took a step forward, someone blindfolded my eyes and led me somewhere.

“Hey!” I shouted at the person holding me. I couldn’t even move my hands.

We stopped, thankfully. I thought they would release my hands and the blindfold but now. They just left me standing alone.

“Yah!” I shouted at them, “where did you bring me? I'm scared of the dark , you know.” I thought it will work but no one answered me. I just stood there and sighed. I still wanted to see him play that song on stage. And I want to tell him about my feelings, even if he’ll reject me.

“Yah!” I shouted again, no answer. “I still have something to do! I still have to watch---”

Someone freed my eyes. I was in the middle of the stage, I noticed. I started to walk back when Ha Eun stopped me.

“And I’d give up forever to touch you, 'Cause I know that you feel me somehow
You're the closest to heaven that I'll ever be
And I don't want to go home right now,”

 I stilled as I heard the voice. I looked around and saw Chanyeol, playing my guitar, singing my favorite song. Slowly, someone released my handcuffs but I couldn’t move.

“And all I can taste is this moment
And all I can breathe is your life
And sooner or later it's over
I just don't wanna miss you tonight,”

I stared at him, my heart beating fast again.

And he was looking at me. Then, someone pushed me to the center.

“And I don't want the world to see me
'Cause I don't think that they'd understand
When everything's meant to be broken 
I just want you to know who I am.”

He walked towards me slowly until he stopped a few steps away. He continued the song as I, teary-eyed just watched him. Until the song ended, he put down my guitar, and spoke.

“Milky-way,” he started and the crowd laughed. I didn’t even notice that there were many people watching us. And I didn’t care.

All I cared was this guy in front of me, who moved closer, touched his forehead with mine, looked me in the eyes and said on the mike, “I knew you liked guys who knew how to play guitar, I knew you liked guys who always smiled, I knew you liked guys who would teach you in school,” he smiled. “And I knew you liked guys who are handsome,” he added.

I chuckled. “How did you know all of this?” I asked him.

“I asked your best friend,”

“Seo Jin?”

“Yeah, she was the only one who knew since two years ago.”

“Knew?” he moved the mike away from his mouth and said to me in a whisper, “that I loved you.”

“Ahhhhh… what’s with that?” the crowd was watching us and maybe got disappointed when they didn’t hear him speak.

"I'm sorry about earlier if i shocked you with the kiss, i couldnt control myself that time. i just wanna kiss you. but i want to confess to you in a special way. with these people, being our witnesses," he said straightforwardly.

“What about Ha Na?” I asked, hoping I wouldn’t be hurt by his answer.

“Ha Na? Nah, I liked her at first but then, you came into the picture and snatched my heart away.”

"You gave her a letter," i said quietly. i think right now, im a bit jealous.

"Then I'll give you my heart. It's infinite times more," 

“Why did you avoid me last time? Why did you--” my question was cut off as he pressed his lips into mine. We were sitting on the park near our school as the celebration ended.

“Because I love you, I love you, I love you. Hell, I LOVE YOU!”

“Yah!”

“What? You dont like it?"

I kissed him, this tme.

He sighed, "Okay, promise me, don’t laugh.” I nodded.

“I was having a discomfort that time and I couldn’t go home yet so yeah,” his face was red.

I burst into laughter.

“Yah, you just promised me.”

“You know how I felt that night? i was realy hurt to the point that i cried because for one day, you didnt speak to me and i felt so stupid.”

“I'm sorry,”

“But now, it was worth it because I have found my long lost feelings for you.” He smiled then kissed me again.

“Saranghe.”

“Nado, Saranghae.”

it was really my lucky day. September 9th.