A short flashback

13 years old Shinhye was sitting on the grass under her favorite tree. She always spends her time there with her best friend Jonghyun after school. But, he’s been absent for a long week, that’s why she was alone. Shinhye was a bubbly and cheerful girl. She has many friends of her age. She doesn’t have any problem in making new friends even though her new school’s languages slightly different from her native language.

She saw Jonghyun first when she was waiting for her dad three month ago. He was lying on this place while staring on the sky. He was crying. Shinhye pulls up her courage and went to him.

“Hi there.”

She greet him politely. Jonghyun wipes his tears and stood up. He sits and looks at the girl confusedly.

“Who are you?”

Shinhye smiles prettily and held out her hand for a handshake.

“I’m Park Shinhye, 13 years old. I just move here from Korea with my family.”

Jonghyun took her hand and release it few seconds after. He stares at her before answering.

“I’m Lee Jonghyun. I came from Korea too. Just speak in Korean with me. I’m not Japanese”

Upon hearing it, Shinhye sigh in relief. She sits beside him and straightens her legs.

“Finally I found Korean.”

She let out a small laugh. Jonghyun starts to gain interests in her.

“What are you doing here? The school ended quite long ago.”

Shinhye turns to him and smiles when he started to loosen up to her.

“Dad is late today. So, I need to wait for him. What about you?”

“I’ll go home in a while. I just want to spend some time here. I need some fresh air.”

He smiles a little, showing his deep dimple.

Shinhye looks around the places and nods her head.

“You are right. This place is nice.”

“Nice is it?”

Jonghyun smiles and lie back down. Shinhye stare at him long before he turns his head to her.

“You want to ask me a question right?”

“Deh.”

“But you are afraid that your question will make me uncomfortable. Right?”

Shinhye nods and lowered her head. Jonghyun laugh.

“This is the first time I talked and laugh with someone in this school since last 2 month.”

“Can I ask why?”

“I just don’t feel like talking to them.”

Shinhye nods. She doesn’t want to ask further. She doesn’t even know him. She should not poke her nose in others life.

“What make you come to me?”

Jonghyun asks her suddenly.

“I just want to know who is lying down here. I thought you were sleeping.”

“Do you want to be friend with me?”

Jonghyun sits down and turn to her.

“My doctor said that is one of the solutions for my problem. I need to find friends, but no one is loyal enough to share my sadness with me. They mind their own business, no sense of loyalty at all. They left me when I’m in a problem. They call me crazy.”

He lowered his head. Shinhye was shocked.

“Why would they call you crazy?”

Jonghyun sigh.

“Molla. Maybe I was too depressed since my parent separated. I rarely go out of my house. I locked myself from them. I think they will understand what I’m going through, but no one was willing to understand me.”

Shinhye look at him sadly.

“I’m going to be your friend. I’ll be your friend forever Jonghyunnie.”

He chuckled.

“But I’m a year older than you. You need to call me oppa.”

Shinhye laugh.

“Kenchana. We are friends. Don’t be so petty about how I call you hyunnie.”

Shinhye said and smiles cutely.

“It’s Hyunnie now? Okay, call me what you want. So, are we friends now?”

He asked and held out his hand to her that she gladly takes.

“Of course, chingu.”

That was the start of their friendship. Shinhye was so close to him. They met before and after school and even during break. Shinhye spends more time with him than she spends with her classmates. She doesn’t want him to feel lonely again.

“Jonghyunnie, where are you?”

She thought and flips her text book.

“Shinhye.”

“Jonghyunnie. How are you? I’ve been missing you since last week. Why didn’t you show up at school?”

Shinhye stands up abruptly and hold Jonghyun’s hands. The handsome guy smiles at her before answering.

“Appa need to go to China and he brought me along. Sorry, I can’t tell you beforehand.”

“Gurae? Kenchana.  I’m just worried. I thought something happen to you. I’m relieved that you are okay.”

 “Sit Shinhye.”

Shinhye went beside him and sit comfortably.

“Wae hyunnie? Do you want to say something?”

“When will you start calling me oppa? It’s rude if you keep calling someone older than you by his name.”

Shinhye smiles and scratch her head.

“Will I be punished by God?”

She asked sarcastically earning a glare from him.

“Ara. Mian. But, I just can’t call you oppa. It’s awkward.”

“How awkward is it?”

“Hmm. Molla.”

She laugh. Jonghyun took her hands and place it to his lips. Shinhye pulls her hands in shocked.

“What are you doing?”

He smiles. But she can’t interprets the meaning of that smile. She looks at him confusedly.

“Shinhye. Be mine.”

“Deh?”

He then stands up and puts his right hand in his pant pocket. He stare at Shinhye and smiles.

“Be my girlfriend. Be mine. Is it that hard for you to understand?”

Shinhye  stands up and face Jonghyun. She laughs.

“If that is a joke, it’s not funny hyunnie.”

“Do I look like a clown who was trying to make you laugh right now?”

Jonghyun is serious. His smiles fades. His gaze turns scary.

“Hyunnie. Why are you speaking like that? Don’t scared me.”

“Be mine. And I will stop being scary.”

“Jonghyun. We are still young. I’m just 13. How can we involve in that kind of relationship?”

Shinhye try to plead to him. jonghyun laugh before he turn to Shinhye.

“Why not Shinhye? I love you and I’m sure you too love me. What is wrong with that?”

“Hyunnie. It’s true I love you. But, my love for you is not more than friendly love.”

“Lie!”

Jonghyun shouts. Shinhye was startled. The gentle and loving friend of her is being ungentle. The manner boy Jonghyun that her mom adore change in a blink of eyes.

“Jonghyun. Calm down first. Let’s talk later.”

Shinhye gather her books and puts it in her bag. She walk pass him but Jonghyun was faster. He caught Shinhye by her wrist and pulls her to him. He hugs her forcefully. Shinhye struggle to pulls away from Jonghyun, but he was strong. Too strong for her.

“Hyunnie. You are hurting me.”

“Don’t struggle too much and you won’t hurt.”

Shinhye relax herself even though she was trembling in fear. Jonghyun is changing. At last, she cried. She cries really hard on his chest.

Jonghyun caress her back and hair while coaxing her for not crying.

“Shhh. Don’t cry.”

“I’m scared hyunnie. My Jonghyunnie is gentle and kind. You are not him. You aren’t him.”

Shinhye said in between her sobs. Jonghyun laugh.

“Accept the deal and you will see him again. Rejects me and you will see hell.”

Shinhye swallowed hard. She don’t know what to do. She was scared. Scared to the stage she want to faint. She calm her heart down before she answers.

“Can you let me think first?”

Jonghyun releases her from his hug, but keep his hand on her arm.

“I’ll give you a day. Meet me here tomorrow. You don’t know what I’ll do if you don’t show up pretty girl.”

Shinhye nods and ran away from him without turning back. For once, she regrets being friend with Jonghyun.