It was the first day of school.. I was placed in 1B whereas she was in 1C. I don't know if she noticed me but I certainly did. I want to say "Hi" to her but am not getting any attention from her. Well we did talk when I saw her at the playground but usually it stops there. There was no other reason for me to remain close to her other than those times.. And yes we do attend the same church but she would be sitting with her family while I was with mine. She always seem to be out of reach for me. 

I remembered clearly when we were in grade 1, at 7 years old... I saw her cry on the day of the recital. I didn't know what happened. So I asked her fellow classmate, a boy who happened to be my friend too. 

"Jong Hyun, what happened to her?"

"Who? Shin Hye? Why you know her?"

"No." I lied. "Just wondering why she's been crying?"

"She was given the part to be a chef... she didn't like the costume..."

"Oooo..."

"But she don't have a choice... she still has to do it..."

"Do you think she will?"

"Of course. No one else wants to take that place."

And amazingly she did. She did deliver her part well.

There was another incident that I remembered in grade 1. We had an annual skipping rope competition where students were supposed to jump rope on stage to the tune of Sesame Street theme song. The song is replayed over and over again till the last one survived. On stage, infront of the whole school during assembly. I wondered how a girl who refuse to wear that chef costume became brave enough to jump rope infront of everyone. At the start of the competition, there were about 6 students. One from each class. They were selected to represent their class and I believed she was selected because she managed to out last her classmates so her Physical Education teacher had written her name down. The competition went on for quite sometime; some of the students got their legs caught up with the rope, some lost grip of their rope, and then it was down to the last two. It was her, Park Shin Hye and another girl. I was rooting for her silently in my heart. She is a plump girl. Chubby cheeks, some excess weight here and there but definitely fit. I always feel the need to support her for no rhyme or reason. I didn't know what it was, but that was exactly how I felt. She has always been a smart one. She would be receiving prizes for being able to achieve a certain standing within her cohort. Many assumed that she has the perfect family, but she does not. She lives with her mum, a single parent family and her elder brother. So I really wonder how she can manged to do what she does even till now...

Then, with a blink of an eye, we were in grade 2. Still not in the same class though... and again, sh