If I must choose the three most beautiful memories of our relationship then it would be the first time we met, the first time we kissed and the first time we said I love you to each other.

The first time we met was when I was walking up the stairs to my literature class. As I reached the top of the stairs, I heard a shout “watch out!”. Instinctively, I turned to the source of the noise and then I saw you. You were running toward me with incredible speed, your eyes widened in panicked, but a hint of determination was clear as you said something that I could not hear.

Next thing I felt was the impact of the basketball that you were desperately chasing, hit me directly on my head. The impact was so strong that I stumbled and momentarily forgot that I was on top of a staircase. As I was struggling to find my balance, you, who ran way too fast to be able to stop on time and crashed into me. It was a big collision, big enough that literally knocked the air out of my lungs, but it was nothing compare to the pain I felt as I rolled down the staircase. Every bone in my body felt the impact but I somehow felt a warm hand in mine. You, who was in a panic reached your hand out in a futile attempt to catch me only to get pulled down by me too.

“JEON WONWOO!” a series of yelling, screaming and shouting came after as your friends rushed to you. However, through all the buzzing in my head and the pain that I was gritting my teeth to endure, I could feel someone next to me, hovering over me.

“I’m so, so sorry, are you okay? Hey, can you hear me?” You chose not to answer to your friends and instead went to me to check on my condition. Your husky voice was laced with panic and concern. As cheesy as this may sound but the buzzing in my head immediately dispersed and the ringing in my ears had also stopped.

I have never told you this, but I think I fell in love with your voice at first hearing, you might not think that is possible, but it did. I am the living testimony for it.

When I opened my eyes, the first thing I saw was your eyes. Only then I had the chance to fully look at you and wow you were handsome. The next thing I knew, my left leg was in a cast and I had to stay in the hospital overnight, so they could make sure that I didn’t have a concussion. And that was how I spent my 17th birthday in the hospital with you, who refused to leave my bedside claiming that it was your fault and you have to take responsibility. You somehow even managed to convince my parents to let you stay with me while they can go home and rest. That was the first birthday I spent with you.

“Hey what’s your name?”

“Park Chaeyoung. Yours?”

“Jeon Wonwoo.”

“I see.”

~~~

“Hey what time is it?”

“It’s 12:01”

“Yay, happy birthday to me!”

“It’s your birthday today?”

“Yep, I am finally 17.”

“Happy birthday! Sorry that you have to spend your birthday in the hospital though.”

“It’s okay. When will I ever get to experience this again?”

“When you’re old and wrinkly and no one wants you around anymore. You’ll be living at the hospital 24/7”

“Hey what are you trying to say Jeon Wonwoo.”

“Nothing.”

Our first kiss. It happened during my 18th birthday party, where you and I were both already a little intoxicated while our friends surrounded us and chanted, “kiss, kiss, kiss.” It wasn’t anything romantic or sweet like in every other love story. It was an awkward, short kiss that neither of us was sure of what we were doing. From your amateur lip movement to your awkward hand placement, all I wanted to do was laugh. But it was your dorky smile and nervous laughter against my lips that made me closed my eyes and enjoyed the kiss, something I have always dreamt of from you. Your velvet lips pressed softly against mine, a stark contrast to my hammering heart, beating so loudly against my rib cage that I was almost sure everyone could hear it.

This wasn’t how I expect our first kiss to happen. In my imagination, it always happens in much more romantic settings like under the stars or in front of my house when you dropped me off from our first date. However, even if our kiss did happen in my house under the crappy upbeat music blasting from the speakers instead of in front of my house where only our goodnight and nervous laughter could be heard. Even if it happened while we were surrounded by our friends instead of the stars above our heads. Even if our kiss did happen because you were somewhat tipsy and blurted out your confession in front of all our friends instead of that cute, heart racing one on one confession. Even if you did make up for that kiss with a hundred and one many more kisses during our relationship. The memory of our awkward first kiss is something I will never forget nor wanting to.

“Happy birthday beautiful.” Your low husky voice caused shivered to run down my spine. You had such a radiant smile on your face when you leaned your forehead against mine that I could not help but grin widely as I stared back at your dark brown eyes that reminds me of warm hot chocolate in winter. You had that kind of effect on me. Then you pulled me into a tight hug, one that left no gaps between our body, the kind that I could hear your heartbeat loudly and felt your chest rumbled when you laughed as our friends cheered for us.

‘Beautiful.’ You called me beautiful with such sincerity in your voice and confidence in your eyes and it made me believe you. You made me feel beautiful, something only you could do.

If I have to choose one word to describe our first kiss, I’d choose magically. It was a magical moment for me. I, Park Chaeyoung was kissed by you, Jeon Wonwoo, the boy with dark brown eyes, dorky smiles and a golden personality that I fell for almost a year now. I never had the courage to say anything to you in fear of losing what we had, our friendship. But you, you took the leap of faith for the both of us, but it was I that fell much deeper in love with you. That was the second birthday of mine that I got to celebrate with you.

“Hey, Chaeyoung. Be my girlfriend?”

“Is that how you ask a girl out?”

“Please I’m just doing this for formality, we all know you will say yes based on your reaction to how you reacted my confession and kiss earlier.”

“Wow, get over yourself Wonwoo.”

“There’s no need for that. So yes or no? You have three seconds to answer, oneee, twoo -”
“Of course it’s a yes you idiot.”

“See, I knew you couldn’t resist -- I’m joking, just joking. But in all seriousness, happy birthday girlfriend. You do look really beautiful tonight, more than usual. Not saying that you don’t look beautiful every day.”

“Of course, I am Park Chaeyoung. What do you expect?”

“Get over yourself baby.”

“Never.”

Our first ‘I love you’ was initiated by me. It was on a white Christmas that both of us was watching your house for your parents who were out of town and they couldn’t make it back due to excessive snow. We were just snuggled up against each other watching Christmas movies, with the heater on high and blankets wrapped around us tightly. I was resting my head on your shoulder while you had an arm casually around my waist. It wasn’t in any special setting. But at that moment, I felt so peaceful, I felt at home in