Jangmi

I need to talk to you.Can we hang out after school.Just you and me.

-Jangmi

Okay.

-JH

During lunch period,I spotted Doo Joon sitting all by himself in the classroom.Should I ask him about yesterday?What if he saw something?And what if he asks about it?Then I'm dead.I gathered all my courage and took little steps into the classroom.He was staring out of the window,listening to his iPod.When he noticed my presence,he took out a earpiece and smiled.

"Didn't had lunch?"I muttered.

"Not hungry."He continued to listen to his iPod.

"Ermm,thank you for sending me home yesterday.I must have weighed a ton."I bit my lower lip.

"Yeah,you need to lose weight."

"Yah!"My back straightened,I was slightly embarrassed.

Doo Joon peered at me and gave a low chuckle."Come here,let's listen to songs together."

I drew in a sharp breath.Slowly,I sat at my chair and he stuck a earpiece into my ear.I froze in surprise.I missed this feeling...so damn much.

'Nice to meet you' by G.NA and Wheesung played .I gulped the lump in my throat.This was the first song that we heard together.Tears threatened to fall but I it all in.Get a grip, Gok Jangmi.

How do I ask him?

"Can you tell me more about us?"He stifled a smile.I stopped breathing.Damn it.I think he found out."How we first met and how we became friends."

I sighed in relief but a part of me withered.Friends...

"Mmm,it all started when Mr Kang changed our seating arrangement because I talked to Jun Hyung a lot."I didn't know where to start.

"Really?"Doo Joon laughed.

"Yeah.And then we hated each other so much."He raised an eyebrow."Unbelievable,but I'm not lying.You refused to talk to me and you acted cold,so naturally,I thought you were a jerk."He laughed out loud,his face in amusement."I hated you so much too but I didn't had a choice because we were partnered together for a project.But you ,being a jerk,didn't want to comply.So,I agreed to your conditions."

Doo Joon

"So,I agreed to your conditions.I became your maid for two weeks.I did your homework,bought snacks for you in the middle of the night,carried your bag home after your soccer tournaments and had to follow you around like a total slave."She made a face.

My jaw dropped to the ground."Are you for real?"

"Tsk,good thing for you that you didn't remember huh?"

I chuckled.Oh my goodness,I was a jerk."Then what happened after that?"I asked in curiosity.

"Then..."Her eyes darted around the classroom."Then we became closer."She nodded her head.

'Act like nothing's wrong ' was now playing in my iPod.I could hear her breathing hitch.She stayed quiet.For once in my life,I actually sat and really listened to the lyrics of a song.

Am I supposed to laugh.. as if nothing's wrong
Each day passes by... as if nothing's wrong 

Jangmi lowered her gaze and stared onto the ground.

I can never forget our first date (Why?)
Your birthday is still marked on my calendar
Oh no I don't believe
People are saying my laughter has died
There was a familiarity like long lost friends
We used to talk on the phone all night.

Jangmi touched her chest and took out the locket from beneath her uniform.I stared at her locket and felt the presence of the cold metal tag under my top.The tag with the same engraved letters.

"I'm sorry,I need the washroom."Jangmi took out the earpiece and stood up.Before she could leave,I grabbed her arm,cauing her to sit back on her chair.She faced away from me.I slowly turned her head to face me.Her eyes were moist.

"Why am I always drying your tears?"I smiled faintly as I wiped away the tears on her cheeks.

She smiled and shook her head.

"You have not finished your story.Then what happened?"I probed in further.

"Then..." The bell rang.Students start to make their way into the classroom."I'll tell you some other time."

I nodded my head and forced a smile.

Jangmi

"Oh my god,I remember now.His name is...Simon if I'm not wrong."I placed my fork on the plate,mad that he took advantage of me.

"That Simon bastard.He better watch out."Jun Hyung stuffed waffles into his mouth.

"Hey..."I twirled my straw and took a sip of the banana milkshake."What if Doo Joon remembers everything?I keep thinking about that and I..."I tried to find the right words to describe my feelings.

"You're afraid that he'd get mad?"Jun Hyung looked at me in the eye.How can he always find the right words for me?I nodded.

"And I'm also afraid that he would feel betrayed.You know,because I've been by his side since the accident but I didn't tell him anything."

"It's not your fault.You've tried hinting but he didn't get it."

My shoulders hung in despair.When you lose someone,it feels like a hole in your gums when a tooth falls out.You can chew,you can eat,you have plenty of other teeth but your tongue keeps going back to that empty spot,where all the nerves are a little raw.

"Hi,what a coincidence."

Jun Hyung and I looked up from our plates.He glanced at me and looked at Hana,annoyed.

"Can I sit here while waiting for my friends to arrive?"Hana smirked.

No,.I forced a little smile and nodded my head.

"How is school,unnie?My oppa's been acting weird lately.Do you know why?" She widened her eyes and looked at me pleadingly,then smiled.

My oppa.My oppa.My oppa.She's testing me.Go on,I'm not afraid."Since he is your oppa,why don't you ask him?I thought you were close to him?"I raised an eyebrow and scoffed.

"All right,we are having dinner tonight.I will ask him then.I forgot that you are consigned to his oblivion.Of course,he wouldn't tell you his worries."Her screeching voice makes me want to scratch her face."My friends are here,toodles!"

I was fuming with anger."."Jun Hyung rolled his eyes."Ignore her."

Doo Joon

"I think you're the only one who can help me."

"Me?"Yoseob pointed to himself.

I nodded and sighed."I think I recall things but I don't know whether it's true or not.I'm damn confused."

Yoseob's eyes darted around the locker room."W-what did you remember?"

"Jangmi."

His eyes widened in shock."You remember?"A smile spreaded across his face.He placed his hands on my shoulders."Oh my god,she's going to be so happy!Finally,she can stop hiding the truth from you.Do you know how hard is it for her to pretend that you were both strangers?When in actual fact,both of you were lovebirds."The locker room was filled with his laughter alone.

All of his words landed on me like hornets.Lovebirds?We were in love...So... it's true?

"I always wondered how you don't remember anything when you always wear that boots for your soccer pratices."Yoseob pointed to the blue and orange boots I was wearing."She gave you that."

I was subconciously shaking.I felt as if I couldn't breathe.

"How long were we together for?"I couldn't look at him in the eyes.

"Mmm,about a year?"

Suddenly,I felt sorry for Jangmi.Is this the secret Jangmi's parents has been keeping from me?This also explains the black and white picture I saw in Jangmi's bedroom few weeks ago-the one where we were kissing.The locket...Why didn't she tell me?

"But why..."The words were jumbled up in my mind.

"Don't blame any of us.We've tried hinting alot of times but we were afraid that it would be too much for you.Jangmi's the one who is suffering a lot.She's a really strong girl.If I were her..."Yoseob scoffed."I'd probably hide myself at home and... drink bleach."

I forced a smile and sighed inwardly.So all my absurd thoughts were true...I felt as if my lungs were crushed.It was as if I'm gasping for air, but the more I breathe in,the more light-headed I get.Is this a dream?

---------------------------------------------------------------------

I opened the door and was greeted with a tray of food."Oppa!Let's have dinner together.I bet you're too tired from your soccer practice that you don't even have the energy to prepare some food."Hana pushed her way into my house.I sighed and stared at her short dress.She's trying too hard,isn't she?If I was not hungry,I would not have her enter this house.

"Oppa,come and sit here.I'll take drinks for us!"She skipped lightly to  the kitchen.Who's house is this?

While we were eating,Hana kept staring at my face.Annoyed,I put my chopsticks down."Am I too handsome?"

She giggled and nodded."Very."This girl has a mental case.

"Oppa,you look occupied these days.Are you okay?"I nodded my head and smile.

"I'll take more drinks for us."When I stood up,she screeched in shock.

"Oppa,what happened to your knees!?"She stood up and examined my knees carefully.

"I just slided across the field just now,I'm fine."I walked to the kitchen.

"You're fine?!How can you be fine?Do you have a First Aid box?"She followed me into the kitchen.

Oh my god.Shut the up."It's okay,Hana-ah.I'm really fine.This is nothing."

"It is still bleeding!Where's your First Aid box?"Her eyebrows were knitted.

I gave up.I pointed to the closet in my room and she ran to find it.Just when I was about to drink my water,I heard a crash.What else did this girl do?I rushed to my room and saw her standing there in shock.When she saw me,she quickly picked up the pieces of things that fell and also a few broken photo frames.What are those?

"Don't come here!It's okay,I'll clean up."Her eyes darted around,as if she was guilty.I came closer and saw photographs of Jangmi and I.My eyebrows furrowed.I stared at Hana,who was gathering the pieces of broken glass frame.

"Stop it."I grabbed her arm.

"No,I broke these,I'll clean up."She continued to clean .

"I said stop it!"I grabbed her arm and she winced in pain.Blood was oozing out of her fingertips."Stop pretending."I uttered through clenched teeth.

She stared at me in shock."Y-you know?"

I did not reply her question."You kept all of these photographs here?"

"Oppa..."She looked at me with pleading eyes.

"Did you?"The muscle in my cheeks ticced.My breathing became shallower.

Her gaze fell to the ground and she started to cry.

"Don't use your tears as a weapon.I hate that."She continued to weep."Get out."I plopped on the bed.She stood up and scurried hurriedly out of the door.

****************************************

F l a s h b a c k

 "Did she come here before?I mean...after your discharge from the hospital."

"Yeah,she helped me with my bags."I nodded.

"So the photographs on your wall..."Jangmi paused to think.

"What photographs?"I looked around my little apartment.The walls were bare.

Meanwhile,the rest were flicking their heads back and forth between Jangmi and I like a tennis match,question marks written on their faces.

"Nevermind."Jangmi stood up ."I think I need to go first."

*******************************************

I took the photographs on the floor and scrutinised each and every picture.Were these the pictures that Jangmi meant?Why didn't she just tell me that she was my girlfriend?I laid on my bed and clutched the photographs to my chest.When will everything be revealed?