He was barely sixteen when he met her. She had her hair tied up in a ponytail, dressed up in a cream-coloured blouse and a black pencil skirt, as clearly as he could remember. She looked rather tense; as her name was called out, but she managed to curve a smile and waved her hands to the eager crowd. It was a Monday when he first laid his eyes on her and he thought she was lovely.

He saw her every Monday to Friday; each day with a different attire. She doesn’t have too many, but that was alright to him because whatever she wore, she would still look the prettiest to him. She had a habit of chewing gum, and he learnt from the others that her favorite colour is pink. Sometimes, if he was lucky enough, they would walk pass by each other at the hallway; usually – his friends would greet her warmly, and she would smile in return as a courtesy and silly butterflies would be roving in his stomach. Silly, it was silly indeed.

He started ‘talking’ to her on a Wednesday, but no, not really in that kind of way. It was literally by chance and also – because his answers were always short and simple, and she wasn’t exactly talking but instructing,

“Can you please carry this and put it on my table?”

(He nodded)

“Can you tell them to be quiet?”

“Sure-”

(He rose up from his seat, and shouted “Quiet!”)

(Silence)

(All eyes were on him but he could care less)

“Thank you, Jongin-ah,”

(He nodded)

He would always watch her from afar – and no, not in that creepy kind of manner. He didn’t exactly understand the feelings he had for her, but strangely, he found himself doting on her. Once, he saw her asleep on her table, her head rested on her arms next to the pile of papers, and messily scattered red, and blue pens all over. Twice, he saw her almost stumbled upon her feet at the car park and while the others would laugh (and make fun of her), he would worry and felt useless at the same time – because there was nothing much he could have possibly done – he was barely sixteen; he was barely a man.

Silly, it was silly indeed. 

Monday to Friday; from Monday to Friday until it all finally came to an end — because unlike the classic fairy tales, happy endings were indeed too good to be true.

He last saw her on a Friday. She still had her hair tied up in a (messy) ponytail, dressed up in a cream-coloured blouse and a black pencil skirt, as he (always) watched her from afar. Some gave her hugs; some gave her farewell gifts, while some of the younger ones couldn’t hide their tears for any longer. This time, her name wasn’t called out, and she didn’t look as tense (but tired) as the first time he saw her; and there she was wearing the same exact attire as her first day. But still – she was the prettiest to him.

There was him, and there was her. Two very different worlds, and two very different generations. Maybe, just maybe, this would be his very last time of seeing her – because the world is too immense, reality is crueller than what it seems and feelings would eventually find its way to fade in time – and so, he watched her for one last time, as she finally disappeared from his sight.

“Goodbye teacher,”

kai/woori

because i wanted it to be a noona/dongsaeng pairing

my first writing piece after months, i hope this isn't too rusty :/