Chapter 1
Back to Young Love
After a lovely dinner at home, she decided to take a stroll. Walking along the Hangeng River and feeling nice night breezes would be best for her mind to be set free to think about whatever it wanted to. It went back to that one bittersweet memory that lingers in the back of her conscience everyday and sparks up the same unanswered question.
Where did he go?
~
It was right before the graduation ceremony for the high school seniors when he brought her to the school's soccer field.
"Congrats! You've finished high school!" She beamed and handed him a box of chocolates. He smiled down at the carefully wrapped box, topped off with a glittery gold ribbon, remembering being asked what he wanted for a present. However, she noticed that the smile wasn't his usual bright, joyful smile.
"Didn't you want chocolates? Or was it something else?" She asked when he remained silent. "How should I make it up to you?"
He shook his head, "No, that's not it. We both know that we love chocolate almost as much as we love each other." He teased and caused them both to laugh.
He pointed to the sky behind her. She turned and he embraced her, resting his chin on her shoulder. "Isn't the sky beautiful?" He sighed, rocking left and right.
She nodded, being in his arms like this and looking up at the seemingly endless blue sky gave her a nostalgic feeling. They could be like this forever and both of them could be perfectly happy. "I love you. If you ever miss me, you can always look up at the sky and remember that our love is endless..." he whispered.
He spun her around before she processed the words so that she faced him again. "I got something for you too."
"Really? Why? Isn't today your special day?" She asked, puzzled, yet excited to see what her love got for her.
She looked at him with those curious eyes of hers. "You have to close your eyes." She frowned and then pouted, but he showed no signs of giving it to her unless she does what he says. "Close your eyes and hold out your hands," he repeated, but this time, he was the one pouting.
She finally gave in and shut her eyes and turned her smiling head to the side to show that she won't peek. He took her hand and placed a cold object in it. "Okay, you can look now."
She looked down in her hands and saw a beautiful gold wrist watch and then up at his smiling face, it seemed to contain a hint of sadness and departure. But she was too engrossed into the beauty of the wrist watch and waved the thought way.
She held it up to the sunlight to admire it.
"It's beautif--" her eyes widened, surprised to find her love missing. "Where did he go?"
He disappeared.
~~
She arrived a distance away from the Banpo Bridge, but still is a beautiful sight. She admired the night sky and the shining stars that it contained. I wonder if he remembers me. She touched her last present from him and held it up to her ear to hear the soft ticking of the watch. The sound somehow seemed soothing to her and it seemed to remind her of his laugh.
A pair of arms wrapped around her shoulders from behind. The man gave her a tight squeeze and placed his chin onto of her head. He swayed side to side, rocking her like she was a baby.
A pleasant, familiar feeling of young love and security filled her heart. The feeling that she had longed for. Her eyes started to burn with tears threatening to fall. It can't be him, she thought, he disappeared from me three years ago.
"...Rome?"
"Hey, Sanghee." the voice said from behind. It was that charismatic, caring tone that caused the past to hit. How long has it been since his voice had rang in her ears?
----
*ding dong ding* a school bell rang. "Yah! wake up. You're going to get in trouble!" Sanghee's friend, Yanna said. Light shined directly on Sanghee's face. "Should I get your boyfriend over here? Wake up woman!" she jokingly threatened and started to lightly punch her. Sanghee woke up and took in her surroundings quickly.
"Why am I in our school locker room?" Sanghee asked her friend.
"...It's first period? We have first period P.E?...umm... I think the question should be 'Why does homework exist?' For these past years, the earliest I sleep is at midnight!" she complained for nth time.
Didn't we graduate from high school a couple of years ago? Sanghee wondered. "How old is EXO?"
"Shouldn't you be the expert on them? Emm... They're..." her friend trailed off, trying to recal the year Sanghee's favorite idol group debuted.
"Then how old are you?" Sanghee inquiered.
"Are you going to call me an ahjumma again because that new 'maknae of the industry' is younger than me?" Yanna pouted and crossed her arms. "I'm not old. But why. so. serious?"
"Save it for G-Dragon. What grade are we in?"
"Eleventh grade... Are you okay?" Yanna asked, worried.
Sanghee got up and noticed that she was in her physical education uniform. What's this? I'm in eleventh grade?
I'm in high school again?
"Rome! Come and get Sanghee! She's acting a bit weird!" Yanna called out the door after she dragged her confused friend out of the girl's locker room. Then she ran off to her exercise spot to avoid getting detention.
Sanghee was left there, confused as if the world had been turned upside down. Did she dream the whole of the three years? But it couldn't be, the future was too detailed. Could she be dreaming now?
While Sanghee tried to find out what situation she was in, Rome gave her a hug from behind. Naturally, she knew who it was and hugged the arms. She felt safe and calmed down. Sanghee had missed this feeling so much.
"You've missed me for the whole three years, haven't you?"He wobbled with Sanghee over to their designated exercise spot.
"Three years?! What's going on? Does that mean we went back in time? Is this a dream?" Sanghee wiggled out of Rome's hold and faced him, about to ask him more questions. Truthfully, Sanghee would have gone crazy right then and there, but when she looked into Rome's assuring eyes, she calmed down.
"Woah there, Hee, for now, lets relive our young love. I'll explain everything when were in detention." He smiled and pointed to the teacher.
"I'm dreaming, right?" Sanghee asked, dazed.
"Let's go." he chuckled at how cute her confused expression was.
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