I was home from school. Tired, sweaty and bored. As usual, nobody was home, only the maids, I was slowly getting used to coming home to this huge mansion and seeing it empty. Well, I guess mom and dad are always too busy with their lives to pay attention to anything or anyone. My life was empty and so was my home. My best friend, Jae, had left for London a month ago and I was going to school alone, spending time in school alone and walking home from school alone. I plopped my backpack on the floor for the maids to take care of it and headed up to my bedroom. It's big, but empty. There was a queen-sized bed with a canopy, a walk-in wardobe, a big study desk with an equally big monitor for my computer screen, a huge flat-screen TV hung on my wall opposite my bed and a bathroom as big as my classroom. I walked to my study desk where my computer was and turned it on. My eyes looked over to a note on my desk.

Honey, your father and I are leaving for Hong Kong. We'll be there for about a week or so. The maids will take good care of you.

Love, Mom and Dad

Sighing, I crushed the note and threw it into the trashcan. I never fail to find these kind of notes on my desk at least 7 times a month. I pulled out the rubberband that was holding my hair up in a neat ponytail and sat at my dresser. I picked up the comb and started to brush my naturally golden brown hair. I was a half Korean half American, but I'm currently living in Seoul, South Korea. Wait, I didn't tell you my name. Well, my name is Christine. Christine Elizabeth and I'm 17 this year. I go to ChungDam High School as a 11th grader. Park So Yeon is my Korean name. My father is Korean while my mother is American. I prefer my english name, though. But people here keep calling me So Yeon, so I got used to it.

Only my mother and Jae call me Christine. I'm the only child in the family and in case you didn't notice, we were wealthy. Sometimes, I wish we weren't. I wish we were just an average Korean-American family, living in South Korea. Because then, my parents wouldn't have to travel all over the world for their stinkin' business trips. They could be at home, with me right now and we'd be a normal and complete family filled with love, warmth and care. I walked back to my desktop and typed in the password. "Love". That was the password. That was also something my parents hardly ever gave me ever since I turned 9. I logged on to my Facebook account and saw 10 new friend requests. Ahh.. My popularity. I clicked on the icon and scanned through the names.

Who's that? - Decline

Ew, - Decline

He looks stupid - Decline

Boring - Decline

Hmm, cutie - Accept

She's my classmate - Accept

That's the cute new guy! - Accept

The class nerd had Facebook?! I'm gonna make fun of him! - Accept

Oooh, basketball captain, me likey - Accept

Is that Lee Taemin?!

I paused for while, just staring at the name. Is it real? I mean, I know he goes to my school but there's thousand and one imposters out there! I was considering accepting his friend request when I heard a knock on my door.

"Come in."

"Young Miss, your lunch is ready, please come down," the head maid, Ye Seul said.

"I think I'll pass on lunch, I'll have that for dinner, just heat it up," I said.

"Yes, Young Miss," Ye Seul bowed and left the room. I turned to my screen again to decide whether I should accept this "fake" Lee Taemin. I thought for a while and finally decided to trust this guy and clicked the "Accept" button. I took my eyes off the screen and looked at my bookshelf.

"Hmm, what should I study today?" I mumbled to myself, "ah ha, biology!" I smiled to myself and pulled out the book and took out my notebook from my bag that the maids left for me. I flipped it open and started to take down notes. It wasn't long before I heard a sound from my computer. Someone had talked to me on Facebook. I dropped my pen and turned to look at the screen.

Lee Taemin has just messaged you!

I raised my eyebrow, "Lee Taemin? Well, let's see what this fake is up to."

Lee Taemin: Hi.

Me: Hello.

Lee Taemin: You're in 11th grade class this year right? 

Me: Yes.

Lee Taemin: I'm your oppa. I'm in 12th grade.

Me: I see.

Lee Taemin: Well, could I get your number?

Me: Why?

Lee Taemin: Just because. Will you?

Me: Alright, ___________.

Lee Taemin: Thanks.

Lee Taemin has signed off. 

I shook my head at this guy and turned back to my books. I studied til' it was time for dinner. I ate quickly and took a shower. Coming out from the bathroom, I went to pick up my ringing phone.

"Yeoboseyo?" I said and dried my hair with the towel.

"Yeoboseyo? So Yeon ssi?" a guy's voice replied through the phone.

"Neh, So Yeon ibnida. Who's this?" I asked.

"It's your oppa," the voice which I recognized to be Taemin's, the real Lee Taemin's voice said. I sat down on my bed and continued talking.

"Oh, is there anything you need?" I asked, slightly annoyed that he was preventing me from sleeping.

"Meet me at the school garden tomorrow morning. What time are you coming to school?"

"Alright. I'll be there at 7. Goodnight," with a huff, I tapped the End Call button on my iPhone and went to bed.

--

I woke up and did my daily routine, brushing my teeth, putting on ChungDamn High School's uniform and having breakfast. I slipped on my white Converse school shoes and hopped into the limo that was taking me to school. At exactly 6.45, I reached the school gates and got out of the car. Stares came my way as I quietly made my way to the school garden to meet Taemin. As I walked through the corridors, whispers could be heard.

"She's so pretty."

"Damn, I wanna get into her pants." I narrowed my eyes when I heard this. I turned and stared at the moron.

"Say that one more time and I'll murder you. Heard me?" I threatened. That stupid coward just nodded his head. I spun on my heel and continued walking to the garden. When I arrived, there was a tall, masculine figure there already. He was here, sitting on a bench, his back facing me. I crept up behind him, thinking of playing a prank on him.

"Try harder next time," he said, unamused.

"Ayee, you’re no fun," I pouted and sat next to him. "Why’d you ask me to meet you anyways? More importantly, how’d you know I even exist?"

"I am a fun person, thank you. I don’t know, just wanted to see you up close and personal. You’re that girl who comes to school in a limo, aren’t you?"

My heart sunk. So to him, I'm "that girl who comes to school in a limo". Yeah, I come to school in a fancy limo. But I come home to an empty house.

"Yeah, I am," I muttered. From there on it was silence. I tried thinking of conversation topics but nothing ever came out of my mouth. Honestly, I’ve never a situation as awkward as this. 

This went on for several mornings, we’d meet at the school garden and remain silent, only making small talks once in a while. The texts he sent were different, though. They were full of life, warmth, funny and maybe it was just me, but I felt love from the messages. Something I’ve hardly ever been given. I’ve been given everything and I’m thankful for for that. But nothing, nothing is worth more than receiving love.

Received: How was school? I saw you getting punished by your teacher, kekeke.

Sent: Don't laugh! That teacher was being unreasonable!

Received: She's still your teacher, don't get in trouble with her! If not I'd get worried~

Sent: And why would you get worried?

Received: Because you're my cute little friend~

Sent: I'm not little!

Soon, I found myself falling for him. At first, I thought it was just a little crush. But I knew it wasn’t when all I thought of before I slept was him and all I thought of when I woke up was him. Even during classes, I couldn’t help but write his name on my palm and my notebooks. Sometimes, I wonder if he ever thinks of me as much as I think of him. This carried on for months and I was slowly falling deeper, and deeper. Eventually we both fell in love, at exactly 20th Febuary, 2011. I'd imagine us holding hands forever and he'd never let me go, or at least I thought so.

Received: Hey.

Sent: Yeah?

Received: Can we meet? Now? I'm at your front gate. 

Sent: Alright, I'll be down soon.

I put the phone down  and squealed with joy. He was here. At my front gate. I put on a cardigan and made my way downstairs. I pressed the button for the gate to open to let him in.

"Let's sit by the swing there," Taemin pointed at 2-seater swing at the corner. I nodded and walked there with him.

"I have something important to tell you."

"What is it?" I asked. I somehow got a really bad feeling about his next statement.

"Let's—"

"How are your schedules? Are you really busy?" I cut him off. I was afraid. I was afraid to hear what he was going to say next. Actually, I already knew this was going to happen, it was just a matter of time. I just never thought that he'd give up so easily. It's only been a month since we've been "dating".

"Let's just—"

"Have you eaten? Did you get enough sleep last night? You wanna have some food? Let's go get you some food," tears were already forming, threatening to spill. I got up abruptly and tried to pull him up as well.

"Why aren't you coming? Aren't you hungry?" I croaked. I tried to tug his arm one last time before I finally gave up and he pulled me back down to sit.

"Listen to me, So Yeon. I can't do this anymore. Let's break up," Taemin cupped my cheeks and said, "I'm sorry. Let's not meet each other outside of school anymore."

On 1st April 2011, he left. On the day that people are meant to laugh, pulling pranks on each other, he left me. The only person who took my life from misery, the guy that made me feel like a normal person. The only person who made me laugh since a million years, the only person who bothered to approach me and talk to me, the first and only boy that I'd ever date. I’ve learnt my lesson. Don’t trust anybody.

I spent the first 2 months after our break-up, crying myself to sleep and crying myself awake. Once, I refused to eat and just stayed in my bedroom crying. The maids couldn't do anything. I eventually fainted from not eating and only having plain water. I was brought to the hospital for three days. News got spread to school. I was secretly hoping that Taemin would send me text asking how I was doing. But no, there was nothing. Nothing at all. And the worse part is? Not even my parents bothered to call, and I'm not even asking them to fly back to Korea to see me. Just, a call would do. A call would mean that you still know that I exist, you still know that I'm your daughter.

Every morning, I had to pass by the swing to get on my limo. Memories always come flooding into my head. It's been 3 months since we broke up and I still cry over him. Whenever we'd walk past in the corridors, his eyes told me something. It told me that nothing had ever meant anything to him. I was nothing, the memories we shared were nothing and his love, never existed.He was playing with me all this time. Faking a smile, I pretended I was fine, I pretended my life was perfectly alright without him. Days passed like that and I still think about him daily. There were so many questions I wanted to ask him. I wanted to ask him if he was getting along well, if he had any troubles and if he still thought about me. Even for a second, it would mean so much to me. Before school started, I'd always go to the garden and sit on the bench where he first asked me to meet him. I'd sit there and mumble to myself.

"Hey, Taemin. Just wondering if you were doing alright."

"Just thought I'd let you know, I always think about you, in case you were thinking of me too."

There was once when I came into school and as usual, people stared and whispered with one another. But that day, that day was different. It was full of pitying whispers.

"Poor girl."

"She landed in the hospital because of a guy."

"I wonder who's that jerk."

"Hey, you see that girl? She's the kind of girl who smiles on the outside, but inside, she's broken."