Dear Jinki

Are you doing well? I haven’t heard from you in awhile. To be honest, I really miss you. This time without you has got me thinking of the beginning… you know, when we first met.

It was 13 years agowhen we were still eight, the sun was setting and so the sky was a vivid crimson.  I was being bullied at school by Soyun, a big older girl and had convinced myself that the only solution was to put the biggest bug I could find in her pencil case. So off I went around the neighborhood with my little plastic container in hand. I searched for nearly an hour but to no result and just as I was about to head home, there it was, a beetle the size of my thumb lying on the leaf in your garden. Happily, I ran up only to be reprimanded by a frail old lady, your grandmother. Luckily, you popped your head out from the door and shouted out, “Grandma, that’s my friend from school!” You had soft black hair that flopped over your forehead just above your eyebrows. Your hair and skin had an amazing contrast, your skin  used to be like porcelain so pale I almost thought it was translucent.

Afterwards, I popped by your house every day taking with me my stuffed toys and tea set.  You had your own toys sprawled over the floor in a messy heap, ‘Lego’, 'Pokemon' trading cards , marbles and all. While I had dainty tea parties and talked in eloquent accents, you would stride over and kill Mr Bun Buns with your ‘Transformers’, whilst making irritating sound effects like, “SWOOSH,” “PANG,” or even, “BABOOOM!” I never complained because well... I thought your mom dropped you on your head when you were a baby. Of course this wasn’t the case, and you proved it as much by reciting the whole multiplication chart.

My parents were curious about the boy I was always seeing, so one day I invited you over for dinner. "Sure thing!" You had replied. After you told your parents we walked together to my house with your pet cat, Smokey trailing us. Once we arrived, we were immediately ushered to the dining room. My mom had roasted a whole chicken for dinner, and while my whole family gawked and complimented the dish in awe, you simply stared for god knows how long.

Eventually you opened your mouth to talk, but it did more bad then good, "Is that Smokey (the cat)?" you asked innocently. My mom looked at you in confusion, "Yes," she replied  in an off-hand manner. She thought that would more than settle the matter, but then you suddenly bursted into tears and and when we had finally calmed you down, and told you that it was chicken, you began crying again because my older brother  and dad had eaten it all.

Eventually, despite your annoying ways, we became best friends, and I whined at my parents to transfer me to the same school as you. When they finally agreed, I was ecstatic; I made sure to tell every adult I could see that I had to be in the same class as, “Lee Jinki, the boy that always falls off his chair. ” And amazingly, they knew exactly who I was talking about; it seems you had a reputation going!

You’re probably getting bored reading this, knowing you, you must be dozing off now.

Write back soon, I love you,

Jang Hyerin