This may come off as a bit surprising, but even after so long, I still can't stop think about that day. The memory is still embedded in my mind, still just as crystal clear.

It all happened during the summer of my junior year in high school. On that fateful afternoon, it was bright, sunny, and hot. The sky was undeniably blue, not a single cloud in sight. Birds were twittering on their respective branches.

Down below, laughter blanketed the air as lips everywhere curved upwards into smiles and dimples flashed all over the place. The whole world seemed to be laughing and overjoyed.

Children were running back and forth in the park, some jump roping, some playing hopscotch, and some blowing bubbles everywhere. They were all grinning from ear to ear, having the time of their young, innocent lives.

As for me, I was that one girl sitting on a bench next to a tree, with her nose buried in a book about a werewolf falling in love with a human. I wished I was the main female lead in the story.

Looking back, I realized that I should've enjoyed my life more instead of yearning to live someone else's, and wallowing neck-deep in an ocean of self-pity and despair.

I remember always feeling out of place when I saw my friends being lovey dovey with their boyfriends while I sat in the background by myself. What I desperately wanted, was to be just like them, madly in love.

Of course, I had someone I was crushing on, too. He wasn't the most popular kid in school, but he was kind-hearted and sweet with a sincere smile always present on his face. I used to fantasize about us as a couple, but I was never able to it up and tell him because of my fear of rejection. I was constantly downgrading myself, believing that no matter what, I had no chance anyways.

Thinking like that all the time made me a resentful, irresponsible person. I became one of those people who always had things to blame, and excuses to make. Because of this, I had decided that the reason why I couldn't be with the guy I liked, was because of my appearance.

Growing up, I had always been the oddball in a family chock full of good-looking people. Sometimes, I even felt that my parents were ashamed of me because of my face even though they would never admit it. But I knew everything.

My face was plain, and still is today; not memorable at all. I had the single-lidded eyes that Koreans seem to hate so much and unlike the beautiful actresses in dramas, my skin was imperfect, and at times riddled with acne.

To the Korean beauty standards, I would be one of those people who were considered ugly. I soon came to realize that in a society like today's, without looks and money, you have no chance. I didn't have the face society wanted and my parents didn't make a lot of money either, so I knew I was screwed.

I was a bitter person, always unhappy and angry about who I was. I was mad at the world, and at all the guys who only liked pretty faces.

Until that one day, when something like a miracle happened and everything changed. I was thinking these exact resentful thoughts as I sat on that bench, and I recall sighing as I pulled myself out of my depressing ocean and into the shores of reality, turning my attention back to the novel. I was right at the , where the male lead of the story, the werewolf, was about to be killed by the antagonists, when I felt someone lightly tug at my pants.

I had lowered my book to find a pair of big, adorable brown eyes staring back at me. "Oh, Min Hee." My voice was flat. I was annoyed. "What's up?"

"Unnie! I just wanted to tell you that you're the best unnie ever!" Min Hee threw her head back, and spread her arms out wide, emphasizing her words.

I narrowed my eyes at her, not buying it. I swooped Min Hee up and settled her down on my lap. I pinched her chubby cheeks with vigor through her protests.

"Min Hee, you know flattery doesn't work with me. What is it? You only say that when you want something." I raised an eyebrow before leaning in and whispering, "Unnie will do her best to get it for you if it's something reasonable." Min Hee giggled as my breath tickled her ear.

"Can we... go get ice cream?" She looked up at me, her eyes pleading. I frowned at her request and her hopeful face fell, becoming upset.

"Min Hee." I scolded, gently. "Don't you remember what you're parents said about sweets?" To which, she responded with a pout.

"Please, Unnie, please? Just this once?" Min Hee cocked her head and held up a chubby finger. I remember hesitating for a couple seconds, but of course, being the er I was, I gave in.

"Okay, okay. But it's a secret between the two of us. Don't tell your parents, okay?" Min Hee nodded, her pigtails swinging back and forth. She clapped her hands in delight and threw her tiny arms around my neck.

"You're the best babysitter in the whole entire universe!" I hugged her back and chuckled when she held on tight and wouldn't let go.

When I finally pried her off of me, I gave her an affectionate tap on the nose. "Don't think I'm just going to let it go like that. There's gonna be more vegetables on your plate for lunch!" I saw a pout begin to form on her face and I steeled myself before Min Hee could whip out her puppy eyes again. "You're not getting out of this one!" I announced before she even got the chance to say anything.

There was no way I was exposing myself to any more of her cuteness. I set Min Hee down before standing up and slinging my black bag around my shoulder.

I continued reading that book as we strode to the nearest café to buy ice cream, hand in hand.

I recall feeling that something was off when I grabbed Min Hee's wrist, but I pushed it away and rolled my eyes at all the flattery Min Hee shoved in my ear about being the best babysitter ever. I also remember exactly what she had said before it all happened.

"I made a new friend today!" Min Hee announced to which I had responded with an absentminded smile. I watched for the walk signal to flash so we could cross the street.

Min Hee making new friends wasn't anything new. She could probably make more friends in a week than I could, in a year.

We were already across the road when I heard someone holler something at the top of their lungs and I felt Min Hee turn around. "Unnie!" She yelled, waving. That's the friend I was talking about!" She pointed behind us.

I looked up from my book and turned back to see a little boy dash across the road we had just crossed, waving something in the air.

What came next happened so fast, I hardly had any time to react at all. The thing that had caught my eye after I saw the kid, was the walking signal flashred, and the still, waiting cars begin to move.

As if the world was spinning in slow motion, I watched in horror as a city bus barreled down the road, towards the boy, going much too fast to stop. I remember hearing the blaring honk of that bus and a scream.

My scream.

A/N:

Whew~ I actually wrote this awhile ago. I was going to wait until I finished the whole thing until I posted everything else, but I realized that it's been an extremely long time...so here you go! I present to you the first chapter. I hope you enjoyed it. Please give me some feedback.