I’m not tired… no… I’m NOT tired of waiting.

I smiled foolishly to myself. How could you be so pathetic, Yerim-ah. You know there’s no hope for a requited love from him. It’s not possible, even from HIM. Yes. HIM.

I’m turning 20 in tomorrow. No… I am fine physically, but for mentally… *sigh* I think I’m fine, too, I guess?

It’s been ten years. Yes, ten years. Those ten years that I only watched his back. The years that I’m alone and with emptiness—no. I don’t feel empty at all. The years I waited for my unrequited love. But… no problem for me. If he’s happy, then I’m happy too.

Should I look back to the past? Should I give up?

 

 (ten years ago, 6^th grade, November)

I was in a hurry in that morning, because I woke up late. I sighed under my breath. After eating breakfast, I quickly ran to the subway train station.

Like freaking hell… only seven months left to graduation, and my parents already forced me to go to a lot of educational courses. They don’t have time to teach me at home because of their jobs. Oh, and I woke up late because my parents forced me to go to meet my uncle who lived in Japan and just visited Korea at that day too. I came back home about… 1 AM probably?

I arrived at the subway station with a panting breath. It’s only two minutes left until my next train came. Lucky me! Because school starts at 8.00 AM and the train to the subway station near my school is about 10 minutes, plus I have to walk there 5 minutes, so it equals 15 minutes. Now it’s 7.38 AM.

The train arrived. When the doors are opened, I quickly stepped in and sat at the seat near the door, so if I was late, I could run as fast as possible. Luckily I got a seat. And then I closed my eyes, controlling my breath.

“Wait!”

I furrowed my eyebrows. Ukh… ruining my silence moment. I opened my eyes and looked at the source’s direction through the window. It was a boy who looked as the same age as me—with brown hair and wearing a blue sport hoodie, with skinny black jeans. I rolled my eyes and ignore him, then when I heard the sliding doors of the train closed, and the train moved.

The boy was late. Yeah, HE was late. Looks like he has to take the other train that will come in 10 more minutes. I felt a bit pity, though. But I don’t have the right to tell the engineer that there’s someone who just told him to wait because he’s late, right?

—

When the second period teacher, Mr. Hwang, explaining the Physics theory, I heard footsteps coming into my class, and a few seconds later, our class’s door opened and I saw a figure standing there. He closed the door behind him, and then walked to Mr. Hwang.

“Oh, you’re the new student?” Mr. Hwang asked the male figure that just came in into our class. “Please introduce yourself, young man.”

The new student bowed politely. “Hello, everyone. I’m Bang Cheolyong. You could call me, Mir,” he introduced himself.

Wait, isn’t he the boy that I saw at the subway station this morning?!

Then Mr. Hwang nodded and asked him to seat wherever he wants. Mir nodded and took a seat in the front. I could hear the female students awed at Mir. Feel a bit annoyed, I rolled my eyes and started to pay attention to Mr. Hwang’s tuition.

—

(One month later, December)

I realized that Mir guy went the same train as me. When we go to school and when we go back to our homes. We never talked, though. Because I’m quite a silent person in class, and my friends Key, Minho and Daehee who were the ones who usually talk with me. I’m not popular like him and MBLAQ or the Queens.

But day by day, I could realize his habit. His way of sighing, telling that the monthly exams are hard. His way of closing his eyes, telling that he doesn’t want to talk to anyone tomorrow. His way that after 5 minutes from the train departure, he’ll turn on his MP3 player on his phone and put on his white headphones on his head. And a lot of his other habits~.

—

(One month later, January, New Year, school starts)

 

“Mir oppa~”

“Glasses fit you perfectly!”

“Oppa~”

“You’re so handsome, Mir oppa!”

“Oppa? Reply me please~”

 

I rolled my eyes. It’s only two months after he transferred here, so there’s four months more to graduation. I sighed. He’s already that popular when it’s only his first day. He even is already chosen to be one of the Kings at this school by MBLAQ, the Kings too. Even the Queens already targeted him as one of the best boys at school.

What’s so special about him?

Well, maybe a lot? He has the looks, he has the grades, and he has the wealth. But I’m not like that. I don’t judge anyone from their looks, grades, or his background.

“Hey, are you daydreaming?” Key or known as Kim Kibum, who was eating the canteen snapped me out of my mind. I noticed that Daehee and Minho glanced at me too. I looked at them and gave them a smile.

“No, Key. Come on, class is about to start,” I ate my last spoonful of rice and pulled their wrists after we’re done. I don’t like being too long in there, because the Kings sat beside me, Key, Daehee and Minho’s table.

—

(Two months later, March)

“Mir Oppa, I heard your birthday is today. How old are you then?” one of the Queens, Min Jinna, asked Mir. Her gang (the Queens too) nodded and looked at Mir who was eating in the canteen with MBLAQ. I didn’t mean to eavesdrop on them, but Jinna just said it loudly, so… end.

“Ten. I’m younger one year from you all. So don’t call me ‘oppa’, kekeke” he answered a bit nervous. All of the 5 pair eyes of the Queens widened of shock. I was quite shock too—because I’m a year younger too from my friends. My birthday too is the day after tomorrow.

“Ah~ no problem, ‘oppa’,” Jinna’s assistant, Shin Yeonji, chuckled playfully. I rolled my eyes. What a flirty.

MBLAQ giggled along with the Queens. I rolled my eyes again. How could they be so playful when the national exams are coming? Ah. I don’t care.

“Yah, Yerim. Recently you’ve been staring slyly at Mir. Do you like him?” Daehee whispered to me while nudging my elbow lightly. I snapped out of my mind and turned my head to her.

“No. I was just wondering why they are so calm when the exams are in two months time,” I lied. But Daehee seems to believe at what I said. I mean… my words did have a point too, right? Me, Key, Minho and Daehee were studying hard and in full of stress, but MBLAQ and the Queens were only laughing playfully.

“Should we get going? I’m done already,” Minho’s words made the three of us gazed at him. Then my eyes rolled down to his plate. Clean and with no leftovers, it looked like it was washed with soap. Really! I heard Key sighed.

“Wait a sec, Minho. Well… you’re done, I admit. But WE AREN’T done. So, just wait, OK? Class doesn’t even start until ten more minutes,” Key answered frankly. Me and Daehee just chuckled lightly while watching them debating.

—

(Two months later, May, elementary school national exam)

“Hwaiting!” I cheered to my friends, Key, Daehee and Minho. We were separated from each other. Minho got room 1, Daehee got room 2, Key got room 3 and I got room 4. We met at front of the school before the exam starts. So… here we are. Facing ourselves to the national exam. Hwaiting!

—

(A month later, announcement and farewell party)

“Second place goes to… Bang Cheolyong! Come up and receive your award, young man,” the principal asked. I sat near the back row, and saw Mir stood up. He’s smart too, huh?

“First place goes to Song Yerim! Congrats! For the highest grades! Come up and receive your award!” The principal’s word made me snap out of my mind. I stood up and walked to the stage, standing beside the left of Mir’s, near the podium. I heard clapping everywhere. Then the principal and vice principal gave me a trophy and a certificate. I just realized that Key got third place, while Mir got second place. Our trophies are the same, but different sizes.

“Now, for Mrs. Song, the first ranked student. We may let you say a word or two,” the vice principal said to me and gave me the mike.

“Uh… Thank you everyone for these six years. I’ve had a lot of fun and learned new things. Thank you!” then I quickly gave the mike back to the vice principal. I’m not good at talking in front of an audience.

“Congrats, Yerim-ssi.”

I jolted a little and turned my head to the source of the voice. It was Mir. His voice sound so… warm-wait! What are you thinking, Yerim?! You’ve never talked to him before! And now… he just noticed you and talked to you! Snap out of your mind-

“Uh… yes. Thank you, Cheolyong-ssi,” I murmured. I saw him chuckled. The chuckled of an angel’s voice—WHAT AM I THINKING?!

“Don’t call me that. And not too formal too, OK? Just be comfortable with me. Just call me Mir to be less awkward,” he rubbed his neck and smiled awkwardly. I plastered an awkward grin on my face. This is really awkward.

“Ah… ne,” I said, trying to make my tone a bit more playful. I swear this is going to be the most embarrassing day of my life.

 

A few hours passed by. All of the students were crying tears of joy because 100% of the students passed the national exam. I was tearing too, but not that much as the other students. I’m trying to hold my tears to fall.

I and my friends met at front of the school hall. We hugged each other, for thanking that all of us have passed the exam. All of our studying made a great expectation.

“Congrats on the highest score, Yerim-ah!” Daehee hugged me tightly. I chocked a little because of less oxygen.

“Dae… Hee… I… can’t… breathe…” I murmured. I felt Daehee jolted a little then she let me go.

“Hehe, sorry! I’m just so happy that my best friend got the 1^st place!” she chuckled and grabbed both of my hands. I gave her a big smile.

“Hey…” I turned my head to the source, and found Key. “Congratulations, though! You did a lot of effort on answering the questions, right?”

Daehee let go of my hands, and then I turned my body to Key. “Ah… not that much.”

“I envy you, Song Yerim. Why are you so smart?” Minho punched my arms lightly and I pretend to groan. I chuckled playfully and looked at him.

“Well, well, Choi Minho-ssi,” I said with a pretend-serious tone. “I believe that I could do it because you kept playing soccer all the time du-”

“Stop right there, little sissy.” Minho clapped both of his palms loudly, avoiding my next sentence. I chuckled lightly. The four of us chuckled together in the end.

“Congrats, Mir!” I heard a cheerful male voice near my spot. I looked around; my friends were still talking to each other, not recognizing my odd attitude. And then I found MBLAQ were talking and congratulating each other.

I saw Cheondung—one of the members of the Kings, MBLAQ—patted Mir’s shoulder lightly.

“Good job, Cheolyongie!” his words were mingled with a chuckle. Mir turned his back and started to fight against him. A playful fight, of course.

“Should we get home, now?” Joon stretched his arms up, signaling that’s he’s tired.

“Sure. But I have some business to do for awhile,” Mir answered. Is it me who heard wrong or that Mir just answered Joon’s question a little hesitantly?

“Oh, OK. We’ll meet at our leader’s house, Yang Seungho,” Jung Byunghee, or mostly known as G.O clapped his palms twice. I saw Seungho glared a bit deathly at G.O, and then he sighed.

As I saw they left Mir alone, I was going to turn back my head to my friends who were STILL talking to each other like I didn’t exist, when Mir suddenly stepped forward and walked to me. My eyes widened. Why is he walking towards me?

I glanced a bit at my friends, luckily their backs were facing me, so I could process what Mir is doing now. When I was about to look at him, he already stood in front of me.

“Hey,” he murmured.

“Hey too,” I murmured back, trying to not sound a bit awkward.

“Congrats again, anyway,” he smiled. OMG… his angel smile-WHAT THE…?! “I didn’t congratulate you properly just before.”

I nodded a bit awkwardly. “Eh… um… thanks,” I respond to him. Song Yerim. You’re such a pabo!

“Oh, and I told about you to my friends,” Mir mumbled. “They wanted to congratulate you too, but because of the ‘Queens’… hfft,” he blew out a sigh.

“Ah… No problem. I understand what you mean,” I answered calmly. I’m not awkward again.

Mir looked up to the sky. “I just wonder why the other female students aren’t like you…” he murmured. My eyes widened.

He said what?

“And your friend too, of course,” he quickly added before I think other things. I snapped out of my mind and nodded awkwardly.

Mir looked down at his watch. His eyes widened. “Oh, I’ve got to go now! Maybe we’ll meet again someday?” he looked at me with a big grin in his face. Dugeun~ dugeun~ dugeun~ Wait… why is my heart pounding?

“Goodbye then, Song Yerim-ssi,” Mir said my name. It made me tremble a bit. Then he ruffled my black medium-length hair, and I swear my heart was pounding at that moment, too. Then he stopped his action and plastered a big grin on his face. “I hope we’ll meet again, someday!” he said while running towards the school gate and waving goodbye at me. I froze at my spot, not moving an inch. I only stayed put there until his figure was gone from my sight.

Could we meet again?

Because now I just realized….

That I fell for you…

Bang Cheolyong…