“Where are you exactly?” Portia, her manager seemed anxious, asked.

“Parking lot, Tita (Auntie). Kim answered. “Few minutes and I’m there.”

“Hurry up.” Portia told her, “Seems like there’s lots of people here today. I heard there’s a K-Pop band something staying here, so many fans are here too.”

“Wow.” Kim smiled on the other line.

She wasn’t a fan of K-Pop or K-Pop something, but she had some affinity to anything Korean. For one, she speaks the Korean language and she had been in South Korea many, many times already ever since she was a teenager. She had frequented Busan the most, where she visited her Korean language teacher and her family. Many of her Korean friends who lived in Cebu where she was originally from were also from Busan.

And there’s also this so-called, ‘first love’ who happened to be her first boyfriend too; he was also Korean. And that guy is also from Busan.  It was a brief relationship that they shared; so quick, that Kim is so sure that he must’ve even forgotten her name by now. Anyhow, their relationship, will prove that the old saying ‘first love never dies’ is not true after all. She was so definite that he wouldn’t recall he met her even once in his life.

Kim smiled when she got out of her Hummer. Despite realizing that maybe that guy treated her as one of his flings and never took her seriously, she was happy with him. She could never forget how her heart beat so fast whenever he’s around. How she had to cover her face because she was blushing in front of him.

Ah, first love.

And she was speaking a foreign language. Kim knew she sounded funny. And her name, Kim Chiu sounded funny and weird to him – Kim Chiu. It sounded like Kimchi. But she never cared. And to her, he looked very, very handsome.

Kim had to stop reminiscing because she had to inch her way inside the crowded lobby of the hotel. Her manager was right, there were too many people. She can recognize fan girls. Or those pretending to be guests but were actually fan girls.

She smiled again. She would do that too, if she were in their shoes. Never mind that she is one of the most popular young actresses in the Philippines, and that she is one of the most bankable stars and sought-after endorser in the country. Kim remains humble, level-headed and nice despite what she had achieved career-wise.

“Sorry.” Someone bumped into her but didn’t recognize her. Kim had to pick up a poster of that band that's supposedly staying in that hotel. She wasn’t able to look at the members’ faces though.

“Sorry.” Kim apologized too. And repeated to herself what she saw in the poster, “CNBlue… mmm.”

She didn’t know CNBlue.

She hurried up to see her waiting manager in the buffet restaurant.

“Tita.” She kissed her cheek before she sat in front of her. “You were right.”

“I told you.” Portia drank her orange juice. “Many, many people. I mean, girls.”

“Someone’s joining us?” Kim asked noticing there’s one set of utensils next to her.

“Ah, yes. Happee Sy.” Portia told her. “My friend, you know her.”

“Yes, yes. Ate (Unni/Older Sister) Happee.” Kim nodded.

“By the way, you should eat okay, you are too thin. I am getting tired telling you that.” Her manager reminded her, “While we get the set menu, you go hit the buffet.”

“Tita!!!” Kim complained.

Kim gets bashed because she’s too thin.

“No ifs, not buts.” Portia glared at her. “Oh, you still know how to speak Korean? Why don’t you help the girls here and look for those boys that they’re looking for?”

Kim laughed. “My Korean . I think the last thing I said in Korean was I love you… was it? Or goodbye? Arrrghhh, I forgot.”

Ask your ex-boyfriend.
He’s on the 23rd floor.

“Oh, there are Koreans having lunch now, do you think they are that K-pop band something?” Portia pointed to a group having lunch at the buffet where they’re at.

“Nah, I don’t think so.” Kim shook her head, “The girls will probably swarm those boys. I don’t think they will go here to eat too. It’ll be suicide.”

But before Portia could answer Kim, someone shouted from behind.

“Portia!” It was Happee Sy, Portia’s friend.

“Oh dearie!” Portia was startled, “This is a public place. You never changed.”

“Sorry.” Happee was smiling. “Kimmy-doll!”

“Hi, Ate.” Kim stood up to kiss Happee.

“Hey, let’s go up.” Happee was pulling Kim away from the table.

“What’s wrong?” Portia had to ask.

“You pretty little thing.” Happee was all-smiles looking excited at Kim, “I am going to introduce you to the boys.”

“The boys?” Kim and Portia chorused.

“Shhhh.” Happee whispered. “CNBlue.”

“CNBlue?” The two had to say speak the same time again.

“I’m the producer of their concert.” Happee winked at Kim. “C’mon, they’re upstairs, having lunch at the other restaurant. I told them I’ll be having lunch with friends. Let’s go.”

“I’m… I’m… I’m…” Kim stammered, “I’m going to call Xian.”

The current boyfriend.
She’s going to call her boyfriend.
Xian Lim.

“You’re just going to meet CNBlue.” Happee told her, “You’re not going to date or kiss any of them. And it’s not as if you dated or kissed any of them.”

Happee and Portia laughed.
Kim laughed too.

Wrong.
You shouldn’t have laughed, Kimmy doll.

“Suddenly I felt excited.” Portia told them, “Are those boys cute?”

“Handsome.” Happee had to correct her. They were on their way to the elevator. “But they don’t speak much English.”

“Kim speaks Korean.” Portia was proud when she told her friend.

“Really?” Happee tugged her hand.

“A little.” Kim was humble enough to admit. “But don’t tell them. They might laugh at me.”

“She dated a Korean guy.” Portia was quick to add before the elevator doors opened to the floor where they are to get off.

“More likely, I was played by one.” Kim smiled.

“Anyeonghaseyo!” Happee greeted everyone in the dining area.

Everyone turned and bowed to her. She got nods and a lot greeted her back.

“This is my friend Portia, she is a talent manager here in Manila and this is Kim, she is an actress… ” Happee introduced them, “Kim?”

She is not there. Kim was out of sight.

“Oh, I’m sorry.” Kim was rushing to get inside the restaurant. She had to answer Xian who called just right after they went out of the elevator.

Kim is really beautiful and indeed a real head turner. The boys stopped eating and stood up to shake her hand.

Yonghwa stood up to say hi and shake her hand.
Minhyuk did too.
And so did Jungshin.

Jonghyun did not.

Kim was wrong.
She thought Jonghyun had forgotten her and that he would’ve already forgotten her name.  Of course not; he remembered her.

Finally, Lee Jonghyun stood up and went up to her.

“Kimberly.” He gave her a faint smile.

Kimberly.
He called her that.
Because her name sounded like Kimchi, Jonghyun called her by her full name, Kimberly. Kimberly Chiu.

Kim wanted to pinch herself in front of everyone else.

It was him.
 

Lee Jonghyun.

The first love.
The first boyfriend.
The first kiss.
The first ex-boyfriend.

.
 

Son of a gun.

“Jonghyun.” She returned that faint smile with a sweet alluring smile. You know, that, “look-what-you-have-lost smile”.

Happee and Portia looked as if there’s no way they’re not going to ask if the two knew each other. But then again Xian rang Kim’s mobile phone again.

“Babe.” And Kim just had to pick that call once more. She gestured ‘excuse’ to everyone, including the pale Jonghyun. “Babe, I can’t hear you.”

“Boyfriend.” Happee told Jonghyun.

Jonghyun still in awe, disbelief, surprise or whatever form of shock, returned to the table. s didn't notice because they already went back when Jonghyun approached Kim. It took him some time to go to her.  

He didn’t eat anymore. After less than a minute, he stood up and went out of the restaurant and looked for her.

Yes, he looked for her.

She was still on the phone talking to her boyfriend.
Talking nonsense to her boyfriend.
She was so nervous meeting her ex-boyfriend that she didn’t know what she was blabbing about now.

“And then… and then…” Kim continued on, despite having no direction whatsoever. She even wanted to bite her nails.

He looked so damn fine, she thought. Jonghyun had matured, but his features are so refined and still looked half-Asian, half-Western. Still so handsome and freaking attractive.

Someone got her phone from her hand while she was still talking.

“Can we talk?” It was Jonghyun.

And his voice was so manly. His gaze was hypnotizing.

Oh crap.
End that call first.

“J-j-jong-hyun.”

“Can we talk?” He repeated. Jonghyun was serious when he asked.

Kim asked for her phone and had to end her call with her boyfriend first.

“How are you?” Kim asked him smiling. “It’s been awhile. You look good.”

Of course.
Pleasantries first.
 

“I’m sorry.” Jonghyun never disappoints. The Busan boy always goes straight to the point.

“Forget it.” She looked away, “It’s all in the past. It’s been years… I’ve moved on. Forget it. Good luck in your concert… And it’s a surprise seeing you again.”

She guessed she’s one of the CNBlue members.
She only guessed.

“Mmmm.” Jonghyun nodded, “Thanks.”

Jonghyun was the one who asked if they could talk yet he said only a word: Thanks.  And it was indeed a surprise seeing her again after how many years. While it was true that he remembered her, it was only a faint memory. Jonghyun never really recalled anything special about them, and what they shared.

While Kim cherished every moment of her first love, Jonghyun could not remember a single detail; maybe except her name and where she came from.

Ouch at all levels.

Kim didn’t mind. As far as she knows, first love will always be special no matter how painful it is. And it was magical enough that their paths cross again after how many years or so and it didn’t have to be in Busan where they first met. It’s like fate brought them back together again.

“You… you look good too…” He added.

At least he added a little something.

“Thank you.” She smiled again, “You should go back. I need to run. My boyfriend’s grandparents just arrived from the States and I’m actually meeting them for the first time. It’s nice to see you again, Lee Jonghyun.”

She looked as if she was trying to escape an awkward reunion yet Kim really had to leave. The reason she gave Jonghyun was real and valid enough for her to miss that lunch with CNBlue.

“Okay.” He nodded. As if he can stop her and as if he will stop her.

Kim went back inside and told Portia and Happee that she needs to go. Happee won’t let her of course. She would let her go, if she would watch the concert later on.

Jonghyun didn’t