After a sleepless night filled with nightmares, the next morning I got ready for school. For the first time ever, I wasn't dreading to go. I was actually looking forward to it.

For some reason, I wanted to go early like the day before. So when I went to school, there were only a few students walking around. I loved that atmosphere. So calm and quiet. It felt peaceful. I sat at the same garden chair as yesterday and got out my iPod. I plugged on my earphones and listened to some quiet music. I fell asleep in a while.

Just as yesterday, Min Ho was the one who woke me up while having a nightmare.

"Hey, are you okay?" he asked, his voice concerned.

"Yeah, I'm good. Just a nightmare," I replied straightening up on the chair. Min Ho sat next to me. I wasn't embarrassed like yesterday.

"Do you always have nightmares like this? It was the same as yesterday. You looked really scared and I thought you were gonna cry any minute," he said.

"Um... Yeah. I just have some bad memories," I said. My voice was barely audible. But he heard me and also sensed my discomfort in talking about it.

"So.... Why do you come to school so early?" he asked, deliberately changing the subject. I was relieved.

"I don't know. I just like the atmosphere in the early morning. There's not much students. It's very calm and quiet," I said. "I like calm and quiet." I said smiling up at him. He was tall even when he was sitting. He stared at my face for a while and quickly looked away.

"We should go now. The bell would ring any minute now," he said.

"Yeah, sure," I said, put my iPod back in the bag and stood up. He stood up with me. We walked towards the building together and then he went his way and I went mine.

I found Shin Hye in the class. She smiled when she saw me. "Hey!" she said enthusiastically.

"Hey," I said and sat on my chair. "I met your brother this morning."

"Oppa?"

"Yeah," I said.

"Did he look okay? He had a fight with his dad this morning. He didn't even say a single word to me on our way to school."

"Really?" I was surprised to hear that. "He looked totally fine though."

"He's a good actor," Shin Hye said. Just as she said it, the bell rang.

Teacher Hyun came to the class a minute later. He marked the attendance and said, "Okay, people. I have the first two periods, right? Take out your books and get ready."

 We had a book named 'Now I See' written by Vincent White as the literary text we had to do for English. I was glad to know that because, I've read that book like a thousand times and is my favorite book of all time without any competition.

It's about the story of two 18-year-old cancer kids named Meredith and Michael. They make two lists of everything they wanna do before they die and help each other to fulfill them. In the process of completing the lists, they fall in love. But unfortunately, Meredith's sickness gets worse and Michael has to remove his eyes if he wants survive. The one before last on Meredith's list is to fall in love. And the last thing on her list is to do something fabulous for the one she loves. She decides to donate her eyes to Michael since she knew she was gonna die anyway. But she knew Michael wouldn't accept it. So she asks the doctors not to reveal the donor's name to Michael. She writes a one last letter to Michael before the surgery.

After the surgery, Michael finds out that Meredith gave him her eyes. Unable to do anything, he cries all night beside Meredith's bed and fall asleep next to her. The next morning the doctors find Michael in Meredith's bed, holding her tightly. Meredith had died during the night. Michael finds Meredith's letter a week later. The story ends with him going to Meredith's grave and reading the letter sitting in front of her grave.

I know it's not a story to die for. And though I have read good stories with deep meanings and all, I still like 'Now I See' the best. It touched my heart in a way even I can't explain. 

"Okay, everyone." Teacher Hyun's voice brought me back to reality. "Turn to the 9th chapter. I asked you to write a review about the chapter. Did you do it?"

Some answered 'yes' and some stayed quietly. I guessed they hadn't written it. "Good. Chang Yoo, collect all the reviews and bring them to me after class," he said to the president.  He picked up his copy of 'Now I See' from the table and came forward. "Okay, now, let's hear some of your thoughts about the chapter. Why do you think Meredith had 'spend a night at the cemetery' on her list?" He walked around the class hoping to get an answer. "Anyone?"

I had always been a passive child. I never volunteered to do anything. But this time I raised my hand. I guessed it was because I liked this school and my teacher. And also this was my favorite book they were talking about.

"Yes, Ji Hee," Teacher Hyun said and came to stand in front of me. He looked down at me. "What do you think?"

"I think she wanted to go to the cemetery because she knew she's gonna die too and would end up in the cemetery. I think she wanted to go and see where she would be after her death. She knew she didn't have much long with her cancer. But her parents wouldn't let her spend a night at the cemetery. And I think she was afraid as well. So she put that in her list and sneaked out with Michael," I said what I really thought about it.

"Then why do you think she smiled all throug the night and started to cry at the crack of the dawn?" Teacher Hyun asked me.

"She smiled because she was happy to be there with Michael. She didn't feel afraid about the cemetery or about dying when she was with him. But when the sun started to rise and they had to go home, she realized that after dying she would have to be here alone. She wouldn't have Michael with her. That made her afraid and terribly sad."

It was probably the longest I have spoke in one stretch. Teacher Hyun stared at me for a while and then gave me a huge smile. It was so real and so beautiful that I momentarily lost my breath. I wondered again why he hadn't been an actor. He patted my head and turned around, the smile still plastered on his face.

The class went on until the bell rang. After it was over I decided that English was my favorite subject and Teacher Hyun was my favorite teacher. I didn't get to talk to Shin Hye because Teacher Kim, who taught us history, came as soon as Teacher Hyun left. History was a bit boring. After class ended Shin Hye came to me.

"Let's go," she said.

I put away my books and went with her.

"You were awesome!" she said as we walked. "You gave an amazing answer to Teacher Hyun. I bet he was surprised like me, too."

I didn't understand what the big fuss was about. "It's not anything special. I just told him what I thought about it. That's all."

"Well, no one else has ever given an answer like that."

I didn't know what to say to that. So I just smiled at her. Min Ho was sitting at our table when we entered the cafeteria. He smiled and waved when he saw us. His mood looked fine. But I didn't know if he really was fine or not.

Just like yesterday, Shin Hye bent down and gave Min Ho a kiss on the cheek. Seeing them like that, I wished I had a brother or a sister. We bought food and sat down to eat.

"You know, oppa, Ji Hee gave an awesome answer today in English." Shin Hye said.

"It wasn't a big deal. It was just what I thought." I started to protest.

"What was the question?" Min Ho asked.

"You know that book we do for English? Teacher asked what we thought about the ninth chapter. Nobody answered. Only Ji Hee gave a long answer," said Shin Hye.

"Ah, I haven't read it. What's the name again?"

"Now I See."

"Is it any good?"

"It's okay," said Shin Hye.

It wasn't just okay. It was amazing. So I just couldn't stay quiet. "It's more than okay. It's amazing."

"Then I'm gonna have to read that book." Min Ho said, looking at me. He gave me a smile as he said it. It was beautiful. What is it with today? Most beautiful smile contest? "You have the book, right?" he asked Shin Hye.

"Yeah yeah," she said.

"Wait a minute," Min Ho said suddenly. Your English teacher is Teacher Hyun, right?"

"Yeah, yeah. That's why I'm so jealous of her. He even patted her head!" Shin Hye said.

Surprising me, Min Ho suddenly burst out laughing. "What?" I asked, confused. "What did I miss?"

"Oh, cut it out, will you?" Shin Hye said hitting Min Ho's arm. But that didn't stop him. He went on laughing. It took him another minute to stop it.

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry," he said. "I won't laugh."

"Can somebody explain to me what just happened?" I asked, still confused.

"Can I tell Ji Hee?" Min Ho asked Shin Hye. He looked like a three year old kid asking for candy.

"Fine!" I guess Shin Hye couldn't resist his adorableness. Even I couldn't.

"Okay, so, here's the thing. Come a bit closer. I don't want anyone overhearing." Min Ho said to me. I did as he said and leaned in.

"Our Shin Hye here has a little- nay, scratch that- a huge crush on Teacher Hyun," he whispered.

I could feel my mouth hang open. I leaned back slowly. Min Ho and Shin Hye stared at my face for a long time.

Finally, a huge smile spread across Min Ho's face. "Oh, I love that face!" he said.

I closed my mouth. "Sorry," I said. I stayed silent for a while.

"And?" Shin Hye asked.

"Well, he does have a breathtakingly beautiful smile," I offered.

"Exactly! Oh, I love his smile!"

"How long has it been?"

"Since the beginning of the year."

"Isn't he, like, a lot older than us?"

"It's just 12 years. He's 29."

"12 years is a huge gap, you know?"

"Yeah, yeah, I know. Oppa gave me an almost similar lecture when he first got to know. But don't worry. It's nothing serious. Just a childish crush."

"The thing I'm afraid of is it might be more than that and you'll end up getting hurt." Min Ho said.

"That won't happen. It's not like Teacher Hyun is my one true love. I'll be fine, oppa," said Shin Hye.

"Well, I'm still not convinced," Min Ho murmured.

"Okay, then." I said to change the subject. I could feel Min Ho's mood getting changed. Maybe he remembered whatever happened in the morning. "Who wants dessert?"

After lunch, we got back to our classes. When school ended Shin Hye gave me a lift home. I told mom that I wanna come home by myself after school. So I wanted to get familiar with the roads. Shin Hye offered to help. She showed me the main places I should know and the route to my house from school.

When we got there, I invited her in. But she said she had some things to do and that she would come one day with Min Ho. I waved her goodbye and went to my room. After getting changed and having lunch, I picked up my copy of 'Now I See' and read the whole book again. I finally fell asleep around midnight.