I had known Chorong unnie my whole life, and to hear our folks tell it, I had been in love with her too. They say that I used to follow her around like a little puppy dog. Whenever omma couldn’t find me, she’d go next door to their house, and sure enough, I’d be wherever Chorong unnie was, just watching her. They once found me curled up under her bed while she napped.

They would tell these stories to anyone, while I would blush madly and stare at my shoes, but who could really blame me? Large brown eyes, long black hair, amazingly cute voice, Chorong unnie was the epitome of the cute girl next door whom everyone wanted to know, while I was the well-known dork. I mean, there are even videos online where I’m imitating a gorilla.

As we grew up, we gradually grew apart, but had always remained friendly. She was two years older than me, and kind of looked out for me at school in a way. She basically told the popular kids to leave me alone, and they did. Whenever I would be doing yard work out back, she would chat with me over the fence as she was sun bathing. I always took the chance to steal glances at her in her bikini whenever she wasn’t looking. I came to enjoy those Saturday afternoons. I couldn’t help but notice that she had developed, so my life-long puppy love got infused with pre-teen lust. Those long afternoons idly chatting with her actually helped me develop the social skills to talk to girls my own age and not come across like such a total dweeb.

By that point, Chorong unnie was starting to date, which secretly crushed me, but I also understood that I had no shot with her.

In the middle of my 8th grade year and her 10th, things changed quite a bit. She started dating a Senior, who was the school god. Soccer star with an amazing voice that would make any girl fall for him and some of the guys too. I didn’t stand a chance. She doesn’t swing that way. She was so giddy that he asked her out. She was the envy of all her friends, and was now more popular than ever. She was bouncing up and down when she told me.

“Can you believe it? I mean, he’s a Senior, and soooooo dreamy!! He’s taking me to G-dragon’s party on Saturday night, this is going to be soooo cool!!!”

I nodded. “Yeah that’s pretty cool, I guess….”

“Pretty cool??? It’s awesome!!!”

That Saturday night, I watched as he picked her up with a heavy heart. I got online and started chatting with a few friends, when I struck up a conversation with a girl in my grade. We hit it off pretty well, she was a bit of an outcast, like me, so we got along pretty well.

As the months went by, she and I chatted a lot online, and started hanging out after school. One Saturday, Chorong unnie called to me across the backyard fence.

(C) “Who’s that girl I saw leaving the other day?”

(B) “Lizzy, she’s in my class.”

(C) “Is she your girlfriend?”

(B) “She’s my friend.”

(C) “So do you like her?”

(B) “I guess so.”

(C) “Then why don’t you do something about it?”

(B) “I wouldn’t know what to do.”

(C) “You kiss her.”

(B) “I’ve never kissed anyone before.” I blushed.

As I said this, Chorong unnie leaned across the fence, grabbed my face in her hands, pulled me to her, and kissed me full on the lips.

I was stunned. I had always wanted to kiss her, but this was unexpected. I just stood there while she softly pushed her tongue against mine.

She finally pulled away. “Well you have now.”

She turned and walked back inside.

That was my first kiss...

So the next time Lizzy and I hung out, I kissed her.

“What the hell?!?!?” She angrily shoved me away. “What do you think you’re doing?”

“I like you, and I thought…” I lamely began.

“You thought wrong, I don’t like you that way. You’re cool and all, but you aren’t my type.”

“Not her type? What is her type?” Chorong unnie looked puzzled.

“I dunno. Not me, I guess.” I shuffled my feet.

“Well, don’t worry about her. She wasn’t that cute anyway.”

I looked up at Chorong unnie, exasperated. “Come on Chorong unnie, look at me. I don’t have any guys or girls throwing themselves at me.”

She seemed a bit put off. “Well still, I didn’t like her.”

Now I was getting annoyed. “You didn’t like her? You didn’t even meet her!!”

“She looked wrong. Too mousy. You can do better than her.”

I threw my arms up and laughed. “Well thanks for the advice unnie! But I’m not like you! I don’t have many friends! I haven’t even really talked to anyone at school besides you and Lizzy!”

Chorong unnie laughed. “Bomi, you’ll always be my baby.”

Just then her phone rang, and she answered excitedly. “Hey sweetie!” She waved good bye to me, and walked inside, chatting with her boyfriend.