Prologue
Every year around this time, I think of you.

I had a chance to visit the old school recently. It brought back so much memories. It made me think of you even more.
Where do you live? How are you doing? How is your family?
Do you still remember me?

Fourth Grade
Then, it was my first day in a new school. I had just moved from the countryside to the capital city. Excited. Scared. Unsure. Alone. Frankly, I don’t remember much about that day, just that I felt relieved when it’s over. I was walking home by myself. Then I heard someone calling out to me. “Hey, aren’t we in the same class?” As it turned out, we were. And we happened to live in the same neighborhood too. We walked the same path to go home. You were a bouncy chatterbox. I mostly just listened. To be honest, you were a little annoying. You were like that little stubborn mosquito buzzing in my ear and just wouldn’t go away. We walked home together almost every day since.

Then one day, you showed up at my door. You wanted to do homework together after school. I didn’t see the reason why, but sure, why not? I confessed, I secretly enjoyed that I am slightly better in Math. So that’s how our friendship started and developed.

Fifth Grade
Then came that shocking day, my family knows yours! We all used to live in that little small town in the countryside. So when my grandma and my aunts came to visit, the entourage made a stop at your house. Frankly, that was the first time I’d ever stepped inside your house. I remembered thinking, why haven’t we do homework together at your house? Why is it always at my house? Being typical me though, I forgot all about it by the time we left.

Then it came the time, we’re now at that age. We got teased when we were seen together.
“Get a room, you two.”
“Are you dating?”
“Boyfriend~~ and girlfriend~~~” 🎶
It never bothered you as much as it bothered me. I wanted to keep a distance from you. I did have other friends I could hang out with at school. However, I didn’t know how. Plus, I came to like talking to you. I enjoyed our arguments and debates while solving math problems. Time passed by unnoticed when I was with you.

Sixth Grade
Then it happened. It was drizzling. You were walking ahead of me in a rush. I saw you and tried to keep up. Panting, I called out to you and you turned around. Suddenly, my heart did this strange thing. It started to pound. Really hard. Honestly, I thought I was dying. My face was burning. There’s suddenly this backlit light shining on you. You must have noticed it too, because you asked me what’s wrong. As a longtime drama watcher, I knew there’s nothing wrong. I was struck by love, that’s all.

Then after that day, I didn’t know how to act around you. Sometimes, things got awkward. I wondered if you’re just acting like nothing was wrong with me. I wondered if you feel the same way too. However, nothing had changed between you and I. We talked, we laughed, and we did homework together.

Then came Graduation day. You told me you are moving away to a different middle school and from the neighborhood. You were super excited about it. I congratulated you, gave you a smile and said “Keep in touch!” We’ve never seen each other again since.

Epilogue
Whenever it is time to celebrate that heart fluttering thingy, I think of you.

It’s funny how my heart never does that strange thing anymore. Perhaps, I’ve gotten a lot better at guarding it now than I was then. Even after (Or IF) I find a Mr. R in the future, I think I will continue to think of you around this time of the year.

I’ve never told anyone about any of this. It’s a well kept little secret and it will always be.

Once in a while, my aunt would ask, “Whatever happened to that boy who used to come to your house all the time?” I would smile and shrug. In my heart though, I would think of you. Fondly.

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