the one that got away ; jenyong

three

15 years ago

Physical education period.

It was a subject that has been a 'forever to avoid' for Jennie. She hated this subject. To sum up she hated every subject that requires a lot of movement.

"We're playing basketball again?"

but basketball?

Was one of Jennie's favorite sports. It's not like she likes that sport because it was fun playing. She didn't have any knowledge about basketball at all. She just loved that sport for one exact reason.

Lee Taeyong.

Her crush is also her classmate. To add more, a basketball athlete.

Straight up to the point Jennie just loved basketball because she loved seeing the person she admired the most play it.

"Lee Taeyong scored!" A loud cheer came out from the corner of the court. Jennie was about to jump and join cheering for Taeyong's team, but she decided to keep it lowkey.

She doesn't want to make it obvious enough that she liked him. She had been holding these feelings for almost a year already. No one knows about it except for herself.

"Taeyong is so cool. Don't you think so, Jen?" Jisoo who was seating right beside her suddenly offered a question. Jennie panicked, and immediately looked away from Taeyong who was celebrating his goal.

"Well I think Youngho is cooler." she denied, trying to hide her feelings. "Whatever."

¬

"Jennie it's your turn to throw away the trashes!" I immediately lifted my head off the table. I took a glance at the information board, and a loud sigh escaped my mouth as soon as I saw my name as the one in charge to throw away the rubbish.

It was supposed to be my other classmate, who also worked with me. But since she was absent for almost a week already, I had to do all the jobs by myself.

Why does she need to be absent during our week of doing the class chores?

"Coming!" I said, lifting my body and making the chair gets pushed to the back. It made a loud noise, loud enough to catch everyone's attention.

I realized that I interrupted everybody with the chair screeching noise, and apologized immediately. I managed to steal a glance at Taeyong's spot, and at the same time, he was also looking at me.

I got nervous and looked away immediately.

I walked towards the trash can at the corner of the class, which is right behind Taeyong's seat. And it made me feel a little nervous. I have always felt like this whenever Taeyong is near me by the way.

I picked up the trash can and started to went all around the class to collect the trashes from each one of my classmates.

I noticed that his seat was the one with the most trash. I know it was not his doings, reconsidering how clean of a person he is. So I assumed it was his other friends' doings.

"The boys' spot is the dirtiest one. You should tell them to pick their trashes themselves." Jisoo recommended, I just let it slide since I don't want to deal with their unlikeable behavior.

I walked towards Taeyong's spot and was about to pick up the trashes, not until I felt a tap on my shoulder.

"Jennie,"

It was him. my stomach flipped, as I turned my body to face him.

"I'll do it," he said, suddenly taking the trash can away from my hands.

"You don't have to."

"I know how it feels like having your sleep got interrupted," Taeyong said, adding a giggle at the end of his words.

Lee Taeyong just giggled with me.

I wore my awkward smile as I gave away the trash can to him. I didn't know what else should i do. I in fact couldn't think of a single action to do as a response to his offer.

"Thank you," I said, and immediately walked away back to my seat.

and by that, I just have my very first conversation with Lee Taeyong,

My first love.

¬

present time.

"Taeyong?" I said, stuttering. Taeyong also freezes as soon as he notices who I am.

It's true. I am right. I was never wrong about the voice. It is Taeyong. I see the shocked look in his eyes. We stand there for a moment, exchanging eye contact as I realised the thing that is happening at the moment.

"Jennie." He suddenly broke the silence between us. It is long enough to have my tears dried up to my skin.

There's no way I am seeing Taeyong.

I thought he...

"It's been a while," Taeyong said. I look away and look at him again. "It is," I replied.

"How are you?" Taeyong asked, rubbing the back of his head with his palm. "I'm doing just fine." No, I am not. I never experience a good day in my life since the day you left me.

Since that day I was left with sadness. And I had to go through a lot of empty days with the sadness you caused in my heart.

"It was nice to see you doing well," Taeyong said, adding a genuine smile at the end of his words. "Well, how about you? How are you doing?" I asked the same question back, just to let him know that I was having the same feeling as him about seeing each other again.

"You know... just wandering around. I don't have a constant thing to do." Taeyong answered. I was deep into the moment I have with Taeyong. When seeing someone that used to be important to your life after years, you need to appreciate and experience the moment you have.

Just so you will never forget about it.

And for the first time, I forget about what I own at the present moment.

Everything just brings me back to the past.

Taeyong, my first love, and everything.