Bittersweet Memories || Nishimura Riki

Entry Three

November 19, 2022

The day we first met is still fresh in my mind as if it had just happened yesterday.

It happened in our first year of high school.

It started like any other day. I woke up, got dressed, went to school, attended classes, and went straight to the library during lunch. I had pulled out the most recent book I was reading, Royal Lies, and began turning the pages carefully, perusing each page with great attention. At times, I would take small bites of my lunch, fried kimchi with rice, and sip my favorite strawberry milk. Usually, the librarians didn't allow people to eat in the library, but they trusted me to keep quiet and clean up after myself.

Very few people went into the library during lunch. That was fine by me. I preferred being alone anyway as an introvert.

What I did not expect was a group of loud, bickering teenagers romping into the library, shattering the silence.

Peeved, I discreetly looked up from my book. You were laughing with your popular friends, the jocks of our school. You had one arm slinged over a boy named Ta-ki, a classmate I remembered having in Science last year, while nudging another one of your friends, your hair swept in front of your face. I recognized you immediately. Nishimura Riki, or you liked to go as "Ni-ki." Who wouldn't, after all? Everyone knew you, the Japanese heartthrob of the school.

From what I could infer, I concluded that you and your friends were studying for an exam. Supposedly. It was hard to tell with all the ruckus you were making. And the paper airplanes fashioned from scraps of paper flying across the library. It got difficult to concentrate on my book, especially when one of your aviation models poked me right between the eyes.

I was relieved when the librarian had told you to stop. Finally, peace and quiet. As so I thought.

After you had apologized for making a commotion, your table fell silent. Eerily silent. Quite suspicious, mind you. Then the whispering began, if that's what you called it. It wasn't really whispering, I could hear everything clearly before I got tired of it and put on my headphones to play some music and block out all the noise.

I had been listening to Left & Right by Seventeen when suddenly you approached my table.

"Hey," You greeted me, winking. I could only blink cluelessly and lower my book in surprise. What was a popular guy like you doing?

You flashed me a wide grin that would've made most girls drop at your feet. "Hope you don't mind, I'm feeling kind of thirsty."

And before I comprehend what you had meant, you snatched up my strawberry milk and drank all of it in one gulp, which was both revolting and impressive at the same time.

"Thanks." You offered me another smile. "I really needed it."

And then, I did one of the most impulsive, embarrassing things I ever did: I ran.

Literally. I just picked up my bag and the book I was reading and hastily excused myself, rushing out the door.

Yes, that was a pretty rash move now that I look back on it. But I was flustered. Firstly, he had directly come up to me and smiled at me. The most popular freshman in school had acknowledged me! And then he (somewhat) flirted with me and indirectly shared a kiss with me. And to top that off, he also drank my favorite drink! The audacity-

Ehem. But even long after lunch ended, I found myself blushing in class. Over you. No wonder everyone liked you so much.

You probably thought me crazy after my run. And I couldn't really blame you. I was a stupid pabo like that. I always acted with my heart and my impulses.