Memories of You

1 - The Beginning

"Attention everyone!" Ms. Choi, the teacher advisor of  Grade 7 class in Han Jung Middle School said as she entered the classroom with a boy following her.

"Everyone, you have a new classmate. He's a transferee from Gwangju. Hae Min introduce yourself and look for a vacant seat." Ms. Jung said.

Hae Min bowed to everyone and said.

"Hello. My name is Park Hae Min."

He looked around for a vacant seat. He saw a boy waving at him as he points a vacant seat beside him. He walked towards the last row where that empty seat was. The seat was between a handsome tough boy and a boyish pretty girl. As he sat down, they simultaneously said.

"Hi. I'm Kim Rae Joon." He said as he shook his hand with Hae Min.

"Hello. I'm Kim Rae Yan." She said as she smiled and waved at him.

Hae Min looked at them simultaneously and curiously asked "Are you twins?"

"Yes!" They both said and smiled at him.

From that day on, Hae Min became bestfriends with the twins. They all have each other's backs all the time especially if Rae Yan was being bullied and called tomboy for hanging out with them. They even formed a band.

On the first day of summer break, before they enter senior high school, Rae Yan was on her way to the market when she was blocked by Kang Jin Young and his friends, Lee Ho Jun and Seo Hyun. They were a year ahead of her and just graduated from same school as her. Jin Young once asked her to date him, but she turned him down. No one ever dumped him before except for Rae Yan.

" Well...well...well. Who do we have here?" Jin Young said as the three boys blocked her way.

Rae Yan turned back and tried to run away but she tripped and fell on her knees. Just as she got on her feet, Ho Jun and Hyun grabbed her arms. She tried to fight her way out but they held her so tight.

"I've been putting up with you during the school year so I can graduate. Now, it's time for revenge." Jin Young said.

"Why? Did I stepped on your ego that hard that you're holding grudges against me?" Rae Yan said smirkingly.

Those words made Jin Young angrier. He grabbed her hair and just as  he was about to kiss her, suddenly, out of nowhere, Jin Young was kicked and fell on the ground. Ho Jun and Hyun let go of Rae Yan to help Jin Young. They threw a couple of punches and kicks at Hae Min but missed. They fought with Hae Min who happened to be on his way to the Kim's family house. As he took taekwondo lessons, he was able to beat them all up.

"You'll regret what you did today, Hae Min!" Jin Young said as he pulled himself and wiped the blood on his lips.

"Hey! I don't want to see your faces here again!" Hae Min said as they all walked away.

"Are you okay?" He asked as he touched the wound on her knees.

"Ouch!" She said as she moved her feet away from him.

"I'm okay. Thanks for helping me. How about you? Are you okay? Your lip is bleeding." She asked as she wiped off the blood on his lip with her sleeve.

"I'm okay. Come on." He said as he offered his back to her.

"Huh?" She asked curiously.

"Get on my back. I'll carry you to your house." He said as he gestured her to ride on his back.

"No. I'm alright." She refused but he insisted and so she got on his back.

As they were on their way to the Kim's Family house, she quietly stared at the side of Hae Min's face. She felt her heartbeat racing. She felt a grip inside her. She felt butterflies fluttering inside her stomach.

"Thank you." Rae Yan said as she wrappped her hands tight around him.

"Don't worry about it. You know I'm always here for you." Hae Min said as she looked straight ahead.

"If it weren't for you, I would have been hurt. Thank you." She said and rested her chin on his shoulder.

When they  arrived at Rae Yan's house, he carefully put her down. When he looked around to face her, she suddenly hugged her and said "Thank you" again.

He was startled and said.

"Always remember that whenever you're in trouble, call me okay?"

"Yes." She said.

To their surprise, they pushed away each other when Rae Joon suddenly came out of the house.

"What are you doing?" Rae Joon asked curiously. But his curiosity was wiped off when he saw both of them have bruises.

"Huh? What happened to both of you?" Rae Joon asked angrily.

"We had a bit of encounter with Jin Young and his friends." Rae Yan said.

"What! Where are they? I'm going to beat them all up!" Rae Joon said angrily.

"Hey! Don't worry. I kicked all their butts." Hae Min proudly said.

From that day on, Hae Min and Rae Yan grew feelings towards each other. Everyday was always an excitement. They can't wait to see each other. They exchanged messages to each other every night. They both fell in love for the first time. They fell in love with each other.

After a couple of weeks of being close, Rae Yan decided to tell Hae Min that she likes him. But to her surprise, he suddenly became cold towards her. He started avoiding her. He hangs out with Rae Joon only. They saw each other less and less.

"Hi guys! Why didn't you tell me that you're hanging out here?" Rae Yan asked angrily as she saw Rae Joon and Hae Min in a nearby cafe.

"Oh we just came!" Rae Joon said.

"I have to go. I promised my mom to accompany her to the market." Hae Min said as soon as Rae Yan sat on the chair.

"Huh? Now?" Rae Yan asked frowning.

"Sorry." Hae Min said and ran off.

It was always been like that since then. Hae Min made a lot of excuses just to avoid Rae Yan. He doesn't respond to any of her messages anymore and don't answer her calls. She kept waiting for days and the days became weeks.

One day, while on her way to a nearby convenience store, Rae Yan saw Hae Min. She was so happy as she approached him. After a brief conversation with him, she run off and cross the road without looking. A loud screech from a car was heard. And there, in the middle of the road, Rae Yan was seen lying on a pool of her own blood. She heard screaming before she finally closed her eyes.

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