Memoirs of a Young Love (Completed)

Chapter 1 - From the Start

Walking through these familiar corridors of my school brings back a lot of memories. It made me smile just thinking that once in our lives, I was an average girl, before everything that I have now happened to me.

It brought me back to memories more than two decades ago, when I was very known as the most beautiful girl in the campus. But I never believed such. I enjoy hanging out with my Cinderella friends after classes, eating tteokbokki at a nearby hole in the wall right outside the backgate of our school. It brings me so much happiness, and I never knew that I would be in for more.

One afternoon as we were walking our way to our fave hangout, I caught sight of someone unfamiliar. I stopped to take a look at him. He was tall, with an athletic built, holding a soccer ball on his waist. He was ready to throw it on the field, until one of my friends poked me and asked me if there was something wrong. She noticed I stopped, and I was quick to answer no, I was waiting for them. We then went on our way.

'Maybe I can see him tomorrow,' I thought.

It was already getting late so we decided to go home. We have different routes so we said our goodbyes as we reached the front gate. I was alone and I walked my way home, like I always do. This had been my routine in the four years I have been studying in this school.

School stuff got in the way which disrupted our regular routine of hanging out after classes. I was stuck with our guidance counselor one day, as she specifically called me to do something. While she briefed me on what to do, I heard a knock on her door. Ms. Cha called the person behind to come in. What happened next made me freeze.

'Oh hi, Mr. Hyun,' Ms. Cha said to the newcomer. He smiled, and when I saw him smile, I wanted to melt right away. His dimples were so deep that I thought I could poke some toothpicks in them.

'Good afternoon, Ms.Cha. Sorry I'm late,' he said. He smiled at me too.

'This is Yejin. She will be the one who will guide you today for your campus tour. Yejin, this Hyun Bin, a transferee from another school.' All those words felt like a whisper in my ear, as I have been staring at him, in disbelief.

'Hi,' he said as he stretched out his hand. I took it and smiled at him.

'Son Yejin,' I said.

Ms. Cha was looking at us and said that we should go and tour the campus. She told Bin that if he has any questions he can ask me. Now, I wondered why she chose me to be with this guy. Not that I am complaining, but I was just curious.

'Where do you want to start?' I asked him.

'Uhm, I dunno. Maybe we can start where you want to go first?' There goes his smile again. So I decided to bring him to the west wing of our campus first. It's better there, coz it's quiet.

'This is the clinic as you can see, and those stairs lead you to the west wing of all the other floors. If you ever come in late, I suggest you use these stairs, as there will be less people who can see you going up. There's another one of these on the east wing,' I said. I was actually stating the obvious, because I didn't know how to talk to him.

I did not know that he was already smiling at me. I caught a glimpse of him as we passed by the middle school faculty room, through the glass pane.

'Yejin, right? I'm sorry but I actually know where these rooms are located,' he confessed.

My eyes widened at what he just said. I looked at him questioningly.

'Then why am I still touring you if you knew it already. You could have told Ms. Cha about it,' I said.

'Because it's a standard for the transferees?' He smiled sheepishly. We both laughed after that. 'Let's go to the cafeteria, would that be okay?' I nodded.

Seeing the soccer field where I first saw him made me chuckle at the memory of what happened a few months after our meeting.

After our initial meeting, we usually were together when he doesn't have a soccer practice. I introduced him to my Cinderella friends, and surprisingly, the girls leave me whenever he is around. Not that they are jealous of him, but they said they didn't want to disturb us or anything. I laughed at them and pleaded for them not to leave but they still do. I got used to it.

Some girls in our school are envious of me because of my friendship with Bin. I usually hear them say things behind my back, but I am just so lucky that my friends are always on the rescue. Not that I can't get back at them, I just chose to take the higher road and let them be. Besides, Bin and I are just friends so if they want him, they better be friends with him too.

'Yej, can I ask you something?' He said while we were walking around one afternoom after classes. We were at thr covered wall, just beside the soccer field. It was quiet, as few people stay in this area.

'What is it?' I replied.

'Can I walk you home from hereon?' He answered, asking for my permission. 'I mean, you have been coming with me ever since I moved in here, so at least I want to return the favor. Sure I made friends with my team mates but I would rather hang out with you than them,' he continued and showed again his dimpled smile.

Hearing what he said made me think of things, but I stopped myself. I have learned from my dad that as long as a guy doesn't say anything about pursuing, it's nothing. Besides, we were too young.

'Sure. That way at least I have someone to talk to while going home,' I answered. From then on, he walked me home every afternoon, even after his soccer practice.

I laughed at that memory. Who could have known that it was his way of subtly telling me something?