Where It All Began

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Summer of 2008

(Shingal High School, classroom)

Riiiiiing.

While students began running inside and outside the class, I stayed stationary and let out a sigh of disappointment. It's recess, but I still don't see him. The number of promises he has broken recently has officially outgrown his lifespan number.

"This boy is going to get it..." I muttered under my breath.

While Hye-Jeong and Soo-Jin indulge in yet another episode of their gossip sessions before me, my hands found its way into my schoolbag. One... two... Here we go... Lunchbox.

I made a mental note that the smell of kimchi rice wrap makes two chatty girls quiet in two seconds. Not forgetting that it enlarges their eyes into cute puss-in-boots cat eyes.

"Go ahead," I offered. "Dig in."

With my permission, I witnessed my lunchbox turning nude. Well, who can stop young growing teenage girls?

I reached deep into my schoolbag for the second lunchbox. Nobody's stealing my portion away, I reasoned.

As I prepare myself for a chow down, girls began to shriek loudly at our corridor. The volume seemed to be increasing.

I believe I have just jinxed myself.

In this neighbourhood school, he is nicknamed "the prince". This growing boy with his growing locks earns the favour of the entire hormone-raging female students. Minus yours truly, that is. Even the schoolboys reckon it cool to be seen high-five-ing and arm-locking this "prince".

With each of his step into our classroom, it is as though somebody forcibly activated a pause button to our classmates' activities. All eyes were on him.

I know where he is headed. The girls appear to be furious at me as he was coming my way.

But he was only coming for the kimchi rice wrap... which brings me back to the point that I jinxed myself. Before I could say "That's mine!", he has stuffed two wraps into his mouth with ease.

He is no royalty, and I am no fan girl. To me, Hyungsik is just my best friend. That's what we have been even before he grew in stature, hair length, and this momentary fame. But sometimes, best friends have boundaries too. And right now, he has crossed the line... with my food.

(End of school, on the way home)

While I was still upset over my two missing rice wraps, I decided to let it slide this time. After all, Hyungsik meant it when he said he'd come for classes today, despite his hectic schedule as an idol-trainee.

We sat next to each other during our class, and while we tried our best to pay some attention to our teachers, we admit that the classroom was more like a café – a place where people catch up. We exchanged handwritten notes, trying to update each other on our day-to-day life. As usual, Hyungsik had lots of stories to tell, but never enough time. His messy scribbles gave me a headache. I could never quite decipher what he was trying to write. I offered him a confused look, hoping he would enlighten me. But all he could offer were his silly faces, as though he never intended to let me in on the joke. Somehow relief washed over me, seeing how he hadn't quite changed.

Before he became a trainee, we'd always walk home together. After all, he lives right next door. As our class came to an end, our classmates rush over to Hyungsik to say their goodbyes. I was surprised to see some of the school girls nervously requesting for his autograph.

While I'm no stranger to this whole ordeal, I silently made my exit from my classroom after mouthing "goodbye" to Hyungsik. I told him I would text, but later remembered that his phone was with his manager. It seems that many people were pleased with the fact that Hyungsik has become an overnight sensation in our neighbourhood ever since he was chosen to be an idol-trainee. I was happy for Hyungsik too, and I can still remember him bursting with joy when he first shared the news with me. All he wanted to do was sing his heart out, and here was the golden opportunity for him to make a living out of it.

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