By SAMUEL TORRES
Staff Writer
“Ji-Hoon!” as I was walking away with my head down with my backpack on my shoulder I had stopped in my tracks hearing my name called from a complete stranger but, “I think I’m in love with you!” he yelled at the top of his lungs as his eyes didn’t leave where I was placed frozen. The whole school of kids stopped, their eyes focused on me rather than the boy. I turned around and saw Sung-Ho holding onto the strap of his backpack waiting for my answer. People began to whisper to each other as my heart began to beat so fast as if it was about to rip out of my chest, it was all so sudden, so how did we get here?
[3 weeks earlier, October 1st]
“How exactly do we start this off? Just, go for it?” I look down putting the microphone close to my chest and speaking quietly trying to take a breath before speaking again, “Hello, my name is Ji-Hoon I’m… in the 3rd year of high school and..” before I got a chance to finish laughter comes from the crowds in front of me the kids which seemed to be covered or nothing but black objects. I looked around as the laughter came from nowhere and suddenly everything around me began to disintegrate as if the world I was in was nothing but a…BZZZZZ
I woke up from what felt like a nightmare then fell off my bed and onto the floor, my phone continued to buzz its annoying sound as I tried to get up. Just another day, just another…simple day, I get up then turn off my alarm then check the time written on my phone screen.
*7:51 am in the morning*
“I’m late!” I got up then ran around the house getting ready as fast as I could. I grabbed my black jean jacket that had white lace sewn into the buttons of the jacket and outlining the pocket, I grabbed a white plain t-shirt then black jeans changing it all at once. I look at myself in the mirror as I brush my short thin brown hair down with my hands then put on perfume before grabbing my black boots rushing down the stairs.
Before thinking how dumb it would be putting on shoes as I go down the stairs, at the last step I fall trying to get my last shoe on and again onto my back. I groaned in pain then heard footsteps walk towards me then a hand was held out to me, I slowly looked up seeing Sung-ho wearing a black wool long sleeve turtle neck with black jeans similar to mine.
“Careful next time” He smiles, chuckling as I look into his dark brown eyes then grab his hand holding on tight, he pulls me up as I brush myself off.
“Thank you, where is Mother?” I looked up at him as he continued to smile at me as if he weren’t focused on what I had asked him, I waved my hand in front of his face till he grabbed it then put it down.
“She went out with my Mother to go grocery shopping, so it’s just the two of us” he locks his hand with mine slowly as my eyes focus on his movement. He leaned in his face close to mine then moving to my cheek, I felt his breath down my neck till a peck of his lips touched my cheek and my ears began to turn red beginning to turn shy around him.
It was never clear between us what we were because we had to keep our feelings hidden, not only from others but because of our parents. The feeling of hiding our relationship from others, the acceptance of this reality tends to be very low so it just made me more afraid to be open about everything. The difference between me and him was that he was ready to take us another step forward but I didn’t want to put him into any trouble with his family or his repudiation.
It wasn’t the dream life either, every other girl had wanted Sung-ho as they surrounded him with gifts and their love as I got pushed out of the way. I knew Sung-ho since a young age around 5 and our families have always been close so we’ve spent so much time together, we know every single little thing there is to know about each other. We had always begged our parents for a sleepover at one another’s house so we could just be together but since my Mother and Father divorced, my Mother, Aera, has been on the search for a job as my father wanted nothing to do with me. Sung-ho was always there to comfort me through the divorce and fights, it was one out of the many reasons I liked him.
However, it’s always the smallest of things that get in the way. This wasn’t right to others, our love for each other was wrong in other eyes which made me fear more of this. What others believe shouldn’t be changed but to be pressured into believing one thing is right doesn’t make it any better, love is love but why are so many willing to make things difficult for those who just want acceptance.