The Day We First Met

The day we first met I remember it so clearly as if it was just yesterday. The day started out like any other day, with classes being over, I made my way to the library as I passed the time out waiting for Hye Jin who had practice after school. She was in the school track team and with the interschool championship coming up, the track team had regular practices after school to keep the athletes in form. In the beginning, I waited out for her in the sidelines cheering her on but being a book worm at heart, gradually my attention wane out so I spent the time in the school library browsing through the books at hand.

That day, I was searching for a particular Math help book to help me solve a particularly difficult problem the teacher assigned us in class. The library was big taking up an entire floor of the building dividing into sections assigned for a particular field. As I browse through the Math section of the library, I finally caught sight of the book I needed but before my hand reached out for it, someone else was quicker than me. I raised my eyes up and beheld a boy so handsome my heart stopped. He had pitch black eyes, black hair framed in a face so captivating it defies the mind as I stared at him.

"Excuse me, could you please lend me the book first? I really need it to solve a problem I have in class" I ventured out as I finally came to my senses.

"Sorry but I need this. You could ask the librarian for another copy" he said as he turned away.

Before I could even formulate a reply, he had already left and was no where to be found.

I tried asking the librarian for another copy but it was the only copy they had. I lost track of the time as I combed the library for another help book but it was to no avail.

Sadly I made my way back to the track field only to be told that Hye Jin had a mishap and she was recuperating in the school clinic at present.

"Hye Jin, what happen? Are you alright?" I cried out as I saw her lying on the bed with her left foot wrapped up in crepe bandages.

"Nothing major" she replied. "Just sprain an ankle"

"How is it? Does it hurt bad? What did the doctor say?" I asked. Hye Jin being Hye Jin would always downplay her hurts so I was worried sick about her.

"Just that I need to rest for a couple of days without putting weight on it and I'll be as good as new in no time" she assured me as she took in my worried appearance. "Don't worry. Its not as bad as it seems. I called Dad up and he'll be sending the car over to pick us up. Anyway all that running has made me hungry. I'm craving hot ramen. Could you buy it for me from the cafeteria?" she pleaded.

"Okay you stay put and I'll be right back" I replied. It was the least I could do for her.

The cafeteria was closed with school being over so I made my way to the convenience store outside the school campus. I bought two bowls of ramen for me and Hye Jin but as I payed for it and walked out of the store, it started to rain heavily. As luck would have it I forgot my umbrella in school as I was rushing over. I waited for a while but with no sight of the rain stopping, I made up my mind to dash through the rain when a voice stopped me.

"Need help?" I looked up and stared at the same pair of eyes I encountered earlier. "I'm on my way back to school so we could share my umbrella on our there if you wish" He waited for my reply and I agreed readily.

So this was how I found myself sharing space with a boy I barely knew underneath a white umbrella. The campus was just a stone's throw away but it felt like such a long distance to me. I was aware of his every breath, every nuance in his movement. It was the first time I was ever close to a boy and I was a nervous wreck.

When we parted off at the school building I didn't even get to thank him when he walked away. That was the start of my one sided love.