❝First love never dies.❞
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Word Count:1870

»JUNGKOOK«

It was probably ten years ago when I met her. I was fourteen, a young mind trying to understand the adversities of the strange world. I've met hundreds and thousands of people before her, after her. Yet in my memories that I recount, her smile was the most beautiful of all.

The cold January breeze blew past my face, a tinge of nostalgia that I sensed from my schooling years. Here I stand in the school grounds where I once studied. The snow clad roof of the two storey building - that stood proudly hiding so many playful secrets and sweet memories in its inanimate walls. Although the weather was cold, the air surrounding me felt warm and welcoming as I stood by the gate. I could picture the myself in the kids who would rush out to play in the playground, right the moment the recess bell was heard.

"Sir?" My driver looked at me in confusion as I opened the rusted gates. I just smiled warmly, as he nodded understanding my gesture, before I walked in. Everything was so familiar - the huge tree that sheltered us after rigorous P.E exercise, the swings that lay opposite to it, in the corner, along with a staircase that led into the basement entrance.

Taking baby steps, leaving footprints in the snow covered ground, I walked over to the deserted building; I was the only one here. There was an eerie silence, which felt relaxing yet haunting the same time. The school had closed down about three years ago - yet it was incredible how the abandoned institution treasured memories of the wonderful past.

A walk through the corridors was just like taking a trip down the memory lane - a smile that swore to never leave my face as I encountered every single memory years back. I heard a smile of an innocent young girl - she gave me a beautiful smile. It was her, in that blue uniform, as she ran calling my name "Koo." With a dry smile, I waited for her to come towards me, though she never did - instead just waked past me as though she never existed. I turned back and saw her disappear at the end of the corner with another boy, the younger me.

I snickered remembering how she would often chase me around after I teasingly stole her tiffin at lunch, only to playfully smack my head before sharing her food with me under the tree. I took a few more steps ahead, my footsteps echoing in the silent hallway, amplifying the same feeling of warmth, the one that I met years back when I was seventeen, the last time I had seen this school and the girl. My fingertips faintly traced the glass tinted walls of the familiar classroom.

I stepped into the classroom, with dusty benches that looked untouched for almost a decade. I heard another snicker again - I saw her again. She looked a little older, nearly an adult, she would always occupy the seat just before me, always staring out of the window at the trees and the garden flowers. Her long black hair tied into a loose ponytail, the bangs that crowned her forehead as some baby hair found an escape to her face, which I'd pull behind her ear at which she would blush. I remember how she would move her slender fingers while talking, how she would stifle her giggles by by biting her plump tinted lips, how her doll-like eyes squinted every time she heartily laughed at my silly jokes. She never dressed up a lot, never considered herself to be pretty, but little did she know that she looked heavenly and was of course divine, inside out. I loved admiring her delicate features back then and which is probably the reason why I still love her too.

I remember how she used to get lost in her own world, completely drifting her focus to somewhere else. Mrs Hwang, our math teacher would often ask, "Where's your homework Lalisa?" to which she would lower her head down in embarrassment. "Come on, answer me." "I...I forgot it at home ma'am, I'm sorry." She would let out a faint whisper to which our teacher would frustratedly sigh. She excelled at studies, she would often tell me how she stayed up all night revising the notes - except math, because that was the subject she seemed to have difficulties with the most.

"Do you even realise your responsibilities, its senior year Lisa. You aren't a child anymore." The teacher would unwillingly scold. "Ma'am, even I haven't done my homework." I would stand up to everyone's surprise, because everyone knows how serious I am as a student. At this point, Mrs Hwang would let out a defeated sigh before sending us out of the class to stand in the corridor as a punishment.

"Koo" she whined as we quietly stood out of the class. "Why did you do that?" "Do what? Even I forgot to complete my homework." I lied. "Is it? You can't fool me silly, I know you." She would cross her arms, with the pout that always managed to melt my heart. "Because I don't like how she scolds you for just forgetting your homework." "Koo, I...you don't have to sacrifice anything for me." She'd say. "Its nothing, really." I would answer as her lips would twitch into a smile as she faced the ground. "But thank you for coming along, at least I have company of someone for my punishment." "You're welcome." I grinned in response.

I often noticed how she would fiddle with the threads of her sweater or adjust her skirt - the suns rays that dimly fell on her face resonated a different level of ethereal beauty. She would sit down on the cold floor, her legs folded and her elbows placed on her knees. As I accompany to sit down, I would smile at how cutely she would blow the strands stray hair falling before her eyes.

I still remember how elegantly she danced; not caring about what the world would say. She was brave, fearless. But in the heart he was still a baby and her tone of speech, her actions were so adorable as though she never aged.

I now find myself standing in the school hall, where the prom was held. The tinsel decor still lay on the walls, now home to some spider nets. This place was my favourite; because this was where I confessed my love to her.

"W-what did you say bunny? I didn't hear you." She would innocently whimper, pretending as if she misheard the words with a playful smile painted on her lips.

"I said, I like you...Lisa." I repeated, this time emphasising over every single word as she shied away, hiding her burning cheeks. "I like you too, Koo." She whispered back before running away.

"Yah wait!" I whined, chasing my way back to her.

It seemed like a beautiful fairytale. I saw myself with nothing beside me. Just my muffler, my gloves, my long overcoat and some billion dreams in my mind. And just like a bittersweet story, she disappeared. We have ambitions in life, responsibilities as adults, that somehow they tend to curtail the childhood within us. After all these years, when I glance back to the memories of my childhood, I can't help but wonder, my first love ㅡ was she even real?

I wish sometimes how things would've been perfect back like the old times I spent as a kid - because she would be beside me and I never did have to go away.

"Appa, I ain't going anywhere!" I shouted on top of my lungs but the man before me didn't seem to value my emotions. "You can't live on with us forever! You're accepted into freaking Harvard, its your future, your career depends on it. I said what I've said. You're moving to America next week." He sternly replied, pursing his lips back, overlooking my feelings. It stung deeply in my heart, as I didn't even get a chance for a goodbye.

Because simply, just like that, I left. I informed her over the phone that I would miss her; she cried too, because she was moving to France to complete her graduation. If just one day, I could get a glimpse of her, if I could know how she'd been all these years, would the fury in my heart get a relief. So in these years, have I really moved on? To say I have would be a lie. I met many women in my life after her, but none of my relationships lasted for long. Because I couldn't find her in them, I couldn't find her smile, the shimmer of innocence that her heart had.

. . .

I paused my thoughts as I felt some soft footsteps across the hallway, indicating someone was here too. Running out, I caught a glance through the windows. She must've noticed me too, because she turned her back to face me, slowly walking towards me. Was it all a dream, was I being paranoid? Because if it really was a dream, I didn't want it to end.

I instantly recognised her again, within just a fraction of seconds. She was now standing in front of me, a faint smile dawning her face. She held on to a pendant with our initials J and L carved on it, a gift of remembrance that she had still held on to her heart. "Koo..." she called out again, in the soft tone as tears poured out of her eyes.

I stepped forth, gripping her shoulder as I gently wiped off her tears, because her tears were contagious ㅡ they made me tear up too.

"L-Lali...how are you here?" "I heard they were going to reconstruct something here and since I was in town.." "...so even you came to revive those memories." I completed her words.

"I-I m-missed you Koo....these years have been painful for me." She wrapped her arms around my waist as she snuggled her petite frame into my embrace.

"I missed you too....my love for you, it has only bloomed more in your disappearance. I love you." I breathed out as I kissed her forehead.

"I love you too." She whimpered softly against my chest. Our heartstrings were tied together by the bond of memories, probably we were meant to meet again this way, recognise each other and our undying love for one another. I am grateful to having met you again, my love, you with the most beautiful smile.

Perhaps what they say is true,

"First love never dies."

FIN.

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I was playing this song on loop and Yoongi's heartfelt notes encouraged me to go with this. I have tried to portray the contemporary landscape, although it's not the best but I'm trying to improve.

I somehow feel my imagines aren't the interesting to read anymore, given the lack of appreciation I'm getting from only a few readers nowadays. Yet I am trying to create something artistic to motivate myself again, let's hope that this doesn't turn out to be a trash.
ㅡAuthornim.