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It’s been ten years since Siyeon graduated from high school, it feels like magic. She graduated, finished her bachelor’s degree in engineering, and she is so successful at the moment. Now she will meet her old classmates after a long time, seeing who changed and who didn’t, did anyone got married? Does anyone have kids? What surprises she might see?
Siyeon lived a boring life, she is the same Lee Siyeon but maybe gayer. She’s having a full-time job, not in a relationship, and that’s how boring she is. She has nothing to do, lifeless enough to prepare her blue suit for a high school reunion since morning. She made everything all set before going to work, so once she is back by evening, everything is ready.
“Are you telling me you had your suit prepared for a high school reunion? For real?” a scream came from Siyeon’s phone.
“That’s exactly what I said,” Siyeon sipping her coffee to give herself some energy, “hey Kim Yoohyeon! You know that I’m bored enough to be excited about something happening in my boring life.”
“I told you to go to the club, get laid or shit,” Yoohyeon sighed, “but you always said, ‘work’ ‘i have to wake up early’ like an elementary school student,” she said while mocking her.
“I have a big project coming up”
“But you accepted to go to this event?”
“Because I’m free now.”
“Do you really want me to believe that?” Yoohyeon chuckled, “don’t tell me you still have a thing for Lee Gahyeon? It’s been ten years, girl.”
“I don’t, bitch.” Siyeon said, “anyways break is done. Come to my house after work let’s meet there”
“Bye hottie. I hope you get laid tonight.” said in a bratty tone.
“My sex life is none of your business,” Siyeon said, then ended the call.
She locked her phone and just looked at her cup of coffee. To be very honest, Siyeon forgot about Gahyeon, she was just excited to experience the feeling of seeing her high school after years.
Now, with her thinking of Gahyeon, it made a slight flashback come to her mind.
Back in high school, ten years ago. Gahyeon was sitting in the middle of the front seats, and Siyeon was from behind on the left side. It was the perfect angle for Siyeon, she can be fascinated all day, forgetting about the class and everything surrounding her. Siyeon was that lazy student who rarely participates or focuses in class but ended up getting very high marks. On the other side, Gahyeon was always an A student, every teacher loved her so much.
Even Siyeon, she loved her so much.
Gahyeon was very pure, just like a small baby who you want to be protected. She was also a smart girl, no one can manipulate her or take advantage of her, Gahyeon might easily turn the tables on anyone who will try. That made her create a reputation about herself as strong and difficult to get.
She might not be a famous girl in the school, but on every valentine’s she has a lot of flowers and chocolates on her desk. Almost, every guy in school had a crush on her. She even got ‘the school first love’ nickname because of how many people admitted that she is their first love.
Siyeon is one of them, Gahyeon is her first love and never skipped a valentine without giving her a small chocolate box. It was homemade chocolate placed on Gahyeon’s desk every valentine for the whole four years.
It was hard for Siyeon to confess, supposedly to be the only girl (maybe) who had a crush on Gahyeon. What if she doesn’t like girls? Siyeon always said that whenever Yoohyeon tried to encourage her to confess. Being homosexual wasn’t a bad thing in their school, but the idea that all the boys are over Gahyeon, but then there is Siyeon the only girl between them.
Siyeon never saw herself attractive enough to get Gahyeon’s attention. If she will, she will be that sleepy tomboyish student, that every teacher will ask her to sit like a female. Or the one who got As without focusing in class. Siyeon is pretty sure even with that, she won’t romantically attract Gahyeon.
Everything turned differently when Yoohyeon got in Siyeon’s brain by saying how wide Gahyeon smiled looking at her chocolate and letter. Maybe Siyeon has a chance with her crush. Yoohyeon encouraged her to go and check before it’s too late.
Siyeon ran to the backyard when she observed that Gahyeon sits there at lunchtime. She didn’t know how the courage spread in her body, but it was useful to make her run very fast to catch Gahyeon before she leaves.
The black-haired rested her palms on her knees trying to have more oxygen inside her lungs after running very fast. Siyeon fixed her bangs, covering her eyebrows and a little of her eyes. She didn’t want to be perfect, but at least presentable for Lee Gahyeon to look at. She walked slowly, trying to repeat to herself what she might say to Gahyeon once she’s there.
A panic suddenly hits Siyeon so hard, it’s impossible for the ‘school first love’ to be interested in her. Even with that, Siyeon kept walking; if Gahyeon doesn’t like her back, at least she can look at her from far away for one more time. Siyeon just go.
“Lee Gahyeon I wanna tell you something” it was a voice, but not Siyeon’s.
Siyeon looked carefully, she saw a boy from her class disturbing Gahyeon’s peace by sitting next to her. Or he is not? He seemed comfortable and Gahyeon didn’t give any reaction about that.
The boy kissed Gahyeon’s cheek.
Siyeon might be very young but never thought that she would be that heartbroken after what she saw. She just ran as fast as she was on her way there. She doesn’t want to believe the truth, even though she knew that the chance of being together was below zero.
She hid in the bathroom and started crying for a while.
Since then, Siyeon never talked about Gahyeon anymore, and they graduated a month later.
--
It’s night, which means Siyeon can wear her blue suit and go to her school reunion.
Both Yoohyeon and Siyeon prepared to wear their suits. Siyeon was wearing a black turtleneck shirt with a blue jacket and pants. She left her hair as it is, it was a bob blonde hair, she doesn’t need much to fix. On the other side, Yoohyeon was wearing a light brown suit with a silk white shirt while resting her bowtie on her shoulders.
“Wow, Lee Gahyeon you have your chance now.” Yoohyeon clapped.
“Stop it with the Gahyeon shit,” Siyeon said while putting some perfume on, some around her neck. “Also, I think she got uglier or she’s not that pretty like how she was in high school.”
“I’m not sure about that,” Yoohyeon said with a laugh, “but maybe she is like everyone’s first love in the movies. She might be fat right now or half bald in her late twenties.”
“Glad we agree.”
--
It’s the school hall.
The same old boring hall, but in a more modernized way. It was bigger when she was younger, but now her body is bigger than she used to be. So, it’s much smaller than before.
Nothing changed at this moment, she entered this hall with the same date she used to go with. It was Yoohyeon, both of them were geeks and everyone wanted pretty girls not them. Which was fine by Siyeon because she wasn’t interested in boys anyways.
“Kim Yoohyeon.” a loud sound came from afar.
“No way, Kim Bora is still that loud until now.” Yoohyeon sighed.
With a smile, Yoohyeon opened her arms to hug the small woman. It was so sweet to see those women after ten years can’t maintain the peace and kept bickering. Bora was an old friend who they lost contact with after college once she studied abroad.
“Woah, Lee Siyeon.” Bora looked at Siyeon, “I have never in my life will expect that geeky girl will be this handsome today. I should’ve treated you better hahaha.”
“Not like you did treat me badly.” Siyeon hugged the old friend. “How have you been? Long time no see for real.”
“Well,” Bora said, “after graduation, I broke up with my girlfriend and lost my connection with the world. Now, I’m happily married” Bora showed her ring to both women. “Honey.”
A woman came in, she had short black hair. Also, she was wearing a suit. She looked very fancy, and surprisingly has a different energy than Bora but fit perfectly.
“This is Binnie,” Bora chuckled.
“How many times have I told you not to call me like that outside?”
“Okay, okay,” Bora laughed before kissing her wife’s cheek, “this is Lee Yubin, my beloved wife. Yubin, these are Siyeon and Yoohyeon. We were friends back in school”
Yoohyeon and Siyeon greeted Yubin with a wide smile. Then all four sat at a table to catch up about their news.
“So,” Bora said, “did anyone meet someone?”
“If you think Siyeon changed, then you are wrong.” Yoohyeon sighed.
“Is she still in love with Gahyeon?” Bora laughed.
“I’m not,” Siyeon’s face became red because the idea of someone in their late twinties and has never moved on from their high school crush is embarrassing, “first of all, I’m not. Second, I want to have a good job to treat my girlfriend well”
“I will believe you,” Bora laughed again, “what about you, Yoohyeon?”
“Not one,” Yoohyeon smiled gesturing number two with her hands, “but two. I have two girlfriends, we’ve been dating for six years. They are on their way.”
Yoohyeon didn’t finish her sentence, her phone starts ringing, it was a call from one of her girlfriends trying to find her.
“Here, here,” Yoohyeon waved her hands to them to notice her, “they are here,” she said with a puppy smile.
Two elegant women came, both of them wearing dresses. One of them had purple hair with a black dress, and the other had blonde hair with a white dress.
“My ying-yang, my inner peace, and balance,” Yoohyeon proudly smiled by the way she introduced her girlfriends. “This is Minji” she pointed at the one with purple hair, “and this is Dong” pointed at the other one.
Both of them smiled happily with a small bow as a greeting.
All five started chatting, while Siyeon was observing them all. It looked like Bora, Yoohyeon, and her, but with a bigger family. It was so sweet seeing all of them melting together as if they met yesterday not years ago. She kinda felt alone since she is the only one who technically came alone, but didn’t change the idea that this was very heartwarming.
“Lee Siyeon,” Bora called her, “look who’s there in the front door.”
Siyeon turned her head to see the front door, a goddess entered the hall. Everyone is shouting happily to see that one.
Lee Gahyeon.
She was nothing like she expected. Gahyeon wasn’t ugly, but she is deadly gorgeous. She is not fat nor half bald, Siyeon can see her toned abs meters away. She was wearing a white crop top, showing those abs, and a black skirt. she had pink hair, and that made her super attractive and caught all the attention.
Siyeon choked on her own spit by just looking at Gahyeon; she is not like the pure girl she used to love, but Siyeon will definitely fall in love with her again. She was walking like an angel, trying to find a place to sit in.
She came closer to the six’s table. With every closer step, Siyeon’s heartrate goes higher. She even thought that she might get a heart attack.
“Lee Siyeon, am I right?” Gahyeon asked Siyeon.
“Y- yeah” Siyeon cursed herself because she was stuttering, “yes, I’m Siyeon.”
“It’s been so long,” Gahyeon smiled and made Siyeon’s heart melt, “you’ve changed so much.”
Siyeon didn’t reply but gave a goofy smile, she didn’t know anything else to do.
Gahyeon smiled too and got ready to leave to another table, but Siyeon called her name. When Gahyeon turned she was just effortlessly attractive and made Siyeon’s heart almost stop. At least for now, one night, seize the moment, Lee Siyeon. Siyeon thought.
“Want a drink? On me?” Siyeon asked.
Yoohyeon, Handong, and Minji started coughing. They can’t believe that Siyeon is the one who asked that. Especially Yoohyeon, she was seeing her childhood memories already, she faced death by just hearing that. Is Siyeon being confident around girls? She is a literal panic and it was her main feature.
Gahyeon smiled, and never hesitated to accept.
Both women went to the bar table asking for two glasses while sitting on the stools.
“I really can’t believe that,” Siyeon raised her head out of confusion, “that I’m looking at you, Lee Siyeon.”
“What’s about it?” Siyeon didn’t get the other woman.
“You’ve changed so much,” Gahyeon smiled making Siyeon’s heart kind of stop beating. “I mean I never thought you would be looking like this. I thought you might be prettier, but not in this high level”
“You-- thought of me?” Siyeon was surprised and never thought in her life that Gahyeon even recognized her.
“Of course, I did from time to time. You know,” Gahyeon smiled while looking at her glass, “I had a crush on you back then. So I used to question myself ‘how is Siyeon doing?’”
Gahyeon’s face started to be like her hair, she kept looking at her glass while smiling. Siyeon immediately looked at the pink-haired lips, the corners are curled up, the way Gahyeon became more attractive was beyond Siyeon realization.
“Me?” Siyeon changes her tone to a more serious one, “the geeky Lee Siyeon who doesn’t have a prom date and go with her best friend Kim Yoohyeon?”
Gahyeon laughed very shyly, looked at Siyeon’s eyes, “yes, that one.”
“Woah,” Siyeon rested herself on the back of the stool, “the school first love, had a crush on me? Impossible.”
“Wanna show you if I’m serious or not?” Gahyeon put her glass on the table and looked at Siyeon. The blonde felt like Gahyeon is staring at her soul, she will know everything about Siyeon by only looking.
The blonde didn’t answer but waited for Gahyeon to do what she wanted to do. Gahyeon hopped off the chair, getting closer to Siyeon, Got the hair strands on her eyes, and tucked it behind her ears. Gahyeon looked for a second, caressed Siyeon’s sharp jaw, then didn’t hesitate to kiss her.
Siyeon didn’t think for once, even after millions of years she might kiss Gahyeon, or feeling those unique lips against hers, nor kissing those lips back. The kiss didn’t last long, she didn’t even know if it’s real or if she’s drunk already.
Gahyeon looked at Siyeon, she was zoned out. Siyeon’s pupils were so big and that made her lose that handsome aura, but it made her the familiar seventeen years old girl Gahyeon had a crush on ten years ago.
“Now,” Gahyeon smiled, “I see the Lee Siyeon I had a crush on.”
Gahyeon went back to her chair, smiling like a fool. She asked for another drink to ease the awkwardness she felt after her bold move.
“I had a crush on you too,” Siyeon said that while being zoned out. She seemed hypnotized like it wasn’t her the one who is talking.
“I kinda knew, but couldn’t confess” Gahyeon sipped some of her drink, “you were brave Lee Siyeon, not me. But I waited for you, and you never came.”
“Because a guy kissed you” Siyeon got back to her senses.
“How did you know?”
“I saw that, in your favorite corner in the backyard, it was Junhee.”
Suddenly, Siyeon’s heart started to feel broken again. High school love is something stupid, people move on easily, but seeing Gahyeon now made her feel like she carried the pure girl inside her heart until now.
No love like your first love.
“Aren’t you straight?” Siyeon raised her head.
“I’m not.”
“Then why did he kiss you?”
The childish emotions took over Siyeon senses and logic, she kept that inside her for too long. She didn’t tell her best friend that her heart got broken in front of her eyes, it’s all inside Siyeon. For all these years, that was her secret.
Now, after years of failed relationships, she is in front of her first love, and she took advantage of her. Yes, now I’ve changed, but I’m not dumb.
Siyeon hopped off and left the hall. Gahyeon followed her and never let her get too far. With one step closer Gahyeon gets, Siyeon walks five times more. Until both of them went to the backyard, the same place Gahyeon used to be in.
“He was harassing me,” Gahyeon screamed and that made Siyeon stop. “He knew that I wasn’t straight, that’s why he offered me to change my mind.”
Siyeon froze in her place, she knew that Junhee wasn’t a good person at all. Maybe that’s what disappointed Siyeon the most; that instead of all the people in the school including herself, Gahyeon chose the pervert kid. Knowing that Gahyeon knew about her feelings and chose him made things worse.
Gahyeon held herself from crying. she wanted to be strong even if this was very traumatic, she didn’t want to show it. Instead of crying, it turned into heavy breathy. Being weak is not a good idea, and more than that not next to Siyeon.
A sudden warmth started to surround Gahyeon, she felt pressure holding her very tight. It was Siyeon, hugging her tightly.
Gahyeon was holding herself for too long not to cry. The warmth she felt from Siyeon made her weak, Gahyeon doesn’t remember the last time she got a warm hug like this. She has been single for too long.
“Sorry,” a low voice came from the blonde, “I was there, but I didn’t protect you. I’m Sorry, Lee Gahyeon.”
Siyeon’s voice like a lullaby to the pink-haired, she calmed immediately when she felt Siyeon’s hand rubbing her back. It was so warm, so nice, Gahyeon didn’t want it to end.
It did end when Siyeon pulled herself. She took Gahyeon’s face with both hands, warming her cold cheeks, and looking at her eyes. Gahyeon looked like the pure teenager Siyeon used to have a crush on, she seemed like giving the blonde free access to see the real Gahyeon.
“You are cold,” Siyeon said, “let’s get inside.”
“Hug me instead,” Gahyeon’s eyes are sparkling, “you were too warm”
Siyeon shyly smiled, her brain asked her for something hoping she could do it for the last time.
Kiss her.
Siyeon didn’t hesitate this time too. She did kiss her, sharing all warmth with the pink-haired. Gahyeon didn’t take any second to realize what’s happening, she kissed back immediately. The warmth was so nice and it started spreading inside her body so fast. Gahyeon hid her hands between Siyeon’s shirt and jacket, pulling her closer to feel warmer.
They were out of breath and cold, so they decided to go inside instead.
“Wait,” Siyeon said while taking off her jacket, “you are wearing too many revealing clothes, this will make you warmer.” and put it on Gahyeon’s shoulders.
Siyeon warped her arms around Gahyeon’s shoulders to give her extra warmth, then entered the hall again.