That Autumn

Love at The First Sight

Ten years passed. I'm back in this town. Seoul. For me, this place hasn't changed much.

I stopped at a cherry blossom tree that was starting to lose its leaves. It's fall. Just like back then. When I first met her, Sunny weather. The air is still warm. I will never forget it. That person.

"Mom!" A boy ran up to me. I had deliberately left him in the park to just play for a while. The long journey must have made him very tired. He's a good boy. Never complained, even though I put him through hard days.

"Yes?" I smiled while rubbing his head. "Are you tired?"

He laughed out loud as he put something in my palm. Four-leaf clover. He then pointed to the grass. "I found it there."

Here... I took the four-leaf clover and raised it to my face. This is the same thing. The first thing that person gave me. My first love.

***

Seoul, Fall 2008.

Even though it's been a few weeks here, I'm still not used to the atmosphere and the school. I have a lot of difficulty communicating with other people, so I don't have friends yet. I do know some people in my class. But we're not close. We only talk occasionally. I can't talk much.

At first, before Dad brought our family back to Korea, I thought my Korean language was pretty good. Apparently not. Compared to elementary school kids, I'm worse. It made me miss a lot of lessons. I can't match the other kids.

It was break time. As usual on days, I went to the library to repeat the lesson earlier. This is one way that I don't seem too stupid compared to the rest of my friends. I purposely went to the library because the classroom would be too crowded and noisy. I can't concentrate on the noise.

I stopped under a cherry blossom tree that had falling flowers. The pink color caught my attention. I let one petal fall in my palm. Cherry blossoms are definitely more beautiful in spring. Too bad I missed it this year.

"Is it pretty?" I flinched when I heard someone's voice. I was enjoying cherry blossoms so much that I didn't notice anyone approaching me.

I lifted my head and found a girl standing right in front of me. The sun shining through the cherry blossom branches lit up her face. Makes it shine so bright in my eyes. Plus the cherry blossoms in the background. She smiled at me. Very sweet. That question.. I only dared to answer it in my heart. Yes pretty.

"Actually, I know an even prettier one." She smiled back at me. "Much prettier than a cherry blossom."

"Much prettier than the cherry blossom?" I repeated.

She nodded. "But I can't tell you."

I've never seen cherry blossoms in person before. Of course, I like them because they are pink. I think cherry blossoms are very beautiful. Actually, I was a little disappointed when she didn't want to tell me what was prettier than a cherry blossom.

"I'm Lee Shin Ah." She held out her hand to me. "I don't think I've seen you before."

"I'm a transfer student from IC class." I shook his hand. "My name is Anna Wang."

"En Ah?" She said my name in a strange way. Made me laugh softly.

"Anna." My correction.

"Ah..." She nodded. Not trying to do it again. "I'm in class IA. You can come to my class sometime."

"Is it allowed?" I don't think I would dare to do that. I don't have the confidence to get into another class.

"Of course!" She then looked at the book I was holding. "Calculus? What are you going to do with it?"

"I want to repeat the lesson that was in the library," I explained.

"You do that often?" She looked curious. And.. I don't know if it's just my feelings, or if she just wants to talk to me for a long time.

"Hmm.." I nodded. "Every break time. I don't want to be left behind by the other students while my language skills are already behind."

She laughed. "You catch up only during break time? Is that enough?"

"Err.. Did I do something wrong?"

"Of course!" Now she looks happy. It was as if she had just discovered something so interesting. "Going to the library during break time will only make you friendless. If your main problem is language, you should ask someone for help."

That is true. How can I learn something I don't understand on my own?

"Ehm.. If you don't mind, this is it." She took a step closer to me. "I'm not very good at it. But I can help you with your calculus. The break is too short. It won't be enough. How about after school?"

She wants to help me? That's great. Besides, I can catch up. I think we can also get closer. Honestly, she has a kind of charm that makes me want to get to know her better. "If it doesn't bother you, I'd be very grateful."

"In my house?" she asked again. "I live alone with my older brother. Both of my parents are in Jeonju. And he usually comes home from college at night. My house is very quiet. It's suitable for studying. Also playing."

So.. She wants to be alone with me?

"Shin Ah-ya!"

Someone's voice called out. Simultaneously, Shin Ah and I turned in the direction of the voice. There, in a class window on the second floor, there were two female students waving at us. One is dark skinned while the other is petite. Shin Ah waved back at them.

"Those are my friends." Obviously. "They usually come to my house too. I'll introduce you to them later."

Again, I feel a little disappointed. She didn't just take me to her house. There will also be her friends. She didn't ask me to be alone with her. Tsk, what am I thinking? This girl looks normal. She was just being friendly.

"Wait for me at the gate after school." She went over to her friends, then waved at me. "See you Anna-ya!"

I replied with a smile. For a while, I just stood there looking at her back, which was pulling away while hugging the book to my chest. What is this strange feeling? I can't stop smiling even though she's no longer looking at me. I also can't stop looking at her even though she's no longer seen. I can't wait for school hours to end. I can't wait to see her again.

Lee Shin Ah. I called her name in my head and smiled again. Her skin is white, her face is beautiful, and she is very cute when she smiles. There's something wrong with me. Why can't I stop thinking about her?

Bell rings. Finally, it's time to come back from school. I hastily stuffed my books and stationery into my bag. I don't want to make Shin Ah wait long.

Half running, I walked out of the classroom to the place we had promised earlier. School gate. When I got there, no one was there. I arrived too soon. So I decided to wait her out. For more than five minutes I stood there, Shin Ah out of the school building. She was flanked by the two girls who had called her earlier. Seeing me, she quickened her pace.

"Do you wait long?" she asked as soon as she came near me.

I shook my head. "I just got here."

"These are my classmates." She then talked to her friends. "This is Anna, the one I told you about."

"Anyeong, I'm Da Mi." said the dark-skinned girl.

"My name is Uhm Na Ra, but they used to call me Na Ra." The other, smaller girl lowered her head to greet me.

"I'm Anna." My greeting then took turns shaking the hands of Shin Ah's two friends.

"Then come on! Our ride is waiting." Shin Ah led the way to a classic Rolls Royce parked on the side of the road not far from the school.

A Ride? Like that? Is Shin Ah a conglomerate or something? My guts immediately shrunk to see how good the car was. I'm no match for Shin Ah. I won't be able to get close to her.

Da Mi took a seat in the front right next to the driver while Na Ra chose to sit in the back. Shin Ah opened the passenger door and let me in first.

"Thank you." I said as I got into the car and sat next to Na Ra.

"You're welcome." Shin Ah smiled sweetly before entering and sitting next to me. I held my breath for a moment as our shoulders collided.

"So..." Da Mi looked back as the car started to move. She directed her enthusiastic gaze at me. "How do you get Shin Ah to talk?"

"Eh?" I don't know what that question means. I glanced at Shin Ah and she just chuckled, then turned her gaze out the window.

"I'm curious too!" Na Ra turned from her seat facing me. Now there are two people waiting for an answer to a question that I don’t understand.

"Just so you know. It took me three days to get her to talk." Da Mi continued. "And I was sitting right next to her. Imagine how frustrated I was at that time. I kept on babbling and she didn't respond to me at all."

"I'm a little luckier." Na Ra's turn to speak. "Because I was close to Da Mi Eonni first, Shin Ah Eonni automatically spoke to me when she started talking to Da Mi Eonni."

"Eonnie?" I'm getting confused hearing this. I thought they were classmates.

"Despite her class, she is two years younger than us." Shin Ah explained. "She's kind of.. Yeah.. A child prodigy."

I'm laughing. It sounded funny when Shin Ah said that word.

"You have not answered my question." The impatient Da Mi hugged her seat. "How do you get her to talk?"

"I was the first one to talk to her, Da Mi-ah!" Finally, Shin Ah answered Da Mi's question. "She was blocking my way. She didn't know I was there, so I greeted her first."

"Is that true?" Na Ra looks in disbelief.

"Is that true?" Da Mi asked the same question but was asked by me.

I nodded.

"Daebak!" Da Mi clapped her hands. "This Lee Shin Ah, she's really quiet. If you don't know her, she won't talk even if you talk to her. In class, she only wants to talk to me and Na Ra."

Shin Ah is quiet? I don't think so. She's quite friendly. She even offered to help me study and took me to her house.

"Don't overestimate me Da Mi-ah!" Shin Ah leaned towards Da Mi then broke the girl's hairdo.

"YA!" Da Mi hit Shin Ah's hand then immediately smoothed her hair. "I just tidied it up! Damn it!"

Shin Ah laughed at Da Mi's overreaction just now. "You can tidy it up later at home! Damn it!"

"Eonnie!" Na Ra talks to Da Mi. "You've been weird lately. You look in the mirror more often, like to dress up, and wear too much perfume."

"Maybe there's someone she likes." I chirp. Try to blend in with them.

"How do you know?" Da Mi looked amazed.

"So it's true?" Shin Ah was amazed. But towards Da Mi.

"Who's he?" Na Ra did the talking. "Do we know?"

Da Mi sat back properly in her place. "You know Nam Young Jae Sunbae? Class II-A."

"Captain of the football team?" Guess Shin Ah, who immediately responded by Da Mi with a nod.

"He's tall and handsome. And he seems kind," Na Ra added.

"Precisely!" Da Mi turns to Shin Ah for support. "He's so handsome. Totally my type. What do you think?"

"Who knows?" Shin Ah is indifferent and looks back out the window. "I didn't pay much attention."

"Issh.. you!" Da Mi had now turned to me. "You know Nam Young Jae sunbae? What do you think? He's handsome, right?"

"I do not know." I smiled shyly. Da Mi seems to be talking about someone very famous at school, but I have absolutely no idea. "I didn't know a lot of people at school."

"Tsk, you missed something good." Da Mi patted my shoulder. "Tomorrow I will introduce him to you."

"Andwe!" Shin Ah suddenly shouted, making me that right beside her, surprised. She glared at Da Mi.

"Mwoya!" Da Mi moves away because Shin Ah's voice is so loud. "Did you eat something wrong?"

Na Ra and I looked at her in surprise.

"Err.. I mean..." Shin Ah turned nervous and her face turned red. "I.. Aah.. I forgot something. I forgot to wash clothes this morning."

"Eonni .." Na Ra laughed while pointing at Shin Ah's face. "You look like a clumsy person."

"I.. I'm not." Shin Ah is still nervous. She fixed her seat then patted her skirt from the non-existent dust.

"Aah.. I think I know." Da Mi smirked at Shin Ah. "You act like you don't care but actually you also like Nam Young Jae sunbae. Don't you? That's why you were angry when I wanted to introduce Anna to her. I understand.. I'll introduce you to him too."

Shin Ah likes that person? Why do I feel displeased?

"I think Eonni likes him," Na Ra said to Da Mi.

"Na Ra-ya! I like all handsome boys. I don't mind sharing with my friends." Da Mi looked at Shin Ah with a deep sigh. "Especially for uri Shin Ah-nie. I will give everything to you."

"Giving what? He's not even yours!" Shin Ah's sarcasm.

"That's why." Da Mi moves towards Shin Ah then shakes her hand forcibly. "Let's compete fairly."

"Just now you said you would give everything for me. So now you want to compete?" Shin Ah pulled her hand back forcibly.

"So it's true that Eonni likes that sunbae?" Na Ra pointed another question at Shin Ah.

Shin Ah cleared her throat while smoothing the collar of her already neat shirt. "Think of it that way."

Shin Ah likes him. Hearing that made me feel uncomfortable. I don't even know what that person is like. Why does Shin Ah have to like him? And it's even weirder.. Why do I have to feel this way towards Shin Ah? I just met her today.

I looked down at my lap. I suddenly felt so sad. Granted, I've never been in a relationship before, but I've long noticed my abnormality. Although I'm not a tomboyish girl, to me girls look more attractive than boys. I never told this to anyone. Including Dad.

That was another thing that was the reason why I didn't have the courage to approach my friends at school first. I'm in Seoul at the moment. A place so much different from Los Angeles. They won't accept me easily. I'm afraid they will ostracize me if they find out who I really am.

"We're here." Shin Ah said. "This is my house."

The car we were traveling in stopped in front of a house. Not like I thought. The house is nice, but too small for a chaebol house. Maybe the car we were in was not Shin Ah's but one of Da Mi's or Na Ra's.

"You don't want to come in?" Shin Ah asked me because I was just standing in front of the door while Da Mi and Na Ra had already entered.

"Is it … No problem?" I suddenly had doubts. Seeing how normal they are, I'm not sure they'll like me.

"You're here, what are you worried about? We're not going to force you to do drugs." Shin Ah laughed while showing off her charm that could make my heart beat twice as fast.

I looked down while playing with my fingers. Trying to avoid her gaze. "I didn't mean to accuse you."

"Hey I was just kidding." She hit my shoulder lightly then grabbed my hand and pulled me to follow her. "Come on! They must be waiting."

I looked at my hand that was gripped by hers. It doesn't grab my wrist. Neither is my arm. Instead, she put her palms together with mine and then held them gently and carefully. And she kept holding it even though I had followed her willingly. The way she treats me, I expect more.

"My room is on the second floor. We used to spend time there." Shin Ah babbled while taking me up the stairs to her room. "The kitchen is on the first floor. Don't hesitate if you need something. You can ask me or take it directly from the kitchen. Think of it as your own home. You see Na Ra and Da Mi, right? They already think my house is their own home. Ck, they even enter first even though the host is still outside."

Shin Ah opened her room. There were already Da Mi and Na Ra. Da Mi is lying on a single bed reading comics while Na Ra is looking seriously at a laptop on the study table. The room was not bigger than mine but looked neatly arranged. There is a balcony overlooking the street. They depend on several types of plants that are well maintained.

"Please have a seat. Don't mind the two of them." Shin Ah took a low writing desk and placed it in the middle of the room and sat in front of it. "So, do you want to study now or do you want to rest first?"

I put my bag on the floor and sat across from Shin Ah. "Ehm.. whatever."

"Hmm.." Shin Ah propped her chin on the table then looked at me with a smile.

"What’s wrong?" I felt my face heat up.

She shook her head. "Nothing ..."

At first glance, I saw Da Mi peeking at us from behind her comic. Then she immediately turned when she realized I had seen her. But I could see her brow furrowed with a surprised expression.

"Ah.. I have this." She took her bag and looked for something there. "For you."

"For me?" I took that thing. Laminated four-leaf clover. I've heard that a four-leaf clover can grant wishes. It is not easy to find it among so many clumps. I smiled happily. It gave me something very special. "Are you sure?"

"Yup!" She nodded. Looks enthusiastic when I see I'm happy to receive it. "You can make it as a good luck charm. Or if you don't believe in that sort of thing, you can also use it for bookmarks."

Da Mi jumps off the bed and goes to Shin Ah's side. She threw the comic in her hand just like that. One hand wrapped around Shin Ah's shoulder. They look very intimate. I do not like to see it.

"Shin Ah-ya!" One hand rests on Shin Ah's forehead. "Are you sick? But.. Your body didn’t feel warm."

Shin Ah pushes Da Mi away from her. She laughed. "You are the one who is sick!"

"You're really weird today!" Da Mi waved her index finger in front of Shin Ah's face. "Na Ra-ya! You think she's weird too, right?"

"Hmm.." Na Ra nodded without taking her eyes off the laptop. "Shin Ah Eonni is more talkative."

Da Mi has now turned to me. "Is it true you just met today?"

I nodded not understanding. Is Shin Ah really acting weird? Is it true that Shin Ah usually doesn't talk much?

"Daebak! You're making progress in socializing." Da Mi hit Shin Ah's back. Making the girl almost kiss the table. Then Da Mi came back to me. "What was the first thing she said to you? Coughs?"

"No.. She said.." I haven't had time to continue my sentence because Shin Ah hastily interrupted.

"We'll study in the living room, Anna-ya!" Shin Ah took some of her books from the bag. Then she stood up and asked me to follow her. "Da Mi is too noisy. She will only annoy you."

"Yeah! I wouldn't be noisy if you weren't weird!" Da Mi shouted in self-defense.

Shin Ah ignored her. She led me down to the first floor. I followed her obediently.

"Do you mind if just the two of us were here?" Shin Ah asked me while arranging her book on the table. "I'm sorry. Da Mi wasn't usually this noisy before."

Being alone with her.. I feel happy. Actually, I was a little disturbed by Da Mi's gaze that seemed to be watching.

I sat next to her. "No problem. I really appreciate you helping me to study."

Then we started studying. Shin Ah taught me some lessons that I didn't understand. She uses simple language so that it is easier for me to understand. Another good thing is, Shin Ah thinks I'm very far behind in class. So she asked me to come to her house every day after school. Of course, I don't mind.