Seven Years

Sep - 06 2014 | By

     “I want to go back to high school,” I always complain to my peer. I’m 26, working in quite huge company. Our company is the most famous design company in Korea, so I’m really proud of being a member of this place. I worked in here since I graduated from college, so this is my third year. Everyone call me “Happy-Virus,” because I always smile and make everyone happy, but these days, I spend my days in a state of torpor. I don’t know why, but every day I cannot concentrate on my works and I just keep thinking of my school life, especially high school. I miss my closest friend, Hailey.

     One day, I just called my boss to have a vacation. Fortunately, my hard work for three years let me to have break. As a duck takes to water, I naturally started to pack my stuff and started my short trip to my high school. My high school is located near mountain, so when I was in school, there was nothing around our school. With full of expectation my trip was started.

     I could ride faster train, but I just felt like to ride the slowest train, so that I could feel like I’m really having a rest. About five hours later, I arrived in the last stop. My school is kind of far from the train station, but as I mentioned I wanted a slow trip, so I rent bike to go to my school. It wasn’t bad! It took an hour to get near my school. I think seven years are not a short time, everything was changed. At that moment, I really hoped my school to be same as when I was a student. I placed bike at the bike station, and slowly walked toward school. While walking, I pulled out my ear-phone and played some music which makes me to think of my high school life. I don’t know why, but my eyes were little moist.

     When I arrived in school, it was quiet, happily nothing was really changed. It was during winter vacation, so there was no one except the guards. I got permission from guards, and then I walked in slowly and start to look around. I lived in school dormitory, so I first went to dormitory. Lobby design was little bit different, but it was enough to recall the memories in dormitory. I think I was lost in memories for an hour, and I barely get out from memories and walked to main building.

     Tranquil surrounding made me even colder, and physical cold made my mind cold too. Outside was too cold, so I went in to the main building. When I walked in to the building, something bumped up in my thought, the presentation hall. Presentation hall was in school 6th floor, I have a lot of memories in that place.

     I slowly opened a presentation hall, of course, there were no one. I changed my music to piano music. Why? My friend and I always played piano in this place, and that moment makes me to think of her when I listen to this music. Where is she? She went abroad to study more, so I didn’t see her since I graduate from high school. I think she is the one that made feel empty. I lasted for seven years, but I think it is my limit. I really miss her. I really want to see her.

     “Jessica?” I heard familiar voice near the door.

     “Are you here?” I know this voice. The voice, that I wanted to listen for seven years, yes, she is here. Voice get closer, and I also heard foot step that comes toward me. When I looked at that sound, I saw my friend, Hailey, looking at me. It must be dream, how… how… She is in US, isn’t she?

     “Jessica, did you miss me? I came to Korea, yesterday. Sorry for not telling you, I wanted to keep it secret and make you surprise.” Hailey told me with the voice that I missed for seven years.

     “How did you know that I’m here?”

     “You know, we are friend. I know you. I know everything about you. Do you want to listen to my piano? I practiced more~” She started to play piano, I was so happy that I couldn’t say anything, and I just stared at her. I don’t know why, but I just started to cry. I think I missed this scene so much that my mind made me to come to this memorable place. And I really want to stop the time at this moment. (774)

4 Comments

  1. Michelle Ahn says:

    It was unique of you to have ‘high school’ as the place where one gets comfort. It was also good that your story seems like our story after we graduated. Thinking back now, i do miss my times in elementary and middle school. Somehow your story taught me a lesson to enjoy my time in high school to the fullest rather than being stressful, because i know that i am going to miss this time in the future, just like your main character, Jessica.

  2. plhinkle says:

    Yeah, “high school” for comfort struck me as odd, too; however, I think for your character, it the place wasn’t the spot that gave her comfort: being in the space/vicinity of her friend is her happy place.

    • sallykimcw says:

      Jessica 🙂 haha I used to have friend like Jessica 😀 I personally think that high school might arouse some memories between friends and school environments, but for sure don’t want to think of TESTS again 🙂 (LOL) Overall, I liked the word choices of your story. Such as, tranquil surrounding. Nice job Erica! keep up with your good work.

  3. amykim says:

    Interesting approach! None of us thought of going back to the school days! It makes me think again about how precious the high school period is! I would be missing this period a lot:)



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