First Love

Your POV
I first met him way back when we were kids, but then I got in an accident when I was visiting my family in America when I got in a car accident. Both of my parents died and I was thrown into a hospital in critical condition.
I sigh when I’m told I’m going back to Korea though after almost 10 years of being cooked up in a hospital.
Still I can’t walk because of how the bones in my legs healed.
The doctors said that maybe there will be a good treatment for me if I ever get the money.
I look down at a letter that I got from when I first woke up. It was from my best friend, but I never answered him and I never got another letter.
I don’t even believe that I’ve opened it.
I mean it’s almost 10 years old and I’m turning 20 this year.
I sigh when I enter the airport in my stupid wheelchair with some flight attendant.
When we reach the plane I switch wheelchairs and they help me into my first class seat.
It’s stupid that I had to be the first one on because of my wheelchair.
I look at my legs and sigh hating this weakness of mine, “I guess it could have been worse I could have no feeling in my lower half. Still I miss playing sports and dancing around.”
I chuckle as a memory of my childhood friend chasing after me well I dance around the house.
I look down at the letter that I’ve kept all these years and had yet to look at.
I go to open it to see a cute letter from a 10 year old that screams his name and I look down at the nme to see it say Shik Gongchan.
I hear a voice that I remember from a far away memory, “Come on ___ we’re going to be late. Mommy made cookies.”
I still look around like somehow the little boy was near me in person and not in my mind as a memory.
Soon we made it to Japan and the flight attendant had to help me get to me
We switch flights and I look down at my legs again as she helps me into the other airplane’s seat.
Sitting next to me is a guy who looks like he wants to sleep or he’s ready to cause trouble.
I’m sitting there but decide to pull out my Ipad that’s been off since I left the United States.
I pull up my facebook on it to see that one of my friend’s messaged me.
I ignore her rambling about B1A4 and all kinds of Kpop bands.
Still I will miss her ramblings and I feel tears falling from my eyes.
A voice enters my head, “Want me to sing you another song to make you feel better?”
I shake my head as I hear my voice from when I was a kid tell him, “No matter what you do I’ll still feel like an idiot.”
He says to me, “Not everyone can swim and you always told me that you loved it when I sing to you.”
I feel a hand on my shoulder as I look up to see the flight attendant that helped me into my seat ask me, “Miss, are you alright?”
I shake my head, “No, it’s just been a long time since I’ve been home and I’m afraid at how much it’s changed along with myself.”
She nods her head, “Memories are bothering you?”
I nod my head, “Yes, I’m surprised my grandmother asked me to come back after 10 years... I think it’s because she’s tired of paying for my hospital bills.”
The attendant shakes her head, “I’m sure your parents love you.”
I nod my head as she walks away, “Stupid lady I said grandmother my parents have been dead for 10 years.”
I hear the guy next to me and say, “She just misunderstood that happens all the time.”
I nod my head, “I know it’s just family is a sore subject for me.”
He nods his head, “So do you have any family in Korea besides your grandmother?”
I shake my head, “I have a friend, but I haven’t talked to him in around 10 years.”
He nods his head, “Oh I just remembered I didn't introduces myself my name is Jinyoung.”
I smile, “Oh sorry I didn’t recognize you. I’m Paradise ____.”
“Interesting last name,” he says to me.
I chuckle, “Thank you. Most people ask me if that's my first name or something.”
He chuckles, “It’s surprising my friend use to know someone that he called Paradise all the time.”
I feel my chest clench in pain, “That’s interesting what happened?”
“I’m not sure. Her parents died in a car accident. When he heard about that he sent her a letter, but never got a reply instead he got a letter from her cousin telling him that he shouldn’t ever bother her again. That she was in a large amount of pain and he’d just cause her more. When she’s ready she will come back to him.”
He knows my Gongchan.
“What happened?”
“He’s never heard from her. He hasn’t even got a letter back from her family. He still writes a letter to them for every holiday and her birthday.”
I feel a few tears call from my eyes.
“Are you alright?”
I shake my head, “No... I can’t believe I hurt him that much I just didn't want him to see me like this.”
“Wait you’re that Paradise?”
I nod my head, “The stupid kid blabbering on about me...”
I feel a small smile appear on my lips, “I hardly remember him. I feel stupid I don’t even remember his face. I didn’t even remember his name until earlier today...”
He chuckles, “That’s because it seems your family is trying to lock up your past and make sure you don’t remember the accident.”
I smile, “You sure are nice aren’t you.”
He chuckles, “It’s just he takes care of all of us and even his siblings and that. I want to help him for once.”
“Why am I really that important to him?”
I watch Jinyoung nod his head, “Yeah, he never stops talking about you.”
“Why? I abandoned him when I got into the accident.”
“Your cousin said it was because you had a mild case of amnesia that would fluctuate.”
I nod my head, “Yeah, they also said it might have to deal with me losing my will to walk. I couldn’t deal with all the memories that I had of me being able to walk, run, dance, and even swim. I hated those memories. The first few years they had to keep me medicated.”
He looks at me shocked, “You know what I’m going to change places with Gongchan. Do you think you can deal with it?”
I slowly nod my head and watch Jinyoung stand up and I hear his voice only four seats behind where we were.
“Yeah, the chick doesn’t like me and told me that I was being annoying so I thought we could trade places,” Jinyoung seems to easily lies to the boy.
“What why we only have what half an hour until we land?” I hear a voice whine a bit.
I hear him say, “I think she’s going to hit me.”
“Fine,” I hear him say and get out of his seat and his footsteps coming closer by the second to me.
I quickly look down at my feet peking from my long skirt.
“Could you move so I can get inside?”
“I wish I could but I can’t stand,” I tell him a bit annoyed.
“What do you mean?”
I lift up my skirt enough that he can see the braces trying to hold my legs together.
“Oh I’m sorry,” he says to me sounding sincere and steps over my legs carefully to sit down.
“No, problem Channie,” he looks at me surprised.
“Are you a fan of ours?”
I shake my head, “No, I never listened to your music before, but I knew you a while back.”
He looks at me for a second until he notices my birthmark sticking out of my sleeve on my right wrist, “____?”
I nod my head and he leaps over at me pulling me into a tight hug.
I start laughing as he hugs me tightly and slowly my arms wrap around him.
“___, I can’t believe that it’s you.”
I nod my head and smile at him, “Yeah, me either. I’m sorry it took me 10 years to get to you.”
He shakes his head and starts catching up with me.
It’s amazing how quickly he forgave me, but I’m not one to complain.
Soon we’re leaving the plane and instead of the flight attendant Gongchan had talked her into letting him push me in my chair.
I look around and notice people staring at us and I feel self cautious that I’m in a wheelchair and Channie is pushing me.
I look up at Gongchan, “Channie people are looking.”
“I don’t care,” he says to me and I see a goofy and confident smile appear on his lips.
“Why?”
He leans down and kisses me straight on the lips, “Because I still love you.”
I look at him too surprised to even speak...
He loves me...
That’s why I’m so important...
How does he know it’s like before?
I hear people gasp and for once I don’t care that people are looking at us and how insecure I am about my legs I’m with Gongchan and he loves me.

Notes