His first love
It was 10 o'clock at night. The rain poured relentlessly, drumming against the window panes of Zain's room. He sat hunched over his laptop, the glow of the screen reflecting off his damp hair, fingers paused over the keyboard. He reached for his desk drawers, hunting for a file. First drawer—empty. Second—nothing.
He opened the third drawer, and his breath caught. A pile of photographs lay inside, edges worn, memories frozen in time. He picked up two, his hands trembling slightly.
The first photo was of him and Minami.
The second captured their childhood—Zain, Junzhen, and Minami, smiles uncontainable, laughter caught in stillness. Their faces radiated innocence, a world where nothing could ever separate them.
His chest tightened, a wave of sorrow pressing down. He whispered, almost to himself,
"All our promises… left unfinished… dreams we were supposed to chase together."
He gently returned the photos, closed the drawer with a soft click, and buried his face in his hands. Memories pulled him back, dragging him through the corridors of the past…
The Past
Golden light spilled across the school rooftop, dusting the world in warmth as the sun set. A breeze teased their hair, carrying their laughter across the empty tiles.
Zain leaned against the wall, lips curved faintly. Junzhen sat beside him, hands clasped behind his back, eyes tracing the clouds above. Minami, freshly returned from Japan, sat between them. Her laughter cut through the quiet air like a fresh gust of wind in a stifling room.
"Look," Minami pointed at the clouds, "they look like rabbits!"
Junzhen laughed. "You make everything look cute."
Zain raised an eyebrow, a faint smile breaking through. "Rabbits? I'd say lions."
Minami giggled, her eyes shining. "Then they're magical clouds, changing with your mood."
Their laughter rang across the rooftop, seamless, untouchable by the world outside.
Sometimes Minami would bring Japanese snacks.
"Today, you'll taste real Tokyo flavors," she'd announce proudly.
Zain would watch quietly, his eyes betraying a warmth he never spoke aloud—here, with these two, he felt a home he had never known.
Junzhen placed a hand on Zain's shoulder.
"You're not alone anymore, got it?"
In the park, they played on swings, sipped three different cups of coffee—black for Zain, sweet latte for Minami, strawberry milk for Junzhen.
Every evening, Minami would say,
"Promise me, no matter what, we'll always be friends."
Both boys would respond instinctively,
"Always."
The clouds above seemed to witness their pact, oblivious that one day, those very promises would fracture their hearts.
---
Junzhen Leaves, Zain Moves On
Junzhen left for abroad. Zain moved in with his adoptive parents. He could never have guessed that high school would reunite him with Minami.
The school bell rang. Corridors erupted with laughter and footsteps, students scurrying past in groups.
Zain… remained solitary as always.
Bag slung over his shoulder, eyes fixed on his books, he moved quietly toward class.
Then a voice stopped him—
"Zain…?"
His steps froze. Heart skipped a beat. Slowly, reluctantly, he looked up.
There she was—Minami.
The same face he had kept alive in memory all these years. Long hair framing her face, eyes still sparkling with that familiar glint, lips curled in a faint smile. Yet behind the smile, a subtle distance lingered.
Zain's lips trembled, but no words came.
Minami broke the silence with a soft laugh.
"It's been so many years… never thought we'd meet again."
Zain's eyes glistened. He wanted to smile but couldn't. All he could do was nod.
Memories of childhood came rushing back—park swings, rain-soaked afternoons, sharing chocolates, and that incomplete farewell.
A chasm now lay between them—silent, wide, impossible to bridge with words.
Minami held his gaze.
"Zain… you're still the same. Quiet. But your eyes… they speak volumes."
For the first time, Zain met her eyes directly. His heart whispered: this meeting would change everything.
High school years had been the most precious of their lives—sharing post-class laughter, sneaking smiles between library books, dreaming aloud for hours on the rooftop.
Minami often said,
"Zain, one day I'll be a model. My face will grace magazine covers."
Zain would smile at her shining eyes,
"If that's your dream, I'll always be there. I'll help you chase it."
But college brought reality.
During her first year, Minami confessed,
"Zain… I've been hiding something. I got a modeling contract, and I'm leaving for the U.S. tomorrow. It's been my dream for so long."
Zain's heart shattered. He tried to stop her.
"Minami… you can't go. How am I supposed to live without you? All our promises… unfinished… first Junzhen, now you."
Minami's expression hardened.
"Zain, don't you understand? Dreams need more than love. Money, connections, influence… you have none of that. Your adoptive parents? They have it all. Me? I have nothing. I want to be strong, to build my world myself."
Her words cut him to the core. Tears threatened, yet he stayed silent.
The next day, she made it clear—
"Zain, I can't be with you. I must follow my dreams. Staying with you won't let me reach them."
He neither protested nor moved. Just one last look—a look containing his whole world.
Minami picked up her bag and left, her figure slowly fading into the distance. Zain wanted to call her back, to hold her close, to say, "Don't go, you are my everything," but the words never escaped his lips.
---
The Park
Zain returned to the park often—the same place of childhood laughter and tender memories. Swings, winding paths, and the old bench where their friendship and first innocent love had flourished.
Every step brought a flood of memories—Minami's laughter, Junzhen's pranks, the magic they had shared. Alone on the bench, Zain lost himself among old dreams and broken promises.
The wind rustled through the trees, birds called softly in the distance, and every sound reminded him of Minami. Every time, he felt the ache of love and dreams left unfulfilled.
Across the street, three girls walked under umbrellas, chatting animatedly. BTS came up. Hanami said,
"I like VI. Finally, the number one handsome."
Anya laughed, "I like Jungkook—so cute."
Kaiya, shyly, added, "I like Nan Pan from class."
They giggled together, but then—
Anya's gaze fell on the drenched, lonely boy on the bench. She froze.
"That boy… he's soaked… and crying," she whispered.
Hanami glanced at her, coolly.
"Forget it, Anya. Maybe he had a breakup. Why bother about a stranger?"
Kaiya laughed, moving ahead.
"Yeah, and the rain's getting heavier—we'll be late."
But Anya couldn't move. Her heart compelled her.
She hurried toward him, umbrella in hand, carefully placing it over his head.
Zain slowly lifted his head—their eyes met. Time froze. Rain fell in sheets, but Zain couldn't look away. For the first time, he felt someone care.
Anya said softly,
"You'll get soaked… take my umbrella."
Zain stared, warmth returning to his eyes after years of numbness.
Anya smiled.
"Keep it. I'm going with my friends. And remember—don't let pain defeat you. We have to learn to live… and be strong."
From behind, Hanami and Kaiya called,
"Anya! Hurry, we'll be late!"
She glanced back, replying,
"Coming."
Then, one last look at Zain, a smile lingering:
"Take care."
She walked on with her friends, leaving Zain on the bench, rain dripping around him, heart stirred, a flicker of hope and warmth igniting in the cold.