My Sketchbook Boyfriend

You brushed your fingers against the hardcover of the sketchbook. It was blank--but something inside you makes it feel special. You remember your father’s weak hands giving this to you. He had lung cancer when you were just 7, and this was the only thing he kept safe.

“Min Young... Open this on your 18th birthday... okay? When you open it, remember me,”

A tear fell, just at that moment, you remember the steady pulse rate on the monitor screen becoming flat and still.

“Appa! Appa!”

The doorbell rang and you wiped up your tears and opened it. There were your 2 best friends, smiling widely, “Happy 18th birthday, Min Young-ie~~” they both shouted. A small grin appeared on your face as they started to do that little dance while singing that Happy Birthday song.

They placed their hands on your shoulder and dragged you inside your apartment room. “Why be so shady on your birthday, Min Young-ie~?” Younghee said, opening up your curtains and letting in the sunshine.

Ji Young placed boxes of rice cakes on your table. She sighed, “I’m sorry, Min Young, we accidentally dropped your cake on the way here, so we bought rice cakes instead,”

“It’s okay, it’s nothing special, anyway” you calmed her down. Both of them stared at you, “Nothing... special?!!!”

“What are you talking about?! This is your freakin’ 18th BIRTHDAY!!!” they both screamed. You sighed and sat down on your coach, “For all my birthdays, I’ve been waiting for my mom to come back home... but where is she?”

They both looked at each other, they gave you a pitiful look and sat down beside you. You grasped the sketchbook and opened it up. You soothed the fresh, crispy page of the sketchbook.

Taehee carefuly closed it. She gave Ji Young a sheepish look, “You know what this means...”

“LET’S DRINK!” they shouted. They grasped your wrist and pulled you outsde the door. You still kept your sketchbook locked in between your palms. “Aigoo!! You guys know I don’t drink,” you chanted as they started pulling every inch of you to different directions.

They didn’t listen and continued running down the crowded streets. You found yourself in a dimly lighted club, with a TON of people. Ji Young was still holding your hand, “Min Young, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!!!”

They started gulping up hard-core alcohol. They started dancing like maniacs before you. You sighed. You sat down on an empty table, still clutching the sketchbook. Right in front of you was a cup with some alcohol in it.

“A sip won’t hurt, right?” you thought to yourself. Your trembling hands took the cup and raised them before your dry and frowning lips.

You drank it. The hot and tempting liquor rushed through your throat. You didn’t imagine it would feel that good. The taste was slowly devouring you. It was as if the pleasure was spreading all over your body.

Another, another and another. You felt the world shrinking, the walls were blurred. you felt yourself in another world. You looked up to see a middle-aged guy. Brown hair. Sharp eyes. Beautiful smile.

He was the center of your attention.He slowly walked towards you but he blurred. You chuckled at him. “Woah, easy there , young fellow,”

Biting your lip, you stood up before him and tried to place your hand on his broad shoulders.

You almost fell down. He. Isn’t Real. Your hands slipped right through him. You blurted out, “Who the hell are you?!”

“Seducing won’t work. You’re not the type for it,” he smirked. You felt an insult. “What was that?!” You slowly walked towards him, triggered.

He sighed, “Aigoo, just wake up right now,“. He leaned towards you and kissed you right in the lips. It felt so real. It felt magical. His lips tasted like strawberries. You just couldn’t get enough of him.

“AYYYAAA!!! WAKE UP MIN YOUNGIE AHHH!!” Ji Young suddenly shouted. You suddenly found yourself back in your seat. No guys kissing you. No strawberries. No seducing.

You were asleep, you quickly slipped on your glasses which nearly fell. You shook your head. You found the guy... on your sketchbook. You nearly forgot you drew him, until of course, you drank beer and fell asleep. You scoffed. “Let’s go,” you whispered at them.

You stared back at your drawing.

“That was just a dream?”

“For goodness sake, I wanted you,”