Chapter 117 - Matthew's First Love

Loud R & B music boomed from the speakers where drunken people danced to the rhythm of the beat. The pool area of a beachside villa was packed with celebrities and socialites celebrating an actor's birthday party. An actor who didn't particularly enjoy the party but his manager forced him to throw one to keep up with his image. 

"Happy birthday, man!" A man patted Matthew's back as he sat next to him. 

Matthew looked up and nodded, thanking him for the greeting before he turned his gaze back to the crowd in front of him. He was exhausted from that day's shoot but he had to mingle with his guests too. "Where's your girlfriend?" he asked the man who sat with him.

"Over there, gossiping like there's no tomorrow. Forget about me, what about you? I thought you were going to introduce someone to us tonight?"

Matt shook his head and took a sip from his glass of vodka. "Yeah… I thought so, too. Looks like I won't be able to do that even in the future."

"Why? Is this the same woman you mentioned before? The one who looked like your 'childhood love?' eh?" The man nudged Matt and air quoted with his fingers to tease him.

Matthew laughed lightly. "Yeah… She's taken though, and I only found out a while ago." He shrugged and the image of Damien Park kissing Katherine flashed in his mind, he had to take another sip of vodka to brush it off.

"That sucks. Well… it's not like you can't get yourself another one. There are so many women here waiting to get their hands on you and all you have to do is take your pick. Get laid, man… it's your birthday, you should let loose," he said before getting up and headed towards his girlfriend.

"Mhmm." Matthew watched as his friend walked away. He absent-mindedly agreed but in his head, it was only filled with images of Katherine. Then his thoughts suddenly brought him back to a particular memory:

It was late in the afternoon in the Jeong Estate and two kids were out playing in the garden. Little Katherine Young who was seven was playing in the labyrinth with Matthew who was then ten years old.

The two kids were playing in the garden labyrinth when Katherine ran and tripped on a stone — she stumbled and fell on her knees. Matthew immediately helped her up and saw that his friend was grimacing. The fall looked pretty bad, it must have been painful.

"Are you okay?" he asked as he lifted her skirt a little to check on her knees. Sure enough, it was grazed. 

"It stings a little." She sniffed and wiped the tears in her eyes that were threatening to fall.

Matthew carefully brushed the dirt away with his fingers and blew on it. "You should be careful next time. I told you not to run."

Feeling shy, Katherine bit her lip and said, "You are always so nice, Matty. You are just like my dad to my mom."

Matthew looked up to her, a smile formed on his face when he saw her reddened cheeks. "Of course, your dad loves your mom so he takes good care of her. He's a good husband."

The two of them walked towards the exit of the labyrinth. This time, Katherine was careful and walked next to her friend — afraid to fall again. "Since you take care of me, does that mean you also love me?" she asked innocently. She had always liked Matt because they played together a lot. 

Hearing her question, Matthew was a little bashful but he didn't deny. "I guess…" he said.

Katherine laughed at him and on a whim, she declared, "Then when I grow up, I will take you as my husband. I will marry you so that you can take care of me like my dad does to mom."

His head snapped towards her, shocked by her sudden announcement. Who talks like that? He wondered but then reminded himself, 'Of course, only Katherine does. She's a ball of surprises.' 

He playfully smacked her head and snickered. "What are you talking about? Who said I will marry you?" 

She rubbed her head and stuck out her tongue to him but laughed right after. She looked very playful and bright. "Why wouldn't you? I will become rich just like mom and dad and take care of you too!"

Matthew shook his head. "You're silly. Stop talking nonsense."

"It's not nonsense. Mark my words, Matthew Jeong, I will marry you when I grow up!" 

He glanced at her and lightly smiled. "Let's go, it's about to get dark. If we're late, you won't get to eat the chocolate cake that my mom made for me." He grabbed Katherine's hand and walked with her towards their mansion where they were going to have his birthday dinner with Katherine's parents.

"Aaah!!! That's not fair, you know I love chocolates!" Katherine let go of his hand and started running. "Fine, I'll race you there!" 

"I said don't run! You really don't know how to listen!" Matthew ran after Katherine. This friend of his was such a pain in the butt.

…

That memory of him and his friend Katherine resurfaced and it brought him bittersweet feelings. He downed the rest of his vodka and sneered in his thoughts, 'Liar. How could you go back on your words and leave this world?' 

For some reason, Matthew was feeling really lonely that night. Katherine Young was a really close friend that he knew since he was a child. Their mothers were great friends when they were in college and although the two women didn't see each other for years, they have kept in touch and swore that their kids would also be friends in the future. 

He was about six years old when he met little Katherine for the first time and since then, they had been friends.

Many years later, the Young Massacre happened. Matthew was so heartbroken that he had to see a therapist.

He lost his best friend. And six feet under, he had to bury his young love — his first love when he was 15.

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