Happy Hyukkie Day!

****

“We’re going to the new café down the street after school, you coming with us?”

18 year-old Han Sanghyuk shook his head, “my dad’s coming home today from his business trip. I haven’t seen him in weeks.”

“Alright,” his best friend, Yook Sungjae, nodded, then a mischievous smirk formed on his face, “we’ll send you photos!”

“Traitors,” Sanghyuk laughed.

----

“Eomma, I’m home!”

Sanghyuk spotted his father’s shoes while removing his own.

“Appa!” he called, “are you home already?”

“Hi, buddy!” his father poked his head out from the kitchen.

Sanghyuk grinned, “appa! I thought you’re not gonna be back until tonight!”

“He said he ended his last meeting early so he changed his flight,” his mother grabbed the spatula that was in her husband’s hands, “you can leave my kitchen now, Cha Hakyeon-sshi.”

Hakyeon pouted at Soyoung, “meanie.”

Sanghyuk laughed at his parents’ banter. It was a usual sight within the house.

Sanghyuk was 10 when his parents explained to him that Hakyeon is not his biological father. At first he was confused; he had had memories of his appa since the beginning of time (he even remembers calling Hakyeon ‘Yoni-ppa’ when he was a kid), what did they mean?

When he was 15, he randomly brought it up to his mother, who was surprised at first, but explained to him more in-depth, knowing that he was old enough to fully understand the situation. Sanghyuk wasn’t upset at all, for he knew that Hakyeon had been there since he was a baby; his mother had always shown him pictures of his younger days. If anything at all, he felt resentment towards his biological father for abandoning his mother and made it clear he would never want to meet him.

Sanghyuk respects his father a lot. He wishes he would become a man like his father – caring, compassionate, always willing to help anyone in need. He is also always thankful towards Hakyeon, because if not for him, Sanghyuk was sure he wouldn’t be alive. His parents’ love story, too, was something Sanghyuk envied. He often found himself wishing that he too, could have his own modern fairytale romance someday.

----

“Where are Sojung and Nayoung?”

Sungjae shrugged, “some girl talk thing. Said they’ll join us later.”

Kim Nayoung and Kim Sojung, along with Sungjae, are Sanghyuk’s best friends in school. He had known them since elementary school and they’ve always been in same schools since then.

“Yah, did you hear? We have a new transfer student coming tomorrow.”

“Really? Which class?”

“Ours, I heard. Apparently she’s from the States.”

“Is she pretty?”

Sanghyuk received a knock to his head before Sungjae could reply.

“What the heck!” he turned and found Nayoung and Sojung, “yah!”

“Yah, is that all you guys think of? What, ‘is she pretty’? Pfft,” Sojung rolled her eyes.

“Why, jealous?” Sungjae teased, which resulted in him getting kicked in the shin by Nayoung.

“Ah, right,” Sojung said, “we have to hand in our college applications this week, right?”

Sanghyuk nodded, “where are you guys applying to?”

“SNU!” Sungjae grinned.

“You should be thankful if you even make it to Seoul Station!” Nayoung retorted, causing Sojung and Sanghyuk to laugh.

“Yah, a man can dream, alright?” Sungjae stuck his tongue out.

“But we’re probably gonna end up going separate ways, aren’t we?” there was a hint of sadness in Sojung’s voice.

“Yah, we can always meet up! Don’t make it sound like we’re gonna be in 4 different countries,” Sanghyuk smiled.

“Hyukkie’s right!” Sungjae nodded, “our friendship will never die!”

----

“Everybody in your seats!” the teacher called, “we have a new friend joining us from today.”

He gestured for the new student to enter the class. Sanghyuk stared at the door and waited. A petite girl with long, slightly wavy, black hair stepped in. Immediately, the boys in class broke into whispers.

“Dude,” Sungjae nudged him, “she is a goddess!”

“Please introduce yourself to the class,” their teacher said, stepping aside for the new girl.

“Annyeong, I’m Kim Chungha. I look forward to creating fun and precious memories with everyone!”

“Thank you, Chungha. Your seat is the one in front of Sanghyuk.”

Sanghyuk raised his hand to help the new student locate her seat, to which she smiled and bowed slightly to thank him.

“Hi!” Sungjae leaned forward as soon as Chungha settled in her seat, “I’m Yook Sungjae! I heard you moved here from the States?”

Chungha looked slightly flustered by Sungjae’s straightforwardness, “oh, uh…yeah.”

“Don’t mind him,” Sanghyuk pulled his best friend back and gave her an apologetic smile, “I’m Han Sanghyuk, by the way.”

His parents agreed to keep Han as his last name, for it would be too troublesome of a process to change it. Besides, they all agreed it suited his name more.

“It’s nice to meet you,” she nodded.

“Sojung, you’ll be in charge of giving Chungha a tour around the school,” the teacher announced, “okay, it’s a free period until your next class starts.”

“Sojung…?” Chungha looked around.

Sanghyuk pointed to the last row on the other side of class, “that’s Sojungie.”

“Oh! Thank you,” Chungha smiled.

Before Sanghyuk or Sungjae could say anything else, their classmates started crowding around Chungha’s desk, bombarding her with questions.

----

“You would think someone like her will be a total brat, but she’s a really nice kid!”

The group of four were at the cafeteria; there was still 20 minutes before the first bell. Sojung was telling her friends about the transfer student, Chungha, whom she brought on a tour around campus after school the day before.

“Pretty, smart and a nice personality. That’s really rare,” Nayoung said.

Sojung nodded, “which is why I invited her to join us for lunch today!”

“That’s the best decision you’ve ever made since we became friends!” Sungjae nudged her.

“And my worst decision ever was to befriend you,” Sojung rolled her eyes.

“Almost time till the bell rings,” Sanghyuk checked his watch, “let’s go.”

--

“Do you feel uncomfortable?” Nayoung asked Chungha, “from all the attention?”

The new girl nodded hesitantly, “it’s kinda overwhelming.”

“If you just ignore them, they’ll know how to go away,” Sanghyuk said.

“Speaking from experience?” Sojung teased; she noticed the look of confusion on Chungha’s face, “Hyukkie has his own army of fangirls too. You don’t see them around him now, but wait till Valentine’s Day.”

Sungjae nodded, “I get tons of free chocolates thanks to him.”

Nayoung chuckled, “it’s a wonder you haven’t gained weight from all those sweets.”

Chungha laughed at the friends’ interaction, “you guys are so fun to be around.”

“You can hang out with us anytime!” Sungjae offered.

Sojung nodded, “well, unless you don’t want to.”

“I’d love to!” Chungha smiled, “I mean…you guys are the only people who don’t treat me like a caged animal…”

“Then, we’re going to the theme park this weekend. Wanna join us?”

“Sure!”

“Have you decided on which social club you wanna join?” Sanghyuk asked, “transfer students have to submit their application within the first week, right?”

Chungha nodded, “is there a dance club here? I haven’t had the chance to look at what clubs there are…”

Sungjae, Nayoung and Sojung looked at each other and grinned.

“Then you have nothing to worry about. Your dance club sunbae is sitting right across you.”

Chungha’s eyes widened with interest, “really? You’re with the dance club?”

Sanghyuk nodded, “you can give me your application form when you’re done. Or do you want to come with me to the club after classes today?”

“I’ll go with you!”

--

To say Sanghyuk was surprised by Chungha’s dancing skills is an understatement. He was blown away.

He had brought her to the dance studio as promised; while there wasn’t any practice going on that day, their instructor was around, so she agreed to have an immediate audition for Chungha. Needless to say, the new student was accepted.

“That’s some amazing skills you have!” Sanghyuk held out his hand for a high-five, to which Chungha returned.

“Thanks,” she smiled, catching her breath, “can’t wait to see you in action too!”

“Sanghyuk,” the instructor called, “there is an upcoming competition that I am planning to enter you into. Now that we have Chungha with us, what do you say to partnering with her?”

Sanghyuk looked at Chungha and smiled, “I think that’s a great idea, ssaem.”

“Good! Practice begins this week!”

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