“Mom! I’m home!” Heechul energetically said.

“Heechul ah, how’s school?” His mom asked.

“All is good mom.” He replied.

“Wait.” He said while touching his mom’s forehead. “Mom! You’re having a fever!” He became worried and restless.

“Aigoo. It’s normal son. Nothing to worry about. I already took a medicine.” She said when in actual fact she did not.

“Phew! Thank goodness you did. Now you have to sleep and rest mom.” Heechul advice his mom with a solemn and worried look on his face.

Before Heechul was about to walk away… his mom held his wrist.

“How’s Lee Chaerin doing Heechul ah. Mom misses her.” Mrs Kim asked with a gleeful look on her face.

“How would I know? She barely even talks to me in school, only about the project. But why are you suddenly asking me mom?” Heechul asked with curiosity.

“She’s a nice girl, isn’t she? Kind, helpful and considerate. It seems hard to find a girl like her these days.” Mrs Kim praised Chaerin.

Heechul thought to himself. “Mom, you should see her in school and you will have a totally opposite perspective of her.”

“Yeah. She’s nice. But you’ve only met her once mom. How would you know if she’s nice or pretending?” Heechul asked

“Well, you can say it’s a sort of a mother’s instinct.” She gave a faint smile.

“I’m sure she behaves differently in school and at our house, right? I can see the shocked look on your face when Chaerin was talking to mom that time. I’m sure she has her own reasons for her behaviour in school. You should be friends with her and get to know her better. Who knows she will open up to you?” Heechul’s mom advise him.

“Mom, how did you know all that? Aigoo. Your instinct must be so strong. Are you a tarot card reader in your past life?!” Heechul joked around.

He continued. “But well, she has her reasons for behaving that way in school and I know that too. I just didn’t expect her tone of voice can be that polite and sweet. About being friends with her, of course I will. Anyways, she helped me a lot and I have to repay her back.”

…..

When school ended the next day, Donghae did not give up and decided to follow Chaerin.

“I know you have a lot to ask me. But can you just not ask?” Chaerin agitated at the fact that she was being followed.

“What? I have nothing that I want to ask.” Donghae stubbornly said.

“Then why do you keep following me?” Chaerin feels frustrated.

He decided to avoid her question.

“Yah! You’re so over confident. School is done. I am just heading home.” Donghae walks away. He suddenly stopped. “Wait… that’s not the way to my house.”

“What is it you want to know?” Chaerin still asking.

Donghae acting like he doesn’t care. “What are you talking about? I said I didn’t want to know. I am not curious about anything and I have no interest in you.”

Chaerin finally raised her voice curious of Donghae’s intentions. “Then why do you keep following me and bothering me?”

“Because I’m worried!” Donghae said. But he feels embarrassed and tried to cover it up. “Is that what you thought I would say?”

“Me? Why should I be worried about you?” He became flustered and walked away.

Chaerin froze there confused with his words.

…..

The next morning before school starts,

Chaerin was lying down on the school’s garden rooftop that not many people know about.

“Woah! What a nice weather!” A man’s voice is heard.

Chaerin straight away lift up her body feeling shocked.

She thought to herself. “That voice sounds so familiar. Don’t tell me…”

Before she could even do anything, a man lie down beside her.

“Yah! Donghae?! What are you doing here? How do you know about this place?!” Chaerin stuttering as she was shocked.

“Aigoo. Let me have some sleep.” Donghae closed his eyes.

When Chaerin felt awkward and was about to leave, he held her hands asking her to sit.

“What are you doing?” She asked. Without her realizing, she was sweating a bit feeling nervous as Donghae was so close to her.

“Yah Chaerinnie, why are you sweating?” He laughs.

“Anyways you want to know how I know this place?” Donghae asked.

Chaerin just nods while enjoying the cold breeze at the rooftop.

Donghae pointed to SM High School rooftop is just few buildings away.

“That is where I always go to. You know, just to chill and release stress like what you’re doing before I came and disturb your peace.” He joked.

Chaerin gave a small laughter before getting into her serious facial expression again.

“Is that where your previous school was before you transferred to here?” Chaerin asks and he nods.

“But why, I thought that school has good reputation?” Chaerin asked out of curiosity.

Donghae avoided her question.

“So, are we friends now?” He asked.

There were a few seconds of silence before Chaerin speaks.

“Why do you want to be friends with me?” Chaerin sincerely wants to know.

“Well, the first time I saw you, you seemed like the kind of person I would want to know better. Anyways, the fact that you rarely talk, your personality made me become curious and sincerely want to know you more.” Donghae calmly explained.

Well, other than that reason, there is another reason why Lee Donghae wants to get to know Lee Chaerin. The fact that they share the similar family name and he wants to investigate on his long-lost sister.

Chaerin looked at her watch and said. “Hey! Come on! Class is starting in 5 minutes!”
 

“So, we are friends?” Donghae shouted as Chaerin was rushing off.

“Yeah. Yeah. Anything.” Chaerin said while secretly smiling.

Donghae gave a smile while staring at Chaerin with a loving eye before finally came back to a realization.

“No. This can’t happen. Why am I like this? Why am I always nervous around her?” He thought to himself. Donghae brushes off that thought and rush for class.

…..

Heechul face changes at the sight of seeing Chaerin and Donghae entering class together.

“What’s up with them two?” He thought to himself.

The school bell rang to indicate the start of break time.

Chaerin, Bom and Heechul was sitting together when a voice asked,

“Can I sit here?” Donghae said.

Chaerin looked at Heechul and Heechul looked at Chaerin.

Meanwhile, “Come on and sit!” Bom offered the empty place beside her.

“Yah! Donghae, after school you are free, right? We are going to start on the project that will be due in few weeks’ time.” Heechul asked to kill the awkward silence.

“Yes I am.” Donghae enthusiastically answered.

“We’ll meet at my house at 3pm. Okay?” Chaerin said.

Both Heechul and Donghae nods.

Donghae thought to himself. “This is it. This is the chance to find out the truth.”

“Bom ah, you want to join us?” Chaerin asked.

“It’s okay Chaerin ah. I have some volunteering work to do after school.” Bom replied.

Since her parents died in the burned apartment, she got adopted at a nearby local orphanage, and afterwards adopted into Chaerin’s family before living independently. Since then, she has always volunteered at the orphanage.

…..

Chaerin cleaned her house before they reach. Her mom is at Japan for a month preparing for her tour.

Donghae and Heechul coincidently met halfway at the junction and decided to go together.

“You seem to become closer to Chaerin. What happened between you two?” Heechul asked out of curiosity.

“Nothing. It’s just that I wanted to get to know her better. That’s all.” Donghae answered.

“Aah. I see. So, she’s okay with you now?” Heechul asked.

“Yes, I guess. After a few tries of trying to get to know her. I think she can finally see my sincerity.” Donghae said. “By the way, why are asking me all these?” He continued while raising his brows suspiciously.

“Nothing.” Heechul flustered at Donghae’s question. “I’m just curious seeing how close you’ve gotten.” He continued.

Donghae just nod and smiled.

“Chaerin ah! We’re here.” Heechul shouted.

“Wait a moment yeah.” She said.

The guys looked like their jaws are going to drop anytime soon.

“Why are you both looking at me like you’re seeing a ghost?!” Chaerin felt uncomfortable.

“Dress?! You’re wearing a dress?!” Heechul asked in disbelief.

Chaerin then hit his head.

“Oww!” Heechul exclaimed. Donghae laughs.

“Just come in already!” Chaerin invited them in.

“We’ll discuss at the dining table alright.” Chaerin said.

Heechul and Donghae just place their bags on the table and sat down.

After 2 hours of discussing, they decided to take a break.

“Chaerin ah. It’s almost 6pm, is it okay if we leave by 6.30?”

Chaerin confused. Heechul continued. “You know… My mum…”

“Ohhh… Okay! Sure.” Chaerin smiled understanding his situation.

In the midst of all that, Donghae was roaming around Chaerin’s living room.

“Wait. Her mom is Ha Jae Hee? The famous pianist?” Donghae thought to himself feeling shocked.

…..

Meanwhile at the adoption agency,

“Yah, Mr Ji. The letter that we found 19 years ago. Should we tell Bom?”

At the same time, Park Bom was about to knock on the office door to enquire something when she heard that. She secretly listens.

“I believe she needs to know her true past and where she came from.”

“But we can ruin her life and her future. We don’t know how she will react.” Mr Ji, the head of the orphanage said.

“We should not think about that. She has the right to know, isn’t it? It concerns her life, her family.” His assistance insisted.

Bom stormed into the room unable to handle her curiosity.

“What is all these? What are you hiding from me? What letter? What is the thing that I deserve to know?” Bom asked while tearing up.

“Sorry dear. I feel like you should know this. Here’s the letter.” The assistant passed her the letter.

“Listen to me. You get back home. Freshen up yourself. Be calm. Then you read the letter. Understand? Take this as an order from the head mistress you got the previous time you stayed here, Please. Just this once.” Bom’s previous head mistress pleads her.

…..

“Yah! I have to go first.” Heechul rushed back.

“Heechul! Send my regards to your mom!” Chaerin shouted.

Meanwhile Donghae is still in front of the gate staring at Chaerin.

“Just who the hell are you?” Donghae thought to himself.

“You’re not going?” Chaerin felt confused.

“Wait. You’re close to Heechul’s mom?” Donghae asked.

“Yeah. Why?” Chaerin asked. “Nothing.” He answered.

A few seconds later,

“Can we talk?” He asked. Chaerin nods.

“But not here, at the café there?” Donghae points to the café nearby.

“Sure.” Chaerin said.

At the café…

“So, what do you want to talk…” Before Chaerin could finish her question, Donghae interrupted.

“Your mom. She’s a famous pianist, right?”

Chaerin felt startled. “What. How did you…”

“I saw a picture of you and your mom just now,” He explained.

“Look. Chaerin. You may think of me differently after I ask you these questions. But it’s okay to me because I know that the answers to these questions will be so important to me.” Donghae continued.

Chaerin frowned. “Wait. What? What questions?”

“Are you 20 years old?” He asked. Chaerin nodded.

“Are you an adopted child?” Donghae bluntly asked and that made Chaerin flustered,

“Of course not! What is all these questions? Wait. Are you interrogating me?” Chaerin asked.

“There you go. I told you, you will change your perspective on me. I don’t care about that now. All I need is answers.” He explained.

“What about it?! What about all these answers? Explain to me first and then I will understand Lee Donghae!” Chaerin raised her voice.

“I need to find my sister! I really need to find my long-lost sister!” Donghae said with so much frustration.

Chaerin became silent. She froze.

“So, you’re suspecting that I’m your sister? Wait. Don’t tell me just because we have the same family name you suspected that we’re siblings?!” Chaerin find the situation absurd.

“Yes. I do not know what else to do now. I need to find her, I need to protect her, I need to save her and I need to find out her past. I don’t know what else to do. All these that has happened is shocking even to me.” Donghae started tearing up.

Chaerin couldn’t stand it but sympathize him.

She brings her chair closer to him. Hug him and comfort him.

“I will help you. Believe me. I will.” Chaerin said nicely.

He lifted up his head, “I’m sorry if my intentions were bad and it does not seem sincere. But believe me, the words that I said to you, about me wanting to be your friend. It’s all true.”

“Yes. I can see that.” Chaerin said. “And we will find her.” She continued.

Donghae looked into her sincere eyes, slowly gaining her trust.