In the cafeteria, Chaeyoung and Mina shared a sandwich.

“Hey” the eldest called, causing the youngest to look at her “Do you remember when we were in kindergarten and we used to mix the peanut butter sandwich I brought with the jelly one you had?”

Chaeyoung laughed as she nodded.

“It was the most delicious meal” she said with full. She waited until she shallowed to continue “Things were so easy back then” she commented “The only thing we had to do was coloring drawings and playing with our dolls.”

This time, Mina laughed.

“I could barely stay inside the lines and you had to help me” she reminded, making Chaeyoung giggle.

“The reason why we became friends.”

Chaeyoung was only four when her favorite teacher introduced her class to the new student, Myoui Mina, a foreign girl from Japan. Mina’s korean was lousy and, because of that, most of the kids didn’t talk to her. But, when Chaeyoung sat beside her during art class and saw her terrible painting skills, she knew she had to help that poor child.

Mina smiled.

“You own me a lot, Myoui Mina” the youngest added, taking another bite of her sandwich.

Mina raised her eyebrow.

“Just because you taught me how to color properly?”

Chaeyoung nodded before shaking her head.

“Also because I taught you korean” the eldest left out a loud nod “Without me, you would be lost” she bragged, a cocky smile growing on her lips.

Mina rolled her eyes.

“Don’t be so dramatic, Chaeng. I would get a tutor. I didn’t necessarily need you” she commented and Chaeyoung shrugged her shoulders.

“Doesn’t change the fact that I was the one who taught you.”

Her arrogant tone forced Mina to roll her eyes once again, ignoring her words. But she knew that her childhood best friend was right. Chaeyoung was a big life saver for her. She was her first friend in South Korea, perhaps her first friend in life. And now, fifteen years later, they were still inseparable.

Their conversation was interrupted when the table they were sitting was, suddenly, filled.

“This semester ” Sana muttered “All of my teachers . My classmates . I want to quit college” she continued, causing Chaeyoung and Mina to look at her in confusion.

“What are you talking about? It is our second semester” the youngest inquired, knowing Mina would have made the same question.

Sana puffed, throwing her arms on the table before burying her face on them.

“Still” she sighed “I hate it all.”

Chaeyoung’s and Mina’s biggest dream was to get into college together. They had been in the same class since forever. No teacher ever dared to separate them. And, when it was time for them to finally split up, they decided they wouldn’t be too far away from each other.

Both of them were accepted in Seoul University, Chaeyoung in the art course and, Mina, in lawsuit. The youngest left her parents’ house as soon as she was approved and moved in an old building, close to college. Jihyo, Nayeon and Dahyun were her roommates and, immediately, they became friends.

Mina met Sana in the japanese section of books, in the library, and Sana, happy for finding another fellow citizen, introduced Mina to Momo. Jeongyeon and Tzuyu were added to the group when the seven of them bumped into the other two on the queue of a club in Seoul. They found out they all went to the same school and they were just so glad with that coincidence that they became close really fast.

Now, the nine of them were always together. Hanging out at Chaeyoung’s place or shopping or clubbing. They loved each other dearly, but not like Chaeyoung and Mina. Their friendship was special and unique. And precious.