Flashback

 

“Appa, can Hana go and play with Sejeong?,” a six year old girl asked her father who was busy chatting with his neighbour who happened to be Sejeong’s father.

 

“Yes you can, sweetie. But, be careful and don’t go too far,” her father replied while watching his one and only daughter started running towards four year old Sejeong who was busy playing and kicking his soccer ball at the backyard of their house.

 

“Sejeong ah!,” the little girl, Shin Bora, or Hana (a nickname called by her parents) shouted towards the little boy.

 

“Noona!,” Sejeong replied while waving his little hand at her. The two then started running around the backyard while playing and kicking the soccer ball.

 

“Kick the ball to noona, Sejeong, quick!,” Hana instructed the little boy to kick the soccer ball towards her while she acted as a goalkeeper. Sejeong obeyed while lifting his tiny and short leg, ready to kick the ball.

 

“One, two, twee..,” he counted before he ran faster and kicked the ball with his might. The ball rolled over to Hana and she managed to catch it like a goalkeeper.

 

“Ouch!,” she flinched when she felt a slight pain on her knee. She was surprised to see her knee was bleeding a bit, probably because she fell on the ground while trying to catch the soccer ball. Sejeong quickly ran towards Hana, and the little boy squatted down while looking at Hana who was sitting on the ground, holding her injured knee.

 

“Noona, gwenchana?,” the little boy asked. Hana smiled while nodding her head.

 

“Gwenchana, Sejeong ah. It hurts a bit, but it’s okay,” Hana replied. Somehow, Sejeong suddenly started sobbing.

 

“Mianhae, noona. Sejeong made noona hurt!,” he said while wailing. Hana was surprised with his sudden wailing and immediately pulled the little boy and hugged him.

 

“Shh.. it’s okay, Sejeong ah. It’s not your fault. Don’t cry, arasso?,” Hana said as he patted on the little boy’s back, trying to soothe him. Sejeong then stopped wailing, but still sobbing. Hana then put Sejeong to sit on her lap, and wiped his tears and runny nose with her bare hand. She then leaned closer to kiss the little boy’s puffy cheek as she found he looked so adorable.

 

“Don’t cry anymore, arasso? It’s not Sejeong’s fault. Noona fell down because noona was not careful when catching the ball. Let’s go to noona’s house and we can eat ice cream, okay?,” Hana said. Sejeong’s eyes lit up the moment he heard the words. He immediately nodding his head like a parrot and grinned. Hana chuckled on his cute antics. She then lifted Sejeong from her lap, and put him to stand on the ground before she tried to get up and stood up. She then grabbed the little boy’s hand and entwined their hands together as she started walking slowly towards her house.

 

End of the flashback

 

 

---

 

 

Sejeong was sitting at one of the benches at Yeouido park, trying to catch his breath after cycling around the park for one hour. He took the water bottle from his sling pouch bag, and gulping the clear liquid little by little. The memories of him and his childhood friend, Hana still lingered on his mind every time he saw some kids playing soccer ball at the playground near the park. He often came to the park on his free time as to relieve his stress, and to clear his mind after facing the hectic world of his studies and activities in college for the whole week.

 

“I wonder where she is right now. After her family had moved to London, I never saw her again. Well, if she used to send letters to me, of course I couldn’t read it since I was a four year old kid, right?,” Sejeong mumbles to himself. Both of them were the only child in their family, and Sejeong really missed his ‘noona’ as he regarded Hana like his own sister at that time.

 

“Wherever you are, Hana noona, I hope you will live well,” he mumbles again. He then put back the water bottle in his backpack, and started to cycling for another round before he went back to the hostel.

 

 

---

 

 

“Hana ya, on what time appa need to send you to your new college?,” Mr. Shin asked his daughter who was busy filling out the form of new student details. The Shin family were at the dining room as they just had their dinner at that time.

 

“Ermm.. 9.00 a.m. appa,” Hana replied while her eyes still glued on the form.

 

“Arasso. Hana eomma, do you want to tag along to send Hana to her new college?,” Mr. Shin asked while glancing at his wife who were busy arranging the kitchen utensils inside the cabinet.

 

“Of course, yeobo. I want to check on the condition of her new college. I want to make sure our daughter can continue her studies in the new college comfortably,” Mrs. Shin replied. Hana just shook her head while smiling. She knew her mother well. After her family spent for years living abroad (in London as her father worked with in international company), she automatically became overprotective and concerned towards her daughter’s well-being. Well, since Hana is their only child.

 

“Don’t worry, eomma. I can adapt well. Trust me,” Hana said.

 

“I trust you, sweetie, but I don’t trust the people out there. Who knows, they will bully you like what you have experienced in London before,” her mother replied in concern.

 

“That's when I was in a first grade, eomma, and my English wasn’t good at that time,” Hana replied.

 

“I just concern about you, sweetie,” Mrs. Shin said.

 

“I know, eomma. Just trust me, okay? Besides, Mimi will go to the same college as me,” Hana replied. Mimi was Hana’s best friend in London as they went to the same school and the same college on their first year there.

 

“Chincha? It’s good to know that. I feel relieved, you know,” Mrs. Shin said. Mr. Shin and Hana just chuckled on her words.

 

“Your eomma worry too much, right Hana?,” Mr. Shin teased his wife. Mrs. Shin just rolled her eyes while continue with her work. Hana just chuckled on her parents antics while continue filling out the form.

 

 

---

 

 

“Hey, buddy! Ready to become an assistant for the new students registration on tomorrow?,” Nayoung, Sejeong’s roommate his college mate his best friend asked right after he went out of the bathroom. Sejeong was drying his wet hair with a towel while walking towards his bed.

 

“Ready or not, that’s our first task for this semester. We need to be prepared and do well, though,” Sejeong replied right after he landing his on the bed.

 

“I can’t wait to meet those new students. Hope I can meet the cute and gorgeous one,” Nayoung said with a ert grin. Sejeong just shook his head, knowing that his ert ahjussi friend will come up with his ahjussi ert plan.

 

“I hope you won’t do anything stupid on them, arasso? They came to our college to study, and we need to help them, not by courting them to be your girlfriend,” Sejeong warned him.

 

“Aishh.. Chill, bro! You know I’m just kidding, right?,” Nayeong replied.

 

“Yeah, I know you’re kidding. But, I don’t trust you, Kim Nayeong,” Sejeong said with a smirk as he got up from the bed, and went towards his study desk while hanging the towel around his neck.

 

“Ya! I really mean it, though!,” Nayeong cried. Sejeong burst into laughing as he loves to tease his roommate. He then opened the desk’s drawer, and took his notebook and put it on the desk. He started to jot down about to-do list on tomorrow.

 

“Sejeong ah. Remember when you told me about your childhood friend, err.. what’s her name again?,” Nayoung asked.

 

“Shin Hana,” Sejeong replied.

 

“Ah, yeah, Shin Hana. Have you ever tried to contact her? I'm sure if she is studying in college right now, she will become our senior, right?,” Nayoung said.

 

“Nope, and yup. I really didn’t have any idea on where she was, and I found out about her family moved to London from my parents later than that,” Sejeong said as he put the pen down.

 

“Chincha?,” Nayoung asked. Sejeong just nodded. “You know, I heard from the staff who worked at the student registration department, and she said there are few new students who came from London will register for this semester’s intake,” he informed.

 

“Chincha? Did she share the new students list with you?,” Sejeong asked as his interest began to grow after what Nayoung had informed earlier. Nayoung just shook his head, causing his friend’s enthusiasm fell down.

 

“Aigoo.. I really want to smack your head right now, but since you will become my partner on tomorrow’s task, so, I just let it slide,” Sejeong said in annoyed tone, causing Nayoung burst into laughing.

 

“I’m sorry, dude. The staff said it’s a secret and she couldn’t reveal it to anyone. But, let’s wait for tomorrow. Who knows, your Hana noona will appear in front of you on tomorrow,” Nayoung said.

 

“I don’t want to put any hope, though,” Sejeong replied. His mouth said that, but his heart was praying that someday he will meet Hana again.

 

 

---

 

 

Hana was enjoying the night view of Seoul city through the balcony of her bedroom. It’s been a month since her family had moved back to Seoul after the company where his father has worked appointed him to become the head of business development department in the company’s main office. Her father said that the appointment remain permanent until he retire, and the Shin family were happy that finally they could moved back to their homeland.

 

She then went inside her room, and closed the sliding door. She glanced at the alarm clock on the desk, and the time indicating that it’s already 10.00 p.m. Since she’s still not feel sleepy yet, she took an old photo album, and opened it page by page. Then, she suddenly stopped at a page where a photo of her and a little boy who were sitting on the bench while laughing happily. She caressed the photo of the little boy whom she missed since she moved to London. She still remember, the day her parents told her that they had to move abroad out of sudden, she cried for the whole night, thinking that she had to leave the little boy whom she doted so much like her own little brother.

 

“Sejeong ah, did you live well out there?,” she mumbled while caressing the photo of the little boy. “Noona miss you so much,” she mumbled again, and this time a single tear dropped on her cheek as she felt a sudden sadness and longing for the little boy. She quickly wiped the tears on her cheek, and put the photo album on the desk. She decided to go to bed early since tomorrow is her first day to be in the new college, and it will also become a new chapter in her life.

 

 

---

 

 

KRINGGG!!!

 

“Yah! Kim Sejeong! Get up now! We are going to be late later!,” Nayoung cried while slapping the latter’s , trying to wake him up. Since he was a little, Sejeong had a problem in getting up early as he’s always went to sleep late at night, or if he was too tired due to the activities he attended in college. Sejeong was a very active student. He joined and became a college athlete in many sports activities like cycling, soccer, and boxing. He’s also good in music since he’s good in singing.

 

“O-uww.. Y-ya!,” Sejeong grunted while caressing his sore . He slowly stirred from his bed and opened his eyes.

 

“Get up now, you brat! Aishh.. I’m always having a trouble in waking you up everyday,” Nayeong grumbled. “Go wash up fast. We have twenty minutes to go before the registration counter will be opened,” Nayeong ordered.

 

“Dae, ahjussi,” Sejeong playfully replied while hopping off from his bed. Nayeong threw his towel to the latter, causing Sejeong burst out laughing. He quickly grabbed the towel and headed to the bathroom.

 

Sejeong fixed his blue necktie and straighten his baby blue colored long sleeve shirt in front of the mirror. After he satisfied with his attire, he then put on a pair of white socks and black shoes, and grabbed his backpack as he was ready to fulfill his commitment as an assistant for new students registration.

 

“Kaja!,” Sejeong said as he patted on Nayeong’s back.

 

“Kaja! Kaja!,” Nayeong exclaimed enthusiastically, and the duo put their respective bike helmet before they started cycling to the college administrative building.

 

After done listening to the briefing from the Head of the Student Registration Department, Sejeong and Nayeong then immediately headed towards the counter where they will perform their duties as an assistant. One after another new students came to the counter, and the duo diligently performing their duties.

 

“Annyeonghaseyo! Please have a seat, Miss,” Sejeong greeted a beautiful looking girl with a black silk long hair, and having a white porcelain skin, but wearing a cold expression. He gulped nervously at the beautiful creature in front of him, and managed to glance at Nayeong who was also busy assisting another new student.

 

“Annyeonghaseyo!, thanks,” the girl casually replied and sat in front of Sejeong.

 

“Can I have your registration form, Miss?,” Sejeong politely asked.

 

“Sure,” the girl replied in English, and took out the registration form from the file holder. She then handed the form to the latter.

 

“Thank you,” he said as he started to check on the details one by one.

 

“Name: Shin Bora, birthplace: Seoul, Early education. Primary and Secondary school: Westminster Academy. Wow! That’s a private and the most prestige school in UK,” he thought. Sejeong then continued to check on other details, including her previous college in London. After he satisfied checking all the details, he then took the original copy of the form, and returned the carbon copy to the girl.

 

“Here’s your copy. Please keep it with you as for your reference in the future,” he politely said.

 

“Thanks,” the girl thanked him. She then got up from her seat, and was about to start walking when she turned her heels, and leaned closer to Sejeong.

 

“Kim Sejeong?,” she read Sejeong’s full name on his name tag. Sejeong startled as he was surprised with her sudden act.

 

“Y-yeah?,” he replied. “Is it anything wrong, M-Miss Shin?,” he asked nervously. The girl then quickly distanced herself from him and smiled.

 

“No. Your name sounds familiar to me,” she replied. She then walked towards the girl which Nayeong has assisted before, and right after the girl left the counter, they then walking together to another counter.

 

“Her friend, maybe,” Sejeong thought.

 

“Don’t tell me she’s interested in you?” Nayeong who witnessed on what was happening to his friend said as he .

 

“Mwoya? I don’t think so, dude. Maybe she know someone who has the same name as mine,” Sejeong reasoned. Nayeong smirked at him and then chuckled.

 

“You are one of the most popular second year’s bachelor in this college, dude. I’m sure she must have heard your name somewhere, and she purposely registered into this college just to meet you,” Nayeong made his blind guess.

 

“You and your silly thought. Just continue your work, silly!,” Sejeong snapped at him, causing the latter burst into laughing. The duo then continued assisting other new students for registration.

 

 

---

 

 

“His face, his smile. He looked so familiar to me,” Hana mumbles, but loud enough for her friend to hear.

 

“Who?,” Hana’s friend, Mimi asked. The girl were having their lunch at the college’s cafeteria.

 

“That Kim Sejeong,” she said.

 

“Who’s Kim Sejeong?,” Mimi asked again.

 

“The guy who assists me during registration,” Hana replied.

 

“Oh, that cute guy,” Mimi said. Hana looked at her while furrowing her brows.

 

“Cute guy?,” she asked while looking at her friend weirdly. Mimi nodded while munching her sandwich.

 

“I heard from other students that he’s one of the college’s popular guys. He’s a college athlete, and good in singing too,” Mimi replied.

 

“Really?,” Hana asked. Mimi nodded as she replied. Her eyes then suddenly glued to the two person who just entered the cafeteria. “Speaking of the devil. Here comes the Kim Sejeong guy,” Mimi said. Hana quickly turned towards Mimi and following the trace of her eyes that still looking at the person she mentioned just now. Indeed, she could see some girls at the cafeteria were eyeing on Sejeong and Nayoung while the duo were heading towards the counter.

 

"His friend Nayoung also got a good look. He’s indeed surrounded by a good looking people in this college,” Mimi said with a smirk.

 

“You and your naughty thought, Jung Mimi! Don’t tell me you like his friend too?,” Hana replied.

 

“I just said he’s a good looking guy, that’s all,” Mimi said. Hana just shook her head, and continued eating her sandwich.

 

“Sejeong oppa!,” a girl who stood behind Sejeong greeted him. Sejeong immediately turned around, and was surprised to see his little cousin was queueing behind him.

 

“Ya, Cho Hyeyeon! Where have you been? Oppa tried to look for you during your first day in college, but couldn’t find you,” Sejeong said as she gave the girl a brief hug. Hyeyeon was his little cousin from her mother’s side. Hyeyeon’s mother was a little sister to Sejeong’s mother.

 

“Mianhae, oppa. Eomma and appa kept accompany me for the rest of the registration day. They are so reluctant to let me go and stay at the hostel,” Hyeyeon said while pouting.

 

“Aigoo.. They love you so much, you silly! You have never been living apart from them, and this is your first time. That’s why they were acting like that, you know,” Sejeong replied. “Hey, want to join me for lunch? What do you want to eat? It’s on oppa today,” Sejeong said.

 

“It’s okay, oppa. I’m eating my lunch with my friends over there. I saw you entering the cafe, then I stopped eating my lunch and rushed here to greet you,” she replied.

 

“Chincha? Arasso. I will see you later. You still have my phone number, right?,” Sejeong asked.

 

“Dae, oppa. Alright, I will see you later,” Hyeyeon replied and leaned forward to him for a brief hug. They were waving hands to each other to bid goodbye, and Sejeong continued to get his food and drinks for lunch.

 

“Who’s that cute girl? One of your flings?,” Nayeong asked with a smirk. He then received a smack on his arm from Sejeong. “Oww.. y-yah!,” he groaned in pain.

 

“That for making a silly guess. That’s my little cousin, you pabo!,” Sejeong replied in annoyed tone.

 

“Ya, how would I know, though! You never told me about your little cousin who’s also studying here,” Nayeong snapped at him.

 

“Ah, mian! I thought that’s not important to tell anyone that I have a family member here,” Sejeong replied with a grin. The duo then proceeded to the cashier counter to pay for their food and drinks and heading towards the vacant table.

 

“Oh my God! Look at your Sejeong there!,” Mimi said as her eyes widened in surprise. She was shocked to see Sejeong suddenly hug a young girl at the food counter.

 

“Yah! What are you talking about?,” Hana replied. She immediately turned towards the food counter. Her brows furrowed with the scene of Sejeong hugging the girl, but then she just shrugged her shoulder.

 

“His girlfriend maybe. Ya, why are you so nosy about him, huh? Did you have a crush on him?,” Hana asked.

 

“No. I just curious, what kind of guy he is? If that girl was his girlfriend, of course he will kiss her, right? But, it’s just a brief hug, and they’re just talking like siblings,” Mimi replied.

 

“Just stop being nosy and eat your food, silly!,” Hana said annoyingly. Mimi just chuckled on her friend’s word.

 

“Hmm.. she’s right. What kind of guy are you, Kim Sejeong?,” Hana thought.

 

 

---

 

 

“Dude, I have to go first. My appa wants to see me. He said he cooked something for us, and he is waiting for me at the hostel,” Sejeong said to Nayeong.

 

“Chincha? Assa! Arasso, send my regards and thanks to him,” Nayeong replied.

 

“Alright. I’ll see you at the hostel later,” he said as he bid a goodbye to his friend, and heading out of the administrative office. He was hurriedly walking out of the building when suddenly..

 

“Ouch!,”

 

“Oww..,”

 

Sejeong groaned in pain as he fell down. His back was on the floor, and on top of him there’s a girl who was groaning in pain, and her face was covered with a black silky hair.

 

“Mianhae! Mianhae!,” Sejeong apologized profusely to the poor girl, and he tried to get up. But, he failed to do so as the girl was still on top of him.

 

“W-why, urghh..,” the girl groaned. She then lifted her head, and her eyes widened in surprise to see the person that she got bumped into.

 

“Kim Sejeong?,”

 

“Miss Shin?,”