- Kim Hyewon -

- His smile. That laugh. All those beautiful memories, I’ll treasure forever.

Yet, looking back from this moment, it’s rather amusing really. You see, my life was never meant to be a love story. There was nothing particularly special about me, or the things I did. I don’t understand why Fate chose me. Countless people spend a lifetime waiting for such an encounter, but for some reason, I happened to stumble upon this unusual thing called love. I wasn’t even hoping, let alone searching. Is that the secret to finding it, perhaps?

Thinking back, I wasn’t lonely or unloved. -

“Eat well, okay?” Xander smiled brightly. “You better eat a lot. Do you want Kiseop to scold you again? He and Minyoung are walking you to school, aren’t they?” He hummed a soft melody as he neatly packed a lunch that appeared to be enough for five people. “That should be good, right?” Met with the appalled look on my face, he giggled cheerfully. “Eat it all, all, all!”

- I had a brother who took care of me as if I was the most precious thing in the world. And there wasn’t a day where he failed to tell me so. Tirelessly, he cooked, cleaned and even made sure that I understood all my lessons. He never complained though. Instead of grumbling about what a useless burden I must have been, he always smiled and wished the best for me. What I did to deserve a brother like him, I don’t think I’ll ever know. -

Finished with my breakfast, I glanced to my right and rolled my eyes at the untouched food, which was quickly getting colder, beside me. If that dummy didn’t wake up soon, the meal that Xander cooked would go to waste. Getting up, I sighed, “I’ll wake up Kibum.” He must have been out late again last night, charming girls with his pretty, yet empty, words.

“Hyewon-ah,” Xander groaned, dragging on the last syllable. Thrashing aimlessly about in frustration, he frowned at me. “Didn’t I already tell you hundreds of times not to-“

“Go anywhere near that ogre,” I interrupted, completing his sentence for him, “Particularly in the mornings.” I paused. He looked at me, goading me to continue. “For Kim Kibum is a giant meanie. Happy?”

Grinning again, Xander gave me a gentle pat on the head. “Good girl.”

Unfortunately for us, the ogre, we were talking about, happened to already be awake.

Slipping on his jacket as he flew down the stairs, Kibum gave us both a dry look before he took his place on the small dining table. “I am spectacular, got that?” he checked, with a raised eyebrow. Xander went back to his cooking, whereas I said nothing. Seeing as how we completely ignored him, he gradually inched closer to me. Creep. His intentions were obvious. This of a brother wanted to mess up my hair.

But, of course, even though his back was turned to us, Xander knew too. In a sing-song manner, he threatened, “Touch one hair on my darling sister’s precious little head and you’re done for.”

Kibum immediately drew back; his eyes wide with surprise. He opened his mouth to ask, but I shook my head slowly and clicked my tongue. “Are you really going to ask? It’s Xander. He’s like every mother out there. He was born with eyes on his back.” He opened his mouth again, but really, his mind is way too predictable. “It’s an expression,” I said, answering his unspoken question.

Xander shrugged. “I’m magical.”

- Then there’s my ‘unique’ brother, Kibum. While Xander was everything good in the world, Kibum lived to bother me. If I was trying to sleep, it was absolutely necessary for him to make a ruckus. He hid my homework and snooped through my things. On the whole, Kibum was downright annoying. But I guess Life was just trying to even things out. Despite everything though, I knew he loved me too. -

“She’s my little sister too,” Kibum argued with his mouth full.

Xander sighed. “I should just stop cooking for you,” he muttered under his breath, as he poked the boiling potatoes harder than necessary, “And then you’ll starve.”

“Hey,” Kibum interjected in disagreement. “My cooking’s not that bad. The eggs I made last time were fairly edible,” he reasoned, referring to the omelette that he made last week.

“It had pieces of egg shells in them,” Xander pointed out.

Unwilling to back down, Kibum crossed his arms, sulking. “So?” he demanded. “Hyewon-ah, my cooking isn’t that bad. Go on, tell him.”

I gave him a weak smile. “Oppa,” I began in a sickeningly sweet tone, wondering how to break the news to him gently. But I ended up blurting out, “The egg came out blue.” Xander snorted and began to laugh. However, seeing Kibum’s darkened expression, he quickly turned his laughter into a cough.

Too late, though. The anger was already clear in Kibum’s eyes. He exhaled loudly. “I’m never cooking again!” he yelled childishly, before he walked out the door.

“I’m sorry!” I called out after him, but all I got in response was the slamming of a door and a faint annoyed mimicking.

“Don’t worry,” Xander assured me. “He’ll talk to Kevin then he’ll be fine again,” he told me knowingly, referring to one of my brother’s best friends.

A sharp tapping noise cut Xander off and we both turned towards the kitchen window, only to find a fairly brawny boy with blonde hair grinning at us.

Instantly recognizing him, we laughed at his smile that was far too big. What a goofball. “Eli!” I waved happily, receiving an automatic wave back, as well. “You’re right on time; I think Kibum’s grabbing his bike. Be careful though, he’s in a bad mood,” I chuckled sheepishly. “It’s my fault.”

Knowing I couldn’t exactly hear him through the window, Eli quickly flicked his hand, as if to say it was no big deal. Placing his fingertips together, he gestured towards his mouth, asking if I had already eaten breakfast. When I nodded, he gave me a satisfied thumbs-up.

“Did you eat too?” I asked, repeating his gesture, even though he had already gotten good at reading my lips.

He nodded too, a slight smile still on his face. Out of nowhere, Kibum appeared behind him and saw that Eli was checking up on me again. His eyes narrowed darkly before he smacked the back of Eli’s head.

“Ow,” the blonde pouted, facing my brother as he massaged the abused area. Instead of apologizing, Kibum stuck his tongue out at his friend and marched off.

“Sorry,” I grimaced guiltily. Eli simply flicked his hand again, smiling as he waved goodbye.

- That was Eli Kim, one of my brother’s best friends. Kibum always scolded him for being too good to me, complaining about how he turns into a dunce in front of me. Personally, I think Eli was just happy to have someone to treat as a little sister given that his real little sister lived halfway around the world.

Eli lived alone, and to be honest, it was a common situation for many people his age. Originally born in America, Eli made the choice to move here with the intention of becoming an actor, which is why he ended up in the same university as my brother. Kibum was studying to be a composer and eventually they became friends. How he puts up with my brother’s constant bullying, I have no idea. -

Softer knocks came from the window this time. A boy, who was a darker shade of blonde, greeted me, his thin fingers lightly tapping the glass rhythmically. “Good morning!” Kevin bounced happily.

I felt the heat rush to my face. “G-good morning,” I mumbled, faintly wishing that I could hear his voice better.

“Have a good day today, okay?” he smiled, showing me an encouraging fist. “Hyewon-ah, fighting!” A couple meters behind him, Kibum visibly sighed. He always gave Eli a good bonk on the head every time he caught him talking to me, but for some reason, he was weak towards Kevin.

And I couldn’t blame him. After all, I was the weakest when it came to Kevin.

- Kevin was Kibum’s best friend ever since they were little. Ever since the beginning, they were completely different from each other. While Kibum had a short temper, I had never seen Kevin angry. My brother was the manly brusque kind of guy; Kevin was bubbly and soft-hearted. He’s the type of boy that everybody simply loves. For the longest time, I remember having liked him as more than just my brother’s friend. I remember wishing he was mine. But that was back then; before the real story began. -

I watched them cycle away until they I lost sight of them when they turned around a corner.

“You should get going too, don’t you think?” Xander suggested. He walked up to me and smoothed my hair carefully. “Get to school early and try not to hurt yourself, alright?”

I nodded and hugged him goodbye. “Thank you,” I murmured sincerely.

He smiled, “Anytime. You’re the most precious to me, remember?”

“You say that every day,” I reminded him. “Won’t it be hold more meaning if you only say it every now and then?”

“Sometimes,” Xander explained. “It’s better to say things like this every day. So you can never forget.”

- At that time, I didn’t really know how much those words would stick with me. I didn’t know that one day; I’d be doing the exact same thing, repeating the same words to you every single day. But not so you won’t forget. I repeat it in order to be certain that I won’t forget. -

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- Naturally, I tend to walk much more quickly when I was alone compared to when I walk alongside Kiseop and Minyoung, which was why I had to leave earlier than I usually did if I wanted to walk with them. And on that particular day, I left just in time to meet them. Not a minute more, not a second less. I could have cycled with Kibum if I wanted to, but I didn’t. Looking at it now, the frailty of the situation of how he and I met was far too exact to be a mere coincidence. It’s clear to me now, just how many forms Destiny used to appear before me that on that very day.

Like the little girl with blue eyes. Her role was definitely important. -

An unexpected tug gently pulled on the hem of my skirt. I looked down and there she was, a little girl whose features outshined a doll’s. What stood out the most, however, were her big bright blue eyes. Everything about this girl practically screamed ‘Korean’ to my face, except for those eyes, which happened to be filled with tears.

“Eonni,” she cried, gripping my skirt tightly with her little fingers. “Eonni.”

Instinctively, I picked her up in my arms and swayed in a rocking motion, back and forth. “It’s okay,” I murmured calmly, trying to pacify her with relaxing motions. “Tell eonni what happened. Are you lost?” I guessed. Receiving a miserable nod as a response, I her hair softly, the way Xander or Kiseop did when I was upset. “Don’t worry. I’ll bring you home,” I promised, causing the tears to stop falling. “But I need to know your name and address. Can you tell eonni that?”

She didn’t say respond immediately, so I waited patiently. After a minute or so, she mumbled, “My name’s Seo Rinah.  I’m seven years old. I go to Shin Preparatory School. I’m not really supposed to talk to strangers.”

“I see,” I replied. “Well, my name’s Kim Hyewon and I’m 17 years old.” Her eyes widened at my age and I smiled, remembering how old I used to think 17 was when I was her age. “Now you know my name. Am I still a stranger?”

“I guess not,” she blinked, a grin slowly forming on her face. “Does that mean that you can take me home now?”

“Well, I still need to know your address, so I can take you home,” I clarified. “But yes, I’ll take you home.”

Rinah looked at me for a few seconds, before finally asking, “What’s an address?”

“An address is the place where you live,” I defined, without missing a beat. “Rinah-yah, do you know where you live?” She nodded happily. “Great!” I exclaimed, just as happily. “So where do you live?”

Rinah smiled. “At my house!”

I sighed, “Right. Thank you.”

- At that moment, I was the one who felt lost. Not only was I late for school, but there was also a little girl in my arms, who I suddenly became responsible for. At that point in time, I believed that I was the one who was helping her, but now I can clearly see that she was the one who helped me. With the pitiful way her tears fell, it was impossible for me to leave her distressed. How she held on to me caused me to strike out the idea of bringing her to the nearest police station. Something about that little girl made me want to help her myself, and because of that sentiment, I met him. -