“Annyeong” the boy said to the girl sitting by herself on the farthest table in the room eating her lunch.

He had with him his food too and not really caring if she gives him a bad attitude or ignores him, he decided he’ll befriend the girl and he’ll do it no matter what. There was no other reason for it actually, just that he wanted to make the girl his friend since she looked lonely being alone on the first day of class.

“Annyeong” she said in a happy tone, putting him off guard.

He looked up when he finally got to sit down and saw a very angelic smile coming from the stranger he had chosen to befriend with. He smiled back not knowing why and continued eating, at first they were very quiet and just ate completely forgetting to introduce their selves.

The boy was slyly peeking through the corner of his eyes at the girl, wondering if she was looking at him or something like that but she wasn’t. She was reading a book and seemed to be enjoying herself with the wide, pretty and bright smile painted on her face, not realizing it he was watching her amusingly.

“Is there something on my face?” the girl asked, catching him staring. The boy blushed from getting caught and turned his head, not knowing what to tell her. “My name’s Sandara Park but you can call me Dara” she said, holding her hand across the table for a hand shake. The boy was a bit confused to what she was doing and understood she was from the states just by that gesture. “I’m Kim Hyunjoong” he said happily and shook her hand.

Stopping their bright chat, the school bell rang and the afternoon classes were about to start. Hyunjoong pouted while he watched Dara pack her things and got ready to leave. From the beginning, when he laid his eyes on her the moment he stepped in the cafeteria he wanted to get to know her, not know her in a way that he’ll be courting her but just as friends, like someone he wants to be really close with.

“Hey, maybe we can walk home together” Hyunjoong said, getting up and walking with her to the door. He didn’t know for sure where the girl lived, maybe it was opposite direction from him but he still asked. “Okay, I’ll see you by the gate” she smiled and turned left by the corridor; he was smiling while he watched her get to her class and turning right after.

That afternoon after classes was over Hyunjoong made sure he’ll be by the gates to wait for her, even ditching his friends to get there early. He saw her walking out of the front door talking to some guy, he puffed his cheeks and frowned from that but instantly brightened up when Dara waved at him, smiling even.

“Hi” Dara said, tucking a loose lock of her behind her ear. “Hi” Hyunjoong answered after.

“Dara”

“Joongah”

A female voice called behind them, they both turned around and saw their moms waiting for them. They ran to them and hugged them, a cute view actually and when the mothers’ turned to each other they screamed happily and ran to hug each other leaving their kids lost in utmost confusion.

“Huh!” they puffed, tilting their heads and trying to understand what was happening.

“She’s your auntie” they both said and the same time and the two nodded.

Even when it wasn’t how Hyunjoong planned to walk home with her but at least he still walked with her home and to make things better for him they lived 7 houses from each other.

“See you tomorrow Hyunjoong” Dara waved at him.

“See you tomorrow Dara” Hyunjoong waved at her.

And that was how Dara and Hyunjoong met when they were 9 years old.