May 18^th, 1991 – First Blood

Eunhyuk stood outside the doorstep of his house in the sweltering heat, nearly deciding to shed his skin once and for all. He was only five, after all, and there was nothing on his body that anyone hadn’t seen. Or at least he hoped that his DNA hadn’t messed anything up.

“Eunhyuk-ah, I’m home! Why have you been standing outside all this time? Don’t you know better than to become a human kebab? Or… did you forget your key again!”

Poor baby Eunhyuk was so scared that he could only nod furiously. His umma laughed (which nowadays we would call a cackle) and dug into her purse for her own key. When she successfully pulled it out, she unlocked the door.

“Yah! Eunhyuk-ah, you’ve been a very bad boy! You have to stay outside until your appa comes home now!” With that, she slammed the door in his face. The sun seemingly mocked him, all the while implying that he still had to wait three more hours until his appa returned.

Now, Eunhyuk had never been the top of the class, yet he wasn’t dumb either. He stripped out of his what seemed like winter clothing and set out to the shops nearby. If he couldn’t go home, it didn’t mean he had to sit there in the heat all day either. Asian skin was really prone to sunburn (or maybe it was just his soft, pale, baby-like skin).

Lost in his thoughts about how much he hated his umma and why in the world did his beloved appa ever marry another woman like this, Eunhyuk did not notice he had reached his favorite ice cream shop until he pretty much ran smack-dab into the window. His eyes watered and he nearly began to wail for his appa when he noticed another little boy inside the shop picking flavors for a huge bowl he held in his hand.

Eunhyuk, always one to become jealous and haughty, marched into the shop and came to a stop right next to the boy.

“Yah, why is it taking you so long to pick a flavor? You should know that the mint chocolate chip here is the best!” Satisfied with his commanding tone, he was just about to march on out when the boy returned in a quiet, refined, yet matter-of-fact tone, “You should know that the mint chocolate chip is the unhealthiest of all the ice cream choices here.”

Eunhyuk stopped dead in his tracks. He had never expected that kind of retaliation. Now all he could do was continue walking, though now his stature was more like that of an old man who had just run 87 miles in the pouring rain.

Eunhyuk spent the next what seemed like a gajillion hours (but was probably only 2) wandering around the little cluster of shops, going from one to the other without much gusto. He found himself back at the door of the ice cream shop again, with multiple blisters on his feet, and noticed once again the same young boy sitting there alone eating his ice cream (yes, it was indeed mint chocolate chip – that gave him some satisfaction).

The boy, who had also just noticed Eunhyuk eyeing hungrily yet wearily at his ice cream, waved him in. The latter, who had no reason to deny the offer (other than the fact that it was a huge blow to his pride), winced in pain as he stepped inside the shop.

“Hi, I’m Lee Donghae, and I know you’re Lee Hyukjae because everyone knows who you are.”

Eunhyuk was taken aback by the revelation that he was a celebrity of sorts here, but he didn’t show much expression as he plopped down beside this Donghae with a spoon and a growling stomach. He was done being hostile for the day… maybe. “How come everyone knows me?”

Donghae’s matter-of-fact tone returned. “Well see you’re the son of the evilest woman in town. And I’ve heard rumors that you’re pretty adorable but you get beaten every day by her. I guess a part of those rumors is true as of now.” Donghae had sounded older than his years, but now when he threw a shocking grin over to Eunhyuk and tousled his hair affectionately, he seemed every bit the naughty five-year-old again.

Eunhyuk didn’t really hear what the former had said – the ice cream was heaven. “Call me Eunhyuk.”

Donghae didn’t look surprised and picked it up easily. Well, kind of. “Okay, Hyukkie! My mom’s coming to pick me up soon, wanna ride home?”

Eunhyuk had never been happier. His umma, on the other hand…