Chapter 1
Even Numb3rs
Remember when we were six, you helped me on the swings when I was too short to get on myself.
Filled with trees for the dogs and cats to run around, benches where couples would sit and enjoy the scenery, tables where families would surround and eat, and just like any other park, the playground was centred in the middle.
The little Choi Yoori and Lee Dongmin hurriedly ran to the playground with the swings in sight. Dressed in short pink overalls, white long-sleeved shirt, pink sandals and a headband to match her soft long brown hair, Choi Yoori looked like just any other ordinary six year old girl. Innocent, pretty, and petite. With a little blue cap resting on his short black locks, blue sandals, denim jeans and a black & white shirt, Lee Dongmin was a typical six year old boy. Cheeky, good-looking, and quite energetic. With the benefit of having longer legs, Dongmin was able to get to the adult swing first.
“No! Dongmin! I want that swing! Get off get off get off!”
“No way, I got here first.”
“Dongmin!”
“Mehrong* You snooze you lose.”
“No! Dongmin get off of it now!” Yoori whined and stomped her little feet but Dongmin refused to budge and firmly planted his little bum on the swing.
“Who told you to run so slow?”
“But you’re taller than me!”
“And?” Raising his right eyebrow, with mischief filling his eyes.
“You have longer legs!”
“And?” Once again asking his one word questions to annoy her.
“You’re being unfair. You’re so mean oppa.” The little girl gave up trying to persuade him and sat on the sandy floor of the playground, defeated.
“Why don’t you go on that swing?” The little boy suggested as he pointed to the swing beside him.
“No, that’s for little kids.”
“Huh?”
“I’m all grown up now!”
“But I’m older.”
“But I don’t want to be a baby.” She stated still meeting the floor with her legs crossed, arms folded, and head looking down.
With a sigh, Dongmin got off of the swing and bent down to the little Yoori. Upon seeing a shadow, she lifted her head up to catch the eyes of her oppa. It was a picture perfect moment. Two little six year old kids staring into the eyes of one another, her light golden eyes shone in the sun while his honey brown eyes melted. Each pout turning into a sweet, sincere smile.
“Would you be happy if I gave you that swing?"
“Really oppa?”
“Mm, really.”
Grinning as widely as would stretch, Yoori jumped up with excitement and immediately ran straight to swing she had been wanting. Dongmin turned around and watched in amusement at how his best friend could get so excited over such a trivial thing.
Though he was only six, he knew things. He knew that he had to be kind to her, to treat her like she was the most special girl in the world, and that if he hurt her, she’d cry, but if he didn’t, she’d smile. Those eyes of her would light up and be filled with warmth, and to him, that was the most special thing. Her eyes, his eyes, that was the way they connected, the way they communicated, the way they expressed their love for another.
Seeing her struggling to get on the swing by herself, Dongmin walked over and asked her if she needed any help. “Yoori-ah, do you need any help?”
“No, oppa, I told you, I’m all grown up now! I can get on all by myself!” The little Yoori said with determination. She really believed that she could get on herself, but they both knew, she was just too short.
Dongmin burst out laughing and clutched his stomach as Yoori fell down to the ground, once again, defeated. It became silent and all could be heard was Dongmin’s laugh. A sniff was caught and he immediately stopped laughing. He looked down to see his best friend crying.
Stooping down once again; this time with once knee coming into contact with the sandy floor. “Yoori-ah, don’t cry. I stopped laughing didn’t I? Stop please?” he said quietly as he lightly nudged her. “Yoori-ah … Will you stop crying if oppa helps you get on the swing?”
Her crying stopped and silence filled the air. The little boy anxiously waited for the little girl’s response. Yoori slowly lifted her head up to let Dongmin get a view of her little tear stained face.
“Yes, Yoori wants oppa to help.”
With smiles from the pair, Dongmin got up and gave a hand to Yoori. He easily lifted her up high enough so she could get her legs over the swing. Little Yoori clapped with joy as her bum came into contact with the black leather seat material.
“Thank you oppa!”
Dongmin rolled his eyes as he made his way to the swing adjacent to Yoori’s. It was for ‘babies’, as they liked to call it. Scrunching his face in discomfort, Dongmin slowly lowered himself for his bottom to come into contact with the baby swing.
“Yoori, do you really want to see your oppa suffer like this? You’re much smaller than me, can we switch please?”
“Haha, nope!” Reaching high in the air, Yoori ended her statement with a giggle.
“Please, please?” The poor little boy continued to beg as he swung down to match her pace.
“Nope!”
“Yoori-ah ~” He said, backing up with a cute and whiny tone.
“Haha, oppa!”
Dongmin continued to make whining noises just to see her smile and hear her giggles.
“Yoori-noona? Will you swap with me?”
“Hahaha!”
“Yoori-noona? How about it?”
“Hahahahahaha!”
“Yoori-noona ~ Yoori-noona ~”
“Oppa, stop it! You’re making me laugh! Hahaha!”
The little boy could watch his best friend smile and laugh all day long. Her smile gave her an appearance of an angel, and her laugh came out sweet, melodic and twinkling. He continued to ride on the baby swing in discomfort just to amuse her.
The two little children continued to float among the swings and enjoy each other’s company. They took turns to make each other laugh and talk about things any other normal six year old would talk about. The sun was beginning to subside. It had been about a few hours since the pair had gotten out here, to the local park next to their houses. Was it ever mentioned that these two were neighbours? Dongmin had moved in next to Yoori when they were both two, Dongmin being just 5 months older, but still, any older was still older, right? By the age of four, before they could talk or walk properly, they were inseparable. How though? Their eyes; it was their very own form of communication. Yoori was born with a slight case of abnormal eyes. They’re the shade of gold, and would glimmer and shine in the sun light. They had a special connection, different from all the other children.
“Dongmin oppa! Dongmin oppa ~ !”
Finally realising that his name was being called, Dongmin snapped out of his trance and looked Yoori straight in the eyes.
“Hmm?”
“Dongmin oppa, what were you thinking about?”
“My best friend.”
“What? You have another best friend? But I thought I was your best friend?” Yoori questioned, confused. Being the cheeky little boy he is, Dongmin decided to continue teasing his best friend.
“Hmm, who said you were?”
“Lee – Dong - Min.”
“Choi – Yoo - Ri.”
“…”
“…”
“…”
“Hahahahaha!”
Their serious stares at each other didn’t last very long as they burst into a round of laughter.
“So oppa, who’s this best friend of yours again?”
“My best friend is ….”
“Is … ?”
“CHOI YOORI!”
“Yay!”
“You are my best friend and I am your best friend.” Dongmin confirmed with a nod.
“Who said?”
“Ya Choi Yoori.”
“Yes my best friend, Lee Dongmin?”
“That’s more like it!”
They turned to look at each other in the eyes. Putting their swings to a stop, they continued to connect with their eyes. Savouring the sweet and silent moment with each other. That was the six year old Choi Yoori and Lee Dongmin.
***
“YA, LEE DONGMIN! THAT’S MY SWING!”
“NAH! I GOT HERE FIRST!”
“LEE DONGMIN! GET OFF!”
“YOU SNOOZE YOU LOSE! AND DID YOU JUST CALL ME LEE DONGMIN?”
“I SAID GET OFF LEE DONGMIN!”
“IT’S OPPA TO YOU CHOI YOORI!”
“YA!”
“YA!”
“GET OFF!”
“NO, YOU GET OFF!”
“STOP COPYING ME!”
“NO, YOU STOP COPYING ME!”
“ARGH!”
“ARGHH!”
“LEE DONGMIN!”
“CHOI YOORI!”
Defeated and with a sigh, the twenty year old Yoori put both hands on her hips and stared at her best friend of the same age, Lee Dongmin, straight in the eyes.
Squinting and with accusation, “You haven’t changed a bit since you were six.”
“Eh, that’s my charm though. Why would I need to change?” He added the question with a shrug.
“Your charm … ?”
“Mhmm!”
“Oh god.”
“You know you love me ~”
“What am I going to do with you Lee Dongmin?”
“Nothing. And why must you refuse to call me oppa?”
“Because you’re annoying!”
“But it’s only right to be respectful to your elders!”
“Oh here we go again … “
“Now call me oppa.”
“You wish. Now get off the swing! You’re getting the seat all hot!”
“Relax. I’m just warming it up for you.”
“Lee Dongmin.”
“Yes your highness?”
“Off.”
“No thanks. I like it on.” He replied cheekily with a smirk.
“I give up.” Finally admitting defeat against her stubborn best friend, Yoori threw her hands up in the air in frustration and turned to walk in the opposite way of the playground. They were currently visiting their local park. The scene very so reminded them of the times when they were six.
“Yoori? Where are you going?”
“Away from you ~”
“Ya!” He shouted as he got up to chase after Yoori, who had started to run away from him.
“Wait up! Choi Yoori, don’t you dare run away from your oppa!”
“I thought you said you had longer legs than me, I’m pretty sure you’ll be able to catch me soon!” She shouted, barely audible to Dongmin’s ears since she was already so far away.
Dongmin shook his head in amusement and took a moment to reminisce their memories.
“Choi Yoori, you are one unique girl,” He stated in a quiet voice.
With a smile, he began to run after her again only to realise she had ran back to the swings while he was thinking. Once again, Choi Yoori had successfully gotten happy over a trivial thing.
“Haha, the swing is mine now ~” Yoori teasingly sang with a big grin on her face.
“Oh my god Yoori!” Dongmin suddenly shouted scaring the life out of her.
“What?!?”
“How did you get on there Yoori? I thought you were too short.” Dongmin answered back with a smug look on his face.
She knowingly answered, “ please, I’m an adult now!”
“Oh, so now that you’re older, you don’t need me to help you on the swings anymore?”
“Don’t pout oppa, it doesn’t suit you.”
“Aww, my little Yoori is all grown up now and won’t even let me pout anymore.”
Snickering, “You’re so weird. I don’t even know why I’m friends with you.”
“Not just friends, best friends!” Dongmin shouted with excitement.
“Okay, okay, best friends it is.”
“The bestest bestest bestest of the bestest of the be-,“ with a hand over his mouth, Dongmin was unable to speak.
“Just shut up oppa.” With a small smile, Yoori retracted her hand that was covering his mouth and placed them on the chains of the swing instead. Dongmin remained silent and walked over to the ‘baby’ swing adjacent to hers. They both just rode the swings in silence, enjoying each other’s company and the view of the vacant park in front of them.
This scene was just like the one from when they were six years old. Though they had now grown up, they still had the same characteristics in them, and their bond remained as strong as ever.
Choi Yoori & Lee Dong Min; 1998
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Author's Note:
Hi :)
As promised, here is the first chapter! YAY! *claps*
Haha, anyways, I hoped you enjoyed the chapter and please wait for the next one!
I will surely update it soon. If possible, I will do weekly updates. :)
So as usual, please subsribe and comment!
And please check out my other fanfic too:
[ Tres. ]
Thank you ~
- YoungMii
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