The sounds of ringing school bells echoed around the campus, indicating a break in their schedule for lunch. Hoards of little children dashed out from their classes excitedly, heading towards the various popular spots around in school.

Looking around fearfully, Sooyoung clutched on tightly to the lunch money she had in her pockets and followed the stream of chattering kids to the canteen. She had transferred over from the states the day before and everything about the school felt unfamiliar to her.

A hard push between the blades of her shoulders sent her tumbling down the steps and she lunged desperately into the air, hoping to be able to hold on to something that could steady her fall. Grabbing onto the handrail in the nick of time, Sooyoung hugged onto it tightly, stopping herself in mid tumble.

Howling laughter rang out around her and she looked around at the menacing faces of the senior boys timidly, wondering what they were planning to do with her. Before she could react, one of the boys had choked her from behind, allowing the others to snatch away her lunch money from within the grasp of her fist. Tossing her onto the ground like a rag doll, they laughed and high fived each other before walking away with her lunch money in their pockets.

Hugging her knees close to her chest, Sooyoung looked at the emptied purse they had tossed onto the ground and her face crumpled. Tears welled up in her eyes and she buried her head between her knees, muffling the noises she was making. The winter wind lashed out against her body forcing her to hug her knees tighter against her chest. Her stomach growled in response to her tears, making her feel weak and powerless.

A hand tapped gently onto her shoulder and she looked up, sniffling back her sobs. The twinkling pair of eyes was the first to enter into her line of vision, capturing her full attention. Unable to tear herself away from his earnest gaze, she sat unmoving as he gently wiped her tears away on the back of his hand. The rumblings from her empty stomach caught his attention next and he smiled a little before producing a crumpled looking sandwich from the depth of his school shorts.

Carefully splitting it down the middle, he handed over half his sandwich to Sooyoung and beamed on happily as he watched her eat. Chomping down on his now smaller share, he rubbed at his unfilled tummy, silencing the growls that it was producing. Noticing the I’m new badge on Sooyoung, he held out his hand towards her and introduced himself “Hi, I am Changmin, one of the members in the school’s welcoming committee. I missed my protégé today in class but I think I might have found her.”

Watching Sooyoung stretched out her hands meekly in reply, Changmin grabbed it impatiently and pumped it up and down before happily tugging her along for what he proclaimed to be the tour of a lifetime.

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The protégé and mentor grew closer as the days past and soon they were pretty much inseparable. Their houses were conveniently located within the same district, allowing them to keep each other company to and fro from school.  

The sun was shining brightly like usual that day and Changmin stretched himself lazily as he padded down the road leading for home. A nudge by the side of his ribs caught his attention and before he knew it, Sooyoung was pulling him by the arm, diverting him away from their usual route. After bickering over a few wrong turns and misrouting, they finally arrived at the paradise Sooyoung had stumbled upon a few days back.

White dandelion seeds floated lazily in the air, roused by the gentle breeze that coursed through the lush green field before their eyes. White and yellow coloured dandelions peppered the area before them and Sooyoung bent down and picked one up, mischievously blowing the seeds into Changmin’s face.

Spitting out the last of the dandelion seeds that had somehow made its way inside his mouth, Changmin spread himself out on the green field and closed his eyes, allowing the cool breeze to waft across his face. Feeling a weight settle itself across his chest, he smiled and opened his eyes to see what Sooyoung was up to this time.

Using Changmin as a pillow, Sooyoung closed her eyes and held a dandelion close to her chest. Whispering softly into it, she smiled and opened her eyes before blowing the seeds into the wind; watching it float across the field and into the unknown. The green stem remained clutched in her grasp and she carefully folded it, stuffing it into her pocket before turning to face Changmin. “My grandma says that dandelions are really magical, you just have to wish on them and they will carry your wish away and bring them to the gods in heaven.”

“So what did you wish for then?”

Smiling, Sooyoung raised a finger to her lips before saying “If I told you then it wouldn’t come true anymore.” Settling herself comfortably down on Changmin’s chest, she closed her eyes and listened to the gentle thumping of his heartbeat, allowing it to lull her into a peaceful slumber.