THREE

Yonghwa was in fourth grade when love found him.

The girl was running shotgun on the field pushing the boys off the track and yelling that they were just a bunch of sissies that needed to piss off her way.

Whoa, that girl had a way with words.

“You like my sister.”

It was another girl whom he just remembered sitting next to him for like forever. Yes, he didn’t notice because he only had his eyes on her eldest sister.

“I do not!” the boy in him retorted. Real men aren’t sentimental, he was told.

“You do.” She argued calmly, “You have that stupid smile on your face.”

“Ahhh, this jashik,” he found himself grumbling especially when the girl seemed to be peering at him from behind the thick red-rimmed glasses she was wearing.

“How can you like her? She’s a boy.”

The girl whispered almost to herself then dropped her gaze back to the open notepad on her lap. Yonghwa snorted, “She’s a girl alright!”

“Is not…” she said again then lifted her chin pursing her lips towards the other side of the field, “See that girl over there?”

He looked. The girl she was pointing at was one of the cutest girls in school. She was a transferee from America.

“She’s her girlfriend.”

“Girlfriend? Is not!” the stubborn him said out loud.

“Is too…”

He groaned because he knew he wasn’t going to win an argument with this headstrong girl so he just nudged her to look towards the other side of the field, “Hey, isn’t that your P.E. class?”

“Uh-huh.”

“Then why are you here?”

“My sister got me a letter from Sica Unnie’s doctor that said I couldn’t do P.E. because there’s something wrong with my bone.”

“What?!” he felt his blood rushed on his face, “Seohyunie, are you sick?!”

“Aniyo,” she waved a hand as if swatting a fly, “Taeng Unnie just thought I might fall or hurt myself during P.E. I am not sick anywhere at all. She said it was something like a precautionary measure.”

“What? She lied?”

“Sort of. But it’s okay. I don’t mind sitting here.”

“But still that’s wrong. Besides, if she wants to protect you, what she did is a bit exaggerated.”

“Then go and try telling my sister that.”

Seohyun had a point. There was no way he could talk to Kim Taeyeon.

“YA, SEOHYUNIE!”

They  both turned to see Yoona sprinting towards them.

“Ye, unnie?”

“Appa is waiting for us at the parking lot. He will drive us to Sica Unnie’s party.”

“But what about Taeyeon Unnie and Fany Unnie?”

“Hyo Unnie’s driver will wait for them later. Unnie’s still at her dance academy. Kaja?”

“Okay…”

Seohyun turned to him and handed his notepad.

“Study that Oppa, I read that in my sister’s Math notebook. Bye!”

With that, she ran behind Yoona. The paper on his hand reminded him of the awful brain he  possessed to be tutored by no less than a dongsaeng 2 years younger than him.

~~~

The party was in full swing when he and his mother arrived at the Jung residence. By the beginning of the school year, his parents decided to send him to his Keun Appa, his father’s eldest brother, to continue his education there and, acquaint and expose him in the Jung family empire. His mother would come to visit often but, honestly, he preferred staying in Busan.

That was how he got to know the little Girls’ Generation who were, at that moment, gathered on a little stage in the center of the party with their little tables and little chairs having their little tea time. The party was thrown by Jessica’s mom for her eldest daughter's twelfth birthday. The pink  party was attended only by the immediate Jung family children and Jessica’s eight closest friends. She and her friends wore a matching pink ballerina-inspired dresses with tiny tiaras adorning their heads except for Jessica who was wearing a princess crown. A few feet away from them was a table occupied by their mothers who, like their daughters, were chattering animatedly.

“Have they always been together like this?” he asked his mother with much curiosity.

“Hmmm, can you see their mothers? Back in our days, they were the in-crowd,” Mrs. Jung said went on recounting the history of the girls.

The clique was named Girls’ Generation by Yuri’s mother. The nine girls’ mothers were bestfriends like them before and when they got married, they promised that their children will grow up together like real sisters. The weird thing was, they conceived almost at the same time and gave birth to the nine girls, so they named them as the new generation ‘them’. During the holidays, their families would go on resorts and camps and play together. The girls were encouraged to take same classes and have the same hobbies. They also organize mini-get-togethers like tea parties, picnics and pajama parties on a regular basis that the little girls ended up inseparable like their mothers.

Taeyeon and Seohyun’s parents are lawyers so they are both smart and outspoken. Taeyeon is strict but compassionate and since she is the eldest, she was spoiled by their father. She was boyish and naughty most of the time and possesses a very strong character that seemed to be like  a magnetic pull that lead people to look up to her. She has a strong drive and free spirit. Seohyun grew up under the strict guidance of her mother after seeing how she failed in turning Taeyeon into a little ‘lady’. Seohyun became an upright little girl. She is very smart and caring but seriously quiet. Like her sister, she has a leader-air in her that sometimes intimidates her older unnies in the clique. She speaks her heart and mind out when she thinks her sisters are being unreasonable and childish again. She may be the youngest but she is an old soul. Being that, everybody has this drive to protect and take care of her.

Jessica Jung and her younger sister, Krystal, are born to the third generation of Jung Hotel Empire. Their father is the eldest Jung and took over the whole company after their grandfather died. The sisters are both spoiled little darling brats and needed bodyguards and maids to hover around them. Only when Sica started hanging out with the girls that she decided she didn’t need her escorts. To others, Jessica is the biggest snob in the group. If she is not ignoring other people, that means she’s sleeping. She likes aircon more than anything else in the world; this and the fact that she drives people away by ignoring them make her appear like an ice princess. She gets into a fight with Taeyeon most of the time because they usually see things differently and won't easily accept each other's idea. They simply love provoking each other. Whatever misunderstanding they may have that may taint their relationship, Sica could never leave her friends and the clique nor can Taeyeon kick her out. The love they have for each other remained hidden in their indifference towards each other.

Sunny and Sooyoung are cousins and are among the richest kids in the group. Their uncle owns a broadcasting and entertainment company. Because Sunny has so many sisters, she seemed to have grown unlimited supply of aegyo in her system just to get herself attention. She mostly became attached to her friends when she felt that they were the only ones who could give her the undivided love she felt her family fails to give her. Sooyoung’s parents are rich even for the next century that they could work while playing around. Since they are always gone to travel, Sooyoung grew up thinking her eldest sister, ten years her senior, is her parent. When her Unnie left to study in Europe, she became closer to her friends. She enjoys eating and talking and eating and talking.

Yuri and Yoona’s parents are prominent people of the country. Their father is a retired pro-baseball player and now managing a national baseball team. Their mother is a beauty queen turned actress and an important figure in the entertainment industry. The sisters are easy-going kids who love to play pranks at their friends. Yuri is an athlete, she wanted to try all kinds of sports although her father told her to focus in just one. She is best in swimming and baseball. One time, when she was seven, a modeling agent saw her and asked her to model for this high-end kids clothing line. Her mother was so excited but that time Yuri was tomboyish and didn’t want to wear dresses they prepared for her in the shoot and she cried and threw tantrum. Her mother already signed the contract and just decided to put Yoona instead. Yoona loved wearing the pretty dresses and, most especially, loved having her pictures taken and seeing them all over the country. The rest was history for Yoona. She became the youngest and one of the most celebrated top stars and product endorsers of Korea. Despite all these, she remained the same deer Yoong that everybody loves.

Tiffany’s mother passed away when she was young and because she developed a weird allergy in the US, she was sent back to Korea to live with Sica and her family. Fany is a very religious girl deep inside and easily drawn to tears. She loves her friends very much and she considers them her family. She is mostly close to Taeyeon. She is the one who can talk her through everything. With Fany around, Taeyeon is an easy person to get along with.

Hyoyeon is Taeyeon and Seohyun’s first cousin. Her mother is a renowned ballerina of the country and she had her daughter trained to follow her foorsteps but then Hyo fell in love with hip-hop that she defied her mother’s wishes and did her own strut. Although disappointed, her parents supported her decisions. Hyo is also a prankster in the group. She is usually the match that lights mischief.

~~~

“Hey…”

“Oh, hi there… didn’t know you’re back in town.”

“Yeah, surprises surprises, huh?”

“So, is it for good?”

“I guess.”

“You know the girls are going to come back soon. You don’t want them to see you sitting here, especially Taengoo.”

“I know, I don’t intend to stay but I think we have so many things to talk about.”

“Do we?”

“Yes we do, Jung Jessica.”

“Oh… well, that… anyway, it was nice talking to you?”

“Not this again, Sica. You owe me.”

“I do?”

“You do and you know it. Find a way for me to talk to her.”

“There’s no way I can do that.”

“You can, and you will. You know how to do things your way.”

“Look, you have to go back to your table, Yonghwa.”

“This conversation isn’t over yet.”

PREVIEW: CHAPTER FOUR

“Oppa, you need to be very quiet since Unnie will come in here for sure and she’ll definitely going to kill you if she sees you here… in my freaking bathroom!”

“Hyunie… I—“

“Oh sweet heavens, you really should shut up. And you're too drunk, your breath is awfully stinky for goodness sakes!” She muttered as her gaze roamed around the room until it fell on the hand towel resting in the counter. Seohyun reached for it while keeping him still then put it in his mouth, “Don’t tell me I didn’t warn you. Just stay still until I—“

“Seohyun? Are you still up?”

“Arrggghhh great!” she sighed and called out, “Unnie, I’m in the bathroom! I’ll be there in a sec.”