Chapter 1

Minho left two days earlier then the actual date we planned, he told me they wanted him to be ready for the press conference, I agreed on taking the flight with Sehun.

“Arigato-gosaimase” I bowed so fast that I almost tumbled forward. 

My coach Kunuky placed a hand over my should and smiled, he always assured me that I had potential. I just had to remember my goal and never forget how hard I worked. 

“Mina”, Sehun shouted, weaving his arm while holding my luggage. 

“I’ll be there,” I mouthed, it would not be appropriate for me to vociferate while my master was couple of feet away from me. My teammates, who I would miss the most, engulfed me in a group hug. If I stayed longer, the feeling in my chest would spread all over my body, and I would find myself breaking to tears. So I let go and with a teary eyes weaved and run  to my friend. 

Sehun and I took the commoners class, we placed our backpacks in the closets above our seats, and sit in silence. 

“Are you ready?” Sehun asked, turning to check up on me. I noticed the worry in his joyful voice and his tense shoulders. 

“I do not know” I breathed. 

“You haven’t seen anyone in six years, no one will recognize you.” He held my hand, it wasn’t intimate, just a brotherly hold. 

I smiled, squishing his hand to assure him that I was fine. He did not let go of my hand and I allowed him to place it in inside his pockets, I need his warmth. 

I smiled remembering the day we met.

Minho and I stayed with a women, she requested I call her Nana.

I didn’t want to stay in the house so Minho and I left to play at the park, he was scared that I would get lost. There where kids playing tag and I wanted to join them, I asked if I could play. One started at me oddly as if I had asked him for something absurd. 

Then I heard one ask the other, it wasn’t Korean but I understood each word. And as if on instinct I spoke, like this was my first tongue. 

I asked again, this time in their language and they agreed.

I ran to Minho and told him I was going to play with the boys. 

“Minho, do all kids understand each other. I can speak to Ann and those kids, how come you can’t?” I struggled to my jacket, Minho pulled me by the waist and helped my jacket. 

“That’s because you were raised hear in Tokyo, as for Ann, you are really smart. I bet you picked the English from all the movies you watched.” He took my jacket, fixed my long sleeve shirt and ruffled my hair before sending me off to play with the boys. 

A week later I had everything for school, my uniform was cute, I loved the strips of blue it had. I thought I bee happy but I wasn’t. I was still insecure seeing how every girl had a slender figure, I looked like a clown compared to them. I introduced myself and took a seat at the back, classes passed, bored. I stared out the window, already knowing the lesson on the board the only difference was it was being taught in Japanese. 

The bell rang, and everyone run off, I followed. Lunch, I was hungry and everyone seemed to be crowding one table. I pushed through the bodies, since I was small I could push my way through, at the end I resolved to crawling. Finally I reached the front. I never seen such beautiful bread, stuffed with goodness, my mouth melted. As I reached for it someone much taller and stronger grasped it from me. 

I watched in slow motion as it despaired from my sight. 

I walked to the field with a milk box in my hand, hopefully Nana cooked a banquet or id be starving. I took a seat alone, my head hung low.

“Here” I piece of bread was in front of me. 

“Arigato” I took it from his hands.

“Konichiwa, I’m Sehun.” He smiled his tooth showing, and I could not help but smile back.

Since that day, we keep meeting each other on the same bench. We agreed I would buy the beverages while he threw himself into the jungle for a glorious sandwich. 

I smiled eyes closed, pulling the cover over  body, still our fingers stayed intertwined.