I twirled around the pencil around my finger while hearing Miss Bomi explained the Early Korea. Seeing her standing in front of 30 students and confident in explaining the facts to us is a courage act. If it were me, I might pissed my pant and stuttering with my own words.

I glanced at Chanyeol who is sitting on my left and he is also absorbed in hearing her but lately, he is purposely avoiding me. Whenever we met at hallway, he would smile a bit before fasten his pace before I get to greet him. I wonder what’s wrong. I thought we were friends. I even asked Kibum about this but neither him doesn’t know what happened.

I was about to jot the short note on the white board when someone knocked the door and enter the classroom. But I didn’t bother to look up. Whoever the person is, she or he won’t looking for me.

When someone nudged my shoulder, I turn my left and I saw Chanyeol gestured for me to look in front. Did I just saw a smirk on his face?

That’s when my eyes caught a familiar pair of eyes. Taeyeon noona? I thought I’ve been dismissed from the radio schedule for this week to focus on my exam. Nevertheless, she must have something important to ask because it’s weird for her to be here without Sunny noona.

“Yes, noona?” I asked her once we walk out from the classroom and I ignored the eyes from my classmates. Busybody.

She extended her hand and it was a schedule of study. “This is your schedule. Since you’re new here and your mission is to achieve first place in the exam, all of us have decided to tutor you until you grasped everything.” She explained.

“Guess I can’t back off, huh? Thanks noona. I really do appreciate your help.” I show her a sweetest smile ever but she didn’t waver. Geez, robot much?

“Thanks to you that I found a purpose in my life. So, Baekhyun, as our first junior who joined the Broadcast Club, make sure you placed first and we’ll celebrate your achievement.”

“Really? You aren’t kidding?”

“Yeah, yeah if you placed first. Then, I’ll take my leave. Good luck!” She waved me goodbye before gone to the 2^nd floor.

I’m still dumbstruck here; holding a piece of paper that guarantee my place and admission ticket for upcoming test. Eomma, appa! If you were here, I don’t know how to describe my own feeling. It’s like I receive a bar of gold for my birthday which never come true.

I hug my body while staring at the man who is been avoiding me for several days because of unknown reason and now, he wanted to meet me personally. I had to ditch class with Chorong noona and she would be furious of me right now.

I gritted my teeth when imagining her scary face. “Witch.” I muttered under my breath.

“Huh?”

“Oh, no! I didn’t mean it to you. Anyway, why are you trying to say after avoiding me. Did I commit something wrong? I’ll apologize first.”

Chanyeol shook his head miserably. “It was me who supposed to apologize. I know I act selfish but I really don’t know how to act around you.”

My eyes widen. “What do you mean by that? Are you – somehow, like me?” I asked; hesitated.

It was his turn to widen his eyes. “The hell?! Are you kidding me? Of course no! No, no!” He shook his head and both of us fell into deep silent.

He lets out a restrained cough before continue. “The truth is…” He took a deep breath. “I confessed to your mother and got rejected. She was my first love so it took time to heal the pain but it’s worth it. She taught me a lot. But hey, if she can’t be my girlfriend, she can be my second mother.” He grinned widely making me face palm.

“NO! I do not approve of this relationship! I’m the only son to her. No one else!” I shouted.

But he stick his tongue out without mercy. “Sorry man but she approved it. You can’t stopping me from calling her ‘eomma’ from now on, brother.” He laughed and my face is turning red from mixture of blushing and anger.

“You – you!” I was about to strangle him when someone stopped us.

A tall man who I assumed around 20’s is wearing blue shirt and jeans. His hair was cut short and coloured with chestnut brown. He approached us with disapprove look but ruffling Chanyeol’s hair like he knew him for a long time. I stare at both of them with blank look when Chanyeol realized I was there.

He grinned. “Uncle, this my best friend, Baekhyun but I called him Bacon. Baekhyun, this is my Uncle Luhan. He just arrived from China and flew here to see his handsome and good looking nephew.” When he said that, Uncle Luhan hit his head lightly.

“Watch your words. You’ll never surpass my handsome face until you live. And I recognize your face. Your face is very similar to your father.” He smiles.

“You – you know my father?”

“Who doesn’t? That big-headed man who is popular among juniors and lecturers once time ago. I’m his best friend since school but lost contact after I moved to China for family business. I tried to find him but he is nowhere stay at Korea after that.”

I smile softly. “He move to Los Angeles with my mother. Sometimes, he did tell me about how three of you called musketeer by your teacher because whenever there is problem, your three faces always appeared. It such a good story tale when I was little.”

He smiles friendly. “I wonder if he married to his first love back then.”

“You mean my mother?”

He looked surprised. “What’s your mother’s name? Is it Seohyun?” He asked; out of curiosity. Chanyeol who is intently listening to our conversation is taken aback when my mother’s name is popped up.

“You know his mother, Uncle?” Chanyeol asked.

“I guess he did married to her. Where is he anyway? I can’t wait to tackle him after a long time.”

My smile died. I looked at my pair of feet that seems to mock me back. Appa, I wish you were here to give me a bit of strength. Aren’t you my pillar of strength?

“He died because of illness. He is also wanted to meet you badly but he didn’t know how or where. However, I’m sure my mother was pretty enthusiastic to see you after a long time. How about you come to my house for dinner?” I invited him over.

“I would love to but don’t you think I will disturbing both of you? I didn’t mean to.”

Chanyeol nudged his shoulder with playful grin. “Come on! I know you wanted to. His mother – no, I mean eomma cook is better than anyone I know. Right, brother?” He teased me and I wish I could decapitate his head.

“I told you I do not approved this relationship! I do not approved you as my brother.”

He sticks his tongue out. “Jealous.”

Chorong noona didn’t said anything except showing me the working solution for at least several sheet of papers. She circled my answer which I assumed I had to correct them. Our discussion was started like this; dead silence.

My fault at the first place when I forgot to tell her about my meeting with Chanyeol. She even skipped her cheerleader practice to teach me but I treat her badly. Taeyeon noona is going to kill me for sure!

Goodbye eomma. I’m going to see appa in Heaven.

“Stop making those faces. I had a stupid encounter with some at the toilet before. That’s why my mood is ruined in this evening. I didn’t mean to scare you.” She said; still didn’t looking up from her reference book.

“I’m sorry noona. It was my fault that I forgot to inform you why I’m late. And you did scare me a bit especially when you stayed silent throughout time.”

“Forget about it. Anyway, your result is not bad. I’m sure you can scored this paper well seeing how you didn’t forget to include explanation and example unlike some students. You like this subject?”

I rubbed the back of my head. “A lot. The teacher assigned for this subject is hella good! He makes this subject interesting but not to my classmates. Noona, when you’re graduated later, what kind of course are you going to take later?”

“Veterinarian.”

“A what?” I accidentally raise my voice; receiving a warning glare from the head of librarian. “Sorry.”

“Why – you think cheerleader like me doesn’t like animal? Not suit to be a veterinarian?”

I my lower lips. “It’s seems weird, noona.”

“Nothing in this world is weird unless they had small mind like you. Hurried up finished your questions. I couldn’t stand with my body odour right now after a few practices. Huh!” She was making cute faces.

“Alright. Alright.”

 I’m making sure my mother cook at the kitchen while I waited for Uncle Luhan at the door as a surprise to her. I think the best moment ever when you met someone you knew from a long time ago. Nah~ It’s the best gift ever.

Seeing no one outside, I walk back to the kitchen and gives her surprise back hug from behind as I sniffed orange scent from her hair.

“You smell sweet, eomma. I wish I would never married so I could stayed with you much longer. Even if I got wrinkled all over my face, I’ll still insisted to stay with you.” I praised her.

She chuckles. “What are you blabbering about? Didn’t you also used the same shampoo, honey? You have to get married when you had someone you love. I don’t want to confine you with me.”

“But no one cook as good as you do. No one would massaged me when my back is sore. No one would sing me lullaby until I go to sleep and much more. Don’t you love me?” I showed her a puppy look but she ignored me as she stirred her chicken stew.

“I love you but I don’t want you to stuck here with me for the rest of my life. No one is the same even when you compared every girl you knew with me because each one has their own traits which makes them different from each other. Just like your father.”

That’s remind me of someone.

“Eomma, you told me that you, appa and other friend were best friend, right? Did you like him or appa more?” I asked earnestly. I just wanted to know out of curiosity.

I mean, Uncle Luhan is also good looking even he was the same aged as my mother and extremely nice as being told by Chanyeol. I still rate my father higher for look but around their age, I’m sure my mother found Uncle Luhan interesting than my father.

“Why do you asked that kind of question? It hurt my feeling. Of course I like your father more.”

Somehow, her answer doesn’t felt right. I could sense it.

“I don’t believe you. Just tell me, eomma. I don’t get jealous or furious over it. I still can think wisely, you know. In case you thought I would go berserk. I think appa also have the same thought as me.”

She stopped her act and looked at me with loving stare. She caressed my face with tender as a motherly smile appeared on her face.

“This is one of many reasons I like about your father. You had your father trait in you. I admit I like the other friend more than your father because he treated me nicely, comforted me whenever I’m down. But when he left us without words, I felt betrayed and kinda sulked for a moment. That’s when your father stepped in and brought me out of my gloomy world. I started to fall for him; not because of that kind of reason but he is sincerely tried to make me feel good. He even said to me, don’t judge him because of sudden reason but have a positive reason why he had to left us. Maybe he doesn’t wanted us to feel sad or angry over his decision. Are you satisfied now?” She said while ruffling my hair.

I nod a bit. “Yeah. A lot. Do you still like him until now, eomma?” And I caught her off guard when she almost slipped the ladle.

You did even after many years and I think he is also like you too, eomma. It’s just because he felt appa is better deserving you more because you were his first love. Isn’t he nice, eomma? After all these years, I bet he still waiting for you.

A sudden knock on the door startled me and pulled me back into reality. I subconsciously smile and run towards the door; leaving my mother dumbfounded.

I could hear her said ‘who is it at a time like this?’. When I opened the door, I found him staring down at his feet with a bucket of fruits and it nicely decorated with ribbon.

“Uncle Luhan! I don’t think you found our house. Is it hard?”

He chuckled. “A bit but thanks to Chanyeol. I bet he always coming here, right? He even told me shortcut. That brat!”

“That’s Chanyeol I know. Come in!” I gestured him and decided to stay silent about how his nephew was trying to seduce my mother before.

He trailed me from behind as I guided him to the kitchen. My mother is already preparing the table and was about to place a bowl of stew when she caught Uncle Luhan’s eyes. She gulped and closed her opened mouth with her hand.

I give them a space to reminisce but the wonderful smell from the stew is calling me. Stew, coming here you! Come to papa!

“Baekhyun, how do you know him?” My mother asked; still having bewildered expression on her face even after taking a seat across me. Uncle Luhan is sitting next to me and still smiling towards her. His face is more brightened than he looked when he saw me for the first time at school.

I grinned. “Let just say it’s fate that bring me to him. And now I introduced you to him. Eomma, let’s talk later and eat first, eh? I’m pretty hungry after waiting for him to be here. You don’t mind, Uncle Luhan?”

He laughed. “I don’t mind at all, Baekhyun. It feels nice to be here again; reunited with your mother. Too bad that thick-headed man isn’t here and it’s a complete set, right Seohyun?”

She shook her head with disbelief look. “You and your lame joke, Luhan. If he were here, he is sure hitting your head with his big fist. You never changed, huh?”

“Nope and I’m glad I didn’t. I should treasure this moment right away.” He laughed again.