That Summer

Eunji stepped out of the bus after her family. They would spend the summer at Seoul because of a relative that’s going to be married.  She looked at the unfamiliar surroundings and continues to blabber about how Seoul is so beautiful and big to her mother. They were welcomed by her aunt and a cousin, which is way older than her. They rode the car and headed to their house.

A few days after, Eunji got bored of the house they were staying at. There was not much to explore. Her cousin is already 20 year old, she’s already a college student and since it is summer, she is always hanging out with her friends. A thirteen year old Eunji won’t really get why she’s always dressed up and wearing those girly short outfits. Eunji can’t play with her brother because he is still a toddler.

“Umma, can I go outside? I won’t go far, I promise”

Noticing her elder child’s look, her mother agreed, with some rules of course.

Eunji happily went outside and explore the neighborhood. It was a clean and quiet neighborhood. She went to the park and saw some kids playing, too young for her age to play with. She sat on the swing and look at her surroundings, sighing to herself because there’s still nothing to do. But then she saw two kids wearing their taekwondo uniform and running to a certain place. With her curiosity, she followed the two boys until she came in front of a martial arts school.

Eunji always like to learn taekwondo, but her mom doesn’t allow her because she’s being too boyish already. Wearing boy’s clothes instead of girly clothes and acting like a boy. She wants to peek inside when someone tap her shoulder. She abruptly turns to see who it is.

“Hello” a pretty girl greeted her. She has that positive aura in her with her bright smile.

“Ah…hello” she bowed

“Are you a new student?”

“huh? Ah, no. I…I –“

“Then would you like to join?”

“Huh? I can?”

“Of course, we’re offering free lessons this summer. You want to try?”

Eunji smiled; of course she wants it, but her mom. They’re staying here this summer, and her mom would be always staying at her aunt’s house since she needs to take care of her brother.

“It won’t hurt if I try right? Besides, mom wouldn’t know” She thought

“I’d like to!” She said to the girl

“Really? Then follow me. Oh by the way, my name is Chorong, I’m 17 years old” The girl introduces and

“I’m Eunji. 13”

“I have a brother just your age, but he doesn’t come here. Anyways, are you new here?”

“Ah, we’re having a vacation here and I got bored so I look around”

“Ah, wait you should tell your parents about joining here”

“I’ll tell her later, I know she’d agree. It’s just okay” Eunji don’t usually lie. In her entire life, it will be just the third time she lied.

“Okay”

A week has passed and Eunji always attend the taekwondo class. She gets to know a friend named Bomi. She’s the same age as her and is a regular student there but since she also has a boring summer she still attends the summer class. Eunji learned that Chorong is the daughter of the owner of the martial arts school and she specializes in Hapkido. Chorong is already a second year high school student but does not really like school. She enjoys Hapkido more than facing her books.

One day Eunji and Bomi visited the area where Hapkido students were at to find Chorong. They watched the students with their move and laugh to themselves as they saw Chorong. Chorong is one of those who teach the students that time. Of all the students one student caught Eunji’s attention. A cute boy with a bit of chubby cheeks shows the coolest moves. Well they all do the same but the certain boy makes his moves look great.

“Bomi-ah who’s that?” Eunji asked and pointed at the boy

“Ah, that’s Baekhyun. He’s also a regular here. Why?”

“Nothing”

“Do you like him?”

“What?! What are you talking about? I’m too young for those things”

“Yieeh” Bomi teases

“Aish”

Two weeks has passed and Eunji is already friends with Baekhyun and some other kids. Chorong and Bomi introduce her to him.  After helping her mom to look after her brother while they do things for the upcoming wedding, she directly goes to the martial arts school.

“Eunji you’re where are you going again?” her mom asked her

“I’m playing with my friends”

“Ah, so you already meet friends here, invite them sometime here” Her aunt said to her

“I can?”

“Of course, I’m glad that you’re not getting bored here”

“It’s okay. Thank you auntie, I’m going now”

“Okay, don’t be too late” her mom reminded her

“ne”

That day, the class ended earlier than usual so the four went out to have some ice-cream. They sat on the bench at the park and talk to each other. Eunji is eating her icecream when Baekhyun accidentally pushed her hands making her nose touch the tip of her icecream.

“Yah!” Instead saying sorry, Baekhyun just laugh at her face, in return Eunji put some icecream on Baekhyun’s cheeks. He stopped laughing and this time, it’s Eunji’s turn to laugh.

“Yah, it’s sticky!”

“You started it!” Eunji responded

“I didn’t mean it!”

“But you laugh at me!”

“Aish, you two stop that no--” Chorong’s words were cut when Baekhyun put icecream on her cheeks and run.

“Yah! BYUN BAEKHYUN!” Chorong then chased Baekhyun while Eunji and Bomi laughed at them

“AHAHAHA!”

“Serve you right Baekkie!” Eunji said

While the running around, Eunji noticed that Bomi is being quiet, aside from some laughs, she haven’t really talked that much

“Bbom, you’re quiet. You have a problem?” She asked and it looks like Bomi hesitated first before answering her

“Eunji, have you ever had a crush?”

“Crush?” Eunji asked and Bomi nodded “Yeah”

“Oh?! Really?”

Eunji unknowingly smiled “Don’t tell anyone about this okay?” Eunji leaned to Bomi and whispered “It’s Baekhyun”

“Mwoh?!”

“Yah yah yah quiet”

“Since when?”

“I don’t know”

“Eyy, Eunji is a girl now” Bomi teased

“Hey I’m always been a girl”

“Yeah, but you don’t act like one”

“So Bomi, who’s your crush?”

“Me?”

“Oh, you won’t ask if you don’t have one, right?” Eunji teased

“It’s someone you don’t know so don’t ask”

“Eyy?”

“Hey what are talking about? Let us join!” Baekhyun suddenly in and swung his arms around Eunji’s shoulder, Eunji widen her eyes and made an eye contact with Bomi who just contain her laugh.

The summer is still not over and the Jungs still have three weeks to stay in Seoul. They’ve been there for a month, aside from helping with the preparations that’ll be held next week; they were enjoying their time touring Seoul.  When they don’t have somewhere to go to, Eunji will sneak out to go to the martial arts school.

“Jiji!”

Eunji turned to her left only to be poked on the cheeks by Baekhyun.

“Yah!”

“AHAHAHA-ouch” she smacked Baekhyun’s head

“Hey, are you finished?”

“hmm” Eunji nodded “I’m just waiting for Bomi, she’s still changing her clothes”

“Ah”

Soon, Bomi came and they all went out together.

“Kids, do you like bubble tea?” Chorong asked

“Neh!”

“Then let’s buy”

“But Chorong unni, I don’t have money” Bomi said

“Me too”

“Of course I’ll pay”

“Yehey!” The three younger kids said

They entered a bubble tea shop and Chorong lets them find a vacant table while orders. The three found a table for four by the glass window. Baekhyun immediately took the seat near the window.

“I want to sit near the window too” Bomi pouted “Is it okay Eunji?”

“Sure, go ahead” Eunji said, Bomi sat across Baekhyun, near the window. Eunji is about to sit beside her when Baekhyun pulled her.

“Sit beside me” He said and smiled

“Yah Baekhyun you’re taking away my friend” Bomi said

“She’s also my friend!”

“I’m her bestfriend!”

“Yah! Stop that” Chorong just came and noticed the bickering between the kids.

“Wow!” They all smiled when they saw the bubble tea in front of them.

“Noona, when I’m older and have the money I’ll treat you bubble tea!” Baekhyun said

“Aww, how sweet of our Bacon”

“Unni, me I’ll treat you chicken feet!” Bomi said

“Wah, I would love that” Chorong replied

“Then I’ll treat you whatever you like!” Eunji said this time

“Aww, my dongsaengs are so sweet. Okay I’ll look forward to that day okay. But remember to spend your money wisely”

“Unni, is it fun to be a highschool student?” The curious Bomi asked

“Sometimes yes, sometimes no. Now, you’re already at adolescent stage. You’ll be welcomed by so many changes, physically, emotionally. Plus the hard school works. As you grow up, life becomes harder, so it’s not really fun. To tell that I’m just a high school student, what more in college”

“My cousin is a college student, and she’s always going to parties, that’s what I heard from them” Eunji said

“Because she’s at the age that is allowed in clubs”

“Clubs? Like art club? Music club?”

“Ah, no. Hey, you’re not yet at the right age don’t ask anymore” Chorong said as she took a sip from her drink. Looking away from the kids she is with, her gaze fall at the two male entering the shop. Widening her eyes in shock, she quickly lowered her head and tries to cover her face with her hair.

“Unni what’s wrong?”

“Nothing don’t mind me” She said while glancing at the two males at the counter once in a while

“Why are you hiding your face?”

“Do you know those guys?”

“Shhh!”

“Noona they already went out”

Chorong peek at the door and saw the two males outside with their take out bubble tea, she can saw it since the door is made of glass. She sighed and fix her hair.

“Why are you hiding from them unni?” Bomi asked

“Is one of them you boyfriend noona?” Baekhyun asked that made Chorong almost spit her drink.

“What did you say?”

“Boyfriend”

“No, they are my classmates”

“But why did you hide?”

“Hide? Yeah why did I hide? I don’t know”

“Aha! You like one them right unni? Your crush” Bomi said

“Yah, where did you learn that?”

“Unni just admit it” Eunji teases

“Aish, fine. One of them is my crush”

“Ahhh!” The two girls squeal

“Yah, do you need to do that?” Baekhyun asked while massaging his ears

“It’s a girl thing Baekhyun you won’t understand” Bomi said

“Hey Baekhyun where did you learn the boyfriend thing” Chorong asked

“My brother, he brings his girlfriend home sometimes”

“Ah, that’s acceptable. But you sure you don’t have a girlfriend right now?” Chorong asked

Baekhyun shakes his head

“Then if you’ll have a girlfriend what kind of girl is she?” Bomi asked

“I don’t know… but I want Eunji to be my girlfriend!” Baekhyun beamed and made Eunji choked on her drink

“Eunji! Are you okay?” They asked worriedly as she coughed

After a while she became fine.

“Yah! Did you really have to mention my name?!”

“But I really want to be your boyfriend”

“Did you… just confessed to her?” Chorong asked

“Baekhyun-ah, you like Eunji?” Bomi asked and Baekhyun nodded

“What’s wrong with that? I want her to be my girlfriend because she’s caring, and she always play with me, she also treats me once for ice cream! And… and… she knows how to cook. So she can cook me meals if I’m hungry!”

“Do you want a girlfriend or a playmate-slash-maid?” Eunji scoffed

“huh?”

“Baekhyun-ah, there’s more to being a girlfriend with what you have said. Couples do things like…”

“Like what noona?”

“Kiss” Chorong said and the three widen their eyes

“But, married people only do that right?”

“But if they kiss, Eunji will get pregnant” Bomi said

“What?!”

“Ah… no. Kissing won’t make a girl pregnant but…okay okay let’s stop with this conversation. It’s hard to explain. You’ll learn about it someday so stop asking me” Chorong said, giving up. The kids were really innocent.

They all go out of the bubble tea shop but unlike earlier, Eunji is with Bomi and Baekhyun is being quiet. They were about to head to the park when someone called Eunji. Her mom and her aunt.

“Eunji, oh are they your friends?” Her mom asked her

“Ah neh”

“Uhm, do you want to come over? I’m Eunji’s aunt and we’re about to made some cookies. Would you like to have some?”

“Ah, if it’s okay with you” Chorong politely said

“Of course, come on. I’m excited. It’s been a while since I have kids as visitor. It’s because my daughter is already in college and she somehow has her own world now”

Then they all walk together to Eunji’s aunt’s house. They sit at the sofa in the living room while the two elders went to the kitchen.

“Guys, unni, if they ask, please don’t tell them that I joined the taekwondo class” Eunji said nervously

“Why?” Bomi asked

“They don’t know about it”

“What? But you said…”

“I’m sorry unni. I lied. It’s just that, omma don’t want me to join taekwondo classes. But I really want to”

“Please”

“Okay. Just this time I’ll let you pass. But remember lying is bad. Promise me it would be the last time” Chorong said

“neh”

When they were eating the cookies, they chatted with the elders. They don’t really lie, because they were really Eunji’s friends and they live in the neighborhood. They just don’t mention the martial arts school, saying that they all met Eunji at the park.

Summer vacation is almost over. The relatives wedding have been done two weeks ago and now, it’s time for the Jungs to go back to Busan. Time passed by really fast and Eunji didn’t even notice, she hasn’t even informed her friends that she will leave today.

“Eunji. you ready?” Her mom asked, putting the luggage at the car

“uhm, omma, may I go for a while. I want to say goodbye to my friends”

“You didn’t inform them?”

Eunji shook her head

“Okay, 20 minutes, I can only give you 20 minutes”

“Thanks omma!” She then ran fast to the martial arts school.

It was breaktime and so  the kids just scattered around. She went directly to her teacher and bid goodbye

“aww, our Eunji will leave us now. It’s such a waste, you can’t come to the ending ceremony”

“It’s okay seonsaengnim, thank you for teaching me”

“You’re really good, but we can’t do anything right. So see you later, when we met again”

“Neh, I’ll go to my friends now”

“Okay” her teacher pats her head

She went on to find Chorong, Bomi and Baekhyun and she passed by some of her classmates along the way.

“Eunji, what’s with the bag?” one of them asked, the three girls were older than her by 2 years

“Ah, I’m leaving today. We’re going back to Busan”

“Wah? I’m sad Eunji will leave us”

“We’re going to miss you”

“Me too” Eunji said

“Wait, before you leave we’re going to ask a question”

“What’s it about?”

“Who’s your crush?”

“huh?”

“We’re talking about our crush, come on we won’t tell anyone.”

“Yeah, Bomi told us her too so say who’s yours”

“Bomi? She told you? May I know who?”

“You don’t know? I thought you were close friends? It’s Baekhyun” One of them said

Eunji paused for a while “Ah..ah, I know, just checking haha”

“So… who’s yours?”

“I don’t have one” she smiled “ I need to go now, I’m in a hurry” She said and leave them, and she stopped when she saw Bomi with Baekhyun. They were laughing with each other.

“Why…why didn’t Bomi tell me?”

Eunji doesn’t know what to feel. Will she be mad at her for lying? But it’s not actually a big deal for her. But she doesn’t know why she feels… hurt. She also knows that she’s too young, but she’s questioning herself, is she jealous?

She turned around and walked to her teacher again.

“Seonsaengnim, I can’t find them. I really have to go back now. Can you please give this to them?” She handed him a folded paper

“Sure. Take care Eunji”

And with that she leaves the place without a glance.

That summer, Eunji’s most memorable summer. She had an adventure, meeting new friends from a new city, doing a thing she’s not allowed to, even having a crush for the first time that she now called a puppy love, and feeling jealous for the first time.

A long flashback chapter of their childhood summer (Eunji's side)

Uhm Hi :D