18 years ago (Age 17)

Dear Yixing,

Here's a picture of me and my new girlfriend. Actually, you probably have half a dozen of these by now. I'm not a player, I promise. I just... arghh, I don't know. Girls like me. And then suddenly they don't. I take back any advice I've ever given you in the past, because apparently I don't know what I'm doing. Maybe you're lucky you don't have to worry about girlfriend. Not... that I'm making fun of you or anything because, yeah. 

My friend Jongin says I'm too blunt sometimes. But you know that already. (Or maybe that's why I can never keep a girlfriend...) Good thing he doesn't mind me, but then we've been friends since we were kids. He's my best friend, except for you of course! You're actually my best friend. I can tell because I tell you everything about my life! Without filter. Except for now because I apparently don't have anything interesting to share...

Slow day, slow week actually. Did I miss your birthday? I feel like I probably did.

Your best friend (and it's okay if I'm not yours in return),

Chanyeol

Dear Chanyeol,

You must have missed someone else's birthday because mine isn't for a few more months... October 7, remember? It's about a month and 20 days before yours?

You know, you probably are my best friend, so what does that say about me anyway? Maybe I should talk more. I only have a few guy friends I hang out with in school, and occasionally outside of it, but I think I'm growing more and more antisocial as I get older. I feel old. Is 17 old? I think it must be. When you get old, life gets boring right? My cousins are about five years younger than me, and all they do is go go go. Soccer, swimming. And ever since I started driving, all my family ever asks me to do is drive them around, and half the time it's to drop them off and pick them up from their rich friends' houses. How come I don't drive myself to parties? 

What are you doing for college? Transfer to America and we can room together.

I'm serious. I'll probably just go to UCLA and live on campus rather than at home, just to stay in the area. What to major in now though, that's the problem. Not math. Definitely not math.

Yixing,

Not lonely or a bum. Definitely not.

Dear Yixing,

Here's a new picture of me, alone.

It was my girlfriend's birthday I forgot... I guess I don't need to add anything more about that.

But hey, that's alright. I don't have time for a girlfriend anyways. School and exams are keeping me busy. I've never worked this hard in my life, and some days I don't know why I bother. Every kid at school is either miserable, spending every extra hour studying, or completely blowing it off because they aren't going to college. I wish I could be that way. Maybe I would too if my parents would let me. I don't need to go to school. I can just quit and be a butcher or something, how's that sound? Do you know of any open jobs for a butcher in your part of the world? If so, you have my address. Just put yourself down as a reference, and I should be all set.

My guitar is collecting dust. Maybe over the holidays I can play some, but somehow I doubt it.

I'd write more if I had the time. Sorry this is so late, but at least now I'm close enough to the date to say 'Happy Birthday' a few weeks in advance. Will you have cake? My parents will probably even forget mine when it comes. We'll see. 

Too busy to write, kill me now,

Chanyeol

Dear Chanyeol,

Why do you keep sending me pictures of yourself like I'm your long distance girl friend? I should frame this one and draw little hearts over it, or put it in my wallet so if anyone asks why I'm not going out tonight, I can claim I've got plans with my boyfriend. Actually, that sounds like a good idea. It might keep that annoying girl off my back for a while at least. Do you mind being gay for me? I promise no one you know in real life will ever find out. Unless they suddenly show up in California, and then that might cause a problem. 

Sorry you're so busy cramming. From everything I know about your exam schedules, I feel like I've got it much easier. I've definitely decided on UCLA, and probably just as an English major. I can always change it to something cooler if I feel like it. But for now I've got a year to go, and most of the entry level exams are this semester so I don't know what the point of senior year in high school is about anyway. Next spring I'll probably just have to do the bare minimum and then I can graduate and be out of here!

I'm definitely going to live on campus too. That'll be fun! And if it's not fun, then I can just move back in with my parents. They're not going anywhere. I think they like southern California too much. 

Maybe you should treat yourself to a vacation when we're done with high school and come and visit? You'd probably like this place. More than me probably. 

Future English Lit teacher,

Yixing

P.S. Don't become a butcher. Think of the smells...

Dear Yixing,

Alright. No more pictures for you! Just kidding. Though I don't actually have any new ones of me. What have you done with the old ones anyways? A girl I met who once lived in America told me that scrapbooking was popular there. You're not a scrapbooker, are you? Please tell me you're not. Haha! Because that would be creepy. My face pressed inside a book with flowers and stars... I don't know even know what scrapbooking is really.

I should come for a visit! Maybe my dad will let me go? Who knows, but I can ask.

I'm jealous you're going to move out for college. I'll probably never move out of my parents' place. I'll probably live and die here, get married and have kids and grandkids and still never move out. That's if of course, I can keep a girlfriend for longer than a month at a time. Maybe I should wait for an arranged marriaged huh? Or I can run away and come live with you. I'm assuming that option is still open?? You never know when I'll need it! The say the job force here is insanely competitive. I don't want to compete... I just don't want to have to think about anything after school is over. That's it, I've decided to be miserable for the rest of my life. Do you believe that? You probably don't, and you shouldn't. Too happy for life, that's me. Though California sounds a whole lot cooler the more you talk about it.

Happy Holidays,

Chanyeol

Growing older a little bit at a time :)  Ahh, those high school years are nearly done, and then comes college and a whole lot of changes, as well as some new characters - only mentioned through letters of course. 

Keep in mind though, this won't always be ONLY in letters. At some point we'll reach the dawn of the era of technology, where email is discovered. And maybe one day Yixing and Chanyeol will even exchange phone numbers?? Ooh, look forward to it.

Rosie