2002 South Korea

            The hot summer humid temperature hit 40, and the balmy breeze touch the slightly plum soft cheeks of the fifteen year old Moon Chae Woon, the young girl with round doe eyes and long wavy hair look at her image on the window of one of the shop in Daegu. She pouted her lips and release a long frustrated deep breath, today she will be attending the birthday of one of her classmates sweet sixteenth birthday, oblivious to a beauty of what she will become in the future it’s completely opposite of what she can see on her reflection; an ordinary plain  young lass who was unsure if her are still going to develop, she will celebrate her sixteen birthday on November and feel like she is only one in her class that doesn’t  turn into a lady yet. She remembered that most of her classmates are wearing light make up and lip gloss, with their fair skin they looked like one of the model of a teen magazine, then out of curiosity she tried to wear one but ended up being laughed by her little thirteen year old brother saying that a bee has stung her lips and as if someone gave her a black eye…..and to her frustration she ended up giving him one, where when her mother discovered what she has done to her little brother she gave Chae Won a nice beating that she can’t even sit for two days!

Shaking her head back to reality, she stood under the shade of Mc Donald’s waiting  for Yoori, her best friend and classmate since they were in fifth grade, in front of Mc Donald’s and she was standing on that spot for 15 minutes and she’s getting impatient. Her forehead is producing tiny bids of sweat while her cheeks is getting red because of the heat from the sun, though it’s already 5 pm, the temperature seems like not getting down. With her white short, sleeveless tank top and pink sneakers she still looks like a primary grade schooler, instead of sophomore high school kid. She took her facial tissue and elastic hair band  inside her small bag and decided to wipe her face and tie her hair in a bun.

“Chae Won!” Yoori shouted from a distance, waving while running towards her, her long hair’s flying behind her. She smiles at the image of her best friend, although seconds ago she was getting irritated at her because of her best friend personality of being late every time they are going out. Yoori is kind of cute rather than beautiful, she also got a little bit chubby face but her dimples is quite fetching. When Yoori stops in front of her she panted holding her both knees. “I-I’m sorry, I’m late” trying to catch her breath and continue “We can’t make it to the party today” she said fanning herself with her hands. Chae Won raise her right eye browse and folded her arms “What do you mean we can’t make it?” looking at her wrist watch. “We still have ti—“ Suddenly Yoori grabbed her wrist and dragged her, cutting her words, while her other hand wave to a cab fast approaching. Stunned she can’t do anything but allowed herself to be dragged by Yoori, whom she think is out of her mind.

“Ajuhssi, airport please” Yoori told the driver. “Airport? What are we going to do there?”  Chae Won asked curiously, it’s the first time both them are going there. “Are your parents’ fine?” she asked again.  Now getting worried for her best friend.  “No silly billy,” Yoori said brightly, smiling for the first time. “Then what?” Chae Won asked again, now she’s getting annoyed because of Yoori’s immediate change of attitude.

“We are going to meet someone at the airport,” started,  and from the tone of her voice, Chae Won can predict she have to listen to Yoori’s long dialogue of explanation, that even her, she can’t stop her best friend from talking. Oh boy here we go again…… she told herself and force herself to smile and listen attentively to her friend. “As a matter of fact, its suppose to be Apa who will be the one who will meet him, but he got an urgent meeting at his office so he called Oma, but Oma got an important appointment at the bank. So there I was preparing to go in Hye Young ‘s party, but she kick me out of the house and give me 100 bucks! Yes!” she said without pausing or blinking an eye and Chaewon had no idea who are they going to meet. Then she still continue to blabber, “But I got upset with Oma, so I yelled at her and told her that our party is also important, but Oma gave me a nice beating……..”shaking her head,  pitying herself for not winning against her mother, “so here I am with you………” but as soon as she saw her money her face lifted up again. “But anyway, it’s alright because we are going to meet oppa……”

“Wait, who is that oppa?” Chaewon said, putting her crossing her arms. Chaewon knows Yoori’s two older twin brothers  who was studying in Paris, she also know all her  crushes  and male friends, and she will be definitely get upset if Yoori is hiding a secret from her. “Oh, Shi Hoo oppa” she said dismissively, right now she is concentrating at her money, maybe thinking what she  could buy with it.

Shi Hoo, it’s the first time she heard the name, “and who is this Shi Hoo oppa” wrinkle her nose as if the name smells under her nose, because deep in her mind she doesn’t want Yoori to have a boyfriend first, because she will be left out….though also in her mind she have to be happy for her friend.

“Well, I didn’t mention to you before,  Shi Hoo oppa , is my first cousin who studied in New York, because we thought that he will not come back to Korea anymore, he is Aunt Hae Hoo only son. Chaewon started to racked her brain for some information. She knows all Yoori’s relatives and friends but Shi Hoo is unfamiliar to her. “Why you didn’t mention to me about this cousin of yours?”she asked Yoori. “Because, mother don’t want me to talk about him, it is my Aunt Hae Hoo who told my mom not to talk about him, actually I know that Aunt Hae Hoo didn’t expect oppa to be born because she was only seventeen when she got oppa, and oppa’s dad abandon them as soon as he knows that aunt Hae Hoo is pregnant, so from that day on, Aunt doesn’t want to do anything about Shi Hoo oppa, because she said that he keeps on reminding her of his father. All that I recall was that Shi Woo oppa stayed at our house for before I was born, oma and apa treated him like their own son, but as soon as oma got pregnant with Jung Min and Jung Soo oppa , our grandmother decided to take him with her in the province, but Shi Hoo oppa grows up as an intelligent person, because one time Oma mention that he got a scholarship in New York, that’s why he stayed there. The last time that I saw oppa was in the provice when I was years old.  But now Aunt Hae Hoo is getting married after three months, with a rich business man; and based on what I heard last night on my parents conversation that Shi Hoo oppa just wanted to see his mother before she will finally settle down, that’s why nobody knows that he was visiting Korea, only my parents.” Yoori finishes her story.

Chaewon was in deep taught, her imagination runs wild of the image of a young baby abandoned by its mother, even thought his mother knows that he has no one left in the word. Her heart twisted because of the sad story of Yoori’s cousin, unknowingly tears produce at the corner of her eyes, she really felt sorry for him, but at the same time admire him because he continue living his life for the best. Yoori saw Chaewon’s reaction and nudge her side, “Hey your being a cry baby again, your such a softie with those kind of story, I think Shi Hoo oppa will get upset with your reaction if he sees you,” she chuckled, “Shi Hoo oppa hates when people look at him with pity, that is what my mother told me” she inform her. “So please just be normal with oppa, Ok?” Yoori finishes as the cab stops at the airport, then Yoori paid the driver. As they went to the sliding door of the airport, Chaewon suddenly stop her track. “Wait! How are you going to recognize him if you saw him  when you were still 5 years old?”

Yoori rolled her eyes up and said, “you silly girl, of course my mom kept picture of him in her closet, and so I know what oppa looks like” she said brightly, and as if a miracle, a young man in his early twenties wave at them. Then Yoori smiled and wave back at the young man who was fast approaching to them.

All of a sudden Chaewon felt that the whole world stops before her, in front of her is a young man with a beautiful eyes and smile that can melt the whole Antarctica, his body is like the greek god that once she have read in a book. Though he was wearing red checkered polo shirt with the sleeves rolled up a bit with matching white inner shirt and low waist fitted jeans.  She has seen other boys, but they all look like a stick, but this young man has the body of Michael Angelo who was incredibly looking hot! Suddenly she felt her cheeks burning…..Oh my gosh! I’m blushing . She told herself fanning her red cheeks, but she can’t take her eyes off with him. He is the most handsome man she ever laid her eyes upon!

“Yoori!” Shi Hoo said, giving his cousin a hug, then rumple the top of her hair. “Wow, you are grown up now.” He said excitedly, Shi Hoo was looking forward seeing his family and relatives in Korea, based on what he remembered back then Yoori was still a young child, but now this girl is all grown up.

“How are you oppa?” Yoori said with a smile, “Oma and Apa misses you a lot” but her eyes went to see the cute teddy bear in his hand. “Is that for me?” she asked unashamedly. Shi Hoo shouted with laughter, some things are not going to change, he suddenly felt nostalgic  with this place. He gave the teddy bear to his cousin, and finally notice the girl beside Yoori, who kept on staring at him. He was used to it , because when he was in high schools girls always look at him with admiration on their faces when they saw him. He gave her a friendly smile, as Yoori remembered her best friend. “Oh, oppa this is my best friend and classmate  Moon Chae Won.” She introduced her to Shi Hoo, suddenly Chae Won can’t breath properly, she felt as if her brain is not functioning well at  the sight of him.

“Hi, I’m Park Shi Hoo, I know for sure that Yoori told a lot of things about me.” Extending his hand for a hand shake. Chae won accepted it eagerly, “but she didn’t tell me that you are that hot!” she blurted. Shi Hoo chuckled with laughter, and rumpled the Moon Chae Won hair. “It’s nice to meet you Chae Won” he said sincerely, “Now I have two adorable young sister.” He said with a smile.

We will see about that, Chae Won thought, she laugh at herself and said  now that I have met my future husband, I think it is time for me to become a lady!