Three. 

Chanyeol appeared in front of her, but he looked different. His soft locks were no longer brown like chocolate but black like charcoal and cropped at the back and sides. His eyes were no longer a dark brown but a cold grey colour. His soft skin was no longer a warm tanned shade but a cold white that contrasted his black hair. There was an ethereal look to him and he wore a serious expression which differed from the Chanyeol she remembered and dreamed about. He looked more mature; less playful. He looked fierce; not gentle. But although his eye colour was a frightening grey, his gaze was still soft towards Yoojin, showing just how much he cared for her, even after all these years.

What Yoojin didn't know was that Chanyeol was always around. Watching her grow up from the shadows. Her first day at a human school; her first human friend; the first day of high school. He saw it all.

The truth is Chanyeol was jealous. He was jealous of the people that could spend their days with his best friend. The ones who could make her laugh. The ones that were her shoulder to cry on. The ones that would push her on the swings after eating ice cream. And yet he waited patiently. He waited till the day her father, Junyoung, would allow her to remember Erithea, remember her mother, Eun Hee, remember him.

He liked to think back to the days that they'd climb up their tree and talk nonsense for the whole afternoon. He'd go back to the days that she'd laugh at his jokes and his clumsiness. He'd go back to the days where they knew each other.

He'd reminisce about the day that he met Junyoung, Eun Hee and their daughter. A new best friend. They were like his own family and he would have died to save them.

Erithea, March 2, 2003...

"Hey, Yoojin, did you know that Mrs Song has a new son?"

"A new son? Isn't she a bit old for that?" Yoojin and the children of the area spoke in hushed voices under the golden tree.

"Yeah! That's him over there!" One pointed a short finger at a boy who sat on a park bench by the playground, alone.

"Why's he all by himself?" She queried.

"Because he's so tall that he's scary." Said a blonde girl with short hair, " No one wants to be friends with a scary giant."

Yoojin made a face and got up from her seated position, "You're all a bunch of mean scaredy cats!" she strode towards the boy and sat beside him.

"Oh!" He jumped at the sudden presence that had appeared and stared at her through his thick rimmed glasses.

"Hello! I'm Yoojin, what's your name?" the little girl stuck out her hand.

He reluctantly shook it, "Ch-Chanyeol."

"Nice to meet you! Would you like to come play?" Chanyeol nodded slowly as he watched Yoojin crack a grin and walk back to the playground. "Come on then! Why are you still sitting there?" He returned with a shy smile and bounced to his feet before running after his new friend.

March 2, 2006

He settled in well. It was the third anniversary since he came to this neighbourhood. Mrs So