Chapter 1 My Childhood Friend, Chanyeol

My family held a simple feast with some neighbors today because my brother, Min Hyuk oppa, will get married. My brother's bride to-be is a daughter of a hospital director, this fact make gossip spread quickly among our neighbors. So, my mother had to make some kind of official announcement event related to her eldest son's wedding.

I went to the living room with tray in my hands, kneeled down and placed cups one by one on the table carefully. Somehow I'm sure my mother's friends were watching me.

"Is this your daughter who admitted to University in Seoul?" Asked Mrs. Cha, one of my mother's friends who currently sitting closest to me.

My mother smiled, unable to hide her being proud of me. "That's right, next week Mina will go to Seoul."

"Sung Mi, you're really lucky. The first son will be part of a good background family and your daughter will be a student of one best university in Seoul. The future is definitely bright for your children. "Praise Mrs. Kim, who sits right next to my mother. That ahjumma then looked at me with a smile, "If you want to, I'll introduce my son who is studying in Sungkyungkwan to you."

Responding to the words of mrs. Kim, I just smiled, trying to show a friendly face in front of my mother's friends. Always like this, the ahjumma talks which I know is a showcase of their children. At least I'm happy because today’s main star is my mother and I also contribute in it. In our neighborhood, going to Seoul is an achievement in itself. Moreover, the school I entered was S University which is one of the best universities in the country.

As I was about to going back inside, a tall male figure standing on my door. He raised his right hand to say hello while showing his wide smile.

"Chanyeol!" I approached him, still with a tray in my hand. "You're really here?" I still can’t believe what I saw. Yesterday I indeed read his message that told me he would pay a visit to Yeongju. I didn’t think he really came. I observe that big eye guy from his head to toe. He is 5 cm taller than the last time I saw him.

"I've already told you yesterday. Eomma asked me to deliver something to halmoni." He replied.

Park Chanyeol is my childhood friend. In the past he and his family lived at his grandmother's house which is not far from my house. Chanyeol’s father is a businessman. When his bussiness had grow large enough, he took his family to move to Seoul. At that time I and Chanyeol still first grade students of junior high. Their company had increased until today. However, Chanyeol always the same person as when I first knew him, kind and considerate. He even always meet me when he visits his grandmother.

Eomma rose from her seat when he saw Chanyeol and approached us. When Eomma were close to us, Chanyeol is bowing to greet her. Eomma smiled, "Chanyeol-ah, how's your family?"

"They are well.“ he then glanced at me. “I would like to invite Mina out. Is she busy right now?”

Eomma look at me and said "You can go, but go back before night. “

I put the tray on table and went to Chanyeol’s side. We promised my mom to come back after two hours, because Chanyeol had to go to Seoul again.

-----

There’s a park near my house. It was a play ground for me and Chanyeol when we were child. Every time Chanyeol here, we always visit this place. Not only the memory of Chanyeol and me play together, this park also reminds me of Sanghyun Oppa.

"So, you’ll go to university in Seoul?” He then rubbed my hair and exclaimed. “You’re awesome!”

I smiled happily. I worked hard to be accepted at that university. Although the announcement was last week, I still feel contented until now. Well, It’s just a start and I shouldn’t be excited for too long.

I nudged Chanyeol's arm. "Then, how about you? "

Chanyeol bite his lower lips. His big eyes glanced at me. "I'm going to attend a college in Austria."

"Omo, really?" I was surprised and delighted. "You're going to Europe, daebak!" I said, giving my two thumbs.

But his face wasn’t show any excitement. He even pushed my hand aside and pouted. "My parents told me to study abroad like hyung. But actually I want to go to same college with you." He glanced at me. "I'm worried about you."

"We both grown up now, I can protect myself like I always done. What do you worry about?"

He grabbed my shoulders and turned my face to him. While Shaking his head, he cupped his hand on my cheeks. "My friend is so pretty even without her trying, but she is brutal and eat a lot. If she continues like this, She might never get a boyfriend. "

"You're worrying about that?" when I was going to put his hands aside, he made me still. While his hand was still on my face, he looked at me intensely, made me speechless.

"If you can’t found any boyfriend, you can come to me."

I'm looking at his eyes, felt the wind through my hair and his smoothly. What did he mean when he said ‘come to me’? Don’t tell me he’s willing to be my boyfriend? Thinking that, my heart began to feel strange.

All this time Chanyeol and me are just friends, best friends. I never saw him in a romantic way. Well, I never saw any boy in a romantic way. Not because I don’t like boys, I just too focus on my study and never thought any romance. My friends at high school said there are several boys in our school  that interested in me but they couldn’t confess their feeling because I was too dense. I didn’t care. I just want them to be my friend.  It’s the same with Chanyeol. But this time, what’s with his eyes? I have never seen such expressions out of his face before.

A few seconds and I found he smiled slyly and said, "If you never get any boyfriend until you become an ahjumma, you're probably going to start hallucinating weird things. As your best friend, I'm willing to sacrifice my self so you can avoid that syndrome." He my hair while giggling.

Turns out he just wanted to make fun of me. I refused his hand on my head and blew my bangs up. I don't want him to know that I have fallen into his words earlier. "My taste is just too high, like Sanghyun oppa."

When I finished my words, he stopped laughing. I looked at the man next to me, Did I say something wrong? Because this time his lips had gone flat again. I didn’t tell a lie, I really admired Sanghyun oppa. Even when I was a child I had thought to be his bride when I grow up.

Park Sang Hyun is Chanyeol’s brother. He’s two years older than us and currently studying in Germany. When he was here, he taught me and Chanyeol various things. He is a figure that is mature and not easily upset, always patient in dealing with the two of us. I haven’t seen him in three years and I wondered how he is now. Once in a while Chanyeol visits me together with Sanghyun Oppa, but since he went to Germany, I've never met him again.

Silence arose. It felt awkward because usually he’s a talkactive person. I have to start the conversation again.

"Do you know a cheap place around S University?" I start a new topic. "You're living in Seoul."

Chanyeol looked at me with wonder. "Are you not going to S University dormitory?"

"If I can get the cheaper one than a dorm, why not? " I looked at Chanyeol that seem to thinking, hoping he knows something. While waiting for the response, I continued my words. "You know my mother is busy preparing for my brother's wedding. His future wife comes from a great family and my family must spent a lot of money for wedding gift. We have to give only expensive silk and antique furniture. So, I don't want to be a burden. "

The man nodded his head. "I know a very cheap place, much cheaper than dorm." He then looked at me that waiting him to continue his words seriously. His arm was circling my shoulder and he whispered me. "You can stay at my apartment and you don’t have to pay."

I gripped the Chanyeol’s arm, "Your apartment? Are you serious? "

"That's my and Sanghyun hyung’s apartment. You know, our school’s close to S University. My parents provide an apartment for our stay because the distance from our house to school is quite far. The apartment is now empty because Hyung is still in Germany and I’m going to Austria in a few days. You can stay there to take care of it, so you don’t have to pay. "

A free apartment that close to campus? There’s nothing better than this. I hugged him because I felt so happy. It seems I was a luckiest girl in the world. "Thank you Chanyeol-ah! I'm lucky to have you! "

Chanyeol’s body stiffed. His hand want to hug me with hesitation, but in the end he just patted my back with his right hand and said, "Yes, you’re welcome."

-----

My mother hugged me tightly like she won't let me go. Her voice flow softly in my ears with a series of advice she had said since last night. But, I'm not tired of hearing it. I tried to holding back my tears from falling, had to look tough so that my mother wouldn’t feel worried. Indeed, this is my first time away from home. It’s quite difficult for her to let me go, so I didn’t want to increase the uneasiness in her heart.  I’m her only daughter after all. It’s enough for me to saw her effort for raising her two childs alone after my father died eight years ago. After she had done advised me, she let go of me. At that time she took an envelope from her pocket and handed it to me. I see the contents of the envelope and was shocked.

"Eomma, it’s too much for me." I handed back the envelope, but she rejected it and put it in my bag.

"It's for your life cost in Seoul."

"But, I don’t need these much. I’ll live in Chanyeol’s apartment and it's free. Save your money for oppa’s wedding, eomma. "

"Accept it!" MinHyuk oppa hit my head. "My marriage is still two months away, just use the money well. If there are left over money, you can give me an expensive wedding gift. "

I rubbed my head that just being hit by my brother. His mischievous grin always make me, his cute little sister, annoyed. Although he had become a doctor, even had a fiancée, he still looks childish in my eyes.

Oppa looked at the bus then patted my shoulder. "It seems the bus is leaving soon."

My sadness reappeared because I had to part with two people whom I cared the most.

Eomma and Minhyuk oppa hugged me before I got on the bus that would take me to Seoul, take me to my independent life.

-----

I set my feet for the first time in this metropolitan city after a three-hours journey and It’s quite tiring. I read the address Chanyeol gave me one again. Gwanak district ... Maybe I should ask someone how to reach there. I pulled my suitcase to the edge of the road where there are some people waiting for their bus. At that time, someone bumped into me so I fell.

"Sorry." He said as he helped me up and give my small bag that also being dropped because I fell. It’s a guy. His face is not clearly visible because he’s wearing a blue cap.

"Yeah, no problem." I said while cleared my clothes from dust. As I raised my head, he was gone. Where did he go? I hadn’t thank him. I sighed and walked towards the edge to approach some people.

After obtaining some information, I'm waiting at the bus stop. He said I can ride the shuttle bus from here to go to the address. Out of boredom, I tried to get my handphone from my small bag. I had to inform my mother that I arrived in Seoul safely. However, I did not find my cell phone. I checked many times, but it still wasn’t there. I started panic when the envelope containing the money given by my mother also disappeared.

"Don’t tell me ..." I turned my head, looking for the blue cap man who hit me earlier. However, that man has been nowhere to be found.

Author's Note

Hi, thanks for reading this story, This is the first chapter and I don't know if it will make you interested with my fic

But this is telling you Kang Mina's background before she go to Seoul and meet uri Kai :D

I hope you enjoy it ~