He didn’t have many dreams back then.

He was an introverted kid who fell easily into the background, round frames covering his big brown orbs, big ears popping out from a tuft of hair, and an oversized sweater to cover the belly fat he had.

Learning early what bullying felt like, Chanyeol preferred spending his free time in his room with his ferret and his plethora of other pets. At times, he would accompany his older sister, Yura, on bike rides with her friends and other times he'd help his mom around the house. 

As for his father, he was very much involved in music: songwriting, composing and learning various instruments. He often went on trips to learn the different music stemming from various regions of the world, but would always return with gifts for Chanyeol and Yura. Once after a trip, Mr. Park brought back a clarinet for Yura and a polished Yamaha guitar for Chanyeol. 

Little did he know that that guitar would change Chanyeol's life.

With every strum of the guitar's strings, Chanyeol became a little bit more confident.

He gained a friend or two and after school, Chanyeol would spend time with them instead of his pets back at home.

It was at a sleepover that he watched the movie ‘School of Rock' and that day Chanyeol had his first dream.

He wanted to become a star.

Days before Chanyeol turned 11, his ferret ran away. He cried for days but he found that he would find temporary solace in music.

So on his 11^th birthday, his parents bought him a drum set. An overjoyed Chanyeol wrapped his arms around his dad’s waist and kissed his mother softly on the cheek. Adoringly he looked up to the two people who meant the world to him. His dad ruffled his hair and told him to focus on school too. Chanyeol promised and they both smiled at him.

For the first time however, Chanyeol noticed an odd emotion in their smiles. 

Sadness.

The summer Chanyeol started middle school, his dad moved out.

“Your father needs his own space for work and to make music.”

However, Chanyeol could see right past the thick curtain covering the scarring truth.

His parents were getting a divorce. Yura’s tears confirmed it.

His own tears fell but he didn’t know what to do.

So silently, he went up to his room, closed the door shut and wrote down the lyrics to his first song. 

A/N: Just to make things clear, I don't know whether Chanyeol's parents are separated/divorced. I've never seen them together in pictures or at each other's shops, so I tend to believe that they are but again, please do not take this assumption for granted.