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If only I took a turn or wait a little longer

I would have met you earlier

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A girl, no older than 5, sat on one of the swings with an ice cream in hand. She motioned her legs back and forth to swing herself as her curious eyes scanned the playground. Her pink and white polka-dot dress flutter against the wind by the motion, her silver ballerina flats scrape against the ground once in a while.

 

 As she took a bite of her last ice-cream, her eyes trailed at the slide in front of her where a few children around her age slide down in front of her. The girl curled her shoulder length hair behind her ear as she looked over at her mother who called her.

 

“Hyemi! Let’s go home” her mother said with a wave

 

Hyemi placed her feet on the ground to stop herself before running off to her mother. Grabbing her mother’s hand, the two walked away towards their car.

 

At the same time, a boy around Hyemi’s age slide down the slides. Seeing the now empty swing, he ran towards it before taking a seat. Adjusting himself, the boy began to motion his legs to swing himself back and forth.

 

He hummed to himself as he looked over at the sun that will set soon. His dark brown hair highlighted at the sunlight. His green shirt, denim shorts and sneakers were covered by sand when he fell down just a while a go at the sandbox.

 

“Sehun, we’ll leave in 5 minutes okay?” his mother said

 

Sehun nodded before swinging himself further. His mother continued talking to her friend as Sehun played the swings himself.

 

 

 

They were kids back then.

 

 

 

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 “So which school are you going to send your daughter?”

 

“I was thinking of the Seoul co-ed grade school but it’s 20 minutes away and I’m afraid there’s going to be complications on the transport” Mrs.Chae explained

 

“You can send her to Alice girl’s school together with Soojung. It’s only 5 minutes away by car and not to mention, they are also on par with Seoul Academy and both of the schools are available from grade school to high school” Mrs.Jung said

 

“Yeah, I probably would register her there. It’s also have high security which is quite good” Mrs.Chae nodded

 

“Hyemi-ah~ You will look so pretty with their pink uniforms. I won’t have to worry about Soojung being lonely over there” Mrs.Jung said as she patted Hyemi’s head

 

Hyemi drank her ice peach tea silently as the two adults talk. She could careless which school she would get into since she rather not go to school. She likes staying at home and play with her barbies while watching her favourite shows.

 

At the café across the street, three women and two boys sat as they had a couple of drinks.

 

“Which school are you sending your son to next year?” Mrs.Oh asked

 

“I’m going to send Jongin to his brothers’ school, Seoul Academy. You should send your son there, they have quite a good reputation” Mrs.Kim said “Not to mention, they like to give the children to explore, my son Joonmyeon went to the museum the other day and Jongdae went to a field trip to the farms”

 

“If only I known earlier, I would have send my daughter Minah there instead of Alice” Mrs.Shim frowned

 

“But Alice is great too actually, if I had a daughter I would have send her there” Mrs.Kim said “Unfortunately, I’m stuck with three boys” she trailed her eyes at her youngest son, Jongin beside her

 

“Too bad Alice Academy is only for girls. I think I’ll send Sehun to Seoul Academy” Mrs.Oh said as she wiped off a cream from Sehun’s upper lip.

 

Sehun his upper lip before taking another bite of his cream puff. All the school talk was making him bored, if Jongin weren’t there, he would be so awkward being the only kid there. Not that he cares anyways.

 

 

 

 

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“Hyemi!”

 

Soojung called out as she cling her arm around Hyemi. The girl jumped a bit but turned to look at her friend in curiosity. They were now 8 years old.

 

“Are you going to the field trip to the aquarium?” Soojung asked and Hyemi nodded “Yes. My mama told me that I could go but I have to behave” she said seriously

 

“My mom told me not to be naughty too. We should sit together at the bus later on” Soojung suggested and Hyemi agreed.

 

 

“This will be my second time to the aquarium” Jongin stated “It’s quite boring. The fishes just swim around”

 

“It’s my first time to the aquarium. I want to see nemo” Sehun’s eyes twinkled at the thought of that. Oh how much he loves watching finding nemo.

 

“I saw nemo. He was tiny. Like this tiny” Jongin put his forefinger and thumb a few centimetres apart to show him how big the fish was “Teeny weeny. I thought he was bigger”

 

“If nemo was that tiny I wonder how big a whale is” Sehun wondered and Jongin shrugged “probably not that big. A whale is probably a size of a shoe” he stated and the two boys wondered for a while before dropping the topic.

 

 

 

“Okay ladies, make sure you hold hands with your partners and stay together” the teacher said as she lead the group.

 

Soojung and Hyemi held hands as their eyes looked at the fishes swimming above them. Their eyes twinkled in amaze and delight.

 

“Oh my gosh! That’s a shark!” Hyemi squeal as she pointed above her “It’s so tiny. I thought it was bigger” Soojung said “If it’s big, it can eat you” Hyemi shuddered “It’s a shark, it’s supposed to eat humans” Soojung stated matter in fact

 

As the Alice Academy group walked through the tunnels, the Seoul Academy group were at the second floor where all the different types of fishes were.

 

“Don’t stray away too much alright kids?” the teacher said and earn a loud ‘yes teacher’

 

“Jongin look! Nemo!” Sehun pointed at the container in excitement. He placed both of his palm on the cylinder aquarium and stared at the clown fishes with a grin on his face. Jongin looked at the aquarium with a bored look and a small pout.

 

“Take a picture. Last longer” Jongin said and Sehun pouted “I don’t have my camera” he whined “Too bad for you” Jongin laughed earning him a smack on his arm.

 

 

 

 

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The moment the bus stopped, Hyemi quickly lined up behind the people. She fixed the blazer of her uniform, proudly showing that she was now a middle schooler. Taking a seat at the back of the bus, she kept her student ID as the bus drove off.

 

Sehun was running after the bus from behind. He woke up late and not only his uniform was disarray, he didn’t even have time to fix his hair. With a pant, Sehun plopped on the bench to catch his breath. The next bus will be coming in the nest 15 minutes, he’s going to be late in this rate.

 

With a groan he messed up his already messed hair. It was only the first week of middle school and he’s going to be late.

 

“Seoul Academy, Why are you so far away?” he groaned

 

 

 

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Sehun sneezed for the tenth time that morning. His mother took out the thermometer from his armpit and frowned at the temperature. Sehun sniffed as he took a tissue to blow his nose.

 

“This won’t do, you have to stay home. I’ll come back as soon as possible… Just get some sleep while I settle some things at the office okay?” Mrs.Oh said and Sehun nodded.

 

After taking a piece of bread and a Panadol, Sehun drifted off. He groaned when he remembered the netball tournament his school has with Alice Academy and Chunhwa Middle school. He remembered when his friends talk about how pretty the girls from Alice are.

 

He was slightly disappointed but soon that disappointment took over with drowsiness and he drift off to dreamland.

 

Hyemi stepped into the gym of Seoul Academy. She will be representing her school in netball. It was awkward seeing so many boys at the corridor and she couldn’t help to feel nervous. Seeing girls everyday makes her feel small at the sight of the tall boys.

 

Hyemi silently sat with her group at the bleachers. She sat at the top behind all her teammates. There were a few students there to see the tournament, she blushed when a boy with Seoul Academy’s uniform sat beside her.

 

“Hello” the boy smiled

 

“Hi” Hyemi greeted softly with a small bow

 

“No need to be formal. I’m Jaebum” the boy let out his million dollar smile with an outstretch hand

 

Hyemi hesitate for a bit but shook his hand “Hyemi”

 

“Pretty name for a pretty girl” Jaebum winked and that made Hyemi blush another shade brighter

 

“Moving fast eh Jae?” Jongin asked and Jaebum turned to look at him “Is it wrong for me to be-friend with students from the other school?” Jaebum asked

 

“No. Just saying” Jongin gave him a look that Hyemi did not understand before the tan boy sat a little further with his friends “He’s my classmate” Jaebum said and Hyemi nodded “I see”

 

“Well, good luck on the game” Jaebum grinned and Hyemi smiled back “Thank you”

 

 

 

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Sehun frowned the moment he took a step out from the public library. It was raining heavily but thankfully there weren’t any thunder or lightning. Sehun opened his bag to take out his umbrella. Rummaging his bag for a minute, he cursed when he realized he left his umbrella at home.

 

“I want to go home” he groaned and an umbrella was handed in front of him

 

“Here, I have an extra” a girl with chestnut hair smiled, she was wearing the same uniform as