December 26, 2003

"Soojung ah!! Soojung ah" Chaeyoung shouted as she ran around the house searching for Soojung. 

Soojung came out from the bathroom, with a towel wrapped around her wet hair. 

"There you are!!" 
Chaeyoung ran to Soojung excitedly.

"Get ready fast! We need to go somewhere." She said jumping up and down.

"Where?" Soojung asked confused.

"I'm gonna take you to a concert and you're gonna have the best time of your life." Chaeyoung said with her eyes glistening.

Soojung got ready reluctantly. She was never fond of going to crowded places. But she also didn't have the courage to decline Chaeyoung, especially when she was so excited.

Soojung and her family came to Korea for the first time since they moved to the US and stayed at Soojung' mom's sister's place. Soojung was 12 years old that time. 

It was also the first time that Soojung met her cousin, Chaeyoung. Unlike her, Chaeyoung was very friendly, loud and bubbly that she sometimes found it hard to keep up with her. 

On the first day that they met, Soojung was quite as usual and didn't say a word. But Chaeyoung was excited to finally meet her cousin that she only heard of and did all the talking. After a few days, Soojung became comfortable around her and started talking a little too. She thought maybe she found a friend for the first time in her life. 

Soojung and Chaeyoung reached the concert place and entered the hall after waiting in the line for a few hours.

"BoA and Britney Spears showcase" was written on the screen before a petite girl who looks around 17 came out on the stage, introduced herself as  BoA and started singing and dancing. 

Soon, Soojung became immersed in her performance. Seeing her enjoying the concert, Chaeyoung smiled to herself.

"You like it already huh?" Chaeyoung shouted near Soojung's ear so she could hear despite the loud music. "But this isn't everything. Soon you're gonna fall so hard." 

Soojung didn't understand her but continued to enjoy the performance.
Then, after a few songs, the MC came out and introduced a new group, saying they were making their debut that day and was from the same agency as BoA.

"This is it!!" Chaeyoung screamed waving the balloon that she was holding more vigorously.

Then came out 5 guys, introducing themselves as "Dong Bang Shin Ki", singing an acappella songs. Soojung was dumbstruck at how good their harmony was. She was completely drawn into them. She looked closely and every single one of them were handsome too. 

"I've never seen guys this handsome." Soojung thought to herself and blushed a little.

Among them was a guy who mostly stood in the middle. For some reason her eyes always fell on him. 

The night after the concert, in Chaeyoung's room which she shared with Soojung, they stayed up till late talking about the 5 guys they just saw. Chaeyoung told Soojung everything about the group like how they used to perform on streets and even in sauna to let themselves known and how she happened to see them once in streets too and had been waiting for their debut. Soojung became more interested the more she learned about them.

"So which one do you like best?" Chaeyoung asked. 
"I called dibs on Changmin though." She said before Soojung even answered.
"That guy in the middle." Soojung answered shyly.
"You mean Jaejoong?" 

Soojung just nodded. Chaeyoung already told her their names but she hasn't remembered each of them yet.

Soojung was leaving for San Francisco the next day with her parents. Chaeyoung came with her parents to drop them off at the airport.

"It was really nice meeting you, cousin." Chaeyoung said with teary eyes and gave Soojung a hug.

"You too." Soojung replied hugging her back.

"Keep in touch ok? I'll parcel you TVXQ CDs too." She said and gave a wink.

Soojung nodded with a smile and went inside.