September afternoon,

I can picture you, walking hand in hand with each other,

As you play with the flowers in the garden,

Smiling ever so softly at me.

As I stand beside you,

I say,

“Isn’t it crazy that we are born,

Only to die?”

“UNNIEEEE, COME PLAY WITH US!!!!”

9-years old Yerim, under a tree in her family’s backyard, was reading her mom’s purple diary when she suddenly called out by her younger 6-years old twin siblings.

“Chaewon shhhhhhh. I don’t want mom to know that I’m here reading -----”

“Whatchu reading noona?” Her other sibling chimed in.

Both siblings then circled around their favorite sister while hopping about like bunnies, until Yerim decided to stop them.

“I would tell you if you two stop jumping around like monkeys. Now sit down beside me Felix. You come here too Chaewon.”

Both of them sat down immediately while looking at their sister with shining eyes. Seeing how her two siblings are deeply interested in the purple diary that she’s holding, as well as seeing that it’s 3 o’clock on her wristwatch, she decided to tell them a story.

“So kids, would you like me to tell you a fairytale?”

And the story is about their parents.

[Once upon a time]

A young girl, around 8 years old, sitting under a cherry blossom tree in the backyard, was busy putting stickers in her purple diary that she recently received during Christmas last year. Her parents had gotten her the notebook so that she can write down her everyday thoughts and keep them as a memory.

“Joohyun ah. Come here for a sec.”

As she was deciding what stickers to decorate her diary, her mom called out to her.

She ran into the house towards her mom. As she got closer, she saw that her mom was with another person, and a kid, around 6 years of age, she assumed, since the little girl was a few inches shorter, standing behind a stranger that her own mom was talking fondly to.

“There you are Joohyun. Come greet Auntie Shon. It’s mommy’s best friend, do you still remember her? We used to visit her before her family went to Canada.”

“Don’t pressure her Hanna. She was young when we met each other.”

“Hello, Auntie Shon. Nice to meet you again.” Joohyun greeted shyly.

“Oh, you still remember me. Do you still remember the baby last time? Seungwan ah, don’t be shy. Come out and greet Joohyun unnie too.”

The kid, Seungwan, slowly looked at Joohyun behind her mom. She came forward and clasped her own two tiny hands behind her back.

“H-hello Joohyun unnie.” Seungwan greeted shyly, or whispering, but still audible enough for the rest to hear, while looking at Joohyun in the eye. Seeing that Joohyun smiled at her, she confidently speaks louder than before.

“And Wannie is 5 and a hwalf years old.” She bit her tongue saying it and showed 6 fingers up high. “Owieeee….” Seungwan put both her hands to her bitten mouth, or tongue.

Cute.

All Joohyun can think of at that moment was Seungwan’s puffy cheeks and the way she crinkled her nose. As she was thinking about that, Mrs. Shon squatted next to her daughter, taking and placing both Joohyun’s and Seungwan’s hands together.

“Seungwan ah, I know life in a new place can be hard. And Joohyun ah, can you please help me watch over Seungwan. Since we are going to be neighbors for a very long time (*emphasis on the long), I hope you guys can get along like sisters.”

Joohyun looked at her mom, and her mom nodded at her, implying to her to be friends with Seungwan. Joohyun then looked at Mrs. Shon and said, “Don’t worry Auntie Shon, I promised to be friends with her.”

“Thank you Joohyun, I know I can count on you.”

“Now kids, you guys can go play now. Me and Auntie Shon are going to do some catching up.” Mrs. Bae ushered them to go play.

As Joohyun was holding Seungwan’s hands,

“Let me show you around the house Seungwan. And my favorite tree. And then let’s go play.”

As the years go by, Seungwan can be seen in the Bae’s household more often. Mostly because Mrs. Shon wanted Seungwan to send some of her freshly baked goodies to the Bae’s so that they can try out her new recipe.

Seungwan was not complaining as she wanted to visit her friends as well. Yes, friends. She made a new friend, or not so new friend, in the Bae’s household after knowing that her soulmate, or sister older by 11 days she met in kindergarten was actually a younger cousin of Joohyun’s.

It came as a shock to Seungwan because during a weekend when she decided to go play with Joohyun, Seulgi was there with Joohyun. Turns out, the two girls actually met each other before kindergarten, back when they were still infants (*probably around 1-2 years old, before Seungwan left for Canada). As the Shon’s also knew the Kang’s. Both of them then jumped in joy when they realized how closely-knitted they are.

Truth to be told, Joohyun was