(Flash back continue )

‘Seulgi, eat something,’ Minhyeok coaxed, offering her a piece of sandwich.

‘Dad, I’ll throw up!’ Minhyeok hastily put the food back on the plate.

‘I don’t think I can do this!’ Seulgi whimpered, lips clenched, colour pale. The sound of the heavy front door opening, distracted them.

‘Good morning!’ Chanyeol called out, coming in. He appeared full of high spirits and cheerfulness.

‘Hello Chanyeol,’ Minhyeok greeted.

‘What are you doing here?’ Seulgi blurted out.

‘Somebody’s got to get this nervous wreck to college... right uncle?’ Chanyeol said, taking a seat at the breakfast table.

‘That effort will require nerves of steel and the patience of a saint,’ Minhyeok replied, smiling.

‘In case you both haven’t noticed, I am still here,’ Seulgi crabbily retorted, even though she could not understand why some of the tension dissipated.

‘What will you have for breakfast, Chan?’ Hyesung inquired, stepping out of the kitchen, a glass of milk in her hand.

‘Thanks Aunty, I just ate!’

The glass of milk was extended at Seulgi, ‘Here you go, drink your Bournvita!’

‘Maa, I swear I will throw up!’

Chanyeol snickered. ‘You still drink Bournvita?’

Cheerfully, Hyesung enlightened, ‘Since class fifth Seulgi insisted on making her own milk. Only recently, I found out, that all those years, slyly, she had been adding coffee instead. Now, she is making up for all those years of lying.’

‘No wonder! So many years of caffeine have done obvious damage.’ Chanyeol quipped.

‘Shut up! Mind your own beeswax!’ Seulgi hissed.

‘Kang Seulgi!’ Her father, as all parents could, turned her name into a verbal smack. ‘You both should leave now,’ he then added, glancing at his watch. 

‘1000 bucks she won’t be able to speak,’ Minhyeok coaxed, softly, remarked to Chanyeol. ‘5000 she will!’ Chanyeol responded, quietly.

Seulgi hugged her mother tight. ‘You are not going for war!’ Chanyeol scoffed. Seulgi glared at him.

Seulgi’s and Chanyeol’s drive to her college was made listening, One of them listened to music, and the other promised, impeccable behaviour and innumerable good deeds, to every god of all religions.

Chanyeol’s presence in Seulgi’s college created quite a ruckus. Almost every girl and a few boys just for an introduction claimed to be Seulgi’s 'BFFs'.

‘This is as far as you go?’ Seulgi croaked, pausing in front of the examination hall. Her bones were