SIDE STORY:

CHILDHOOD

After what happened, Chanyeol walked away and Ari proceeded home, not in the mood to see anyone. She even avoided Eunmi, who in turn, tried to shake what happened out of her but she didn’t say anything to her best friend’s dismay.

Ari looked up at the ceiling, emotionless. Everything was starting to hit her. Her heart felt like it was going to fall out of its place any second now. She didn’t expect Chanyeol, her childhood friend, to like her. She thought it was impossible. Chanyeol couldn’t.

Her heart ached and all of a sudden, tears started to build up in her eyes. She couldn’t stop the memories from coming back to her.

She blinked, seeing a soccer ball roll its way towards her. Six year-old Cho Ari seemed clueless of what to do with it. She thought, was it free? Maybe Santa decided to visit early. That is until some rat started running straight towards her.

“G-get away!” She took a couple of steps back and tripped, sending her to the floor. When the rat stopped to look at her, she screamed, alerting the people in the playground. She was about to kick it when a chubby kid ran towards her. “Are you insane?! Don’t kick my pet!”

Ari couldn’t believe her ears. Why would someone take in a rat as a pet? “P-pet?” She blinked, looking at the kid who started to pet his rat on the head.

He nodded. “Do you want to touch him? He’s really nice. He’s not a rat. He’s a ferret!” He grinned, his eyes turning into crescents.

For some reason even though she doubted that it wasn’t a rat, Ari nodded and got up to her feet. Dusting her dress, she slowly stretched her arm out, closing her eyes as she was both scared and curious.

Suddenly, she felt a hand wrap around her wrist and pull her closer. Just like that, the ferret’s head came in contact with her hand. The feeling of fur snapped her eyes open and she stared at the ferret in interest.

“What’s his name?”

“Won’t you like to know my name first? Hi, I’m Chanyeol.”

Ari chuckled at the memory sadly.

After then, Ari tried to go out every day to help Chanyeol take care of his ferret (which she knew the name of later on and she was curious on why Chanyeol named the guy Choco when it doesn’t look like a Choco) but her parents didn’t allow her since it’s dangerous and they can’t always come with her. She threw a tantrum, eventually crying after. When Chanyeol heard of this from his mom, he rushed to Ari’s house instead whenever she couldn’t come and just like that, their friendship developed.

She remembered when Chanyeol’s ferret died. They were seven year-olds back then. Chanyeol cried like a baby and Ari kept on teasing him about being one. Chanyeol got pissed and ignored her. Knowing this, Ari felt a heavy burden and she helped stitch out his name on a handkerchief as an apology.

Ari knocked on the door as she held the handkerchief with “Chanyeol” sewn on the fabric. A few moments later, his mom opened the door.

“Here to see Chan? Come on in, dear.” His mother smiled. “He’s been denying that he misses you.”

“Thanks, Ms. Park.” She gave a small smile before dashing off to Chanyeol’s room. Without hesitating, she banged on the door a few times.

“Go away Ari. If you’re here to call me a baby, I don’t want to hear it.” She heard him say through the door and she pouted.

Sighing, she pressed a palm against the door. “I won’t. I promise? I’m sorry, okay?”

A moment of silence and miraculously, Chanyeol finally opened the door, a frown on his face. Gulping, Ari looked up at him and held the handkerchief out for him to take. “Uhm… sorry.” She sighed. “I can’t stand it when you’re ignoring me.”

“What happened to your hands?” Chanyeol took the thing in his hands and shoved it into his pocket, holding her hands after and taking a good look at it. Her fingers were filled with bandaids. With that, Ari sighed. “That hanky took much effort, sadly.”

“Next time, don’t do something so hard. I’m okay if you give me food you know?”

Come to think of it… Ari blinked. Chanyeol’s never had a girlfriend in his entire life although countless of girls already confessed to him.

The thought made her sigh. Knowing Chanyeol for years assured her that he’d make a perfect boyfriend and she knew that Chanyeol wouldn’t hurt her in anyway.

Then Byun Baekhyun suddenly came to mind and all of a sudden, her thoughts became a complete mess.

Closing her eyes, Ari decided to sleep with a conclusion in mind. One thing is for sure: She didn’t want to lose Chanyeol.

Bad author imnida.

I cry I'm sorry but I'm back now --

I owe you all a huge apology tbh. ;;

I stopped since I felt like writing became an obligation all of a sudden. It was something I didn't enjoy doing anymore amidst my busy schedule. Gladly, the fun in writing came back and I managed to do this because I suddenly had the feel to do drama.

Gonna upload the next chapter in like two days. cOUGHS.