The first time I met Park Chanyeol was on the International Business Introduction class. I stayed late on my cousin’s apartment, so I got to sit on the back of the class and (un)fortunately, I have to sit next to a guy with messy wavy hair wearing an army-pattern jumper with the hood AND a hat on his head. I sat next to a fashion criminal, I guess. He looked so sleepy; he kept playing his pen and not even bothered to look at me when I sat next to him. I ignored him and took out my notes, ready to jot down several important things about the class rules.

“He’s not the professor” he suddenly spoke, making me looked at him. “He’s just the assistant. He didn’t mention any important things related with the class. He’s just ... bragging himself” he continued, ended his words with a yawn.

I nodded to him, casually. I didn’t have to listen to this dude, right? So I, once again, ignored him and paid attention to the assistant’s explanation. Turned out, he’s right. The assistant kept bragging that he’s the youngest student who got the scholarship for his master degree and some stuff like he got an A straight throughout his whole study time. I thought I forgot that this was supposed to be an introduction class of my major.

“See?” he said again while smirking at me. I just chuckled and end up talking to the guy next to me.

“I’m Kris Wu, Canada”

“Park Chanyeol, South Korea”

And that’s pretty much how I got into this guy. We had the same classes with the same schedule and because both of us are Asian, we flocked together. He was a guy with talents; he joined the band, the basketball team along with me, and also Red Cross community. I thought he’s just an active student, but not until I knew he also joining an African community. I didn’t know he could play some African drum. Seriously, this guy was something…

We get along pretty well; sometimes we had sleep over at each other place. And tonight was one of the nights when I stayed at his place. His brother, Yoochun, and his parents were out of New York so we there’re just the two of us at the pent house. Chanyeol was online on the computer while I sat on his bed, reading some magazines. When I was about to take a drink on the bedside table, my legs accidentally kicked something under the table; and a small bag appeared on the floor.

I took the bag and found a Polaroid inside it. When I looked at it, there’s no film on it. I put it back to the bag, but my hand touched something inside the bag. It was a Polaroid picture of a girl looking blankly at the camera. I thought it supposed to be a candid camera.

“Hey, is this yours?” I asked Chanyeol while showing the picture, but Chanyeol was still looking to his Mac.

“What?”

“Polaroid picture. It’s a girl picture, I wonder if this—“

I stopped talking as Chanyeol turned around; looking at me with his rabbit eyes grew bigger. He quickly jumped from his chair and took the picture from my hand.

“Ho-how… Wh-where did you…” he exchanging his look to me and the picture, and then smiled widely. Chanyeol then gave me a back hug and laughed happily.

“What’s that for? Is she your girlfriend?” I asked him, chuckled from the hug that he gave me.

He shook his head. “Nope”

“Your crush?”

“Not even closer to that” he answered while looking at the picture, grinning. That’s such a lie.

“Then why you’re this happy to see the picture?” I asked in confusion.

He smiled. “Nothing important” answering carelessly and going back to his seat; enjoying a date with the internet. I chuckled once again. So this dude can fell in love too…

Later on after that night, I saw the picture of the girl on his notebook that he always brings everywhere; never once moved from there.

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This was my first summer in Seoul, South Korea. I impulsively join Chanyeol when he said that he wanted to visit his hometown for his first summer holiday in New York; besides, I have nothing to do in New York that’s why I didn’t have to think twice to say yes when Chanyeol asked me to join him.

Once we arrived, I have my schedule packed with a visit to Chanyeol’s friends’ places. We did several things like hiking or trying a sauna there, all along with his friends like Baekhyun, Jongin, and Jongdae.I met my best friend Luhan too in Seoul. We haven’t met for almost 10 years, since I moved to Canada. It was pretty fun in Seoul; I got to experienced so many things.

“What? You haven’t told Sulli that you’re here?” Baekhyun said as chew the pizza that we had around Myeongdong. Chanyeol shook his head.

“He knew you already here, Hyung” Jongin added.

Okay, who is this Sulli that they’re talking about…

“Really? Who said to her? I don’t remember I tell anyone about my visit… Did you tell her?” Chanyeol asked Baekhyun who immediately shook his head.

“Jiyeon told her. She said that she saw you on the airport; she was arriving from Japan the day you landed here” Jongin replied.

“Let’s go to her place!” Baekhyun said excitedly just only to get his head hit by Chanyeol and Baekhyun glared back at him. I found these two had a special friendship that included a love hate feeling.

“We know you miss her” Jongdae butted in, adding his words with his innocent smile. I like this guy; he always smiled wholeheartedly whenever I saw him.

“I miss you all” Chanyeol answered. “Let’s just eat some more!” 

Finally, on our 5^th day of visit in Seoul, Chanyeol asked me if I wanted to visit a family that’s closed with his family. I thought we’ve had visited all of his families: his grandparents, his uncles and aunts, his cousins; but apparently there’s still more.

Before we go visit them, we went to Hongdae because Chanyeol said he wanted to bring some nice cakes for the family that we’re gong to visit. The cake shop was pretty nice; really bright and colorful. He was busy choosing the cakes that he wanted to buy. I excused myself to the convenient store near the cake shop; need to refresh myself with cold drink. Summer in Seoul was pretty hot; I swear I sweated a lot even though I only wore a short and loose shirt.

I was just opened the door of the convenient store, right when someone suddenly fell into me. It’s a she and she just had her head rested on my chest with her hands holding on my neck; making her seemed to clutch on me. Her hair smelled like honey, and somehow I felt really comfortable with this girl around me.

“Are… Are you okay?” I asked her when she found her balance and stood in front of me.

She nodded. “Yes, I’m fine. I’m sorry…”

I smiled to her; somehow I saw a blushed on her cheeks. Were all of Korean girls always looks this cute? Man…

And there’s the awkward silence between us. She seemed to about to ask me something, but then she looked at my back. I followed her look and found a car parked on the street, probably someone picked her up.

She bowed to me and quickly walked to the car. Once she got in to the car, I still stayed in front of the store. Her face… it seemed familiar. I thought I’ve met her previously, but I couldn’t remember where or when… The car left already, but her thought it my mind remained there. I was still thinking about her when Chanyeol came and tapped my shoulder.

“Anything wrong?” he asked me while putting his hand over my shoulder.

I shook my head. “Got the cake?”

Chanyeol showed me two bags of cakes that he brought. “We’ll have a tea party I guess” he happily answered.

 

We arrived at the area where the family that Chanyeol kept talking about lived. When we walked, I saw the similar car that I was picked the girl I met earlier. I thought it was just my imagination. There’re tons of the cars here with similar color and type, I thought.

“You know what, I think I saw a very cute girl at the inconvenient store earlier” I said to Chanyeol. He frowned and laughed.

“Really? This is rare… You never said a girl is cute whenever you meet a girl. She must be special, then” Chanyeol winked his eyes. I formed a thin line of smile in my mouth. Hmm, probably…

When we’re arrived at the house, Chanyeol mentioned his name so we could pass the gate. But when we’re about to press the doorbell, Chanyeol suddenly couldn’t stop looking nervous.

“What is with you?” I asked him. He looked at me nervously.

“I don’t know. I just..feeling a bit anxious. Hhh, what is wrong with me…” he answered while jumped a bit. I chuckled at him and too make him feeling giddier, I pressed the bell button. He glared at me and suddenly hid behind me when the door was opened.

I looked at the door and… frozen. It’s the girl that I saw earlier at the convenient store!!! Wait…was it her house? She looked back at me with a shocked expression too. She wore an apron; her hair was made into a bun. It seemed like she’s cooking something, because she had some flour at the edge of her nose. Seriously, who’s this girl that I see?

“Choi Jinri! I’m home!” suddenly I heard Chanyeol spoke, he really seemed different: from anxious to… playful.

Her eyes grew bigger and she just kept standing there, looking confused.

“Were you that shocked to see me here?” he said while barged in to home. “Gummo! I’m coming” Chanyeol suddenly walked in, leaving me and this girl named Jinri at the front door.

I awkwardly looking at her, she was just smiling to me. Her eyes were lost when she smiled, and I just realized it… she’s the girl on Chanyeol’s notebook. It’s her!

I chuckled once again; that’s why I kept feeling like I know her… I’ve been seeing her picture the past 10 months!

Oh it seemed like I need to be the match maker for Park Chanyeol ;)

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