✻   chapter 1  .     banmal  song ,

 

All nine members of SNSD were gathered under the twinkling Valentine night at the rooftop of SM Entertainment's main building. It was their own exclusive party -- nobody else were allowed except for the nine girls. It wasn't anything formal, really. The girls were dateless this Valentines, and instead of going out to party, the girls came up with a plan. Bring the party to them. Their kid leader, Taeyeon, was in charge of asking permission to use the rooftop. Sooyoung was left in charge of food. Sunny and Hyoyeon for their drinks. The rest, Jessica, Tiffany, Yoona, Yuri, and Seohyun, were in charge for the decorations.

It wasn't a fancy party. The girls were dressed in casual clothes -- mostly in skinny jeans, hoodies and sneakers. It was the girls' chance to relax and rewind away from the prying paparazzi eyes.

Sooyoung made a beeline to the long table filled with snacks each of them love -- pretzels, cheeses, almonds, crackers, and different kinds of chocolates anyone could imagine. There were heart-shaped, coin-shaped, and even chocolates that are shaped like their names.

"Omo, kyeopta~" Sunny gushed as she picked up a  이순규 -shaped (Sunny in hangul) chocolate and popped it in .

"Ne, those are Valentine gifts from fans." Sooyoung said with a smile.

In the middle of the table, a small radio was tuned to the station that played recent tunes. Tiffany took out her phone and started to take selcas with the other members. Jessica and Taeyeon gathered beside her and they striked a pose. 

Flash. Flash. Flash.

Everyone was busy except for the lone figure who leaned on the railings and looked down below -- Seohyun. Hyoyeon noticed her strange behavior and called out to her.

"Seohyunnie," Hyoyeon shouted to call her attention. "Why are you sulking all alone there? Let's take a picture together."

Seohyun glanced at her unnies and flashed a smile. "Aniyo, maybe later," Seohyun answered apologetically. Tiffany went beside their maknae in concern.

"You sure, Seohyunnie?" she asked while she unwrap a burger in her hand.

"Aigo, unnie, don't eat hamburger, you'll die."

Tiffany's eyes widened in shock and she tried to control her laughter. She handed a warm paperbag to Seohyun. "I knew you wouldn't eat burgers, so I got these for you."

"Ohh, goguma? Kamsahamnida, unnie." Seohyun said and held the bag of warm sweet potatoes near her cheeks to feel the warmth.

"Don't mention it," she answered and patted Seohyun's hair. "Why is our maknae so polite? It's okay to use banmal"

"Fany-ah, let's open the wine~" Sooyoung shouted. Tiffany excused herself from Seohyun before she could answer and went back to the table.

All alone, the maknae leaned against the cold metal railing that sent shivers down her spine. She studied the cold February night sky. The stars twinkled above them. She used the sweet potatoes as a hand warmer to withstand the chilly night breeze.

This night reminds me of the first night I came to Seoul, she thought in a wave of nostalgia. A small smile appeared on her face as she remembered the same chilly February night eleven years ago -- before SNSD, when she was still known as Seo Joohyun.

- 11 YEARS AGO -

Gangnam was packed with crowds of all ages -- families, middle-aged couples, newly weds, teens, all in celebration of Valentine's. Music filled the air with live bands playing in every corner. The remnants of winter brought a cold draft outside. Everyone was out and about, moving in every direction. Except for a small girl, lost and bewildered, who couldn't do anything except to stand under a tree.

"U-umma?" the little girl mumbled as she looked left and right. She sniffed as tears welled in her eyes. It was her first night at the big city. She was with her mother who accompanied her to very first audition ever.  I want to be a singer who touches the heart of anyone who listens, umma, she once said to her mother. But now, here she was, under a tree and lost. The last thing she remembered was looking through the huge window of a candy shop. The next thing she knew, her mother was out of her sight.

She shivered in the cold and realized her pocket warmer was with her mom as well. How do I go home? I only have a few coins... Will I die here? she thought as she helplessly slumped on the ground. She felt a slight tap on her shoulder.

"Umma?" Her wet, glistening eyes looked up. But it wasn't her mom, but a smiling boy of about her age who looked at her.

"Yah, is it comfy sittin' at the grass?" The boy casually asked and sat beside her.

The girl didn't answer but frowned and moved a few inches away from the boy. She silently prayed that he would get the hint and leave. But the boy wasn't interested in leaving soon. He tried talking to the girl again.

"Are you lost?"

"A-are you going to kill me?" the girl nervously asked in a whisper.

The boy laughed as loud as he could in reply. "Ani~" he answered and patted the girl's shoulder. "The truth is, I'm lost as well."

The girl somewhat relaxed herself and tried to smile. She was lonely and needed the company. She slowly extended her hand to the boy and introduced herself. "My name is Seo Joohyun, and you are?"

"Yonghwa," the boy said and shook her hand. "You speak funny~"

"Ehh, what do you mean by that?"

"I dunno," Yonghwa scrunched his nose a bit. "You talk like an adult. We're kids~ at least talk to me as a kid using banmal."

"But I was taught this way." Joohyun answered with a frown. "You said you're lost? Are you with your mother as well?"

"Nope, I'm with my friends heehee~" Yonghwa said with a wide smile. "But it's okay, I'll find them later on. So you lost your mother?"

Joohyun slowly nodded and felt another wave of tears gathered at the inner corner of her eyes.

"Don't worry, Hyun~ I'll stay here with you until you find your mother."

"What did you just call me?"

"Hyuuu~n," the boy repeated with a sheepish smile. "Your name's too long, so that's your new nickname. You can call me Yong in return."

"Yooo~ng?" Joohyun imitated Yonghwa followed by a giggle.

Yonghwa was stunned for a moment. He looked at the stunning and radiant smile of the girl in front of him. Kyeopta, he thought as he was mesmerized by her innocent beauty.

"Did I say it wrong?" Joohyun asked and waved her hand in front of the stunned boy.

"Ah, aniyoo~ You said it perfectly." He answered with a thumbs-up sign.

"Kamsahamnida." 

"Pffft," Yonghwa tried to hold back fits of laughter again.

"Now what's wrong?"

"You're so polite, Hyuuu~n."

"Then, how was I suppose to answer?"

"Just say 'gomawo' or even a simple 'thanks' will do." Yonghwa answered and glanced up the sky.

"G-gomawoyo," Joohyun slowly said in hesitation. Yonghwa gave her another thumbs-up sign but Joohyun frowned in frustration. "Ahhh, it's too difficult, Yong."

"Ehh, you're hopeless~" Yonghwa joked. All of a sudden, his stomach grumbled which brought a giggle on Joohyun's lips. "Aigo, I haven't eaten yet." He frantically searched all over his pocket for money but all he came up with were a few loose change. Joohyun also rummaged through her pocket to help her new friend.

"Here, I have 3000 won," Joohyun said and handed her money to Yonghwa's open hand. "Go buy yourself something to fill your stomach."

"Oh, daebak, now it's 5000 won," Yonghwa said after he counted the money. "I'll be back, Hyuuu~n, wait for me ok?"

"Uhm," Joohyun nodded with a smile. Yonghwa stood up quickly, and in a flash he was gone.

He'll return, right? Joohyun asked herself as she hugged her knees. She studied the vast night sky and tried to identify the different constellations above her. Which one's Polaris? We learned in school that if I'm lost, I just have to find that star, Seohyun thought. But the stars all looked the same to her. She bit her lip to stop them from quivering. Where's Yooo~ng? 

"Jaaaan~" Yonghwa jumped in front of her which startled the little girl. He held a small brown paperbag in front of her eyes.

"What did you buy?" Joohyun asked as Yonghwa plopped beside her again.

"Goguma~" he answered and took out two medium-sized steamed sweet potatoes. "It's still warm."

Joohyun just looked at the sweet potato in Yonghwa's hand. "You don't want it?" he asked.

"It's not that I don't want it, but I just haven't tasted one before." she answered frankly.

"Waee, Hyun?" Yonghwa asked. "Try it, it's super yummy."

Joohyun hesitated for a while but she accepted the sweet potato from Yonghwa's hand. "Ohh, it's so warm," she remarked as she felt the sweet potato by her cheeks. Yonghwa glanced at the girl beside her while he peeled the brown skin from the sweet potato. "Uhm, but I don't know how to eat this," she pouted as she watched how Yonghwa carefully peeled the paper thin skin by his fingers.

"Arasseo," he grinned and handed his peeled sweet potato to Joohyun. "Take this instead, Hyuuu~n."

"Kamsahamnida." Joohyun said but hesitated. "I mean, gomawo."

"See, you can do it, Hyun." Yonghwa said and started to peel the other sweet potato. He watched as Joohyun took a small bite with wide eyes.

"Ohh, I never knew goguma is very delicious," Joohyun remarked with a smile. "Goguma daebak!"

"Hahaha, kyeopta~" Yonghwa said out loud which caused Joohyun to blush furiously. "You're not from Seoul, are you? What brings you here?"

"I came with my mom to audition. I want to be a singer when I grow up." Joohyun proudly said with a smile. 

"Woah," Yonghwa said in admiration. "I envy you. Even if we're just kids and play all day, you already have your own dream."

"Don't you have one?"

"Hmmm," he shrugged and pretended to think about it. "I haven't thought about my future yet. I just want to play all day long. Hyun, can you try singing for me?"

"B-but it's cold and my voice has not been conditioned properly."

"Singing doesn't need all of those," Yonghwa said and took out a small notebook and a pencil from his pocket. "What singing needs is the feeling, Hyun."

"B-but..."

"No buts!" He opened the notebook to a clean page and wrote 'Yong & Hyun song.' "Let's write a song that you'll sing for your debut stage."

"Jinja?" Hyun said as she peered over Yonghwa's shoulder. "Ehh, why are you writing banmal?"

"So you would get used in speaking banmal."

"You know what, Yong?" Joohyun said as she watched the boy scribbling down phrases furiously.

"What?"

"Do you really want to hear banmal from me?" 

"Ah.." Yonghwa taught for a moment before he could reply. "It will be good if you're able to."

"But, you know banmal is hard for me, right?"

"Why is it hard?" Yonghwa wondered as he stopped writing to look at the girl beside him.

"Err, I really try very hard," Joohyun said as she finished up her sweet potato. "It's really difficult. How much do you want to hear me speak banmal?" 

"Um," Yonghwa looked directly to her eyes before he answered. "A lot."

Joohyun blushed again while Yonghwa shyly smiled at her. He cleared his throat before he handed his notebook to her. Joohyun silently read the small passages Yonghwa had written with his childish handwriting. "Oh, it's good." she remarked.

"Jinja? Maybe I should be a songwriter when I grow up!"

"Yong & Hyun song," Joohyun repeated the title out loud. "I want to sing this song when I debut, but I want Yong to be there too. How do I sing this line?"

"Follow after me, Hyun," Yonghwa said and moved closer to her. He cleared his throat again and started to sing:

The day when I first saw you

Your bright smile full of shyness

We'll get closer after today

He smiled at Joohyun who watched him intently. He pointed a line to Joohyun and she began to sing in the same melody:

Hopefully we can speak banmal to each other

You walk towards me slowly, step by step

Yonghwa then joined her and blended his voice to hers:

Now look at my two eyes and tell me

Their two eyes met and Joohyun felt herself blush again. 

Sarang---

"Joohyun-ah!" The two kids were cut short when a middle-aged woman shouted in front of them.

"Umma!" Joohyun stood up and ran to hug her mother tight.

"I've been looking all over for you and here you were just playing around. We're going to be late for our train," her mother dragged her along.

"W-wait, umma," Joohyun argued as she tried to look back at Yonghwa who was still under the tree. But the crowd between them thickened until Joohyun could no longer see him. "Yooo~ng." she silently called out to him.

- PRESENT TIME - 

She never heard from Yong again. They've only met for one night, yet he had taught her so much --- speaking banmal, peeling and eating sweet potatoes, and singing with real feelings. Seohyun smiled as she remembered that one Valentine night eleven years ago. In the end, she didn't get to debut with the song 'Yong & Hyun song' but if she could have her own way, she would.

She carefully peeled the sweet potato's thin skin and took a bite from it. It was still warm in her hands, and the sweet potato's warmth reminded her of the warmth she felt in her heart when she was with Yong. She wasn't sure if it was love, since she was still young back then, but she knew what he was someone precious in her heart.

"Yooo~ng, I don't know where you are or what you're doing now, but I successfully followed my dream. Did you follow yours?" she silently asked herself and looked up at the star-filled sky. "Did the Polaris help you find your way?"

"Seohyunnie~" someone called her from behind which broke her train of thoughts.

"Ne, unnie?" she answered as she turned around. 

"We're going to watch a movie in the theater room. Come with us~" Taeyeon said with a tub of popcorn in her hands. She motioned to Seohyun with her hands.

"Ne~ I'm going with you guys," Seohyun answered and walked towards her unnie. Sooyoung also handed her a bag of popcorn.

"Kamsa--" she was about to say but she stopped herself. "Gomawo, unnie~" she said instead.

The nine girls left the rooftop, each with popcorns and soda in their hands. We'll clean the mess the next day, Taeyeon thought as she closed the rooftop door behind them. However, they forgot the radio that was in the middle of the table.

"Now, we present to you the rookie band, CN Blue's debut single 'Banmal Song'... please look forward to it, listeners..."

The day when I first saw you

Your bright smile was full of shyness

We'll get closer after today

Every day, I have heart-fluttering expectations

What to say to you

How to get you to laugh

I fear it'll get awkward when I try to hold your hand

All I can do is smile shyly

Hopefully, we can speak banmal to each other

Even though it's still awkward and unfamiliar

Instead of saying 'thank you'

Talk to me in a friendlier way

Hopefully, we can speak banmal to each other

You walk towards me slowly, step by step

Now look at my two eyes and tell me

Saranghae

The day when I held your hand

I felt my heart stop beating

I don't even remember what I said

All I feel is a flutter in my stomach

Hopefully we can speak banmal to each other

Even though it's still awkward and unfamiliar

Instead of saying 'thank you'

Talk to me in a friendlier way

Hopefully, we can speak banmal to each other

You walk towards me slowly, step by step

Now look at my two eyes and tell me

Saranghae

Hopefully, we can fall in love with each other

I'll never let go of your two hands from my grasp

The light of your eyes, gazing at me

I hope there will only be joyful smiles

We can probably fall in love with each other

We can lean on one another and take care of each other

Looking into your eyes, my two eyes

They're talking to you

Saranghae

 

.  end     ✻ 

---

credits,

lyrics translation : by QJ   || original video  ||  video w/ eng sub (where I got part of their conversation)

 

⇨     thank you so much for reading!!