Seoyeon sighed as she tugged a hairbrush though her knotted hair. Every morning was the same, wake up, get dressed, eat breakfast, leave. It wasn't as if school was exciting, either. The same lessons, the same faces, the same battered corridors. Seoyeon reminded herself that it was Friday, which meant watching movies with Sam, and the whole weekend ahead of her. She smiled as she grabbed a handful of cereal and ran out of the door.

Walking down the road to school, Seoyeon saw an unfamiliar figure ahead of her. He was wearing her school uniform- a new boy? She scurried forward to talk to him.

“Hi,” she said as she neared him. He whipped around. The moment their eyes met, the world rushed in a blur around them.

“Sorry,” they chorused as both of their hands closed around the same milkshake.

“You have it,” the boy said, smiling. His long hair fell into his eyes and he brushed it back.

“We can share,” Seoyeon told him.

The pair of children lay, basking in the sun, in a field with soft grass. They shared the milkshake, soon making a game of how fast they could have a sip.

“I'm Taeho,” the boy introduced.

“I'm Seoyeon,” Seoyeon grinned. “Can we be friends?”

Because in those days, friendships were as easy to form as writing your own name.

Seoyeon shook her head and smiled at the boy. “Is it your first day?”

The boy nodded and clutched the straps on his backpack.

“I'm Seoyeon. I can show you around if you want.”

The boy nodded his head. “Thanks. I'm Teo.”

Seoyeon's heart simultaneously sank and stayed in the right place; he wasn't called Taeho, but there was something that told her he was the same person.

“Yun!” Seoyeon called as she ran into the classroom.

“Slow down!” Yun laughed as Seoyeon crashed into him and they collapsed on their chairs.

“I think I found him,” Seoyeon whispered.

“Taeho?!” Yun exclaimed, just as Teo nervously shuffled into the classroom. Teo looked up at the name Taeho, and Seoyeon grinned.

“Told you,” she nudged Yun. Jumping up, Yun ran to Teo and smiled.

“I'm Seungyun,” he told Teo. “You're new, right?”

“Yeah, I'm Teo,” he said. “What am I supposed to do?”

“Wait for the teacher to come,” Yun explained before turning and walking back to Seoyeon.

“So, class, Teo will be with us from now on. Take care of him!” the teacher said from the front of the room. Teo took a seat near the back and used his hand to neaten up his hair.

“He cut his hair,” Seoyeon whispered. “It used to be down to his chin.”

“He probably looked girly. And anyway, it's been 8 years. Of course he'd change his hair,” Yun said sensibly. Seoyeon sighed.

“Do you think he recognises me?”

“Of course. Have you seen the way he's been staring at you for most of the day?”

Yun was walking Seoyeon to Sam's house, the way he did every Friday. He'd stay while they ordered pizzas and left before they started watching the movies. He thought movies were too long, and got bored halfway through.

“I'm not surprised he was staring at you, though,” Yun continued. “Most guys do.”

“Really?” Seoyeon was surprised.

“Yeah! 'Seoyeon noona's so pretty,' they whisper!” Yun bent forward and squeezed Seoyeon's cheeks.

“Stop it!” Seoyeon laughed as they neared Sam's house. Yun and Seoyeon were both 16, but Sam was 20. Seoyeon met Sam through Yun and they'd been really close ever since.

Seoyeon and Yun walked straight into Sam's house, not bothering to knock.

“Sam?” Yun called. They looked up as they heard things dropping onto the ground, and Sam soon ran down the stairs, dressed in a vest shirt and sweats.

“Showing off again?” Seoyeon nudged Sam's tough stomach.

“Obviously,” he nodded. Yun laughed and pushed past Sam to get to the kitchen.

“Where's the food?” Yun yelled.

“I'm going shopping tomorrow,” Sam shouted. “I'll order pizza in a minute.”

“I haven't seen you all week,” Seoyeon complained. “I thought you were picking me up from school on Wednesday?”

“Sorry, Yeonnie,” Sam apologised. “I had to go see my parents. I called your house in the morning, but no one was home.” He pulled Seoyeon across the sofa for a hug. Seoyeon grumbled but nestled into Sam's side anyway; anyone would think they were a couple.

“I have to go,” Yun sighed after checking his phone. “See you later.”

Yun strode through the house and let himself out.

“What movie first?” Sam asked with a glint in his eye, turning to Seoyeon.

“I should probably get home,” Seoyeon worried, after checking the clock on her phone and seeing that it was past midnight.

“I'll drive you,” Sam said quickly. Seoyeon stood up and brushed off her creased school uniform. She smiled at Sam and walked out of the door into the cold night.

“Doing anything fun this weekend?” Seoyeon asked Sam as they drove back to Seoyeon's house.

“I want to write some songs,” he said. “I can never write after work in the week. What about you?”

“I need to find out more about Teo,” Seoyeon muttered seriously.

“What?”

“You know the boy I've been searching for? Taeho?”

“You've mentioned him before.”

“Well, there's this new guy in my class, and he lives on my road. I think it's him.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. I hope so.”