“Oppa! Wait for me!” Eunmi screamed as she ran around the snow-filled playground with Chanyeol. He laughed and waited for Eunmi, before he held her hand in one of his. He ran together with Eunmi and played tag around the playground with his other friends.

After playing around for a long time, they plopped down on a playground bench, hand-in-hand eating ice-cream. “Ice-cream tastes the best in winter. Here, try mine, you munchkin,” Chanyeol exclaims.

Eunmi took a bite of his peppermint ice-cream and offered her raspberry one to Chanyeol. Chanyeol in turn took a huge bite of her ice-cream and they both giggled cheekily. They started to head back home together after the sun started to show signs of setting when they finally finished their ice-creams.

Walking hand-in-hand and talking animatedly with big hand gestures they laughed and talked about what their mothers would do to them if they found out Chanyeol and Eunmi had eaten ice-cream right before dinner. They went back to their own homes next to each other’s and made their usual promise to meet each other the next day. They hooked and kissed their pinkies as they bid each other goodnight and goodbye for the day.

                                                            ***

“Be safe, Chanyeollie ah~!”

“Bye mum!” Chanyeol shouted back to his mother as he tightened the knots on his little shoes. He tugged at his

“Aish, that little munchkin is going to be late for school.” Chanyeol sighed as he waited for Eunmi to come out of her house and go to school together with him.

“Oppa! I’m sorry! I woke up late today~,” Eunmi sheepishly grinned at Chanyeol as she burst out of her home suddenly.

“You lazy bum, you wake up late every time! Told you not to be late and you just wouldn’t listen and you always watch Pororo late into the night. I don’t even get what the penguin is trying to do!” Chanyeol ruffled her hair and frowned. “Sometimes I don’t really get what’s going on in that little and complicated mind of yours! Quick, put on your woollen hat and we’ll make it in time for school if we leave now. Hurry up!”

Chanyeol took Eunmi’s hand, like he always does and began a quick walk down to their elementary school. Eunmi shrugged and smiled as she walked with him.

“Oppa, shall we go to the playground again later after school? It was so much fun yesterday. It’s a pity that Sundays does not last long enough. I could’ve have watched more Pororo~!” Eunmi squealed, and Chanyeol shrugged.

“Sure, why not. Anyway, being at the playground with me is way better than watching any penguin do silly things.”

“Right! So we’ll meet at the usual place later~.” Eunmi nodded chirpily, ignoring what her best friend said about her favourite cartoon.

They had just reached Big Star Elementary School when they heard a shout. “Yah! Park Chanyeol! Song Eunmi! Over here, behind you!” Both Chanyeol and Eunmi turn behind as a familiar voice called out their names.

“Baekhyun ah! It’s great to see you. Let’s go inside before the teachers mark us as late students. I don’t want to get a tardy slip on the first day of the week. It’s bad luck.” Eunmi said, and ran into the school.

Baekhyun and Chanyeol both shrugged and followed Eunmi into the school. They were all in the same class, except for maths and science classes. Baekhyun was in a class with Eunmi, and Chanyeol was in another class with his other friends.

Since the first period was physical education, but it was winter, so all physical education classes were changed to self-reading classes. The trio went to class and sat down in their seats as they took out their stationaries.

Baekhyun and Eunmi had sat on either sides of Chanyeol and other three friends, namely, Hannie, Kyungsoo and Jongin was seated across them. They called out their greetings and waited for the teacher patiently to join them and let them start their reading.

However, the teacher was not here today and a substitute was here to relief the class. “Good morning class~,” the seemingly good-hearted teacher greeted the class. “I am Mrs Cho, and your teacher isn’t here today. I am here to take good care of your class, so let’s work well together!”

Mrs Cho’s greeting was echoed with gusto, and the class settled down comfortably with their respective group of friends and chatted excitedly about what they have done over the weekend.

                                                            ***

As the bell rang for the recess break, Chanyeol and his little group of friends ran off to eat and play. Chanyeol, Baekhyun, Kyungsoo, Jongin, Hannie and Eunmi then ran to the sandbox in their school’s playground after they had had something to eat.

“Last one there is a rotten egg!” Hannie screamed and laughed. They all ran one after another and laughed together at Kyungsoo for being the last one in the sandbox. Being the cheeky one, Baekhyun crept behind Hannie and shouted, “Boo!” He guffawed as Hannie jumped with a start. She frowned and crossed her tiny arms. “I’m not playing with you if you do that again!” Baekhyun nodded as he kept on laughing with his friends until his tummy hurt and he rolled on the ground. Even Eunmi could not prevent a smile from appearing on her face.

They all played, talked and laughed together until the next bell rang for class. They bid their goodbyes happily and Eunmi made Chanyeol promised they would go to the neighbourhood playground after school. Chanyeol nodded with his typical lazy smile and waved happily to Eunmi as it was time for their maths lessons.

                                                            ***

“That munchkin is late…Why’s she always late? Late in going to bed, late for school, and now she’s late when she said she wanted to go to the playgrou-,” Chanyeol cut his mumbling short when he felt his shoulders being tapped on. He spun around, expecting it to be Eunmi, but it turned out to be Jongin and Hannie.

“Yah, Jongin ah. Have you seen Eunmi? She’s late by 20 minutes already.” Chanyeol drawled.

“That’s what I wanted to speak with you about. Didn’t you know that Eunmi’s parents took her away during Maths? I thought you might have an idea on where she went.” Jongin replied with a raise of his eyebrows.

“You’re her best friend, and yet you didn’t know? Something bad must have happened. You live next door to her, right? Maybe she’s at home now. Call on her before you go home, alright?” Hannie added on.

Chanyeol nodded to Jongin and Hannie with a deep frown. She always keeps her promises even though she’s always late… Hmm, Hannie’s right. Maybe she’s at home now. I shall go now. He waved goodbye to his friends and began the stroll home, thinking of the possibilities of what might have happened to Eunmi and her family.

Without even knowing, he had reached Eunmi’s house in 10 minutes’ time. Chanyeol walked up to the Song residence’s front gate and pressed the bell. He waited for a few seconds before he heard a voice from the security system.

“Yes? Who are you looking for?”

Chanyeol recognised the domestic helper’s voice and bowed to the security camera. “Ahjumma, hello. Is Eunmi there? She is supposed to meet me after school but she didn’t turn up. Is she fine?”

“Ah, it’s Chanyeollie. Yeollie ah, Eunmi is not home now~ I’m not sure where is she, or when she’ll come back. Sorry little Chanyeol~”, the domestic helper replied.

“Oh, it’s alright. I just wanted to check up on her. Sorry for bothering you! Thank you!” Chanyeol bowed again and trudged to next house. He pressed the password of the house and went straight to his room. He dialled Eunmi’s house’s landline. The call was picked up on the second ring, and he heard the domestic helper greet.

“Song Residence. How may I help you?”

“Ahjumma! It’s Chanyeol again.” He bowed to the phone. “Sorry, but can you tell Eunmi to call me when she comes home? I want to know that she’s safe and sound.”

“Alright, Chanyeol. I will. Have a nice day~” the domestic helper chuckled.

“Thank you Ahjumma, and sorry for bothering you again. Have a nice day too!” Chanyeol giggled sheepishly, and even though he knew the helper couldn’t see him, he bowed to the phone again. He put back the wireless phone and went off to bathe and watch his cartoons.

By 9pm, Chanyeol was pacing back and forth around in his room. He still hasn’t gotten any calls except one from Hannie to tell Chanyeol about her neighbour’s new pet turtle. He was perplexed and was very worried about Eunmi but he did not want to disturb the domestic helper again. He was about to climb into bed when the phone rang.

“I’ll get it! I’ll get it!” Chanyeol exclaimed as he rushed to get the phone. “Hello?!”

“Chanyeol ah! It’s Eunmi. I just reached home. Sorry for not fulfilling my promise this afternoon, I really am sorry. Something cropped up and my parents took me away for a moment.”

“A moment?! It’s been –,” he paused, counting the number of hours that Eunmi has been out of contact on his fingers. “7 hours. It’s very, very, very, very, very, very, very long.”

“Sorry…I didn’t want it too. I didn’t know anything as well. Anyway I have to go to bed now, and so do you. Goodnight Yeollie~”

“Well, it can’t be helped then. Goodnight munchkin~” Chanyeol begrudgingly said. He cut the phone off and dragged his feet back to his bedroom. He plopped into bed and yawned. He wasn’t happy about the sudden disappearing act from Eunmi but he couldn’t have argued with what her parents wanted to do, so he had to make do with the fact that they could talk tomorrow. At least he was relieved that Eunmi was safe at home.

With another big yawn accompanied with a lazy smile, he snuggled into his warm blanket and went on his way to dreamland.