Chapter 1

Cross Paths

“Congratulations Kit! You have done a very well job!” Says a staff to Eunjoo as she goes to the backstage after performing for the very first time in front of the crowd.

Eunjoo already debuted as Kit, a solo artist at Spark Entertainment. She performed her first stage singing the song she written herself. Many who witnessed the performance express that it was a “Bang!” and conclude that a new star has risen.

“Sena, I’ve never regretted that you’ve become my daughter.” The OIC of the company, Mr. Hwang, is very pleased of her performance.

Eunjoo goes in the dressing room to change her clothes after she talked with her foster father, Mr. Hwang. He calls her Sena after his diseased daughter died. Mr. Hwang’s has been good to her but not his late wife. She was unkind and ill-tempered when it comes to her. She didn’t care about Eunjoo and didn’t want her to become a part of their family tree. Luckily, Mrs. Hwang died on the second year of her stay at their custody. However, Mr. Hwang’s kindness to Eunjoo never changed. Instead, they helped each other to recover from the different tragedies they encountered.

As she sits down on a chair and releases a heavy sigh. She can’t believe she just did her first stage. The feeling of unspeakable happiness. The happiness she desires to have with the one he truly loves. The boy who has now became the man. She reaches her phone and scans photos in the gallery and she stops to scroll when she finds the photo she wants to see. It is a photo of a two young people smiling and expressing the joy of one other brings.

 

Seven years ago...

The young lady hugged the young man from the back that shocked him. When he turned his head to the right, his lips landed on the young lady’s cheek that sent chills all over her body. She could feel her cheeks were reddened and to distract his attention from seeing it, she then spoke.

“They look beautiful.”

She loved the sight of a beautiful city lights and what was more amazing was that, she was watching it with the person she wanted to be with the rest of her life. She sat beside him as she looked very amused of the scenery as if it was her first time to see such beauty. Suddenly, she held his hand with her fingers crossed with his.

“I wish we could stay like this forever.” She said. “Forever.” Paused. “I want to laugh with you forever. I want to hold your hand like this forever. I want to spend Christmas with you forever. I want to be with you forever. I want to be yours forever. But we know… in reality, there’s no such thing as forever.” The happiness on her face was replaced with sadness thinking about the reality she had been trying to avoid.

“Don’t think of such endings, what we should think about is now. What we have now.” The young man said assuring her that everything will be fine. He suddenly remembered that he had something in his pocket to give her. He slipped his free hand in it and showed her a small box. “Here. It’s yours.”

She opened the box and she looked totally astonished that here pupils dilated. It was a ring of infinity which at its back was her engraved name. Then the young man said, “Take it as a gift. It’s an emblem of my endless love for you.”

She giggled. “Hey. How old are you again? You sounded like an ahjussi. Can’t you just be casual and put this ring on my finger.” She said and laughed really hard. He slid the ring on her left ring finger. She became serious again and continued, “Will you do me a favor?”

“A favor? What is it?”

“Promise me that you’ll pursue on becoming an icon, a star no matter what.”

“Why so sudden?”

“Promise me. Please?”

“Alright. Alright. Witnesses are the stars and the moon of my oath, even the city, I promise to pursue on becoming an icon, star, and idol, whatever as you wish. Happy?” She just nodded and leaned on his shoulder. They looked up at the sky and watched the beautiful fireworks display.

 That hour was truly ours.

 

“That hour is truly ours.” She tenders the ring that she never takes from her hands off. That ring was the one the young man gave him seven years ago. By just looking at it, she remembers the sentiment of the beautiful yet painful memories and it makes her want to cry not until someone knocks on her door.

“Coming.” She rubbed the tiny evidence of her grief that is about to crawl on her face. As she opens the door, her jaw drops upon seeing the people who are in front of her. Her lips tuck upward.

It’s Suho, Kai, DO, Baekhyun, Chanyeol and Sehun the members of EXO-K, the subunit of EXO. They debuted seven years ago.  The people she considered her friends.

“EXO?”

Seven years ago…

As the two young people came at the dorm where SM trainees lived, the young man’s  hyungs were very surprised upon seeing the person next to him. He introduced the young lady to everyone as the new aid. They welcomed her warmly and interviewed her. As she lived with them, she built friendship and left memories that are worth cherishing.

“Hi Kit.” They say in chorus. Suho, the leader introduces the members to Eunjoo one by one. They don’t know, Eunjoo knows them very well. The smile gradually fades and it is the shock that remains because they don’t recognize her. Indeed, the surgery changed all her features.

Suddenly, a tall guy who is resting his back against the wall opposite her door catches her attention and makes her heart beats even faster.

“Seh--”, she whispered.

It’s him.

As she sees Sehun, she feels like going to die because of cardiac arrest. She doesn’t know what to react - whether hug him or kiss him. She clenches and unclenches her hands as they were trembling. If they don’t know her, she is totally vacant why they are there.

 “You look a little surprised, eh?” Suho chuckles. “By the way we are here to congratulate you! For the first stage, your performance was such a great one and we are very amazed.” He continues as he smiles at her.

“Y—you said y—ou w-a-atched my per-f-f-ormance?” She stammers in disbelief. Why are you doing that? She tells her body. Calm yourself. Keep Calm!

“Hey Kit! You did a great job! Honestly, I’m one of those fan boys who admire you. I really like your performance this evening.” Kai, the man who had a tanned skin says happily as he extends his arms towards her and Eunjoo took it and they shake hands.

“Yeah. You got a very nice voice and you dance well. You know the y movements you do especially at the chorus part. The body wave –“ Baekhyun, the pretty man of the group is interrupted by the suspicious stare of Chanyeol. “I mean, your company is very lucky to have you in them.”

“Things are getting fleshly when it’s Baekhyun who speaks.” Chanyeol comments. “I guess, what we should tell her is the thing we are planning to have tomorrow?” Chanyeol says as he moves closer to Baekhyun and hits his head which he responds the most common probable response.

“Plan?” She says sharply.

“Ah. We planned to invite you to go to a small celebration for the 1^st win of our 13^th carrier track. Our other members are gonna arrive tomorrow from Beijing so we will be having a small celebration. There will be some friends too.” Suho said.

“Oh. Congratulations by the way. I see but..just a bit confused. Why am I invited?” Suho stars at her blankly and he looks at his other members. They remain silent when Chanyeol broke it. “Because you are a new star!” He says.

“Newly born star deserves to have a ‘welcome party’! And I guess you should meet our other members.” Baekhyun supports.

“Because we like you. I think that is a sufficient answer.” Kai sharply says. Her nervousness is somehow vanished when she hears Kai’s talk. She somehow remembers the time when they lived in the same dorm seven years ago – how she and EXO cracked jokes together. She chuckles and says, “Thank you for the invitation but I think I can’t go without my managers permission.” She frowns.

“Oh. Yeah. Rules and regulations and the likes. Newbie stuffs that need to be fulfilled because you are a newbie. Damn.” Baekhyun rolls his eyes.

“But anyway, if ever you got a chance, come and visit.” Kyungsoo said.

“Oh. Yeah. Sure. Of course.” She intentionally looks at Sehun. He is busy playing with his cellphone and didn’t even bother to join their conversation. She notices the boredom in his face. He’s not interested at all.

“We will be waiting for you.” The man with a deep voice, Chanyeol pleas.

“See you tomorrow.” Kai finally waved a goodbye.

EXO has been in the industry for seven successful years. And though they are famous and has achieved great name in the music scene, they do not close their hearts to mingle with other artists as well as artists from different labels.

The boys now take their way. She closes her door and she is relieved. She thought she is going to die. She could not believe what just happened. She could not believe that after seven years she talked again with them. Her feelings are exultant that she is invited by the people she considers her friends and she is very excited to go and bond with them. And she can now stab herself with a comb because she didn’t has the chance to tell who she really is instead she let them go without knowing her real identity.

“Idiot.” She scolds herself.

But there is still a reason to smile. Inside her is a feeling of total happiness. She hears her heart screaming of joy. She feels her every nerve was rejoicing. It is because of Sehun. Though there is no conversation between them existed, though their eyes did not lock with each other and though their hands did not intertwine she is contented of seeing the man she loves for a long time. After all, it is the first time after the last time.

In front of the mirror, she sees Kit’s face. Yes. It is Kit’s. It has been Kit’s face and not her own anymore. Although she didn’t want the change to happen, she didn’t have the choice. This is the consequence of the things that she possesses now. Suddenly, tears roll down her cheeks but rub them before they finally fall off. There is just one thing on her mind: She needs to go to the celebration to tell them who she is.

They need to know.