“Don’t run with untied laces.” The young boy bent and tied her sneakers.

Seohyun’s heart was pounding – he had caught her just in time.  She was running away because some boys were getting nasty in the playground.

“Kamsahamnida.” She stammers.

“Why were you running away? Are they bothering you?” He looks at the other boys.

She shakes her head and clutches her ball. Overtures of friendship were met with stares.  It was always hard to be the new kid in the neighborhood. Seohyun knew that well – her father’s government job made them move at least 3 times. And she was only 5 years old.

“Don’t mind them. I’m Jung Yonghwa.” He smiles.

“Seo Joohyun.” Her voice was soft. Heart fluttering.

“Where do you live?” He asks. The little girl had tear streaks. He’d have a talk with the boys after this. It wasn’t okay to scare little kids.

She blinks and for a few seconds tries to figure out which way her house was. She points to the street where he had just come from.

“Oh, that’s my street. Let’s get you home.” He starts walking away from her. “Come on, Hyunnie.”

Seohyun had to swallow. Nobody called her Hyunnie. She lets out a breath and follows.

From that day on Seohyun was never far from Oppa. Yonghwa told her to call him that. He went to her house and introduced himself to her mother. He took her under his wing until she made friends with other little girls.

When school started his mother volunteered to take her since her own mother had suffered a miscarriage. Seohyun was sad – she wanted a sibling.

“Don’t be sad Hyunnie. I can be your brother.” He tells her then corrects himself. “I am Oppa remember?” She nodded and dried her tears.

Yonghwa always had an eye out for Hyunnie. He kept calling her that even when she had protested and said that it was a baby name.

“You’ll always be a baby to me Hyunnie.” He ruffles her hair – which got her cross. “My baby Hyunnie.”

Seohyun’s felt her heart beat faster again. She was 6 now and had known him for a year. She found comfort and security when she walked with him. His own parents had taken her family around Busan.  

When she attended his school Seohyun was overjoyed.  She would see him every day. However it dawned on her that she couldn’t have his complete attention. He had his friends and all those other older girls who whispered when he passed by.  He was Grade 4 and she was Grade 2.

“Hey!” One of those older girls held her arm. “Are you related to Yong Oppa?”

Seohyun frowned as far as she knew she was the only who called Yonghwa Oppa.

“Answer.” Another girl held her bag.

“Hey! What are you doing to Seohyun?” Her classmate Kang Minhyuk butted in.

“Nothing. We were just asking her if she was related to Yong Oppa.”

“She’s like his sister. If you don’t want me to tell him about what I just saw – keep away.” Minhyuk puts himself in front of Seohyun.

“You little kids are too brave huh!” The biggest girl steps forward with her fist raised.

“What are doing you with my doongsaengs?” Yonghwa and his friend Jonghyun approach them.

“Nothing Yong Oppa.” The girls chorused.

“Oppa?” Yonghwa frowns. “I don’t recall telling you to call me that. Don’t call me Oppa. Now Minhyukie and Hyunnie – let’s go – Jungshinee’s mother has snacks in their house.” Yonghwa gets Seohyun’s backpack and holds her hand. “Don’t bother my doongsaengs again.”

They were really close during their elementary days but sometimes relationships change. Yonghwa was now in middle school.  While he was still attentive and thoughtful with Seohyun – Yonghwa was busy with school.  Band practice, basketball and girls occupied his mind.

Seohyun was getting concerned.  He would sometimes space out when she was talking to him. He loved playing the guitar and she would accompany him on the piano. Lately he’d taken to singing love songs and their mothers about it.  He would blush and stammer but for Seohyun it was like a pinch in her heart.

She told herself that she was being a possessive sister.  Every girl that he asked her about Seohyun didn’t like. She was very vocal about it and sometimes he would get cross and not talk to her for days. That made her sad – she always sought refuge in her close friend Yoona.

“Seohyun – Yong Oppa’s a guy. Of course he’ll get mad - you’ve never really had anything nice to say about those girls he’s crushing on.”

“He needs to concentrate on studying.” Seohyun primly replied. Truth to tell – she wanted Yonghwa Oppa to herself.

Her brother.

Then her 12 year old heart would flutter. And Seohyun had to hold her chest.

“Baby Hyunnie!” She heard him call from outside her window. His room was directly across hers. They always talked that way.

“Deh Oppa.” Seohyun and Yoona look out the window.

“Annyeong Yoona! Having a girls’ day with my Baby?” Yonghwa smiles at them.

“Deh Oppa.” Yoona smiles.  She liked her best friend’s Oppa. He was always sweet and kind to her. His best friend Jonghyun wasn’t as nice – he completely ignores her and she didn’t like him.

Yonghwa and Seohyun came to be at odds when he started courting girls.

They had their first serious quarrel when she berated him for walking Nana home every day. It was very frustrating for Seohyun.  She had heard the older girl boast about how she had Yonghwa around her little finger.  But Seohyun didn’t tell him about it.

After walking Nana home for 6 months she became Yonghwa’s first ever girlfriend. Seohyun cried for the next 2 weeks. She couldn’t really understand why – he was like a brother to her. He didn’t have time for her in these days. His thoughts, mind and heart were all about Nana. He drifted away from Seohyun.

When they broke up after 6 months, Yonghwa’s heart was broken. He moped and stayed home. Seohyun went to his house to cheer him up.

“There’ll be other girls Oppa. She’s not the only one.” Seohyun tells him. Her heart did a cruel twist.

Yes, there were other girls. By now Seohyun learned that it was always better when she just cheered him on. Yonghwa had another girlfriend before high school.

“Stop being jealous of Sojin.” Yonghwa holds her hand and kisses her forehead. “You’ll always be my baby Hyunnie.”

Seohyun just nods. It was particularly hard for her. It was the first time she ever had her period and it was also the first time that she ever acknowledged to herself that she liked Yonghwa.

As a boy.

But she kept her feelings – Seohyun knew that he would always see her as a little girl. It choked her up but she would shrug it off.

Seohyun changed. Her baby fat disappeared and she became slender. She retained her long hair because Yonghwa said so. She paid attention to grooming and dressing.

She was on her way out to watch movies with Yoona when her mother told her that Yonghwa was at the door.

“Hi Oppa!” Seohyun skipped down the stairs.  She had spent quite long time getting ready.  New pink cardigan, new short denim skirt plus new pink sneakers and the head band that was a gift from Yonghwa.

She was standing in front of him for a couple of minutes and he hadn’t said anything. “Oppa – Yoona’s Appa is arriving in 5 minutes can you tell me what you want?”

He clears his throat. “Hyunnie baby – your skirt is too short.” His eyes go to her exposed legs.

“Omma said it’s okay. I’m wearing shorts inside.” She makes to lift her skirt but Yonghwa’s hands stop her.

“I believe you! Don’t do that with other guys okay?”

“Do what?” Her innocent eyes look at him.

“Lift your skirt!” He was getting pissed and he didn’t know why.

“Of course not! Oppa says the weirdest things!” Seohyun scowls. Her mobile rings – Yoona and her Appa were outside.

“Other than Yoona who are you watching movies with?” Yonghwa asks.

“C