It all started in a Korean chicken shop

Will you be my friend?

"Nari dear, will you watch the shop? Your papa and I need to run to the store to pick up some ingredients!"

"Sure thing mom! I'm big enough to manage the store if I wanted too!" Nari beamed at her mom.

"Nari, ur only 11 dear. You can't do that much yet"

"I'm turning twelve soon mama, I'm a big girl. I got this"

"Ok sweetie, we shouldn't be gone too long. You know what to do. Your brother namjoon is upstairs. Call him if you need anything"

" no one trust joonie, eomma."

Nari's mom chuckled at her daughter's remark. She met her husband at the door and both left to collect ingredients for the store.

Little Nari dragged a stool over to the register and perched herself onto it.

"Hi! Welcome to my ramen shop... wait no.... Hi! Welcome to my chicken shop! How high are you.... No wrong Nari...... hi, how are you!! Oh... two chicken bowls with rice! Sure thing!" Nari said to herself practicing register.

I'm a pro at this she thought, nothing can get in my way.

The door rings and Nari darts her eyes up to see a young boy her age running into the restaurant.

"Erm hi! My name is chicken bowl and I serve Nari!" She said stupidly. "Wait no, wrong. Sorry let me try again..."

"PLS MA'AM! I need somewhere to hide. The bullied are running after me again for my lunch money. I promised my eomma I wouldn't give it away this. They given me a punch in the ribs already. Pls, I just need some where safe."

Nari frazzled, motioned him to his underneath the counter. He followed in pursuit. The poor kid was trembling in fear. He had dirt covered head to toe, bottom lip quivering with fear. Even so, he had an innocent but dazzling charm about him. The way his lips were parted to his kind eyes staring into a void, Nari couldn't help but to not admire him.

The door suddenly ran again and in came three beefy boys.

"Scuse me, u see a little twat boy run about the area. He owes me money for me lunch" the biggest one said.

"I think I did." She replied, the little dirty boy grabbed onto her leg pleading his position to remain secretive.

She smiled and said "I saw him run across the told earlier across the shop. Looks like he hid in the tattoo parlor."

"Thanks bro," the boy beamed "we got him boys"

They all ran out of the shop and across the street to the parlor.

The little boy crawled out and breathed a sigh of relief.

"Whew, thought u almost blew my cover and I was meat. But u saved my life ma'am. How shall I repay? Ohhh I'll buy some chicken. May I have a bowl pls?"

"No need, I'm glad I could be of your rescue" she chirped. "I'm Nari, what's your name?"

"My name is Tim, Tim Hoang. And please let me buy a bowl. It's repayment of course."

"Fine by me! What would you like Tim?"

"A chicken bowl with steamed rice and lots and lots of kimchi please!" Tim beamed. "I love kimchi, my mom can't afford much right now so no kimchi for me really much anymore"

Nari felt sad by the boys stricken poverty. "Don't worry about paying mate, it's on the house."

"R u sure?" Tim asked trying to unscramble the change he had in his pockets.

"Yes sir! I got you and your extra kimchi. All I ask is for you to be my friend! I'm homeschooled so I don't have much friends. So, will you be my friend?"

"You have a deal!"

They shook on it and Nari went to make his food with lots and lots of kimchi. She watched him devour his food. She was in love with him. He was so perfect in every way. Polite, good manners and even cleaned up his mess and wiped down his table. He bid Nari goodbye and promised he would visit her everyday on his was home from school.

As he left Nari started planning their wedding already.

"He's the one, I know it!"