Longing Serendipity

Chapter 1: Prologue

Summer, 2006

The sun was shining brightly and the aroma of soil came out as the rain had just stopped. A sound of laughter was heard through the big house in the corner of the street. "Now I'm going to catch you, hide well!" There were only two kids—a boy and a girl, both around nine years old—playing in the backyard. But from what it seemed, they didn't need another kid to play with. They're ready to conquer the world, them two. The girl was hiding behind the tree, giggling.

"Nine.. Ten! I'm going to find you now!" It took not more than a minute for the boy to find the girl. "You need to find a better place to hide," said the boy, the girl frowned. "Why are you so good at hiding, Mingyu-ya? Why can't I catch you when you're hiding?" The boy just laughed.

"Kim Mingyu! Yoon Seol! Lunch is ready!" Said someone from the house. "The one who gets to the home the fastest will be the winner!" said Seol. And they were racing to be the fastest that gets to the house, running to their heart's extend.

When the night came, the two went to the backyard and looked at the sky. "Mingyu, what do you want to become when you're an adult?" Seol asked. "Umm... I am not sure yet," he paused, thinking—way too hard for a nine-year-old.

"Ah, I want to be a very cool yet misterious person." Seol laughed at his answer. "What about you, Seol-a?" Mingyu asked in return.

"I want to be like my mom, catching bad guys." Seol said proudly. "Aigoo, your mom is so cool. She's so different than you, how could you be like her?" Mingyu teased her. "YA! I am her daughter afterall, I guess I can be like her, of course." Mingyu smiled, "Why do you want to be the same as her? You can be better!" And they both laughed together.

"Mingyu, aren't you going home? Your father must be waiting for you," Said Seol.

"Eh? What time is it?"

"10 p.m."

"AH, I need to go home! See you tomorrow, Seol!"

Mingyu walked—half running—to his house. Worried that his father might be coming home and searched for him. Arrived at his house, the front lamp was on, Mingyu smiled widely.

Assa! Dad must be home! He entered his house, there was no one in the living room and neither in the kitchen or in the dining room. He's confused.

Is Dad sleeping?  He thought to himself. He went to his father's bedroom. But he found no one. He went to his room, confused.

Soon, the phone was ringing, Mingyu ran to the phone. "Yeoboseyo?" "Mingyu? It's Dad. I'm not going home today, I have to stay in Seoul. I have asked Aunt Sun-young to cook you dinner. Take care of yourself well, My Son." Beep. Ggeut.

After his mother passed away two years ago, Mingyu and his father moved from Seoul to the countryside. But Mingyu's father still had to work at Seoul and had always been too busy with his work. He was never really at home, or even when he's home, Mingyu could not even play with his father.

Mingyu sighed, I miss you, Dad, Mom. Mingyu ate his dinner alone in the dining room, the silence was too suffocating for a nine-year-old Mingyu. He wanted to cry, he wanted to be angry. But he believed that it would be a useless thing to do.

A thing that his father would never be proud of.

Mingyu crawled to his bed, looking at his room's ceilings that was full of glow-in-the-dark stickers. We decorated this room together, us three; Mom, Dad, and Me. He smiled at the memory of his loving but passed away mother. Mingyu had always been a magnificent child. He was smart, the top place at the school. Good at arts and also sports. He always tried to be the pride of the family, but unfortunately, his dad never once praised him. Yet he had to feel satisfied with all of this. He closed his eyes.

Well, at least in my dream every thing is the way how it was used to be.

Winter, 2006

"MERRY CHRISTMAS!" Seol said, or to be precise, screamed.

Mingyu laughed, he's so happy. This is the first christmas that his father spent with him after his mother passed away. He was so happy and he never took his eyes off his father.

"Mr. Kim, it's so glad to meet you! How long has it been?" said Seol's Mother.

"Hahahaha, I know right. Bussiness these days just can't leave you alone!" said Mingyu's Father while laughing at Seol's Mother and Father. Ah, how exciting. Mingyu smiled widely.

"Aigoo, Mingyu just can't hide his excitement to be able to see his father!" said Seol's father. Mingyu's Father looked at him, smiling.

"I know, it must have been hard for Mingyu. I also feel bad. That's why.... Uhm, "

Mingyu's Father paused for a second,

"I need to take him with me back to Seoul again."

The room was suddenly on pause. The volume of grilling meat is on its maximum.

"S..Seoul? Back to Seoul?" Seol said, shocked.

"Uh... Yes, Seol. Uncle needs to take care of Mingyu more. And in Seoul, he can develop himself more. And also, we've got our families there. Mingyu's grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins. They're all in Seoul. You understand right, Seol?" said Mingyu's Father. Seol nodded, trying not to cry.

"What do you think, Mingyu-ya?"

Everyone was looking at Mingyu.

Mingyu was zoned out for a moment. His expression was ambiguous—unreadable. But he soon said brightly,

"I am happy, as long as I am with you, Dad!"

Mingyu did not know what would happen when he's in Seoul. Would his father always play with him? Would his father be busier? Would his father change? Or not? He just had this simple thought that being close with his father would mean everything is OK.

Mingyu was hugged by his Father.

And after such a long time, he had never experienced this kind of serendipity—the unexpected happiness. This is the best happiness he had ever experienced, since his Mother passed away.

There will only be good days coming, right?