Flash Forward...

Where It All Began

6 years ago...

Jin Seo and Go Eun walked into school together, as they had done their entire school career. They had been best friends since Go Eun had moved to Seoul back in eighth grade. Currently in their final year of high school the girls were excited planning their futures together. Go Eun had been accepted into the pre-med program at Korea University and been accepted with full scholarships for her grades, while Jin Seo had applied for a double major in linguistics and psychology, luckily her grandmother had left behind a substantial fund for Jin Seo to pay for college with. The two walked into their classroom teasing and chatting with each other when Go Eun stopped Jin Seo in her tracks.

"Who is that sitting in your spot?" She asked, pointing at a tall boy who was focused on a game he was playing on his phone. Jin Seo raised an eyebrow in confusion before she made her way to the back of the room and to her desk. She stood there for a moment watching the boy, waiting for him to take notice, but he was much too absorbed in his game. 

"Excuse me? I'm really sorry, but this is my spot in this class." Jin Seo said lightly, she didn't recognize the boy so she figured he must be new. The boy raised his head from his game, causing a 'YOU LOSE' to pop up on his phone screen. He stood quickly with an apologetic look on his face. Jin Seo had to raise her eyes to his level as he towered over her quite a bit. While Go Eun had been blessed with the height of a basketball player at 5'9", Jin Seo sat at a lower height of 5'4"

"I am so sorry, today is my first day and I saw that this seat was empty, let me move my stuff." The boy bowed slightly and began to grab his things. 

Jin Seo smiled brightly at him, "That's alright! The seat there next to mine is empty so you're free to take it! My name is Jin Jin Seo, by the way!" She stuck out her hand and flashed another blinding smile at the boy when he shook it. "This is my best friend Cha Go Eun!" Go Eun waved and gave a polite smile.

"Hi there, I'm your class president and your shaking hands with the class clown." Go Eun laughed when Jin Seo whipped around and gave her a light smack on the shoulder.

"You should be more respectful when talking about your elders, Go Eun!" Jin Seo pouted and crossed her arms giving Go Eun a dirty look while she tapped her foot waiting for an apology. The taller girl placed her hand on top of the joker's head while she bent down to get on eye level with her.

"Two days hardly constitutes a big enough age difference for you to be my elder." Go Eun ruffled Jin Seo's hair while laughing and sat down at the desk on the other side of Jin Seo's, ignoring the tongue that was stuck out and pointed in her direction. Jin Seo turned back to the boy who was smiling after watching the goofy interaction between the two friends. 

"I'm Jung Chan Woo, I just moved into the district yesterday. It's nice to meet you both!" The boy sat at his desk. Jin Seo leaned across her desk - her eyes wide with another joke dancing in the back of her mind.

"What did you say your name was?" A mischievous smile grew across her face. 

"Jung Chan Woo."

Jin Seo stood straight, her eyes practically disappearing from the grin that was plastered on her face, "Chan WoooOOOOO!" Her inflection rose toward the end giving his name the aspect of a cheer. Then she turned to Go Eun and together they repeated the small cheer for their new friend, "Chan WoooOOOOO!" Chan Woo smiled and laughed along with them. He was grateful that he was lucky enough to run into two people who made him so comfortable in a new environment. Through the course of the school day the girls continued to joke around with Chan Woo. The two girls were happy to make a new friend, for some reason they found it difficult to keep company with most people. Or maybe it was most people who found it difficult to keep company with them. 

Jin Seo had a big personality and she was as bright as the sun, Go Eun really wasn't joking when she called her the class clown. Anytime the opportunity for a joke arose Jin Seo was practically yelling one out. She didn't particularly understand the concept of an inside voice, which caused her to be scolded by the teachers many times a day. Go Eun was a very attentive girl, whenever Chan Woo looked over at her she was always focused either on what the teacher was saying or her homework. When they had their free time she always payed attention to the animated stories told by her best friend - even if they were ones she had clearly heard a hundred times. When Go Eun got to talking however, it was clear why she was the class president. She was poised, intelligent, and kind. When she talked about something she was passionate about though, her energy levels got to be on par with Jin Seo. 

When lunch time came, the two practically herded Chan Woo along with them through the line and to their table. As they walked to their table, they passed by a table where four boys sat, each had their eyes on the two pretty girls and their new companion. Go Eun and Jin Seo smiled and waved at the group, and sat their trays down at their own table. Chan Woo sat across from Jin Seo while Go Eun sat next to her. 

"Those boys are Seo Changbin, Han Jisung, Lee Felix, and Kim Seungmin." Jin Seo said in her quietest voice, "Felix is Go Eun's ex." A smack on the top of her head stopped Jin Seo in her tracks as she cradled her head in her hands. 

"Stop! Why would you bring that up?! He doesn't care to know about that dumb past stuff." Go Eun gave Jin Seo a stern look before she went back to her lunch. Chan Woo chuckled but looked back at the group of boys warily. He wasn't particularly fond of the way they ogled at his new friends. 

"He was insecure because while he was failing his tests Go Eun was getting perfect marks... also he's a little sensitive about his... size." Jin Seo received another smack, this one a little harder, but she just laughed. "Cause he's shorter than her!" She threw her head back and clapped as her laughter overtook her body. Chan Woo about choked on his food from the shock of such a joke. While Jin Seo and Go Eun bickered over how much information was too much information to share, Chan Woo was reminded of his own friends. They really weren't much different from a couple of guys who he hung out with.

"After school I'm going to hang out with some of my friends. Their a little older, but I think we were going to go do something, if you guys want to come with? I'd really like to introduce you two to them... if that's alright?" Chan Woo said quietly while playing with his food. Jin Seo about jumped out of her seat, she loved meeting people. 

"That sounds like fun! We'd love to meet your friends! I hope they're as cool as you are!" Go Eun yanked Jin Seo back into her chair before the entire cafeteria started looking at them.

"That sounds nice, Chan Woo" She said while Jin Seo danced in her seat next to her.

"We hardly go out! I'm so excited! This will be so much fun! Thanks for inviting us Chan WooOOOOO!" Jin Seo pumped her hands in the air. Chan Woo smiled at the small girl. He was always told not to look directly at the sun or he'd go blind... It was hard advice to listen to when the sun was something that brought his heart so much joy, so he figured, for the bright sun that currently sat in front of him, as long as he could look at her just a little longer, maybe going blind wouldn't be so bad...

To Be Continued...