A Hundred Times

When We Were Young

Author's Note: Originally posted for #CLOYtober prompts "Childhood, Family, Camera, Apple, Piano"

An AU where Seri's family is in North Korea, and she and RJH are childhood friends. A one shot (for now? May spin off later.)

Housekeeping notes - I'll be posting all my one shots in this collection now as well as on Twitter. Also, UbiquitousShips wrote a wonderful continuation of my last one shot, "Ramyun and Coffee." Please check it out! 

------

When his mother tells Jeong-hyeok that there are guests coming over for dinner tonight, he is not excited. It seems like every day they have guests over for dinner, nowadays, and he has things to do! He's just turned eight, after all, and isn't an eight-year-old boy busy? He has to practice piano, finish up his schoolwork, water the plants, and watch intently as the gardener feeds the ostrich.

Whenever guests come over (which is often, as his father is rising quickly through the ranks of the government), Jeong-hyeok is left to entertain the younger children and keep them from bothering the adults, who are holding important conversations.

Mu-hyeok has been exempted from this duty now, having just turned fourteen. He gets to hang out with the teenagers, who at least seem to talk about interesting things.

Tonight, some new family called the Yoons are coming over for dinner. Apparently, he's overheard from his parents' conversation, they've just moved here from the border near Kaesong. Her father is quickly rising in the North Korean military and has just been transferred to Pyongyang. His own father is hoping

"The Yoons have a daughter," says his mother to him this afternoon. "She's five years old. Tonight's dinner is very important, so make sure to stay away from the study."

Jeong-hyeok groans aloud. Five year olds are the worst (he's held them in contempt ever since he turned six). And girls? Ew. They have cooties.

"Do I have to, eomma?" he complains. "Why can't Mu-hyeok do it? Kids interrupt my schedule."

His mother fights to hold back a smile, and ruffles Jeong-hyeok's hair with affection.

"Your brother will be entertaining her two older brothers, they're more his age," she explains. "I guess if you won't do it, I could try to keep her busy -- oh, my old bones --"

Jeong-hyeok looks up with concern. He doesn't like it when his mother complains about her bones.

"Fine! Fine!" he exclaims, throwing up his hands like an old man. "I'll do it! But she better not cause any trouble."

His mother's eyes twinkle with affection for her Jeong-hyeok.

"I'm sure she'll sit and play quietly with her dolls all evening," she assures him. "It will be fine."

***

It takes Jeong-hyeok three seconds from meeting Yoon Se-ri to realize that no, it would not be fine.

"HELLOOOO!!" Yoon Se-ri yells as soon as she runs - not walks - through their front door. That's Jeong-hyeok's first clue that it's going to be a long evening.

When she gets to where everyone else is standing, she clings to her mother's leg, bouncing up and down and staring at the adults intently. She has a stuffed, well-worn giraffe clutched in her arms. Jeong-hyeok and Se-ri regard each other warily.

Her brothers also run through the front door, but they get along with Mu-hyeok instantly. While the adults exchange greetings, the older boys have already made introductions and gone off to play video games. Soon, their fathers depart for the study to discuss business before dinner.