Back then

Chapter 4

Min-gyu

Since young, I was always a bright and cheerful kid, thus attracting the attention of my classmates. When I first introduced myself to my elementary school classmates, they all wanted to be my friends. However, what they did not know was that I was not always like that. I used to be a child who was scared of society. My grandfather was the chairman of a wealthy and successful company.

My father, his eldest son, was the heir. Yet, one day he got into a car accident. Now that I think about it, his death may not have been on accident. My father had 3 younger brothers who weren't as competent as him. They were spoilt and greedy. My father dying, may be related to them. I should be hating them, but I'm kind of thankful towards them if they were really the ones who killed my father.

My father may look upright and amazing, someone everyone would envy. The thing is, he had another side to him. When he was at home, he would abuse my mother and get drunk every night. He rarely came home, and we did not see him during dinner. When he brought us out, it was only to boost his reputation.

When he finally died, my relatives kicked my mother and I out into a neighbourhood in Seoul. We were powerless. My mother was just a poor girl whom my father used, as my grandfather said that if my father wanted to become the head, he needed a wife and heir. Once we were kicked out, we moved into a much tinier apartment.

Beside us, was a family that was very rude and annoying. "You're an abandoned child!" They laughed as they criticized me. Because of them, I was determined to hide everything. Till now, I have never opened my heart to anyone, but then one day, another family moved over and replaced them. This time, I wanted to show a new side of me. Not the weak and scared Cha-Min-gyu, but a happy and cheerful Cha Min-gyu.

I became close friends with her, and she felt like she was the me in the past. "Yoona, which part of Korea did you come from?" I asked her one day. It was to get something out of me, but I had no idea that Yoona did not like it when I said that. She looked really surprised, but she tried her best to look fine.

"Busan." She responded. "Me too, but I moved because of..." I trailed off. "I moved because I was an outcast." Yoona bravely shouted. We were at a crowded park, and many people looked in our direction. Thankfully, none of them managed to identify who shouted. "Yoona?" I asked. "Even if you don't want to say, I don't mind telling you that I was bullied."

"Thank you. One day. One day, I'll tell you my past, but I need you to know." I gulped down some saliva because closing my eyes and continuing, "I approached you not because I sincerely wanted to help you, but because I wanted to get the guilt in my heart out. Because you were like me..." I couldn't bear to open my eyes. Who knew what her expression would be?

"What if she's angry at me and does not want to be friends with me anymore?" "What if she walks away?" "When I open my eyes, will she be there?" These questions rushed into my head like wildfire, as I clenched my fist. "Min-gyu, even if you did not sincerely try to help me, you still did."

I opened my eyes, as I found my vision starting to blur. "But it wasn't for real!" I struggled to refrain my sniffles. "You know, for the first time, someone stood up for me. I felt happy..." She said with a look of longing on her face. "In the beginning, I may have just been thankful. However, no matter how many times I think, I know, that I'll always be by your side..."

My tears slowly trickled down my cheeks, as I started crying uncontrollably. Who knew that such simple words could bring one such joy? Yoona frantically tried to comfort me, as if she had no idea why I was crying. But then again, it's not like I don't know her. I chuckled as I looked at Yoona. *Pfft* Yoona started laughing too.

We seemed to have forgotten that we were in a crowded park, as if we were the only people in the park. It did not matter if the people had recognized Yoona to be the one who shouted out such embarrassing words, and me who cried uncontrollably. "Without a doubt, today is the best day of my life." I smiled as I said.