Querencia

02

"That field for the soccer is so wide you know", Eric told his sister and Juyeon during lunch, barely touching his food, due to the enthusiasm to tell them all the information he got on his first day. "And the library is on the 3rd floor".

Sighing deeply as she shoved a piece of chicken into her mouth, Hana glared towards her brother who sat across from her, "We know Eric."

"The basketball team has practice thrice a week", the younger said again, this time darting his gaze towards Juyeon which the latter then nodded, confirming the information the younger received. "Oh, you two know a lot."

"For the sake of your life Eric", Hana lost her patience, clenching tight the spoon in her hand. "We are your super seniors in this college and you just started your life here today!"

Pondering, the realization hit him on the spot. How could have he forgotten the fact that he was attending the same college as his sister who would be graduating by next year?

"You two are such unique siblings", Juyeon who sat next to Hana spoke up after a long silence, too entertained by the drama they brought. He heard a scoff escaping from his best friend's lips, glaring as if she would kill him if he ever talked about her dynamic relationship with her brother again. "I wonder why Eric applied for this college too."

"Because of the baseball team", the younger immediately answered, downing his cold drink as he looked at Juyeon, anticipating more questions.

"Not because of Hana?"

"Nope."

"As I care", the girl sarcastically rolled her eyes. Nonetheless, truth to be told, she was always curious.

Since she got into the college, Eric had always told her about his plan to go to the same college as her but never told the reason why. His answer when people asked was always because of the well-known baseball team but as his sister, Hana knew something was off, she knew her brother well.

He must have something else in mind.

"Who is this interesting boy?" the table was then joined by two boys who may be a stranger to the younger but not to the other two, placing their trays onto the table as they took the vacant seats next to Eric. "Are you a freshman?"

Eric nodded towards the boy who looked so small but intimidating at the same time. Talking to him was like digging in his own grave which he would be pushed into if he ever wrongly said something.

"I'm Changmin", he introduced himself, revealing the dimple on his cheek which immediately vanished the scary vibe he brought earlier. "He is Chanhee. All 4 of us are friends".

"How can a freshman sit here with you guys?", the other boy named Chanhee asked, seeming confused as he was not able to connect the dots. But, when Hana admitted that the younger was her brother, he finally understood. Being a freshman was never easy - specifically on the first day.

However, it seemed like Eric was an exception.

In only 5 minutes of sitting in the cafeteria with his sister, he had made some new friends. He had taken away his sister's friends. It all started with the same interests they shared planning to watch a new movie at the theatre this weekend. Eric left Hana speechless with his wide attraction to get friends.

Because Hana was the opposite.

She had two best friends since high school. One was Juyeon who thankfully pursued the same course as her in the college or else she wouldn't have any friends, and the other female creature who unfortunately in a different faculty.

She then met Changmin and Chanhee through Juyeon who was quite a social butterfly though he did not seem like one.

"I didn't know that he's quite a good talker", Hana whispered into Juyeon's ear, watching Eric telling the other two something about his caps collection at home.

"You should've known once he started befriending me", Juyeon nonchalantly said, meeting her eyes that were quite questionable. "You didn't know that he approached me first back in school?"

"What?"

Hana had a very long list to argue about that one topic, clearly not aware of it. For all these times she'd always thought that Eric befriended Juyeon because he was her friend. She thought Eric automatically got used to him whilst the older one was in their house, studying with her.

But her prediction seemed wrong.

"I like your brother", Chanhee was then interrupting their private talk.

"You can take him home", she replied, glaring at the youngest. "He is always good to my friends but not me."

Like any other siblings, Eric and Hana were no different. Quarrels, stealing food and blaming each other to the extent they might have thrown hands at each other made Chanhee and Changmin quite worried since they were in public, no ruckus would be needed for a watch. But Juyeon seemed to enjoy it.

He would smile and sometimes giggle, not be able to eat as if it was too enjoyable to watch.

"How can you smile like that?" Chanhee who happened to sit across from him asked in a low tone, his palms started to be sweaty when Hana threw a crumpled tissue toward her brother.

"Because they are unique", he replied, very sure of his answer.

"In what term?" Changmin then chimed in, getting interested as well.

As if the cue was sent, the screeching sound of the chairs being pushed away from the table was heard, and all eyes of the three boys fixated on them.

"Should we take one?" Eric asked his sister, warming up his feet as he stood up.

"No, take two", Hana answered, before turning to her friends. "We are getting soup. Do you guys want it?"

Receiving no from the boys, Hana then nodded, saying something about 'don't regret it' and a second later, the siblings were already on their feet, running for their soups at the counter.

And that was the only one time, they were united.

"Cute siblings", Juyeon blurted out, adoring their relationship to the core. "They fight a lot, but they care for each other though they never said it aloud."

"You know a lot about Hana", Chanhee pointed his fork out towards Juyeon. "People might think that you two are dating."

"Why don't you guys just date?" Changmin asked carefully, preventing the food he stored in his cheeks from falling.

But, the question itself made Juyeon somewhat flustered. Glancing over his shoulder, he looked at Hana who now was standing side by side with Eric, waiting for their soups at the counter.

Something from their schooldays buzzed in his head,

"We can be best friends."