13

                                    

                                          

chapter 13
|Ex – Stray Kids|
•••
Today everything is going smoothly. I woke up ahead of time and got to work before my boss, so I got to enjoy some alone time, with the office all for myself. I did all my tasks for the morning, and I had an amazing lunch... all by myself. People still don't speak to me. I don't have a friend at work, or in this country. And I gave the papers to resign this morning. I wouldn't come back to work tomorrow. But I decided to put a smile on my face and pretend to the world, mostly to myself, that everything is fine. Everything is completely fine. I don't need anyone in my life. I have my best friend waiting for me in Seoul. And she's all I'll ever need.
Jiwoo was the one that was with me in all of my achievements and downs. I met Jiwoo when we were only 5 years old. My parents have just moved to another house and I was about to become 6 years old and enrol in primary school. Jiwoo, at the time, was already 6 years old. She was our neighbour. However, I only met her in the little kids' park in front of our house. She was playing alone in the corner with her "little's pet shop" and I had just received new ones, so I quickly ran to her and introduced myself. "Hi! I'm Park Eunwoo. Can I play with you?" She simply nodded and resumed her play. For the first minutes neither of us spoke, we didn't need to. It felt normal to be there, with her, playing together. After some minutes she was the first to speak. "Where did you get the golden retriever? I've been asking that one to my parents since my 5th birthday." I looked at the dog doll in my hand and looked back at Jiwoo. The little girl's eyes widened with curiosity and patiently waited for my answer. I looked back at the doll in thought and when I looked back at Jiwoo once again, I extended my hand to her and gave her the doll. "Here. Take it. I don't mind it." At first, she was reluctant in taking it from me, but she then extended her hand and took it from my hand very gently, thanking me in the process. After this both our parents called us, and it was on that day that we became friends and realised we were neighbours. Our room windows were symmetrically facing each other, so we used to have late-night plays (when we were children), and then late talks (when we were teens). Then we both got into the same class in middle and high school. We were always inseparable friends. We went everywhere together. We were like sisters. We used to catch the bus at 8 am to go to school. The first one to get to the bus station would be the one who could be sat down on the bus. We had this rule because it was rare for us to find two available seats on the bus, it would always be only one free, so the one who got first would be the one who could enjoy the victory by being sat on the half-hour journey to school. We did that until we went to college. Where we changed houses, so we didn't catch the same bus, we don't even live in the same part of Seoul. But even with us being slightly apart, we still managed to spend as much time together as possible. 
"Eunwoo, I just heard in the girl's bathroom that tonight there will be a Kpop nightclub! We have to go!" Jiwoo tells me very excitedly and I can't refuse to go. We've been wanting to go on a Kpop club night for a long time and we finally had the chance. Even if tonight, I had planned to spend it studying, I know it can way. This night, however, can't wait. "My house or your house? To get ready and eat?" And that night we had a blast. We danced, we sang, we did all the fan chants and we even made new friends with other K-pop fans. It was amazing. To feel the energy of hundreds of people sharing the love and happiness of singing and dancing of multiple artists. At that time, we didn't even know that we were to meet Stray Kids, let alone know that Jisun- Han was my soulmate.
Jiwoo was always there for me, even in the moments when I thought I didn't need anyone, she knew better and helped me. She was there from the beginning, and I can only be thankful to have such a friend like her in my life.