Twelve-year Hyerin often liked to walk by the stream, not far from her parent’s house. Jaehyung, who had become her closest friend over time, would often join her as soon as he was done with school.

She removed her shoes and rolled up her dress at the edge of the river, letting her legs dangle in the water. “Hyerin!” came a distant shout, and again three times, before the voice’s out of breath owner came running, wearing his school uniform and carrying a small stack of books.

He, too, rolled up his pants, then plopped on the ground next to his best friend. He held up one finger with a toothy grin and picked up one of his books.

“My teacher said I’m the best at Japanese,” he announced proudly. “So he gave me a book of stories. Can I read it to you? Please!”

Hyerin stared between the book in his hands and his bright smile for a few moments. She then laughed, causing his smile to fade slightly.

“H-Hey,” he sounded startled. “Don’t laugh, why are you laughing? I’m the best.”

This only made the girl laugh harder and hold her side as it began to cramp in only the way that laughing can cause it to do. She took a few deep breaths to calm herself- everyone knew that laughing that much and that loud was unladylike.

Not that Jaehyung cared. He was upset that his pride was at stake.

After she’d calmed down, Hyerin looked at him with a hint of a smile on her face. “You want to read to me in Japanese because you’re the best, so that means I won’t understand anything!”

Jaehyung looked at his book – he didn’t think of that.

Being the best… That meant no one else would understand!

He squared his shoulders and looked at Hyerin “Then I’ll translate it for you!”

Hyerin nodded and fell quiet as Jaehyung opened his book and held it on his lap. He spoke much slower than normal, translating every word of the story into Korean for his friend. The book wasn’t anything truly special – just a picture with a few lines on every page.

She leaned closer and laid her chin on Jaehyung’s shoulder as he read, looking at the brightly colored pictures that went with his words.

“...When the samurai… returned home after…. the war…. he took into his arms the eldest…. daughter of the fleet master…. He then kissed her, for... thinking of her… Had been the… happiness that had brought him home!”

Jaehyung finished the story and looked at Hyerin, who immediately lifted her head from his shoulder and sat up straight. He titled and smiled fondly at her. As daring as he always was, he stood up and held his hand out to the younger girl.

She took it, only to be taken into Jaehyung’s arms and spun around, then kissed quickly.
“Park Jaehyung!” She shrieked, covering her mouth – and – blushing with both hands.
He smiled cheekily, proud of his effects on her, and bowed respectfully, “I’m sorry for scaring you Hyerin.”

She glared in silence, though she couldn’t battle down the butterflies in her stomach at the sight of him. He hadn’t changed at all from before he kissed her – he looked, spoke and acted all the same.

Perhaps, it was her way of seeing him that changed.

He took both of her hands, not bothering to hide the brightest grin Hyerin had ever seen. “You’re the happiness that brings me home …. from school!”