[ i. ]

They met when Hanbin was a shy 12 year old and Bobby was a snobby 13 year old. It was a terrible first meeting that Hanbin would be embarrassed to admit. They were both a big fan of hip hop at the time and that being the first time Hanbin found Facebook and the great pleasure of liking pages and joining groups - he liked a few hundred of pages that simply wrote: ‘I Am Hiphop’, ‘I Love Hiphop’ or anything in between honestly.

Being in groups means that there’s bound to be group chats. Everyone spoke in English despite being on whatever side of the world. It was so fascinating and Hanbin managed to make a few friends in the group with his limited English. Then he saw the username, ‘Bobby Kim’. He joined a little later than Hanbin and made everyone adore him in a second. He was funny despite his English being the same level as Hanbin’s. He was the coolest 13 year old there and Hanbin can’t help but think that the name ‘Kim’ at the end of Bobby’s name means that he’s Korean despite his profile that says he lives in America.

Surprisingly, Hanbin wasn’t the first one to approach Bobby in private message but it was the other way around. It was 1 a.m and Hanbin’s mom will yell if she found out he’s still on the computer that late. Right before Hanbin was about to sign out, a message box popped out. It was a normal occurrence from him getting messages from group chats except for the fact the name that flashed was a stranger that Hanbin is familiar of.

/Bobby Kim: hi!! hanbin? korean right?

He wrote it in English so Hanbin replied back in Korean.

/Kim Hanbin: yes~ hello we have the same family name (:

/Bobby Kim: your smiley is weird when its backwards

It was the start of their first conversation, and before they knew it, their conversations lengthen and Hanbin looks forward to a new message in his inbox every day.

[ii.]

The year Hanbin turned 13, he received a lot of things that made him happy. He received his first younger sibling – a beautiful little girl with a laugh that can shine their family’s day. Hanbin says she’s like a star, and that’s what she was named as. Being much older than his sister, Hanbin swears on his life to protect Hanbyul from any evil of the world.

Months later on his birthday, Hanbin’s present was his first ever smartphone which he hugs his parents then at night, runs over to his room to see what the phone can do. Hanbin plays on the internet a lot and has a bunch of social media so the first thing he does was to download the Facebook app. Then he opens it on computer to open the message box that wrote 10 new messages from a name with a green circle beside it.

(10 hours ago)
Bobby Kim: HAPPY BIRTHDAY MY MAN HANBIN
Bobby Kim: may u grow taller and ur voice will sound less of a squirrel
Bobby Kim:  where r u anyway
Bobby Kim: happy happy birthday to youuuuuu

(7 hours ago)
Bobby Kim: hanbin come on answer me
Bobby Kim: haaaaaaaanbiiiiiiin
Bobby Kim: is it because i didnt wish ur birthday at midnight
Bobby Kim: OK FINE I WILL FROM NOW ON
Bobby Kim: yah kim hanbin

(3 hours ago)
Bobby Kim: >:(

(Just now)
Kim Hanbi: HYUNG IM SO SIRRY
Kim Hanbin Kim: SORRY I WENT OUT WITH MY FAM
Kim Hanbin: and thank youuu

Their conversation goes on until late night. Hanbin tells Bobby about his day and about his new phone. The first two numbers Hanbin had in his phone were his parents’ and Bobby’s was the third. Then Hanbin learns the great convenience of chatting on the phone instead.

[iii.]

 Bobby was at the age where he started getting into trouble and they fought a lot. Hanbin doesn’t understand why the older would do such troublesome things and calls him out on it. He isn’t afraid of someone merely a year older than him.

After a fight which leaves them feeling cold towards each other for a day or two, either one of them will get a new message anyway.

From: Kimbap
/ hey you know wont it be cool if we were actually training in a company
/ i rly wanna be a rapper man

To: Kimbap
/you’d actually spend time to be a trainee wth thats tiring

From: Kimbap
/ i know but like imagine the feeling of being on stage

Then Hanbin’s phone screen flashes – showing an incoming call from Bobby. Without a thought Hanbin accepts the call and he hears Bobby’s voice – raspy and bright even over the speakers.

“Hi,” comes from Bobby with a small laugh. Hanbin always wonders what’s so funny and how does Bobby always manage to be so bright over everything. “Okay so as I was saying: I kinda want to audition for a company.”

He pauses, waiting for Hanbin to reply. “Cool,” says Hanbin shortly. “But like – here in Korea?”

There’s a rustling and Bobby’s voice sounds strained as if he’s moving. Hanbin guesses he’s rolling around on his bed. “Yeah. There in Korea,” and Bobby sounds suspiciously eager over this.

“Oh,” a lot of thoughts oases by Hanbin’s head like ‘quickly come over’ and ‘we’ll finally meet up’ because they talked about meeting each other face to face for years. In the end all he can say is, “what about your family?”

Bobby seems to expect this and he’s calm when he says, “I just have to live there alone for a few years. Maybe get a side job while my parents try to send me as much allowance as they can to support me. You know, once I become famous and successful money won’t be a problem anymore.

“But I won’t be lonely though ‘cause I’ll have you and you’ll introduce me to your little sister and your group of friends, right?” Bobby sounds hopeful and Hanbin feels a little bad for chuckling.

“Hyung, you’re 14.”

“Wrong. I’m turning 15 next month and am still older than you!”

Then their topic changes to what Hanbin has been into the past few days and they laugh quietly into the night.

[iv.]

The day they meet up in real life actually comes and Hanbin still have a small sense of disbelief. Being such close friends with Bobby who lives on the other side of the earth for years was a surprise. After Bobby announced that he’ll be in Korea – and living there too – Hanbin had begged his mom to bring him to the Incheon airport to greet the older’s arrival.

It was morning and he’s holding on Hanbyul while waiting nervously at the arrival gate. Hanbin can see an old woman waiting patiently by herself a few metres away from Hanbin. He starts to wonder who everyone here was waiting for and will there be anyone else other than Hanbin to wait for Bobby considering he never mentioned about his relatives living in Korea.

There were a people walking out of the gate and some supporting grins so wide as they run up to the ones waiting for them. Hanbin doesn’t know why he feels so nervous – he’s only seen Bobby’s pictures and talked to him on the phone. What if he didn’t realise Bobby has passed him already? Will they recognise each other?

Then he saw a teenager around his height running up to an old woman he stared at earlier. It was overwhelming and Hanbin walks over while Hanbyul struggles to be let down. The pair haven’t realised Hanbin walking towards them as the woman smooches the boy’s cheeks and continues to hug him tight.

Then Bobby thumbs at his aunt’s teary eyes then lifts his head up when he realises a presence. He knew Hanbin was going to greet him but it was still so surprising to see him stand there. Giving a soft smile to his aunt, Bobby walks over to where Hanbin was letting his sister down and watches her small legs stumbling over to who Bobby guesses to be Hanbin’s mother.

“Hi,” Bobby was the first one to breathe out a greeting. And god – Hanbin is as awkward as Bobby expected him to be as his lips quirk up to a smile, into a big grin. From behind, Hanbin could feel a small shove from his mother telling him to go closer. Bobby is only slightly taller than him and he looks stupid with that big grin on his face but they envelope each other into a small hug anyway – still a small sense of disbelief washing both of them.

[v.]

 Bobby never lets anyone see him down which Hanbin finds pretty ty. It’s obvious the older is having a hard time. No matter how much friends and support he gets, it’s tiring to be a trainee and it has never even passed by Hanbin’s mind to consider joining Bobby in the company.

“You could write songs pretty well,” Bobby states one day and Hanbin laughs. The younger quotes him mockingly, “ – ‘pretty well’?”

“Oh come on – you’re good at producing,” replies Bobby with a grin. Then he continues, “could join me as a trainee.”

This was new. Hanbin is kind of surprised he didn’t see this coming. He tries to take this lightly, “if I were to join then you’d be overshadowed by me,” to show that he’s joking Hanbin gives Bobby’s shoulder a little shove.

“I doubt it,” Bobby is undisturbed. “In fact I think they’d debut us in the same group.”

[vi.]

Time passes by too quickly and it’s starting to get annoy Hanbin how much Bobby means to him. They first met without even knowing each other’s faces and how their voices sounds like but now – Bobby is so important to him. Best friends are what they are – they could’ve been more if Bobby isn’t going back to America this year.

The company Bobby had been training in was a terrible choice. Hanbin mentioned it before how Bobby should’ve joined a known company. The facilities would be better, his safety and the management won’t be a worry.

“You should’ve gone to a bigger company where they can actually provide you a dorm of your own idiot,” Hanbin says exasperatedly.   all the ‘here to make a name for himself’ bull. It wasn’t right to be selfishly angry over it, Hanbin knows. But –

‘I want to start from the bottom then rise to the top by my own hard work,’ he wishes Bobby haven’t had that thought.

Now two years have passed and Bobby being in Korea by himself is starting to affect his family when they’re already struggling with money to begin with. He didn’t mention it to any one of his friends because having them to help him would be too much trouble.

[vii.]

It’s the week where Bobby leaves and Hanbin has been counting but when a week turns into tomorrow, Hanbin wishes he counted wrong. It wasn’t all that bad they’ve been long distanced friends for two years back when they were younger. But now when they meet each other almost every day, it’s a bit hard to let go.

“Stay at my house,” it was said as a joke the day before the flight but Hanbin half meant it.

Bobby laughs his usual laugh but it sounds strained like he’s trying not to cry, “you know I can’t.”

Now though – Now, Hanbin manages to be at the airport and he’s not crying. Bobby is hugging his aunt and Hanbin could feel a flash of when he first saw Bobby arriving. The picture was the same with Bobby’s aunt crying and hugging him tight. Bobby’s eyes were glassy and he looked sad – that was different than when he first got here. Hanbin also feels different – he still feels a sense of disbelief though. But this time it comes with a pang of pain throughout his chest.

He hugs Bobby one last time and watches as Bobby disappears inside. Hanbin’s face is emotionless and he closes his eyes with a slow exhale. When he opens them, he looks around to people supported the same sad expression as he is.

Hanbin learns how this place, can bring one mutual emotion from most people.

[Prologue]

They say long distanced relationship don’t work that well. That was weird considering Hanbin has been friends with Bobby for two years back when they were younger. That was when they were still so young though. They’ve never met each other at the time. Now that they have, and they were separated once again, the feeling was a true contrast.

12 year old Hanbin sometimes feel as if Bobby who lives by the other side of the earth could have not been real. He could’ve been a dream – it’s not like they’ve met. But the person Hanbin is now, he knows Bobby is real – has laughed with him in real life, has felt his comforting touch but it still feels unreal sometimes.

They weren’t in a relationship – as far as Hanbin knows. And they didn’t need to be in one for Bobby to become special in Hanbin’s heart. As much as Bobby praises Hanbin’s skills in producing, Bobby has taught him as much. Hanbin has never been a much more confident person as he is now.

Now it feels as if Bobby has taken and brought Hanbin’s heart along with him because Hanbin definitely becomes a quieter person. They could get another chance to see each other again. Maybe just one of them gets to see another.

Hanbin considers about joining a company and trying out for the dream Bobby didn’t get to finish.

A/N: Story wasn't proofread and probably as boring as cardboard so congrats if you read it till the end anyway. Anyway go read Baby Goodnight and Come Back Home if you want. It's pretty much the continuation of this even if they are published earlier.