2001 - A

Mrs. Choi knocked on the door softly and when there was no answer she opened it and peeped in, Taemin and Minho were watching a scary movie, so focused on the screen they haven’t noticed her.

"Boys…"

Both turned to look at her briefly before turning back to the screaming woman on the screen.

"Taemin, your Umma called, she asked you to come home"

"But we're watching a movie" Taemin said looking at her frowning.

Mrs. Choi said no more, she left and Taemin looked at Minho with questioning eyes, the older looked confused just as he was.

Taemin got up from the bed they were sitting on "can you walk me home?"

Minho hummed and got up as well, they went downstairs and he could hear Mrs. Choi talking to his mother on the phone, she sounded upset and it made him wonder.

After waving Minho goodbye Taemin shut the door and walked into the living room, his father was on the phone with Mr. Kwan, his boss, he thanked him few time and promised to do well.

"Umma?" Taemin called and his mother appeared from the bedroom, she smiled softly at him and got closer to tap a kiss on his top. His father finished his call and she urged him to sit on the couch.

"Taemin-ah…" his father said and the boy shared his look between his parents "Appa and Umma have some news"

The boy said nothing and just kept listening.

"Appa got promoted at work and we're moving to Wisconsin soon"

"Wis…consin?" Taemin asked confused "is it in Korea?"

"Aniyo…" his mother said amused "it's in USA"

"Do I have to go too?"

His parents shared a look and smiled to each other for their son's innocents.

"Of course, we're moving all together" she said.

"But I don’t want to leave here, I like it here…"             

"You can't stay here alone" his father said softly and reached his hand to pull his son from the couch to his lap.

Tears sprang in Taemin's eyes and he looked at his father miserably before he glanced at his mother with the exact same expression "I can live with Minho Hyung, I won't be alone"

Mrs. Lee got up from her seat and sat closer to them, she placed her hands on his knees comfortingly "you can't live with Minho"

"I do, his room is big enough"

"Taemin-ah, you can't, me and Appa would miss you too much"

"But I'll miss Minho Hyung"

"You'll get to meet new friends…"

"I don’t want new friends!" Taemin burst with tears, he jumped from his father's lap and rushed out of the living room.

"Taemin!" his parents called and got up from the couch to follow him as he went out of the house and ran toward the Choi's.

Taemin knocked on the door harshly, Mrs. Choi opened and her face changed in concern, guess the boy heard the news, he was crying.

"Mrs. Choi, ca...can I come …in?" he stuttered.

Feeling sad for him she hugged him "sure, come in"

The phone rang, she smiled and let go of him "go upstairs and be with Minho, ok?"

Taemin nodded and she hurried to answer the call, Mrs. Lee was on the line asking her to let her son stay for a while, he was too sad and needed his friend.

Mrs. Choi agreed without even thinking, she even suggested the boy to stay for the night so he could forget about the moving for a while.

"We're moving" Taemin said at the moment he walked into Minho's room.

The older looked at him confused "what?"

"Appa got promoted at work and we're moving, it's far from Korea and I won't be able to see you anymore"

Minho's eyes got teary "ANI!"

"I don’t want to leave, I told my parents I can stay here with you and they said no!"

"Why not?"  The older asked disappointed.

"They said they'll miss me"

"But I'll miss you if you'll leave…"

"Me too. Hyung… eotokke?"

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Taemin eyed the movers with anger as they carried his packed life into a truck, he was sitting on a box and waited for Minho to come back from school, unlike his best friend he wasn’t at school today.  

Both boys knew that their friendship would over soon and ever since that day Taemin rushed into the Choi's family house with the big announcement they spent each and every day together.

Now as he was only few hours away from the flight to USA fear build inside him, everything is about to change and it scared him.

"Taeminnie!"  Minho's voice caught his attention, he was running toward him.

"Hyung!" the boy called and jumped from the box he was sitting on straight into a big comforting hug.

"Where have you been? I thought I won't see you before we'll leave" Taemin said and let go of him.

Minho placed his bag on the floor and looked inside it, he pulled a little box and gave it to Taemin "I went to buy you a gift"

"For me?" the boy asked surprised and took the box "what is it?" he asked while opening it.

"It's a Rubik's cube, you could play with it on the plane so you won't get bored"

Taemin looked at the colorful cube and frowned "how do I play with it?"

"You need to arrange the cube in a way it would be at the same color, here I'll show you…" Minho said and took the cube, the younger looked fascinated at his hands as they worked fast, it took him few moments and when he finished he gave it back to Taemin "you see? Like that…"

"Whoa…it looks complicated!"

"Only the smart one can do- I know you are"

"Komawo Hyung!!!" Taemin squeaked for the compliment.

"Taemin-ah!" Mrs. Lee called and both boys turned to look at her "you have to get ready, we need to go"

Taemin nodded sadly and turned to his best friend "I'll miss you so much Hyung"

"Me too Taeminnie…"

They hugged once again and Taemin walked into the house, Mrs. Lee waited for him with his coat in her hands, she helped him to wear it and sent him to put his shoes on, she waved at Minho who looked just as sad as her son, he waved back and made his way to his own house.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Taemin was holding the Rubik's cube Minho gave him and looked outside the Window, they already took off and he felt like crying. His mother told him it would be a long flight so he should get some sleep but he couldn’t, he couldn’t stop thinking about his best friend, he missed him already.

"Taemin-ah" his father whispered at him and drew his attention "do you want something to drink?"

Taemin shook his head and turned his gaze back to the window.

"I know you're sad…but I promise things would be just fine" he said and his hair softly "when we'll get to USA you could call Minho on the phone"   

Taemin turned his father with sparkling eyes "I can???"

"Sure, you could speak with him every day"

Big smile crossed Taemin's lips "I really can???" he called excitedly.  

Mr. Lee chuckled and hushed him a little so he won't bother any of the passengers by making noise.

"Nae"

Taemin jumped from his seat and hugged his father tightly, big arms wrapped around him and lips crushed his cheek "Komawo Appa!"

Mrs. Lee who was napping in her seat opened her eyes and a small smile lingered on her face when she saw her son smiling, she reached her hand and his hair drawing his attention.

"Umma! Appa said I can call Minho every day when we'll get to USA"

His mother hummed and wrapped her arm around her men before she closed her eyes once again.

Suddenly Taemin wasn’t all that sad, he maybe won't see Minho but at least he could talk with him.    

  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

After hours between airports they finally arrived Wisconsin, it was already night and Taemin was sleeping through the whole drive to their new home, his head was on his mother's lap and she his hair softly, when the cab stopped he opened his eyes tiredly and yawned, he raised his head from his mother's lap and looked outside the window to see a big house.

"Are we there yet?" he asked his mother quietly, she smiled at him and nodded.

They got out of the cab and Taemin stood in front of the house while his parents took out their luggage, when the cab drove away they all walked inside.

The house was big but simple, it looked nothing like the house they had in Korea, it had more rooms and windows but got no furnitures besides an old couch.

"Umma…can I call Minho now?"

"It's late now, you can call him tomorrow"

Taemin made a disappointed look but understood "where is my room?"

"Wherever you'll decide" Mr. Lee said.

"I can choose my own room?"

Both of his parents nodded and Taemin rushed his feet between the rooms to find the perfect place for himself while his parents started to unpack necessary things.

Moment later the boy rushed down the stairs from the second floor and announced he chose his room, however he needed to wait- their furnitures and personal luggage would arrive only when the sun would rise so tonight they all slept in the living room.    

He had some hard time to fall asleep, everything was new and unfamiliar, his parents were exhausted and fell asleep at the moment they rest their bodies on the old couch, he was bored.

Sitting on the floor with the Rubik's cube he tried to figure how his Hyung done it and eventually drifted into sleep while he was trying.