yukjae is sitting in the corner of their classroom with his face press hard on his red puffy face he cried his heart out, he was nervous, scared and sad, and he was new to this school. His family just move last week in their new house and he was force to move into a new school too leaving his old friends to their old hometown. 

His teacher tried hard to make hyukjae stop from crying since he was shedding tears from the moment he step on the school grounds. “hyukjae~ please don’t cry. We won’t hurt you here, kids here have good heart. They would be your new friends.” The teacher said to hyukjae but he didn’t pay much attention, he was so deep in his crying that he won’t even care if the teacher keeps on tugging on his arm to let him face her. He continually shook his head and cry. So the teacher just let him cry, she let hyukjae adjust to his environment.

The bell rings signaling break time, hyukjae still sitting quietly on the corner was again approach by his teacher with other students behind her. “hyukjae~ would you like to have lunch with us?” hyukjae look up and shook his head. “ok then, but make sure you eat your lunch, we don’t want you fainting while we play later. Ok?” the teacher then leave hyukjae alone but the student who stand beside the teacher earlier was left standing in front of hyukjae.

He move towards hyukjae, cup his face and raise it until their line of vision was level. He moves closer and sticks his lips next to hyukjae’s cheek. Hyukjae felt the wetness on his cheek, not caused by his tears but by the small tongue that’s him. Out of mere shock and confusion hyukjae wasn’t able to do anything until the small boy pulls away. “why’d you do that?” hyukjae asked wiping his wet cheek with his palm. “you’re really sad, aren’t you?” the boy responded yet not answering his question. “here.” Then the boy hands him a strawberry flavored lollipop. “it’s sweet. It would make you feel better.” He smiled cutely to hyukjae. Before hyukjae could thank the boy, the other run towards to a group of other boys playing soccer. “donghae, who is he?” hyukjae hear one of them ask. “he’s my new friend.” The other responds. 

Hyukjae stared at the lollipop resting on his palm with one hand cupping his cheek. ‘he is my new friend.’

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The next day hyukjae didn’t cry anymore, he feel a bit comfortable now since someone talked to him yesterday. The teacher smiled seeing hyukjae loosen up, she wanted to know what makes hyukjae good already until she notice the continuous shy glances that hyukjae is sporting towards donghae’s direction. So she made a decision, “Heechul, is it ok if you move to the corner next to hangeng?” she asked at the boy sitting beside donghae. “of course mam! I’ve been waiting for you to do that.” Then Heechul grab his bag and sit beside hangeng. They smile at each other then wait for the teacher’s next words. 

Hyukjae worries, “mam, where am I going to sit if Heechul took my sit beside hangeng?” hyukjae ask bravely. “you’ll be sitting beside donghae, you’re friends right?” hyukjae look directly at the empty seat beside the familiar boy. He want straight to his new chair and arrange his things.

“hi hyukkie, how’s the lollipop?” donghae ask when hyukjae is settled. Hyukjae blush hearing his new nickname. “it’s sw-sweet. Thank you.” He answered not bothering to look up to donghae’s face. “just what I expected.” Donghae nods.

The classes’ starts and they do many activities then the bell rings again for lunch. “hyukkie, let’s eat together ok?” donghae shouted. “yes, but you don’t need to shout anymore. I could hear you loud and clear.” Donghae giggled and took his lunch box out. Hyukjae and donghae eat together with donghae continuously talking while hyukjae just nod.

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Everyday hyukjae and donghae will eat together and walk home together since they discovered that they’re living in the same block. Then one day, hyukjae’s dad told him that he’ll be going out of the country for his work and will leave hyukjae and his mother for 3 months. It saddened hyukjae to the deepest pit of heartache, he loves his father so much and his heart can’t take his absence. “hyukkie, be brave ok?” his dad said and leave. Hyukjae tried his best not to cry in front of his dad and he succeeded. But he can’t hide the sadness that’s enveloping his heart so he went to the playground and walk to loosen up.

Once he reaches the playground the whole place was empty, no children playing which means no one could see him cry. He crouches down and sobs hard until he can’t control his tears anymore and break down on his stop. He tried to muffle his cries but it just gives him hiccups. It’s getting hard for hyukjae to breathe, he was crying and he has hiccups.

He felt a light tap on his shoulder, he look up only to see the same face that comfort him when he first came to school crying. “you’re sad again?” hyukjae shook his head, lying. “no im not. Just got something in my eyes.” He added. Donghae sat beside him and his tears again. “you’re lying to me. you’re very very sad hyukkie, sadder than when you first come here.” Donghae accusingly shouted. Hyukjae stared at donghae in pure amusement. Donghae just his cheek and he knows he’s lying and why does donghae keeps on his face every time he cries. “hyukkie, what’s wrong. Im your bestfriend right? Tell me please.” Then hyukjae was left with no choice he tell donghae the truth about his father who leave for work. 

“hyukkie, do you know that my father leave me and my mom too? you’re lucky your dad would be gone for only 3 months.” Donghae stated. Hyukjae stared at him waiting for an explanation. “my dad, he’s now in heaven hyukkie, he won’t come back anymore.” Then an innocent tear slip down donghae’s cheek. Hyukjae then imitate donghae’s early action he leans forward and place his lips beside donghae’s cheek he tasted the salt in donghae’s tears. “hae, do you have a lollipop?” eunhyuk ask once he moves away. donghae wipes his tears away and nod. “can I have it?” donghae nod again and took the lollipop out of his pockets. Hyukjae automatically took it away and unwrapped the candy. He put it inside his mouth hungrily. Donghae stared at him in awe.
“I didn’t get why you keep on my cheeks every time I cry when all you could get is the saltiness hae.” Hyukjae said at the can-you-explain-what-you’re-doing look in donghae’s face. Then donghae got the reason on why hyukjae his cheeks, “silly, im not just your cheek. Im tasting your tear. Im testing how sad you are.” Donghae smacked hyukjae’s head lightly. Hyukjae just stared at him confuse.
“well I read from a book that the saltier the tears are the sadder the person that produces it. And hyukkie, you don’t have to be sad. I will always be here for you. I won’t leave you. I promise.” Hyukjae’s heart thumps hard against his chest and his eyes starts to produce tears, without a blink of an eye donghae his tears. “hyukkie, you’re tears are sweet.” Then he kisses the chubby wet with tears cheek of hyukjae. “I love sweets. I love happiness and I love you hyukkie.”—“but where just elementary students hae. We’re too young to love.”—“uhm~~ then I will love you when we grow old.” Then donghae continue drying hyukjae’s happy tears with his kisses allover hyukjae’s face.