kindergarten.

Hakyeon doesn't want to move.

His father has a new job in some other city far, far away, so of course they're going to have to, even if he doesn't. His grandparents are here, and so are his friends from school, and the thought of leaving them behind is nearly unbearable. He sits in his near empty room and cries a bit on the same day they officially move out; bidding it once last goodbye. He's still looking out the back window of the car as they drive off, watching the life behind them get tinier and tiner as they drive further and further. 

Hakyeon starts kindergarten as soon as they're settled in their new home, which is big compared to their other, old house. Hakyeon's bedroom walls are even painted a pretty blue color, much better than the plain white he had in his old room. Maybe this won't be so bad after all.

Hakyeon is rarely shy, but he is on his first day. It's a new school with new classmates and new teachers, new everything. What makes it worse is it's not even officially the first day of school, he's just now transferring in the middle of October, so everyone's already comfortable with each other and settled in. Except him. It makes him worry a bit.

The teacher has him stand in front of the entire class on his first day in order to introduce him. His eyes roam around the classroom; everyone looks okay and nice enough. One kid does catch his eye and interest, though. It's a boy in a lion costume, sitting in the very back at his own table with another woman; a teacher, Hakyeon guesses. Said boy is holding a piece of aluminum foil in his hand, waving it in front of his face and making these odd "ahhhh" noises. The woman that sits to him is trying to shush him. Hakyeon is so fixated on them that he doesn't even hear the teacher telling him he can go to his seat now.

Hakyeon spends most of his day watching the boy in the lion costume. He learns his name is Taekwoon, from the name tag he has pinned on the front of the costume. He watches as he waves that aluminum foil in his face, completely ignoring the teacher. Hakyeon wonders if he's naughty. It seems like it.

He watches him on the playground as well. Taekwoon crawls on all fours in circles, around and around the huge tree that sat in the middle of  the area, growling at no one in particular. Hakyeon has never seen something so strange in his five years of life. It's confusing. He asks another kid he recognizes from class what Taekwoon is doing.

"I dunno. He's weird," she answers, wrinkling her nose before going back to her chalk drawing. 

Hakyeon would go ask Taekwoon himself, but he's a bit frightened. So he decides to put his attention elsewhere for the time being, and heads towards the swings. His favorite.

Hakyeon does continue to "study" Taekwoon for a while though, both in the classroom and on the playground. He would also do it in the cafeteria during lunch too, but for some reason Taekwoon is never there. He wonders where he goes instead.

Taekwoon loves his lion costume so much that he wears it to school everyday. He growls and roars a lot, especially to anyone that gets close to him. Sometimes he screams or cries for no good reason. Hakyeon feels really sorry for him those times, because some of the kids laugh at him and his helper, Jinmi, puts him in time out. Whenever they color, he smells every single crayon before he uses them. Hakyeon copies him; they all smell the same to him. During the class sing alongs, he covers his ears and climbs underneath his desk. He does during play time as well; just laying on the floor with Hot Wheel cars or sheets of paper that he tears apart. 

He tells his parents everything he's observed about strange Taekwoon. 

"Some people are just different," they tell him. "Give him a chance."

It's not that Hakyeon doesn't want to give Taekwoon a chance, it's just he's not sure how to. Everytime someone other than Jinmi tries to close to him, he roars and growls at them like a lion. "Maybe that's his way of saying hi," is what his father tells him. It seems unlikely to Hakyeon. 

He thinks about it for a few days, wondering how he should approach Taekwoon. Just walking up to him is not a good idea. Hakyeon notices he does like cookies though, Jinmi is always bribing him with them. Maybe Hakyeon can do the same and get him to become his friend through cookies. He's still thinking about this idea as he helps his mother unpack some extra boxes one day, when he comes across the perfect thing- a giraffe Halloween costume. Taekwoon likes being a lion, so that means he must like animals and the jungle. If Hakyeon dressed as a giraffe he would definitely become his friend then.

Unfortunately, his parents doesn't let him wear the entire costume to school (which makes no sense, Taekwoon wears his everyday), but they do let him take the headband. The teacher makes him take it off at the beginning of class though, which also frustrates him because Taekwoon hasn't seen it yet.

Hakyeon takes the chance during play time, when the other boy is underneath his desk playing with his Hot Wheel cars. He hides his headband behind his back, deciding to surprise Taekwoon with it. He approaches his desk carefully, as you would a real lion. "Hi," he says, bending down to take a good look at Taekwoon, who jumps slightly.

They make eye contact for a short second before he starts growling through clenched teeth. Hakyeon can't help but become a bit afraid, despite the fact that he expected this reaction beforehand. "I'm Hakyeon!" he continues, making to sure smile because his grandmother once told him people that smile are more well received. "Do you want to play with my Legos? 

Taekwoon still growls at him, and he shuffles his feet a bit, getting nervous. This was going nowhere so far. "Are you a lion?" Hakyeon decides to go in a different direction. Maybe it'll get better after he brings up animals. "I'm a giraffe!" He pulls out his giraffe headband, waving it in the air before sliding it onto his head. Taekwoon stops growling, staring at Hakyeon, who thinks this is a good sign.

Then Taekwoon roars, and in just a second he's tackling Hakyeon onto the ground.

Hakyeon has never been so frightened in his life. He regrets doing this so much he's about to cry. Taekwoon is right in his face, holding his arms down so roughly he can't even move. He is really going to die, right here in kindergarten.

Luckily, the scene catches the attention of Jinmi and the teacher, and they pull the lion off quickly. Jinmi tends to Taekwoon as the teacher does to Hakyeon, asking him if he's hurt. He says no, which is sort of a lie; his arms felt like they were bruised. Taekwoon is in trouble, and is now almost crying and is doing these odd bunny hops. Eventhough he had just nearly killed him, Hakyeon can't help but feel sorry for him, because he really didn't like time out.

"It was an accident. We were playing safari," he lies, hoping that it's good enough. His teacher and Jinmi gives him a weird look. Taekwoon cries out in distress, as if he's agreeing with Hakyeon's fib.

"Okay, if it was an accident, then I guess no time out," their teacher answers. "But you need to be careful next time, Taekwoonie."

Hakyeon watches as Taekwoon scrambles back underneath his desk. He himself goes over to the other side of the room, back to the Lego set. He can't help but feel disappointed that his attempt at becoming friends failed.

It's just a few days later, and Hakyeon is playing with a fake, plastic kitchen set that sits in the back corner of the classroom during play time. He's "baking a cake" right now, watching the oven intently and waiting for the pretend timer to go off. He's not aware that the boy in the lion costume is standing right behind him, staring, until he feels a finger poke his head.

Hakyeon can't help but feel a bit weary, but tells Taekwoon, "Hi!" anyway. His parents told him all he can do is to continue to be nice with him. 

"Noodles!" Taekwoon yells, making the other jump. 

He's confused for a second, then smiles. "Okay," he answers, the cake forgotten. "I can cook you some noodles."

"Hakyeon," is Taekwoon's response. 

"Yes, my name is Hakyeon!" He pours the pretend water into the purple plastic pot, setting the "burner" on high. Taekwoon just stands there patiently, waiting for his "noodles" to get done cooking. He doesn't say anything, but Hakyeon can tell by the way he hums that he likes the pretend food.

He thinks this is where their friendship starts at.

-

catching feelings.

Hakyeon's hyperaware of his feelings now, the ones that started in middle school with Lee [a/n: gym teacher he had a crush on just in case you've forgotten]. He came to realize long ago that his feelings were very true and very real, and that they're not going to go away. He spent hours on the internet, on different forums and websites reading on it, and decided that he does indeed like other boys. It was scary, but kind of oddly exciting as well. He still itches to tell someone.

He can't tell his parents. Not yet. He's not exactly sure how they'd take it, though he has a feeling they'd be fairly accepting. Still. He thinks about telling Taekwoon, but decides against that as well, because he's not sure what Taekwoon's views on it is. He never really talks about issues like that, and seems to ignore them with they're brought up. Hakyeon really doesn't want Taekwoon to think of him differently, so he waits for the time being.

Speaking of boys and feelings and Taekwoon, Hakyeon can't help but notice his friend a bit more. It's all fine one day, then Taekwoon spends the night at his house and is changing from his day clothes to pajamas right in front of Hakyeon. It's usually not a problem, they're comfortable enough with each other, but when Hakyeon looks up from the homework he's doing, time stops. He gets a warm, weird feeling his stomach. The pencil he's holding drops. He just stares at Taekwoon until he's dressed. 

Taekwoon has really grown over the last year or so. He hit a huge growth spurth, pushing him towards six feet tall. His face is a lot more mature, though he still has adorably chubby cheeks. Hakyeon has grown a bit as well, but he's still a few centimeters shorter. He notices all of this in that short amount of time, along with other things that makes his face turn red. He should not be thinking these things. Taekwoon is too pure.

At least, he thinks he is. Taekwoon never talks about or expresses interest in those things. He hates ed class with a passion, often plugging his ears during it. He covers his eyes at even simple little kiss scenes during films and television shows. He full on closes them when he witnesses any type of affection in real life, such as his parents hugging or a couple kissing at the park. Hakyeon finds it incredibly endearing, how innocent he is.

He asks him about it as casual he can once he's settled in Hakyeon's bed with him, eating peeled red grapes, his favorite. Hakyeon is glad he's enjoying them because he spent a lot of time peeling. "I don't like it," Taekwoon answers. 

Hakyeon hums. "Love? Relationships?"

Taekwoon nods in response. Hakyeon feels a bit hurt, though he's not sure why. Maybe because this means his chances if having Taekwoon is near zero now? No. Where did that even come from? He can feel his face heating up. What is he even thinkin