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AUTHOR'S NOTE: 

Hello~ Welcome to another fic of mine! Hope you enjoy this wild ride and don't be afraid to leave many feedbacks~ 

Stay warm and safe you precious creatures~ 

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“... In the name of the moon, I will punish you!” Youngjae recited, eyes shone with admiration for the pretty Sailor Moon on the screen of an old TV displayed from the window of an electronic store. His little hands gripped onto the straps of his backpack as he watched his favorite heroine fight bad guys in her cute outfit. Little Youngjae swore on his lunch box that he’d never seen anyone so graceful and beautiful like his Sailor Moon.

 

Just as the plot thickened, and the bad guys became more powerful, Tuxedo Mask appeared in his handsome glory to save the distressed Moon Princess. Youngjae grimaced, harboring a mild dislike for the mysterious Tuxedo Mask. Youngjae believed his Sailor Moon was an independent woman, thus, she wouldn't need a man to sweep her off her feet.

 

“Yeah! Tuxedo Mask! Whoo!”

 

Youngjae jumped a little at the sudden booming cheer. He looked over and found another kid, probably two years older, clapping and shouting enthusiastically to the handsome, mysterious Tuxedo Mask. Youngjae pouted, showing obvious annoyance to this stranger. “Tuxedo Mask ! Sailor Moon doesn’t need him!”

 

The boy stopped cheering and turned to face Youngjae, his sharp eyes widened as if Youngjae had just offended his entire family heritage. “What?! How dare you?!”

 

“Tsk.”

 

“YAH! Who are you to disrespect your elders?!”

 

“I-” Youngjae started to panic, clearly this older boy has one Hell of a temper.

 

“How old are you?! Speak!” The boy demanded, hands on his hips, hovering over Youngjae’s smaller form like a skyscraper.

 

 

“Six…”

 

The boy scoffed, “Well, I’m eight. You’re smaller than me! Show some respect! No manners!”

 

Youngjae was on the verge of crying, “I’m-I’m sor-sorry… Please, d-don’t hurt m-m-me…”

 

The older boy just laughed. “You’re funny! I don’t hurt people. Especially little kids,” he winked at Youngjae and grinned.

 

“You’re little, too…” Youngjae muttered under his breath.

 

“But I’m bigger than you!” The boy looked like he’s about to throw another fit.

 

“I want my mommy… You’re mean!” Youngjae yelled, unable to control his tears. Little Youngjae started crying loudly.

 

“H-hey! Stop crying!” The boy spazzed his arms, panicking and trying to figure out a way out of this situation. He just made some random kid cried! “Sssshhhhh! Stop crying! I’m sorry, okay? Stop crying, please! I, um, I’ll buy you ice cream!”

 

“Ice-ice cream?” Youngjae looked up from his palms and hiccuped.

 

“Yeah, ice cream! There’s a place over there! Come on!”

 

Before little Youngjae could decide whether or not to following this stranger, the boy had already grabbed on his little hand and dragged him away to wherever “over there” was. Youngjae was dragged into a little corner store. He looked around, observing the place, staring at everything in awe. Youngjae had never been to a place that looks this simple before.

 

“Here,” the boy handed Youngjae an ice cream taken from the cooler in front of the store. “This is my family’s shop. Free ice cream for you!”

 

 

Youngjae was hesitant, because he’d never eaten ice cream like that before. Everytime when he wanted ice cream, the maid always have it scooped out in a bowl and added pieces of fruits on top. So, whatever the older boy was giving him ignited a curiosity. Youngjae took the ice cream and stared at it. The boy laughed and took back the ice cream, tearing a strip on the plastic. Youngjae’s eyes grew wider, amazement written all over his face.

 

The boy laughed again and patted Youngjae’s head, “You’re so cute! What’s your name?”

 

“Youngjae… Choi Youngjae…”

 

“Choi?” The boy immediately retracted his hand from the younger’s soft bed of hair. “You… You live in that big, big, big house over there, right?”

 

 

Youngjae looked down at the ground, “Yeah…” If there’s anything Youngjae was scared of, beside his mom, was the fact that he lives in the biggest house in town. Because even at such a young age, Youngjae knew why other kids wouldn't play with him. Everyone was scared of his status. They were scared of his mom. And so, people avoided getting involved with the successful business woman’s son.

 

“Oh…” Was all the older boy said. But after a pause, he smiled and patted Youngjae’s head again, “I’m Jaebum, Im Jaebum. Want to be friends?”

 

Looking up, Youngjae couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “You-you want to be fr-friends with me-me?”

 

Jaebum laughed, something Youngjae found a bit weird, because the older didn't look like the type to always laugh and smile. But Youngjae liked the sound of Jaebum’s laughs. “Of course! Why not? You’re cute!”

 

“R-really?! Wow!” Youngjae giggled, feeling happiness churning inside his stomach. “You’re my first friend!”

 

“Looks like I am!” Jaebum grinned from ear-to-ear. “We’re friends from now on!”

 

“YAY!”

 

“Except you have to like Tuxedo Mask.”

 

Youngjae’s smile dropped. “What?”

 

“I won’t be friends with you if you don’t like Tuxedo Mask,” Jaebum turned away, crossing his arms against his chest, acting like a real child even though Youngjae was the younger one.

 

Pouting, Youngjae furrowed his eyebrows. That’s a hard decision. After a while, little Youngjae shuts his eyes and sighed, nodding his head, “Fineeeeeee.”

 

“Hehehe,” Jaebum turned back to face the younger and patted his head again, “Good kid!”

 

“You’re a kid, too!”

 

“Do not!”

 

“Do, too!”

 

“NO!”

 

“YES!”

 

“I don’t like you, Jaebummie!”

 

“Well, I don’t like you, either!”

 

<||><||><||><||><||>

 

“Jae!”

 

Turning towards the voice, Youngjae’s sour mood immediately dissolved as soon as his eyes laid on the smile he’s been expecting all day. “Jaebum-ah!”

 

“Sorry I’m late. Some kid decided to pick a fight,” Jaebum caught up to where Youngjae was standing.

 

Youngjae quirked an eyebrow, “You didn’t fight, right? Please, tell me you didn’t.”

 

Jaebum shrugged, a secretive smile plastered on his face, emphasizing the handsome features that grew over time, “Of course not! Wouldn’t want you to be worry now, would I?”

 

“Haha. Funny.”

 

“You don’t believe me?”

 

“Of course not!” Youngjae mocked Jaebum’s earlier cheerful voice. “You at lying, Bum. Move.” The younger grumpily pushed past his best friend and continued walking.

 

“Hey, you’re mad?” Jaebum quickly followed, tugging onto the sleeve of Youngjae’s uniform jacket. “Just because of that? Come on, I’m fine! No injuries! See?” The older did a complete spin with his arms out, proving his point.

 

Youngjae sighed, “No, not that. Just… Not in the mood.”

 

“Not in the mood?”

 

“I got a ninety on my math test today.”

 

Jaebum stopped walking and just stared at the back of his best friend’s head, questioning and re-evaluating his life choices. Why was he friends with this nerd again? Oh, right, Choi Youngjae was the epitome of cute. Resumed walking again, Jaebum rolled his eyes, “Yeah, I haven’t seen a ninety on my paper in the last 4 years.”

 

This time, Youngjae stopped walking, his heels, and stared deadly into Jaebum’s eyes. “You don’t understand! My mom is going to kill me!”

 

“Over the lost of ten points? Come on-”

 

“Ugh. Jaebum, you should know how she is.”

 

“True… But still, you’re overreacting. It’s going to be fine-”

 

“No, it’s not!” Youngjae shouted, his eyes b with tears.

 

“Oh, God, no, no, no, Jae-ah, don’t start crying now.”

 

“B-but... “

 

Patting his best friend’s head, Jaebum sighed, “Stop crying. I’ll buy you ice cream.”

 

“What ice cream. Your family don’t have the store anymore,” Youngjae sniffed, wiping the tears on his cheeks with his hands.

 

“You right. But I have money,” Jaebum winked, smiling brightly.

 

“Money? How?”

 

“Stole it.”

 

“WHAT?!”

 

Jaebum laughed out loud at Youngjae’s ridiculous reaction. “My bad, let me finish that sentence. Stole it from my dad.”

 

Youngjae gasped and grabbed Jaebum’s shoulders, “Are you crazy? He’s going to kill you!”

 

Pinching the younger’s squishy cheeks, Jaebum scoffed, “You worry too much. Come on, let’s go!”

 

“Wait-”

 

Before another word left Youngjae’s mouth, Jaebum had already grabbed his hand and dragged him away. Youngjae just sighed and gave up. After years of being friends, he’s used to being dragged around by this rebellious boy he called his best friend. He was grateful for Jaebum. A lot more than he would admitted. But Jaebum was a big part of his life. Still is. And it’ll a lot if they were to separate. Because Youngjae had no one else but Jaebum. And Jaebum had no one else but Youngjae. They depended on each other. They’re each other’s own family. Just the two of them.

 

“Here!” Jaebum handed Youngjae a small paper bowl of cookies n’ cream.

 

“When did….” Youngjae stopped questioning. He’s used to Jaebum’s way of doing things on his own. He took the ice cream and sat down on a nearby bench.

 

Soon, Jaebum joined Youngjae on the bench. They both ate their ice cream in silence, listening to the soft songs of the wind and feeling the fresh air taking them into the arms of serenity. No words were really needed. Jaebum’s purpose was to help Youngjae cleared his head. The older knew how much his best friend needed some space. So instead of chatting like they would have, they just enjoying the presence of one another peacefully.

 

“This is actually pretty good,” Youngjae spoke up, stuffing his mouth with the ice cream.

 

Jaebum looked over, watching Youngjae eat with an unamused look. Shaking his head and sighing, Jaebum reached over and used his thumb to wipe the messy strip of cream from Youngjae’s lips. “Yah. Can you eat more like a human being?” Without thinking much about it, Jaebum the cream off his thumb.

 

“Why did you do that?! That’s dirty!” Youngjae scold, disapproved of whatever Jaebum just did.

 

“I’d rather that than get my clothes sticky and dirty,” Jaebum rolled his eyes, “You’re overreacting.”

 

“You could have wiped it on my clothes instead!”

 

“No way, I don’t want His Majesty’s expensive clothes to get dirty,” Jaebum rejected, casually scooping a spoon of his ice cream and brought it to his mouth.

 

“Not funny,” Youngjae groaned. “Just when I’m feeling better…”

 

“It’s true, Jae-ah. You go to a ing private school. Top all your classes. Cry because you got a ing ninety. A. ing. Ninety. Your mom owns most of the properties in this town. You live in a huge- mansion. So, of course, your uniform would cost more than my life. Can’t risk to get it dirty now, wouldn’t we?”

 

“Jaebum…”

 

The older shrugged, “But that’s okay. I’m glad we’re friends.” And on cue, a smile spread across Jaebum’s face. “Even though we’re worlds apart, I still love- ehem, I mean, thank God we’re friends. ‘Cause, honestly, no one could stand your nerdiness but me.”

 

Glaring, Youngjae finished his last spoon, “Thanks. I’ll take that as a compliment.”

 

Jaebum laughed, “Take it as you will!”

 

They finished up and began walking back. It was a daily routine kind of thing. Since they don’t live in the same area of town, Jaebum promised to walk Youngjae to school and back home. Sure, it meant Jaebum would have to wake up a lot earlier and come home a lot later, but he didn’t mind. He wanted to spend more time with Youngjae. They already couldn’t see each other. No. Scratch that. They couldn’t even hang out with each other, because Youngjae’s mother was a controlling lady who thought Jaebum as a bad influence. So, she banned them from seeing each other. But that, obviously, didn’t stop Jaebum. He’s already a delinquent, a bad kid, might as well rescue his best friend from that tower of desolation. But now, he’s afraid he won’t be able to that anymore.

 

“You’re graduating this year, right?” Youngjae asked, voice soft as the sweet lulling of the autumn wind.

 

“Yeah, unfortunately,” Jaebum sighed, lifting his head up to look at the clear sky. “I’m sorry.”

 

“Why? You didn’t do anything.”

 

“Just… I won’t be around with you anymore. You’ll be alone.”

 

A silence set in, tuning out the sounds Nature was making, tuning out the existence of time, tuning out… Just tuning out anything and everything. All these years, Youngjae really only had Jaebum. With the departure of the most essential element of his life, Youngjae didn’t know exactly what to feel. He had been relying on Jaebum so much. Would he be able to stand by himself in the future?

 

“I’ll be fine,” Youngjae said.

 

“Really.” Jaebum scoffed, already skeptical about that vague answer.

 

“Yeah, I’ll manage. Can’t be that bad.”

 

“Hope so,” Jaebum pursed his lips, “But it’ll be bad for me, though.”

 

Youngjae looked over to his best friend, “How so? You’re more sociable than me. More cool. More free. Not nerdy and boring. You’ll do great in life.”

 

“Right, but would I be happy then?”

 

“What do you mean…”

 

Smiling, Jaebum shook his head, “Nothing. Don’t worry about it.”

 

“Jaebum-”

 

“We’re here!”

 

Youngjae bit his lip, “We are here.” He looked up at the enormous gate and sighed. That was so fast. Why did he have to live so close to the school?

 

“All right, go in. I’ll see you tomorrow,” Jaebum patted Youngjae’s head. “Study hard, kiddo, so you won’t get a ninety and cry about it.”

 

“I’m not a kid,” the younger pouted, fixing his hair that Jaebum had messed up.

 

“Do, too,” Jaebum winked, sticking his tongue out, as he ran away.

 

“Do not!” Youngjae laughed, watching Jaebum tripping over a random tree branch on the sidewalk.