Jiyong was nervous and excited and just so damn impatient that he didn’t even notice when his parents stopped in front of the barrier between platforms 9 and 10; he just crashed into them and fell to the ground. His father just turned to him with a smile “It’s only 10:30, calm down a bit so we can figure out how to get on the platform…”

He was wearing a simple pair of jeans and a black t-shirt, and he was bursting with energy. He had received his letter and had just known that this was the thing for him. The representative sent to walk his family through the process only served to make him more impatient for his first day to arrive, well, that and they led them to Diagon Alley and gave them some information on how to get onto the platform (which they apparently forgot).

Jiyong’s trunk was full of simple clothes and hoodies as well as all of his books and random school supplies, and his very own owl was perched in its cage on top of the trunk. His father had been pushing it as it was slightly too heavy for the scrawny boy, and he was far too hyper to be of any real help at the moment anyway.

***

It was 10:28 on September the first, and Youngbae was on the verge of a total emotional breakdown. They had made it to King’s Cross Station and were walking swiftly toward the barrier between platforms 9 and 10, which is where the very helpful witch had told them they would be able to get to platform 9 and 3/4 through. But she hadn’t told them how precisely, and little Youngbae couldn’t handle that; “It said that the train leaves at exactly 11:00, mom!” “You’ll be perfectly fine, now come on, there it is.”

Youngbae’s family arrived at the platform barrier at the exact moment that Jiyong fell flat on his behind. After a couple moments of both sets of parents staring at the barrier in thought, they started to discuss how best to get through.

While they were discussing, the shy Youngbae is accosted by the over-exuberant Jiyong.

“Hi! I’m Jiyong, are you going too?” Jiyong got really close when he spoke, as if what he was saying was both terribly exciting and terribly secretive.

“Youngbae. Um, yes?” Youngbae replies, looking down and letting his fingers pick at the hem of his long-sleeve t-shirt.

“You look nervous, why?” Jiyong was excited (more so than previously), here was a new friend, and he knew it to. Just like how he had known that without a doubt his letter wasn’t some practical joke, and that well of course he was a wizard; he knew that Youngbae was going to be a good friend.

“I don’t want to be late, and it’s all so new…” Youngbae looked down after speaking; realizing that he was giving away far more information than he normally did at any given time to complete strangers (even though this stranger was clearly his own age).

It was at this point that their parents decided on a plan of action, and at exactly 10:34 and 14 seconds, Youngbae was keeping track, Jiyong and Youngbae popped out onto the bustling Platform 9 and 3/4. Their parents soon followed, and both families made their way down the platform to help their children on to the train. They stowed their luggage in an empty compartment, and left the train to say goodbye.

As the two boys walked away for the final time, heading off to get back to their compartment, the two sets of parents watched them leave; It was clear even then, at that early stage, that they were going to be fast friends and that they would stay friends for a very, very long time.

Their parents went off for a nice lunch together after the train left, and the two boys have been the best of friends ever since.

***

Jiyong and Youngbae had been settled onto the train (and into their friendship) for about two hours when there was a tapping at their compartment door. Youngbae and Jiyong looked at each other, and then Youngbae got up and opened it.

“Yes?” It was a girl, probably older than them, and ‘yes’ was really the only thing that Youngbae found himself able to say.

“Oh sorry,” She looked a little flustered, “Wrong compartment.” She smiles brightly and walks away down to another compartment a little further down with Youngbae left to watch her go.

“We should explore the train!” Youngbae was startled out of his staring as Jiyong bounds up behind him and throws his arms around his neck.

“What for?” Youngbae asks, trying to pull Jiyong’s hands away and failing, as Jiyong jumps up onto his back.

“It’ll be fun. Carry me!” Jiyong says, hooking his legs around Youngbae’s waist and holding on tighter.

“You can walk yourself, can’t you? Get off!” The small tussle that ensued ended with Jiyong smiling victoriously as Youngbae carried him down the hall.

They hadn’t gone very far (Jiyong was using one arm to hold on and the other to point as if he were directing a rather high-functioning horse) when Youngbae came to a sudden halt, letting go of Jiyong who fell straight onto the ground.

“Hey! What was that for!?” Jiyong asks, getting up grumpily and brushing himself off.

Youngbae was ignoring him, and had moved to press his ear against one of the compartment doors. “Shh, I think…Listen.”

So Jiyong puts his ear up against the door, and listens. He hears a boy singing/talking to himself. Completely curious and deciding to harass the person who made Youngbae drop him, Jiyong pulls the door open.

To say that the boy inside the compartment was startled would be a drastic understatement. The boy was completely taken aback and surprised by the sudden intrusion. So much so, in fact, that he yelped rather loudly and jumped in his seat.

“I’m Jiyong, and this is Youngbae! Are you a first year?” The boy was obviously sitting alone, and Jiyong had decided that he liked the looks of him; might as well make a second friend.

The boy nodded briefly, “Seunghyun Choi.”

“It’s nice to meet you. I heard you singing, which is why we stopped; I’m sorry Jiyong startled you like that.” Youngbae says, smiling brightly at Seunghyun in apology. The remark earned Youngbae a glare from Jiyong, but Seunghyun smiled.

“Come on, our compartment is just down the hall!” Jiyong says giddily, already bouncing out of the compartment and toward his and Youngbae’s.

“How do you handle him?” Seunghyun asks, as Youngbae helps him pull down his trunk.

“I just met him. He’s not bad, just excited.”

Seunghyun laughs at that; that one statement was all it took for Seunghyun to know that Jiyong and Youngbae were going to be best friends for a long time; the rest of the train ride was all it took for him to realize that the three of them were going to be great friends for just as long.