Goodbye comes as fast as Hello.

Past, age 9 Summer 

_ _ _ 

“YAH, JUNG DAEHYUN YOU BETTER COME HERE OR I’LL HATE YOU FOREVER!!”  you shrieked across the large backyard of your new home. Home is wherever your family is right? But this? This wasn’t home, especially when your “temporary home” was with Jung. Dae. Hyun. And he did not qualify as a family. Jung Daehyun, had been your “friend” since birth, pffft “friends”, you were not his friend, and he wasn’t yours. Your parents had left you in care of the Jung’s for the next couple of years; they were South Korea’s best scientists, off to the world of adventures and exhilarating journeys; while you were stuck with Daehyun, the equivalence of a demon. Wait wait wait. The devil himself.

“Whatcha going to do Binnie? Huh? Huh???” Daehyun had teasingly cooed with that devious smirk of his.  Holding on to the stuffed bear you’ve had since birth, dangling it in the air. Hell no.

You turned around only to see that Daehyun had made off in a mad dash. *Ohohohoho. This. Is. War.* “YAH YOU COME BACK NOW!” you screeched even harder than before. “GIVE ME MY BEAR BACK!!”  *Aish, he is so freaking annoying.” And with that, you ran off. 

After 3 hours of running after that fool, you just quit and returned to your new room. Across from Daehyun's. *Great* Annoyed and tired, you rolled your eyes. You turned the knob and smiled in a heartbeat. “Su Bin this might not be so bad after all, the Jung’s are amazing decorators” you giddily murmured to yourself and you began to explore your new safe haven. 

The room had the essence of a true home. A place to call your own and stay forever, and ever- that word was so unfamiliar to you now. Home. A home without your parents, the parents that left you in care of Daehyun’s parents. Tears began to form within your eyes, remembering what your parents had said the night before they left. 

The night before. Flashback 

“Binnie-ah, umma and appa are leaving now, we’ll come back okay.” She said as she your head and gave you a tight hug. *Umma, please don’t leave, please.” But you couldn’t say anything, choked with tears, no words said. She then passed you to your appa. 

“Your umma is right, we’ll be back, don’t worry, my little princess. Appa will miss you too. The Jung’s’ aren’t so bad, they are good people you know, so be a good girl now.” He said as he picked you up and raised you to the air, efforts to see your smile.

They gave you to the Jung's, waved good-bye and left. 

Back

You quickly wiped evidence of tears, and forced a smile out. *Whatever, I’ll be a strong and good girl for umma and appa.* You then began to put your things away.

Then you remembered. Daehyun still had your bear, you had turned ready to go on a search again, and then you saw him. Leaning on your doorway, smirking and throwing your bear up and down. *Whelp, looks like we know who needs to sleep with one eye open tonight* You then, of course glared at him.

“Oh hi Binnie~” He tauntingly said. “Looking for this old thing?” He held the bear, waving it right in front of your eyes. You nodded slowly knowing that he had a catch somewhere in there. “Take it from me then.” He commanded. *I knew it* Daehyun was way taller than you, by at least a foot, plus he was older than you by a year. *So not fair*

You began to walk closer to him, ready to pounce on at any moment. He had that disgusting smug look on that handsome face of his. As if he was saying, “Come and get it, I dare you”. Then and there, that was your chance and tried to snatch the bear. But alas, you Park Su Bin, was a clumsy fool. And in less than a minute, you managed to trip yourself, failing your “strategic mastermind plan” and fell on Daehyun. Hands on his chest. *EW THE GERMS UGH*

Your eyes were closed and then you opened one, only to find the annoying Jung Dae Hyun was right under you, his hands around your waist, and 1 mm away from your lips. Hearts beating rapidly in the same rhythm, time stopped, the world stopped moving, and it was just you and him. Abruptly, Mrs. And Mr. Jung called for a family outing and the moment was ruined. Daehyun rolled you off, stood up, yelled “Coming!” and left in a sprint out the door and down stairs.

 *N-NO I DO NOT I DO NOT LIKE JUNG. DAE. HYUN. NEVER!* You internally screamed within your mind and conscience, as you buried your face in your new pillow and let out a shriek.

Still sulking about earlier, you slumped on your seat in the Jung's baby-blue van. An outing, a real outing, not alone, with a family. You instantly smiled and forgot about just happened. This was your first family- well anything. Your parents had been too busy with science to even go out and have fun. Your 'outings' included: a swing-set and your bear was your only companion

Inside the Car. 

*Oh right, Daehyun returned my bear* You unconsciously smiled and turned to look at Daehyun next to you, his face looking out into the clear sky. *Thank you Jung Daehyun, but please don’t make me fall in love with a babo like you.* You smiled sweetly and returned to looking through your window, slowly drifting to the land of dreams.

"Okay kids, we've arrived at the amusement park." Mr. and Mrs. Jung announced, already outside the car.

You woke up at the voice, only to find your head, on Daehyun's shoulder, and his head on yours. Your eyes widened in shock, and you abruptly stood up, and of course hit your head on the ceiling of the car.

*Ow, ow, ow* You then rubbed your head, and Daehyun woke up to the ruckus. Both of your eyes met with one another’s, and Daehyun just frantically went out the car instead of helping you. "Aish that jerk, at least you could've helped me" you said under your breath as you continued to rub your head. 

Inside the park

Walking arm in arm, the Jung's and you went inside the park. Your eyes grew as big as gumballs and ran to the front of the ticket line. You stood in place and waited for the line, turned around, and said "Ahjusshi, Ahjumma why is the line so long?" with your finger on your lip, pouting. But then you realized, the Jung’s were gone.

Being only 9 years old, it would only be natural of what you did. Start crying and run around to find your new "parents". You then decided to stand in one place and weep there. That's when you met a group of teenage boys. 

"Oh, little girl are you lost?" the lanky one said. "Here come with Oppas' we'll help you find your parents." he grabbed your little hand, and led you to ride which seemed to have very, very, little people.  His friends snickered and began to whisper. "Here come with Oppa, I'll show you where your parents are" he led you inside the building that seemed to look like a haunted house, with no one in it.

*Oh no I don't think he wants to take me to Ahjusshi and Ahjumma* You began to tug your hand out of his and began to scream. Startled, he picked you up and began to run. You screamed louder and louder *Please someone help me, someone please. I don’t want him to hurt me* You thrashed your legs in the hope that he would let you go. You plead and plead, screamed and screamed. He and his friends threw you in the room and locked it. 

"You must be hot, let Oppa take your clothes off to make you cooler." He came closer with a disgusting smile, and all you could do is cry and scream muffled with his friends hands restraining you from moving. He began to move his hands closer and closer. He took off your jacket, and you just fell silent. Nothing could save you, no one could save you. *Someone please* You closed your eyes, pressing them together as hard as you could. You passed out the moment he took off your socks. 

The door was kicked down. All of the teenage boys turned around. And there he was your  savior.  The devil himself. Jung. Dae. Hyun.

"Get your hands from my prey." He growled menacingly. He took steps slowly towards the teens. "I'll give you 5 seconds." 

"HAH what are you going to do? What are you 5?" The teens snickered and high fived their lanky leader. 

"2 things.  1, I'm 10. and 2 it doesn't matter what my age, just know that I'm still going to kick your ." he smirked. "Oh and one more thing: it's been 5 seconds." with that he took a couple quick steps and beat those teenagers within minutes.  Next thing you know, all of them are on the floor and the so called "leader" had left as quick as Daehyun came. He was sweating and huffing and puffing quickly, but still he had enough energy to come pick you up and rush you outside the building to the main entrance where his parents were waiting. 

Daehyun

*Why do you make me worry for you so much, Binnie* he thought as he checked the still unconscious you on his back. "Sigh, what my angel did to deserve this" he mumbled and began sprinting faster with the energy he had left.  

You began to regain consciousness, and found yourself on Daehyun's lap, in the car. *Omo, what am I doing on his lap? What wait what happened?* You tried to search through your memory, then you remembered the haunted house, the teenagers, the time when you gave up.  You would never forget this, it left a very deep impression on you, a scar on your heart. 

But wait how did you escape. *Was it Daehyun? Him? Stopping boys double his age?* You shook your head and Daehyun woke up. You then closed your eyes and pretended to be asleep for the rest of the ride. 

When you arrived "home", Daehyun immediately picked you up and rushed inside the house to lay you down. You, however finally "woke up" and stood up from the bed and tried to find Daehyun. But he was in his room, the door locked. "Sheesh, why is he so mysterious" you wondered and shuffled to your room, to return to a deep slumber. 

At dawn, Daehyun woke up and wanted to check how you were, he opened the door and it slightly creaked, he then saw his "angel" and then saw you twisting and turning with beads of sweat falling from your head. You began to mumble "Please come, please help me someone." you turned more and repeated it over and over again. 

Daehyun

*Oh no please it's not too late right, she'll forget right?* Worried that yesterday’s events were already engraved and would never be forgotten, he came next to your bed and tried to comfort you. He took your hand, and tried to calm you down while you were asleep. "Shh, Binnie it's okay  Daehyun is right here, nothing will happen to you, nothing." he whispered. You grasped his hand tighter and finally calmed down. Daehyun stayed there all the way from dawn till the morning.

You finally woke up, only to find Daehyun right next to you, and your hand in his. *Omo, he's not a ert right?* You began to think of all the possibilities , tried to wake him up, and attempted to tug your hand out of his. But his grasp grew stronger and mumbled in his sleep. " Don't worry I will never let you go again, I will protect you."

 You wondered what he was spouting out, and the suddenly you realized how close he was. Your heart rate grew and your face reddened. But you decided to let it go, and tried to sleep. Because you knew no matter if Jung Daehyun was a jerk, a devil, immature; he would really protect you, and would never let you down.

Together you slept till late in the morning, hand in hand, perfect together. 

---

After that summer you were never the same. For a whole year, you had developed a fear of boys, the only one you trusted was Daehyun. He gave you a sense of security, while the others gave you a sense of fear. When Daehyun came up to you being a jerk, his usual self you could act like you always did, with other boys , you spun the other direction and left as quick as you could. Just something. Something about the devilish, immature Daehyun just said “I won’t hurt you”.

Boys scared you. You would run in fear, you would cry, you would never be the same. Boys were going to hurt you- that’s all you thought. Boys equaled pain. Boys were fear. Boys were beasts.

 But through all the meanness, pranks, taunting, teasing, for a whole year you still liked Daehyun. As if every day, your love for him grew, and grew. But as quick as  it came, the year had ended. This was goodbye.

You packed stuff, said your goodbyes to the Jung’s, and began to walk downstairs, reminiscing all the memories. Suddenly you remembered, your bear. You turned around and saw Daehyun holding it. *Oh god not this again*

“YAH DAEHYUN GIVE IT TO ME.” You put your box of things on the top of the stairs and came rushing upstairs to get it from Daehyun.

“Aw, Binnie, what happened to loving this thing? You almost forgot it.” He tauntingly  said as he was examining it and throwing it up and down. *Well, he’s never going to change.*

“Yah,  Daehyun, I’m leaving just give it back already and I’ll get out of your sight.” You said as you tried to reach the bear. Daehyun stopping putting the bear higher, and suddenly his eyes grew emotionless. You saw your chance, snatched the bear, and raced downstairs; leaving the daydreaming Daehyun all alone.

Daehyun

*She’s right, she’s leaving.* he looked down at his hands. “No, no this isn’t goodbye, my little angel will come back. Right?” He looked up again, then realized- he didn’t even say goodbye.  He ran down the stairs, and heard the door open already. “Bye, Ahjumma and you too Ahjusshi.” You said as you began to hug them, and thank them for taking care of you. *No, wait, don’t leave yet Binnie. Where’s my goodbye* Daehyun sprinted to the door, but you were starting to go outside.

*This is goodbye* You rubbed the door frame about to leave when abruptly someone yanked you from the door and pulled you into a hug. It was Daehyun, his warm and homey chest. You didn’t think it was nasty anymore, no more cooties, just him and his warm, love-filled hug. You actually liked it.

“Yah, you punk.” He heard him say in your ear. “You didn’t even say goodbye.” Yeah you guys quarreled, but sometimes it seemed it the feelings you had for him, they were mutual. Just sometimes.

“Uh, well goodbye then?” you tried to sound as if you could careless, when your heart could beg to differ. Racing. He finally let you go, and he didn’t look as dramatic as before, he just gave you his signature goody smiles and pushed you out the house.

*Sheesh what was that about* you picked up your suitcase, and began rolling it to your parents who had been waiting. “Umma, appa my stuff is here” you said waiting for someone to put it in the car for you.

“Finally, Binnie what took you so long.” Your mom nagged teasingly. You just gave her a smile and started to retreat into the car. “Wait, Binnie what’s on your back” your mom pointed as she put your suitcase in the car.

*Huh, what?* you began to reach for your back and felt something there. You pulled it off and the note said. “L O S E R-yours truly Daehyun” You began to get mad, realizing he only “hugged” you for a trick. Mutual feeling all right. You crumbled up the note, and saw Daehyun at his window. You gave him the “L” sign, and went inside the car. Chuckling you wondered *When is the devil ever going to grow up?* Your car began to go out of the driveway, and you were on the street.  That is when you left.

Daehyun

“Binnie is gone, she’s gone now.” He whispered for him and his heart to listen to. That hug was real, the note was an excuse, his feelings were real, and his pranks weren’t.

Hope. That was all he could do. He hoped for you to forget that day and to be a normal girl not afraid of boys, he hoped that one day his angel could call him your “Oppa”, he hoped for you to come back one day, and say “Daehyun, I’ve missed you”. That day, and all the days after that, Daehyun had always thought of you. His one and only- angel.