"I'm moving."

Those two words seemed to crumble Jongin's world apart.

Here he was, standing in front of his best friend Jung Soojung after school, after she'd mysteriously told him to meet her at the old playground where the used to play together. He thought she was going to announce something like she got a boyfriend but she needed Jongin to judge him or something like that because hey, it could happen!

But apparently, she was going to say those two dreaded words. Moving... her? His one, and only best friend.

Although Jongin couldn't say that he had no idea she was going to move. Recently, whenever he'd come over to her house in order to play video games together or watch a movie Soojung begged him to watch with her, Soojung's parents seemed to have been more distant. And the items in Soojung's house slowly disappeared one by one, but whenever he asked, she would only answer with a shrug, or saying something like her parents were going to renovate their home.

However, he was smart.

And he had a feeling that Soojung was going to move, because Soojung's house was already good enough to not renovate, and items couldn't mysteriously vanish in the air. This wasn't the Harry Potter universe where you could just go put out a magical, limitless bag in order to hide items for fun - although he couldn't really understand why people would hide stuff for fun. There was no logic in that.

"When," His question sounded more like a statement as he looked at Soojung with a hardened stare. The other flinched, although she still answered.

"Next week," Was her answer, and it was enough to make him feel even more hopeless than before. "Jongin, I just found out about this yesterday. My dad got re-stationed at his old post in California, and my parents had a huge fight about it," She started to explain, looking at him with a look that said she was sorry. "My mom wanted me to stay here and continue my education - she also didn't want me to leave my friends," She paused. "But my dad said that if we don't move, we won't have any money anymore."

He couldn't say that he was angry at Soojung. Nope. Jongin was disappointed, yes. And hurt in so many more ways than just one, but he knew it wasn't Soojung's fault that she had to move. If anyone was to blame, it was the one who stationed her dad in a place, far away from where she was now. "I'm going to really miss you," He spoke out quietly, and turned to look at the ground.

Soojung forced a small smile - it was difficult as her eyes were getting teary at the thought of having to leave her best friend. Jongin was her first friend, and although they had their fights, at the end they always stayed together. It was a friendship that neither of them wanted to end. "I'm going to miss you too," She whispered. "Maybe a lot more than you think."

It was quiet for a few moments, with the friends looking at the ground as they thought about what it would be like without the other. Soojung knew that the States was more, cliquey, than Korea. That's why she was nervous. She was nervous that she wasn't going to get accepted in the general crowd by her new soon-to-be schoolmates and she was afraid that she'd be bullied. If Jongin was going to be there, she knew that she'd be a lot calmer because at least she would have someone who'd protect her.

For Jongin, it was as difficult. He had a difficult time making friends, and he knew that. His personality was quiet and reserved - sometimes, he even gave off an intimidating aura that made it difficult to approach him. Being friends with Soojung had made him open up his shell and he started being happier and more open to people. With her gone, he was afraid that he would go back into his shell and become the old Jongin. The one before Soojung came and made him better. Besides, Jongin only had one best friend and one close friend. Soojung and Sehun - who was currently also caring about his new friends more rather than how he cared about Jongin.

"I don't want to go," Soojung choked out, feeling her eyes getting blurry. Jongin pulled her into a small hug. It was a small action, but it was all that was needed to have Soojung sobbing on her best friend's shoulders, letting the tears and her sadness reveal. Her shoulders shook and Jongin could feel his clothes getting wet, but he didn't care. Best friends were supposed to be there for each other, no matter what happened.

They stayed like that for a while until slowly, Soojung pulled out from the embrace and wiped her tears with her sleeves, and then tried to smile at Jongin. It came out more like a grimace.

"We still have a week," She said, although her voice was still shaking.

A week to spend with each other - a week before the other would be gone, for who-knows-long.

Jongin nodded, determination showing in his dark eyes. "We'll make the best of it Soojung."

We always have.

Their one week together was spent generously. They always sat next to each other in class, and always stuck to each other like glue. Their classmates had always thought they were dating - in which Soojung would always blush and yell out a "NO!" and Jongin would put an arm over her shoulder and acted all lovey-dovey. It was fun. It took their mind off the cruel reality of getting seperated.

After school, they'd do their homework together, with Jongin occasionally cheating from Soojung's hoomework. And when they played, they sometimes played soccer - something in which Soojung  at and Jongin always won, or they always played Monopoly, in which Soojung was somehow a master of the game for some reason.

Occasionally, the pair would watch movies together in the cinemas or have small movie nights at Jongin's house before Soojung would get picked up by her mother. They'd watch classic Disney movies, and at the end of the night Jongin would always watch Soojung grin and tell him about how she wanted to become a princess, just one day. Or marry a prince. It was the side of her that Jongin liked the most - the side where she was happy, and she didn't care about what other people thought. She became quriky - although maybe a little delusional at times, because it was rather impossible for her to marry a prince.

"What do you mean, I can't marry a prince?" Soojung had raised her voice and her popcorn threateningly, about to dump it over Jongin's head.

"I mean, you're... okay looking - " Jongin started, and immediately started talking again after seeing Soojung's deadly glare. "But princes only marry princesses! And we're not royalty."

"Well," Soojung would snort and turn her back on him. "At least princes aren't jerks like you," She mumbled, although Jongin grinned becuase once again, seeing her get flustered and all mad was funny. She looked... cute to say the least, and Jongin had a strange addiction to pushing Soojung's buttons.

Their last day together was spent at their playground.

They would play with each other like when they were kids, in which Jongin would push Soojung on the slides, and then in return, Soojung would always push Jongin down on the sand and then cackle like a maniac.

Of course, they'd get stared at because they weren't exactly "kids" anymore, and all the children around them stared at them weirdly because of how childish they were acting.

But neither of them cared, because it was with the other.

And besides, it wasn't as if they could create memories like these anytime soon. Not anymore.

The day Soojung left, Jongin had forced his parents to let him go to the airport in order to see his best friend for one last time, at least, the last time until they met again.

In the morning, Jongin was quiet during the ride to the airport, with Soojung sitting next to him. His parents had agreed to let him go with Soojung, however, they were following Soojung's car behind so they could meet each other at the airport. In the end, they gained some sympathy for their son, who was going to part with his best friend since forever.

"Could you pass me the notebook?" Soojung's small voice piped up, and looked at Jongin with a kind smile.

Jongin reached for the notebook put on the corner of the car carelessly, and gave it to her. "You should take care of your belongings."

"Whatever," She rolled her eyes before she started writing.

Curiosity got the better of him as Jongin tried to peek, but whenever he would, Soojung would immediately snap the notebook close. "Don't look, Jongin. This is personal," She warned, and would say the same thing whenever Jongin would try to peek, yet again.

When they'd arrived at the airport, Soojung hopped off the car with her usual grace meanwhile Jongin got off the car like a sloth. He didn't understand why Soojung was so jumpy. It was the day they were going to leave each other. It couldn't be that she actually wanted to get rid of him . . . right?

"Help me get the bags!" Soojung shouted, and Jongin ran towards her, and scanned her suitcase.

It was pink, and hell was it frilly. He raised an eyebrow. "I never knew you liked these stuff."

"I don't," She hissed. "But it's the only suitcase I have, so I have no other choice. Obviously," She shrugged and Jongin looked at her for another second before grabbing the frilly suitcase and carried it on his right hand. He was getting some stares obviously, for carrying a frilly, girly bag like that, but he didn't care. It was for someone that he cared about.

The two got inside the airport, following behind Soojung's parents who were checking the family's travel documents. Jongin felt very out of place in the family, because even though Soojung kept making small conversations with him, her parents had yet greeted him besides this morning when they seemed surprise he was coming with them. He didn't really mind that much though.

"I'll send you letters everrrryday!" Soojung slurred out with a wide grin on her face.

Jongin raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure? The delivery usually takes more time - "

"Shut up, don't burst my bubble!" She whined and Jongin chuckled, before ruffling her hair.

The two would often do some skinship with each other, but they never really thought about it much. They thought of the other as brother and sister, after all. "Of course, your majesty Jung Soojung," He spoke so seriously, that Soojung couldn't help but giggle.

He knew that she was sad. Whenever Soojung was sad, she'd act all bubbly and happy in order to hide it. Whenever Soojung was happy, she was never this excited. She'd usually just have a small grin on her face - that was it. But Jongin didn't want to burst her bubble, as she'd said earlier. It was better to keep quiet rather than to make them both feeling sadder. 

"You'll send me letters right?" Soojung looked at him curiously.

"Of course," He nodded. "Not everyday, though."

"Why not?" She pouted. "It's easy. Just write a letter, and bam!"

"It's more complex than that," He rolled his eyes, and she rolled her eyes as well. "So, you're really going to leave."

It was another statement, rather than a question.

"Yes," Soojung answered. "I am," Although the answer was short, Jongin could see that she'd answered it with pain in her eyes. "I don't want to leave, Jongin. I really don't."

"Doesn't take a genius to figure that out," He chuckled. "We'll stay friends though. Just like our promise," He gave a genuine smile - not a lazy smirk, like how he usually gave her.

Soojung nodded, determined. "I won't replace you with anyone I meet in the States. Even if they end up being more interested than you," She grinned at the last part and Jongin rolled her eyes.

When her parents told her it was time to go, Soojung spared a last look at Jongin. This time, Jongin could clearly see the sadness she was trying her best to hide with a smile. Knowing her, she'd probably cry it all out later once she'd gotten on the plane.

She crossed her arms together, and looked at Jongin, giving him a small, sad smile. "I guess this is it."

"Yeah," Jongin answered, although his throat seemed drier than before. "This is it."

They were quiet again. 

At least . . .

Until Soojung ran towards him and then hugged him with all her force.

With the same force, Jongin hugged her back, clutching to her as if his life depended on it.

Neither of them wanted to let go, as they both stayed like that for a while, enjoying the other's presence as it would be the last time that they would meet for a long while.

After a few minutes though, Soojung let go slowly, and when Jongin looked at her again, her eyes were getting red. 

"Don't cry. I know you're stronger than that," Jongin said. "Where's the Soojung that kicked Joonmyeon when he got all pompous at the underclassmen? Where's the Soojung who debated the teachers and won?" He encouraged.

"She's locked away," Was Soojung's blunt reply. It wasn't because she wanted to be blunt - it was because she was finding it more difficult to speak without choking out the words. "I... I'll really misss you," She said genuinely, and then took out the notebook she wrote on earlier. She gave the book to Jongin with a sincere smile. "This is for you. Think of it as my goodbye gift."

Appreciatively, Jongin took the notebook and nodded at her. "I don't have anything fancy for you... But I made sure to get this too," He took out a small bracelet that he'd hidden in his jeans all day. It was silver, with the letter 'S' on it. It was for Soojung. "I have one too, of course. But I'm not wearing it at the moment," He chuckled awkwardly and gave it to the teary eyed Soojung.

"Thank you, Jongin. For everything," They were quiet. And then Soojung made the first move by turning on her heel and started to walk to the directions where her parents go, and after a few moments, she stopped in her tracks to look at Jongin for one last time, with a sad smile. 

That was the last time Jongin was Soojung, for the few years to come.

AUTHORS NOTE

Hi everyone! Hope you guys enjoyed the first chapter. It's really long... although it has a lot of KaiStal scenes. Right now they're just friends. But the last parts weren't really... just friends lol. But yeah. I hope you guys like the characterization I made for them, and if you guys enjoyed the chapter and want more (I hope you do!) please hit the subsribe button! ;DDD Eheheh. Commenting's also very loved.

Curious to see what Krystal wrote for Kai in the notebook? Well, you'll have to wait for the future chapters for that! /so evil. not.

So, bye for now! < 3