Jongdae is the oldest student in their third grade class- about ten months older than Sehun, the youngest.

He has a soft voice and even softer eyes, which he uses to stare at the faded navy carpeting, fidgeting with his fingers, while the teacher introduces him to the class.

"Jongdae moved from Daegu, and he's nine years old. You're going to be sitting next to Sehun in the front. Sehun, raise your hand please."

In the weeks that follow, Sehun and Jongdae become best friends and the younger boy realizes that nothing about Jongdae is soft at all. The quiet air about him was all due to nervousness at being around so many new people, and it dissolves quickly. Loud, brave, and an abundance of laughter, Kim Jongdae is going to change Sehun's life in more ways than one.

"Oh my god, look at them."

Sehun stifles a snicker by biting his bottom lip hard. Jongdae grins and continues whispering into his best friend's ear.

"Jongin's probably going to do a mating dance again. When will he realize that Soojung only has eyes for Choi Minho?" Jongdae sighs dramatically and clasps his hands together, fluttering his eyelashes. "Love life at SM High is so complicated. Too bad Minho isn't interested in vag-"

Sehun smacks Jongdae on the arm. "Shut up, hyung, they might hear us. I don't want Yixing to beat you up again for talking about his friends."

Jongdae makes a face and takes a bite out of his sandwich. "The 's true, though. We could probably make a TV show with all the rumors that circulate around the popular crowd." He his head and smirks when he sees Jongin attempting to krump his love to Soojung, who stares at him in disgust. The girl spits into Jongin's face and flounces away. Jongin's shoulders droop sadly as his friends pat him on the back, most likely badmouthing Soojung for not wanting to date the most popular guy in school.

What a crazy , they would say. You're too good for her, Jongin. Soojung doesn't know what she's missing out on. You can do so much better.

Jongdae turns back to his best friend. "They're the emptiest people I've ever seen," he comments.

Sehun witnesses Jongin performing body waves in front of another girl not twenty feet away from Soojung, and he can't help but agree.

Jongdae starts avoiding him a week later.

He makes absurd excuses ("I accidentally set Ms. Lee's desk on fire so I have to stay in after-school detention everyday for the next three months, haha, I know right, crazy."), never answers Sehun's texts, and runs the other way whenever they catch eyes.

Sehun is confused and scared and frustrated and he didn't expect their friendship to end for no reason at all.

"What's the matter with you?" he demands, tugging on Jongdae's shirt collar, forcing the boy to stop unless he wants to choke to death. The hallways are empty and everyone is going home, not wanting to stay at school any longer than they have to.

"What are you talking about?" Jongdae mumbles, refusing to meet Sehun's eyes.

The younger boy squints at him. "Do you think I'm blind? You're ignoring me, Jongdae. Why?"

Jongdae gulps and stares down at the tops of his grey Converse.

"I swear to god, Jongdae, if you don't answer-"

"I'm gay," his best friend blurts out.

Sehun blinks. Well.

Jongdae twists his fingers in the hem of his shirt and speaks rapidly. "You like girls and being gay isn't really accepted and I thought you wouldn't want to associate yourself with me anymore. If people see us talking then your reputation could be ruined. I don't want that to happen to you."

There's a long silence and Jongdae's eyes are starting to water when Sehun sighs.

"Don't be dumb, Jongdae. I'm always going to be here for you. Hell, you could be ually attracted to paper plates and I'd still be your best friend."

The older boy grins. "Really?"

Sehun nods. "Really. And it's not like anyone is going to find out that you're gay, Jongdae."

But somehow, people do, and the entire student body mocks them. Sehun and Jongdae come home everyday with matching bruises on their arms.

"!" Jongin screams, closing in on Sehun during lunch break. "Kim Jongdae is a ! And as far as we know, you're one, too."

Painful as it is for him, it's hardest on Jongdae. Sehun knows for a fact that his best friend cries himself to sleep every night. But it gets better.

Teachers begin sending kids to detention and there is a whole assembly on bullying and its consequences. They still get beat up once in a while but the scratches heal. Now the only people who openly sneer at Jongdae are Jongin's crew.

"," Yixing hisses, but Jongdae ignores him. He has Sehun, and that's what matters most.

A/N: now you've gotten introduced to this story. this prologue will probably come in handy later in the story, but if you skip it then whatever, man. first chapter will be up probably tomorrow.