Age 7

Today, Jongin is walking home feeling super happy.  He feels like a big boy--like he grew up a lot more even though he isn't much older today than he was yesterday.  There's a smile on his face and a jump in his step.  Like a train that's just been oiled and running perfectly.  

Somehow, there's a new feeling.  

Young In is walking slowly behind him.  She isn't smiling and she doesn't have a jump in her step.  She looks almost angry.  Jongin assumes it's because she's tired from a long day at school.  So he walks a little faster, hoping that Young In's mother will have something to eat when they get home.

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Young In's mother opens the door for them and Jongin comes into the house, still grinning.  He drops his backpack by the front door and takes off his shoes quickly.  

"Someone looks especially cheerful today," Young In's mother says.  "How are you?"

Young In hangs up her jacket.

"I made a new friend today," Jongin says.  "He likes to dance.  Just like me."

"Really, now?" Young In's mother says as she takes both of them into the kitchen.  "What's his name?"

"Sehun."

"Sounds like you had a good day," Young In's mother says as she takes out a bowl of fruit from the refrigerator.  She hands Young In a fork.  She hands Jongin a fork.

"Be careful," she says as Jongin climbs into one of the chairs at the dining table.  He sticks his fork into a strawberry that's sliced in half.  He's so glad that Young In's mother remembered that he likes his fruit cut up.

"And how was your day, hun?"

Young In pops a grape into as Mother kisses her on the forehead.  "It was okay."

"Anything new?"

"No."

Young In shakes her head when she answers even though she doesn't have to.  She could have just said no but she feels like she needs to shake her head to make a point.

Young In's mother smiles and goes back to the pantry to look for things to make dinner.  Jongin smiles too before he finishes his fruit and leaves to start on his homework.

Young In doesn't smile.  She just eats her fruit and pretends that nothing new happened today at school.  

But then she remembered that today at school, Jongin ate lunch with a new person.  Today at school, Jongin sat at a different table for reading time.  Today at school, Jongin played with someone else at recess.  Today, Jongin sat with someone else on the bus on the way home.  

Today, Jongin says that he has a new friend.  A friend who likes to dance just like him.  

Young In didn't know that Jongin liked to dance, but she bet that this new friend who makes him look so happy--did.

16:00 pm

A/N: Sorry for not mentioning this in advance, but the time here is written using the 24 hour clock. That won't be horribly confusing, right?