It’s late, almost midnight and you’re still awake. You look at the full moon shining through your window. You check the clock as it reads 11:23 PM. You quietly slip out of your bed sheets and quickly tip-toe your way across the room. You slowly turn the door knob making sure to not make any sounds. The dark halls of the orphanage are quiet. Unlike the normal sounds of children laughing and running around during the day, the entire house is calm and peaceful. You’ve been at this orphanage since you were a baby. You’re 5 years old now and you are hoping every day that you’ll be adopted. You quickly run down the stairs to meet your best friend. Hakyeon is waiting for you in the living room with his hands behind his back. You smile brightly as you approach him.

“Soomin-ah, pick a hand.” Hakyeon cheerfully says. You think hard on which hand you want to pick. You point to his right hand. He giggles and reveals his right hand empty.

“Left!” you quickly say. He gives you a flower made from pipe cleaners and tissue paper. You accept it with a big smile and give him a big hug.

“Thank you so much, I love it!” you say with a muffled voice as your face is pressed up against his shirt.

When he lets you go, he grabs your hand and leads you to the corner of the living room. He opens a drawer on the end table next to the couch. He pulls out something wrapped in paper towel. He walks back to where you are and gives you the gift. You carefully unwrap it and a smile forms on your face. In your hand, you hold 2 chocolate chip cookies.

“How did you get these?” you ask as you stare at the delicious looking cookies.

“I snuck them when no one was looking, don’t tell anyone okay.” He smiles.

“Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone.” You say as you give one cookie to him.

“No, it’s okay. They’re your cookies, you should eat them.”

“I know, but I want to share with you.” Hakyeon smiles and accepts the cookie because he knows you’re too stubborn to argue with.

“Hold on, wait here.” He says as he turns and walks away. You hear noises coming from the kitchen and watch him come back with a small glass of milk in his hand. You both sit down and eat your cookies and share the milk together. After you two eat, you talk for a bit while Hakyeon draws.

“Do you ever think we’ll get adopted?” you ask as you watch him draw.

“Yes, if we keep believing that we will then someone will for sure adopt us.” He says with a cheerful voice.

“Really?” you ask in a quiet voice. Hakyeon stops drawing and looks up at you.

“Of course!” he says. A big smile forms on your face as he returns to his drawing. After a few more minutes Hakyeon finishes his drawing and sits up to admire it. He then looks at the clock to watch it turn from 11:59 to 12:00. He hands you the paper as he starts singing the Happy Birthday song to you.

Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you. Happy Birthday dear Minnie. Happy Birthday to you!

You look at the paper that has a cute drawing of a mouse with the words “Happy 6^th Birthday Minnie” written in colorful colors with lots of stars and hearts all over. You’re grinning from ear to ear and you feel tears coming to your eyes.

“Ahh, don’t cry Minnie.” Hakyeon says as he wraps his arms around you. You start to cry uncontrollably.

“Oh no, my Minnie Mouse is crying.” Hakyeon says jokingly as he pats your back. You say something but it’s muffled from you crying. After you stop and wipe your tears away with the back of your hand, you look at him and hold out your pinky finger. He looks at it with a confused look on your face.

“Hakyeon-ah, promise we’ll always be there for each other, even if we get separated.” You say in between sniffs. Hakyeon smiles and links his pinky with yours.

“I promise.”

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-5 Years Later-

You sit in your room hugging your pillow. You knew this day would come and you promised yourself you wouldn’t cry. A soft knock is heard on your door and you quickly bury your face in your pillow and roll over on your bed to face the wall. Someone walks into the room and sits on your bed.

“Minnie…” Hakyeon’s voice is quiet. He gently touches your shoulder and you flinch.

“Don’t cry Minnie.” You slowly roll back over and look at your best friend. You see sadness in his eyes and give him a hug.

“You can’t forget about your promise.” You say with a cracked voice. You hug him tightly and wished you could never let go.

“Don’t worry, I won’t. And don’t think you won’t get adopted. You will find great parents that will love you, just don’t give up Minnie. You’re the only person I know that no matter what happens, never gives up.” You let him go and he wipes your tears away.

“I’ll come back for you. We’ll be together again living happy lives.” You show him your pinky finger.

“Promise?” He joins pinkies with you and smiles.

“I promise.”