Chapter 2

Chung Jae saw Sun Ho from afar and scurried to his new friend in an instant. He did not even bid a farewell to his father who was dumbfounded by his son’s sudden rush. Well, when he saw him running to the small boy beside the playground, he just smiled and walked away without a word. Chung Jae would not have noticed him leaving anyways.

The whole afternoon Chung Jae had told about Sun Ho to his parents. The slightly younger boy had had the same problem as Chung Jae had had.

No one had noticed him in the class before.

Sun Ho was different, commented Chung Jae in his mind as he hugged his friend and made him feel flustered. Eventually the smaller one hugged him back and enjoyed the feeling of having a friend who actually treated him like one and didn’t lie or use him or push him to the ground when there was mud after a rain. Sun Ho hadn’t had a friend like that ever.

“Sun Ho ya,” Chung Jae grinned.

“Chung Jae…” Sun Ho said.

“Let’ go play!” Chung Jae reached his hand and wrapped it around Sun Ho’s, pulling him towards the playground at the back.

There was finally someone for Chung Jae to play with and forget the misery of being in a new place for almost an entire day. Had there even been a day for Chung Jae where he had been that excited to be apart from his father and stepmother? There hadn’t.

“Ok!” Sun Ho finally smiled and plodded behind the other boy.

                ~~OO~~

At the lunchtime the two shared their meals, since Chung Jae still didn’t have a proper meal but just a chocolate bar, and talked about things they would do after school, if Chung Jae’s dad let him come over. For the first time Chung Jae wanted someone to come into his house and share his toys with. He did have a little sister, but she was too small to do anything.

“Ch…Chung Jae…” Sun Ho stuttered after finishing the lunchbox with his friend. “D…do you…?”

Chung Jae turned to look at the slightly younger boy and blinked his eyes confused, before a smile appeared to the cute face and Sun Ho had difficulties to go on. He even blushed, the chubby cheeks pink and glossy, as Chung Jae grabbed his hand and held it.

“What is it?” Chung Jae asked.

Sun Ho was breathing heavily, possibly trying not to cry, as he closed his eyes, squeezed his mouth shut and turned even darker shade of pink.

“Do…do you…”

Chung Jae put some food in his mouth and chewed silently next to the other boy, who kept staring at him and having a mental breakdown. Chung Jae could not read minds, Sun Ho knew that, but he would have needed some aid from the boy right now. If only Chung Jae hadn’t been that dumb.

“Doyouwanttobemybestfriend!?” Sun Ho almost screamed in one breath.

The other boy had only heard one word clearly, as he swallowed the food deadly fast, took a bottle of water and gulped down the liquid.

“Be…best…friend?” He stammered.

Sun Ho thought that reaction meant rejection and he just shook his head and laughed awkwardly, “Eh…I just…I just thought—“

A foolish grin crept onto Chung Jae’s face as he flushed and just whispered, “I’d love to be your best friend.”

                ~~OO~~

The shovel went into the sand