Children Au, animal cruelty 

Rated: Sad 

Reader discretion is advised.

Choi Youngjae and Im Jaebum have been best friends since Elementary school. Their mothers weren’t birthing buddies or anything. They met in the first grade when JB was being bullied. Can you believe it? Big bad JB being picked on? Well, back then he was a crybaby. He still is, but that is besides the point. It was a bright chilly day where the sun was shining yet not an ounce of warmth could be felt and when you exhaled your breaths would fog up the air.

The other children were insulting him and pushing him around, “You sissy! Why would you tell the teacher on us?”

“B-But Mr. Hamster didn’t do anything wrong! Why did you hurt him?!” JB was in tears and had snot running which he stemmed with his long sleeved sweater.

The leaves shushed each other from up above almost like nosy adults eavesdropping.

“We weren’t! We were only playing with him, you dummy!”

“Then how do you explaining poking him with sticks? Why would you cut his hair? I also saw you throw pebbles from your seat when the teacher isn’t looking.”

Youngjae was standing from a distance listening to their conversation. He still remembers the sound of rocks clanging against the metal cage. His desk was right next to the class pet. He always tried to tell Miss, but she was a bit deaf in the ear. One time, the side of his face got nicked by a flying object. One of the girls had decided to throw a pencil.

Being the youngest out of three, his parents fussed about him. They inquired about the gash on his precious cute face. Of course, he lied. He said that a squirrel fell from a tree making a branch snap which scratched him. His parents didn’t really believe him, but they didn’t pester him further.

Then he heard a thud. They had made Jaebum fall! It made him angry because Jaebum was innocent. Big fat drops of tears slid down Jaebum's face and he wailed with his mouth open. Youngjae rode in on his heelys like the cool kid he was.

“Yah, what are you doing?” he threw his hands out, shielding Jaebum. He had been learning from cartoons and the afternoon dramas he and his mom watched together.

“We’re teaching him a lesson!”

“My hyung told me snitches get stitches.”

“He’s just being a crybaby!”

“Well, at least he has feelings!” Youngjae retorted.

“Feelings are for losers.”

“Then you guys are robots.” Youngjae gritted his teeth.

“That’s fine with me! They’re awesome anyway.”

Youngjae gave a small smirk, “Well, they always die. The heroes are the main and they’re the winners.”

The children didn’t know what to say about that. One of them felt so indignant they started crying and went for the teacher.

“Oh no! Let’s go!” and they all ran away.

Later Miss came out with red eyes. Her chin trembled as she said, “Mr. Hamster has passed away.”

Suddenly a wave of emotion took over Youngjae and he was sobbing really ugly. All of Jaebum’s efforts were wasted. He glanced at Jaebum. Surprisingly, he wasn’t crying anymore.

Jaebum walked over to him, “Hey Youngjae, look at me.”  He made a silly face with his teeth sticking out.

“I’m a hamster.”

“You look like a beaver,” Youngjae smiled sadly.

Jaebum stretched the sides of Youngjae’s cheeks, “Beavers are better anyway.”

Youngjae giggled and squished Jaebum’s face in return.

“Boys! Now's the time not be playing!” Miss’s voice cracked and went up a pitch.

“Sorry Miss!” Jaebum replied.

Youngjae sighed, “Sorry Mr. Hamster. Sir, I'm sorry.”