"Please treat me kindly." Hansol says, his voice was squeaky and high pitched. He sounded like a stuttering, nervous puppy. He never found himself to be good in social situations, he couldn't handle kindergarten grade so his mother decided to  homeschool him for about a year, and when his she could no longer afford the books, lunches and time to teach Hansol like that she absolutely had no choice but to send him to a public school. 

He stood, fidgeting with the hem of his shirt. The classroom was silent, all eyeing him, passing prejudgments. A voice spoke up, a girl absentmindedly sprouted. ".. Hey. Why is his voice so squeaky? It's higher than mine." , which was completely true. Hansol clenched his teeth in humiliation, feeling as if he were going to burst out crying. He already wanted to be home.

 

"Iseul, let's save the comments.." The teacher said with a stern frown, before looking down at her clipboard. She flipped to her seating chart, and directed Hansol to his new seat. Hansol's eyes followed to where the teacher pointed, eyes fixing on a small table he shared with a boy with dark hair, and deep chocolate eyes. The boy was staring at him, dead in the eyes. A grin appeared on the boy's face as he signaled Hansol to come over. 

 

Hansol couldn't have been any more hesitant  about it, but he approached the desk and took his seat. He eyed the boy, managing to nod and smile back . 

 

".. I'm Kim Hansol."

 

The boys eyes seemed to light up. "I know. I'm Kim Byungjoo." He says, nodding back to him. "By the way, I like your voice. I don't think it's squeaky." 

 

.. Byungjoo.  

 

".. thank you." Hansol smiled a bit larger. Immediately, he felt so much better. Just those few words made him feel not as isolated as he initially was. 

 

"You're welcome." Byungjoo replied, before facing forward. He began to listen to the teacher, who was currently teaching her class about the color wheel and the few most important pigments it contained . Deeper in the lesson, Hansol felt a breath against his ear, then the whisper of Byungjoo. 

 

"Let's sit together at lunch, yea?"

 

 

~

 

 

Through the rest of the school year, Byungjoo and Hansol became reliant on each other. Though Byungjoo was very loved and adored by most of the other students, he never left Hansol out of anything, who never really got the better end of the stick. Students found Hansol odd. They found his interests, his ability to learn better and the way he dressed exotic, which caused the young students to often ignore or degrade him. Hansol didn't really care much, though, when he was beside his friend he felt invincible. He wasn't shy of anything when Byungjoo was there to make him laugh. They quickly became content with each other. 

 

Hansol experienced his first real, and most harsh bully encounter he'd ever had the first few days he started 7th grade. He'd been punched, kicked, insulted, manipulated and humiliated. What made it more traumatizing was that the school didn't really do anything about it though his mother had called with several complaints. The kids mocked him and tormented him. The only person that kept him going each day was his best friend, Byungjoo. He was always there. 

Always. 

He couldn't recall a time when Bjoo didn't say anything to the people who bullied him. Hansol appreciated having Byungjoo in his life. He let him know that, too. Everyday Hansol thanked him, Byungjoo took them all to heart too. 

 

 

~

 

"Ehh.. Maybe .. It's the way I dress? Maybe I should ask my mom to take me shopping." Hansol sighed while examining himself in the mirror hanging off the door to Bjoo's bedroom. 

 

Bjoo looked up from the video game he was currently trying to figure out, standing with a frown on his face.

He walked behind Hansol, wrapping arms around the slightly shorter, raven haired males waist. Hansol felt the others chin resting on his shoulder, cheeks becoming a bright shade of pink. ".. Uh.. What do you think?" Hansol asks awkwardly, eyes darting around the room .

 

Byungjoo just smiled. "I like the way you dress. It's unique." He mused softly.

 

".. No one likes unique."

 

"I do."

 

"Beside you, then." Hansol snorted, shaking himself out of the others grip, just to face him and wrap his arms around Bjoo's neck instead. They shared a few silent smiles, before Hansol was brought back onto Byungjoo's big bed, laying flat on his back a few inches from the brunette.

 

Another minute of silence passed, before Hansol spoke up, rolling on his side to face the other. ".. I'm curious.. Why, in all honesty, do you still stick with me? I feel like an embarrassment most of the time." Hansol questioned and confessed probably for the hundredth time., only because he truly felt unworthy of Bjoo's company.

 

Byungjoo only let out a sigh. ".. Feels like you ask me this every day lately." He mumbled, rolling onto his side to lock eyes with the other. No matter how many times Hansol asked, Byungjoo was ready to respond positively. It's not like he always said the same things, either. Every time, he was so honest and sincere. It made Hansol feel so cherished and wanted, he loved it.

 

".. You complete me. You're the answer, you know? I actually enjoy myself with you. I don't have to set an example. I could be a good-for-nothing piece of guy, and I know you'd still be there for me. I don't feel that security with anyone else, you know? I know I need to treasure you." Byungjoo says easily, whilst smiling through it all. 

 

Hansol blinks lightly, cheeks probably turning brighter than before. ".. Aigo. You're too much." He joked, with a grin on his face. They shared more comfortable silence together, until Hansol realized Byungjoo began to nod off to a comfortable sleep. Hansol scooted closer, pecking the others cheek while he was unconscious. ".. I'll always treasure you."