During most lunchtimes, Suzy would spend it with Myungsoo, his new sister, Soojung, Eunji and then some of Myungsoo’s new friends. He was quite a popular fellow, despite his quiet demeanour, and his tendency to have sarcastic remarks. Plus, he engaged himself in books and picked up the guitar (which Hongbin was also fond of when he discovered Myungsoo’s passion). One thing was clear, and that was that Suzy and Myungsoo spent less and less time in the orphanage.

    Suzy admitted that she sorely missed Hongbin and Jongin. It was not the same without them. There was no way that anyone could outshine Hongbin’s sunny personality, and nobody made her laugh as did Jongin. They kept in touch via letters, especially Myungsoo, since his new family abhorred the mention of the orphanage. Poor Mr. Kitty- would roam the empty gardens to search for the Moon, that one kid who was most like him, but the cat met empty dead-ends.

    Myungsoo was becoming too popular for school. He was attracting fanclubs, and by the time he would reach High School, he would become a star, an idealistic figure for the young and the old.

From Myungsoo to Jongin and Hongbin:

How are you both? It’s been awhile, and I’m sorry for not spending more time with you. I admit that I miss the times we went exploring for treasure. I’m sorry I missed your eighth birthday, Jongin, and your ninth, Hongbin.

Don’t think I’ve forgotten that we’re still friends. As for Suzy, she is getting on great at school. I want the two of you to study well so that we could all end up in the same college. I would try to come down to the orphanage more, but my family is always busy.

Stay in touch,

Myugsoo.

Suzy read the letter. She was with Hongbin and Jongin that day, after handing them the cards to her eighth birthday. Mr. Kitty- was sleeping in his little basket by the old oak tree. The winter was coming early that year, and it was so cold coming into September.

    “So Myungsoo has no time for us anymore?” Jongin scrunched his nose. “That’s ridiculous! It’s like he doesn’t care anymore.”

        “Well, he has a family now,” said Hongbin, scratching his chin. “It’s different when you have a family. Right, Suzy?”

Suzy sniffled, feeling the heat creeping up her neck. She would often find her mother staring out of the window at times, and sometimes, she would come with Suzy to the orphanage to talk to Hongbin. However, the notion of adopting him was never brought up again. She did not know if Hongbin ever forgot about the day she argued with him. Such a thought left her embarrassed.

    “He’s coming to my birthday. I want to introduce you guys to my friends.”

“Could we bring Kyungsoo and Chanyeol?”

    Suzy perked a brow. “Who?”

“Kyungsoo and Chanyeol,” repeated Jongin.

    “They’re our friends. We play cricket and soccer together,” said Hongbin.

“They’re nicer than Myungsoo,” added Jongin, not hiding the bitterness when he uttered his forgotten friend’s name. “At least they didn’t abandon us.”

    “Myungsoo never abandoned us,” said Hongbin, gasping in shock. “He’s just too busy.”

“Guess he has his priorities.” Jongin spat at his feet. “Who needs him anyways. So can I bring Kyungsoo and Chanyeol?”

    Suzy did not understand why the thought of Myungsoo’s absence hurt her. Perhaps the time they spent together at school filled in the loneliness that Jongin and Hongbin must have felt. Without the Moon, there was nothing to pull their tides, and link together their gravitational magnitudes.

“But I don’t know