8 years old, Best Friends Forever.

It was the first time Yoon Doojoon met Yang Yoseob.

“My name is Yang Yoseob. Yo for light and Seob for fire,” Yoseob smiled and Doojoon chortled a little – who in their right mind would introduce themselves that way – “Please take care of me,” Yoseob bowed down politely in front of the whole class.

Indifferent applause was heard, but that was before Yoseob sprung back up with the brightest grin and shiniest eyes Doojoon had ever seen in his whole life. Well, apparently it was not just Doojoon – there was a soft but distinct “ooohh” across the classroom and suddenly the whole class lit up and they cheered boisterously as Yoseob walked down the lane to his designated seat.

Doojoon laughed and thought that Yang Yoseob was fairly interesting and he should talk to Yang Yoseob during break time. But when Doojoon came over to greet Yoseob during break time, the younger was too busy scribbling on his notebook to realize a shadow looming over him.

“Hello there.”

Yoseob looked up from his really important scribbling activity and blinked his big round eyes a few times in confusion. He bowed slightly after gauging that this boy with almond-shaped eyes should be older than him, “Hello.”

Doojoon grinned at him playfully, “They are right. You are tiny.”

Yoseob was quiet, trying to digest the meaning behind Doojoon’s remark. After a while he scowled, “I’m eight.” His short eyebrows drew together and his small button nose wrinkled up, trying to make an angry face but absolutely unsuccessful in conveying his burning anger towards Doojoon.

Doojoon laughed heartily, especially at the expression, “Well, we all are,” he gestured to the other students inside the class, “but you are tiny for your age.”

Yoseob was annoyed and Doojoon knew it. The older boy did not intend to, but he genuinely found the younger to be rather amusing. Yoseob pulled his head down and continued his really important scribbling activity on his notebook as he grumbled softly to himself, “But eomma says I’m not short, I’m fun-sized. And people like fun-sized things just like Snickers and ……”

That was the last word Doojoon heard when he fell back, clutching his stomach because he laughed too hard, laughed too much and Yang Yoseob was just too funny because – “Are you okay?” Doojoon saw a worried Yoseob when the older boy fell down on his because of Yoseob’s ridiculousness.

He picked himself up and offered his right hand for a handshake “Yoon Doojoon. Let’s be best friends forever.”

Yoseob looked at the hand in bewilderment (he kind of looked offended too), alternating between the hand and Doojoon’s grinning face, and the hand again and the grinning face again. And then Yoseob shook his head, “No, I don’t wanna be friends with you.” He retreated to his seat and grabbed his pencil, “Not today.”

Doojoon nodded thoughtfully, “Okay, tomorrow then,” he paused and asked in uncertainty, “Let’s be friends tomorrow?”

Yoseob hummed an approval softly and grinned happily at Doojoon (and it was the same bright grin Doojoon saw earlier during the younger’s bizarre self-introduction) before going back to his really important scribbling activity.  

“I’ll wait for you tomorrow,” Doojoon stretched out his hand and pet Yoseob’s head softly, “And let’s be best friends forever.” Yoseob nodded, hand still busy scribbling, not even sparing a last glance at Doojoon, “Hmm, Doojoonie. Bye.”

So Doojoon found himself waiting for Yoseob at the school gate the next morning.

It was not as if Yoseob was the most beautiful boy in the whole world that Doojoon had ever laid eyes on, or if he had the most dazzling smile, or if he was the nicest boy Doojoon had even known, or the smartest, or the funniest or – and the list goes on. But Yoseob was the tiniest eight-years-old boy with the biggest eyes, smallest face, and brightest grin that Doojoon had ever seen; and he felt this really strong protective instinct towards the small bundle of joy which was currently walking hand in hand with his kind-looking mother towards the school entrance.

And Doojoon had one-sidedly decided for them that they would be best friends forever.

“Yoseobie!!” Doojoon shouted and waved his hand frantically, hoping for Yoseob to wave back, or at least smile back at him. But Yoseob’s face did not change; well it kind of did change a little when Yoseob frowned upon seeing Doojoon’s ridiculous action.

The mother – Mrs. Yang – on the other hand, was such a nice and friendly lady and Doojoon took an instant liking towards her. When she saw Doojoon waving, she smiled and jogged a little, dragging poor Yoseob along (and Yoseob had to run just to match her big strides). Her smile was warm and inviting and Doojoon felt at ease with her (it was the same smile Yoseob had); and Doojoon liked her even more when she bent down to match his height and offered her hand for a handshake. Doojoon loved handshakes.

“Doojoonie?” Doojoon nodded excitedly, “Wow you are really big and strong!” She smiled warmly to Doojoon, “Hello Doojoonah, I am Yoseob’s eomma.” Doojoon accepted her hand in his own small palm with a firm grip. He bowed politely and greeted Yoseob’s mother with the manners that had been instilled in him since young. She chuckled a little, “Aigoo, you are so polite. No wonder Yoseob really likes you.”

Doojoon’s smile broadened into a grin as she handed over Yoseob’s hand (which was securely covered by his mom in a hold) to Doojoon. “He has been continuously talking about you since yesterday. I think he really likes you.” Doojoon took over Yoseob’s hand and enveloped it with his own. He looked up to Yoseob’s mother, a satisfied grin on his face.

“You will take good care of Yoseobie, right Doojoonie?”

Doojoon nodded, tightening his hold on Yoseob’s hand, “Of course! We are best friends forever,” he looked to Yoseob (the younger’s head was down, eyes looking to the ground, hands busy fiddling with the second button of his coat), “right, Yoseobah?”

Yoseob nodded.

Doojoon grinned.

And that was the start of a beautifully complicated friendship between Yoon Doojoon and Yang Yoseob.