FIVE

He was five when he met Jung Soojung, much too young to understand the concept of romantic love.

The only love he knew then were the dainty kisses placed on the top of his head from his mother, and the cuddles from his father.

However, the moment Jongin laid eyes on Soojung, he felt something similar, familiar to home.

She felt like home - she smelt of sweet cream and she smiled like mama.

''I'm Jongin.'' he held out a hand for the pretty little girl. The girl hesitates at the sudden sight of his hand ,

''Soojung.''

Her face lacked expression which Jongin interpreted as him being bothersome.

''You're new here in this place?''

Jongin was fairly up to date when it came to the area he lived in. They lived in a rough neighbourhood, lined with flats. There were empty bottles littered on the floor, chocolate bar wrappers that flew in the wind and sometimes, the faint smell of something Jongin figured was pee-pee.

She didn't look too happy to have moved into such a place and Jongin hadn't blamed her for it. He also hadn't blamed her reluctance to shake his hand or have him touch her. What else was a small kid like her to do but see nothing but filth and assume the occupants were of the same caliber. Most people avoided him and his family for similar reasons.

''I don't like this place.''

She was blunt and Jongin had blinked in surprise. Most people whispered about Kim Jongin's home.

''I know it's not nice smelling...but I'll take care of you.''

They began to play a game of hopscotch. On the ground in front of his flat were white lines scribbled with chalk.

After a while of tripping, grazing knees and Jongin blowing breath on her injured knee, Soojung began to cry.

Jongin asked her what the matter was and she explained between sobs, ''mama is getting married to someone else. She don't love daddy any more.''

Jongin hadn't known how to answer. His parents were still married. He thought it was a shame that people 'unmarried'. Mama told him marriage was forever. A lifetime commitment.

''If I ever marry, I will never unmarry...especially if it's with you!''

Soojung had every right to be giving strange looks towards the young boy. It was out-of-the-blue.

He didn't understand what marrying entailed - for him, marrying was being with someone forever. He figured, at the time, marrying was promising to take care of someone forever. Jongin promised to take care of Soojung for the rest of his life. Soojung was also five and had not understood what he meant , but she smiled. Her smile was the kind of smile that once it made it's appearance, it took your breath away.

Her tears eventually evaporated.

Jongin made a vow to himself that whenever Soojung was sad, he would tell her happy things.

If that was what it took to see her smile like that again.