chapter one; {zhang yixing}

Nervously, Miyoung shifted from one foot to the other. She heard chatter all around her, people blabbering in Mandarin. To Miyoung, it sounded like a random slew of sounds, only a few words distinguishable to her six-year-old ears. How was she expected to do well in a new country, with a new language, and new people? She was already shy; perhaps she'd just, stay away from others and hope someone would approach her first, preferably with some Korean knowledge.

Puffing her cheeks out, Miyoung hugged her Pooh Bear plushie tight to her chest. She stood in the front of the room, in front of a class full of boys and girls a year older than her; she had skipped a grade back in Korea. Swallowing nervously, she hid half her face behind the yellow bear. The teacher said something in Mandarin, then looked at her expectantly. She blinked back, confused. With a sigh, the teacher pointed to an empty seat. Nodding to show she understood, she walked over to the chair.

There were whispers and giggles as they stared at her. One girl even scoffed at her plushie. Miyoung bit her lip, wanting nothing more than to just go home where everyone spoke a language she understood. A soft voice called out to her, and it took the small girl a few moments to realize the voice was calling her name. "Miyoung," they said again.

She blinked and looked at the boy to her right, tilting her head. The boy smiled, a dimple in his left cheek visible despite his chubby cheeks. "Yixing," he said, pointing to himself. "Miyoung," he said, pointing to her. Miyoung smiled and nodded, showing she understood what he meant. Yixing smiled wider, the dimple deepening adorably.

Miyoung smiled widely, her hold tightening on her plushie. "Yixing," she repeated, and he nodded happily. Then he pointed to her plushie. "Winnie the Pooh," he said, then gave a thumbs-up, nodding.

That was the start of their friendship; Yixing finding a way to communicate to her using simple words and gestures. Eventually, she started picking up on Mandarin, along with weekly sessions with a tutor at school to help her. Within a year and a half, she was speaking quite well, though she couldn't read much.

* * * * *

"Meixing~" Yixing called playfully as he sat next to her on the grass. He was ten, and she was nine. Not long after Miyoung had moved to China and befriended Yixing, he'd given her a Chinese name, hoping others would find her easier to talk to. Meixing.

"Xing Xing," she replied with a smile, looking up at him for a moment before looking back down at her book. "What's up?" He shook his head and smiled crookedly. "Nothing. I just missed you."

"Such a sweet talker," she said, shaking her head with a soft smile. Yixing laughed and shrugged. "Isn't that why you're friends with me? For the free compliments?"

"Of course not. I'm friends with you because you're the nicest person I know." She smiled softly and nodded.

Yixing rolled his eyes, pulling her up to her feet. "I'm also the only one you talk to in China besides teachers and your parents."

Miyoung blinked. "That's true." She smiled, shrugging and holding Yixing's hand. "So where are we going today?" she asked. "Skydiving? Bungee jumping? Hunting for tigers?"

Yixing chuckled, rolling his eyes. "I was thinking something like going to get ice cream. It's beautiful outside today." He looked around, closing his eyes and enjoying the warm breeze.

"Mm. Ice cream it is~" Miyoung squeezed Yixing's hand, dragging him down the hill, towards the sidewalk.

When they got to the ice cream shop, they tilted their heads at the menu. "What flavor, Piglet?" Yixing asked, glancing sideways at her. Piglet. Another nickname, derived from their mutual childhood obsession with Winnie the Pooh. Miyoung was Piglet, due to her shy nature. And Yixing was Pooh, due to his wise, friendly personality.

"What do you think?" she asked, giving him a look. It wasn't like she ordrered anything other than her favorite flavor.

Yixing nodded and ordered for her. "One medium mint chocolate chip cone, and..." He hummed, trying to decide what he wanted. "One medium chocolate cone, please." He smiled, paying for them both. Miyoung had long given up on convincing Yixing to let her pay. Even though they were both very young, and neither of them had very much money for themselves, Yixing would always pay for her ice cream.

"Thank you, Pooh Bear," Miyoung said with a happy smile, her ice cream. Yixing nodded, taking her hand again and walking outside. "Eat fast, or the sun will melt it," Yixing advised, using his lips to take a large section off the top of his ice cream.

Miyoung nodded, swinging their hands and her ice cream. "I bet it's impossible to get brain freeze in this heat anyway," she said with a one-shouldered shrug. 

"I beg to differ," he said, making a face. "I just got brainfreeze." Miyoung blinked, then laughed, continuing to eat happily.

* * * * *

"Happy birthday Piglet," Yixing whispered, handing her a box wrapped in pink paper, a lighter pink bow on top.

"Happy birthday Pooh Bear," she whispered back, giving him a purple box.

Yixing was turning eleven, and Miyoung was turning ten. Yes, they had the same birthday, and found out on their first birthday knowing each other.

Miyoung smiled, looking down at her box. They were hidden away in Yixing's covers, the blankets propped up, a flashlight resting on the bed. "And what did you get me?"

"You'll have to see for yourself. What did you get me?" He grinned, beginning to untie the bow around his box, Miyoung following suit.

Yixing picked opened the box and smiled when he pulled out a framed picture of Pooh Bear and Piglet walking up a path, footprints behind them. He chuckled. "I take it you drew this, Piglet?" She nodded, smiling. "Do you like it?"

Yixing nodded, hugging her. "I love it. Open yours now."

Miyoung nodded, opening the box and taking out a small statue that was wrapped in it. She blinked, biting her lip. It was actually a tiny music box, a ballerina dancing to the music when you opened it. "Xing Xing," she complained. "You weren't supposed to get me something to nice."

"But you're going to be a ballerina one day," he argued. "You better become famous, alright?"

"You have to be a dancer too," she said. "And a singer. Then I want free tickets to your concert." Miyoung stuck her tongue out.

Yixing shook his head and rolled his eyes. "So childish. How about we work together as a duet? Artists as a part-time job? We both like to draw." Miyoung nodded in agreement, hugging Yixing's waist tightly.

They hid their presents away, laying down next to each other in bed, one of Miyoung's legs thrown over Yixing's. "Hey Meixing," Yixing murmured softly, playing with her hands as they stared up at the stars they had painted on the ceiling with glow-in-the-dark paint.

"Hm?" she hummed in response, her eyes growing heavy.

"We've always been together," he continued. "Do you think we always will be?"

Miyoung chuckled tiredly. "Of course. What is Piglet without Pooh Bear? Just a shy, cowardly little baby pig."

"So do you think we could...I don't know, get married one day?" Yixing smiled at the thought, not knowing how serious he was being.

"Yeah," Miyoung said. "We have to--" she broke off with a yawn, "--stay together. Forever. We can get married, and stay happy together...forever."

He nodded, tilting his head. "So...since we're getting married...is it okay if I kiss you?" Pausing, he waited for Miyoung's response. There was none. Confused, he looked at her, only to smile affectionately to see she was asleep. "And you call me a silly old bear," he whispered. "Goodnight, Piglet. Sweet dreams." Leaning over, he kissed her cheek, hugged her close.

Softly, he whispered to her. "You know something Piglet? I think we dream so we don't have to be apart for so long. If we're in each other's dreams, we can be together all the time."