C H A P T E R - O N E

Don't walk in front of me, I may not follow.
Don't walk behind me, I may not lead.
Just walk beside me and be my friend.

- Albert Camus

1 장

"Jaejoong, we're here now. are you prepared?" asked his father, Kim Taekyung, as they sat in their parked car just in front of Jaejoong's new school. the 8 yr old boy looked up to his father's smiling face and the excitement he had been keeping since they left home burst out just like an opened dam and he smiled like a simpleton.

"Yes Daddy. I am not only prepared I am so excited..." he told his father as he looked out and watch some kids his own age being dropped off by their own fathers and mothers in school.

"Look Daddy, I am like them now. they have the same bag as me and same clothes as well..." the little boy continued telling his father as he observed the clothes he has on was the same uniform as the rest of kids going to school.

the little boy named jaejoong started bouncing at the passengers seat beside his father quite delighted with the new sight he was seeing and quite excited with thoughts of the new experience he was going to have. After being home schooled from the age of 4 until just last year, the prospect of a classroom, classmates, playing games with other kids and making friends was like finding hidden treasure for the first time.

Kim taekyung looked and smiled at the happy expression that was playing in his son's face. and he was rest assured that his decision to get jaejoong a proper education at school was the right decicion despite his wife's protest and desires that was against his own.

"Daddy look there are swings and slides just like in the TV. and look that teacher looks like the one in the drama that mommy watches. and look there kids playing football..." jaejoong said while pointing at the things that had much delighted him, as he was seeing him up close for the first time.

HIs father chuckled at his amazement and said, "well i guess its time to go in now."

his son looked at him and smiled his usual bright smile that never seems to fade, "really dad, can i really go to school here..?" jaejoong asked with uncertainty

he smiled to comfort his son's worried expression, "yup, your mom already agreed... well even though she was reluctant she did agree but just remember what we talked about. you do remember right...?"

Jaejoong nodded with much force & emphasis and while saying, "yes dad... i'll recite the rules in going to school. number one, always listen to the teachers..." he was holding one finger up

"number 2, always study all lesson diligently and always become the number one..." jaejoong said while a second finger was raised out

"number three and the most important rule, protect my fingers at all times... did i get that right dad..?" asked jaejoong

His father smiled at him and patted his head, "yes you got it all right. so come on go to class now before you get yourself late... and remember protect your fingers cause you wont become the greatest pianist if you hurt them..."

Jaejoong immediately did as his father said, got out of the car and started running towards the schools entrance. when he was a few feet away JaeJoong turned around to face his father's directiona and bowed and waved to his father while saying, " Bye dad... see you later..."

he turned around again and wandered around the grounds of the school mimicking the walk that his new classmates where doing and following where his new schoolmate were going.

he looked at the paper that can be read as 'Grade 1 section A Room 103' and below it was lso written 'homeroom teacher: Oh Sangyun' and the schedule of classes written more below.

he walked following the flow of the kids his own age walking, he then passed by a 6 kids that were bigger than him with back turned against him. he stared at them curiously as they stood over at  the mini wall while looking over it. and they were chuckling like little weasels. he was curious at what they were looking at that was making them laugh like that.

he walked to where they were and tapped the tallest guy who said in a rough voice, "shhh..? dont disturb me..."

he continued to tap his shoulder, his curiousity not abating, "what... chunhee quit tapping at me..."

another kid a little shorter than him then answered, "what are you saying hyung, i am not touching you..."

"hey you little twirp who do you think your talking to, lying like that.." the guy that he continually taps at the shoulder said. he looked like he was 3 grades higher than him.

sensing that he needs to make his presence known to the kids cause based from the movies and Tv series he has seen it was a way to make friends he continuosly tapped his shoulder and now shouted, "hyung-nim its not him its me...'

upon shouting that he heard girls voices screaming from just beyond the half tall wall saying, "Ahhhhhhh erts...!!!!"

"help....... erts..." the girls screamed as the 6 boys turned around and scramble to run away from where they were standing. Jaejoong suddenly experienced feeling what can only be discribed as a spider sense like of danger. and he followed the 6 boys into running until they reached the back part of the school where tall trees seem to posses.

when they stopped, he stopped also and fell over the ground while taking deep breaths, feeling out of breath from all the running he wasnt used to doing.

when he looked at the 6 kids after getting a grip of his lugs and now being able to breath more properly, he noticed that they were all standing around him and heard one say, " hyung its the guy that blew everything..."

he looked at the biggest guy, who the others clearly regard as the eldest and the leader and greeted him, "hello hyung-nim, my name is Kim Jaejoong. please take care of me.."

he bowed and smiled at himself, quite proud of himslef to have done the whole introduction to stranger and gaining friends routine was executed perfectly by him like how it is in the movies.

but when he looked up, the 5 guys chuckled like there was no tomorrow, "kyubin, did you hear what the little guy ther just said.."

the shortest of the kids answered, "yeah hyung, i think this little guy is dillusional.."

his smile slowly faded, experiencing the same spider sense like feeling of danger again. he backed up, getting scared and worried at the big guy walking toward him.

he then thought, 'ahhh dont tell me they ae not friends but are really bullies...?'

he continued to back up but was stopped when he bumped into another person who was saying, "hyung i think he was the one that got us busted..."

"yeah i think so too hyung..." said another guy who he recalled was called chunhee

with panic starting to get posses of him, he tried to pacify the leader, "ahhh actually i just joined you cause i wanted to be friends..."

the leader chuckled, "friends..? why? do we look like a friendship club...?"

"dont you know me..?" he continued

he shook his head forcefully.

"tsk, you must be new here, cause you are so ignorant little boy", said another boy.

"hyung i think we have a new toy this year.." said the guy who was holding him

"yup, i guess you are right.." and he chuckled. jaejoong sensed like he was the villains that he has watched in the mobies and TV series.

he started to plead his case when with out much of a warning he felt a blew that targetted his stomach came like a bomb. pain that he has never felt before exploded in his stomach.

and just like the first blew, he was still not yet prepared for the next punch that was delivered to his side. and teh next 5 more punched delivered to his chest, to his temple, to his right shoulder and left leg and nose were more unexpected than painful.

as the pain gets numb, he couldnt help but remember the promise and rules that his father had given him, 'one, always listen to the teachers. 2, always study all lesson diligently & be no 1. and lastly protect my fingers at all times...'

with some sanity coming over him all he could do was plead, "please not my hands..."

"hyung did you hear that, he even had the gal to ask us not to touch his hands..." chunhee said

they all chuckled, "this little guy is really insane, asking not his hands from me..."

he saw how the leader's hand raise up and started to descend targeting his hand which they have placed at the side of the sakura tree. he said, "keep his hand still" as abother guy held his haand to the tree

"no, please not my hand... just not my hands..." he pleaded as his life seemed to fade before his eyes. he saw his dream to become a concer pianist fade, his dream of having a concert in New York shatter and his goal to being named the greatest pianist of all time gone.

but before the bullies hand break his, the guy seemed to have been thrown to the side. with his blurring vision due to pain he saw another boy come and fight with the bullies. he was amazed at how fast and strong the boy who seemed to be as old as him.

he threw the leader who was the biggest and the meanest os them all to the bushes. he then punched each one of the kids until all of them fell to the ground groaning in pain.

he forgot about breathing and all he focused on was how the boy moved like lighting.

the boy started to leave the 6 fallen bodies and him behind, walking his own way. he stood up and tried to call him, but then he knew it was rude to just call his savior with 'hey'. since he didnt know his name he ended up shouting, "chingu...!!!"

but he got NO answer. so silently he followed him as he walked to the side of the school where a pavilion is located with some little girls playing. he ignored the pain, knowing that if he dwelled on it, he would eaily loss the boy who saved him.

the students scrambled inside the classroom as the bell rang louder than his alarm clock signaling everyone of the first class.

he remembered that it was his first day, with out looking back he joined the other students in running while thinking, 'ahhh i'm going to see him later, i cant be late for the first class...'

'ohh where is room 103..?' he thought.

and as he turned right in the hallway he saw his room and knocked, the teacher callled and said, "oh are you the new student...?"

he nodded and looked at the new and smiling faces of the new classmates he was going to have. "well come in and introduce yourself to everyone..."

he walked to the center of the classroom and bowed. he felt a little pain all over his body with that simple movement. he introduced himself as, "hello my name is Kim JaeJoong, mannaseo banGawoyo." (Nice to meet you)

he added, "let us all be friends...."

but he ignored it knowing the rules, 'no fighting in school..' based from the movies he had seen. and fighting ins cshool would most likely be breaking one of he and his dad's promise and rule.

when he looked up. the teacher said again, "ah class, actually we have 2 new students in our class.."

he looked at his side and was surprised to see the boy that saved him was also inside the classroom standing almost a couple of feet away from him...

"please introduce youself.." said the teacher, directing it to the boy who saved him.

he waited for the boy to answer and when he finally did it was to say, "My name is kim hyun joong..."