Namsoon didn't understand why they had to move from Pocheon.  He liked it there.  Even though he didn't have any friends there at least it was familiar.  At least he knew who to avoid and where to hide. 

It's funny if you look at it from the grown-ups' perspective.  Here was a kid who could pass for an 8-year old because of his height, and yet he was meek and subservient to those shorter than him.  Well, they maybe shorter but they certainly had more than their share of viciousness.

Namsoon didn't know how it started.  He doesn't remember what he did to make the other kids dislike him.  He wondered if they picked on him because of his clumsiness or because he was too tall or because his face was too small or because his neck was too long.  Maybe it was all of the above.  He didn't know.  They weren't really specific.  All he knew was that he usually becomes a laughingstock in school at least once a week.

But Namsoon has learned to deal with it.  Just like how he has learned to deal with everything else in his life.  Yes, he's only six but if you've been ignored often enough then you eventually learn to stop seeking attention -- whether in school or at home. 

Namsoon doesn't blame anyone though.  Not even his parents.  It's not that his parents don't love him.  Namsoon knows they do.  But Namsoon's never been part of their inner circle.  Namsoon always felt he's on the fringes of that circle.  It had only gotten worse lately, when his mother had to make frequent visits to the hospital.

But what's done is done.  He's lives in Suwon now.  Fortunately, Namsoon found sanctuary in the park near his house.  It was huge!  It had these paths for jogging and cycling.  It also had a playground.  And there was this huge field in the middle, which was often empty.  Not many people go to the park around noontime because it was too hot.  That's the time Namsoon always goes.  It was perfect timing actually because his mother always goes to sleep around that same time, leaving him free to do what he wished.

Namsoon always brings his Robot Taekwon V with him to the park.  It was his most prized possession.  His father bought him that toy on his fourth birthday, when his father still smiled a lot and when his mother wasn't sick yet.

Namsoon had perfected the art of playing alone.  He's so good at it now that he often loses himself in his imaginary world, where evil Dr. Kaff does everything he can to rule the world but Robot Taekwon V always saves the day.

"Oh no!  We are under attack by Dr. Kaff's forces of evil!  Save us!  Somebody save us!" Namsoon cried imitating a feminine voice. 

"What's that?  There!  It's Robot Taekwon V!  Hooray!" Namsoon took on a lower voice.

"Dr. Kaff!  Surrender before I kick your ugly !" Namsoon said, this time trying to imitate Robot Taekwon V's computer-generated voice.

"Never!  I will never surrender!  Arrgghhh!" Namsoon copied Dr. Kaff's maniacal voice. 

"Wow!  You have a Robot Taekwon V!" an envious voice interrupted Namsoon's monologue.

Startled, Namsoon looked up.  He froze when he saw the voice belonged to a boy, who looked older than him.  The boy was certainly tall.  Namsoon carefully schooled his face into a blank expression.

The boy sat down on the grass uninvited, invading Namsoon's space.  Namsoon needs a bigger personal space than most kids.  But the boy seemed oblivious or chose to ignore Namsoon's discomfort and just continued talking.  "Man, I've asked my mom about a hundred times to buy me a Robot Taekwon V but she keeps refusing.  She says action figures are bad.  But my sister told me we don't have the money to buy one so I stopped asking.  I still wish I have one though." 

The boy talked in a friendly manner.  Then he sighed as he looked at Namsoon's toy.  Namsoon didn't know what possessed him to push his toy over to the boy.  Perhaps he took pity on the boy who looked close to salivating over his Robot Taekwon V.  Perhaps it was just a prey's instinct to deflect attention from his predator by providing a peace offering.  Namsoon's not sure really.  But he purposely didn't look at the boy in case he judged him wrongly.

His gesture was met with glee though.  Namsoon could hear the smile in the boy's voice when he asked, "I can touch it?"  Namsoon nodded and immediately received a grateful reply.  "Whoa!  Thanks!" 

Namsoon watched the ball the boy was holding roll a few inches away when the boy let it go. 

"Wow!" The boy exclaimed again. 

Namsoon smiled inside, he could relate to the boy's fawning over the action figure.  Robot Taekwon V is simply awesome!

"You like soccer?" the boy asked unexpectedly.

Namsoon didn't know what to say so he just shrugged.  Namsoon never played soccer before so he didn't know whether he liked it or not.

"You can play with my ball too, if you want," the boy offered.

Namsoon stared at the discarded soccer ball.  Play?  Um... not really?  What if the boy is using that as an excuse to distract him and run away with his Robot Taekwon V?  No!  He needs to stand guard and be ready to fight in case the boy had something underhanded planned.  So Namsoon just took the ball and placed it on his lap. 

The boy sure took time admiring his toy, Namsoon thought nervously.  But suddenly, Robot Taekwon V was back in Namsoon's hands.  Namsoon was silently relieved.  He gave the ball back to the boy as well.  Namsoon thought the boy would finally leave but he didn't.  Instead, the boy continued talking to him.

"I haven't seen you around here before.  Do you live near?"

Namsoon nodded, pointing to the west before he could think clearly.  Why did I do that? Namsoon mentally berated himself.  His mom and dad had told him before not to share personal information to strangers.

"Really?  I live over there too!" the boy told Namsoon, pointing to the same side.

Huh!  Namsoon was surprised.  The boy's parents apparently didn't warn their son about the dangers of oversharing.

"You must be new here if you don't like soccer that much.  Everybody here is pretty crazy about it.  If you stay here long enough, it won't be long until you'll be crazy about it, too!" the boy chattered on, before he stood up.

Oh, the boy is finally going to leave, Namsoon guessed.  Nobody really stays long enough to talk to Namsoon.  The boy wasn't an exception, Namsoon thought.

"Hey!  Wanna play soccer with me?  It's getting boring playing by myself," the boy asked Namsoon, who was startled by the unexpected question. 

Namsoon wasn't in his right mind.  That was the only explanation he could think of why he was about to stand up and actually play with another boy.  But before that became a reality, another voice interrupted them.

"Heungsoo-ya!  Mom wants you back home!"

"Aish!" the boy exclaimed, sounding like an old person.  "I'm sorry, I have to go," the boy said apologetically to Namsoon.  "Hey!  How about tomorrow?  Are you going to be here tomorrow?"

Namsoon nodded in a daze.

"Great!  See you tomorrow!" the boy waved to Namsoon before taking off.

Namsoon stared at the figure of the boy getting smaller and smaller until it disappeared at a corner.  Did that just happen?  Someone actually want to meet up with him tomorrow to play?  He must be dreaming.

Dream or not, Namsoon had nowhere to go other than the park.  So he sat under the same tree as yesterday.  A few minutes later, he saw the boy coming towards him.  Guess he's not a figment of his imagination after all, Namsoon thought.

"My name is Park Heungsoo," the boy said when he sat down.

Namsoon stared at the boy's outstretch hand.  He shook it gingerly, still unable to believe.  This boy actually wants to be friends with him!  After Namsoon gave his name, the boy... wait... Heungsoo was itching to play.  Namsoon really didn't know soccer but how bad could it be?  It's just running and kicking, right?

Thirty minutes later, Namsoon felt like dying.  He was reminded why he had come to like playing alone.  Playing alone was never exhausting like this.  But it wasn't fun like this either.  Heungsoo kept smiling and laughing while playing.  Heungsoo sure liked soccer a lot.

"I'm going to be a soccer player when I grow up," Heungsoo said.

You don't say!  The remark was on the tip of Namsoon's tongue but he didn't say it.  Instead, he turned his head and gave Heungsoo a tentative smile.  Namsoon wasn't so suspicious of Heungsoo now.  Perhaps... they really could be friends.

It was Namsoon's first day of school.  He's been dreading this.  He really enjoyed playing with Heungsoo at the park.  He wished he could do that all day, every day.  But his mother insisted that his father enroll him in kindergarten.  It was his last year.  Next year, he's going to start the first grade.

The teacher ushered him inside the classroom.  Namsoon felt like he was dropped into a jungle full of wild animals.  He lowered his gaze.  He wanted to attend school quietly.  Namsoon hoped his demeanor showed that.  But his hopes came crashing down when a familiar voice loudly called out and offered him a seat.

Namsoon had wished he wouldn't be in the same class as Heungsoo.  He didn't want Heungsoo to change.  Namsoon was sure Heungsoo would when the rest of the class eventually picks on him.  All his former friends did.  Just when Namsoon thought he'd made a friend, he loses him to school.

Namsoon avoided Heungsoo throughout the class even though he could feel Heungsoo glancing his way repeatedly.  But when school ended, Heungsoo simply took his hand and dragged him out of the classroom before he could refuse going home together with him.

As Heungsoo held his hand as they walked and continued chattering away, Namsoon's earlier misgivings slowly dissipated.  So what if Heungsoo will eventually walk away from him?  Namsoon decided he'll just enjoy being friends with Heungsoo until then.  He was tired of being alone in school as well.  When the time comes... he'll just deal with it like he's always had.

When they reached an intersection, Namsoon found out that they'd be going separate ways.

"My house is over there," Heungsoo said pointing to the right.

"Mine's there," Namsoon gestured to the street in front of them.

Namsoon could hear the disappointment in Heungsoo's voice and he could see it in Heungsoo's gaze before he turned and walked away.  When he gets home, he'll definitely ask his mother if he could go over to Heungsoo's house after school.

Then Namsoon realized that he's been so caught up with his own thoughts he never paused to think what Heungsoo might be thinking or feeling.  Ever since he met Heungsoo, the other boy had done nothing but do the unexpected... which was actually good because Namsoon was expecting bad things.

Everything Heungsoo had done up to this point was to welcome Namsoon in his circle.  It was Namsoon that had been acting like numbskull... not smiling back and hardly sharing anything.  No wonder he doesn't have friends who stay long. 

Namsoon turned around and saw Heungsoo still at the intersection.  Someday, Namsoon thought, he's going to warn Heungsoo not to get attached too easily.  For now, he's going to make an effort to be more responsive.  Namsoon started by slowly raising his arm and waving at Heungsoo a little uncertainly. 

Even from a distance, Namsoon could see Heungsoo's blinding grin.  The idiot, Namsoon said under his breath fondly.

It wasn't easy for Namsoon open up.  He was just too guarded.  But he eventually did under Heungsoo's constant attention.  But when Namsoon capitulated, he was like a parched patch of land greedily soaking up the water flooding through it.  Heungsoo was like a cool spring that never stopped flowing over a sponge-like earth. 

Namsoon went over to Heungsoo's house numerous times over the past several months that his mother became worried it was too much.  But she didn't say anything to Namsoon.  She just reminded him to study and do well in school.  She said Namsoon needs a good foundation so he can eventually graduate high school when he's older.

When Heungsoo invited him for his 7th birthday, Namsoon wracked his brain as to what to give as a gift.  He can't ask his mother or his father for money.  He knew money was tight.  He doesn't have any coins in his piggy bank, having spent them a long time ago. 

Namsoon looked around his tiny bedroom for inspiration until his gaze landed on his Robot Taekwon V.  He didn't even hesitate.  There was no need to weigh things.  He knew Heungsoo liked the toy and Namsoon's going to give it to him.  He didn't need to lose himself in an imaginary world.  Reality isn't so bad nowadays.  Namsoon didn't need Robot Taekwon V anymore.  He had Heungsoo.

###