When Jongin accepted the fact that he’s not going back to Seoul anytime soon, time passed in a blink of eye. Maybe it’s also because he’s already in the third grade and his days were full with studying, working on his homework, reviewing materials, and practicing dancing alone in his room whenever he had the time.

Through those days, whenever Jongin stopped and turned around, Bomi was always there with her bright smile, falling into steps with him.

The two got the ‘best friends’ label easily, almost inseparable with the fact that they’re neighbors and also classmates. Sehun was also in the group, of course. The whole school knew about the three of them, but since he’s in a year below, mostly it was Jongin and Bomi. Every time Jongin caught Sehun scowling at him, he wondered if that’s just Sehun daydreaming or if that’s Sehun showing his dislike toward Jongin for forcing him to share Bomi with him.

Jongin didn’t ask, but he bought the kid some video games. Figured he’s going to be lonelier when the exam weeks came and Bomi wouldn’t be there for him – even though he had other friends, Sehun clung to Bomi the most.

A month after Jongin’s sixteenth birthday, they graduated from middle school. Sehun came to their graduation with a bouquet of flower for Bomi and a punch in the arm for Jongin.

“You two have to wait for me!” Sehun made them promise.

Bomi ruffled his hair. “Come on, it’s not like we’re leaving or something, we can still play together after school or during weekend!”

With that promise, Jongin and Bomi entered high school.

***

On the first day of the new school year, Sehun walked with them to the train station with a deeper scowl on his face than usual, grumpy for real this time. “This is so unfair,” he muttered to himself when he thought Jongin couldn’t hear him. Or maybe it was in his intention to make Jongin heard him, Jongin didn’t know.

Bomi pushed the youngest away, “Go, you’ll be late if you don’t run now,” Bomi said while they waited for their train. “Next year you’ll ride the same train too, now goooo.”

Sehun glared at Bomi, but then he grumbled before finally turned back to where he came from.

“When Sehun was a kid, he got sick easily,” Bomi said out of the blue, Sehun already disappeared from their sight. “I’m the only one who kept on coming to his house and played with him, when his other friends stopped visiting him.”

This was the first time Jongin heard the story. “No wonder he’s so dependent on you.”

Bomi just grinned.

Jongin glanced for a second and raked his hair. “I see that you’ve always been persistent.”

Bomi didn’t give up on Sehun, the same like she didn’t give up on Jongin.

She looked at him but Jongin didn’t want to meet her eyes, looking straight ahead instead. He still could see her beaming from the corner of his eyes, though.

Suddenly, Bomi was already in front of him, pulling him down slightly by his tie. “Your tie is crooked, Seoul Boy,” Bomi said quietly, fixing his tie, a part of his high school’s uniform. Jongin could smell Bomi’s perfume – something fresh like fruit. She wore powder too on her face. “… There, it’s all good now,” Bomi patted his chest and Jongin retreated back.

Their train came a minute later.

***

They were in different classes, and while Bomi blended in with the new environment perfectly – because the girl was born to be around people – Jongin went back into ‘the loner kid with the cold expression’. The only one in his class he could call as ‘friend’ was probably Lee Taemin, the prettiest boy Jongin had ever met. He also wanted to join the dance club, and the similarity was the thing that brought them close in the first place.

Even though Bomi couldn’t force Jongin to socialize at class, she made sure to do that during breaks between classes and especially at lunch break. She would drag Jongin to eat with her and her friends, and she even asked Taemin to join them too. It seemed that Bomi made Taemin promise to take care of Jongin and helped him making friends.

Jongin’s feelings were a mixed of touched and unpleased from being treated like a little child. He told her that during their ride home – because during those rides to and from school, Jongin had Bomi for himself alone, away from her endless friends, including Sehun.  

“I’m not a kid,” Jongin said, sitting side by side with Bomi, it’s during the rush hour and it’s quite crowded, their sides pressed into each other. “You should stop looking out for me.”

“But I’m older than you, Seoul Boy, it’s my job to take care of my dongsaeng.”

Jongin frowned. “You’re only older than me by five months.”

The girl only grinned wider. “Still, older.” 

At that time, before Jongin could respond with another protest, he spotted an elderly woman standing near the door and he rose from his seat to make space for her. She took the seat with a grateful smile to the boy, and Jongin smiled back. He stood in front of Bomi now, holding on onto the handgrip above.

Bomi looked up at him, smiling, almost like a proud mother.

“What?” Jongin asked, looking down.

She shook her head lightly, the ghost of smile was still on her face. “I always know that you’re not a kid, Jongin.”

The rest of the ride between the two was quiet, and Jongin realized that Bomi didn’t try to fill the silence between them like she used to do before.

Strangely, the same as he didn’t mind whenever Bomi’s voice drifted between them, Jongin was content with the comfortable silence too.

***

Jongin ended his routine with his trademark pirouette and landed with two feet, chest heaving. It was quiet after and Jongin shifted his eyes slowly to his only spectator. Bomi was staring at him, unblinking.

“… Bomi?” he called out, a little bit nervous with the lack of respond from the girl. It was after school and Jongin managed to get a small practice room for him at school, he wanted to show Bomi the dance routine he had been practicing for the dance club’s audition. Even though Bomi had asked him numerous times to dance for her, this was the first time Jongin let her see him dance.

When she heard her name from his lips, Bomi snapped awake from her reverie. “Huh?”

“So… what do you think?”

“Oh. That was…,” she looked up, having sitting crossed legs on the wooden floor, “… that was the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.”

Jongin’s face broke into a small, shy grin. “You really think so?”

Bomi nodded, albeit hesitantly. “… Yeah…,” she added in an absent-minded mumble, “It almost makes me want to…,”

Jongin, who had been busy wiping the sweat on his face with his shirt, turned his head, not quite catching what Bomi said. “What did you say?”

“Huh? Nothing.” Bomi looked directly into Jongin’s eyes, smiling that proud smile of her again. “The dance club will be so lucky to have you.”

When the audition for clubs opened, Jongin and Taemin passed and they joined the dance club.

Bomi didn’t pass the cheerleader audition.

***

Oh Sehun was a total brat, in Jongin’s opinion. Maybe because Bomi babied and spoiled him too much and Sehun let him, whereas Jongin never let Bomi got carried away with her caring demeanor towards him.

But even if Sehun was a grouchy kid in general, he actually listened well to Bomi, knew exactly when it’s okay to play the younger role or when it’s time to be the one who took care of Bomi instead. He didn’t even look the slightest embarrassed when this one time Bomi ran out of sanitary pad and he had to be the one who bought if because Bomi had a bad cramps.

So even if he could get very demanding and clingy, Sehun was a cute little brother by the end of the day, never pushed more than he should. That’s why Jongin was surprised of Sehun’s outburst at Bomi when she told him she didn’t get accepted into the cheerleading club.

On the weekend, Bomi was sad, moping around in her room when usually she would bug Jongin to play with her, and Sehun hadn’t come over to her house too. Normally Sehun would monopolize Bomi since he said Jongin already had her during weekdays. Jongin always wanted to say that he didn’t have her too, during weekdays or during any day, but he never did.

Jongin asked her mom to bake some cookies for Bomi.

Later, he knocked on Bomi’s room, and the girl opened the door with a glum expression. “Hey, Seoul Boy,” she still managed to say, and Jongin raised the jar in his hand.

“I bring cookies.” And then he went back down to bring the milk from Bomi’s refrigerator.  

After he lifted Bomi’s mood with the bribe, Jongin finally asked the question that had been on his mind. “Why are you sad?”

“… Because Sehun is angry,” Bomi, sitting on the edge of her bed, kicked the pillow on her leg mindlessly. It jumped in the air and Jongin caught it.

“Not because you got rejected by the cheerleading club?”

Bomi glanced at Jongin. Their eyes met. And then she sighed.

“I like playing soccer,” Bomi suddenly said, taking another pillow into her embrace since Jongin kept the previous one. “But Sehun loves it. And promises are a big deal for Sehun.” She lay in her bed, staring into something outside the window. “I always envy you, Jongin. You and Sehun.”

“… Why?”

“Because,” Bomi sighed loudly and she rolled around, now lying on her back, “You have passion, something that you love, and you’re great at it. I don’t.”

Jongin was quiet, but then he stood up and sat beside Bomi on her bed. He hit the girl’s head lightly with the pillow in his hand. “You’ll find one,” he said. “We’re still 16—”

“I’m almost 17!”  

“—you’ll find something that you love one day,” Jongin ignored Bomi’s reminder of her age. “You can try a lot of things until you find something that you equally love and good at.” Bomi still didn’t say a word, thinking about Jongin’s words while hugging the pillow in her arms.

Jongin’s eyes stumbled on the almost empty jar cookie on the floor. An idea popped out in his head. “What about baking?” he turned to Bomi. “You love sweet things. You help my mom bakes several times, and as I recalled, you’re not clumsy like me in the kitchen.”

Bomi snorted. “Well it’s hard to be as clumsy as you, Seoul Boy.”

“Hey, that’s rude,” Jongin shoved Bomi aside. The girl just grinned, and Jongin was glad to see the smile returned. “… The school has a cooking club. You can try it out.”

Bomi thought about the advice, and then she nodded, already beaming.

Years later when Jongin looked back, he still couldn’t decide whether he regretted it or not, being the one who advised Bomi to join the cooking club.

But at the moment, all that mattered was Bomi was smiling again.

***

On Monday when Jongin waited outside Bomi’s house, the girl ran out from her house and bumped into him, hugging his neck in a split second and she let got almost as fast as she came. It was a very quick hug, but a hug nevertheless, the first time Jongin got from a girl.

“What…?” he was still in daze, the whiff of Bomi’s perfume still lingered on his mind.

“Thank you,” Bomi breathed out, cheeks tinged with pink, but looking happy and radiant. “Sehun said you scolded him for hours for being an immature brat—”

“Wait, I don’t—”

“I know Sehun was exaggerating but still, you talked to him, and he’s not mad at me anymore,” she was smiling sheepishly. “Thank you so much, Jongin.” 

Jongin looked away from the smile and murmured, “… Anytime, Bomi.”

***

Even with their new activities – Jongin with his dance club and Bomi with her cooking club – without talking about it, both of them still persistent with going home together – even if that meant Bomi waited outside the dance room while watching the practice or Jongin ended up sleeping in an empty class until Bomi came to him with the food she made.

Maybe because only during those train rides Jongin had Bomi for himself, maybe because he just wanted to make sure she got home safely, maybe because he didn’t like being alone anymore, maybe…

If the other option was to be with Bomi, being alone didn’t look as appealing as before. Sometimes Bomi just drifted asleep in his shoulder, while the other times Bomi talked endlessly about what she did during the day. Didn’t matter, as long as he’s with Bomi.

“Are you sure you two are just friends?” Taemin asked one day during a dance practice. Bomi just peeked into the room and Jongin waved to her, signaling her that the practice would over soon.

Jongin gulped down his drink, glancing at Taemin. “What do you mean?”

“Well you two are always together,” his friend shrugged.

Jongin looked down into the wooden floor for a while. “That’s because Sehun is not here.”

“Who?”

“… Her best friend.”

***

That day when Bomi had a cooking club, Taemin and his other classmates, along with some boys from other class, decided to play soccer after school just for fun. Jongin joined them and he told Bomi about it.

“Oh great!” Bomi clapped her hands. “I can see you from the club’s window. Today we’re going to make Chocoballs, I’ll call you when I’m done with the first batch. Now have fun!”

During his play, Jongin would glance every now and then at the cooking club’s window, and sometimes he saw nothing or he saw other students, but sometimes he could see Bomi looking out into the field, and once Bomi waved excitedly at him – before a girl showed up behind Bomi and smacked her head for not paying attention to the cooking class. Jongin chuckled to himself when Bomi pouted and rubbed her head, but still she made a small wave to Jongin before she left.

Finally the boys took a break, and Jongin unconsciously glanced to the cooking club’s room like he did for the last hour, and this time Bomi was on the window, waving at him to come.

“Seoul Boy, say aaah!” Bomi said when Jongin came closer. He obeyed and Bomi put something into his mouth. “How is it? Tasty, right?” Jongin chewed whatever it was that Bomi gave him. He tasted chocolate and it’s melted in his mouth. He nodded. Bomi grinned cheekily. “I made it myself from the scratch!”

“Hey Jongin,” suddenly Bomi leaned closer and whispered, so Jongin moved closer to the window too. “Can you see over me?” she asked, and Jongin glanced into the room. “Don’t be too obvious, okay? But… can you see a boy there? The one with the blue apron?”

Once again Jongin glanced over Bomi, and he did see a boy wearing a blue apron. “Yes, why?”

Bomi giggled. “What do you think about him?”

Jongin looked at the boy once again, frowning. What he thought about him?

The boy had a short, neat hairstyle, with a small build and a pair of huge eyes. “… He’s small,” Jongin looked back to Bomi.

Bomi slapped his arm playfully but then she giggled again. “He’s cute, right? His name is Do Kyungsoo, he’s our senior.”

“He is?” this time Jongin was surprised for real, checking the boy once again. The boy was talking to someone and he laughed, and even if Jongin wouldn’t call him cute directly, he was indeed good-looking. But he looked so young, Jongin wouldn’t guess that he’s actually older than them.

“… I wish I can be closer to him, he’s a very nice guy,” Bomi said quietly, playing with her fingers as she glanced back to Kyungsoo. Kyungsoo looked up and smiled to her, and Bomi ducked her head bashfully, muttering, “Ah, so embarrassing, stupid Bomi.” The girl hit her own head with her fist.

Jongin reached out and held her hand. “Stop that.”

Out of the corner of his eyes, he knew Kyungsoo was looking.

***

At the end of the year, Kyungsoo asked Bomi out.

Bomi said yes.

Jongin was the one who received Sehun’s outburst this time.

He didn’t know why, and Bomi didn’t even know at all about Sehun’s rage. 

***

“This is so stuffy,” Sehun complained for the third time, trying to loosen the tie around his neck. “You guys wear this every day?”

Bomi helped the youngest fixed the tie. “Just bear it until the ceremony is over, okay? Oh, but please don’t take it off completely, Sehun-ah, don’t attract too much attention on your first day. What will I say to Auntie if you get detention on your first day?”

Sehun grumbled under his breath, muttering something about, “M High School doesn’t have a tie, we should go there instead.” It’s the first day of the new school’s year, and true to his words, Sehun followed the two to K High School.

Jongin tuned out the conversation between his two friends, watching the clock on the station until their train came.

The rides would never be the same anymore.

***

The school shuffled the class again, and still Jongin wasn’t in the same class with Bomi. He didn’t even in the same class with Taemin, and Jongin only watched while his new classmates chatted around, finding their friends from the previous year.

And he’s not the only one who kept quiet in his seat. There’s this girl, smaller than Bomi, hair longer than Bomi, who sat by herself, fidgeting in her place as she looked around. She turned her head and found Jongin.

As soon as she saw him, her eyes lightened up a bit.

She seemed contemplate for a moment, but then she stood up and walked to Jongin. Jongin straightened his pose, knowing that the girl would talk to him.

“Hi,” she said with a small, hesitant voice. “Do you know me? We’re in the same class before.”

Jongin nodded. “I know you.”

She smiled, looking glad. “Ah, I thought you don’t know me, because you’re only hang out with Lee Taemin in class and you never paid attention to the others—Ah,” she closed , horrified. “I’m sorry, I’m being rude!”

Jongin couldn’t help but to smile at the innocent act. “It’s okay, I know I’m not… participate in class’ activities a lot,” Jongin raked his hair. “… This seat is still empty,” he nodded at the seat beside him. “If you want.”

Her eyes widened and she nodded quickly, taking her bag from her old seat and moved to the seat beside Jongin.

“Just to make sure,” the girl extended her hand for Jongin to shook. “Choi Junhee.”

Jongin shook the hand. “Kim Jongin.” 

***

With the addition of Sehun in their high school’s life, it’s like middle school all over again. Since it’s a big difference between walking alone for 15 minutes and riding the train alone for almost an hour, they always waited for each other to go home together – unlike during middle school when Jongin would just go home if Bomi and Sehun had a soccer practice.

But in middle school there’s no Do Kyungsoo.

“You guys should go home first,” Bomi said sheepishly that one day after school when Jongin and Sehun picked her up in her class. “Kyungsoo Oppa asked me to go with him to this café nearby.”

Sehun frowned hard. “Can’t we just come along?”

Jongin nudged Sehun’s shoulder and shook his head. “It’s a date, Sehun.”

“Well then, we can wait,” Sehun grumbled. “How long will you go?”

“I don’t know,” Bomi said apologetically. “Really, you should just go home first.”

“What about you?” Jongin asked. “Will you be okay going home alone?”

“Ah...,” Bomi looked bashful when she answered, “Kyungsoo Oppa said he’ll take me home.”

“Oh,” Jongin nodded. “That’s good.”

Sehun glared at him immediately, as if Jongin just betrayed him. He turned to Bomi, “I really don’t understand why you date him? What’s so good about that midget anyway—”

Jongin never hit Sehun, not even playfully, but right after hearing Sehun’s words and seeing Bomi’s hurtful look, Jongin smacked Sehun’s head, hard, without thinking twice. “Apologize,” he said to Sehun. When Sehun shot him a glare, he repeated. “Apologize, now.”

“Jongin-ah, it’s okay,” Bomi said, sensing the tense atmosphere between the two males.

“It’s not okay. Sehun, apologize to Bomi. Now.”

“Jongin—”

“I’m sorry,” Sehun murmured suddenly, looking down into his feet.

“It’s fine,” Bomi smiled and Sehun’s hair, rubbing the back of his head where Jongin smacked him. “I’m sorry, but please go home with Jongin today, okay? I’ll go home with you again tomorrow.”

No one said a word when they walked to the station, and even when their train came and they sat side by side, Sehun was still quiet.

It’s uncomfortable, and even though in reality Jongin was only older than Sehun by three months, still he considered himself as the hyung between the two. “Sorry for hitting you,” Jongin finally said. “Is it hurt?” his hand already rose to check Sehun’s head, but the boy flinched away.

“I’m not that weak,” Sehun muttered.

“Sorry.”

Sehun crossed his arms in front of his chest and he glared at nothing. “How did you do that?”

“What?”

“Bomi,” Sehun turned his head to Jongin, “Aren’t you afraid that he will take Bomi away? Just look at us now, first he’ll take her home once, and before we realize it he’ll take her home every day,” Sehun spat and something clicked in Jongin’s mind. Sehun was jealous. “How can you be so cool about this? And why are you—” For a moment Sehun looked like he want to say something more and Jongin waited, but then Sehun just shook his head, looking away.

“Bomi is happy,” Jongin remembered the days Bomi showered him with Kyungsoo-related stories, how she’s glowing and super excited even with the simplest greet from the senior. And then the day when Bomi told Jongin how Kyungsoo asked her out and she asked for his opinion. Jongin said the same thing, As long as you’re happy. “… And that’s good, right? That’s the most important thing. We shouldn’t be selfish.”

Sehun scoffed. “Funny, now you said something like that.”

Jongin stilled.

Sehun’s words stayed in his mind, stabbing at his consciousness.

“…Sehun…, that’s…” Jongin didn’t really have any defense for that.

The silence came again, heavier than before, and Jongin felt he should say something, anything, but he couldn’t find any word in his mind.

But then Sehun groaned, “. I screwed everything today.”

Before Jongin could scold him about his language – because that what Bomi would do – Sehun already leaned to Jongin and buried his face on the crook of Jongin’s neck.

After some time, Jongin slung his arm around Sehun’s shoulder, knowing that the younger wanted to apologize but it’s hard for him to do so. “Don’t worry. Even if Bomi has a boyfriend, it doesn’t mean she will forget about you. No one will take her away from you.”

“… Us,” Sehun muttered to Jongin’s neck.

“Hm?”

“Us,” Sehun repeated and this time Jongin caught it. “No one will take Bomi away from us.”

20/04: Wow, it's been more than a month. *awkward laugh* I’m sorry. It seems like this story will be longer than what I planned before. Crossing fingers the next update won’t take another month. Thank you for reading. Happy birthday Lu-Ge. Happy late Easter if you celebrate it. And, please check my new fanfic? I’ll update 21/04. Dear Park Chanyeol