“Stop following me, Junsu!” Exclaimed the taller boy truculently as he turned to face the other boy who had followed him out to the streets quietly. The few people walking past the two uniformed boys shot them puzzled glances as they walked away.

      “I said I was sorry...” The latter mumbled as he stared down at the ground and fiddled with the straps of his violin bag, feeling ashamed at being shouted at by the traffic light. “I-I just couldn't play the violin well in front of so many people…” He tried to explain as he looked up to the other timidly, feeling afraid of angering his friend even further. “With so many eyes staring at me, I--”

       “You, you, you!” The student snapped as he looked at Junsu angrily. “You ruined everything that we've practiced so hard for!” He screamed as he shoved the latter back in anger, causing Junsu to stumble back a few steps into the open road of moving cars, the distressing sound of a car horn being sounded followed by a petrifying scream just before Junsu’s world went black.

 

 

~~~~~

 

 

The school hallway was filled with the chattering of students in the morning when Junsu arrived. Readjusting the straps of his shabby looking backpack on his slouched shoulders, he brushed his fringe down in an attempt to hide the long scar that ran from the side of his forehead all the way down to the side of his neck. 

 

Glancing at a corner of the hallway, a few students were seen showing off their new bags and shoes to one another. Junsu glanced down at his tattered shoes as he stared at the group of students longingly. With a long, deep intake of air with his eyes closed shut, the raven hair boy softly counted to ten before he resumed walking down the hallway to his class once again, limping evidently as he did. Paying no heed to the stares, murmurs and sometimes snickering directed at him by the other teenagers, Junsu made his way to his class with his head down, wanting to avoid eye-contact with anyone as much as possible.

 

He hated school, hated how people would stare at his limping self and that long ugly scar on the side of his face, how they would point and snicker at how worn-out his bag and shoes look because of his family’s bankruptcy. But he couldn’t blame them for their actions. If there was anyone to blame, it was the reckless car driver that ran him over years ago. The car accident that caused him to lose slight functionality of his right leg, causing him to limp every time he walked as well as the hideous looking scar on the side of his face. 

 

 

But he still dreaded school.

 

 

Junsu let out a soft sigh of relief when he finally entered the classroom, finally being able to look up now since there weren’t as many people in the class as there was in the school hallways. Searching eyes looked around until he spotted the brown haired boy he was looking for, seated on his assigned desk just beside the window. He had a expressionless look on his face when he looked up and made eye contact with Junsu.

 

He dreaded school but at least there was one person that he looked forward to seeing in school everyday.

 

Smiling, Junsu opened his mouth to greet the teenager good morning just to close it when the other quickly looked down at his hands.

Furrowing his eyebrows at the other’s abnormal behaviour, Junsu proceeded to take his seat that was just next to him, casting a puzzled glance at the other.

 

       “Yoochun?” Junsu called out softly, watching as the latter sigh evidently before looking up, allowing Junsu to take in his pale face as he forced out a smile.

 

       “M-morning Junsu-ah!” Junsu frowned at Yoochun’s attempt at trying to sound happy, but Junsu could see the boy’s lower lip quivering slightly as he did so. “Did you do the homework that the teacher assigned us yesterday?” Yoochun quickly asked when Junsu opened his mouth to speak, cutting off his chances of saying anything.

 

Giving him a mere nod of his head as an answer, Junsu proceeded to place his hand over the other’s forehead. “Are you having headaches again? You look pale” He commented softly as he retrieved his hand when he didn’t feel a fever, remembering that the other had been experiencing headaches for weeks now.

 

       “D-do I?” Yoochun blurted out as he looked down again, fiddling with his hands on his lap anxiously as he felt the other’s concerned stare on him. “I’m fine, Junsu… It’s just that…” His voice trailed off as he looked out of the window, his expression burdened as he grasped onto his knees.

 

       “I’m leaving Korea, Junsu-ah.” The boy disclosed after awhile as he finally found the courage to look at the other in the eyes, watching as the raven hair teenager stare back at him with widening eyes. 

 

       “L-leaving? You’re… leaving?” Junsu stammered as he continued to stare at Yoochun incomprehensibly. “Are you… Are you playing a prank on me again Chun-ah?” Junsu frowned deeply at the thought of the other pranking him again like the previous time during April’s fools. 

 

       “I… wished I was, Su.” Yoochun confessed as he looked down at his lap again, the look Junsu was giving him made his insides twist in all horrible ways possible. “My parents… You know how they divorced each other years ago.” He started, letting out a shaky sigh before he continued. “It’s my mum. She wants me back with her in America… I can’t say no to her, Junsu.” 

 

Watery eyes then looked up to meet a pair of horror-stricken ones, Junsu knew how much the boy had missed his mother since she went back to America years ago. But the thought of Yoochun leaving the country, leaving him in school was just too alarming and all too sudden to take in. He didn't want him to leave, not when he needed and relied on him the most.

 

 

But he didn’t had the heart to tell the other to stay.

 

 

       “W-when are you leaving?” The least Junsu could do was to make full use of the last few days he had with his best friend.

 

       “Tomorrow morning.” An almost suffocating silence hung in air after Yoochun’s answer.

 

       “Can’t I a-at least send you off?” Yoochun looked up when he heard the other’s voice quiver, staring speechlessly when he saw Junsu’s teary eyes.

 

       “No…” He shook his head as he looked out of the window, biting his lips as he prepared himself to say out the next few words. “I-I don’t want you to see me off Junsu.”

 

       “Why not—“

 

       “Because I’m the one who pushed you out to the road when we were twelve and I don’t deserve to have you as my friend!” Yoochun spluttered out in one breath as he turned to face the flabbergasted other, his eyes now b with tears that were threatening to fall at the confession he’s been trying to confess since long ago.

 

       “I was the one who shoved you out into the open road.” He admitted as he looked down, his knuckles turning white at the death grasp he had on his knees. “I was the one who caused you to be in misery because of your legs. I was the one who told you not to hold a grudge at the car driver because it wasn’t his ing fault he ran over you, it was mine!” 

 

Yoochun swallowed back his tears as he stood up from his seat, still avoiding Junsu’s astonished stare. “I’m a bad friend that caused you much pain and suffering so don’t come see me off. I don’t need you to. I’m sorry.” Those were the last words he said to him before Yoochun rushed out of the classroom. That was only when Junsu realised that the other didn’t even bring his bag to school.

 

Yoochun had came to school just to say goodbye to him.