Prompt by beomqyuss

Familiarity

Ripples of laughter wove through the summer breeze, adding a comfortable ambiance to the otherwise silent meadow. Two children, barely older than 7 played like they'd known each other for years despite the fact that they had only gotten to know of each other a week or so prior.

Hyunjin was visiting from Seoul for the summer, his grandmother lived a few houses away from Seungmin's. The two surprisingly grew close over that break, after that eventful summer Hyunjin visited every chance he got, and Seungmin always anticipated the day he would arrive.

Seungmin would always wait under the tree the two had first met, Hyunjin visited during any break he got, be it winter or spring. Seungmin always waited from the first day school let out, he never knew when his best friend would show up, but he was ready to wait even eternities for that boy. Well at the age of eight Seungmin experienced what most would call his first love, the boy grew a crush, well an eight year olds equivalent of a crush, on Hyunjin.

One fateful summer, the summer that marked their two years of friendship, Seungmin sat, the lush green grass tickling his bare feet as they hung off of the plaid patterned blanket. He had sat there everyday from as early as 8 in the morning, staying under the tree until the stars shine in the dark sky, only going in when his mother called for meals. He waited and waited the whole summer for his best friend only to find that Hyunjin hadn't shown up.

The boy had even went and visited Hyunjin's grandmother to make sure the boy had arrived but just didn't have time to play. Much to Seungmin's disappointment the place where his best friend had once stayed was empty. Seungmin had spent the rest of that summer sulking at home, his parents trying their best to distract him from his best friend, well the lack of his best friend.

That same summer Hyunjin pestered his parents to no end, constantly asking why he couldn't visit his best friend, and why their grandmother was moving closer to them. When told that he wouldn't be able to visit again anytime soon Hyunjin tried to run away to visit his best friend, that plan failed for obvious reasons, and ended in the boy getting grounded. For every break after that one Hyunjin always asked, he begged, he pleaded, but was always met with a no, he couldn't go visit his grandmas old home.

As time went on Seungmin eventually forgot about the time they had spent with one another, or more so buried it so he wouldn't miss the person he considered a best friend, and somewhat of his first love too much.

Hyunjin on the other hand remembered and hung onto those memories, certain that one day he'd find a way to meet his best friend again.

Years passed and Seungmin's family moved to Seoul right before his first year of high school, coincidentally enough to a neighborhood near Hyunjins. By this time Hyunjin was a faint memory to Seungmin, not because he wanted to forget the other, more so because he hadn't wanted to spend the summers to come waiting for someone who'd never show up.

Hyunjin never forgot, he'd visit his grandmother every now and then, and in those times he'd talk to his grandmother about what he remembered of Seungmin. He came to realize a little too late that he'd liked the boy as something more than just a best friend.

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Hyunjin sat in his seat at the back of class, waiting for introductions to start in his home room.  It was a new year, in a new school with new classmates, Hyunjin was quite the social person so of course this was a great opportunity to meet new people.

As introductions started he listened intently, but soon started zoning out as his classmates from middle school started their introductions, his mind wandered until he heard a somewhat familiar voice, although different there was a hint of familiarity to it, "hello, I'm Kim Seungmin, I've recently moved here, I hope we get along," the quiet voice said, Hyunjin was sure, that was his Seungmin, the Seungmin who was his best friend.

Hyunjin was filled with excitement as he walked up to the other boy after the end of home room, "Seungmin! Hi!"

Seungmin turned around puzzled, the person calling out to him said his name with such familiarity, yet the boy was sure no one knew him, "do we know each other?" Seungmin questioned. He watched as the handsome boys face fell, a strange disappointment and sadness in his eyes.

"I'm Hwang Hyunjin, does that ring a bell? Did you have a childhood friend with that name, when you were around nine?" Hyunjin tried asking, his voice weak.

"Sorry no, I don't think so, but uhh I think we have to get to class now," Seungmin answered, feeling slightly sorry that he couldn't recognize the boy, or wasn't the person he was looking for.

Through out the day the two boys shot glances at each other, one in desperation, the other desperately trying to remember. The two didn't speak again, but Seungmin couldn't stop thinking about the familiarity of Hwang Hyunjin's presence. After failing to recall anything, Seungmin decoded asking his parents might be helpful, they might remember what he couldn't.

So as soon as the school day ended, Seungmin rushed home to figure things out, not only because he felt for the other boy but because he was also curious. Seungmin would've been lying if he said he didn't feel a hint of familiarity as Hwang Hyunjin called out to him. He'd be lying if he didn't have the faintest memory of someone calling his name and running towards him, brimming with excitement as he stood under the tree in the field next to his old home.

He walked in and plopped on the dining room chair, across from where his mother was making dinner in the kitchen, "mom, did I ever know someone named Hwang Hyunjin? Someone who used to visit during breaks?"

Seungmin's mother stopped abruptly, before slowly resuming cooking, "your childhood best friend, and from what I remember you saying, crush," Seungmin's cheeks flushed at her words," was named Hwang Hyunjin. He used to visit his grandmother during the breaks, we all knew he mostly wanted to spend time with you. That went on until you were about 9 years old, after that he just stopped visiting, his grandmother moved away as well. You spent that whole summer waiting under the tree, and after the school year began you just, stopped asking about him, or maybe distracted yourself enough to stop thinking of him, well whatever happened we never brought him up again in case it made you sad.

Seungmin was kind of stunned at his mother's words, he would have doubted her if he again felt that same familiarity that struck him when Hyunjin had called his name.

"There's a boy in my class, he came up to me at the end of home room acting like he knew me, he said that we'd been friends, I felt bad that I couldn't remember if we really knew each other or not so I thought I'd ask you," Seungmin trailed off, trying to explain why he'd ask about Hyunjin out of the blue.

Seungmin decided he'd confront Hyunjin the next day, although they weren't best friends anymore, they honestly couldn't even be considered friends at this point, but maybe they could be.

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The next morning Seungmin rushed to the class hoping to catch Hyunjin before the teacher started taking attendance. Lucky for him Hyunjin was sitting in his desk, a notebook laid out in front of him.

"Hwang Hyunjin, about yesterday," hopefulness spread across Hyunjin's face, "turns out I did have a best friend named Hwang Hyunjin," at this a wide smile broke, making his already handsome face, even more good looking. "But I was thinking, and well we really don't know each other, sure let's say 9 year old us were best friends, I mean my mother said You were my first crush, but now I know nothing more than your name. So how about we start over?"

Hyunjin blinked slowly before stretching out one hand, "hello, my name is Hwang Hyunjin, I hope we can be friends," Hyunjin had wanted to argue, he wanted to say he knew the other boy but realized he didn't, he knew 9 year old Seungmin's favorite food, he knew 9 year old Seungmin's favorite game, but he couldn't say the same about the Seungmin who stood in front of him, and that hurt, but starting over was infinitely better than not having his best friend at all so he accepted.

Seungmin grinned, and grabbed Hyunjin's hand, "I'm Kim Seungmin, I hope so as well."

Needless to say, the two became inseparable quite quickly, reaching the best friend status just a few months after deciding to start over, and soon after moved to something more after realizing their feelings for one another. They realized that they just clicked, the always had, as if they were made for each other.

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This got quite long.. and I'm not sure it turned out like what -snazzylatte wanted but I'm actually kinda happy about it? I can rewrite it if you'd like but yeah!!