𝙁𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙤𝙧 𝙁𝙡𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 : 𝙃𝙚𝙚𝙟𝙖𝙠𝙚

10.

[Billie Eilish - I Love You]

Sunghoon and Jaeyun’s childhood was a tapestry of laughter, adventures, and the kind of innocent promises that only children can make. They had been inseparable since kindergarten, their bond growing stronger with each passing year.

They spent countless hours in their building's backyard, their imaginations turning the small garden into a world of their own. One summer afternoon, they decided to build a treehouse in the large oak tree at the edge of the yard.

With some help from Sunghoon’s dad, they managed to set up a small platform and a ladder. They decorated it with old blankets, pillows, and a few of their favorite toys. That treehouse became their secret hideout, a place where they could escape from the world and dream up grand adventures.

One day, as they sat in the treehouse, munching on snacks and talking about their future, Jaeyun turned to Sunghoon and said, “Let’s promise to always be friends, no matter what.”

Sunghoon grinned and held out his pinky. “Pinky promise.”

They hooked their pinkies together, sealing their pact with solemnity and giggles.

One winter, a rare heavy snowfall turned their neighborhood into a winter wonderland. Sunghoon and Jaeyun spent the entire day outside, building snowmen, making snow angels, and having epic snowball fights.

As the sun began to set, they trudged back to Sunghoon’s room, their cheeks rosy from the cold and their spirits high. Sunghoon’s mom had prepared hot chocolate and cookies for them. They sat by the fireplace, warming up and chatting about their day.

Jaeyun looked into the crackling fire and said, “You know what, Sunghoon? When we grow up, let’s always have fun like this. We can live next to each other and do all the things we love.”

Sunghoon nodded enthusiastically. “Yeah! We can even get married and live in a big house together.”

Jaeyun laughed, but the idea seemed perfect in their innocent minds. “Deal. When we’re grown-ups, we’ll get married and never be apart.”

In elementary school, Sunghoon and Jaeyun both auditioned for the school play, “The Wizard of Oz.” Sunghoon was cast as the Scarecrow, and Jaeyun got the role of the Tin Man. They practiced their lines together, helped each other with their costumes, and even made up their own dance moves for the show.

On the night of the performance, they were both nervous but excited. As they stood on stage, delivering their lines and performing their scenes, they could see their parents beaming with pride in the audience. The play was a success, and afterward, their teacher praised them for their performances.

Backstage, as they changed out of their costumes, Sunghoon turned to Jaeyun and said, “We make a great team, don’t we?”

Jaeyun nodded, a big smile on his face. “The best team ever.”

One balmy evening, they lay on the grass in their backyard, staring up at the stars. They talked about everything and nothing, sharing their dreams and fears. The conversation drifted back to their childhood promise of marriage.

Jaeyun turned to Sunghoon, his voice serious despite his young age. “Sunghoon, do you remember when we promised to get married when we grow up?”

Sunghoon nodded, a small smile playing on his lips. “Yeah, I remember. It was in the winter, after we played in the snow all day.”

Jaeyun grinned. “We should make that promise again, just to be sure.”