Dancing to Thunder - Kim Jongdae

Dreams Should Always Be

"I remember the day
'cause this is what dreams should always be
I just want to say
I just want to keep this dream in me"

It wasn't until after a year of living in Suwon that Yonhee learned the mysterious boy's name. Kim Jongdae.

She'd heard the other students in her home room whisper his name along with stories about him being abnormal, not natural. Even the teachers whispered amongst themselves as she passed by the meeting room in the office on her way to pick up her lunch.

He's a mutant, they'd say, the boy was born crazy. Not right in the head. Must be some kind of mental disorder.

Their words angered Yonhee. He was special, yes, but not in the way they were thinking. He had special abilities that nobody else she had ever seen has, and for them to try and place the claim of mental disorder on him was uncalled for.

Kim Jongdae seemed incredibly intelligent from what Yonhee saw; he looked at the world from a different perspective. He couldn't attend school because of the whispers, but that didn't make him any less bright.

Of course, nobody knew why he didn't go to school or why nobody would be his friend. They all just assumed he wasn't right in the head, but Yonhee knew the truth. She knew that if anybody found out, there would be no going back for Kim Jongdae. Perhaps there would no longer be a Kim Jongdae if who he truly was was to be revealed to everybody else.

Would they understand him?

It wasn't until two years of living in Suwon did Yonhee dare to approach the Kim boy.  She waited until after the school day before making the trek up towards the top of the hill. Kim Jongdae had his back to her and, in the dying light of the evening, it was difficult to make out what exactly what he was wearing.  All Yonhee could tell was that he was dressed in some sort of sweatshirt- red maybe?- and dark jeans, a cap of sorts on his head. 

"Jongdae? U-uh, Kim Jongdae-ssi?" Yonhee said quietly, hesitating a few feet away from the boy. As if he had been shocked, Jongdae jerked and snapped around to face me, his almond eyes wide with what she saw to be terror.

"Who are you?" He breathed, taking a step back as if Yonhee were dangerous. His voice was surprisingly softer than she had initially imagined and it had a certain pitch to it that made it just bordering a high voice, though it still suited him perfectly.

"Me? My name is Han Yonhee. I...I heard about you. And I've seen you hanging out here before so I..." What could she say? I thought you looked lonely? I think we should be friends?

Yonhee smiled nervously, suddenly very self conscious and not quite sure what to do.

"Han Yonhee," the boy - Jongdae - spoke up, repeating her name as if a line in a poem.  "Han Yonhee, you have a sad smile."

Yonhee's smile faltered a bit and she just stared at him.  In return, the boy's naturally curved lips tipped up a little more at the corners.

"So do you," she whispered, and his smile only widened, though it never reached his lonely eyes.

A/N: I just would like to make it clear that I have nothing against mentally challenged/special education people, I was just comparing how cruel people can be with that topic. I have an uncle who has Down Syndrome, so please do not misunderstand.

Also, I will be starting off every chapter from now on with either a quote I've found it one I've just typed up randomly

Thank you to those who read and I'll have an update soon.