Work Text:
Chapter One: Strange New Lands
Kim Namjoon was always waiting for mistakes to be made. The only thing that people his age did consistently, was make mistakes. It could be a missed letter on the spelling test here, an incorrect keystroke on the piano there. Something major or something minute. Even his best friend, if he could call him that, made mistakes. Just last week, Henry had to miss the school field day because he dropped a rock through his father’s windshield. Rich and likable as he was to others, Namjoon always saw him more than most. He saw his weaknesses and his faults, and right away he knew that no matter how hard he tried not to be, he was just like everyone else. Boring, irritating and utterly inconsequential.
Kim Namjoon was always waiting for mistakes to be made because, in his short but riveting 10 years of life, he couldn’t remember making a single one.
He was the number one student in school, wasn’t bad at sports, was practically a musical prodigy, what with all the instruments his mother insisted he master. Piano, violin, guitar, you name it. While most students would dread attending night school on top several extracurriculars, Namjoon enjoyed it a lot. It made him unique and gave him superiority over his classmates.
****
“You’re moving!?” Xiaolin had always been a little hot-tempered, and when their homeroom teacher announced it was Namjoon’s last day, she lost it. Namjoon could only describe the scene in front of him as a meltdown.
“It’s not that bad Xiao-Xiao. We can still talk to him.” Henry attempted to pull her off the ground.
“Oh, you know how it is, Henry! Once he moves, it’ll be like we never existed. I mean he didn’t even tell us he was leaving!” She glared up at Namjoon’s eyes and immediately went back to crying. “I tried to be the best friend that I could to you, Joon. I don’t understand what I could’ve done better.”
Henry sighed at Namjoon and picked Xiaolin up and off the ground outside their classroom. “She’ll message you when she’s calmed down. Answer her, will you?” They head inside and leave him in the hallway, alone and confused. This was exactly the reason why he didn’t want anyone to know he was moving.
~September 6th, 2004: 6: 34 PM ~
xiaoxiao94: where are you moving anyway?
kim.moon.joon: back home
xiaoxiao94: wow so specific. i know exactly where that is because you talk about yourself ALL the time
xiaoxiao94: sike.
kim.moon.joon: I’m Korean, so ofc i’m moving back to south korea
xiaoxiao94: wow really!!! >< send me pics of super junior!!!
kim.moon.joon:right…I’ll try
xiaoxiao94: so you know Korean?
kim.moon.joon: barely. my parents speak it, but I only the basics for relatives. I know english so good enough.
xiaoxiao94: I guess? wanna hang out before you leave??
kim.moon.joon: can’t.
xiaoxiao94: well. keep in touch, i guess.
*kim.moon.joon has logged off.*
~September 7th, 2004:10:21 AM~
Namjoon wasn't excited. The entire process of moving was like pulling teeth. Painful, annoying and somewhat bloody, but worth it. He was very much glad to be out of Taiwan. As the plane took off, Joon actually felt a tear roll cheek. "It’s okay to cry, actually I'm glad you’re crying, I always thought you suppressed how you felt.”
Ahhh, Choi Min-Ah, a warm yet distant mother. She assumed that Namjoon was emotionless because he enjoyed his quiet time, and often worried because of his intensely passive resting face. At the end of the day, however; she meant well.
"Mother, yes I'm crying and yes I've cried before. For the hundredth time, I’m doing perfectly fine mentally." He jams on his headphones before his mother can say anything else.
The outside of Incheon International Airport is not that different than Taipei, except everyone was about 10 times less attentive and 10 times more rude. Their receiving party was rather loud and (ugh) emotional. Tears flowed freely and Namjoon was crushed in the hugs of so many women he’d definitely forgotten. Joon's mother's best friend's daughter, Dahyun, had tagged along.
"MRS.CHOI!!!" And there she was, "IT'S BEEN SO LONG, I MISSED YOU!!" His mother rushed over to them and instantly broke out of her Taiwanese persona. On their ride home, she complained about everything and anything, praising her homeland over and over again. This made both Namjoon and her husband uncomfortable. She was suddenly mad that Namjoon could barely speak Korean, even though she told him it was completely fine before. Jiawen was already out of his element. He’d adopted Namjoon after he and Minah married and had always tried to do his best by his wife. Namjoon truly felt for him.
"So Namjoon, do you know how to speak Japanese?" Dahyun asked in broken English. Yes, of course, Namjoon knew Japanese, he was forced to attend a boarding school in Osaka while Jiawen and Minah toured Europe for a year and only being 8, he was able to learn the language easily. Dahyun was clearly shocked by his fluent Japanese because she laughed and said "Hai!" over and over again.
The week passed in a blur, what with the moving and trying to keep up with everyone’s Korean. Namjoon’s little sister, Geongmin, was irritating as ever. All the neighborhood aunties absolutely adored her and found Namjoon’s generally antisocial and superior attitude disrespectful.
kim.moon.joon updated their status: missing home~~
The cool air refreshed him as he watched the stars. He was starting school tomorrow and didn’t understand how in his own country he was somehow a whole year older. 11 rather than 10, and repeating his 4th year over again.
"Don't worry too much." Dahyun smiled at him, "I'm tired of saying 'hai!' so I’ll speak Korean and you can answer in Japanese."
Namjoon let out a small laugh, "I'm not worried about anything."
Dahyun shook her head, "I can tell, school isn't that bad. You'll make friends quickly, and even if you don't, I'm only two years older than you, we can have lunch together."
Dahyun was the complete opposite of Xiaolin. She was gentle, understanding, and much less annoying than Joon thought. She wasn't even obsessed with getting his attention, she just genuinely wanted to be friends. Namjoon gave her a smile, wow, he actually liked being around someone, a concept. "Now come on, we have to wake up early, and a growing boy needs his sleep."
"Can you stop pretending you’re 30? You haven’t even hit puberty yet, stop treating me like a child."
Dahyun laughed and pushed him inside.