Chapter Text
Chae didn’t want to accept it. He didn’t want to accept the fact that his closest friend in the entire world, the boy he had been crushing on for so long, was about to move hundreds of miles away.
“T…This has to be a joke right Terumi!?”
“I wish it was but momma said were moving to Japan this summer…” The small boy rubbed his eyes, which were red and puffy from earlier crying.
“But…you can’t leave, we made a promise to always be together!” Chae didn’t want to believe this. Terumi couldn’t leave, not now.
“I’m sorry, Chae!” Terumi started to tear up again and sniffled. Chae just slumped his shoulders and his face dropped in defeat. There was nothing he could do to stop the decision of an adult. As much as he wanted to he was slowly coming to the realization that there was nothing he could do.
“But…” Chae himself started to tear up and he just wrapped his arms around Terumi, hugging him close. “I don’t want you to leave…please, don’t leave…”
Terumi started to sob and he just clung to his friend tightly. “I don’t wanna leave! I wanna stay here in Korea! I wanna keep playing soccer with you!!”
A thought entered Chae’s head and he pulled away, rubbing his tears away. “We’ll play soccer again one day!? Right!?” He kept his hands on Terumi’s shoulders and Terumi looked at him with those pretty red eyes. “Even if we are separated by miles and the sea! Soccer will always bring us back together.”
Terumi just stared at him in silence and Chae swallowed hard.
“I’ll become the best soccer player in the world if it means I get to see you again one day!! I…I won’t let this take you away from me!”
“You promise…” Terumi’s cheeks went pink and he wiped his tears away.
“With all I have!”
Sure enough, eight years later Chae lived up to that promise he made to Terumi on that little playground. It wasn’t easy but he managed.
After all, love is one hell of a motivator.