Chapter Text
It all started eight or so years ago during Sieuns third year of elementary school.
His home life was strenuous to say the very least. He spent every day trying to appease his parents' temper by doing everything a ten year old could possibly think of.
Painting them pictures, cooking them meals, cleaning his room. all of which proved useless.
Seiun's parents lived their lives as if their only child didn't exist.
Until the first parent teacher conference they bothered to attend.
For almost two hours, his parents heard repeated praise from every one of Sieuns teachers.
They spoke of how smart he was, how he had never gotten anything below an ‘A minus’. They insisted that Sieun be put in advanced classes, and get sent to a high end after school program to encourage him to continue learning.
His parents were ecstatic over the attention and praise their child had earned them.
And for the first time in his life, they treated Sieun like a prize.
The excitement lasted all the way through the meeting, and even continued during their car ride home.
“Ahh Sieun, my boy! The smartest kid in all of Seoul!”
His father exclaimed.
“Why didn't you tell us about your academic accomplishments Sieunah, you almost had me convinced that you were put on this earth to do nothing but waste our money”
His mother added.
Their words ring through Sieuns ears as a grin fights its way onto his face.
He wasn't stupid;obviously he was quite far from it. He knew his parents hadn't really begun to cherish him. The praise was what they really loved, but for Sieun, it was enough.
He had finally found something he was good at. So good in fact, that it made his parents appear proud.
That day, Sieun decided that nothing else mattered except for his grades, not sleeping, not eating, not making or keeping friends. Nothing.
And just like the answers he jotted down during tests, he was right.
His grades stayed up and his parents stayed happy.
It was the perfect remedy for Sieuns neglected childhood. He found it easy enough to cut all his friends off, and his sudden disinterest in socializing, repelled anyone from further attempting to get to know him.
Until one day, a boy much taller and broader than himself, started attending the same school as Sieun.
Sieun couldn't help but glue his eyes to the boy who stood at the front of the class to introduce himself to his new classmates.
“Im Ahn Suho, please take care of me”
“Suho you can sit in the back row over by Yeon Sieun. There's plenty of empty seats there!”
The unfortunate choice of words from his teacher, warranted for the whole class to start laughing at Sieuns unmistakable loneliness.
Sieun, who was now slightly embarrassed, snapped his eyes back down to his work sheet to avoid making eye contact with Suho
When Sieun looked back up, he happened to land within the direct line of vision of the new boy. He had this stupid grin on his face that Sieun, for whatever reason, had to physically stop himself from reciprocating.
Ahn Suho was quickly making his way to the back of the classroom when he was abruptly stopped.
Geum Seongje, a boy around the size of Suho, had grabbed his wrist and pulled him close to whisper something in his ear.
“You know, Yeon Sieon smells awful, I'm pretty sure he's too busy studying to even shower. Come sit with me instead. Besides, you don't want to be seen with that looser anyways”
Suho looked back at Sieun, then back to Seongje, who was now uncomfortably close, before responding to the boy.
“Well I'd rather take my chances with Yeon Sieun, than sit with someone who talks out of their ass”
Seongje, along with the entirety of their class, looked appalled. They’ve only ever heard the middle schoolers from the neighboring school curse like that.
Suho tugged his wrist free from Songje's grip and continued on his way to the back of the room.
Pulling up a chair right next to Sieun, Suho set his things down and plopped down in his seat, looking content and proud of himself.
"Hi!" Im ahn Suho”
Sieun, who was thoroughly confused as to why suho was determined to sit with him instead of the most popular kid in school, stared at Suho for a solid 10 seconds before pushing a response out of his mouth.
“I know.”
It came out harsher than intended, but Sieun wasn't used to people wanting to talk to him.
Suho furrowed his eyebrows for a moment. Sieun was now sure that he had hurt his classmates feelings. But to his surprise, Suho leaned backwards in his chair and started laughing from his gut.
His next words were almost unintelligible, due to Suho trying to speak in full sentences while chuckling at the same time.
“Yeon Sieun, you're funny. I knew it was a good idea to sit with you”
“Okay. Just don't be loud. I don't like loud.”
“Sieunee doesn't like loud, got it, i’ll remember”
“Dont call me that”
“Whatever you say Sieunee”
Since that day, for about a month, every day has been the same. Sieun would study quietly at his table, and Suho would talk his ear off about video games and what he thinks they're having for lunch.
Suho knew Sieun wasn't interested in two way conversation, and he was okay with that. So he’d just silently sit with Sieun to keep him company, Suho couldn't imagine it would be any fun to be alone for such long periods of time.
Sieun; though he would never outwardly admit it, didn’t mind Suhos presence.
Not at all.
Over time, Sieun started to expect Suho by his side before, after and during class. And even noticed his absence when Suho would leave. Even though Suho never left Sieun alone for more than 10 minutes to use the bathroom or grab snacks for the two of them.
Eventually Sieun had succumbed to Suhos antics, and started entertaining Suho by answering his question, laughing at his jokes, continuing conversation, and even started occasionally starting conversations on his own.
Little did he know, by doing this, he confirmed that Sieun and Suho had become a package deal.
Wherever Sieun was, Suho was never far behind.
Despite Suho being a walking distraction, Sieun still managed to keep his straight A’s afloat.
____________________________________________________________________
Eight years later, Sieun, still frail and avoidant, marched into his 12th grade classroom to find the all too familiar face of Ahn Suho, waiting at his desk, reserving Sieun a seat, right next to him.