The first couple of times, when his new friends started avoiding him, his confidence crashed to the ground. The ugly voices in his head whispered about all his insecurities and he found comfort in Do-Yung's welcoming embrace. His only loyal friend.
Then everyone started avoiding him again and it was like being back to his first month in school. He was back to being the outcast less the bullying, and Do-Yung wasn't here anymore. His friend picked him up from school everyday, how he made it work with his own schoolwork was a wonder but he did and Na-Kyum found himself counting down the second until he could get away from the stifling atmosphere and get back to the familiar warmth of the only person whom had ever enjoyed his company.
Until one fateful day. He helped clean up after sports. He may have gone back to a normal weight but he was still as slow as ever. He was about to open the closet to put the colorful cones away when he heard it.
« I can't stand it anymore, » Ji-Hye, one of the girl whom he had thought was genuinely interested in being his friend, sighed. « He needs to leave. »
« Just bear it for one more year, » another classmate answered in the same defeated tone.
« Every time I see him I think about Seo Do-Yung's warning… »
« Don't, » a third classmate stopped her. « As long as we stay away from him, we're safe. »
« How much do you have to hate one person to go through such length to keep them alone ? » Ji-Hye wondered out loud.
« Hatred ? » Someone scoffed. « It's obviously mad l- »
Na-Kyum didn't stay to hear the rest. He ran away, up to the roof where he struggled to get his breathing under control. He held his head between his hands and pulled at his hair. Do-Yung had… ? Why ? What had he done wrong ? He...
Flashes of memories bombarded behind his eyelids as he squeezed his eyes shut and tried to focus. No. There had to be a misunderstanding. Do-Yung and he were close. They were chosen brothers. They'd never hurt each other. Never. He had to trust in that or he'd lose it. No, he trusted Do-Yung.
His last year of middle school was a miserable affair but like everything in life, it passed.
High school was much better. Do-Yung had somehow made friends, though it wouldn't look like it from the way he treated them. Something about them made Na-Kyum feel uneasy but he never asked. At least they were always kind to Na-Kyum.
If sometimes it felt like Do-Yung tried to keep him apart from the group, he did his best to brush it off. Could he really fault Do-Yung for being embarrassed of him ? He spent his time in class alone, even during group presentation, the teacher never pressured anyone in taking him in. He was used to standing apart, on his own. It still hurt. He hid it when Do-Yung appeared in his classroom to drag him away for lunch or on break, embarrassed by his inability to fit in. Sometimes his friends joined them on the rooftops or in the garden but not that often. Globally, it was still Do-Yung and him against the world. In his case at least.
His best friend had a sudden growth spurt during last summer and even his scary expression wasn't enough to spoil his good looks anymore. Long gone were the emaciated features. He was tall, taller than the teachers already and way too muscular suddenly. He looked like an actor from those american movies the orphanage's supervisor liked to watch. His face had matured too and the beautiful dark blue eyes were perfectly displayed amongst his manly, sharp features. And people didn't even get to see his dimples. Na-Kyum felt proud of his brother and also privileged to be the only one to know his ultimate charm. Though it probably wouldn't last considering the attention he started to attract. His cold behavior was still enough to keep them away for now but not much longer. Na-Kyum forbad himself from being jealous. He could envy anyone but not Do-Yung. Never. Every good thing that happened to him was cheered on by Na-Kyum, though his dream of being the one to help him out somehow grew further and further.
It wasn't Do-Yung and Na-Kyum anymore. It felt more like useless little Na-Kyum desperately holding onto his impressive friend.