Disclaimer: You all know what I won and what I don't. Canon things I don't own belong to Koogi. I make NO money off writing this.

000

Bum and Sangwoo lay on their backs in the grass towards the end of the summer that year. Fireflies danced around them, and stars sparkled in the sky. Sangwoo's aunt and uncle were hosting a block-wide late-night cookout complete with campfire and fireworks to celebrate their nephew's last night with them. Bum's uncle had managed to stay sober and not go out with his friends for the night, while Granny chatted with an elderly couple from down the road. Bum's case-worker had even come earlier in the evening to do her weekly check in on him.

"I can't believe tomorrow is the last day of summer vacation…" Bum whined, turning his head to face Sangwoo. "I don't want to go to a new school...what if...what if they don't like me?"

"You worry a lot." Sangwoo informed. "But you'll be fine, Bum."

"But...you won't be there...I won't know anyone…"

"You'll be fine." Sangwoo repeated. "It's just kindergarten."

"But…" Bum looked away. "I-I guess you're right."

Sangwoo flipped onto his stomach. "I don't want to go home in the morning…"

"Why not?"

"I told you. It's better here." Sangwoo looked away, laying his head on his arms crossed under him.

"Oh…" Bum felt bad for his friend.

Sure, he'd be alone in a new school with new people he didn't know, but Sangwoo was going back to a home he hated living in. It was worse for him. He knew people, but he didn't want to be there with them. Bum thought that was a worse fate than being stuck with new people.

"But...you'll be back soon...right…?" Bum swallowed hard. "You come every summer...right…?"

Sangwoo turned to look at him, still laying down. "Yeah, you know I do." Sangwoo stated. "But between now and then, it sucks."

"Sorry, Sangwoo...I wish I could go with you…"

"No…you don't…" Sangwoo pushed off the ground to sit up. "I'm bored just laying here. I'm hungry."

"O-Okay...I could eat, too…" Bum sat up, patting his growling stomach.

"Weirdo." Sangwoo complained, standing and offering Bum a hand. "But I guess you're my weirdo, so I'm stuck with you."

Bum flushed, taking the hand and letting Sangwoo pull him to stand. "Yeah...I'm stuck with you, too…"

000

The moment Sangwoo's parents pulled up to get him, it was like a switch was flicked and the boy changed personalities. He grimaced when his mother rushed to hug him.

"Sangwoo!" She greeted. "How's my wonderful little guy, doing?"

He snuggled into her arms despite the look on his face. "I'm fine, mom…" He greeted.

His father didn't get out of the car.

"Are you ready to go?" His mother asked.

"I guess…"

"Did he behave?"

"Oh, yes." Auntie giggled. "Sangwoo had a great time with us. Didn't you, sweetheart?"

"Sure did." Sangwoo replied.

Bum watched in silent fascination while Sangwoo interacted with his mother. He was a completely different person when his mother was there; being friendly and polite. It made Bum concerned, in a way, but he was just happy that even though Sangwoo hated where he was going, he seemed to like the woman picking him up to bring him there.

"Bum!" Auntie called to him, waving. "Don't just stand there! Come say goodbye!"

"Since when has Heo had a child?" His mother asked.

"Oh, that's his nephew, Bum. He's living with them now. Since...the accident…"

"What accident?" Sangwoo asked.

"You know what accident."

"No I don't. Bum didn't tell me…"

"His parents got into a car accident, Sangwoo." Auntie stated. "Bum's father got him unbuckled and made him get out of the car, but he was busy helping Bum's mother when…" She shook her head. "It's not something for you to hear, honey. It's why Bum's parents aren't here anymore."

"He was in the accident?" The mother asked. "How is he not traumatized?"

"He is...I think he just suppresses the memories." Auntie plastered a smile onto her face when Bum got close enough to hear. "Bum! This is Sangwoo's mother. She's here to take him home."

"H-Hi…" Bum greeted.

"Nice to meet you, Bum!" His mother hugged the smaller boy. "Thank you for keeping my Sangwoo company. I'm sure he'll be happy to see you again next year. Won't you, dear?"

"Sure will, mother." Sangwoo glared at Bum, as if daring him to say anything about how he was acting.

"I'll be happy to see him next year, too." Bum grinned. "We had loads of fun!"

"I'm glad."

His father honked the horn. "Get your asses in gear!" He shouted out the car window. "We're going to hit traffic if we don't get moving now!"

"He's right, dear." Auntie hugged Sangwoo's mom, then him. "We'll see you next summer, okay?"

"Okay...thanks for having me." Sangwoo replied.

The women went to bring his bags to the car, chatting as they did. Bum nervously rubbed his left arm and looked away, biting his lower lip.

"You have something you wanna say, Bum?" Sangwoo wondered. "You only bite your lip when you wanna say something…"

"You're...you're like a different person when your mom is here…" Bum muttered. "It's weird."

"I guess I'm just a weirdo too, then."

"No, you're…!" Bum breathed a sigh of relief when he realized the other was just joking with him. "Y-Yeah...my weirdo…"

Sangwoo laughed until his father honked again and shouted at him. "See you, then…"

"Yeah...next summer…"

Sangwoo held out a fist to Bum. The other looked confused before hitting it with his own fist.

"There you go…" Sangwoo shoved his hands in his pockets and trudged after his parents.

Bum stood with Auntie and watched them leave until he couldn't see the red taillights anymore. She ruffled his hair and went into her home with her husband, who hadn't said a word throughout the entire exchange, just watched with his teeth grit and jaw set. Bum sadly walked up the stairs to the porch.

"What's wrong?" Granny asked.

"Sangwoo gets to go home with his parents...but he doesn't want to…"

"That's not your problem, Bum."

"I want to go home with my parents...but I can't…"

Granny scowled. "Come on." She ushered him inside.

His childish concerns could wait. In the Ohs' car, Sangwoo slumped down in his seat. The silence in the car was deafening. He almost wished his father would start screaming or his mother would break down into tears over her little baby boy having found such a nice new friend. The putrid scent of cigarettes filled his nose and he almost gagged as he watched his father use his mother's arm like an ashtray to snuff out the stick.

"Ow…" She muttered.

He slammed on the breaks. "Did you say something?" He asked.

"N-No, dear!" She replied quickly.

"I thought so." He huffed, glaring at Sangwoo in the rearview mirror. "What are you looking at?"

"I missed you…" Sangwoo muttered.

"Pansy." His father complained, driving again.

Sangwoo rolled his eyes when he was certain he couldn't be seen. He caught a glimpse of Bum standing with his aunt before the car fishtailed around a corner and took the home away from hell from his sights. Two hundred and seventy-two days left until he could return to his truer family, to his weirdo.