"Yerin-aaaaaah~" a sing song-y called out from the front door, "Are you ready to go~~~"

She bid her parents goodbye and grabbed two lunch bags before heading outside, where she was greeted by a boy in uniform, bouncing excitedly from feet and to feet. "What did your mom make for lunch today?" he asked as he grabbed both bags from her hand and they began walking. "Spicy chicken stir fry," she answered simply. "Yesss! I love spicy chicken stir fry!" he exclaimed excitedly.

She rolled her eyes, amused, "What do you not love when it comes to food?"

"That's true. Wang Jackson is a lover of all," he wiggled his eyebrows with a grin.

//

"Yerinie... I'm here~"

Like an alarm, he called out right at 6:30 AM. He could hear the sound of her standing up from her chair and doing her usual routine before heading out to meet him. It's almost impossible to imagine a day where it doesn't involve their daily walk to school. Ever since he could remember, walking to school has always been associated with Yerin - the daughter of their next door neighbor who was a year below him in school. He remember throwing an absolute fit when his parents made him walk with her to school because she was afraid of walking alone - he wanted to run to school like his friends but instead, he had to walk slowly next to her. Over time, what was once a chore became an essential part of his day that he cannot imagine living without.

"I'm devastated that Kobe is retiring. Can you believe that?" he was in the middle of his rant about his favourite basketball player when they arrived at the gate of the school. It was a short fifteen minute walk that always felt too short, especially on days like today when he just had so much to say. "The guy is an absolute legend! And you know the worst part of all this?" he continued his rapid fire, animated story.

She shook her head.

"I still haven't seen him play in front of my own eyes! I want to go to a Lakers game because I want to see him, but now that he's retiring..." he sighed.

She laughed and patted his shoulder twice, "I'm sorry. Maybe he'll come to Korea now that he's retiring?"

He sighed dramatically, "Maybe. But now one of my dream is definitely not gonna come true!" he pretended to throw a fit before smiling.

"See you later!" he bid her goodbye when he saw his friends calling out to him from across the field. She nodded and waved him goodbye as she quietly walked to her own class.

'Maybe I'll walk with her to class one of these days so she doesn't have to walk alone,' he wondered as he ran towards his friends.

//

"Yerin..." his voice sounded quieter, "Are you ready to go?"

She spent a beat wondering why he sounded so quiet as she made her way out the door and she got her answer when she saw her friend looking slightly pale and sweaty. "Are you okay?" she immediately asked. His eyes were missing that spark of life that was always present and he was standing absolutely still.

He nodded and tried to smile as energetically as he could, grabbing the lunch bags as usual, "Yeah, I'm fine. Let's go - we're gonna be late."

"You don't look okay," she bit her lips as her forehead scrunched in worry.

He shook his head and chuckled, "I'm okay. You have a Maths test today, right? You can't be late for that," he continued to walk. "Come on," he called out when he saw her still standing in front of her house. "The teacher will literally kill you if you're late, you know. I had him last year and..."

She watched as he chatted away, attempting to sound alive and lively. She noticed the sweat forming on his forehead and how his steps are slower and smaller. "Jackson..." she interrupted, "Will you go home early today?" she asked, her voice full of concern. In response, he smiled wide, "I'm fine, really. But if it will make you feel better, sure."

Despite his agreement, she was still worried and her concern was proven right the next morning when she was greeted by a paler and sweatier Jackson. He was leaning against the wall by her front door when she came out. "Are you okay?" she asked immediately, only to be met with another smile and a nod before they begin their walk to school. "I have a test before lunch," he added quietly.

"You'll go home right after that, right?" she quickly followed up.

He nodded with a weak smile.

It was hard to see Jackson sick, especially since he's almost always home alone due to his parents travelling for the umpteenth time that month. So even if he does go home early, it was still worrisome because he has no one at home to actually attend to him.

"Can you go home to my house instead?" she asked shortly before they reached the school gate.

He laughed softly, "Fine. I'll bother ahjumma."

She smiled and nodded with relief.

//

"Yerin Yerin Yerin~" he called out from his window, which was situated right across from hers on the second floor of their respective houses, "My game is tonight at 5! Don't be late!" A few moments later, the sound of a door being slammed shut was heard followed by the sound of Jackson himself chattering with his friends as they moved farther away from the house.

It was Saturday morning and Yerin's plan for her weekend consist of reading and bed. She hates going out mostly because she prefers the quietness of her room but also because it makes her uncomfortable. The stimuli overload that she experiences when she goes to Hongdae or the mall is torturous for her and her bed is her sanctuary. And going to a basketball game is no different. But the last time she didn't go to his basketball game, he didn't speak to her for a week. Granted, they were in elementary school at the time but she's not willing to take the chance.

As she got ready to go to the game (alone, since none of her friends enjoys basketball games either), she marvelled at how his presence in her life is like a misplaced puzzle piece - so different and so... bright. Despite her hesitation and how much she hates being in crowded place, she still went and she cheered when they won.

//

"Jackson..."

It was a week after the game and they were on their usual morning commute when she interrupted his passionate story about the video game he completed last night.

"I heard that Jinwoon sunbae got mad at you yesterday and that you're not in the team anymore," she continued, sounding careful and calculated, "What happened?" He shrugged, "Nothing happened."

"What do you mean? You've always wanted to be a basketball player," she pressed on. He said nothing, suddenly really interested in his shoes. "There are guys in the team who are in my class too," she added softly, "They said it has something to do with you not wanting to come to practice." He cleared his throat, "I'm just... not feeling basketball... anymore."

But before she could press further, his friends called out his name and he bid her goodbye, leaving her to her own thoughts about him.

//

"Jackson..." she rang the bell twice, "Jackson..." she rang it two more times. It took three more times before he finally opened the door, looking like crumpled bed sheets. "Hey," he asked, surprised to see her, "What are you doing so early? It's..." he leaned into the house to see the clock, "...4:30 AM."

She smiled and handed him a lunch bag, "Your practise starts in a half an hour."

He stood still, surprised.

"I can walk alone," she began, "I've done that walk for years. I'll really be okay."

He looked hesitant.

"Really. Please go and get ready to go to practise," she smiled and walked back to her house, leaving him stunned and smiling, grateful to know that he has someone like her on his side.

(A few months later, when basketball season is over, Jackson resumed his role as her walking companion and on the third day, she opened her front door to a giant bouquet of roses and Jackson asking her to be girlfriend with the widest grin on his face.)