FORTY: TO YOU, LAST LOVE

2003 Kyoto, Japan

YUURI POV

My mother was Japanese. She didn't want my father to go back to South Korea. She said that it would be better if we went to Japan, but my father insisted we'd move back to South Korea as soon as I graduate from middle school.

"Welcome to your last year in middle school. But before we get to the introductions, I would like to introduce a new student for this year's class, he's an exchange student from South Korea," the teacher said.

Then, a tall figure walked in the room, and all the students' attention were towards him.

He had dark black hair, and he had the appearancd similar to that of a happy dog who always makes everyone's days happy.

"Everyone, this is Byun Baekhyun-kun, he's part of the exchange program we had with a South Korean middle school. He's attending class for the year," the teacher said and the students, especially the girls, started talking about him.

"Baekhyun-kun is so handsome, I'm starting to like him."

"Kana-chan, you should confess to him before he gets back to Korea!"

"Who do you think will Baekhyun-kun choose? I'm starting to think he has high standards in girls."

"Class president Kang Yuuri, is it okay for Baekhyun to sit beside you for the time being for some guidance from you?" The teacher beamed, and I nodded as she suddenly got this guy to approach me.

"Ohayo? Uhh... I'm Byun Baekhyun, and you...?" Baekhyun tried saying as he attempted to execute his little knowledge in Japanese.

"You can converse with me in Korean too, I'm actually half-Korean. I'm Kang Yuuri, nice to meet you," I said as I extended me hand towards him.

"Ah, I'm glad to have met you, I finally get to be with a student who speaks Korean here," Baekhyun sighed in relief as he sat himself beside me.

THIRD PERSON POV

"Yuuri!" A voice called, and Yuuri looks back at the person who was walking towards her.

"I want to thank you for helping me out around the campus. If it weren't for you, I could've lost myself by now," Baekhyun smiled as he burrowed his hands inside of his pockets.

"Do you... want to go get ramen or something? Of course I'll pay," Baekhyun said and Yuuri smiled.

"It's okay. If I don't go home now, my mother will be mad at me. You can pay me a meal sometime," Yuuri smiled before going on her way out of campus.

"Your mother would be mad, huh," Baekhyun muttered as he stared at Yuuri's figure disappearing.

-

"Baekhyun-kun! Can you help me with my homework? I heard you're such an expert in the social studies subject!"

"Baekhyun-kun, come with us for lunch!"

"Baekhyun-kun! Meet us and we'll play basketball, yeah?"

"You're very popular," Yuuri said as she walked beside Baekhyun, and Baekhyun rubbed the back of his neck before looking at the classmates.

"Everyone, I'm sorry but I can't come," Baekhyun replied.

"Why, Baekhyun-kun?"

"I'm spending the rest of the day with Yuuri-chan," Baekhyun said shamelessly, and Yuuri burst into a red hue on her cheeks.

"Wah, Yuuri-san and Baekhyun-kun sure are close. I'm jealous."

"Yuuri-chan, I never expected her to be attached to this guy. I always thought she was quiet and smart."

"Why would you tell them that?!" Yuuri whispered, and Baekhyun smiled.

"Am I wrong though? I enjoy being with you, Yuuri," Baekhyun said and Yuuri ignored him as she kept reading her book.

-

"Here," Baekhyun said as he handed her something.

"What is this?" Yuuri replied, and Baekhyun hummed.

"Good question, isn't it what girls always wear? Those things on their hair or something?" Baekhyun said and Yuuri looked down to see a ribbon clip on her open palm.

"How did you know I wanted this?" Yuuri replied as she studied the clip.

"I may or may not have seen you stop by a shop to look at those. If you aren't gonna go for ramen with me, it would be best to buy you something you like, right?" Baekhyun smiled and Yuuri looked at the clip with a soft smile.

"Thank you, you're so thoughtful," Yuuri smiled as she sweeped a part of her bangs to the side before clipping it.

"Does... it look good on me?" Yuuri asked and Baekhyun stared at her for a good minute.

"A-ah yeah.... you look nice in it, you look beautiful," Baekhyun muttered as pink dusted his cheeks.

"Yuuri?!" A voice called and Yuuri's eyes widened as she looked over at the figure marching towards them.

"Who is that?" Baekhyun asked.

"M-my mother," Yuuri replied.

"Why are you with a boy?! And why do you have that disgusting clip on your hair?! Are you dating an old man or something?!" Her mom yelled and Baekhyun furrowed his brows as he looked at how fidgety Yuuri started to become.

"Let's go," Baekhyun said as he grabbed Yuuri's hand, running off somewhere far away as they ran out of her mother's sight.

"Hey?! You bastard where are you taking my daughter?!"

"Baekhyun? Where are we going? Mom will get mad at me!" Yuuri said as they ran down the streets of Kyoto. And Baekhyun chuckled breathlessly as beads of sweat started to form on his back and forehead.

"Away from your witch a mother," Baekhyun laughed and Yuuri's eyes widened as she laughed along with him.

"You think she's a witch too?" She replied and Baekhyun smiled as he gripped tighter on Yuuri's hand. Watching the clouds turn gray, and soon... raindrops fell to the ground.

"Kang Yuuri! I want you to let out all that frustration out! Because with me, you're free!" Baekhyun shouted.

"You don't have to listen to your mom! Because you're your own person! Doesn't matter if she doesn't want you to be pretty! You're ten times more beautiful than her!" Baekhyun yelled and Yuuri smiled as their uniforms were wet, their hair was dripping from the rain, and they kept running.

"You can wear anything you want, put as much makeup on you, and think how you want! And I'm sure you'll still be the most fairest of them all!" Baekhyun yelled, he was getting shameless by the minute, and Yuuri laughed lightly.

At that night, they were running through the rain, their clothes and hair wet, their smiles never faded when they were with each other. And that faint and warm heartbeat two young middle school students had for each other.

"Oh! And I'll take the fall for you when we get to your mom!"

For the first fime, Yuuri did feel free.

-

"Where are you going? It's late at night, don't tell me you're going to meet that mannerless boy now? I won't allow you! And why are you wearing a yukata and what are you being so pretty for?" The mother said as she looked at Yuuri.

"Oh Himekawa, just let your daughter go to the summer festival. She has friends and will eventually find someone she likes, you can't keep her like a dog forever," the father replied and Yuuri smiled.

"Thank you dad! I'll be going to the festival now!" Yuuri smiled at her dad before leaving the house.

-

"You... you... look so.... pretty," Baekhyun said as he was wearing a hoodie and jeans with sneakers. He chose to wear something simple for the summer festival, since he didn't have a yukata.

"Thank you, I also brought this clip here," Yuuri said as she showed him the clip on her hair and Baekhyun smiled.

"Come, the fireworks are starting," Baekhyun smiled as he intertwined his fingers with hers, and Yuuri turned tomato red as they headed over to the venue.

"I want to try some food and games after this," Yuuri said and Baekhyun sighed as he chuckled.

"I'll buy them for you, then we'll win a huge stuffed toy too," Baekhyun smiled as they looked up at the sky.

"Yuuri, how long will you stay in Japan? Will you come to Korea too?" Baekhyun asks her seconds before the fireworks are starting.

"When I graduate middle school, why? We can meet at Korea too," Yuuri replied and Baekhyun smiled.

"I'm glad, I want to meet you again at all costs," Baekhyun sighed as he saw the fireworks pasting the sky in different colors and sounds.

All the people crowded over to see the fireworks, their eyes sparkling in amazement.

"It's so beautiful!" Yuuri smiled as she stared at the night sky, but Baekhyun's eyes were fixated on her alone.

"Kang Yuuri," Baekhyun said as Yuuri turned to look at her.

Then suddenly, Yuuri's eyes widened as Baekhyun leaned in for a quick peck on the middle of her forehead, and the fireworks sounds, the sound of people around them slowly disappeared.

Yuuri's face was bright red, and Baekhyun's was also dusted pink.

"The moon is beautiful, isn't it? Yuuri Kang."

----
(UNEDITED)

A/N:

Vote or u fall off the bed

Someday I will find someone who can also confess to me with a "the moon is beautiful, isn't it?" Someday, it will come hahaha </3

But hey, Yuuri and Baekhyun moment :D (Soujin and Jungkook crumbs will also come a bit soon I know u miss them •3•)

And I'm also sorry to those Taehyung x Yuuri shippers here lol I can suddenly hear him singing Olivia Rodrigo songs from a distance :D