Prologue

Kurt Hummel will never forget the day he met Sebastian Smythe. Admittedly, this is only partially because of Sebastian's one-of-a-kind, alluring charm that he seems to possess even as a small child. It just so happens to also be their first day of Kindergarten, which is typically a day that many people do not forget. Nevertheless, the cherished memories that come with this day are no less sentimental.

This day is special for yet another reason. Since his mother died, the memories of the allotted time they shared together have mostly been a blur; but, this day with his mom is one of the rare ones that he can remember clear as day: right down to the tiniest details. He remembers what dress she was wearing, a baby blue sateen dress that worked perfectly for her figure and made her glasz eyes—the ones that were the same color as Kurt's—pop. He remembers the dazzling way her dark brown hair curled perfectly at the tips and bounced whenever she turned to smile at something he did or said, or to giggle at something she found funny. But what he remembers most are the moments before she left him to his very first day of school: one of the moments every mother has to endure that they secretly dread, a moment where they have to let go.

To say Elizabeth Hummel is hesitant would be an understatement. She kneels in front of her son, smiling sadly at him with eyes that are shimmering with the threat of unshed tears, and holding both his hands in hers. Kurt remembers surveying his surroundings and being confused. While all the other children he sees being dropped off are crying and clutching desperately at their mothers, Kurt is looking sympathetically at his mother and gently pulling one of his hands away to wipe her tears as she tried—unsuccessfully—to properly repeat the procedures she's crammed into his memory on the entire car ride there without sobbing too much. Looking back on it, the situation is sort of funny, in an ironic way.

"Mommy…" He whines, as he replaces his hands in hers but the tears keep coming. "Don't cry…"

He looks around once again as she continues to sob softly, blushing faintly as he finds the other parents looking at him and his mother with that sort of silent, almost abashed scrutiny. It's the kind that tells you that you are being judged, but that the spectators are trying their best to be polite about it. Kurt Hummel was never one that loved to be pitied. His voice quiets to his best attempt at a whisper, which naturally for a five-year-old wasn't all that quiet. "You're 'barrassing me!"

That earns a giggle from his mother and his teacher, Miss M, as she has told Kurt to call her, knowing a five-year-old probably won't have the easiest time pronouncing Miss MacLauchlan. She is a woman that can't be older than her late twenties and she has fiery red hair that reminds Kurt of his favorite Disney princess, Ariel. Elizabeth gets the hint, taking a deep breath to steady her emotions, and finally releases his hands to wipe at the last of her tears. She doesn't rise to her feet though, still kneeling in front of him so that she can meet her little boy at eye level. She recites the rules again, having Kurt repeat them back to her just as they have in the car. Before long, Kurt, his mother, and his teacher are the only ones who remain in the hallway.

"Always listen to Miss M, be nice to everyone, play fair, remember my manners, and clean up what I mess up," He parrots back to her for what is probably close to the thirtieth time today. Of course, five-year-old Kurt isn't bothered by the repetition like seventeen-year-old Kurt would have been. Five-year-old Kurt is happy to have remembered and said everything correctly, so he flashes his mother a wide grin, earning him applause and reciprocated grins from Elizabeth and Miss M.

"Good job, honey! You're such a big boy now," His mother says fondly, and then takes his face in her hands, pressing a kiss to his nose. Kurt can see the tears welling again, but before he can complain, she gives him a big hug and tells him, "Alright, sweetheart, have fun, learn a lot of great things, and I'll be back to get you when the little hand is on the twelve and the big hand is on the six. Remember what time that is?"

"Um…," Kurt ponders before the answer comes to him and he exclaims, "Twelve thirty!"

This earns him yet another round of applause from his mother and teacher.

In retrospect, he thinks maybe this is the moment where he gets accustomed to the sound and grew to love it so much. From a young age, he knows it is a sign that people love you, are proud of you, and that you have done a job well done. Nothing has ever made him smile brighter than when people cheer for him.

"Okay, sweetheart, Mommy loves you," Elizabeth coos, closing her eyes and puckering her lips.

"I love you too, Mommy," Kurt replies immediately, closing his eyes too and pressing a kiss to her waiting mouth.

It is then that Elizabeth finally stands; meticulously brushing her blue dress in case any dirt had clung to it as she was kneeling. She smiles brightly at Kurt, waving goodbye. "Bye, Kurtie."

"Bye bye Mommy," Kurt echoes, hugging her waist, before looking up at Miss M. "Can I go in now?"

"You sure can, Kurt. I'll be in there in just a minute," She assures him, and with her permission, the little boy scurries away into the colorful classroom. Before she leaves, he can hear his mother saying goodbye to Miss M and promising to be back at twelve thirty sharp.

After Miss M shows them all where their special areas are, tells them all the rules, and teaches them things like the days of the week, the months of the year, all the numbers and letters, and the colors of the rainbow, it is time for their first "play time." Miss M tells them that they can play whatever game they want with whoever they want as long as they clean up afterwards and they play nice. When Miss M says this, Kurt isn't sure who he wants to play with. Kurt wants to play tea party with some girls he met, but there aren't enough tea cups for him to play too. Then he wants to play dress up, but they don't have any boy clothes for dress up, just dresses. He tells Miss M he thinks that is unfair. One boy asks if he wants to play Super Hero, but Kurt doesn't like superheroes, so he has to tell the boy no. But he makes sure to say sorry so he doesn't hurt his feelings. The boy says it's okay.

Then he turns and sees a taller boy with light brown hair and green eyes sitting all alone in the sandbox. Kurt has been curious about the boy all day because he has never seen anyone so pretty before, besides his mommy. He didn't know that boys can think other boys are pretty. He just thought boys think girls are pretty. But this boy is definitely pretty. And he seems different to Kurt. Like he's not like other boys. Kurt doesn't know why he feels that way, though.

He tries to figure out what game the green-eyed boy is playing, but he can't guess it from what he was doing. It looks like he is making a big sandcastle and he has a make-believe crown on his head. Kurt is confused, so he decides that he will go over to ask him.

"Hi, I'm Kurt," He says, and smiles and waves as he reaches the sandbox. "What's your name?"

The boy looks up from the sandcastle he is making and looks surprised. Kurt realizes that he hadn't known that Kurt walked over to him. But then he is smiling back at him and Kurt feels a funny feeling in his tummy. "Hi Kurt, my name is Sebastian."

"Sebastian?" Kurt asks and his face scrunches up as he tries to remember where he has heard that name before. He thinks for a little while before his whole face lights up when he remembers, and he claps his hands in excitement. "Like Ariel's friend from The Little Mermaid!"

"Yeah!" Sebastian shouts with Kurt, his pretty smile getting even bigger. "The crab!"

"That's so cool!" Kurt cheers. The Little Mermaid was Kurt's favorite movie.

"I know!" Sebastian seconds. "And I love the water, too. Just like that Sebastian does!"

"Wow!" Kurt enthuses. "Is that why your mommy gave you that name?"

Sebastian's face scrunches just like Kurt's does when he is thinking, except he looks down and bites his lip when he does it. "I don't know…" He looks back up at Kurt then, a small smile returning to his face. "I'll ask her later."

"Okay!" Kurt says, clapping his hands again. He is excited because maybe when Sebastian asks his mommy, he will tell Kurt what she says. In all the excitement, Kurt has almost forgotten why he came over to Sebastian, but when he looks at the make-believe crown on Sebastian's head, he remembers again. "What game are you playing, Sebastian?"

Sebastian looks down at his sandcastle as if he's forgotten about it, too. "Oh!" He says when he remembers. "I'm playing King of the Castle. Do you wanna play with me?"

"Sure!" Kurt agrees immediately, but then he thinks of something. "But if you're king, what can I be? There can't be two kings, can there?"

"Hmm…" Sebastian does that thing where he scrunches his face and bites his lip again. Kurt thinks he looks cute when he does that. "I know! You can be my prince! Because you're really pretty and princes are always pretty, right?"

Kurt blushes when he hears that, but not like he did when the other parents looked at him and his mom in the hallway, but in a different way. He blushes because he feels happy, not scared or embarrassed. Sebastian thinks he is pretty, too. Just like Kurt thinks Sebastian is pretty. He smiles shyly and mumbles, "But Sebastian, princes aren't pretty, princesses are."

Sebastian looks confused. "I think the princes are prettier."

Kurt gasps. He has never heard any boy say that before. Or anyone, really. But then he realizes something. "I do, too."

Sebastian just grins at that and then he scoots over to make room for Kurt in the sandbox. Kurt gets in the sandbox with him and they play together for the rest of the day. Whenever there is an activity to do, they always ask Miss M if they can be partners. And when it is time to go home, Sebastian and Kurt promise that they will play together every day.

"You're my bestest friend, Kurtie," Sebastian tells Kurt.

"You are mine too, Sebby," Kurt says and gives him a big hug before going home with his mommy.

That afternoon, Kurt tells his mommy and daddy all about the boy who has a name like the crab in The Little Mermaid and makes him prince of his castle and how they are going to be bestest friends forever. His daddy just says it's nice and pats him on the head, but his mommy is really excited, just like he was, and she smiles really big at him while he talks about him.

What Kurt won't realize until he is much older is that his mommy is so excited because she knows what Kurt won't know until about thirteen years later.

Three years after their first day of kindergarten, Sebastian, his mom, and his dad are at Kurt's house for dinner. Their parents have been talking by themselves for most of the day and whenever Kurt and Sebastian ask what they are talking about, they tell them it is a 'grown-up conversation'. Kurt and Sebastian hate it when grown-ups say that.

After dinner is over, Kurt's mom and dad tell Kurt to take Sebastian upstairs to watch TV in his room, and Sebastian and Kurt know that it was just so that they can talk some more. But even though they don't want to, because they want to know what is going on, they listen to their mommies and daddies. Because they are good boys and good boys always listen to their parents.

Upstairs, Kurt and Sebastian sit cross-legged on Kurt's bed and just talks instead of watching TV or playing Pokémon like they usually do.

"What do you think they're talking about?" Kurt asks his best friend.

Sebastian shrugs. "I dunno. Probably just stupid grown-up stuff, like they said. No big deal."

Kurt nods, even though he isn't fully convinced. Something feels strange about the way their parents are talking. Normally when they talk to each other, they are happy and laughing, but they just seem quiet and secretive. And they almost never keep Kurt and Sebastian from being in conversations.

"Hey," Sebastian huffs, getting Kurt's attention again. "Why do you look so freaked out?"

"I'm not," Kurt lies.

Sebastian just looks at him incredulously, one eyebrow raised and arms crossed, like he knows Kurt is lying—and of course, he does. Sebastian always knows when Kurt isn't telling the truth. Sometimes it is annoying, but most of the time, it just shows Kurt what good friends they are.

"Fine… I'm freaked out because… well, it just seems like they're hiding something… like they're talking about something bad that they don't want us to know about," Kurt admits, wincing as he says the fear out loud, the thought seeming so much worse that way.

Sebastian just smirks and shakes his head. "You're being silly, Kurtie. What could they be hiding from us? Our parents tell us everything. And if it was something bad, then they'd definitely tell us."

Kurt thinks about that for a moment and then nods, realizing his best friend has a good point. He usually does. He thinks it's because his dad is a lawyer, so he always has good points, too. He starts laughing softly at himself. "You're right, I'm just being silly."

"Exactly," Sebastian says pointedly, leaning back so his back rests against the wall behind Kurt's bed. "There's nothing bad going on."

Kurt is smiling at Sebastian then, for successfully calming him down, when he hears their names being called from downstairs, and he is frowning in the next instant, looking at his best friend with wide, frightened eyes. Sebastian simply reaches out his hand to gently cover Kurt's and mouths the word "Relax," before leading the way down the stairs to see what their parents want, and of course Kurt follows closely behind.

"Yes?" Sebastian asks once both boys are at the foot of the stairs.

Kurt knows Sebastian has just told him to relax, but he can't understand how Bas can stand beside him so completely unperturbed while his own heartbeat is pounding so fast and hard that he can hear it in his own ears.

Kurt knows the nervous looks on their parents' faces. He knows the small smiles that they paint on their faces to try and make things less scary, which never really works on him. He just knows. Kurt can always tell when something is going on: good or bad. He can just read people and situations like that, because he is observant and perceptive. He guesses that maybe his best friend doesn't have that quality.

After too many beats of silence, the adults start to look back and forth at each other, as if silently trying to decide who will do the talking. Mr. Smythe takes a deep breath and begins speaking.

"There's… good and bad news," Sebastian's dad says cautiously.

Without looking at him, Kurt can see Sebastian tense up out of the corner of his eye at that statement. He asks just as cautiously as his dad speaks and it sounds so uncharacteristically small for the boy Kurt has grown to know and become fond of. So much so that Kurt has to fight the urge to reach out and hug him right then and there, before Mr. David has even said anything. "Good and bad news?"

"Yes." Apparently it was Ms. Katherine's turn to speak. Normally, Kurt likes to hear Sebastian's mom talk because Bas told Kurt that she was born in France so her accent is different and sounds prettier than theirs. But the words she says distract Kurt from how cool she sounds when she's saying them. "Sebby, you're aware that your father's firm has been doing really well here in Ohio, and wanting to branch out to find even more clientele?"

Sebastian just nods and Kurt realizes that he's reached Kurt's own level of panic, the kind that is making it hard for him to speak. And he's also noticed that this is the first time since he was six years old that Sebastian hasn't complained when anyone other than Kurt has called him Sebby. The urge to hug him was building stronger with every passing second of this agony. He settles for squeezing his hand. Although the reaction is late, soon enough, Kurt feels Sebastian's hand curling around his.

"Well… my boss found an amazing way for me to get that clientele," Mr. David says, although he doesn't sound as excited as he probably should be, and the smile on his face is far too weak to be comforting.

"So…" Sebastian finds his voice again, although it is still softer than usual. "That's the good news, right? What…" He pauses and takes a deep breath. "What's the bad news?"

The Smythes look like they've been totally caught off guard. They've obviously planned in their heads already how they want this conversation to go, and Bas has obviously knocked it off course with that question. After a moment, Ms. Katherine speaks again.

"U-um… it-it's… it's that the clientele are from back home… my home… Paris." She tries another feeble smile that doesn't reach her eyes.

"Oh…" Sebastian says and he sounds a bit calmer than before. "Well, that's not bad. It just means we'll be going to France every now and then… like on the summers and stuff… right?"

Their parents all frown then and even though Kurt had not been in the room when this conversation was held, and he didn't know for sure, he shakes his head solemnly because he can make a guess. He thinks maybe Bas knows too, but is just being optimistic. This isn't about them taking frequent vacations. But not even that small inkling could have prepared him for the big reveal.

"No, son," Mr. David says finally. "We'll um… this means we'll be moving to France. To live."

"WHAT?!" Kurt and Sebastian exclaim together.

"When!?" Sebastian asks.

"In two days," Mr. David answers, scratching the back of his head.

"TWO DAYS!?" Sebastian booms and Kurt can't bring himself to do more than just stare in utter disbelief.

Kurt's dad, always the mediator, is the first to speak up. "This isn't the end of the world, or your friendship! You two could always write letters to each other, talk on the phone, e-mail, that new… webcam chat thing, you name it!"

"Absolutely," Mr. David chimes in and Ms. Katherine nods eagerly.

Kurt and Sebastian aren't having any of it. This is a situation not even Kurt's dad's pep talks can fix.

"It won't be the same!" Sebastian shouts exasperatedly.

"This is a disaster," Kurt bemoans and he drops his best friend's hand, sitting on the staircase, burying his head in his hands, feeling on the verge of tears. Seb immediately drops beside him and puts a hand on his back, trying to comfort Kurt even in his own misery.

"Boys, I am so sorry," Kurt's mom says and Kurt thinks he can hear the threat of tears even in her voice, and he feels more than sees her kneeling in front of him, and Seb moves his hand away so that she can pull her into his arms and rub his back.

"Terribly sorry," Ms. Katherine adds, "But Sebby, honey, this is an amazing, once in a lifetime opportunity for your father."

"Oh yeah, well what about me, Mom?" He asks. "What am I gonna do in France?"

A tiny voice in the back of Kurt's head is quietly asking how his best friend can be talking about France like it is this terrible, retched place to be when—according to what he's seen in pictures, heard in Social Studies, on TV, and in movies—it is positively magical. But the forefront of his brain just knows that France is taking his best friend and his family away, so it seems perfectly logical to think horribly of it.

"Andrew is already there, remember? Has been for years now and he has adjusted just fine. With his help and your mother's, we will, too," Mr. David says, shocking everyone silent.

Andrew is Sebastian's older brother and he is a rare topic in the Smythe family. Even Kurt doesn't know much about him because of how little they speak of him; but, then again, Sebastian doesn't know Andrew too well, seeing as he rarely comes around. All he knows is that he is Sebastian's (and his younger sister Sylvie's) older brother who is thirteen years older than Seb and was a troublemaker when he was a teenager, so he got shipped off to France for some kind of fancy private school where he lives with Ms. Katherine's sister Henrietta, and ended up liking it so much that he stayed.

"That… doesn't change the fact that this isn't fair," Sebastian says dejectedly, after a while.

"I know, honey…" Ms. Katherine says, caressing Sebastian's anger-reddened face with the back of her hand. "I know this will be quite a change for you, but I promise you, you will love Paris."

"But it's not home," Seb insisted. "Maybe for you guys, and for Aunt Henrietta, and for Drew, it's home… but not for me and Sylvie. And it won't have Kurt… or Mr. Burt and Ms. Elizabeth."

Kurt can't fight the tears any longer. He doesn't normally like crying in front of people, especially not other boys. But Sebastian doesn't make him feel weak for doing it like other boys do. So it is almost okay. His parents are looking at Sebastian sadly as well and his mom is also crying. Everyone is looking at each other with such despair and it is just awful.

"We're sorry, son, we really are," Mr. David says. "But France will be like home soon…. once you get used to it… I know it."

Sebastian makes a dismissive noise that his parents ignore.

"And you'll see Kurt and the Hummels again, we promise," Ms. Katherine says, still caressing Bas' face.

"Absolutely," Kurt's parents second, like the Smythes had earlier about keeping in touch.

Sebastian sighs. "Whatever, can I just… can I just say goodbye? Alone?"

The Smythes hesitate for a moment and it is silent again as everyone looks at Sebastian in shock. No one has ever heard or seen Seb so upset, nor has he ever disrespected his parents that way, by saying 'Whatever' to them. But, like Kurt does, they seem to understand that he isn't being himself right now because he is still processing this agonizing news, and he doesn't really mean it.

"Alright son," they say, and their parents leave them alone.

It is a while before the boys speak and they don't look at each other, just sit frozen, breathing heavily. Every now and then, Kurt's sniffles can be heard too. But the silence isn't awkward. It is actually oddly comforting as they just sit and wait patiently for one another to say something that somehow makes this alright. When too many moments pass, they both turn and start to talk at the same time.

"Kurtie, I-"

"Bas-"

"I just-"

"I wanna-"

They both sigh, smiling weakly.

"Let me," Sebastian says after a while when it is clear Kurt wasn't going to try to talk at the same moment again.

Kurt nods, looking intently at his best friend through red eyes and with tear-stained cheeks.

"I just wanna say that… you're my first and only best friend… and no matter what happens, I'm never gonna meet anybody else like you, and that I'll like to hang out with as much as I like to hang out with you. And I'm never, ever gonna forget you. And we're gonna be best friends forever. Just like we said we would."

Kurt just nods again, not trusting his voice as he feels more tears coming, and he doesn't think he's ever agreed with anything more than he agrees with that.

"Always," He manages to choke out a few seconds later. "I'm gonna miss you so much, Sebby."

Sebastian's lip trembles and it seems like he will cry too; but, before Kurt can register that, he is being pulled into a tight hug. "I'm gonna miss you too, Kurtie."

They pull away after what seems like forever; and, even then, Kurt knows neither of them want to let go. Kurt wipes his eyes with his sleeve and sniffles while Seb quickly wipes his own eye with the back of his hand, as if hoping Kurt wouldn't catch it. Kurt doesn't say anything.

"Oh, and one more thing," Sebastian says quietly.

"Hm?" Kurt asks.

"This is all because I jinxed it, isn't it?" Sebastian says, a small smile creeping onto his face at the joke.

Kurt chuckles softly, smiling back at him. "Yeah, all because you said nothing was wrong."

"Yeah. Then the worst thing ever happens." Sebastian laughs with him and in those small moments, everything almost felt okay. Sebastian always knows how to do that, to make them laugh when something bad happens. So, even for just for a second, they can forget how badly it stinks.

Then the laughter dies down and it gets quiet again.

Again, Sebastian speaks up. "Hey Kurt…"

"Yeah, 'Bas?" Kurt asks because it sounds like a question.

"I really am gonna see you again, you know. As soon as I can, I'll be back here in Ohio. We're gonna see each other again, I promise," Sebastian declares and he looks so sincere and determined that Kurt can't possibly disagree. And Kurt believes him because he is determined too.

"Okay 'Bas, I believe you. We'll see each other again. A.S.A.P.," Kurt responds.

"Yeah…" Sebastian says, nodding his head once for more confirmation.

And they smile at each other, genuinely, even if it does have some melancholy undertones.

After that, they walk together to the living room where they all hug goodbye. Their parents don't say anything, so Kurt figures they've taken care of their own goodbyes while he and Seb took care of theirs.

The next day, Sebastian, Sylvie (who was too young to even care much about leaving), and Kurt watch together as movers packed up Sebastian's entire house and moved it into vans.

The day after that, Kurt and his parents go with Sebastian and his family to the airport. Before they board for departure, Kurt and Sebastian repeat their promise to each other and have one last, tight hug before Kurt and his parents watch the Smythes' plane take off.

And, unfortunately, that was the last time Kurt and Sebastian saw each other for nearly ten years…