Smiley.
Ganke specifically understood where his nickname for Miles came from. They both weren't over the age of 10 when they met in elementary. Ganke always remembers being the oldest in his classes as his mother had him start pre-K at the age of 5 instead of 4. This was because his second language was English, Korean being his first, he didn't know enough English at the age of 4 to be able to understand what was going on. His mother held him back to help him throughout his years of schooling. Although even with the extra help he was still put into a speech impediment class due to some letters he couldn't fully pronounce.
This would be were he found his best friend, Miles. Miles was their because he couldn't say his N's. Ganke was there because he couldn't pronounce his L's and quite a few other letters. Although he mainly struggled on his L's. Miles saw this. He saw everything. Including how most of the teachers in that school who taught for this type of class had dropped Ganke as a student due to his inability to catch onto the pronunciations of these letters. Miles had enough.
His small mind was tired of seeing his classmate at the time on the brink of tears because of his teachers harsh words. He wanted to help. So one day he did.
This day was specifically harsh for his classmate. He hated it, Ganke deserved more than this. He was on the verge of crying on their way out to recess. Miles knew this was his time to take his classmate out somewhere and help him. That somewhere happened to be a bathroom stall. Ganke was attempting to tell him to stop doing this because they would get in trouble.
Miles didn't care he wanted the boy to be happy with himself. He was going to get him to say his last name before they were called back inside from their playtime.
He sat them down and explained to Ganke what they were going to do. "Im'a teach you how to say you last name! And do that before playtime is up!"
Ganke's face couldn't possible get anymore sad at the mention of saying something that he couldn't do. Felt like he was being made fun of. But he couldn't help but look up to the smaller boy. Hell if you were a kid who saw another kid do something you couldn't do you would feel the same way as well!
This would be were their few short 5 minute lessons began.
Everyday for about a week Miles would bring Ganke into the same bathroom stall, even if they had to wait for another kid to get out said stall, they never changed their routine, and he would begin his lesson. On that dirty New York elementary school bathroom. He would continue to shove his fingers into his mouth to hold his mouth open in hopes of showing Ganke how to place his tongue and how it should move with the sound of the letter.
Some days, when it were a few of Ganke's worst, Miles would teach he would simply let his friend lay his head in his lap rubbing his hair as the boy cried. Miles was always an awkward kid and had no clue on how to deal with a crying child, the only thing he would do was let his friend cry it out. And that he did. He did get a few weird glances from teachers due to his pant legs having wet spots on them but he didn't care.
His friend needed it, so he let him take it. He didn't care about the anxiety his small body got from having so many eyes on him at the end of the day. All that mattered was that Ganke was feeling better, that they both had one another.
It took a week but Ganke was finally able to say his last name. All the times of Miles walking out the bathroom with spit slick fingers from having them halfway down his own throat while diminstraiting the way the boys mouth should look, all the times they both had to practice standing on top of the toilet seat together when they heard the sound of keys and heels down the hallway, all the times that Miles had to hold the other male during one of his breakdowns, all the times they developed their small friendship; all led up to this one very moment.
Said moment consisted of Miles egging Ganke on as he told Miles that his name was Ganke Lee. He was finally able to. Miles never thought he could cry over something so happy and joyful but he felt amazing emotions for his own best friend. He couldn't control himself as he finally let loose and whole-heartedly hugged his best friend. He loved this boy with everything of his being.
To make matters better Ganke would wrap his arms around the other boy, one arm around his middle and the other went up above his shoulders and let his hand rest against the side of his neck. His own head rolled to lay on top of the other boys head, using the slight height difference to his own advantage. After a few seconds into the hug, he let up and left a small but exaggerated kiss to the top of the others head, imitating how his own mother would hug him. Miles seemed to like it as he slightly tapped his foot against the floor and relaxed against the other males body, using him sort of like a safe wall to lean on.
They both were happy were they were. Although Ganke felt something tug at his heart. He needed to thank the boy in front of him. Although he couldn't.
Miles didn't take into consideration that the letter L could be said in multiple ways. Look, Letter, Lee, Miles.... He couldn't say nothing but his own last name because that was how Miles taught him. Instead of just the L he would teach him the full name. At that he couldn't let this emptiness take over his heart he needed the boy to know he thanked him for his small mini lessons. Even if they didn't help all that much besides his last name. God, he felt awful.
He didn't know what to say, he couldn't say anything besides Lee..... Well he could say something, maybe. He didn't know what Miles would think about being called a nickname instead of his own name but Ganke couldn't help it! He couldn't say Miles' name and everything about Miles was always about smiling!
Hell everyone at the school could probably say only one thing about Miles and that was that he was constantly happy. Everything about him revolved around his pearly whites and the wide stretch of his mouth. He was constantly smiling... He was smiley... Ganke could say that! He could thank him for his teaching, he could let this hole in his heart be filled. He made his decision.
Ganke moved his hands up to the shorter boys shoulders, pushing him lightly away from his body, just to were he could see the other ones face...
There it was, that gorgeous wide smile written on the others face. Ganke couldn't help but send one back of his own.
"Thank you... Smiley!"
Smi - LEE