"Taetae!"
A tiny boy ran towards his friend with his adorable bunny smile that can make anyone turn their hearts into goo if they take a single glance at such a cute sight. Said boy went and jumped on his Taetae's back, who almost lost his balance if not hadn't heard the little one yell his name outloud.
"Baby, you be careful because you almost made both of us fall"
Taetae looked at the pure sunshine on his back, eyes shining so brightly and letting out the most adorable giggles he's ever heard. The older only received a big bear hug from the younger, but he wasn't complaining.
"It's okay! Taetae will always catch Koo!"
Pure adoration is seen in Taetae's eyes as he watched little Koo's nose scrunch from smiling widely. He was really happy to have met such a pure and sweet boy in his life. He would never ask for anything other than just being with his baby's side forever.
"Taetae, Koo heard that hyungie didn't want to go with new parents!"
This made him sigh and gently put the little one down on the grass, telling him to sit before he could explain.
You see, Taetae is an orphan and they're both at the orphanage, but Koo isn't one of them. He was just a curious boy, who saw another boy sitting all by himself in the playground while other children have fun with one another.
His parents only smiled softly as the little boy asked them if he could go and play in the playground. Fortunately, the employees did not mind it and was happy to let Koo make some friends. The cutie was on a mission and approached the sad boy, sitting on a swing set.
Taetae could never forget that bright smile directed to him, he felt his heartbeat quickened when a precious angel held his hand and asked him to play. Who could say no to such a sweet boy?
It became a routine for Koo to visit his Taetae in the orphanage and play together. They draw, pick some flowers and pretty much anything as long as they're together, it will always be fun. Although, Taetae knows this won't last forever.
He'll be too old to stay in the orphanage and be sent away soon. For a 13 year old, he's smart enough to know how the world works and it's honestly sad.
"Koo... I don't like them.."
"But Taetae will always be alone and lonely! Koo has to go to school so Koo can't stay with hyungie!"
The older smiled at the small boy and couldn't help but pull him in an embrace cause he couldn't handle how pure his Koo is. The latter giggled since his hyungie kept pressing his nose on his cheek.
"Taetae, promise Koo something.."
"What is it, baby?"
"If hyungie gets parents, don't ever forget your Koo"
Taetae looked down at the cute boy in his arms with a shock look on his face. He almost wanted to be offended cause how can he forget the best thing that ever came in his life? But he just smiled down softly at Koo and chuckled when he pulled out his pinky finger.
"I promise..."
They both interlocked their pinkies and pressed their thumbs together. Taetae hesitated for a bit, but went for it and did a sign to Koo. The latter tilted his head in confusion as he watched his hyungie softly bump his signed hand to his fist.
"Taetae... what does that mean?"
The older smiled fondly as he softly grabbed Koo's hand to help him do the sign and pressed their signed hands together.
"It means.... I love you.."
••••••• ••••• •••••••
"Taetae!"
The older boy showed his boxy smile to his little friend and watched him run towards him with open arms. Taetae didn't hesitate to engulf his little Koo into his arms and started to twirl.
"Taetae! Koo will be dizzy and Koo has something for you!"
"Sorry, baby. What do you want to give your Taetae hyung?"
Koo felt the ground on his feet and stared up at his hyung, obviously excited as he started jumping on his toes. His hyung still hadn't removed his arms around the younger's back and just sees Koo pull out a piece of paper.
"What is this, Koo?"
"I named him Tata!"
"Tata? Are you already replacing your Taetae hyung, baby?"
He faked a frown and almost broke into a smile when he sees the little one gape his mouth in shock and let out a gasp.
"N-No! Koo would never! Tata was born so that Taetae won't be lonely when Koo's not around!"
How can a 10 year old be this cute and pure-hearted? The older needed a minute to calm down his beating heart by distracting himself with the adorable drawing his baby made for him.
Since Taetae was looking down on the drawing, Koo was able to tiptoe and gently put something on his hyung's head. This made the older boy look up in confusion.
"Taetae hyung is the prettiest boy Koo's ever met!"
You can't blame the blush going up to his neck to his cheeks when he heard those words come out of his cute friend's mouth. He can't help, but stutter at the sudden compliment and when he reached out to feel what Koo put on his head, he swear his heart is about to burst.
It's a flower crown
"K-Koo! I- omg-.. you shouldn't-! W-Warn your- your hyung next time!"
Koo had the audacity to tilt his head innocently and stared at his hyung like a confused puppy.
"Why?"
"..... gosh you're just so cute!"
The little boy squealed when he got attacked with kisses on his cheeks as his Taetae wrapped his arms around him tightly, preventing the cutie from escaping his smooches.
"Koo is ticklish!"
"Koo's fault for being so adorable!"
Taetae will do anything he can to make his Koo smile so prettily like that. He also wanted to be the reason behind those precious smiles, but Koo seemed to be doing it on him instead.
"Hyungie better take good care of Tata! He'll be beside Taetae forever!"
"But what if I want you instead?"
"You know Koo can't! Koo also wants his Taetae, but school is super duper important"
"So I'm not important..?"
He started laughing out loud when he sees how big his little friend's eyes got due to how shock he was at what he just heard. Taetae felt a bit guilty when he sees Koo's pout and trying to explain how much he loves him.
The older started to kiss the little one's cheeks again to stop his rambling, but also hide his burning cheeks from the little boy's words.
"Don't worry, baby. Hyung knows he's important to you"
"Really?"
"Of course! You're also important to me.."
He did the special sign and bumped it to Koo's hand softly and smiled.
"... and I love you"
••••••• ••••• ••••••••
"Taetae!"
Koo was yet again, twirled around by his friend and giggled at the kisses after. He couldn't help, but scrunch his nose in excitement since he wanted to give his Taetae hyung something, but the older got to him first.
"This is for you, baby"
The little boy took the piece of paper his hyung gave and let out an adorable gasp on what was drawn on it.
"I named him Cooky. Just like Tata, he'll be giving you company while I can't"
The older was pounced by Koo and pulled into a bear hug. He chuckled at the multiple compliments the little one was giving him, but choked when he was given a kiss on the cheek. Koo then removed himself from his hyung and smiled happily at the drawing while the other was spacing out.
"Koo will make sure to take good care of Cooky, hyungie! Will give him lots of love and- Taetae?"
He called out to his friend, but was confused when he didn't get a response back. Koo watched his Taetae stare into the far distance, seeming to be in his own world.
"Taetae hyung?"
When he poked his cheek, that's when the older boy finally responds by flinching at the sudden touch and stared back at the younger. Koo got worried when his hyung's face turned to a scarlet red color and was about to ask, but got cut off.
"S-S-So Koo! What- What you-.. you got there i-in your- uh hand?"
That got the little boy distracted and Taetae let out a sigh in relief. His eyes soon met yellow and pink, he had to take a step back to properly take a look.
"Milk?"
"It's 'nana and strawberry milk!"
He watched his cute friend poke in straws for both the drinks and he was given the strawberry one. Taetae never had these before and he figured these are Koo's favorite drinks, especially the banana one he's so happily sipping right now.
"You brought these for me to try?"
"Yeap! Koo wanted to share his favorite things in the world to his Taetae hyung"
There goes his poor heart again, dying on how adorable the boy was being. They're both now enjoying the drinks and the older now understands why Koo loves these so much, he specifically love the strawberry better.
"Taetae... why does Koo always see you not play with others?"
Curiosity was visible into the small boy's eyes and they were so endearing to Taetae. The question made the orphaned boy let out a sigh, but not because he was sad about it.
"I just... don't like any of them"
"Taetae's so picky with kids and parents!"
Koo giggled and he felt his hyung's hand brush softly on his hair, he can't help the content sigh come out from his lips. The younger can feel Taetae's gaze on him and looked up to stare back at those soulful eyes.
"To be honest, this makes you special to me, Koo"
"But why pick Koo?"
"There's just something about you that pulls me in... you're just so.. sweet and kind"
Taetae squished his cheeks together and made Koo's lips form a pout. The older giggled as his younger friend started to whine at how much he's squishing him.
"You're just so cute! Your smile is so warm and your eyes shows how genuine you are... and those reasons"
When he finally released Koo's cheeks, Taetae reached out to show his hand to him. And again, did the same sign and bumped it on the younger's hand softly.
He waited for the little one to look back at him after staring at their joined hands. Taetae then whispered ever so softly...
"... is why I love you"
••••••• ••••• •••••••
"Taetae..."
The said boy felt something wrong in his gut when he heard such a tone from his Koo. With quick steps, he approached the small boy and gently cupped his cheeks.
He started to panic when tears were forming in his Koo's eyes and went to brush them away with his thumbs. Taetae was afraid to ask because any moment, the boy might breakdown.
"Taetae... I-" Koo hiccuped and that's when he was pulled into the older boy's embrace and started to cry on his shoulders.
"K-Koo.. Koo is sorry.."
The younger's grip on his friend's shoulders tightened seemingly scared that if he lets go, he'll disappear. This action made Taetae's heart break and he pulled him closer to his chest, caressing his hair softly.
"Why are you sorry for, Koo? You did nothing wrong"
"D-Don't- Don't be.. mad at K-Koo"
This got the older confused, but stayed quiet for his Koo to continue. It was good they're close to eachother because Taetae almost wasn't able to catch what the younger said.
"S-Seoul.."
"... what?"
Koo softly tries to push his hyung away a bit for him to talk properly, the older boy was a bit hesitant to let go, but complied. What his little friend said made him stop breathing.
"K-Koo's.. going- going to.. Koo's going to Seoul.."
"W-W-What..?"
Taetae didn't want to believe what he's hearing and is in denial on what his baby was trying to tell him.
"M-Moving.. away from he-here. Koo- Koo will be in.. be in Seoul.. for good"
Tears were now brimming on the older's eyes, but tried to stay positive with the situation, with a trembling voice he softly said.
"I-It's o-okay.. it's okay! Le-Let's just.. try to make the- the most of it be-... before you go, Koo"
"I'm sorry, Taetae. We're- We're leaving.. t-t-today"
That's when Taetae noticed the car that's parked in front of the orphanage, together with a moving van. He saw the saddened looks on Koo's parent's faces as they both watch their interaction.
"I-I'm only here to-... to say goodbye"
That's when the dam broke and it's now Koo trying to comfort Taetae, who's now crying outloud and tightening his grip on the small boy.
"N-No!!! Koo please! ...D-Don't leave me!
"T-Taetae please.. I-"
"YOU'RE THE ONLY ONE I HAVE!!!"
At that point the parents came out of the car since they could tell those two will not separate anytime soon and it honestly breaks their hearts to do it.
They had to ask for help from one of the caretakers to try to pull them away from eachother and they, too, were close to tearing up as the two boys were trying to desperately cling to eachother.
When they finally got separated, Taetae was screaming his Koo's name and the latter was crying back.
"TAETAE!!!"
Taetae watched as Koo reached out his hand towards his and did a very familiar sign. His eyes widen as the little boy bumped his signed hand to his and looked up to see Koo letting out a teary smile.
"I love you too"
*******•*****•*******
Author-nim:
Poor babies! Do not worry since this is basically the whole angst already and from then on, it's all fluff and crack. So don't be scared and enjoy the cuteness and dumbassery in this story!
Short story? Long story? Let's see where this will take us and I hope you like the characters here 💜
Thank you all for reading! 💛
CREDITS:
Banana|Strawberry Milk: バキバキ//Pinterest