Donghyuck's POV
"Kiddos, hurry up! The playground will open in a few minutes." I called to my little brothers, Hyul and Kyun. Hyul is two years younger than Kyun. We're going to the playground because I'm taking care of them for now and I'm a cool hyung.
"Coming, hyung!" I saw them wearing their shoes near the stairs. They finished after a minute and rushed towards me. I looked at their shoes and Hyul's was tangled. Kyun looked at the same direction.
He ruffled his own hair and bent down. "Aish, Hyul, I told you to practice tying your shoes with me. You really don't listen to me nor to Hyuck hyung." He scolded his younger brother and tied his shoelaces properly.
I smiled at them. "Sorry, hyung." Hyul said with a pout. After Kyun finished, their sparkling eyes turned to me. "Let's go, Donghyuck hyung!!" They both said excitedly.
"Okay, okay. Hold my hand, Kyun. Hyul, don't let go of your brother." The latter nodded and grabbed his hand. I puffed my cheeks. Dang, they're so cute.
We left the house and walked towards the playground just a block away from our house. Mom and Shihyun went grocery shopping so I was in charge with my little bros.
The playground was only a few meters away from us now and they immediately rushed there. "Be careful!" I told them and I heard them reply, "Yes, hyung!" I just sighed and followed them.
I saw a bench near the slide so I sat there, keeping watch of Hyul and Kyun playing happily in the monkey bars. I pulled out my phone and took some pictures of them while they played.
I felt a hand on my shoulder and I turned my head to see who it was. "Renjun??" My eyes were wide when I saw him behind me. I stood up and started squealing. "Yah, Hyuck, you're such a kid."
I can't suppress my joy anymore so I pulled him into a tight hug. "Waah~. I miss you Renjun hyung~." He chuckled and patted my back. "Yeah, I miss you, too, Hyuck. By the way, we're the same age so stop calling me 'hyung', geez." I pulled away and he started to smile.
"Wow, you got.. taller." I teased and he suddenly glared at me. I laughed while he punched me on my arm. "You're so annoying sometimes, you know that?" I shrugged and grinned. "I've been knew. Anyway, what are you doing here?"
"No reason. I was walking around and then I passed by here. I know your silhouette too much to not recognize you." I smiled. "Aw, thanks. I know you care about me."
He huffed and sat beside me. "I do care about you, but I can also not care. You. Why are you here?" He asked. I pointed at my little brothers going down the slide. "Baby sitting," Renjun suddenly smacked my arm. "Ow! Why did you do that?"
"You didn't tell me you have little siblings! Man, they're so cute." He stood up and went to them. "Hello! I'm Renjun. What's your name?" He asked Hyul. My brother looked at me, asking for help.
I chuckled and gave a thumbs up, indicating he's a good guy. Hyul fiddled his fingers. "Hello, Renjun hyung. I-I'm Lee Hyul. Nice to meet you." He did a little bow which made Renjun laugh.
"Hello, Hyul. I'm your Donghyuck hyung's friend," He said and carefully lifted him up. Hyul was finally smiling, comfortable with Renjun's presence. "Am I handsome, Hyul?" He asked.
He nodded. "But my Donghyuck hyung is more handsome." Hyul pointed at me with a cheeky smile. Renjun glared at me and pouted at him. I laughed at his reaction. "But I'm still handsome, right?"
My brother nodded again. Renjun's smirk turned into a mischievous one and put Hyul down to the ground carefully. "Play well. And be careful!" My brother saluted at Renjun and he walked back to me.
I opened my phone again and ran over my gallery. I saw a picture that looks weird to me. I clicked it and my heart started beating loudly inside my chest.
It was the picture of Minsoo and Renjun hugging in their sleep. When I looked at her face, I can feel the awful memories back then. I quickly deleted the picture and also erased it from recently deleted.
"Hey, Hyuck, you okay?" I flinched and turned my eyes to Renjun. I nodded slowly. "Yeah.. yeah, I'm fine." I replied in a low voice. I closed my phone and pushed it back inside my pants pocket.
"How's been life lately?" He suddenly asked. I sighed. "Nothing much, really. I take care of my little brothers from here and there and I also help a lot in our bakery. How about you?"
He nodded. "That's nice. Me? Well, my mom and my sister are still planning if we should fly back to China or not yet." I can feel a lop-sided smile on my lips. "Do you wanna go?"
"Not necessarily. I haven't seen you guys in a while." I smiled at him and he did the same to me. I looked in front of me when I heard Hyul and Kyun running towards me. "Hyung, we're tired!"
"W-Water!"
I stood up and took one of their hands each. "Alrighty. Let's head to the convenience store." I said and we walked to the said place, Renjun walking along with us.
Kyun and Hyul pushed the door open of the convenience store and Renjun chuckled at them. I raised my head and my jaw nearly dropped when I saw a familiar face behind the cashier counter. Renjun must've seen my dumb-founded look and he proceeded on looking to the same direction I was focusing on.
"Jeno??"
His head whipped to us. Beside him was a girl with short black hair. She was giving the three of us a smirk. "Jeno hyu~ng!" I cooed and went behind the cashier to give him a bear hug.
I heard this girl beside Jeno laugh and I just hugged him tighter. "Ah~, Hyuck, I'm on my shift, get down." He pushed me away and I giggled like how my brothers do. I made my lips pout and tried to kiss him but he blocked me away with his arms.
"Hyungie~. Donghyuckie missed you~." He rolled his eyes in embarrassment and disappointment. "Well, I didn't." I frowned sadly and made puppy eyes at him while taking a step away. "You're so mean, hyung."
He rolled his eyes. "Okay, fine. Mayhaps I missed you—" I cheered and hugged him again. "Goddammit, Donghyuck! You're so damn heavy." I got off of him and went out of the cashier counter. "Geez, you suffocate me."
"With my tender loving care?"
"With your bad aegyo and bear hugs." Renjun said beside me, picking a bag of gummy bears beside the cashier monitor.
Renjun and I looked down when I felt my younger brother beside me. Hyul was tugging at Renjun's jeans, holding up a pack of chocolates. "Hyung, can you please pay this for me too?" He asked.
He smiled at him, picked him up and let him sit on his arm. "Convince Jeno hyung to have us a discount." Hyul looked curiously at us. "What's a discount?"
"It is an amount taken off a regular price of food, supplies or anything." The girl replied with a smile on her face. "And who are you?" I blurted out. She held out her hand. "Yeeun. And I'm guessing you're Donghyuck." She pointed at me.
I nodded and shook her hand. "Renjun." The boy said beside me, also shaking Yeeun's hand. "It's nice to meet some of his friends." She said and looked back at Hyul. "Did you understand?"
My younger brother didn't answer and focused on Jeno. I pursed my lips and my eyes widened when I saw him teary-eyed looking at Jeno. "H-Hyung, can we have--uhm.." He raised the two packs. "Discount on these?"
He suddenly patted his belly. "I'm hungry because me and Kyun hyung play earlier." Renjun was looking at him like he was the most adorable being in the world.
"Hyul! You forgot the water." Kyun placed three bottles on the counter and then put a fourth. "For whom is this?" I asked him and placed a hand on the fourth bottle. He pointed at Renjun with his chin. "Him."
"OhmyGod, yoursiblingsarethebesthumansever." Renjun said between gritted teeth and a wide smile. Hyul clasped his hands together. "Please, Jeno hyung."
He closed his eyes and sighed, giving up. "Okay, fine." Hyul raised his fists in the air. "Yay! Thank you, Jeno hyung!" The latter gave my youngest brother a smile and packed our snacks and water.
"Eat well, boys! But don't eat a lot. Too much is bad. Okay?" Yeeun smiled at my brothers. "Yes, noonah!" She grinned. "Good." Renjun and I paid for everything and before we left the store, I looked at Jeno.
"Let's go out often!"
He smiled and nodded. "Alright. See ya!"
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