Tik Tok Tik Tik

                Sound of the clock ticking can be heard in student council room which was occupied just by two persons who sat down facing each other. They separated by the president council’s table as the owner is one of them, folding his arm on his chest while eyes glued to the person in front of him. Face, like usual, expressionless.

                “Err…” Luhan become the one who break the awkward silent between them. “Aren’t you supposed to scold me?” he finally ask as he can’t bear the twenty minutes of silent between them to become longer. He looks at the person in front of him, try to read the latter’s face. But fail.

                Suddenly he can feel the tense are loosening as the person in front of him sighing and unfold his hand to reach a paper in front of him. He then slides it to Luhan’s direction. His eyes not looking at Luhan anymore as he start to arrange his belonging. Luhan reach to take the paper and sigh as he read what written in it.

                “You know it’s not my fault…” Luhan said as he watched his brother stood up and ready to go home.

                “Minseok” Luhan call out to his brother, and the latter turns his head to look at Luhan. “I’m sorry” he said with sad eyes. But, Minseok say nothing and just continue to walk. Luhan then sigh before follow his brother to go home.

***

                It’s all started thirteen years ago.

                Actually, it shouldn’t be a shock for five years old Minseok for this day to come. Maybe it’s just because Minseok had always alone, or because in his big house it’s always only his father, several of maids and servants that he talking to. That maybe the reason why this afternoon Minseok was so speechless when he saw his father return home with a women and a little boy. That maybe the reason why Minseok needed so much time to registering when his father said that the woman will be his mother and how he must be glad to having a brother to play with him every day.

                Minseok didn’t know what to do. “Mother?” even that word come out really strange from his mouth as he never use it in his daily life. Minseok’s mother had passed away just after she gave birth of Minseok, that’s why he can’t define the feeling that he felt right now to suddenly have a mother and a brother.

                Mrs. Lu, or soon to be Mrs. Kim smiled warmly at Minseok before she got on her knee to make his body in Minseok’s level. “Yes, Minseok. Thank you, for welcoming me. I’ll always love you like my own child” she said with all honesty in it. But, for five years old Minseok, it’s really difficult to understand what she said. What he knows for sure is, this woman in front of him is someone who will be his mother soon. For the first time, finally he have someone that he can call mother.

                “Mom”  Minseok shocked when he heard a boy’s voice from behind his soon to be mother’s body. She turns her body and let the boy take steps forward and facing Minseok.

“So, he is going to be my little brother, mom?” the boy raising his eyebrow as he asking his mother excitedly. Mr. Kim and Mrs. Lu chuckled at the boy’s words.

                “Actually, Luhan…” Mr. Kim looked at Luhan curious face. “He is your older brother, your hyung. He is older than you by a month”. Luhan looked back at Minseok before knitting his eyebrows “No way. He is cuter than me, mom. He is absolutely younger than me” he said with lips pouting.

                “Nah, Luhan. Now you have to introduce yourself to your hyung” Mrs. Lu said to Luhan as he looked to Luhan and Minseok back and forth.

                Luhan lift his hand “Hello, my name is Luhan. I know your name is Minseok. Soon, really soon we are going to be brothers. Even though I’m still sure you are younger than me, I’ll let you become my older brother”

                Minseok still speechless and looking at Luhan’s hand in front of him. He don’t know why, but he know that he is nervous. He lifted his right hand and accepted Luhan’s hand for what seemed like a second before suddenly dashing to his own room.

                Both Mr. Kim and Mrs. Lu shocked at that action. They felt really bad towards Luhan as they think Minseok run because he didn’t like the idea of having a brother.

                In other hand, Luhan big grin plastered on his lips as he sure, even though it’s just a short moment, he swear he saw Minseok blushing before he dash somewhere that Luhan think is Minseok’s room.

                “Cute” Luhan mumbled, but missed by both Mr. Kim and Mrs. Lu.

***

                Minseok enter their house as soon as the maid opened the door for him and Luhan.

                “I’m home” he said as soon as he saw their mother in the living room an in the middle arranging flowers in a vase.

                She looks up and smiled warmly towards her sons direction. “Welcome home, dear”. After thirteen years raising both Minseok and Luhan, she already know how is each one of her child characters. She used to Minseok cold nature, but she always keep her promise to always love and care Minseok as her own child, and he know that Minseok also love her as his own mother, it just his character to not showing it.

                “Mom! I’m home!” Luhan shout as soon as he spotted his mother. In an instant, she frowned as he saw Luhan. “Luhan, what am I telling you about your hair? And what with that earring? Didn’t I told you to take it off?” As soon as she start to commenting Luhan from head to toe, Luhan dash to his room after saying “I love you to mom. Let’s talk again at dinner”.

                Mrs. Kim take a deep sigh before realize, Minseok is still there. “Do you have something to say, dear?”. Minseok snapped and shock his head. “I… Uh… Nothing” it’s what Minseok manage to say.

                She looking at Minseok curiously, but he didn’t want to push him if he didn’t want to said it. “Okay, then. Now, take a bath and come down when dinner’s time. Okay?”

                “Okay” Minseok nodded and going up to his room.

***

                Mrs. Kim, Luhan, and Minseok now in the middle of having dinner. For these past thirteen years,they never missed even once dinner time together. For Mrs. Kimdiner time is one and only time per day when she can ask and control her sons daily live.  

                “Mom, I have something to give you” Luhan said as soon as he finish his food. Mrs. Kim looking at him suspiciously. Minseok continue eating, not seemed interested to anything Luhan would say, as he already know what that could be.

                Luhan take out a paper from his pocket and give it to her. She accept it and read it carefully. “Oh my god! Luhan!” She about to burst in anger as soon as she read the paper.

                Luhan just grinning stupidly toward his mother. He decide not to said anything that would cause his mother become more angry. “You are fighting in the class room and destroying almost all things in the room?! Oh my God! Luhan! Can you just, not causing trouble for your hyung, just once?” She said in disbelieve.

                Minseok eyes twitched a little by those words. Sometimes Minseok realize how their mother always too kind to him. And how she seemed afraid to make Minseok in trouble. Even though Minseok happy because it’s showing how her care about him. But sometimes, Minseok felt guilty to Luhan.

                “Mom, it’s not entirely my fault. But, the teacher come just right when I about to punch him, so… that… yeah…” Luhan didn’t continue his words as he think that his mother about to eat him alive if he continue to talk.

                “So yeah, they expect you to come to the school tomorrow at 9 a.m” Luhan said weakly, defeated by his mother strong gaze.

                She still locked her gaze at Luhan. Honestly, she didn’t really know what to say to Luhan anymore. In just a month she would be expected to come to his school almost five times. And it’s also mean he was making trouble once for each week. She just didn’t understand, for these past thirteen years, she always treat Luhan and Minseok equally, But why they are so much different. And the fact that Minseok is the president council of their school make her feel guiltier towards Minseok. She also didn’t really understand what actually happened between Luhan and Minseok. Maybe it’s just what he things, but it seems like Minseok is avoiding Luhan. Maybe not, maybe she just overthinking about it.

                She finally sighing as no other thing she can do to Luhan. “Fine. I’m not going to scold you now because I think Minseok already doing it for me” She glance at Minseok who keep looking at now empty plate. “Now, return to your room, okay?”. Minseok stood up and about to go to his room but stopped when he heard Luhan ask “Mom, when dad will return?”. She glance at Luhan and answer with smile “Oh I’m sorry I haven’t told both of you. He will return the day after tomorrow. Let’s pray for everythings to go as planned, okay”. Luhan and Minseok nod and start to go to their respective rooms.

***

                Minseok come out from his bathroom to find someone occupied his bed. He who already gotten used to it just ignored  it at keep walking toward his study table. Minseok don’t know why, but it’s almost every night Luhan doing it. He will come to Minseok’s room and stayed on Minseok bed and start to talking to Minseok even though most of the time Minseok just will ignore him.

                “You know, I’m counting it” Luhan lying flat on his stomach on Minseok bed. His gaze locked at Minseok back who start doing homework and everything. “two and a half years” .Minseok stopped, he didn’t really want to know what Luhan talking about but he kind of already know it. “You avoiding me”. There’s a long silent between both of them before Minseok break it “I’m not avoiding you”. Luhan rolled his eyes even though he know Minseok couldn’t see it. “You know why I beat that Sehun guy today?” Of course Minseok wouldn’t answer such question. “When I was passing his class, he was talking to his friends. He said something that I couldn’t understand. But my body reacted and I blow up” Minseok lift one of his eyebrow confused. He things maybe he should turn around to check if Luhan still wake up or he just delirious because of sleepy. But he decided not to when Luhan continue.

“He said that you are beautiful”

Thump- thump- thump. Minseok can feel that suddenly his heart beating so fast. He also can feel blood start rushing to his cheeks and make it rosy pink.

“I though he was mocking at you. How can a guy call other guy beautiful, right?” Luhan laughing a little in between his words. Just by that, Minseok felt his heart being clenched hard.

Stupid.

 Luhan taken aback when Minseok suddenly stood up from his chair and walking towards the door. “Ah where are you going? If you want to get water, please bring it for me too, okay?”Luhan shout from inside his room.

Minseok stood in front of his door for a while and take a deep breath. He tried to make his heart more at ease. There’s no other thing that he can do anyway. He just need to calm down his ached heart for a while before go to the kitchen and take the water for his stupid brother.

When Minseok return to his room with a bottle of water, he find Luhan already asleep on his bed. He sigh and put down the ater on his table before approaching Luhan. He then took out his blanket before covering Luhan’s body with it. “I wonder, is there another way for me besides avoiding you if you being this stupid all the time?” Minseok said before returning to his table again and continue his study.

***

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