“What are you looking at?” Eunhyuk asked, munching on the chips as he took a seat beside Donghae.

 

The younger boy was pouting while staring at his phone. He was browsing through its gallery and with every swipe of his thumb on the screen, his pout was getting bigger.

 

“Hyukkie, where’s your phone?” Donghae asked as soon as he saw the redheaded boy, clutching his own phone tightly.

 

Eunhyuk took his phone out of the right pocket of his sweatpants and held it out in front Donghae with a confused expression, “Here, why?”

 

“Give me that,” Donghae exclaimed and snatched the device from the elder boy. Quickly unlocking the screen with a swipe, he tapped on the gallery icon.

 

He pouted as he saw the few pictures they took on their date, “That’s unfair! You have more pictures in your phone than me. We didn’t even take many pictures.”

 

“Are you sulking because of that?” Eunhyuk chuckled, finding it funny that Donghae was acting so childish because of such a petty reason. It wasn’t even that important because they could take as much picture as they wanted in the future. They had a long time ahead to do that.

 

But it was kind of cute too.

 

“Don’t laugh at me! I am sad,” the brunette complained with a pout, “That was my first date ever. I want to look at the pictures again and again to remember everything we did that day. But....”

 

Eunhyuk noticed that Donghae was getting really upset talking about it.

 

Crap, maybe he shouldn’t have taken the matter so lightly.

 

That sad expression didn’t go well with the younger boy’s face. He looked more charming with his beautiful smile.

 

“Hey,” the redheaded boy set the packet of chips down and reached for both of their phones. Taking the devices away from Donghae, he set them down on the couch before capturing his hands in his own. With a comforting smile, he cupped the brunette’s cheek with one hand and looked into his eyes, “We can go on more dates and take a lot of pictures. There is so much time. You are not going anywhere, nor am I. We can make up for it, okay?”

 

Donghae finally smiled, eyes lighting up, “More dates?” he asked hopefully.

 

“Yes,” Eunhyuk chuckled, “We agreed on that, remember?”

 

Donghae nodded enthusiastically, “Tomorrow?”

 

“Okay, tomorrow it is,” Eunhyuk pinched the younger boy’s nose, making him yelp.

 

“Why are you pinching my nose? You’ve been doing it from this morning!” he rubbed his nose with irritation.

 

Eunhyuk stared at the other boy’s nose with amazement. Donghae was getting freaked out, “What is wrong with you?” He asked cautiously, trying to figure out if something was wrong with his nose.

 

“You know, I just noticed this morning,” the redheaded boy muttered in a serious tone, “Your nose is cute.”

 

“Huh?” Donghae was puzzled, My nose? Cute?

 

“Yeah,” Eunhyuk chuckled, “It’s small and round, like it’s inviting me to pinch it.” He said before pinching Donghae’s nose again.

 

Donghae slapped Eunhyuk’s hand away, “Touch my nose again and I’m deducting your points.” The brunette threatened before taking the packet of chips and started munching on the crunchy snacks.

 

Eunhyuk frowned, “What? But didn’t I already pass? With full marks?”

 

Donghae smirked, “Well, I can cancel that anytime and give you a big F whenever I want.”

 

The elder male groaned, “You little....”

 

Snatching the packet of chips away from Donghae, Eunhyuk took a chip to eat before placing the packet aside.

 

“Hey, I want to eat too,” Donghae exclaimed, gaping as Eunhyuk kept the packet at a distance where Donghae couldn’t reach it. When he tried to grab it, the redheaded boy grabbed his hands instead.

 

“What-”

 

“Shh,” Eunhyuk shushed him, pressing a finger over the younger boy’s thin lips, “Let’s start our second date now. I’ll make sure that you can’t threaten me or deduct my points again.”

 

His gaze was so intense, the position so intimate that the brunette’s breath hitched. He couldn’t look away from the one-lidded eyes of the man he was in love with. He could feel the other’s faint breathing against his lips.

 

Donghae started to blush, cheeks heating up to color his face with shades of pink and red.

 

“Now?” the brunette bit his lip nervously, gripping the edge of the couch tightly for some support to calm his nerves.

 

Aware of how he was affecting the shorter male, Eunhyuk smirked, “Yeah, now. A little movie date at home?”

 

Donghae’s thoughts were all getting messed up. He could only think very limitedly like how romantic their position was, how close their lips were and how good Eunhyuk smelled. “O-Okay,” he uttered, stuttering in the process of just saying one word.

 

 

 

And that’s how they ended up lying on the couch, falling asleep in each other’s embrace even before the movie could end. As Eunhyuk nuzzled brown hair and Donghae curled up into a broad chest, the TV kept providing faint noises throughout the whole long night.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kim Heechul was a tough man. Though people often said that he was more beautiful than some girls or his skin was naturally smoother and whiter than girls even without trying, everybody knew that his personality was what made him different. He had an attitude that could make a man shiver with fear and also a caring side that could make someone trust him like a little kid trusted his parents.

 

If someone messed with him, they’d be dead meat. But at the same time, he could do anything for the people he cared about.

 

It was actually silly how his personality could change 180 degree only with one reason. But that was what made him unique.

 

Heechul was also someone who observed his surroundings very well. He’d always try to be aware of what emotional state the people around him were in. And this time was no exception.

 

Recently, Heechul had noticed his precious little brother, Donghae, would sometimes space out. He looked like he was thinking really hard about something, always restless, always trying his best to smile around everyone. It actually seemed like he was trying his best to not be obvious that he was actually sad about some matter.

 

The only times Donghae genuinely smiled were when his friends were talking about something funny or being dorky.

 

But there was also one thing that made Donghae smile the brightest.

 

Eunhyuk.

 

Heechul noticed that Eunhyuk was warming up to the brunette slowly.

 

Though he didn’t make it so obvious in front of his friends, the redheaded boy was slowly falling for Donghae. It could be seen in the small gestures of care and little gaze of affection while he was with the brunette.

 

A lot of things had changed. Before, if a girl came onto Eunhyuk for , he’d comply immediately by shamelessly touching her in public. But the previous day when one of the hottest girls in school approached him, Eunhyuk politely refused her and glared at her when she didn’t want to leave. Before, if Eunhyuk was left alone with Donghae, he either ignored the younger boy or hurt him with rude words. But this morning, Heechul saw them coming to school together and Eunhyuk walking Donghae to the brunette’s class. If Heechul didn’t know better, he would have thought that Eunhyuk was just being friendly.

 

But Kim Heechul knew. He knew that Lee Eunhyuk had never looked at someone with the adoration in his eyes as he did when Donghae was pouting for getting fewer marks in a class test than he had anticipated. He knew that Lee Eunhyuk had never smiled so sweetly like when he was tucking a strand of Donghae’s hair behind his ear, making the younger boy blush.

 

Heechul knew but Eunhyuk didn’t.

 

That Donghae had already given up.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Hae, are you done?” Eunhyuk called out, knocking on the bathroom door. He could hear the sound of water running inside but there was also sound of a thud.

 

“Are you okay?” Eunhyuk asked with concern as he heard more noises.

 

“I-I’m okay, Hyukkie. It was just a bottle. J-Just give me five minutes.” Donghae sounded so panicked that it made the elder boy chuckle.

 

“It’s okay, take your time. I’ll wait here,” he assured the brunette before sitting on the edge of the younger boy’s bed.

 

The bedsheets were light blue with some white shades. Most of the things in Donghae’s room were out of place even if by an inch. His books were resting on the study table in two stacks. A small toy bear was laying face down beside the brunette’s pillow.

 

Eunhyuk narrowed his eyes as he saw that only a collection of DVDs were placed with utmost care on the bedside table. It was as if those DVDs were something really precious to Donghae.

 

He stood up from the bed and quietly walked towards the bedside table. The DVDs looked nothing fancy. Instead, they looked very old and didn’t even have a cover on them.

 

With a small frown, Eunhyuk picked up the three DVDs with interest. He checked both sides of each DVD but found no clue what those were about. Shrugging to himself, the redheaded male was about to put them in their previous place when he saw something.

 

It was a picture which was probably under the DVDs but Eunhyuk hadn’t noticed it earlier. He picked up the picture and carefully examined it.

 

His eyes widened as he saw his own childhood form hugging another kid, both grinning cutely.

 

There was no mistake. Eunhyuk still had his own childhood pictures secured inside his closet back in the mansion. He used to treasure those pictures and often slept with the albums kept under his pillow at night. He actually didn’t remember why but he knew that when he was in the US, keeping those pictures close had always shooed the bad dreams away.

 

“Did I know Hae then?” he frowned in confusion as he guessed that the other kid in the picture might be Donghae.

 

The picture was actually a very cute one. Little Eunhyuk’s gums were visible as he was grinning so widely whereas little Donghae had a similar grin on his face, eyes turning into crescents. The same smile Donghae had till this day.

 

Little Donghae’s hands were spread wide playfully as little Eunhyuk hugged him from behind. It was so cute that they actually looked like a child couple.

 

Eunhyuk grinned at the thought. But if he knew me, why didn’t he say anything? he wondered in his mind.

 

The sound of the bathroom door opening made the elder boy look at the said direction. Donghae came out of the bathroom, all ready and handsome - pretty in Eunhyuk’s eyes - for their date.

 

“What are you doing?” Donghae’s eyes widened as he saw what the redheaded boy was holding.

 

“Um.... I saw this, so...,” the latter stuttered, “Whose picture is this?”

 

Donghae slowly walked to him, a small smile tugging his lips upwards, “This is a very precious memory.” He then took the picture from Eunhyuk’s hand and looked at it with admiration, “This is me and my hyung. I told you about him, didn’t I?”

 

Eunhyuk’s heart skipped a beat, “W-What is his name?”

 

“I don’t know,” Donghae pouted, “It’d be awesome if I did. I don’t even remember much other than what I saw in the DVDs.

 

“Eunhyuk was deep in thoughts. So, he was the hyung Donghae had been looking for all these time. He was the one who Donghae admired so much.

 

He had been so jealous of this man who would put sparkles in the brunette’s eyes whenever they had a conversation regarding him that Eunhyuk wanted to find him. He wanted to find him and show Donghae that Lee Eunhyuk was better than his hyung. He wanted Donghae to smile for him like he did for the man whose name he didn’t even know.

 

Now that the unknown man had a face to him, he couldn’t confront him.

 

“Okay, let’s go now. I’m done. I fell asleep after coming from school so...... I’m sorry for being late,” Donghae smiled sheepishly, rubbing his neck.

 

Eunhyuk shook his head with a smile, “It’s okay. I don’t mind. Let’s go.”

 

Donghae nodded his head excitedly, “Wait! Let me..,” he trailed off as he quickly gathered the DVDs and then opened the second drawer of the bedside table, carefully putting them inside and then with a last look at the picture in his hand, he put it on top of the DVDs. Closing the drawer, Donghae smiled widely and hugged Eunhyuk’s right arm, “Let’s go, Hyukkie!”

 

 

 

 

 

 

“What are you doing?” Eunhyuk laughed at Donghae’s behavior.

 

“Shh,” the brunette shushed him with a glare, “You’ll disturb them.”

 

They were currently in the aquarium and as they were strolling through it, watching all kinds of fishes and other sea-creatures, Donghae had dragged Eunhyuk to a corner. There, a big turtle was sleeping with another small one. Legs stretched, they were floating in the water with eyes closed.

 

“They look so peaceful,” Donghae muttered, watching the cute scene in front of him with an adoring gaze.

 

“It’s kind of sad too. They look so lonely,” the brunette murmured to himself suddenly.

 

Eunhyuk noticed the solemn expression on the younger boy’s face and wanted to coo. Instead, he took the other boy’s right hand in his left one and laced their fingers together, “They are not lonely. They have each other.”

 

Donghae smiled at that and looked at Eunhyuk with an amused expression, “When did you start saying such sweet things, Hyukkie?”

 

Eunhyuk’s eyes widened and he started defending himself, “T-That was not sweet talk! I was just stating the fact, you idiot!”

 

Donghae started laughing heartily, “You are so cute sometimes. It makes me wonder.”

 

Eunhyuk’s ears turned red at the compliment but he ignored it and decided to pay heed to the second sentence, “Wonder what?”

 

Donghae shook his head, “Nothing.”

 

Eunhyuk was curious. Donghae looked like he really wanted to know whatever he was wondering but he wouldn’t say it out loud.

 

“Why did you want to come here by the way? Last time, didn’t we see the fishes?” Eunhyuk asked, not understanding why the younger boy wanted to do things in their second date similar to their first one.

 

“We didn’t see all of them, Hyukkie. And I didn’t meet any mermaid underwater that time. I want to see mermaids,” Donghae pouted, offended at what the elder boy said.

 

“But tha- wait, what? Mermaids?” Eunhyuk snorted, “Hae, mermaids aren’t real.”

 

“They are. You’ll see,” the brunette beamed, “I’ll show you when the mermaid show starts.”

 

“Hae, those are human girls dressed in mermaid suits. They don’t have real tails,” Eunhyuk tried to make the brunette understand the obvious fact. Is he a kid? Only kids believe in that magical stuff.

 

Donghae was getting irritated. He huffed and crossed his arms over his chest, “Don’t you watch dramas? Real mermaids also roam around the aquarium, dummy. What if it’s a real one? I want to see!”

 

Suddenly, he saw a mermaid girl in purple top and green tail swimming in the tank over their head, “Look, Hyukkie! The show has started!”

 

All the kids in the aquarium were beaming excitedly, telling their parents to take pictures of the mermaid princess. The mermaid kept swimming in the tank and waved at the people outside.

 

“Where’s my phone?” Donghae started searching for his mobile phone in his pocket and pulled it out quickly. He then unlocked the screen and the camera, “I need to take pictures!”

 

“Is she a real one?” Eunhyuk asked, teasing the brunette who was busy snapping as many pictures as he could. “Can you tell?”

 

“Let me see,” Donghae, without noticing the teasing tone, began to examine the mermaid closely.

 

As they the mermaid was swimming in the glass beside them, she suddenly stopped and came to the glass.

 

“She is pretty,” Donghae muttered, amazement clear in his sparkling orbs. The mermaid then waved at them and then, she looked at Eunhyuk and winked at him.

 

Donghae’s eyes widened, “Did she just?”

 

Then she blew a flying kiss at the redheaded boy’s direction.

 

“What the-” all the admiration Donghae had for her were gone just in a moment. At this moment, he was getting angry - or more like jealous?

 

Eunhyuk smirked, “Looks like your mermaid has a thing for me. You are right. She is pretty.”

 

“Let’s go,” Donghae suddenly hugged Eunhyuk’s arm possessively.

 

“What? Why?” Eunhyuk laughed, “Jealous?”

 

“I don’t want to see her anymore. She is not a real mermaid.” He forcefully began to drag the elder boy away from the glass and towards the entrance of the aquarium.

 

“Wait, how do you know she is not real, huh?” Eunhyuk kept teasing the brunette. He hadn’t noticed before. Donghae was unbelievably cute when he was jealous and angry.

 

“I just know!” the younger boy snapped with an irritated voice.

 

Eunhyuk couldn’t stop the hearty chuckles that left his mouth in amusement.

 

They were already out of the aquarium but the brunette was still breathing with anger written all over his face.

 

His hold on Eunhyuk was getting tighter and the redheaded boy finally decided to calm him down.

 

He caught both of Donghae’s wrists tightly and spoke in a gentle tone, “Hey, don’t sulk.” But the younger boy kept sulking with a pout on his lips.

 

“Hae, look at me,” Eunhyuk let go of Donghae’s left wrist and lifted his chin to meet his eyes, “She may be pretty but.... you are way prettier.”

 

 

And Donghae ran away.

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Hyukkie, please?” the brunette whined, pouting and trying to act cute so that Eunhyuk would give in and buy him the ice-cream he wanted.

 

“No, Hae. It’s already night and you’ll catch a cold if you eat ice-cream now,” Eunhyuk was strict about his words.

 

Donghae was getting tired of Eunhyuk acting like his elder brother and huffed, “I don’t care! I’m going to buy it!”

 

The flavours in the ice-cream shop in the amusement park were so tempting. The brunette knew that they’d taste heavenly. He didn’t want to go home without having a taste.

 

Without paying heed to Eunhyuk calling him, the younger boy stomped towards the ice-cream shop while trying to decide what flavour he would devour.

 

Eunhyuk sighed at the younger boy’s stubbornness and followed him as he had no other choice. As he reached the place, he chuckled upon seeing how excitedly Donghae was staring at the ice-cream flavours. It was cute how he was struggling to decide which one he wanted.

 

“Can’t I eat all of them?” Donghae sighed, asking himself.

 

Eunhyuk answered him in a scolding tone, “Just one scoop. I don’t want you to get sick.”

 

The younger glared at the redheaded boy, “You’re just being fussy.”

 

“And you’re being stupid.”

 

Donghae’s face suddenly fell, “Yeah, I must be really stupid. That’s why you always keep scolding me.”

 

Eunhyuk felt guilty after seeing the kicked puppy like expression on the younger boy’s face. It did things to his heart and he couldn’t see Donghae being sad like that. It wasn’t worth it. The brunette should be smiling, always because that’s what suited him the most.

 

He took the younger boy’s hands and grabbed them tightly in his own, “Hae, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scold you like that. I’m just worried.”

 

Donghae was silently staring at the floor, not looking at the elder boy. Eunhyuk sighed, “Hae, look at me.”

 

Donghae slowly lifted his face, meeting Eunhyuk’s soft gaze.

 

There was a different kind of expression in the latter’s eyes. His gaze was warm and soft, but at the same time, it was intense.

 

“Your health is more important than anything else. So, please, don’t eat too much ice-cream in this nighttime and listen to me, okay?”

 

Their proximity was dangerously close. Dangerous for Donghae’s heart because it felt like it would explode anytime. It put a blush onto the brunette’s face and he coughed loudly.

 

“Okay,” Donghae muttered weakly, avoiding Eunhyuk’s eyes and freeing his hands from his hold because he was too embarrassed, “Just one scoop.”

 

Eunhyuk smiled fondly and ruffled Donghae’s hair, “Good boy.”

 

Donghae’s blush brightened and he quickly turned away, returning to the task of choosing a flavour.

 

Donghae took a good amount of time before he finally settled on having a scoop of the chocolate ice-cream. Eunhyuk payed for it and as the ice-cream cup finally came to Donghae’s hand, he immediaty started shoving the delicious treat in his mouth, from time to time at the taste.

 

His lips got covered with ice-cream and a few drops of the melted cream dropped on his shirt, making Donghae curse under his breath.

 

Eunhyuk chuckled, “Such a messy eater! Let’s go home quickly or it will leave a stain.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Aren’t we going home?” Donghae asked, a puzzled expression on his face as Eunhyuk parked his car in the garage of their mansion, his father’s house.

 

“We will, after this. I have to take something from here,” Eunhyuk replied with a smile.

 

“Oh, okay,” Donghae nodded his head.

 

Eunhyuk got out of the car, followed by Donghae and then they knocked on the huge door of the mansion.

 

The door was opened by the housemaid who smiled and bowed upon seeing them, “Eunhyuk, Donghae, nice to see you.”

 

The boys smiled at her and greeted her. “Hey,” Eunhyuk greeted.

 

Donghae grinned at her, “Bona, how have you been?”

 

“I’m doing well, Donghae. Come in.”

 

They entered the big house and put off their shoes.

 

“I’m going to my room. I’ll be back in a bit,” Eunhyuk said.

 

“I’ll go greet uncle then,” Donghae replied and then they went to their own ways.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Entering his room, Eunhyuk looked around to see the condition his room was in. He missed this room so much because it used to be his own personal getaway before the marriage. But he had a new home with Donghae currently.

 

Eunhyuk had been keeping his calm all day but he was actually dying because of curiosity. He had to confirm it.

 

Walking to his closet, the redheaded boy opened it hastily. After searching between his clothes for a minute, he finally found what he was looking for. The photo album that contained his childhood pictures.

 

Clutching it tightly, he sat on his bed and opened it.

 

There was no doubt. He looked the same in the pictures of him being three years old as he did in the picture Donghae had. Same smile, same height, same eyes. As Eunhyuk kept turning the pages, his eyes caught a picture that made his eyes widen.

 

It was a picture of him kissing little Donghae’s cheek and the other boy smiling happily. Then he found another picture of them sleeping on a bed peacefully while hugging each other.

 

And a few more pictures.

 

Eunhyuk suddenly realized something.

 

Maybe, this is why this album was so precious to him. Maybe, this is why it shooed his nightmares away. Maybe, this is what he has been searching for all the time but had forgotten as years passed by.

 

His Hae.

 

His Hae that he always cared for. His Hae who was his best friend. His Hae who that he wanted to protect so much.

 

And his Hae whom he loved, maybe even then.

 

And Eunhyuk finally understood why he was grinning from ear to ear as he saw the pictures. He wanted his little Hae back.