The afternoon was late and the apartment was completely silence, a nice change in Heechul’s mind. He was in his room and lying on his bed enjoying the last moments of tranquility. In just a little while he knew that Donghae would come stomping through the front door in tears, as he did nearly every day when school was released. It was becoming a daily routine ever since Donghae had come to live there. Each day he would come home crying and in a bad mood. Things hadn’t changed at all during school, despite having a better home life.

Heechul knew that Donghae’s classmates still ignored him or treated him poorly (he’d come home crying his heart out the day after his haircut because no one liked it). The teachers were still treating him like some low life scum and refusing to give him the extra help he needed. Heechul was trying his best to teach Donghae what he needed to know, but even he couldn’t deny that Donghae was painfully behind in academics. Apparently his old school back in Mokpo, where he had lived with his parents before they died, was taught by the neighborhood parents. None of which went to college. So yes, he was far behind. It was no wander he couldn’t keep up in school.

But then there was still the problem with Donghae’s bullies after school. More than once he would come home with bruises and scrapes on his body, and Heechul was not pleased. He’d tried to tell Donghae to fight back; if they hit him then he would have to hit them back harder. But the kid was just too innocent and pure, or he was just too scared to do it. Heechul had told him if it happened again then he was going to go after those boys and kick their asses. And he would, too.

The door to the apartment slammed closed and Heechul began counting down from ten. When he reached the last digit the door to his bedroom burst open and a tearful Donghae walked over to the side of the bed and threw himself into Heechul’s arms.

“I hate school,” He cried miserably. Heechul nodded and pulled him onto the bed and into his arms; the daily routine.

“What happened today?” He asked anyways.

“The principle called me to the office and told me that I was going to fail seventh grade. He said that a fourth grader is probably smarter than I am,” Donghae said, trying to wipe away the endless tears. Heechul frowned; this was something new. Now the principle is giving him crap? What kind of school is that? Maybe I should go up and talk to the teachers or something.

“You are not going to fail, Hae. The principal is just an , just like your teachers,” Heechul told him, causing Donghae to smile slightly. “And besides, you learn more at home when I teach you than at school. So it’s them who are stupid. Don’t cry anymore, Donghae.”

Donghae nodded and used his sleeve to wipe away the last of the tears and smiled at Heechul, hugging him tightly.

“I love you, Heechul,” He said, closing his eyes happily.

“I love you too, Hae. I’m very glad that you’re here,” Heechul replied lovingly, kissing the top of his head.

“Is it time to get Mir yet?” Donghae asked hopefully, rolling of the bed. Heechul nodded and followed him out of the room. While Donghae was in middle school, Mir was still in elementary school, in the sixth grade class. So after Donghae got back from school they had to walk over to the elementary school to pick him up.

“Yeah, let’s go. We can stop at the candy store on the way if you don’t tell Mir,” Heechul told him as they pulled on their shoes. He noticed that Donghae’s shoes were getting kind of worn out; just like his clothes. He’d have to take him shopping soon. Mir too, since he was growing.

Later that night, Heechul was in the kitchen cooking dinner by the stove, wearing a purple floral apron that Mir had gotten him for mother’s day. He was making kimchi since Mir had asked for it. Currently his son was in his room on the phone with his father, and Donghae was sitting at the kitchen table trying to do his homework. He was getting more frustrated than anything, though. Each time Heechul glanced over at him he was glaring at his paper, as if wishing it would burst into flames.

“Hyung, I don’t understand this,” Donghae whined, slumping back in his chair.

“What don’t you understand?” Heechul asked, stirring the rice up.

“Everything,” Donghae moaned.

“Elaborate, please,” Heechul requested.

“Just forget it, I’ll never catch up anyways,” Donghae said, closing his text book shut with the worksheet inside of it. He walked out of the kitchen and into Heechul’s room and flopped onto his bed; not wanting to interrupt Mir’s phone call with Hongki.

Heechul sighed and turned the stove on low so the food didn’t overheat and get burnt. He went to his room and closed the door behind him and walked over to his bed.

“Donghae…do you think it would be any better if you went back a grade?” Heechul said slowly. He’d been thinking about this for awhile now. Seventh grade work was obviously too advanced so he thought that maybe going back to sixth grade would be easier for Donghae.

“No! I don’t wan