:for little hearts that don't even know where Daesung is now. Like me.

Happy birthday, Kang Daesung, my second love. Because Doraemon is forever my first love.

The last Cherry Blossom petals had fallen weeks ago, at the same time as the beginning of new life of Kang Daesung, the maknae of Kang Family. Unlike his first day at kindergarten that made his heart beating in nervousness, this particular day made his heart going thump thump slightly faster in happiness. His mother didn’t have to wake him up. He woke up by himself, head and heart lighter, and later greeted his father who was reading the newspaper, kissed his noona who was eating her meal and then hugged his mother who was about to wake him up.

“Good mowning, all.” Little Daesung bowed to his family member. He rubbed away the sleeping dust from his eyes lazily.

“Morning, Daedae. Do you have a good sleep?” His Noona greeted him back and Daesung nodded cheerily. Daesung climbed up the chair beside Bora and positioned himself comfortably.

His mother busily prepared his breakfast. Kind of special breakfast actually, because he would have a beef seaweed soup on the table for his birthday. Not to mention there were seafood and his favorite sundubu jjigae. His body swung here and there happily and he lifted his spoon and chopsticks as it were properties for dancing. Indeed, birthday is a special day!

“Uwaaahhhhh… Can I have this all?” Daesung swallowed his saliva that were pooled on his mouth.

“Of course Daedae.” His mother smiled warmly at him. “But don’t over eat. You will get sleepy in class.”

He nodded and started to shove a big spoonful of rice to his mouth and then slurped the soup even before swallowing the previous rice. His father who was peeking him behind the newspaper looked at his behavior and then decided to fold the newspaper.

“Dae-ya, slowly…” His father warned him.

Still with a mouth full of rice, he flashed his teeth to his father, making the oldest man in the family shook his head in amazement.

The maknae ate his breakfast happily. He was thinking about the double birthday party he would have today. His teacher said that before nap time there would be a cake for him and he could blow candles and get presents from the other kids. Then at evening, his mother promised another birthday party at his apartment. Daesung had personally invited all the four families who lived at the same floor: Choi Family, Dong Family, Lee Family and Kwon Family. He made the invitation by himself and delivered it one week before his birthday.

Balloons, cake and presents –those were his favorites since he knew the word ‘party’. He particularly envied his noona’s birthday party and also his Jiyong Hyung’s last year. His mother said he could have a big birthday cake and Daesung shook his head at the tingling sensation all over his body. Ahh~~ I’m soooo happy! He screamed inwardly.

“Dae-ya, Noona will wait you in front of Dami Noona’s apartment, okay? Noona has something to grab before we drop you at kindergarten.” His older sister’s voice snapped him back to reality.

While munching, he nodded to Bora. “Yes, Noona.”

Bora stood up, grabbed her backpack in hurry and walked towards the door. “Dae-ya! Ten minutes, okay? We don’t want to be late.”

“Yeeeaaahhh!” Daesung answer his Noona with a loud voice, then back to eat again.

His mother stared at her youngest with a warm gaze and smiled. It had been only three weeks since Daesung wasn’t there to accompany her at the quiet home, but she always missed his smile and the kid’s high pitched voice he sang aloud with when he felt bored. Her little one was so adorable and had a good manner. Because of Daesung, she always got compliment from the other neighbors and she was happy to hear that.

“Daesung-ah… Hurry up…” His mother called him weakly.

“Yes, Eomma. I finished my breakfast.” Daesung emptied the glass of water in big gulps and climbed down from the chair. He walked towards his mother and lifted his hands for his mother to help him cleaning before going to school.

*

Daesung’s clothes was checked by his mother before he went to join his older sister in front of Kwon Family’s apartment. He hugged his mother and then walked to the apartment. At this time, his favorite Hyung, Youngbae, would be there too with Jiyong Hyung. The road to school would be fun with the hyungs, not to mention if I meet Little Seunghyun, Daesung giggled. The latter hadn’t entered kindergarten yet, but Lee Aunty would drop him at the daycare beside his kindergarten.

Daesung loved to grab Little Seunghyun’s hands on the road along to school. He felt that Little Seunghyun’s hands were cute compared to his. Daesung would act as his hyung and answer all the question the younger asked him. Sometimes, Daesung didn’t understand what Little Seunghyun said, but Daesung loved to hear all his stories about the milk he spilled at the daycare, or a particular girl he liked. It was like he had a younger brother, and being a hyung for Little Seunghyun made Daesung’s happy.

He was about to reach Kwon’s Family apartment when he heard a familiar annoying voice called him.

“DAESUNGG-AAAHHHHH!!!”

Upon hearing the owner of the voice singsonged, Daesung speeded up his steps to meet his Noona. But then he felt a pain on his head –someone was pulling his hair.

“AAAHHHH HYUUUUUNNIEEE HYUUUUUNNNGGG!!” Daesung screamed at the aisle. His Noona and Dami run to Daesung and were ready to hit the chubby kid called Big Seunghyun, but they were discouraged because they saw the laughing Hyeyoon was with Big Seunghyun. Of course they were disheartened when they saw the oldest girl amongst them.

“Hey! Why did you run when I called youuuu?” Big Seunghyun pinched Daesung’s cheeks and the younger screamed again. “Shuuushhh! Let’s go to school!”

Big Seunghyun grabbed his hands and Daesung could only search for his favorite hyungs in desperation, but to no avail. He was dragged by Big Seunghyun first when he heard footsteps behind them that he believed belongs to Youngbae and Jiyong.

Aishhhhh!! Daesung shook his head. He’d given up and let Big Seunghyun dragged him to the elevator. In the elevator, Daesung looked at Big Seunghyun in annoyance and cried inside his head. He couldn’t remember any good memories with the person who stood beside him. Ever since Daesung could remember, Big Seunghyun always pestered him, because they were at the same daycare. Daesung thought he was free from the older man because he wouldn’t be at the daycare anymore. But then, Big Seunghyun only moved to the kindergarten beside the daycare, so he still could annoy Daesung if he met Daesung on the way home.

Unfortunately for Daesung, Big Seunghyun was never caught red-handed when he did something to annoy Daesung. When the younger screamed, his mother would scold him instead, saying that he was noisy. Not to mention that the older always took his stationery when he had a chance, even though Big Seunghyun would give back the things he took. Upon remembering the annoying things the taller kid did, Daesung squeezed hard the older kid’s hand, hoping that he was hurt. But instead of screaming in pain, Big Seunghyun smiled at Daesung and acted like it was nothing.

Daesung snickered and stared at the smiling Big Seunghyun for a while. He realized that among the things he found annoying in Big Seunghyun, there was a thing that he liked: his smile. There were something hollow on his cheeks that Daesung thought it was a place to put his thumbs when he get the chance to pinch Big Seunghyun cheeks. But the hollow things would only appear if the older kid smiled. Daesung ever asked to his sister what those things called, but he forgot the words. Dumplings? Pimples? Doubles?

“Owwww… So cute together with your favorite dongsaeng, huh, Big Seunghyun?” Dami poked Big Seunghyun and all the kids entered elevator, included Youngbae and his brother and Jiyong. What favorite, Daesung snickered. If I am his favorite he will never torture me like, ever!

“Yeah, Noona.” Big Seunghyun glanced to Daesung, then looked at Dami. “I like Daedae!” Big Seunghyun smiled again, but Daesung’s mind was back to think about the word he forgot.

“You have deep dimples, Big Seunghyun,” Dami said to him. “If only Yong-ie has the same dimples, he would appear cuter.”

“I am cute, Noona.” Jiyong pouted his mouth to his Noona.

“Yes, Yong-ie, you’re cute. I just wish you have dimples.” Dami ruffled his hair.

Dimples! Daesung screamed mentally. Then his eyes were set to the laced hands. If only Seunghyun Hyung doesn’t bother me much and keeps taking my stationeries, I will be happy to keep his hand, Daesung thought. He craned his head and looked at the taller kids who was still holding his hands and pouted.

Daesung mind wandered. One day, Big Seunghyun pushed the swings harder than Daesung would enjoy. Even though Daesung was screaming his heart out, Big Seunghyun didn’t stop pushing until Youngbae came for Daesung and scolded Big Seunghyun. With trembling legs and hands, Daesung grabbed Youngbae’s shirt so tight and then cried on the older kid’s chest because he was terrified. Jiyong also came to him and caressed his back, while Little Seunghyun hugged Daesung and cried with him without knowing why. Their mothers finally ran towards them and made them bowing to each other.  Even though Daesung felt a pain in his heart, he just let it go without knowing the reason why.

It wasn’t the only time Big Seunghyun made Daesung cried or got on Daesung’s nerves, but then the younger knew that sometimes the bully could do something sweet to him: giving him Doraemon stickers he got on a snack as a prize, or sometimes accompanied him to play at the playground. Even though Big Seunghyun said that he wasn’t going to accompany Daesung, he would keep an eye on the younger as a hyung would do.

On the road to kindergarten until in front of the gate of their school, Big Seunghyun hummed a happy birthday song and Daesung kind of forgot his pique upon hearing the sweet voice. The little kid realized that there was one more thing he found attractive from Big Seunghyun. Ah, I like his voice too. But Youngbae Hyung’s voice is sweeter than him.

“Today is your birthday, right?” Big Seunghyun’s voice snapped him back to reality.

Daesung was about to open his mouth to answer the kid who held his hand when Daesung heard someone called his name.

“Daaaeesyoooong Hyoooongg~~” When he heard the voice, Daesung released his hand from Big Seunghyun’s, turned back and then opened his hands wide to welcome the incoming little kid.

“My Little Seunghyuuuunn!” Daesung smiled wide.

The owner of the name threw himself in Daesung’s embrace. Cutie-pie Little Seunghyun craned up his head and looked at Daesung, “Sooonggiiee Hyong. Happwie bilthdeeii! Wuuff yaaa!”

“Thank you Seunghyun-ah. It’s ‘Sung’, okay? Not ‘Song’…” Daesung cupped Little Seunghyun’s chubby cheeks. His face was red and the younger was panting because he was running to Daesung. Waiting for him to calm down, Daesung combed Little Seunghyun’s hair wholeheartedly.

“Happy birthday, Daesung-ah.” Little Seunghyun’s mother, Aunty Lee, ruffled his hair and Daesung bowed to her.

“Thank you, Aunty.”

“See you later on your home, right?”

“Yes, Aunty. Eomma said there will be a huge cake for all of us.”

“Fol me chu?” Little Seunghyun pitched in and Daesung nodded as the answer.

“Then bye bye for now. Look at your Noona and Hyung, they wait for the kindergartener to enter first. Little Seunghyun will also go to the daycare.” Aunty Lee said to him and then went in to the daycare.

Daesung tilted his head to see the elders. He saw his noonas –Dami, Bora and Hyeyoon- waved her hands, while Hyunbae smiled at the kids.

“Bye kids, see you at Daesung’s birthday party!” Hyunbae waved his hands and went away with the girls.

*

Daesung greeted all his friends he met with a smile wider than usual, showing off his baby tee