"You're still not talking to me?" Sungyeol asked but only received an angry pout back.

The elevator had finally arrived and opened its door and Sungyeol had to drag the other inside."You knew you'd have to come back to school someday, and it just happened to be today." Sungyeol scolded."If you keep being this way you won't be able to make friends." He tried to coax the other now in a more soft tone but was still received with glares and the angry pout was still there.

The door of the elevator was about to close when the two heard somebody scream. "Daddy, hurry up, you're going to make me late on my first day!" Soon after that, a kid around 6 managed to enter the elevator, even though the door was closing, making Sungyeol pale. The door almost hit that kid, and the other boy took that opportunity to hide behind his long legs.

The door reopened and then started to close again while the kid screamed his lungs out. "Hurry up, hurry up, hurry uuuuuuup~!"

Sungyeol was now dying to scold the kid for risking being hit by an elevator door. But he held himself, that scolding should be directed at his father, that didn't teach his kid about dangerous behavior, or about manners - he couldn't simply scream at 7 in the morning. He tsked, the father of that kid was so irresponsible.

He was in the middle of his thoughts when a hand stopped the door from closing again and now opened to show a young man dressed all in black, wearing a cap and panting with his head down a little so Sungyeol couldn't see his face clearly. He also had what it look like a heavy backpack on his back and a smaller red bag (probably the kid's) in his hand.

"NAM WOOHYUN!" The man hissed. "How many times do I have to scold you for running ahead? This door is heavy, you know? What if it had hit you? You should wait for me." He scolded and got inside the elevator, hit the button and continued as if Sungyeol and the other weren't there."And it's early, you can't scream like that this early in the morning"

Well, at least the father tried. But the boy was just looking up to his, rather young and handsome father, rather blankly and when the father finished, the kid just rolled his eyes and started talking back. "Maybe if you were able to wake up on time I wouldn't have to do all of this. Now we are going to miss the bus!" He finished with a pout.

Now that's weird, how can a parent let his son talk back like that? That was just disrespectful. This guy was incompetent for sure, and that boy had no manners whatsoever. But Sungyeol had enough of that, so he decided to stop them before they made him have a headache.

"Ahem" Sungyeol cleaned his throat and father and son turned around to look at him. The mannerless kid stepped closer to his father, quite scared of his displeased expression, while the one behind Sungyeol poked his head out to examine the father-son pair curiously.

"Sorry about what you just had to witness." The father apologized and bowed. "He is a bit sassy sometimes but he is a good kid." He ran a hand over the kid raven hair fondly then offered a handshake. "I'm Kim Myungsoo, and that's my son Woohyun, we just moved here... like yesterday".

Sungyeol looked at the man hand then at his super gorgeous face and, while he was doing that, the kid, Woohyun, let his eyes fall down until he saw someone else behind the tall man legs and gasped.

"A friend!" Woohyun pointed happily and tried to approach the other boy, which made him take some steps in the opposite direction. Sungyeol took a large step to the side, unconsciously getting closer to his new neighbor. The other kid eyes grew big as it could be, he was not expecting that the taller would do that so looked like a deer caught in headlights. "What is your name?" Woohyun asked cheerfully and boldly.

"Sung-Sunggyu." The other answered shyly in a barely audible whisper.

Sungyeol just sighed, after all that time not talking Sunggyu just decided to speak now, to that kid. He couldn't believe it, but he promised his mom to do his best for the younger so he just gulped and finally shook the other hand.

"I'm Lee Sungyeol and this is my brother Kim Sunggyu, I think we live across from you".

The other smiled politely then eyed Sunggyu. “What's his age?”

“Seven.” Sungyeol replied.

“See Woohyun, he is older than you, so don't forget to call him hyung.” Myungsoo said and Woohyun nodded to show he understood.

The door of the elevator opened then and Woohyun gave his hand to his dad and with a brief 'we should go' Myungsoo and his son left the lift quickly, though they weren't too far when they heard screams and complaints and turned to look curiously at where they came from despite being late.

“Sunggyu, you have to come!” Sungyeol complained as he tried to drag the younger from the lift by force.

“Ahnnnnnnnnnnnnnn!” It came the desperate cry from the boy that showed how displeased and desperate he was to not move. Upon close inspection, Myungsoo was flabbergasted with the way Sungyeol was dealing with the boy, without any patience and very roughly.

When Sungyeol finally detached his brother from the lift the boy promptly found a way to get himself out of Sungyeol’s grip and ran towards the door. , Sungyeol thought, and he was readying himself to run after the boy when he saw Sunggyu didn't run for the streets, the boy just ran towards the other kid and held his hand while he tried to hide behind Myungsoo's legs.

Myungsoo and Woohyun both looked from Sunggyu to Sungyeol confused and the taller of them pinched the bridge of his nose to alleviate stress before approaching them.

“Sunggyu-yah, come here, you can't escape school forever.” He tried to grab the boy but this time Sunggyu clung into Myungsoo legs.

“Wait, wait, wait!” Myungsoo held out his arm and slightly pushed Sungyeol away. “If you pull him and he keeps clinging, I'll fall and hurt him.” When he said that Sungyeol stopped trying to get his brother and Myungsoo decided to be more gentle with him, maybe that would work. “Hum, Sunggyu-yah, can you let me go?”

The little boy shook his head desperately as if going with Sungyeol to school meant the exact same thing that going to his death. Myungsoo sighed and decided to try the older brother as Woohyun started to pat the other boy back for comfort.

“Sungyeol-shi, maybe if you made him think school is fun he would want to go.” He suggested and Sungyeol scoffed in his face. Who was this person to give advice about that?

“But school isn't fun, it's just something we have to endure it.” Sungyeol disagreed.

Now Myungsoo knew why the boy was refusing to go to school. If he had any problem the older brother was making it worse by assuring school was a bad place, but before he could try to give some other advice Woohyun butted in.

“But school is super fun!” The youngest of them disagreed with some anger. “You go there and you get smart, and you play and make friends, and then you meet your first love and if you get lucky your first love is gonna be the love of your life and you'll get married and have babies!” Woohyun ranted and defended school as if Sungyeol just had offended his entire family, and maybe he had.

“Ha!” Sungyeol laughed dryly. “You just wait till you get into high school.” He then addressed Myungsoo with a judging expression. “What are you even teaching this kid? He'll grow up weird in the head.”

“I'm not weird in the head!” Woohyun protested and Sungyeol rolled his eyes at the kid.

Myungsoo felt his blood boil. “Well, my kid actually wants to go to school, maybe I'm the one doing something right here.” He gave a sarcastic comment that jabbed Sungyeol’s pride in the guts before he looked down at the boy holding his legs and patting his head fondly. While Sungyeol hissed to himself his brother looked up to the man he was holding onto. “You have to let me go, Woohyunnie has been excited to leave daycare behind and start school, so I have to take him there.” He tried to coax the younger and Sunggyu loosened his hold a bit but didn't let go, instead, he looked at Woohyun confused.

“It's gonna be fun.” Woohyun assured with a huge smile and Sunggyu looked back at Myungsoo, and finally talked after some time.

“Can... can he come with me?” The boy asked uneasily.

“Actually, I think...” Myungsoo was about to try to say that wouldn't be possible but Woohyun eyes traveled to the other boy body then to his own and then he was gasping with a happy surprise.

“We are wearing the same uniforms! Dad, doesn't that mean we go to the same school?” Woohyun gasped again with another thought. “But hyung is seven and I'm six... we aren't in the same grade, are we?” Woohyun looked up to his father questioning.

“No, he is probably not.” Myungsoo said and patted his own son’s hair but Sunggyu stopped to think for a second and insisted.

“But... can he....”

“YES! Ok, fine, if that is what it takes to bring you to school, FINE!” Sungyeol said frustrated, Sunggyu was delaying him and he had to pop up in university soon. He then looked up to Myungsoo, it up his already beaten pride and asked. “Do you want a ride?”

“Yaaaaay!” Woohyun chanted and gave Sunggyu a back hug, making the boy a little startled.

“I should say no...” Myungsoo started and both boys started to make puppy eyes. “…but due to this situation, I am running a bit late so a ride to their school would help me out.”

Sungyeol sighed relieved and Sunggyu promptly let go of Myungsoo’s legs. The boy smiled to Myungsoo with thankfulness and received a pat on his hair in reward then looked at Woohyun in happiness. But when his eyes moved to Sungyeol his expression stiffened and he glared.

Sungyeol sighed insufferably and pointed to his back. “This way, please.”

________________________________________

“Hyung, have you ever gone to an amusement park?” Woohyun asked and Sungyeol actually took a look at the rear view mirror to watch his reaction, Woohyun had been asking questions non-stop since he started driving and Sunggyu was yet to answer them with words. He sighed, once more Sunggyu just nodded, but not like this seem to affect Woohyun because he kept talking.

“I can't because I'm not tall enough yet but have you ever rode a roller coaster?” Woohyun asked, eager to know about the sensations, but Sunggyu just made a terrified face and shook his head vigorously.

“Do you like riding the carousel better?” Woohyun asked and Sunggyu nodded with a relieved expression. “Hyung, we are getting too old for the carousel.” Woohyun slightly scolded. “Once I am tall enough to ride other attractions we can go to the amusement park together and if you're scared, I can hold your hand.” He ended up suggesting and Sunggyu hesitated a bit but nodded.

“Hyung, do you like lemon candies?” Woohyun suddenly changed subjects as if it was nothing, not that he hadn't done this before, but time Sunggyu made a face of disgust. Sungyeol giggled, he actually understood that expression too well and could totally empathize with it, Sungjong was addicted to those things and they both hated them to death.

After a lot of change of subjects and silent answers Sungyeol was becoming fed up with athe fuss a child could do practically alone.  “Does this kid never shuts up?” Sungyeol groaned. “How annoying.”

“Excuse me?” Myungsoo asked back with a defensive posture already, he couldn't believe his tall neighbor, Woohyun just saved his morning from more trouble and this guy was complaining? What the Hell? “He is a kid!”

“A kid that talks too much.” Sungyeol spat. “And a kid without focus, can't he keep it up with the same subject?”

“He doesn't talk too much.” Myungsoo defended although the two boys in the back seat couldn't care less about the adults. “It's Sunggyu that talks too little, but wait, your brother clearly wins in the screaming department.” Myungsoo spat back sarcastically, giving another jab on Sungyeol. “And it's not like your brother is helping with the conversation flow so I totally understand Woohyun’s lack of focus, he is doing his best to make Sunggyu talk. What is his problem anyway? Actually, what is your problem?”

“Sunggyu doesn't have a problem, he doesn't speak because he doesn't want to.” Sungyeol hissed. “And no, aside him making me have a headache, I don't have any problem.”

“It doesn't seem so.” Myungsoo said eyeing the other suspiciously.

“Whatever.” Sungyeol ended up saying, it was not like he needs to get along with this guy or this kid because after today he was going to make sure to avoid them.

“Hyung, do you like playing hide and seek?” Sunggyu made a blank face at that question and Woohyun blabbered a little more about the matter. “I play with my uncle all the time and he never finds me.” Myungsoo promptly forgot Sungyeol when he heard Woohyun saying this, the kid honestly believed that his uncle couldn't see his small feet behind the curtain or his whole self under the dining table of his grandparent's house, he was so cute.

“You should play with us sometime.” Woohyun concluded then asked another question. “Hyung, do you like Telemonster?” He changed subjects again and Sunggyu opened a bright smile and nodded. “Really?" Woohyun gasped happily. "I love Telemonster too. Maybe we should watch it together sometime.”

Myungsoo chuckled this time, Woohyun was actually smooth, when he grows up he… Myungsoo shook his head and became serious again, he didn't want to think about that kind of future for his son, he was trying his best to raise him to be a good person.

As soon as he snapped back to reality he saw Woohyun put his head between his and Sungyeol seats and address them both. “Can hyung come to our place so we can watch Telemonster and play together?”

Myungsoo didn't have a problem with that, although it seemed to him that Sunggyu and Sungyeol had some bad blood going on, he thought that when not totally riled up Sunggyu was more on the quiet side and why not cute as well? He was ready to tell Woohyun that he would welcome the young neighbor in their apartment whenever Woohyun wanted when the man behind the steering wheel spoke dryly.

“No.” Sungyeol said and Woohyun made a kicked puppy face.

Myungsoo tried to change that. “Maybe we should ask Sunggyu’s mommy.” He tried to appease the younger and unknowingly made things worse because Sungyeol gripped the steering wheel with force and Sunggyu eyes watered in the back. He knew just then he had screwed up.

“There's no mom, in our apartment it's only Sunggyu and I. Sometimes Sungjong.” He added his middle brother.

“I'm sorry, I didn't know.” Myungsoo said apologetically as he screamed in his head all the bad words he knew.

“Just don't ever talk about this again, you don't know what it is like to lose a mother.” Sungyeol hissed and he didn't know but he was right, Myungsoo mother was alive and very well, even well off. What Sungyeol also didn't know was that this was not the case for Woohyun, but he learned that very soon when he, for the first time in this ride, heard Woohyun speak with a low and comforting tone, although there was a bit of sadness underneath it.

“Hyung, I also don't have a mom.” Woohyun confessed as he grabbed Sunggyu’s hand for comfort while Myungsoo threw a glare to Sungyeol that pretty much asked him if he was satisfied making one more kid unhappy today? Did this guy live for this? He could only turn around in his seat to look at the two boys in the back.

“Sunggyu yah, do you know Woohyun’s mommy looks out for him from heaven? Maybe your mom looks out for you too.” He said and both kids seemed to brighten up with that idea and Sungyeol rolled his eyes and wanted to puke, what was all this bull about? Heaven and such things, of course, didn't exist... well, hell existed and it was called 'school', but the rest pretty much didn't. Sungyeol chose not to let out any comment on that though, because, if this guy wanted to change his mind about religion, he would crush him with logic and science and then leave him and his kid on the street even if Sunggyu were to cry his eyes out later.

Albeit thinking that kind of speech was ridiculous, it worked, making Woohyun the same chatterbox he was five minutes prior, so Sungyeol labeled Myungsoo speech white lies that worked and, for him, it was the end of it.

“So, can hyung come over so we can play?” Woohyun placed his small face between the two adults again and Sungyeol groaned. Why this kid was so annoying again!

Myungsoo didn't seem to like Sungyeol groan and he was ready to complain about that, but, unfortunately for him, Sungyeol was already parking the car in front of the school.

Sunggyu didn't want to let go of Woohyun but thankfully this time Myungsoo and Sungyeol managed to make him understand he would be able to see Woohyun again on the break because now they had to search for the boy's classrooms.

As Myungsoo and Woohyun took off to find the young boy classroom, Sungyeol and Sunggyu directed themselves towards the pink haired teacher they already knew.

“Dongwoo hyung!” Sungyeol greeted and the elder smiled widely.

“Yeol! I can't believe I'm seeing you!”

“In the flash.” Sungyeol smiled back. “Look whom I brought.” Sungyeol tried his best enthusiastic tone but when Dongwoo looked to the boy holding Sungyeol hand, he saw he was pouting.

“Hi Gyu, how have you been?” Dongwoo tried to cheer him and engage some reactions on the boy by tickling him, but Sunggyu pout was still in place so he gave up. “He didn't want to come, did he?” Dongwoo guessed and Sungyeol sighed.

“Is that obvious?”

“Well, given his pout and the time you arrived, it pretty much is.” Dongwoo nodded.

“Hyung, he gave me such a hard time to come you wouldn't believe it.” Sungyeol complained. “Maybe I can tell you about that when we meet with Hoya hyung on the weekend, for now, I don't have much time to chat, I have to go to college and Sungjong and I agreed he would come back to school this year so he has to....”

Sungyeol was ranting maybe because he knew Dongwoo was too polite to stop him, but this moment he was rudely interrupted by his neighbor. “Sorry to interrupt, but are you Mr. Jang?”

“Yes, that's me.” Dongwoo replied promptly with one of his best smiles and Sungyeol rolled his eyes. That's a trap hyung, snap out of it!

“Oh, great! This is Nam Woohyun, my son.” Myungsoo introduced and Woohyun gave a polite ninety bow then waved cutely and Dongwoo was already having the feels for this young fellow, he probably would be one of his favorites, together with Sunggyu, even though the other boy didn't seem to be happy to be there. “I think he is in your list of students because he's not in the other teachers’.”

Dongwoo promptly took a rolled paper from his back pocket, hummed then looked at Woohyun. “Hi, Woohyun-ah, I'm Jang Dongwoo, but you can call me Dongwoo hyung if you like. I'll be your teacher this year and we'll have a lot of fun together.” He said excitedly and Woohyun giggled, finding him funny and that was all that Dongwoo needed to know he wouldn't have a problem with this one. “Well, you can leave him with me.”

“Yeah, of course.” Myungsoo smiled and then gave Woohyun his red backpack which the kid promptly wore. “Woohyun, there's a small notebook in your backpack with my numbers written on it, so if I take too long to pick you up you can ask your teacher to call me.”

“Daddy, go already.” Woohyun giggled and slightly pushed his dad away.

“I'm going, let's just take a picture of your first day.” With that Myungsoo took out of his own backpack a big camera and started to take some pictures of his soon that promptly made a pose.

“What the...?” Sungyeol was dumbfounded, what the hell was this? He got that some parents registered their son's first day of school or their first experiences, but he had never heard of a father using a professional camera for it, not to mention he was talking about lighting or just directing his son to pose for the camera, and the boy was actually following everything through.

“That's different.” Dongwoo agreed, though he didn't seem to think it was an out of the world thing, their relationship seemed adorable. While both adults watched the scene little Sunggyu shifted in place, he seemed like he wanted to do what the younger was doing but was too shy or awkward to ask.

“Ok, now we're done.” Myungsoo smiled and was about to put his camera inside his backpack again when Woohyun stopped him.

“Dad, take one of me and Sunggyu hyung before class starts.” He demanded and Myungsoo hesitatingly looked at Sungyeol for permission.

“Do you know them?” Dongwoo asked surprised.

“Unfortunately, but as I told you I don't have much time to explain that.” Sungyeol whispered and made a face that clearly showed he didn't want Myungsoo snapping a picture of his brother, but Sunggyu let go of his hand and ran closer to Woohyun again.

“Come on dad!” Woohyun urged, not bothered by Sungyeol’s sour expression.

“Come on Sungyeol! Don't you see this is good for Sunggyu? He befriended a classmate even before the school began again, don't you see this as progress?” Dongwoo scolded. “Maybe this time, with a friend already, he will be able to stay the whole school year.”

“Fine, fine. Urgh, get on with it.” Sungyeol finally conceded. “But don't spread the picture anywhere, I don't want to see Sunggyu’s face plastered around, he is too young.”

Myungsoo didn't understand what Sungyeol was talking about, but he was quick to snap back at him. “You don't know me, I don't spread photos of my kid around.” Myungsoo said and got into position to take a picture of the kids, and that made Woohyun throw an arm around Sunggyu and half hang on him since he was, well, small, and Sunggyu show a V sign shyly.

Dongwoo looked from one to another and predicted some complicated times. The two kids were getting along just fine but Sungyeol and Woohyun father had already some bad blood between them. The atmosphere was already too stiff so Dongwoo tried to incentive the two into interacting in a more friendly way.

“Why don't you guys give me the camera so I can take a picture of you?”

“That's a great idea!” Woohyun cheered. “Hyung, you're so smart, I'm looking forward to learning with you.”

“Aigoo.” Dongwoo ruffled Woohyun hair and pinched his cheek, totally pleased with the kid's praise, he actually wasn't that smart, but he was especially skilled at dealing with the different situations and feelings from kids and grown-ups alike, and, taking in consideration that kids were these innocent little beings, he took as the most sincere praises.

When Dongwoo finally got the camera (not before Myungsoo pleading for him to be careful with it) he sent eye signs for Sungyeol to join the two kids and the other adult. Sungyeol huffed a bit but he did what he was told to, Dongwoo was a nice and bubbly hyung, but he could be threatening with his eyes only if he wanted.

“Now say cheese!” Dongwoo demanded as he placed the camera in front of his face.

“Cheese!” Even if the adults stiffly smiled the kids had bright smiles on their faces and this time Sunggyu even talked.

____________________________________________

After the picture was taken Myungsoo rushed placing his camera back in his backpack and ran out of school and to the nearest bus stop, he had exactly about half an hour to figure his way to college. He previously looked the location of Woohyun school on the internet but completely forgot to discover his own route to college from there and, since he just recently moved to this part of the city, he was still pretty much lost.

He made to the bus stop on the main street and tried to understand the map and the lines that were supposed to stop at this particular bus stop, but, because the time was ticking, he decided to just wait for the first cab to pass by it so he could go to college faster. Some minutes after waiting he saw that a car was pulling beside the bus stop and Myungsoo groaned, he already knew who was inside. He groaned.

The guy honked and one of the windows went down. “Where are you going?” The one inside asked; he might have been scolded by the teacher of his brother and his longtime friend.

“Seoul U, why do you care? Just go on about your business.” Myungsoo hissed because without Woohyun here he didn't have to be that controlled anymore, Sungyeol obviously didn't like him and he didn't know why in the hell he stopped here to annoy him.

“I'm going there as well, so as a thank you for you and the kid helping me with Sunggyu earlier I'm offering another ride. I know for a fact that the buses that stop here don't go to Seoul U direction and you're getting late right?” Sungyeol explained.

“You don't know that.” Myungsoo hesitated.

“Come on, I did the same mistake last year. Now get in, we have about twenty minutes to arrive there. I'm just trying to be a bit nice here.” Sungyeol demanded but Myungsoo just glared lightly at him it was obvious he didn't trust the taller. “No? Ok then, I'm going.” Sungyeol hit some button inside the car to close the window and started to slowly move the car.

Myungsoo pocketed his phone and unlocked to see the watch. , Sungyeol was right, he only had nineteen minutes to glue his in any of his classroom chairs, and only God knew when the next cab would pass by him. He groaned and caught himself walking to the very slow car of Sungyeol.

Sungyeol looked at him with a disgusting smirk on his face and an amused look in his eyes when Myungsoo opened up the door and sat on the passenger seat and put the seat belt.

“Thank you for the ride.” He grumbled

“That's ok.” Sungyeol said simply, after all this was just him paying a favor back and that's it, he didn't need to even talk to the other more than this.

They both became completely silent, so silent that Myungsoo was getting bothered by the lack of any kind of sound because it made that ride utterly awkward, but after five minutes or so he decided to engage in some small talk, and Sungyeol thought that the other couldn't be in silence for much longer just like his son.

“So... if you're going to Seoul U I assume you study there...” Myungsoo started hesitantly but trying his best to engage in a conversation that would lead to better second impressions. “What's your major?”

Sungyeol sighed and was in silence for the next minutes so Myungsoo sighed too, totally giving up, he was about to eye the road to distract himself when Sungyeol finally answered back.

“Hum... resuming a bit Literature.”

Myungsoo frowned in surprise. “We study in the same building then, my Major is Arts, but I'm minoring in Photography.”

“That explains the big camera.” Sungyeol actually let out a relaxed chuckle and Myungsoo wondered how in the world a perfect sound like that and a good face like his neighbor's had such weird personality, that didn't make sense in his head. But since Sungyeol seemed more relaxed he tried to continue the conversation.

“Well, that's my baby, aside Woohyun, that is.” Myungsoo chuckled shyly and they became silent again so once more he decided to break it. “I am entering my last year now but I have never seen you there, were you recently transferred?”

“Ahn, no, I just...” Sungyeol took some time to think about how he should word his sentence. “I'm not... I'm not that social so I prefer spending whatever break I get in my department, talking with the few people I'm comfortable with.”

“Oh.” Well.. taking into consideration how Sungyeol handled his brother an hour ago, and himself as well, Myungsoo thought that that explained a lot.

He wanted to talk more but he felt Sungyeol didn't really want to, he was just forcing himself to answer the couple of questions he made, besides, they had just entered at Seoul U parking lot and Sungyeol parked at the closest entrance to their building.

“Thanks for the ride.” Myungsoo thanked as he got out of the car.

“Thanks for the help with Sunggyu this morning.” Sungyeol retorted politely as he could.

“I'm going then.” Myungsoo forced an awkward smile on his face and was about to go when Sungyeol finished getting his books and locking his car before calling him again.

“Wait!”

Myungsoo looked around in confusion, now he wanted to talk? What did he want? “Yes?” He asked.

“Look, since I gave you a ride I owe you nothing now.” He said and Myungsoo cocked his head a bit to the side and made a confused expression. “But since we are neighbors I'm going to tell you something to help with the good of coexistence.” Oh. Myungsoo thought he wanted to give some advice about their building or other neighbors, poor him, that wasn't something Sungyeol had in mind. “Don't make noise after 9 PM, Sunggyu sleeps at that time and I usually start working about that time, also don't let your kid scream so early in the morning, it's unnerving not only for me but probably for the old couple next to you. And the last thing, don't fuel your kid with expectations of visiting our apartment or have Sunggyu over in yours, I don't trust you and I can't deal with a loud kid like your son giving some bad examples to Sunggyu.”

“What?” Myungsoo jaw dropped open, he couldn't believe this guy would be actually hindering two kids befriend, that was kinda too heartless for someone that had just said his brother had to make friends.

Suddenly it occurred to him that the free hate Woohyun was getting was based on a bad first impression not only from him but from himself as a parent and Sungyeol was probably judging him hard because he was a young father. Myungsoo hands balled into fists and he was ready to throw shade back at this weird guy when their conversation was interrupted by a woman that seemed to be in her forties.

“Sungyeol, you're still here? We are late, come on.” She came close and whisked Sungyeol away and at that moment Myungsoo gulped his anger hard, he didn't have time to argue with his neighbor, but surely he wouldn't forget that. They lived opposite each other and as soon as they bumped into each other again that guy would hear it.

Myungsoo then started to walk inside the building, a little behind Sungyeol and the older woman and though he wasn't interested, he ended up hearing their conversation.

“I can't believe we're running this late, omg.” The woman complained.

“I think we can make it Song ssaem.” He smiled at her and again Myungsoo wondered how this guy was pulling an innocent vibe when he was being blunt and harsh a minute ago.

“What Song ssaem? How many times did I tell you to call me Hyekyo noona?” The woman lightly shoved him.

“Sorry, I just can't get used.” Sungyeol said apologetically.

“Ok, ok, I won't force you then.” She conceded and decided to change subjects. “How was your break?”

“Well, it was ok I guess? Sungjong entered college so we celebrated a bit and then we spent some time trying to work things out with Sunggyu too.” He said letting it out an insufferable sigh and the woman became more concerned.

“How's he is doing Sungyeol?”

“Hum.. physically he is fine. I managed to bring him to school today so I guess this is good news, but he still doesn't talk to me.” Sungyeol finally explained with a genuine sad tone, and Myungsoo wondered, what kind of tsundere personality was this.

“You know this will pass right? He needs you, sooner or later he will crack.” She said in a comforting manner.

“I really hope so. This hurts.” He admitted and Myungsoo wanted to scream that it should because no kid should be treated as roughly as Sungyeol was treating his own brother.

“What about you Sungyeol?” She asked with an even more careful tone.

“I'm fine, you don't need to worry about me.” Sungyeol dismissed her. “Aside from this problem with Sunggyu I have pretty much everything in control.” He said a bit proud of himself.

“I know Sungyeol.” She smiled before getting serious and concerned again. “But no one has ever asked how you really are, so how have you been feeling this past year? Are you really ok?”

“I... ”Sungyeol voice wavered and he took a second to speak again but when he talked again Myungsoo noticed that Sungyeol was able to have some other emotion that was not anger, though it seemed to him that such depression wasn't any better. “I'm not ok.”

Sungyeol voice cracked. Myungsoo turned left and went up the stairs.

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AN: Edit 03/12/2018