The small coffee shop two streets away from Kim Corporations was easily hidden by the large buildings around it, even more as it was wedged into a shadowed corner that did not offer pedestrians the possibility of unplanned visits. Even so, Chocolatbonbon was never devoid of customers sitting quietly by themselves or with companions, immersed in an almost dreamy atmosphere with a smooth melody flowing in the background, and rich aromas blending themselves into the sweetest and most bitter fragrances in the scent spectrum. 

It was Donghae's favourite place. Whenever he was around the area and had some spare time, the brunet would order his usual—one Americano, iced if the day was hot—before sitting at the soft cushioned seat by the window, counting the number of raindrop streaks on the cold surface if the sky had decided to cry. 

Today was one of those days; but Donghae was too busy fidgeting with his phone to examine the glass and its vision of the outside world. He bit down on his straw, resisting the temptation to blow bubbles in his coffee, unaware that his cheeks had puffed up with the pout he was making.

The bell on the doors tingled shortly, signalling a new customer coming in. He walked as if on a mission, taking large strides towards the absentmindedly pouting brunet before scooping him up into a hug that smelled of rain.

"Eunhyuk! You didn't have to come, it's so far away and you must be so busy, and I didn't even get the...." Donghae trailed off, his arms sticking out at awkward angles due to the tight embrace, but there was a bright, cheeky smile on his face.

"What? You didn't get the job? So I flew all the way here for nothing." Eunhyuk pulled back, his hands still in contact with the warm material of Donghae's jumper. "Alright then, I'll make my way back now."

"No!" It slipped out before he could stop himself. It was on instinct, and he knew how stupid it sounded, but he really hadn't seen the older man for a long time and he couldn't risk it, even if he knew it was a joke. 

Eunhyuk chuckled, his eyes softening with affection as he finally let go, but only to reach up and pat those soft tresses of hair. "Still the same, Donghae. Let's sit down first, and you can tell me all about how you 'didn't get' the job." He took his jacket off and chucked it onto the inner seat.

"Good afternoon, what would you like today?" A waitress came up after spotting the empty space on the table before Eunhyuk. 

"One hot chocolate, extra sugar," Donghae answered quickly.

The person opposite eyed him with amusement, but nodded to the waitress who left swiftly. "How can you be so sure my tastes haven't changed?" He asked.

"It's only been a few months; so very unlikely that you'd stop liking what you've had for years. I remember Jinwoo telling me that when you just started uni, you also had a sweet tooth." Donghae grinned, falling easily into the comfort that the older brought with him. "How is he by the way? Why didn't he come with you?"

"I haven't seen you for months and you're talking about Jinwoo already." Eunhyuk made an overdramatic jealous face. Whether it was feigned or not was only known by himself. "Didn't you two just go out on a trip last week? Where you almost hit a tree to avoid the deer that appeared out of nowhere?"

"Hey, my driving skills are fine, thank you." The corner of Donghae's lips curved upwards. "You would've done the same in my situation." He muttered in a smaller voice.

"I might have. But only because I wouldn't have let you drive." He chuckled, accepting the drink placed in front of him. "My younger brother often forgets that his classmate Lee Donghae's destruction skills towards electrical appliances include cars as well."

"Next time I'm not coming if Jinwoo's not here to defend me," Donghae complained. "I knew I shouldn't have gone to that party with him four years ago. Then we wouldn't have been locked out of our dorms, and I wouldn't have gone home with him, and I wouldn't have met you, and I wouldn't have had to suffer all this bullying throughout all these years." He dragged out the last 'all' in a childish way.

"Ah yes. I'm the bully. I'm the bully who lets my victim use my card to buy himself a fridge for his birthday, who lets him steal my clothes and wear them as his own, and flies miles over the sea to congratulate him for failing an interview." Eunhyuk shook his head, taking a sip of his drink. "I must be the dumbest bully ever."

"Well.... I didn't exactly fail the interview," Donghae pressed his lips together. 

"So you lied to me?" Eunhyuk opened his mouth and frowned lightly before they both fell into laughter at how bad an actor he was.

"No, I didn't fail, but I didn't get it either. He said I could come back next week for another interview, which is not typical since most people only have one of them." The brunette looked thoughtful. "But do you know who gave me the interview?" He grew excited.

Eunhyuk shook his head with a soft smile.

"Kim Ryeowook! And guess who else I saw?" Donghae's grin stretched wide.

"Yesung and Heechul?" Eunhyuk raised an eyebrow. Because the first person was already so significant, the latter two would've have been crazy guesses. His other eyebrow rose as well when Donghae nodded and his face lit up like the sun.

"Yes! There was some sort of misunderstanding involving someone named Lee Dongha; which is similar to my name so I understand; but I actually got to see all three of the Kims at the same time! With my own eyes! I still can't believe it," He mused.

Eunhyuk was no longer smiling. "Who did you say there was misunderstanding involved with?" Donghae did not notice it, but the finger he used to hold the cup was white at the knuckles.

"Someone named Lee Dongha. Why, do you know him?" Donghae asked.

The older forced a smile that did not reach his eyes. "No, I was just thinking about how messy your handwriting is. That must be why they mispronounced your name." 

Donghae rolled his eyes. "I swear, next time I'm checking with Jinwoo myself to see if he's coming too. I can't stand another day of this any longer, really—" 

"Hey, I'm sorry but I just remembered something important. I'll see you next time, ok?" Eunhyuk picked up his coat suddenly and walked around the table to lay a hand on the surprised brunette.

"Look after yourself Donghae. I'm sure you'll get the job you want." He squeezed his shoulder encouragingly.

"Ok. See you soon, Eunhyuk." He was disappointed, but he wasn't going to show it.

The older man left like he came, with the twinkle of bells.

*

"Dongha-hyung! Wait for me! You're going too fast!" A small boy cried, struggling to keep up with the taller boy running away from him.

"Sangyeobbie, you're supposed to catch me, of course I have to run faster than you!" He replied.

Nevertheless, he slowed down significantly on the soft grass, slightly wet with morning dew. 

"Hyung, I'm getting dizzy from running!" The shorter boy looked uneasy. He stopped and put both hands on his knees, trying to even his breath.

"Are you ok, Sangyeob? Do you want to get some water?" The taller boy approached, concerned. But there was nothing to worry about, as a small hand quickly grabbed onto his shirt, and Sangyeob's face broke into a smile, eyes twinkling in the dawn light.

"I caught you, hyung! I won!" He threw his arms around the older boy, asking for a hug. Soon, he was being carried in skinny but strong arms, as the sun finally lifted its whole body into the sky, warming up the planet.

"Hyung, can we not play games like these anymore?" He spoke suddenly.

"Why?" Dongha asked.

"Because I don't want you to run away from me. If I'm supposed to catch you, then you will run away, but I don't want that." His small face was as serious as it could be, and his hyung chuckled softly.

"Of course, Sangyeobbie. If you don't want to, we won't play these games anymore," He promised.

They had reached their home, where Eunhyuk was holding his new camera, taking pictures of anything and everything he could find.

"I won't run away from you," Dongha stated again, as the bright flash of the camera blinded his peripheral vision.

Jinwoo put down the photo of a small boy being held up by a taller one, both looking at the other, their similar faces almost unrecognisable due to the sun in the background. Although it was a photo of low quality, Eunhyuk had insisted they print it out and put it in a frame, because it was the "first photo he took of his brothers /ever/". Their parents had agreed to let it sit on Sekyu's mantlepiece—apparently the most honourable place a photo could be in—only because in the blurry picture, the two boys were gazing at each other with warm smiles on their faces, and soft looks in their eyes.

The youngest Lee heir walked over to the sofa and sat down, an unreadable expression on his face. He couldn't stop thinking about what Eunhyuk had told him last night. That, coupled with his oldest brother's inexplainable disappearance, created worry that not even the strongest liquor in the shelves nearby could wash away.

All three of them lived in separate homes, though they had keys to the other two's houses for emergencies. Jinwoo did not want to be suspicious of a brother he loved dear, but he felt like he didn't have any other options. He quickly shuffled through the documents spilled onto the coffee table, finding nothing of value. The office room in Sekyu's house was locked with a passcode, but his brothers all knew what it was.

Jinwoo repressed feelings of guilt as he entered Eunhyuk's birthday, followed by his own one. 

The door opened with a soft click, then the room lighted up automatically, sensing someone stepping in. He knew there were cameras installed, but he could just say he was looking for an important document that might have been given to the wrong person.

Jinwoo sat down in the large desk chair and went through the papers like he had done in the living room. In the midst of turning page after page, something caught his eyes on the side of the desk.

A phone.

As much as he knew, his brother Sekyu only used one phone. And in this day and age, nobody went anywhere without their phones. 

He had a bad feeling.

Given up on the piles of useless folders and papers, he picked up the silver touchphone but didn't try to open it. If he was only suspicious at first, now there were more fear. What could have happened to Dongha that he not only forgot his phone, but spent nearly 24 hours without it? Could he have been in trouble where he needed but couldn't get help on because he had no ways to contact them?

As he sat still in thought, the last thing he'd expected happened, and crushed all of his imaginations to pieces.

The phone screen had lit up with the notification of a new message. Jinwoo's face darkened as he read the sender's name, and his whole face scrunched up into a combination of disbelief, betrayal, disappointment, and fury by the time he finished the small line of message visible on the screen.

He rushed to gather all his belongings after sliding Sekyu's phone into his pockets. The front door was shut with a bang, and it was just as well that the lock system was automatic because he didn't have time to think about locking the door.

A few meters away, behind a large tree trunk, a person dressed in a baseball hat, sunglasses, and a mask watched Jinwoo's car speed away on the gravel road, leaving nothing but a storm of dust.

ma-jewelry a/n:

i hate backstories too and tbh i was physically hurting through the second section of the first chapter so i'm glad she got the kims out of the way HAHAHHA. (and so nicely too i'm extremely proud 💙  )

i want to say congratulations for "finding a way for eunhae to be together" but. i'm actually crying because i had something else in mind for their relationship so i guess i'll have to change it now it's ok i'm ok we're ok :) i can do this haha ha

i have this idea in my head and it’s going to unravel in the next five chapters or so which is probably a bad thing since it could very easily go offtrack so i sincerely hope, missxielan please read my mind and let me write that plot point as planned xD

hahahaha if you think i'm gonna write about the parks then you're in for a mild surprise :)