Ages:

Chanyeol: 42
Baekhyun: 43
Yifan: 18
Yixing: 17
Jongdae: 16
Minsoon: 13

~

It was no secret that Byun-Park Minsoon was a bright girl. In fact, she skipped a few grades in school. As a result, she attended the same school as her older brothers. It also lead to her brothers coming to her when their subjects became too confusing or difficult. She was their impromptu tutor. 

She didn’t mind. In fact, she normally enjoyed their frequent study sessions because it gave her an excuse to hang out with them. Yet, there are times in which their stupidity and lack of enthusiasm drove her off the edge of patience. 

There is only so much Byun-Park Minsoon could take before her patience wears thin. Normally, the idiotic influences she was exposed to on a daily basis (*cough cough* her brothers *cough cough*) never really affected her. It was as if she developed an immunity to stupidity. Even if her brothers drove her up the wall, she normally stared at them in a way that magically made them shut up. It was great. However, there are days in which she had enough. Today was a great example. 

~

The sun was shining brightly outside as the joyful screams of children and adults alike filtered throughout the community. It was the perfect weather. No rain. No snow. No sleet. Byun-Park Jongdae stared longingly out his bedroom window as he fiddled with his pencil. He could have been out there doing something. Instead, he was here. With his science textbook. And his sister. 

“... the bronc- Hey! Wake up!” The loud voice (One of the only signs that proved she belonged to this family) of a certain thirteen year old broke Jongdae out of his trance. 

“I’m awake!” Jongdae straightened his back and focused his attention back to science. Great. Science. To be specific, biology. However, not long after, his gaze slowly turned back to the window.

Minsoon deeply sighed and forced herself in the sight of her brother, intentionally blocking the window. “You are going to fail biology.” She warned her brother as she covered the window with the curtain.

“No, I’m not.” Jongdae internally sighed in defeat as his only source of escape was now covered and forced his attention to the textbook in front of him.

“Fine. Then what are some of the parts of the respiratory system?” Minsoon challenged. 

Jongdae opened his mouth to say something before he closed it again. After a few seconds and the prompting gaze of his sister, Jongdae hesitantly responded, “The lungs and the… broccoli?” 

“It’s the bronchi, .” 

“They sound similar!” Soon after, the loud bang of Jongdae dropping his head on his textbook followed. “Why aren’t Yifan-hyung and Yixing-hyung suffering with me?”

“Because they actually finished their homework.” Minsoon settled in front of her brother, with her legs crossed. 

“Why are you here then?” Jongdae lifted his head. “You finished ages ago!”

“Someone has to watch your lazy self, and Papa and Dad are out buying groceries. I don’t trust you here alone. Not after last time.” 

“That was three years ago!” 

“Still.” 

For minutes, Jongdae just stared at Minsoon. “Sometimes, I wonder if you are actually my younger sister.” 

“Someone has to be the responsible one between us.” She shrugged. 

“I don’t like it.” Jongdae squinted at his sister. 

“Well, I didn’t ask for your opinion.” Minsoon cleared and grabbed her brother’s textbook from his lap. “Now, back to studying.” 

It took everything for Jongdae to not groan.

~

Two hours later, Jongdae and Minsoon found themselves surrounded by smoke and a pair of fuming parents. 

~

“What is going on here!?” The front door slammed open, revealing Park Chanyeol and Byun Baekhyun with armfuls of grocery bags. Trailing them, were their two eldest children feigning a look of confusion mixed with dread. From the looks of it, their parents (especially Baekhyun) were not happy to find their home drenched in the stench of burnt banana and oatmeal. 

They ended up in the once pristine kitchen and found their two youngest children staring hopelessly at a burnt pot of something (presumably oatmeal). Jongdae and Minsoon rapidly turned their heads to face their less-than-impressed parents. 

“Welcome home?” They squeak in unison. 

“Explain. Now.” 

~

| Two hours earlier |

After an hour, Jongdae began to complain about his hunger and Minsoon soon complied with her brother’s insistent whines. They leave their books on Jongdae’s bed and head downstairs to prepare some food to eat. Although Jongdae had reached the age of sixteen, he was still hopeless in terms of taking care of himself. That included making his own food. It did not help that Minsoon was just as clueless in the kitchen as well. 

Which is why they stared at the cupboards in confusion as they reach the kitchen. Jongdae soon began to rummage through the cupboards for something easy to make while Minsoon searched the fridge. Unfortunately, the leftovers from last night apparently disappeared and the last pack of instant ramen had been eaten a few hours before. That was until Minsoon found a box of ‘Quaker Oats’ on the counter and decided, why not? 

“Hey, Dae.” Jongdae hummed in acknowledgement as he continued to search for some instant food (Kraft Mac ‘N Cheese would suffice). “You up for some oatmeal?” 

After a few moments of considering the choices (as if there were many choices), Jongdae shrugged. “Sure.” 

Without delay (because the sooner the food is made, the sooner their stomachs are filled with delicious food), Jongdae went to search for a pot and filled it with water and set it on the stove to boil. Meanwhile, Minsoon chopped some bananas to add to their creation. Maybe, she ponders as she slices the bananas, the taste of bananas could overpower the inevitable burnt taste of the oats. Besides, burnt bananas don’t taste that bad, right? 

After a few minutes, the water is brought to a boil and Minsoon dumps some handfuls of oats in and debates on putting the bananas in as well. In the end, she shrugged and dumped them into the pot as well. She can find out what happens after. 

Suddenly, the shrill ring of a phone resonates throughout the kitchen. “That’s mine.” Jongdae claimed as he left the kitchen in order to answer his phone. From the expression on his face, it does not take much intelligence to understand that it was Sehun on the other side of the line. 

It had only been a few minutes since Jongdae had left to speak with Sehun before the distinctive stench of smoke and burnt food permeated through the air. Above that, Jongdae could distinctly hear his sister cry, “I look away for three seconds!” 

He raced back to the kitchen, his phone left forgotten, and is met with the sight of Minsoon rushing a flaming pot of their oatmeal to the sink and extinguishing the flame with the faucet water. Seeing that she forgot to turn off the stove, Jongdae twisted the knob in the ‘off’ position and questioned, “What happened? Oh god. Dad is going to kill us!”

“I swear, I just. I just turned around for three seconds to get some bowls. I turn around and boom! There is fire in the food.” Minsoon rambled. In reality, she was distracted by this interesting e-book she found online and lost track of time. She swore she read only four pages. 

Before Jongdae could respond, they heard the front door creak open with someone yelling, “What is going on here?!” 

With the approaching footsteps, Minsoon and Jongdae shared one thought as they stare helplessly at the pot of burnt oatmeal: We’re screwed. 

[“Chan, you did not have to ground them for two weeks.”

“Yes, I did. They ruined my pot!”

“We can buy another one.”

“That was my favorite one, Baek!”

“You have fifty thousand in the cupboards!”

“You don’t understand, Baek!”] 

A/N:

And that concludes the chapter! See you guys next time! I apologize about last week. I was busy with some personal issues. Yet don’t worry. To make it up to you, I’m posting another update right after this one. 

Tootles!