Changhyun couldn’t figure out why this girl doted on him so much. 

It wasn’t that he didn’t like it; the attention was nice. 

At first, all it took was a little aegyo, and his noona would hug him, or pinch his cheeks affectionately. But lately he’d been wishing for a little more; a lingering hug (like the kind you saw in dramas), or a peck on the cheek. Or the off-chance that she might link arms with him, or hold his hand or something.

As much as he loved his noona’s attention, he was getting to that stage in his life where being treated like a baby was starting to irritate him. But he wouldn’t want to give up being her precious dongsaeng if that meant he couldn’t be around her anymore; he liked her too much.

He wasn’t sure how it came to happen; things just changed one day. Somewhere between all the cheek-pinching, hair-ruffling, and hugs, her natural charm poked through.

Gathering the courage to confess proved to be the next problem. 

Talking to his hyungs was almost a complete waste of time; as if any of them would know anything about confessing to an older woman—or any girl for that matter. 

He was on his own.



“I have something to say to noona,” he began. He swallowed thickly when her gaze met his. 

She said nothing, but he knew he had her attention.

“I don’t want you to see me as your dongsaeng anymore,” he said. “It’s kind of at that point in my life where I want to mature…” He diverted his gaze downward before continuing. “I want to be seen as more than just cute…” He flinched slightly when he heard her move.

“But you’re my precious dongsaeng,” she said. “I cherish you as such… But I understand what you mean, and I will respect your wishes. No more cheek-pinching, okay?” He couldn’t help the small smile that appeared on his face, mirroring her own, despite himself; but it fell quickly.

“I don’t think you get it, noona…” he said. “I want you to treat me like you treat other guys that you hang around.” She blinked at him with confused eyes when he finally looked up at her.

“What do you mean, Changhyun?”

“I want you to treat me like a man… Like your boyfriend; I want to be noona’s boyfriend…” His nerves were showing; he could tell by the way her eyes seemed to soften after the initial surprise of the confession subsided. 

“And I want to know if you feel the same…” he finished in a small voice.

A small smile appeared on her face and she stood, pulling him into a hug—one different from the ones she usually gave him. His heart jumped, and he wrapped his arms around her, burying his face in her shoulder.

“This must’ve taken a lot of courage,” she said in a quiet voice. Changhyun said nothing. “Thank you,” she whispered, squeezing him lightly. When she let go, she kissed his cheek gently. He had to wonder if she felt the heat that rose to his face almost immediately.

“Can you give me an answer?” he asked. She gave him a sad smile, and his heart plummeted.

“I like you a lot, Changhyun,” she said. “I wouldn’t treat you the way I do if I didn’t… But it’s not the same as what you seem to be hoping for…” Changhyun blinked, hoping to God that his eyes wouldn’t fill with tears. “The thing is… I like older boys,” she said.

“So… I’m too young for you,” Changhyun said, feeling himself deflating rapidly. She nodded.

“Yeah….” she said. “You’re special to me… Just not like that. I’m sorry.” Changhyun pulled his arms from around her middle, albeit reluctantly despite the situation. He shook his head a little.

“No, it’s alright,” he said, a small smile barely gracing his lips. “I should’ve been able to tell that things wouldn’t end up in favour…” She gave him a sympathetic look, his hair gently.

“I’m really sorry,” she repeated.

“It’s okay, noona,” he said, giving a bit of a smile. “Heartbreak is a part of maturing, right? That’s what I want. So when I think about it, you’re actually helping me… Thank you, noona…” He pulled her in for a hug, burying his face again, clenching his eyes shut in an attempt to keep himself from crying.

When they parted, she smiled at him, and he smiled back—a genuine smile. She his hair once more, her little hand cupping his cheek briefly.

“You’re still my precious dongsaeng, no matter what, okay? But, I’ll try to treat you more maturely from now on…” Changhyun nodded, smiling again.

“Alright noona,” he said. “Thank you.” She smiled again before heading to leave.

“Hey,” she called, catching Changhyun’s attention again. He looked to her with a less-than-surprised expression. “You’ll find someone,” she said. “And she’ll be amazing. So don’t worry about it.” He nodded once, breaking a half-smile before she turned away and left.

“She won’t be nearly as amazing as you…” he said in a small voice, finally feeling the tears well up, and allowing them to spill over.