When Woohyun reached Myungsoo’s house, something struck him as very odd.

It’s too quiet.

He signaled Jungmin to stand outside the house while he sneaked in through the backdoor. This was the trickiest part since the backdoor led straight to Sunggyu’s study and Woohyun hoped beyond hope that Sunggyu did not study at 9 a.m on a Sunday morning.

To his immense relief, the study was deserted. He had prepared a story if he had met Sunggyu but he was sure Sunggyu wouldn’t buy it.

Woohyun opened the study door a fraction of an inch and peeked outside. No one could be seen and no noise could be heard either.

Where is everybody?

Howon paced the floor repeatedly. Sungyeol was sitting with his feet up on the dining table, chewing nuts.

“Do you think Woohyun’s alright?” Sungyeol asked tentatively.

Howon wanted to say ‘I don’t know’ but instead he said, “He is, don’t worry.” Howon was anxious himself but Sungyeol’s expression just added to his anxiety. He didn’t know what would happen if Woohyun did come face to face with Myungsoo but watching Sungyeol his lips every few minutes sent an odd chill to his stomach.

“I’ll just-I’ll catch some fresh air,” Howon said and turned around rapidly. He was worrying too much and he didn’t want to make Sungyeol more nervous than he already was.

Once out in the streets, Howon wandered aimlessly.

It’s better to be away from Sungyeol at the moment. That way, both of us can express our emotions freely.

He didn’t know how long he was walking until suddenly someone called out his name. He saw Dongwoo walking towards him, no, running towards him with a worried expression.

“Howon, oh thank God I found you. Where’s Woohyun? He isn’t picking up his phone and I’m so worried and appa knows nothing; he told me he stayed over at Sungyeol's place last night and —”

“Hyung stop, I know where Woohyun is,” Howon said. He had never seen Dongwoo look so worried; he was the one who’d crack odd jokes in totally wrong situations.

“You do? You do? Oh please tell me, where is he? Is he in trouble? Does he need help?” Dongwoo looked desperate.

“I-no he isn’t.” For some reason, Dongwoo’s eagerness made him feel deeply uncomfortable and…guilty.

I wasn’t half as concerned when Myungsoo took away Sungjong.

“Tell me where my brother is!”

At the word ‘brother’, Howon felt his heart tug with remorse. He blurted out everything to Dongwoo, from Sungjong’s ‘kidnapping’ to the rescue plan.

“You let my brother deal with a crazy person all alone?” Dongwoo exclaimed.

“Myungsoo’s not crazy, he’s ill,” Howon defended.

“Whatever, take me there I need to protect my brother!”

“You’ll ruin the—” Howon was interrupted by his cell phone ringing. He accepted the call quickly when he saw the caller I.D.

“Sungyeol what is it?” Howon asked urgently.

“Howon, Woohyun! He had called and then I heard a scream and then his phone went d-dead. I c-can’t reach him. I’m going to Myungsoo’s place.” Sungyeol’s voice broke.

“Ok, I’ll be there too.” Howon looked at Dongwoo. “Follow me.”

Howon and Sungyeol reached Myungsoo’s house at the same time. They rushed in through the open front door and froze when they saw the scene in front of them.

Sunggyu was standing at one corner of the room, his face in his hands. Sungjong was sitting on the floor beside him, tears running down his cheeks noiselessly. In another corner, Jungmin was bound with ropes and gagged and he was struggling with his legs in the air. The worst part was the centre of the room—Myungsoo and Woohyun were locked in a brawl, well a one-sided brawl. Myungsoo was throwing punches at Woohyun, who was just blocking them. He already sported a bloodied lip and a bruise on his forehead. Myungsoo’s face wore a mask of pure outrage.

“How dare you come to take Sungjong away? Didn’t I tell you he’s mine?” Myungsoo was shouting.

“What the hell Woohyun, you’re not fighting back with this kid?” Dongwoo asked, lunging towards the fighting pair. Sungyeol and Howon acted on instinct; they caught Dongwoo who looked at them as if they had gone mad.

“You’re supposed to help me stop your friend!”

“I-we…” Sungyeol looked uncertainly at Howon.

“We don’t hit Myungsoo,” Howon mumbled.

“Not even if he’s hitting the life out of your friend?” Dongwoo’s eyes were wide. It was ironic how he felt as if he was the only sane one in the madhouse.

“Erm…Look Woohyun himself is not hitting him,” Sungyeol pointed out.

“Mr. Kim!” Dongwoo souted at Sunggyu, who looked up. His face was distressed.

“Stop your son,” Dongwoo said. “Can’t you see what’s going on?”

“SHUT UP!” Myungsoo shouted, looking at Woohyun. “Tell him to shut up, Sunggyu is not my dad!”

“Do something Mr. Kim!”

“I-I don’t touch him.” Sunggyu’s voice quivered.

Dongwoo looked from Sunggyu to Myungsoo.

“But I thought you are his dad and—”

Befire he could finish, Myungsoo hurled his whole body against Woohyun, who gave out a muffled cry.

“No!” Dongwoo screamed, running towards the couple. “You leave my brother alone!”

Howon felt as if he had taken a bullet to his chest.

My brother.

He looked at Sungjong, helpless and defeated, crying his heart out. He couldn’t stand violence ever since he was a kid. Dongwoo’s words kept replaying in his head, “I need to protect my brother.”

Howon found it difficult to breathe. He remembered clearly the day Sungjong was born, even though he was only 3. He thought his mother loved Sungjong more than him. Howon loved his father more, the first word he spoke was ‘appa’ and Sungjong’s first word was ‘hyung’.

Sungjong had been there all along, a silent spectator, but he was there and every time he had needed him, he reached out.

He had never complained, never asked for anything. This used to shock Howon a lot. All kids nagged their parents or brothers for so many things but even as a child, Sungjong wanted nothing.

Sungjong is my brother, I need to protect him.

Suddenly, he knew what Myungsoo wanted. He looked at Myungsoo, his whole body seething as he looked down upon Woohyun. Dongwoo was by Woohyun’s side while Sunggyu watched, motionless.

Howon walked slowly towards Sungjong and helped him up from the floor. Sungjong immediately hid his face in his shirt. Myungsoo turned towards them and was about to say something when Howon stopped him.

“Myungsoo, please listen to me. I understand how you feel. You have tried to tell me so many times to treat Sungjong well, but I didn’t listen. I took him for granted and never gave him back any part of what he did for me. I only realized what I have lost now. I’m sorry, I’m sorry to both of you. I wouldn’t do this anymore. Forgive me. Sungjong, you’re my brother and I-I—”

“Hyung,” Sungjong said as he hugged Howon, who was in tears. He was avoiding everyone’s eyes. Myungsoo stood like a statue, watching the reunion between the brothers hungrily. He extended out his hand towards Sungjong but didn’t touch him. Sungjong didn’t see him as he was still crying in Howon’s embrace. But someone else caught his hand.

Myungsoo felt an electric shock jolting through his body.

“It’s ok Myungsoo, I’m here for you, because you are my brother.” Myungsoo didn’t say a word as he stared intensely at Sunggyu’s face for any traces of lie—he could find none. Sunggyu looked less like a stranger than he had in a long time. He could actually look him in the eye and he could see it was his brother—the both of them.

“I’m sorry,” Sunggyu said, not taking his eyes off Myungsoo. “Will you forgive me for distancing myself from you? For not being a good brother.”

Myungsoo nodded, slowly, as if he found it hard to believe.

Sunggyu touched me. He doesn’t want to discard me from his life anymore? He wants to be my brother again…