When Myungsoo opened his eyes, it was still dark. He found Sungjong sitting beside him, peering into his face intently.

“Hyung are you ok?” he asked in a concerned voice.

“No,” Myungsoo said with a sigh.

“Why? Does it hurt? Where?” Sungjong’s eyes were searching his face intently.

“Here,” Myungsoo said, pointing to his heart.

“Really, why? When did you get hurt? Did Woohyun hyung punch you?”

Myungsoo shook his head in a defeated manner.

“I hope Howon and the others’ are not too mad at me,” he said in a small voice.

“No hyung, they understand. Like I do.”

“You’ve always understood me a bit more than them. I’m grateful to you.”

“Don’t worry hyung. It’s just…I think all the big brothers in the world are the same.”

“Yeah, they take all they want but never give back.” His voice was slightly bitter.

“No, they love their younger brothers but don’t know how to convey the love. It’s upto us, the younger ones, to tell them that they are wanted, needed and loved.  And we are the ones who have to be strong while they pull off their manly acts.”

“How do you understand all this Sungjong?” Myungsoo asked in an amazed tone.

“I guess I’m blessed with special understanding power.”

“Then why don’t you understand my heart?”

“Huh? Does it hurt? Should I call for the doctor?”

“Forget it, sleep with me.”

“But hyung, if it really hurts—”

“If you don’t sleep right now, it’ll hurt even more.”

Sungjong quickly lied down beside Myungsoo.

“How is it now hyung?” he asked.

“Better,” Myungsoo said with a smile, putting his arm around Sungjong.

“And how about now?” he felt a pair of arms wrap around his middle as the mattress weighed down behind him.

“Hyung?” Myungsoo asked hesitatingly.

“Yes Myungsoo. Sungjong do you think you could move a bit to your left. I swear I’m lying down on an inch-wide space,” Sunggyu said playfully.

Sungjong moved to make room for Sunggyu.

Myungsoo grumbled, “I don’t have any space.”

“Hyung, I’m barely taking up any,” Sungjong announced.

“And I’m sleeping on my side. You’re so fat Myungsoo,” Sunggyu complained.

“Hyung no, you’re fat. You do nothing all day except sit and read!”

“How dare you Myungsoo? I take classes and I have to stand all the time. You have the apetite of a rhino!”

Sungjong giggled. “I don’t! Now let me sleep already,” Myungsoo said in an irritated voice. But when he closed his eyes, there was a smile on his face.

Everything will not be alright. But the things that matter will.

From the next week, everything started to return to normal. Myungsoo and Howon made a deal—Sungjong would alternate between their houses every week. At first Sungjong vehemently disagreed, complaining that he had to pack his things every other week but Woohyun solved that problem. They got him two sets of clothes and everything else he needed and put each set in either house. That way, Sungjong only had to take his school bag from one house to another.

Dongwoo kept on pestering Woohyun to tell him why they didn’t hit Myungsoo. At first, he ignored his brother but eventually he gave in. From what he had seen with Sungjong, he had learned to treat Dongwoo more fairly.

“I don’t know,” Woohyun said matter-of-factly.

“What, you don’t know?” Dongwoo asked, his eyes wide.

“Nope, no idea. It just grew on us. Myungsoo’s not very umm…hit-able? Or maybe because gives out the ‘poor kid’ feel. I’m not sure.”

“I wasted all my vocal energy to know this stupid secret. Aish, I had hoped I would find it out and use it on my friends, who for some inexplicable reasons, always hit me.”

“Maybe you should ask Sunggyu hyung, he knows a lot. He’s a Pofessor after all.” Woohyun sounded exasperated.

“Maybe I will. Prof. Sunggyu. Wow, that sounds so cool and important! Hey Woo, why don’t you become a professor, it’ll be so dashing!”

“Er…no thank you hyung.”

“Why?” Dongwoo pouted. He really liked the feel of a Professor.

“If you talk to Sunggyu, I mean Sunggyu hyung, I’m sure you’ll change your mind.”

Dongwoo did go to meet Sunggyu and things happened but that’s another story.

One night, Woohyun found Sungyeol in his bed again.

“You just love torturing me don’t you? You have Howon in your house now and still you find a way to get my appa to have you stay,” Woohyun said.

“You know Howon went to Myungsoo’s place. They’re having a sleepover.”

“I’m not allowed to go to sleepovers but what about you? You don’t have any restrictions.”

“Jungmin hyung told me not to go to Myungsoo’s house because he had been insulted there.”

“Liar, we went there last Sunday.”

“Ok, ok, I didn’t want to go because I wanted to snuggle with you happy?”

“Not particularly.”

There was silence for a minute.

“Jungmin hyung’s leaving.”

“What?” Woohyun almost sat up in his bed. “Why?”

“He got a PhD scholarship from Australia. He’s going to take it. He talked to dad yesterday.”

“He can’t just leave you alone!”

“Apparently he can. My dad told him so.”

“B-but—”

“It’s ok, I know I am alone. It’s just when Jungmin hyung was there, I wouldn’t feel completely abandoned.”

Silence prevailed.

“I want to die,” Woohyun said softly.

Sungyeol punched him in the arm. “One day we all will. But you’re not allowed to die before that.”

“What does that mean?” asked Woohyun, rubbing his arm.

“That you have to be alive for the people who need you.”

Woohyun gave a hollow laugh.

“Who needs me?”

“I need you,” Sungyeol said in a small voice. He turned around and started snoring. Woohyun didn’t know if the snores were fake or real. He decided on the latter.

“Thanks, and you’re not alone. Not until I’m here.”

He turned around quickly to fake sleep. But he didn’t need to. Sungyeol’s hand found its way to his. He gripped his hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. They could have talked all day but that small gesture said more than any of their conversations ever could.