The small ten year old boy clutched the hand of his mother as she encouraged him to wave at his father. “Come on, darling. Say goodbye to daddy!” The boy’s lip trembled as he shook his head and refused to give in. His mother sighed. “Donghae, I know you’re upset, but come on, just be nice!” She pleaded, hoping the mutinous little pout would disappear.

“No.” He told her. “Dad said he’d be here for my birthday.” The eyes narrowed as he said this. “And he lied.”

His mother resisted the urge to sigh again. “Honey, he meant to. You kno-”

Donghae cut her off. “Yeah. I know. But it always happens. Every time something good happens, dad has to go!”

His mother’s expression softened. “Not every good thing. He was here for your football tournament, wasn’t he?”

The boy just glared. “Mum, that was months ago.” He shook his head. “And it’s not fair. He was here for Donghwa-hyung’s birthday.” He looked down at the ground and scuffed his trainers in the dirt. The little pout had surfaced again.

She sighed once again, heavily this time. “Just wave, Donghae. Don’t be sulky.” Donghae’s mouth opened and it looked like he was about to argue. “We’ll make it up to you, okay? Just be good…” The small shoulders hunched down at this.

“Mum…I’m not trying to be bad. It’s just not fair!” There was a hint of a whine in his voice as he blinked his big eyes up at his mother. It was hard to resist when he did those eyes, and with the trembling pout added on, it made an adorable picture.

“Your father will be very hurt if you don’t wave, Donghae.” She resisted the aegyo. Donghae shook his head.

“Well, that’s not my fault. “ He muttered and stormed off, small shoulders hunched as he slipped into the house. His mother looked down, willing herself not to be angry. Getting angry wouldn’t solve the situation. Instead, she waved at her husband, an apologetic smile on her lips as he drove away. She didn’t know when he’d be back; his job took him away for weeks at a time, and this time it had just happened to fall on a very unfortunate time.

In the house next door, a different kind of persuasion was going on.  Another little boy, only a few months older than Donghae, sat on the stairs, flicking through a book.

Sora noona looked at him. “Hyukjae…” Eunhyuk glanced up from the book.

“Yes…?” He said in the same tone.

“You know how you love me and totally want to do a favour for me?” She said in a rush, ready with puppy dog eyes.

Eunhyuk laughed. “Nope, sorry.” He smirked at her, and turned to go. She pulled him back.

“Wait!” She pleaded. “Please, it’s not like I’m going to ask for anything big! I’m your older sister, don’t you have any respect for your elders?” He sighed and turned back.

“What is it, noona?” She grinned. He was slightly scared-if she was grinning, it usually meant something ominous for him.

“Nothing big, I promise.” She waved a hand airily, eyes glittering. “I just want you to make friends with the little boy next door.”

Eunhyuk’s eyes narrowed. “But why?”

“It’ll be nice for you to have a friend next door!  He’s adorable, you’re adorable. You’ll be a cute pair.” She grinned again, her smile similar to his when he was doing something he shouldn’t.

“I don’t believe you.” He told her. “I’m gonna go tell mum and dad that you’re bugging me. Mum!” He yelled, ready to go and tell on his big sister.

“Lee Hyukjae, stop being such a little ! I’ll pay you, okay?” She hissed, pulling his skinny arm to keep him from running.

He widened his eyes. “Om… Noona, you swore! I’m so telling mum!”

Her fingers dug into his arm. “Hyukjae. Shut up and listen. I will buy you that bloody game you’ve been wanting for ages when I next get paid if you do it.” Her eyes were deadly serious, and he stopped snickering for a moment to ask:

“Really?” She nodded.

He considered. “But I have to wait. I want something now.” He crossed his small arms and gave a sneaky grin of his own.

She groaned. “You are such an evil little boy. You know that right?” He grinned wider. She sighed. “Fine! If I buy you chocolate, will you do it? And keep quiet about it?” she asked, glaring down at him.

“And a comic.” He stipulated. “You still have to get me the game too!”

She let out an even heavier sigh and began to climb up the stairs.

“Hey! Wait!” He said. “You promised!”

She stopped at the top of the stairs. “I’m getting my money. Go get your shoes and wait for me outside.”

Twenty minutes later, he was happily munching on a piece of chocolate as he flicked through his comic, Sora smiling exasperately at him. At least she’d convinced him to do it, she thought.

“Noona?” Eunhyuk looked up from his comic. She raised an eyebrow, inviting him to continue. “Why do I have to do this again?”

She laughed and ruffled his dark hair. “Because, my evil munchkin, I like Donghae’s older brother. And you are my introduction to him.”

Eunhyuk blinked. He didn’t really get it. “But…why don’t you just talk to him yourself?” He asked innocently, his mouth sticky.

She giggled. “You’ll understand when you’re older.”

He shrugged. People were always telling him that. He figured he’d just have to wait until he actually was older. Maybe then he’d get it.

The next morning, he was sitting on his (and Sora’s before she got too old for it) swing, dragging his feet across the ground as he steadily made his way through his ill-gotten chocolate stash. He decided he liked being bribed.

He was wondering when he was ever going to introduce himself to this mysterious Donghae, when the subject of his thoughts appeared in his own back garden. The fence that separated their gardens kept Eunhyuk from seeing him, but it suddenly occurred to him that he might be outside too. He got off his swing and tip-toed over to the fence. He was too short to see over it, though, so he spun around, looking for anything to make him taller.

There was an empty crate next to his parent’s vegetable patch. That would do. He dragged it over. Staring at it, he realised that for optimum height, it was best if he put it on its side, so that the empty side faced the fence.  He manoeuvred the crate and climbed on top of it, gripping the top of the wooden fence to keep himself steady. Peering over, he noticed a boy sitting on the decorative stone bench at the bottom of the garden.

“Hey!” He called. Startled, Donghae looked up. He couldn’t see anything. “Over here!” Eunhyuk yelled. “You’re Donghae, right?” Donghae shifted to where the voice was coming from.  He saw a boy about his own age, dark hair falling over up-tilted eyes. He sort of looked like a monkey, but not in a bad way.

Donghae nodded shyly. He recognized the boy from school, because he had moved here only recently. 

Eunhyuk grinned. This was easy. “Yah! Aren’t you going to come over and say hi, Donghae-shii?”

Donghae nodded and made his way over. “What are you doing on my fence?” He asked conversationally.

Eunhyuk shrugged. “I was bored, and I know you live here… “ He stuck a hand out, one still gripping the fence. “Hyukjae.”

Donghae grinned. “I know who you are. Call me Donghae. Drop the shii. It’s too formal.” Donghae didn’t mind talking to the strange boy who had taken over his fence. There was no one else to talk to and he seemed nice.

“Okay. As long as you call me Hyukjae. “ He gave a gummy smile, and Donghae suddenly knew that they would just get on. He returned the smile and shook his hand, glad to have a new friend. “Do you want some chocolate?” Eunhyuk asked, taking his hand back and pulling a sticky bar of chocolate out.

Donghae nodded. “Yes please.” Eunhyuk stretched his hand out and Donghae stood up on tip-toes, grabbing the treat.  “Do you want to come over?” Eunhyuk grinned.

“Yeah. “

“Okay. Then I’ll see you in a minute.” Donghae told him, ready to go and unlock the door for him. “Do you like football?”

“Wait!” Eunhyuk said. “I can just climb over the fence!” Donghae looked up at him stupidly.

“But it’s wooden.” He commented. “It’s not strong enough.”

Eunhyuk shook his head. “It’ll be fine. Everyone says I’m a monkey, so I’ve got to be able to climb, right?” Donghae giggled.

“Everyone calls me a fish.” He stepped back from the fence, placing a piece of chocolate in his mouth. “Alright. Have a go.” He said, mouth full. He liked his new daredevil of a friend. He was funny.

Eunhyuk beamed and grasped the top of the fence with two hands, his forehead creased in concentration. Could he get his leg over it? He raised one experimentally. The crate he was standing on buckled a little, and was now afraid to put the weight back on it again. He held his leg up in the air, thinking. “Uh…” He swallowed, and gently put his leg down. The crate wobbled as he did, and before he could right himself, he toppled forwards, into the fence.

Donghae watched, shocked as Eunhyuk fell through the fence. It collapsed easily, the cheap, flimsy wood splintering as Eunhyuk was plunged forward. He managed to put his arm out before he crashed onto the floor.

“Hyukjae!” Donghae gasped. “MUUUUUUUM!” He yelled. “HYUKJAE FELL THROUGH THE FENCE!” His mother poked her head out of the open back door. She was working at home today, but had been distracted while she did some paperwork.

“Donghae! Keep it down! We have neighbours!” She hissed. “What are you screaming for?”

Donghae scrambled over to Eunhyuk, who wasn’t moving. His arm looked broken, but his chest was moving up and down normally. The wreckage of what had been the fence was strewn about him, and he was making little snuffly noises. Donghae knelt next to him.

“Mum, please…” She sighed as she heard the little pleading note in her youngest son’s voice, putting her pen down and stepping outside.

She folded her arms. “Yes Dong- Oh god.” She put a hand to . “What happened?” Her voice had a tone of forced calm.

“H-he fell!” Donghae said, tears filling his eyes. “Mum…what if he dies?!”

She shook her head and knelt next to the boy. “Sweetheart, can you get up?” She gently placed an arm around him and lifted him up. A tear dribbled down Eunhyuk’s face.

“I-it hurts.” He sniffled.

“What does, sweetie?” She asked.

“M-my arm…” He sniffed.

It turned out that he’d broken his arm, in the end.  Donghae felt guilty for allowing him this to happen, but Eunhyuk had brushed it off, telling him it was his own fault and asking him to sign his cast. It just went smoothly after that, like they were meant to be friends, and eventually…lovers.