Since Youngmin had began high school, his family noticed a severe change in him. His sullen mood, his grades dropping, the hours he spent locked up in his room, and of course the blood staining all his clothes.

 

At dinner, his mother turned around with their meal and zeroed in on the bloody lip and black eye on her eldest son. “Youngmin, what happened to you?”

 

“School.”

 

Ms. Kim put down his plate and while she spoke, all Youngmin did was gobble up the food. “Youngmin-ah, what is going on in that school? If you're in some trouble, we can pull you two out of there.”

 

“It's nothing, Umma. Just leave it alone.” He murmured.

 

“How can I leave things alone? You're coming home everyday, all beaten up and - ”

 

The table shook when Youngmin smashed a fist down. “I already told you it's nothing!” His dinner flipped over and he pushed away from the table. “Jeez, can't you people understand when to leave something alone.” And the family watched him leave the table and stomp up the stairs.

 

Youngmin didn't come back down again that night. When Kwangmin entered the room they shared together, Youngmin was already in bed of his top bunk. It didn't seem like he had changed since he came up.

 

The air was tense in the bedroom. Kwangmin changed into his sleep clothes and kept looking up to his brother while he did it. Crawling into the bottom bunk, he had curled in for sleep.

 

Ten minutes, he wasn't asleep. And neither was Youngmin, he guessed.

 

“Youngmin-ah...are you sure you're okay?”

 

He heard Youngmin inhale deeply. “Didn't I already say to let it go?” Through the whisper, Kwangmin heard the harsh voice.

 

Kwangmin pulled the covers tighter around him. And silence fell for another ten minutes where neither twin truly slept.

 

“It was those Kingkas, wasn't it? The ones from 7C?”

 

There was the sound of Youngmin turning over in his bed above him. “Just worry about yourself, Kwang.”

 

Kwangmin bit his lip, eyes shifting all over the room, their room. “Young-ah, you know that you can tell me anything, right?”

 

Above him, he heard Youngmin scoff. “Yeah right – I can tell you anything, yeah? And what'll you do? Tell Umma and Appa? Or better yet, the school? And then what happens?” He heard a squeak and for the first time in the day, he saw the face of his brother as he leaned over to look at the bottom bed. “I'll tell you – absolutely nothing.”

 

“You don't know that, Youngmin! The school has a job to do in protecting its students. You have to let them do their job! They can't if they don't know what's going on!”

 

“They can't do anything and neither can you, Kwangmin!” The outburst was crisp and harsh. It sent chills down Kwangmin's spine. He gripped the covers tighter, as if they would protect him from his brother's anger. “You're both useless. So leave it alone before you hurt yourself.” With a heave, Youngmin laid back on his bed, just breathing in deeply – and Kwangmin could hear it.

 

He could feel the tears welling up in his eyes, but Kwangmin skewered his eyes shut. He took a deep breath, forcing his emotions to calm. He cleared his throat before opening them again. “Good night, Young-ah. Sweet dreams.”

 

“Shut up, already. I'm trying to go to sleep.”

 

Kwangmin took another breath. He turned over on his side, pulling the covers up to his chin. He closed his eyes and dreamed. Dreamed about the time before high school – all the times before high school. Back when they were one in the same. When they could finish each other's sentences and predict when the other was scheming up a prank – and help them with it. He dreamed about the times when Youngmin was his brother.

 

When Youngmin wasn't this cold and bitter stranger who shared his face.

 

The morning came and the room stood cold as Kwangmin pushed back the sheets and sat up. Youngmin had probably abandoned him and walked to school already. Another stab at his heart that he was forced to set aside as he got ready for school. His parents shared their own pain, looking at their son with confusion and worry. How long had would they wear this look, the three of them? How long would Youngmin push away their love and walk this path alone?

 

“I'm going now.” He called. They had no reply.

 

He walked alone for a bit, joined by Minwoo and Jeongmin halfway through. They ran about happily and for a moment, it made Kwangmin laugh. But with every step closer they got, he remembered that when the day was over, Youngmin would come home broken and bruised. And there was nothing he could do about it.

 

“Yah, Kwangmin-hyung, what's eating you? You look positively depressed.” Minwoo pointed out, his innocent eyes looking through the older boy.

 

“Wow, way to go, Minwoo. 'Positive' and 'Depressed' – two opposites in one sentence.” Jeongmin rolled his eyes. The two began a face war around Kwangmin as Minwoo stuck his tongue out.

 

“I'm fine – really. Just had a hard time sleeping.” He lied.

 

“Was Jeongmin with you? He snores like a pig. Kung kung!”

 

“You little - !” Minwoo ran through the gates, with Jeongmin hot on his trail. And Kwangmin was left behind with his troubles.

 

“Really poor form, Youngmin. Maybe we should get you some back-up. Your pretty brunette brother should work just fine, yes?” A deep voice, unfamiliar and familiar at the same time, caught his ear. To his right, he saw a huddle group against the school walls. In the center, a bright blond head was trying to raise itself from the ground.

 

Youngmin-ah...

 

Kwangmin hurried behind the wall, leaning out just enough to observe the scene. At what Kwangmin could only assume was the leader's comment, Youngmin summoned enough strength to jump to his feet. He glared at his aggressors with such conviction, it gave Kwangmin chills. “You don't go anywhere near Kwangmin.” He heaved and panted and looked at each of them. He spat – blood and mucus – and pointed a finger. “I can take all of you, all by myself.”

 

“Well then, you talk pretty big for a loser. Why should we believe you?” The leader and his friends laughed, deep and cruelly. Youngmin growled. He charged at one in a dead sprint, pushing him down to the ground and holding him down with punches to his face and chest. One quick kick to his side and he was curling up in a ball, holding his stomach. Another kick hit his back, a knee hit him in the skull, and a leg turned him over into the brick with some force.

 

As he watched, if Kwangmin had looked, his grip was tight enough on the cement that it actually left marks.

 

“That was pretty amusing, Youngmin-ah. We should continue this later.” The leader squatted down and grabbed the hair. He yanked it up. Kwangmin got a full display of the blood and bruises on his twin's face. “Tonight, right back here. 7 o'clock. Is that understood, Youngmin-ah?” Youngmin panted, breathed, and coughed – none of which were a proper answer for the boy. He shook the blond's head, gripping the hair tighter. “I said, is that understood?”

 

Youngmin gulped and coughed again. “Try coming with an army – that's what it'll take to defend what small pride you have.”

 

The leader forced a smile. “Funny, Youngmin.” He shoved the head – right into the wall – and stood. With a swing of his arm, the group walked into the school.

 

As they moved away, Kwangmin waited for his moment to jump to his brother's side. He watched the group, trying to judge when they were a safe distance away. From his brother's raspy, bleeding mouth he heard words that froze him solid.

 

“All for Kwangmin. All for Kwangmin.”

 

He turned to Youngmin enough to cause whiplash, if he payed attention. Youngmin struggled to his feet, using the offending wall as support. And all the while, he muttered those three words like a mantra. Kwangmin stood dumbfounded, his head moving along as his brother limped to the school.

 

He leaned against the wall and breathed.

 

It was him – it was everyone but Youngmin – that had it wrong. Youngmin wasn't pushing them away – he was protecting them. Everyday he put his body on the line just to keep those brutes away from his only brother.

 

He had to do something. If that gang took Youngmin's taunt, there would be more. And if six of them could do...that to Youngmin, what could happen if there were more?

 

Kwangmin ran away from the school.

 

 

Youngmin grumbled and griped as he walked. The nurse, in an act of pity and anger, had forced him to go home after he wouldn't give her the name of his 'attackers' as she put it. Gingerly, he scratched his head in frustration. Didn't she understand? He couldn't tell her. The moment anyone found out that the savages from 7C were attacking him nearly everyday, that was it. Kwangmin was a dead man.

 

As long as he could avoid it, he would. He didn't care if he was the dead man, as long as Kwangmin was okay.

 

He walked up the driveway, cracking his back as he stood straight. The more 'normal' he looked, the less likely his parents would ask a lot of questions. There was no way this was going to get glossed over. Or maybe it would. Judging from their reactions to last night, maybe they finally bought the bad boy act. As he opened the door, he was confused to see his parents' shoes gone, but a pair of worn out sneakers there instead. Kwangmin and himself wore high-tops...he barely knew anybody that wore sneakers.

 

Youngmin hurried up the steps as quickly as he could. He jumped when he reached for the door and it opened on its own. Donghyun jumped as well, stuffing his hand behind his back as quick as a fly.

 

“Donghyun-hyung...what are you doing here?” He tried to see over the boy. “Where's Kwangmin?”

 

“Well, I...” Donghyun avoided his eye, fiddling with the door handle.

 

Youngmin raised an eyebrow. “What have you gotten in your hand?”

 

“Oh...nothing.” Youngmin rolled his eye. He maneuvered this way and that until Donghyun's grip was wrenched open and he pulled the mystery item out. “Hair bleach?” He looked at Donghyun and back at the bottle. “The whole thing's empty – that's enough to cover your head. You're still red.” Youngmin crossed his arms. “What's going on, Donghyun-hyung?”

 

Donghyun bit his lip. “He doesn't want me to tell you.”

 

“Who doesn't? Kwangmin? Donghyun-hyung, you have to tell me. What's going on with Kwangmin?”

 

Donghyun's face represented the struggle within to tell the truth or not and Youngmin tried to follow it with his gaze. “Kwangmin saw you this morning – with the Kingkas. And he heard what they wanted you to do. So...he skipped school today and went out and bought some bleach. He called me out here to help him and...he's going in your place tonight.”

 

“WHAT?!” Youngmin's voice echoed in the empty house. “How could you let him do that!? You're 24, for God sake! What were you thinking letting him do that?!”

 

“How could you let yourself do this in the first place?! Kwangmin says this has been going on for months. Youngmin, you could've been seriously hurt. Did you ever think how Kwangmin would feel if something happened to you?”

 

“But nothing would happen to me, Donghyun-hyung. That's the difference between him and me. I can take it. I've learned to roll with the punches – to accept the pain and go on with my day.” Youngmin breathed in, looking at the bottle in his hand. “To deal with it so Kwangmin doesn't have to.” He looked up at Donghyun. “I need to go.” He dropped the bottle and ran down the hall.

 

“Youngmin! Youngmin-ah!” He heard Donghyun calling after him, but he was already out of the house.

 

He couldn't believe it. Kwangmin, why would he do such a stupid thing? He couldn't fight, he couldn't throw a punch, and he most definitely couldn't deal with the pain of being beaten. Why couldn't he just let things stay the same? Why couldn't he follow the rules? Tell a teacher, Youngmin would lie, and Youngmin would deal with the Kingkas' anger.

 

Kwangmin never would have to get hurt.

 

And he'll never get hurt, if I have anything to say about it. Youngmin forced his aching legs to pump faster.

 

The sun was setting behind the school. Eerily enough, it casted the perfect spotlight on the mob of black jackets and blue jeans. In the center, Youngmin saw a bouncing blond head. The leader, the familiar leader that tormented his life, stepped forward and gripped the hair tight and yanked. And Youngmin saw the perfect reflection of himself.

 

“You've got some guts, Youngmin-ah, staying awake this long. What do you say we...kick it up a notch?” The group laughed. Kwangmin gulped, trembling a the feel of blood in his throat.

 

“Thanks for the compliment.” Youngmin said from the outside, grabbing everyone's attention at once. “I'd love to see just what you can do.”

 

“How the hell - !” The leader looked between the twins, giving Youngmin the perfect opportunity to start his own attack. He kicked and punched and even flipped some guys over his shoulder, getting closer and closer to his brother.

 

“What the hell is going on here?!” Youngmin grabbed the leader by his own hair and pulled him up, anger in his eyes.

 

“I told you – Nobody goes near Kwangmin.” With a well-placed shot, he forced his fist deep in the leader's fat belly. He felt a small sort of pride as he sank to the ground, heaving and coughing.

 

And in the distance, they heard sirens.

 

“Yah! Hyung! We need to get out of here!” The Kingkas rallied their leader up off the ground and hobbled him out of the school yard. They preoccupied themselves with their escape – futile, if you asked Youngmin – which allowed Youngmin to kneel beside his brother.

 

“Kwang-ah, can you hear me? Can you sit up?” With gentle hands, Youngmin pulled his brother up in a sitting position. He tried to look him in the eyes, but both were starting to swell into black eyes. “What were you thinking? Bbabbo.”

 

Kwangmin gulped and coughed and sputtered, blood smearing around his mouth. Youngmin patted and rubbed his back, waiting patiently for his answer. “I wanted to protect you. Just like you did for me.”

 

Youngmin forced a smile. He brushed a hand through Kwangmin's blond hair, which made him truly laugh. “Bbabbo – you already did that.” Kwangmin twitched and yet, Youngmin knew it was him actually trying to blink. “You saw me – I could've dealt with those lunkheads easily. I didn't because of you.” Kwangmin continued to 'stare' at him. Youngmin took a breath and cleared his throat. “Sure, there were days when I just wanted to be done with it. When I wanted to rip their heads off and show them who they were dealing with, but I knew they would go after you. And I can't always be there to protect you. And if you were ever taken from me, I wouldn't know what to do. I wouldn't know which way to turn. I'd be lost.”

 

“So...what...what did I do?”

 

Youngmin smiled and patted his head gently. “What you always do. You asked me if I was okay. You kept me together just by showing that you cared. You reminded me why I was doing this. You kept me from going over the edge.” He tipped their heads together. “Thank you, Kwangmin. Nobody could ask for a better brother.”

 

“I know who could.” Youngmin pulled away, raising an eyebrow. And what do you know, Kwangmin could actually smile. “Anybody who doesn't have you.” Youngmin smiled.

 

“Wanna go see those guys blubber and cry as they get arrested?” Kwangmin bubbled out a laugh and Youngmin joined him. “Can you stand up.”

 

“Help?”

 

Youngmin smiled. “Always, Kwangmin. Always.”