One fine spring day 13 years ago...

"Sungmin-ah! I found a cicada shell!" 

A small boy carefully plucks the shell off the bark of a young tree. He clutches the shell with an outstretched hand and runs towards another boy reading underneath the shade of an older willow tree, its strings of leaves almost shielding him from view completely. The young boy nearly falls flat on his face, tripping on a tree stump, but picks himself up before shoving the cicada shell proudly under the other boy's nose. 

"Sungmin! Look!"

"Yah!" Sungmin closes his book with a loud smack. "Don't wave that thing under my nose! And it's Sungmin hyung to you." Sungmin ruffles the boy's mop of black hair. The boy squeals, delighted that his friend was finally paying attention to him. 

"Hyung, stop reading and come play with me."

"Aish, Kyuhyun, always so fond of playing." Sungmin rolled his eyes, but was secretly glad he has a friend at this hospital. "I'll play with you, but let me finish this chapter first, okay?"

"What are you reading about?" Kyuhyun kneeled on one leg beside Sungmin, and propped his chin on the other. He absent-mindedly peeled the velcro on his brown leather sandals whilst trying to look over at the book Sungmin was reading. 

"Guitar." Sungmin smiled. "Now be quiet for another couple minutes, and I promise I'll play with you. Deal?"

"Okayyyy." Kyuhyun picked up a leaf and started twirling it between his fingers. "But hyung you need to play with me all day tomorrow since I'm turning seven!" 

Sungmin nodded, not looking up from his book. Kyuhyun rested his head against Sungmin's shoulders. Sungmin's hair tickles, he thought. 

"Hyung."

No response. 

"Hyung."

"Shh."

"Hyung!" Kyuhyun yelled.

"Aish! Cho Kyuhyun, what is it now?"

"Hyung how old are you?"

"Nine."

"Ahh."

Silence. Kyuhyun saw a sparrow pecking at the grass in the distance. 

"Hyung."

Sungmin sighed and gave up trying to read. He closed his book once more and tilted to look at the top of Kyuhyun's head, still leaning against his shoulder. 

"Yes, Kyu."

"Why is that sparrow always pecking at the grass but not getting any worms?"

"You're not old enough to know yet." 

"You don't know! Sungmin hyung you don't know the answer!" Kyuhyun poked his tongue out at the older boy.

"I'm not playing with you anymore--"

"Sorry! Sorry!" Kyuhyun whacked an arm at Sungmin.

"Careful! Your cast." 

"It doesn't hurt." Kyuhyun smacked a hand at the cotton padding on Sungmin's leg. "See?"

"Ouch! Watch what you're doing! I don't have a cast like you. Here, help me up." 

Kyuhyun scrambled to stand up, happy that Sungmin was finally playing with him. He extended a hand but Sungmin started laughing when he saw all the leaves and twigs stuck on Kyuhyun's . Sungmin patted Kyuhyun down before accepting the hand offered to him, and clumsily stood up, reaching for his crutches. 

"Sungmin hyung, you're so heavy." 

Sungmin flipped his hair from his eyes before smacking Kyuhyun lightly on the back of his head.

"You need to wash your mouth out with soap."

Kyuhyun laughed. He loved teasing his Sungmin hyung. 

"The gap between your front teeth is ugly." Sungmin yelled at Kyuhyun before hopping quickly back to the hospital. 

"Wait 'til I catch you hyung!"

A/N: Part One of the Prologue :) Next part should be coming out tomorrow. Then the present day plot begins, promise!

Props to all those who thought of Ryeowook in the first sentence! Definitely go listen to "One Fine Spring Day" if you haven't already. Wookie feels