"Wonsik oppa, by any chance... Do you know how to tie braids?"

 

"Sorry, baby sis. Maybe Hakyeon hyung could help,"

 

Leaving the youngest of my brothers alone, I scampered down to the room my eldest sibling resided in. Opening the door just a couple of inches wide, I started speaking,

 

"Hakyeon oppa! Could you-" I stopped short when I saw two figures on the sofa.

 

From what I could decipher, he was in very close proximity with a girl — his girlfriend, I hoped — and was apparently in lip lock. Pulling the door back to its original closed position, my face blushed a thousand shades of red.

 

I did not need to see that.

 

"A-At least have the decency to lock the door, y-you buffoon of a brother!" I muttered to myself, conscious of my heated face.

 

'He was busy,' I told myself, repeating the line over and over in my head like a mantra, attempting to brainwash myself. 'and I didn't see anything. Nothing at all.'

 

                *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

 

"Oppa, he's busy..." I complained, trudging into Wonsik's room once again.

 

He paused his video game as turned to look at me. "Why do you even need to tie braids?"

 

"'Cause I'm going out and.. I thought it would seem nice."

 

"Oh. Why don't you tie them yourself?" he asked, as if the solution to my problem was as simple as that.

 

"My braids are... a sight to behold all right," I explained with a sigh.

 

"How about Taekwoon? Didn't he always play with your hair when you were younger?" he murmured thoughtfully.

 

"Err... Taekwoon oppa..?" I repeated, eyes growing uncertain.

 

"Uh-huh," he was already facing the game console.

 

"Oh-kay then." I replied rather reluctantly as I headed for the living room.

 

                *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

 

"Taekwoon oppa, help me please?" I asked, voice just above a whisper.

 

It wasn't often that I asked Taekwoon for favors, I knew he doted on me, but he was still intimidating at times.

 

"...With?" he asked, looking up at me from his book with that blank, almost cold stare of his.

 

"Erm... Could you tie my braids again?" I fiddled with my fingers, not daring to meet his eyes.

 

I could feel his gaze on me as a heavy silence fell.

 

"...Please?" I finally uttered, my shaky voice shattering the neck-breaking silence.

 

More silence came.

 

"Turn around." his voice rang out, soft but clear, some might almost say slightly feminine — if they dared.

 

Obediently, I followed his instructions. His long fingers moved skillfully, weaving in and out of bundles of hair, twisting them together into neat plaits. I felt stray strands falling back onto my neck, and in response, his soft fingers brushed gently against my neck as he combed up the strands that went array, swiftly tucking them together with another bunch of hair that he had already sectioned. Within minutes, he was done. Only a neat, sleek braid was resting on my shoulder, with not a single strand of hair out of place.

 

"It's done," he patted my head gently, careful not to mess up his finished work.

 

His usual piercing gaze was replaced with a rare, warm one. His eyes were gentle, and a smile graced his lips as he looked over with satisfaction.

 

His gaze travelled over me, giving me a once-over as his eyes widened slightly. It was as if he had just realised what I was wearing—a pullover and a denim skater skirt.

 

I never wore a skirt at home.

 

"You're going out?" he inquired, eyes wide with curiosity.

 

"Yeah."

 

"With a guy..?" he frowned.

 

"...Yeah."

 

"On a...date?" he asked, the last word almost a protective hiss.

 

My mouth opened, however no words could come out. I couldn't just lie so blatantly, yet who knows what would happen to the guy's poor soul if my brothers ever found out his name.

 

"Y-yes,"

 

He narrowed his eyes.

 

"Just be back early,"

 

"Yes, sir!" I replied with a mock salute, glad to be excused from further interrogation.