Jung Daehyun- "Mixed Soup"

Jung Daehyun was born to a pair of young adults that didn't know a thing about parenting. Mummy and daddy coddled their little boy, they spoiled him with money and love but it was never enough —he always wanted more. And when he wouldn't get exactly what he wanted, he would throw the most demonic tantrums that it would make Satan himself look like a good guy.

Daehyun was born weak. He had poor health and got admitted to hospital a lot since he was a baby. His parents treated him gingerly like he was a delicate doll that would break if it was pressed even just a bit harder. So whenever Daehyun let out a soft whimper, his parents would turn to him, they would stare at him with genuine concern and give him a tight hug.

Daehyun felt loved.
Until Youngjae came along.

His baby brother had the loudest cry he had ever heard. Daehyun was barely eight when his father showed him the light bundle in his arms. They had different reactions to the new addition than the ones they showed Daehyun. There wasn't any worried stare. There wasn't any confused eyebrows. There were just fond, loving kisses on Youngjae's chubby cheeks, accompanied with wide smiles. They didn't ask him 'what is wrong?' whenever Youngjae cried. They would say 'this boy is strong' instead.

* * *

It was one chilly early morning, half way through winter when Daehyun's mother told him that his grandmother from suburban Busan was coming for a rare visit.

Why?
To see him? —of course not.

She was coming to see the wonderful, gorgeous, truly fascinating Youngjae. As per usual.

* * *

Daehyun had always been close to his grandmother, they shared the same passion despite their significantly wide . Cooking. Ah, yes. The sound of soup bubbling and meat sizzling fresh off the heat always sent a wondrous chill up the Jung relative's spines. A chill that couldn't be produced by anything else. It was true passion.

Daehyun's grandmother had gotten into the habit of teaching the younger Jung son many of her tricks and tactics in the kitchen whenever she would visit. She would even come equipped with brand new cook books and cooking utensils, just to Daehyun's delight. But this time when she came, she forgot the cook books, she forgot the cooking utensils. She even forgot her eldest grandson.

"Aren't you adorable! I could just eat you up!" She coos, hands reaching down into Youngjae's crib to pinch at his cheeks. Mr and Mrs Jung crowding beside her looking down on their youngest son with a glint of unwavering pride in their brown eyes. Why didn't they have that glint when they looked at Daehyun?

From the doorway of Youngjae's room you could hear the faint sigh of Daehyun, shoulders hunched, eyes fixated on the ground. He was defeated. It had took one meeting. One meeting only, and his little brother had already gained grandmother Jung's attention.

Daehyun frowned. He frowned a deep, angry frown that was full of darkness and rage and frustration and just basically everything that's bad put together and increased by 10 percent.

So, with the shuffle of his slippers, he waddled into the kitchen, grabbed the small purple stool that was always lying around the house and pressed it up against the kitchen bench. Grandma always said mixed soup was her favorite.

Chop. Chop. Chop.
In with the carrots.

Chop. Chop. Chop.
In with the potatoes.

Chop. Chop. Chop.
In with the meat.

It was hard work, but he made it with love.

After everything was done, he served the soup carefully into four small bowls. One for mother, one for father, one for grandmother, and one for later. When Youngjae fell asleep, they all came to the dinner table to eat. Grandmother was very happy and said he was a good boy. He looked at the soup and asked his grandmother if Youngjae could try his soup. She smiled and said "Yes, when he gets older."

Daehyun was very happy. He was happy that his grandmother liked the soup, but she was still spending all her time with Youngjae. Was his soup not good enough? Well, he must make one twice as better next time. It must be glorious, glorious enough to make grandmother forget about Youngjae.

* * *

Today his grandmother was coming over to visit again, so he went into the kitchen and began cooking his new, better soup. Mother and father left to go pick up some items from the neighbors, so he wanted everything to be ready before they got back. He copped the vegetables nicely, but the meat was harder to chop, and it made a big, big mess! But because Daehyun was a good boy, he cleaned the mess quickly before his family returned. When they did arrive, they were greeted by three bowls of savory, warm soup.

"Is Youngjae sleeping?" Mother asked, as they all sat in their seats and began eating. Daehyun only smiled and nodded his head. "Youngjae kept crying, but Daehyun-hyung was a big boy and settled him down. He's sleeping now."

* * *

Everyone loved the meal, but as soon as they finished, grandmother went straight to Youngjae's room to smother him with affection once more.
Daehyun frowned. Grandmother still loved Youngjae more.
But before Daehyun could complain any longer, grandmother ran out of the room. Her shriveled face was wet with tears. For the rest of the night Daehyun's mother, father and grandmother went running around the neighborhood yelling out "Youngjae! Youngjae! Has anyone seen Youngjae?"

His parents were looking everywhere for Daehyun's baby brother.

"Have you seen my little brother Youngjae? He is so adorable that everyone just wants to eat him up." Says Daehyun, the leftover soup from the rim of the bowl.