free rides;

“Ugh,” A teenager, with an unusual hair color of pink, groans and softly hits his head. “Where is that house? God, I’m so terrible at directions and like that.”

“No wrong street.”

“Was it turning right or left?”

“Where am I?”

“I’m lost—oh! This must be it.”

1015, the plate says that’s fixed on the gate of the bungalow. He takes a step forward and raises his fist as an attempt to knock. Is this the right house? He furrows his eyebrows and slightly lowers his hand, hesitant. As far as he remembers, it’s 1015 or was it 1510?

Jesus, Lee Hyukjae, why are you born as a dumb citizen.

Nevertheless, he nervously knocks for three times, teeth sunk into his lower lip at the surge of uncertainty in his mind – who wants to walk for thirty minutes, just finding a ing house? He’s never good at dealing with embarrassing moments and oh-I’m-sorry-I-must-have-mistaken-this-house-for-someone’s-sorry-for-the-interruption moments, so it better be the right one.

He hears the creak of a wooden door, and assumes that someone from the house must have came out to check him. The gate opens, and a tiny woman, about twenty years older, a small pout lingering on her thin lips as she looks at Hyukjae for a while. She’s probably wondering what an unknown teenager with a pink hair and quivering lips is doing in front of her house.

Wrong house?

“Oh! Are you Hyukjae?” The woman greets, enthusiastic when she finally knew who it was.

The said teen bows at her, and smiles faintly. “Yes Ma’am.”

“I see” – she nods and her attention suddenly shifts at Hyukjae’s pink hair – “Wow, your hair looks cool.” She whispers in awe, patting the soft strands of pink hair, and then she suddenly giggles. “It looks like cotton candy.”

The woman is too drowned into it that Hyukjae just gives her an awkward beam with a chuckle. He wonders why Hyangsuk widens her eyes because there must be something wrong or—

“Wait, Ah I almost forgot,” Her light hand leaves Hyukjae’s head and scratches her own, embarrassed by her silliness. “Our Donghae is inside, playing with his toys. Let’s go inside so you’ll see him.” She exclaims and takes the teenager with her through his right arm after closing the gate.

Donghae’s – the kid he will be babysitting – parents are apparently off to their second honeymoon in Hawaii that day; after the suggestion of their workmates and family members so they could indulge each other without their little blocker – not like they hate it but it’s frustrating sometimes especially when…and besides Donghae wants a little sibling.

Though Donghae’s mom wasn’t that much in favor at first because no one will take care of Donghae, but her good friend suggested her son to babysit their little sunshine – and Hyukjae is also looking for part time jobs back then; A few pleas after, the woman gave up and agreed in having their second honeymoon.

And then there they are, the present time. Donghae’s parents left about five minutes ago that leaves him, sitting on the couch, observing the eight-year-old-kid being fascinated with his new Iron Man mask which glows in blue when the switch is .

The child is mumbling some words Hyukjae couldn’t understand. Perhaps it’s his own way of imitating his favorite superhero. Hyukjae just let him be, finding Donghae adorable and such synonyms you can insert – hey, he likes kids.

It’s a short span of time when the kid abruptly removes his mask, throwing it away, which lands on his puzzles as if it’s a trash. Donghae climbs to Hyukjae’s laps that has the teenager’s heart racing at the shock. “H-hey—Donghae—“ The tiny child places his small hands on his hair, messing with it (and the pink-haired calms down) that Hyukjae certainly does not mind.

“Wow…” Donghae says, open-mouthed . “Your hair looks like a Cotton Candy! How did you get this hair, mister?”

“I asked the owner of the parlor I went to color my hair pink. Do you want a hair like this?” Hyukjae points at his head.

The kid nods, furious, and looking dumb but cute. With all those wide eyes, and gaping mouth.

The youth pokes Donghae’s nose and chortles. “You can color your hair whatever you want to when you’re finally a grown up like me.”

“When can I be a grown up like hyung?”

“How old are you again?”

Donghae sits on Hyukjae’s laps and signals an 8 with his short fingers. He sends him a crooked smile, one of his tooth in the middle missing.

“You’ll have to wait for ten years then. To have a hair like this, I mean.”

“But it’s too long.” Donghae juts out his lower lip, a little upset that it will take a long interval before he can have a cotton candy hair. “But I can have a rainbow hair too, right?” He peeks from his fringe, staring at the elder’s eye, his own ones are sparkling with excitement and glee.

“Yey!” He jumps and stretches his limbs and arms when he hears a short ‘yes’ uttered by the pink-haired teen.

After that, Donghae comes back in playing with his toys – his Eiffel Tower Lego this time (assembled by his father who took three days in making it just because he doesn’t understand every instructions written so he needs to search for online tutorials and the rest is history) – poking the pointy peak with the tip of his index finger, and careful not to make it fall.

“Hyukkie hyung?” He asks, his back facing the called person as he continues on playing with his sack of toys.

“Yes, Donghae?”

“Can I ride you?”

Hyukjae choked on his saliva and faints.

♦ - ♦ - ♦

“But mommy said I can’t do that on Kyu because he’s still small so that means I can do it with someone tall and a grown up.” Donghae’s eyes dimmed for the reason that he can’t do a horsey ride on his babysitter’s back. It has been his fantasy ever since he’s three but it’s just not his luck that he hasn’t seen any horses for the young years he’s been living – so maybe trying it on someone who looks like a horse isn’t bad? Though Hyukjae is none of a horse. He’s a primate, a small King Kong.

“Well…you could have told me that it’s that kind of ride! Not the other one!” That is definitely something ual and holy don’t mess with this kid.

Donghae blinks. “Ohh…there’s another kind of ride? Can we do it after?” He exclaims in delight, eyes are turning to half-moons as well as his mouth is stretching upwards.

“No.”

“But why!”

“That ride is only for two grown-ups.”

“Hmp, grown-ups aren’t fun.”

Hyukjae just chuckles and bends his knees on the floor while his arms are stretched. “Now, now, a free ride for babies!” The teen yelps when Donghae, out of a sudden, jumped on his back and god, maybe he broke a bone, nah, Donghae’s light as a feather.

“I’m gonna ride but…I’m no baby!” The younger declares. He grabs his handkerchief on the couch, a substitute for a freaking lasso, and smacks Hyukjae’s with it. “Giddy up!”

♦ - ♦ - ♦

In fifteen minutes, there’s Hyukjae, with a thin rope on his mouth that extends to the back which is carrying a box of plastic veggies – exhausted as . He crawls from Donghae’s room, face damp in sweat and limbs giving up as he collapses on the cold floor.

“Come on, faster! We need to reach the city soon so I can sell my crops.” The male child slaps his again with his fake lasso. “Giddy up, Hyukkie!”

And Hyukjae gets on all fours again because he certainly doesn’t have the heart to reject such a favor the delighted kid is asking for him. Whipped.

“Hyukkie, run! Giants! We need to reach the palace on time to have us safe!”

“Donghae—“

“GIANTS RUNNNNN!!!”

♦ - ♦ - ♦

Five days after is Donghae’s parents staring at the boy before them, body dragged on the ground with their son on top of his back wearing a paper crown with messy colors of yellow as he sends them a very warm welcome.

“Hi, mommy, daddy!”

“Donghae…what have you done to your babysitter?!?!”

don't blame me if this ;~~; lol literally dump x___x