Yifan and Kyungsoo exchanged a sad glance before they looked sideways at Joonmyun, feeling extremely awkward as they did so. None of them were brave enough to approach and start a conversation with Joonmyun. They didn’t even pay attention to the cartoon on the television. All they ever wanted was to get Joonmyun’s attention, all of Joonmyun's affection.

Joonmyun refused to speak with both Yifan and Kyungsoo for a whole week. They had absolutely no idea of what they had done to make Joonmyun burst in tears everytime he saw them. The sudden change in Joonmyun’s behavior affected Kyungsoo the most (Yifan said it was him) since they were in the same kindergarten class. Joonmyun didn’t sat next to him as he always did and he could only bit his lip when Joonmyun shared his lunchbox with a cute girl from their class (he even gave his cookies to her!).

Kyungsoo missed Joonmyun’s smile, and he missed Siwon’s cookies.

If Kyungsoo thought his heartache was bad, it was nothing compared to what Yifan had gone through. Joonmyun was everything to Yifan. After he met Joonmyun, everything in his small world seemed different. Yifan was always, always shy and nervous around other kids. He couldn’t even bring himself to tell his mother that some of the boys in his class had stolen some kimbab from his lunchbox. He didn’t have many friends.

Everything changed after he met Joonmyun. He was sitting on a swing in the playground by himself when Joonmyun approached him with a sheepish smile on his face. He was speechless when Joonmyun told him he couldn’t find his way home. Yifan’s cheeks flushed pink when Joonmyun took his hand and held it tightly. Yifan didn’t know how but he managed to find Joonmyun’s house after one hour walking around the neighbourhood.

As time passed by they grew closer. They were very close that they basically did everything together.

So it was normal for Yifan to cry when Joonmyun didn’t want to see him for a whole week. He never felt so lonely before. He was afraid to go to Joonmyun’s house even when he got a pretty bad craving for Siwon’s cookies.

Yifan missed Joonmyun’s presence, and he missed Siwon’s cookies.

Kyungsoo tore his gaze away from Joonmyun and turned to look at Yifan and immediately, Yifan’s lips curled downward and he sank down low in his seat, his shoulders slumping.

Joonmyun didn’t love them anymore.

Joonmyun didn’t even look, nor spare a glance at Yifan and Kyungsoo. He had been clinging to his brother since Yifan and Kyungsoo appeared behind the front door an hour ago. He tried to protest and mentally made a plan to sprint to his room when his brother gave him a disapproved look.

“Don’t even think to run away.” Siwon said sternly, making Joonmyun gaped. “I want you to play with your friends. Is that understood?”

Joonmyun pouted and nodded in response.

So, there he was, sitting on his brother’s lap and watched his favourite cartoon, Pororo. He wished he could shrink into a peanut and hide in his brother’s pants pocket everytime he felt Yifan and Kyungsoo’s eyes landed on him.

During the commercial break, Joonmyun fidgeted slightly and whispered into Siwon’s ear. “Hyung, I want banana milk.”

Siwon sighed when Joonmyun stared at him with wide, hopeful eyes.

“Hyung, I'm thirsty.” Joonmyun whined, making Yifan and Kyungsoo to turn their heads at him.

“I have chocolate milk. You can drink it.” Yifan offered and reached for his bright green backpack.

Joonmyun wrapped his arms tightly around Siwon’s neck and shook his head frantically. “I don’t like chocolate milk. I want banana milk.”

Siwon turned to Yifan and gave the small boy an apologetic smile as ruffled his little brother’s hair. “Alright. Stay here with Yifan and Kyungsoo while I get it from the kitchen.”

“No!” Joonmyun screamed in panic and clutched his brother tighter. He quickly wrapped his short legs around Siwon’s waist. “Hyung, don’t leave me here with them.”

A frown quickly marred Siwon’s smooth forehead when his ears caught a faint whimper from Joonmyun. “Joonmyun-ah, you can’t treat your friends like that. You haven’t spoken a word to Yifan or Kyungsoo since they arrived. Just look at them. They look so sad.”

Siwon sighed deeply when Joonmyun shook his head stubbornly and clung to him even tighter. He threw a glance at Yifan and Kyungsoo, and immediately a wave of guilt churned in his stomach when the boys blinked their eyes sadly at him.

Siwon took a deep breath and pried away his little brother’s arms from his neck. “Stay here and talk to them.” With that, Siwon put Joonmyun down on the couch and scurried into the kitchen.

Joonmyun’s eyes started getting teary after his brother’s figure disappeared from his sight.

A thick silence immediately engulfed them, the only sound that could be heard was the sound of Pororo lively chatter coming from the television.

“Joonie…”

Joonmyun flinched in surprise hearing Kyungsoo’s voice and quickly covered his face with his small hands.

Kyungsoo’s heart plummeted precipitously into his stomach and his expression dimmed. He glanced at Yifan sideway and nudged the latter’s arm with his elbow.

“Joonie, will you tell us why you’re so scared? We won’t do anything bad to you.” Kyungsoo said and Yifan nodded his head even though Joonmyun couldn’t see it.

“Yifan hyung was so sad. He told me you refused to talk with him for….” Kyungsoo paused and turned to look at Yifan. Yifan immediately showed Kyungsoo seven fingers. “…for seven days.”

Joonmyun remained unmoved.

Slowl