3 and 4 year old eunhae, a few months later

“Mummy, quickly! It’s Hyukkie’s birthday!” Donghae shouts almost as soon as he has woke enough to gather his voice, causing his mother to run into his room almost instantaneously, her shirt hanging off her shoulder haphazardly and pyjama bottoms still on. “Sweetie, it’s only eight in the morning. Just because daddy has gone to work already doesn’t mean that we can bother Hyukjae and his parents. It’s still early and they might be sleeping, so wait for another hour, I’m sure Hyukjae won’t disappear,” She responds, yawning before climbing into Donghae’s bed with him to subdue his sudden energy for a while, cuddling him under the blankets.

“No, I want to see Hyukkie!” Donghae pouts, shaking his head at his mother’s further attempts to make him obey and stay in bed for another half an hour at least. “Alright, I’ll ring and see if they are awake, so stop yelling okay? Inside voice, Hae baby,” His mother gives in, getting out of Donghae’s bed and dialling an increasingly familiar phone number.

Before the brief call even ends, Donghae is already sitting in front of their door, waiting for his mother to finish getting dressed so that she can take him over. He’s learnt not to leave without her since the first incident that lead to him meeting his best friend. “I think you’re forgetting something, honey,” Donghae stands up to take the wrapped gift that is passed to his small hands, holding it carefully as his mother opens the door and lets him wander through, Hyukjae’s mother already opening the door on the other side of the small hallway for them.

Not able to spare a second, Donghae runs through the entranceway and the apartment almost identical to his own before reaching Hyukjae’s room, finding his best friend asleep in his bed. Quietly, Donghae puts the present on the table that is at the same height as Hyukjae’s bed, leaving it there so that he can climb onto the soft mattress with the birthday boy.

“Happy birthday, Hyukkie,” Donghae whispers, pecking a flawless cheek before settling under the blankets, something he’s done many times over the past few months, easily moulding himself against the thin form and letting slumber claim him. Unintentionally, the two boys huddle close to each other, curling their bodies together for the familiar warmth.

“Don’t worry about it, Hyukjae came into our room at six and demanded his presents. Of course we told him to wait till later so he went back to sleep, obviously he needs