The oldest memory he had of him was probably this.

-

“Minwoo seems to really like Donghyun, doesn’t he?” A lady in her mid-30s commented as she smiled, sitting leisurely at the playground near their house.

“I think Donghyun really likes Minwoo too.” An older lady with more apparent wrinkles on her face replied, turning to the lady she was conversing with. “It’s nice to have another boy in the neighbourhood. Donghyun doesn’t like playing with girls because his younger sister is enough trouble.”

“That’s troubling.” The younger lady frowned slightly, and smiled when the older lady leaned closer as if to ask why. She rubbed her belly lightly, the meaning behind the movement clear to the other. “Minwoo’s going to have a younger sister too.”

“I’m sure Minwoo will be a better brother than Donghyun.” The older lady, quite apparently Donghyun’s mother, then laughed. “He looks like such an affectionate kid.”

Donghyun’s mother then nodded her head towards the scene of two kids playing in a sandbox, though one was obviously a lot taller and a lot older. The younger pre-schooler had wrapped his small body around the leg of the older fourth grade kid, while the older kid simply leaned down to pat the younger kid’s head.

“Can I carry him?” The older of the two children called out towards the two mothers, asking permission from the mother of the younger child. He blinked at the sharp glare from his mother, then reminding himself of his manners. “Please?”

“Sure Donghyun, but please don’t drop him!” Minwoo’s mother smiled kindly, nodding along with her words.

Donghyun smiled brightly, gently prying Minwoo’s hands off his legs, his hands then grabbing the small body. He tried not to dig his fingers into Minwoo’s body, knowing he hated it when his mother did it to him since it hurts. Carefully, he lifted Minwoo off ground a few centimetres first, watching the small legs kick air. Minwoo giggled a little, arms stretched out towards Donghyun.

“You wanna hug me?” Donghyun asked, though he wasn’t sure if Minwoo understood him yet. He teased the kid a little more by lifting him up and down, then bringing Minwoo closer to him (when his stamina was dying out). Pre-schoolers are heavier than toddlers, Donghyun lamented. Minwoo was so much easier to carry last time.

Minwoo smiled brightly and made happy noises as Donghyun swayed from side to side, squatting down and standing back up. Donghyun then fell back on his bottom (which seriously shocked their mothers), smiling when he pulled away from Minwoo. “Did you like it?”

The younger child made some more unrecognisable sounds, but it didn’t quite matter to Donghyun.

-

Minwoo slowly learned to hate the age difference he had with Donghyun. He remembered the times when Donghyun will take care of him when he was all small and cute, but as soon as he started growing to a big enough size and Donghyun started experiencing something called a teenager’s life, Donghyun didn’t quite pay him the same amount of attention.

He was twelve, and Donghyun was eighteen.

One more year to being a teenager. Maybe then, he’ll understand.

“Play with me!” Minwoo grinned as he noticed Donghyun returning from school. His school ended a lot earlier than Donghyun’s, and it became his habit to look out for the older boy every day after school. He usually waited in the house and would leave house ten minutes before Donghyun’s expected arrival.

He might be twelve, but his childish ways were the same as when he was seven.

“I can’t, Minwoo.” Donghyun frowned slightly. “Can’t you see? I’m with my girlfriend.”

Minwoo took a step back and pouted sadly, watching the said girl with an angry glare.

“I’m sure we can all play together.” The girl smiled, squatting down and offering her hand. Minwoo did look like a dear to whoever who saw him. “Hello! Minwoo, right?”

Minwoo stared at her squatting position and then her offered hand, then turning on his toes and running off. He heard Donghyun said something like not to mind him, and that made him angrier.

“Stupid, stupid, stupid woman!” Minwoo cried, hugging his pillow as he ran into his room. “How dare she make fun of my height!”

“…how dare she steal my Donghyun-hyung.”

-

He didn’t have the chance to wait till he was old enough, till he was a teenager.

Minwoo hid behind his mother as the movers moved furniture from Donghyun’s house. The Kim family moved some of their personal belongings themselves, though most of the labour were done by the men in the family.

Donghyun’s mother came by to say goodbye with Donghyun’s younger sister, and Minwoo watched his own younger sister wave excitedly. She probably still doesn’t quite understand what was going on.

“Come on, Minwoo. Don’t be rude.” He heard his mother whisper to him, then pulling him out from behind her.

Minwoo bowed his goodbye to the two ladies before him, allowing Donghyun’s sister to pinch his cheeks for the last time.

“He must be sad that Donghyun’s leaving.” Donghyun’s mother smiled softly, herself reluctant to leave the place she had been living in for so long. “Can’t help it, Donghyun’s father needed to move into the city for his job. Come visit us anytime, though!”

“We’ll try.” Minwoo’s mother nodded with a smile back, ruffling Minwoo’s hair. “Stop pulling such a long face, Minwoo.”

As the Kim family’s belongings were all loaded into the movers’ trucks, the two men were finally freed of their duties. Minwoo watched Donghyun took steps into his territory, then running back into the safety of his house.

“He’s not going to say goodbye?” Donghyun looked a little amused, patting Minwoo’s younger sister’s head instead. “Grow up into a pretty girl! I might date you.”

“Excuse me.” Minwoo’s mother looked stern, but broke out into a smile as did Donghyun. “I’m gonna miss you, you grew up so well.”

Donghyun smiled politely, then offering to hug the lady in her forties. With her in his arms, his eyes lingered on the closed door, himself positive that the young boy he was thinking of was definitely leaning against the said door. Pulling away, Donghyun then bid farewell, not making any move towards the door.

“Tell Minwoo I said bye.” Donghyun smiled softly. “And that he should learn to stop being so childish.”

“I’ll try, but he might not listen.” Minwoo’s mother laughed, then waving as the Kim family headed for their family car. She continued waving as the car drove away, sighing when it disappeared from view. “You happy now?”

Minwoo pouted, head peeking out from the door.

-

(I'm embarking on some alternate universe project with this.)
(Every chapter is another story based on this foundation~)