The door of the escalator pinged open and a lithe uniform clad figure emerges from within. Dashing to the room furthest down the brightly lit hallway the boy reached for the door handle with trembling hands. He stops halfway to issue a soft pat to his flushed cheeks before finally parting the wooden barricades shakily. Met with a sudden gush of chilly air heavy with the smell of medications he hesitated briefly once again.

"Hyung" muttering under his breathe in a barely audible tone upon his fear realising itself, he quickly made his way over to the patient situated on the single bed in the middle of the cramp room. The machines were beeping exceptionally loudly in stark contrast to the deafening silence and the room is a sheer white. He could not illicit a response. The patient is covered in tubes and there were no signs to suggest that he is alive aside from the green wave forms present on the big screen above his bed.

Half kneeling beside the rather high hospital bed, the boy clasped on tightly to the man's hands. The man on the bed finally stirs and opens his eyes. They were swollen purple from his plunge into the train tracks and he looked as weather beaten as a seventy year old who had been through too much. Smiling slowly on noting the presence of his favourite person the man squeezed the small palms back weakly.

Just barely an hour ago the young lad had received a call from the hospital to notify him that his brother had collapsed at the exact subway station just minutes after they had parted ways- him to school while the man to work. The call had sent his heart racing and even until now his heart is still pounding within his ribcage like never before. He is a brave kid, resilient just like his hardworking sibling.

Hongbin had never been more terrified and troubled in his life. The horrid thoughts of losing his only loved one haunted him for a good hour while he weaves in and out of the crowd at the various stations to get to his destination at the nearest hospital.

The Lee brothers had lost their parents at a notably young age with Jaehwan being in junior high school and Hongbin being a mere toddler. They lived with their grandmother who had passed on the same year Hongbin entered junior high. Jaehwan had reached the appropriate age to work by then and Hongbin had considered himself to be living off his brother who is also his new legal guardian.

The hardworking older brother had never called in sick. Was never late and always prioritised his life perfectly. He just needed more luck with his finances so the duo was barely scraping through despite their grandmother leaving behind her house for them. At least they had a roof over their heads. Hongbin knew better than to add on to his brother's financial burden. Sneaking out to deliver milk and newspaper in wee hours of the morning just to end up attending classes late, he was almost classified a 'problematic' student. His grades suffered but that did not stop him from doing what he had to do.

"You... skipped classes again didn't you?" The man lifted his oxygen mask and sulked feebly. Patting the boy on his thick mop of hair gently he pouted. Hongbin has an extremely weak spot for Jaehwan pouting.

"The hospital called. What was I to do?" Hongbin whispered and burrowed his face under the thick hospital bedding near Jaehwan's chest. "Araseo. I will go once I'm sure you are fine." Hongbin immediately lost the mental quarrel they are currently engaged in.

"Go. I'm fine." Jaehwan concluded and Hongbin found himself shuffling out of the room. He is convinced Jaehwan was overworked. Juggling his work and studies since he had entered university late Jaehwan badly wanted the pay increment that comes with the degree he is pursuing. Hongbin couldn't contest that yet he cannot convince his older brother to let him chip in.

Now entering the last year of high school Hongbin knows his uniform days are numbered. He plans to take off the current white ironed ones and replace them for the red one with yellow scarf. The manager at the busiest McDonald's in town had guaranteed him a position as cleaner waiter and he cannot wait to start work.

It is heart-breaking to see his brother slogging his guts out just to ensure he goes through with schooling. Hongbin knew Jaehwan's lifestyle was too hazardous. Housework, assignments, office work: going on in repetition.  Much more hazardous than his own since he still gets a good 5 to 6 hours sleep with delivery work and the bonus few hours snoozing during lessons. His brother does not need to know that though.

Playing with his fingernails as he stares at them, Hongbin bit the insides of his cheeks as he sits through the last lesson the next day. It is confirmed that he is not dropping out whether he likes it or not since Jaehwan had make it a point to email the principal in advance to deny his application to withdraw from school. Hongbin cursed at himself for being too vocal about his secret plans. Once Jaehwan anticipates this move there is no way he would win for as long as the man is alive.

His day past in the blink of an eye and he is stationed in front of Jaehwan again- doing his homework on the hospital table Jaehwan eats on with the watchful eyes of his brother on him. The doctors wouldn't tell Hongbin anything. Jaehwan wouldn't tell him anything either. He is JUST a kid. Not expected to understand whatever is going on. Since the day Jaehwan gained guardian ship over him the man was not afraid to abuse it.

Going out to grab some cheap carbohydrates in a form of sweetened buns Hongbin returned to find a visitor hovering at the side of his brother's bed. The man had many visitors so he was not surprised. It only seemed odd that someone who is working with Jaehwan would visit during office hours. Not keen on interrupting the "adult's" alone time like the courteous boy he is as his grandmother had ingrained deep into him, Hongbin stayed outside. Not caring to figure out if they are even talking Hongbin simply munched away as he stares blankly at the man's back profile through the gap of the room door. The man is incredibly tall in his totally black coat and pants. Broad but slim yet muscular at the same time. Possessing model like qualities, just like how Jaehwan would also make a perfect model Hongbin thought.

If only he didn't exist. Jaehwan could do so much more with his life since he is currently in his prime at 25. The women he could have dated and the glamorous job he could be hired for with his calibre. Tall, well built, smart and handsome. Their father was an incredibly good looking man too and their mother more so a beauty.

Lost in his day dreams and finally biting into the empty plastic wrapper, cue for him to stop dilly-dallying the boy wandered off to dispose of his thrash and returned to an empty room once again. He could swear he hadn't notice anyone passing him by on his way back so he assumed the visitor simply exited from the stairwells. Jaehwan was fast asleep when he re-entered the room so there were no mentions of the mysterious visitor.

The next morning however their lives changed. Jaehwan had lost consciousness just as Hongbin was out delivering the big bag of milk. The boy does not even remember where he had abandoned the goods. Concentrated only on rushing down to the hospital Hongbin cannot suppress the overwhelming fear that was threatening to consume him.

"He is in a coma for now. The circumstances do not look too good." The doctor said with a torn look. There was something he wanted to say for sure but the words were not coming out. Is it because there was nothing worth discussing with a 'kid'? Hongbin wasn't sure. The boy's angst was starting to show as he buries his head in his arms and raises his voice for the first time. "I'm not a kid anymore. Can't you just tell me what is going on??"

"Your brother doesn't wish to disclose his condition to anyone else..." The doctor offered the explanation. Silence ensued.

"Whatever treatment he needs I can pay for it." Hongbin signed in defeat. "I have savings." The boy meant the stash he had managed to save up to buy his brother a new outfit since the man had been recycling his outfits forever, even when they no longer look presentable.

"You just need to know we are trying our best to help him. He needs a more aggressive treatment since the ones we were using weren't working..." The doctor continued. "Don't worry kid. Your brother has insurance. You just concentrate on being good and he will recover in no time."

Cheering up a little with the shady yet somewhat encouraging news, Hongbin quickly recovered his blithe facade. No point quarrelling with the adults. The boy is born with an abnormal amount of amenity and no one could ever pick a fight with him. Petty quarrels at most and he would always be the first to apologise.

Sneaking a peek through the small glass window since his brother was transferred to a facility requiring a more stringent isolation Hongbin figured his way around the flimsy gowns and mask based on the gigantic poster plastered on the door. Entering hastily once his mask is sitting snugly on his nose bridge the boy came into contact with the same visitor in black. Hongbin was not able to put a finger to where he had seen the man at first but the entirely black apparel triggered his memory in an instant.

"Excuse me... the nurses says we are required to put these on..." Hongbin started rather weakly. As far as he is concern no one has entered without wearing protective equipment and he was told they are to protect Jaehwan against whatever nasty things are floating outside. The man's immunity is at its all-time worse at the moment. 

"I-I can get you your mask and gown... would an L do?" Hongbin is in truth a little concerned about Jaehwan's safety. He only wants the best for his brother and this unmoving man in front of him is not cooperating.

"Uhmmm... Excuse me..." speaking up a little more Hongbin even took a huge stop forward. Reaching out to tap the man on the shoulder since the guy is not responding to his verbal cues he is surprised when the man makes a sudden turn to face him.

The face remained unfamiliar yet deep within him, Hongbin feels as though they have met somewhere before. The sudden flashes of incomprehensible images lasting a mere couple of seconds were quickly brushed aside by the boy.

As if in his own world even though they are face-to-face, the man is looking through him as if he didn't exist and Hongbin cannot stop the tiny bit of annoyance from emitting from the depth of his emotional storage.

"The nurses... they say we need to wear this gown and mask while visiting." Poking the man on the shoulder just as the man was about to walk right into him Hongbin frowned when the man finally reacted, in a rather exaggerated manner.

The hulking man seemed to tower over him so Hongbin wanted to believe he needed to grow a little taller to be noticed however that wide eyed open lipped expression was uncalled for. It was as if he hadn't noticed Hongbin's humble presence at all till this very moment. The man had taken a huge step back and bumped into the nearby trolley sending the requisites and the tray crashing to the ground.

He was staring so hard at Hongbin that the boy felt uneasy. Trying to ease the situation by squatting down to pick up the fallen items, Hongbin pretended to be busy dusting off the objects and placing them back exactly where they belong.

Then, finally standing up from his bent over position to do a handshake and a reluctant self-introduction, Hongbin is greatly startled and felt almost insulted when the man simply shied away from him like he is some communicable disease. "... I'm Jaehwan's brother... it's nice meeting you... you are?" Hongbin continued as coolly as he could.

"You..." The man exclaimed quietly. "How..."

"There's a poster outside. The instructions are quite clear." Hongbin grinned gingerly into his mask and pointed to the door but got no reply. The boy assumed the man is asking about the gown and mask.

"Thank you for coming to see hyung. He would appreciate how much you care about him." Hongbin tried to sound as friendly as he can since the man still looks shell shocked. Wearing a perplexed expression beautiful but hollow raven black pupils fixated on Hongbin's half covered face. His coal black hair is shielding part of his face but Hongbin can still tell that he is an incredibly handsome man, almost to the extent of being more than humanly possible.

For some reason Hongbin feels incredibly drawn to this man with pulse quickening and a blush working across his cheeks. Nevertheless the aura the stranger possesses is stifling and the more he inches forward towards Hongbin the more overwhelming it gets and the boy ended up reversing.

Those hawk like black orbs are now trained on Hongbin as if figuring him out. The plain boy dressed in worn jeans and plain long sleeve top evident of repeated usage. There really isn't much to know about Hongbin and that was what Hongbin would like to believe. He is just a poor soul who had a hard life but that's about it. He really isn't capable of much malice. 

"You can... see..." The man almost completed his sentence but a knock was sign for him to get the hell out of there, literally. A nurse enters and Hongbin quickly diverts his attention to her. The awkward meeting was so awkward that he could barely breathe.

Then, spinning around to once again address the mysterious visitor's need for directions on how to don the gown Hongbin is stunned to find that the man had vanished yet again, so quietly that there was no signs of his departure. The door did not even flap on his exit and the nurse was barely aware of another person's presence. That was how silent and stealth the man was leaving Hongbin to wonder for a brief moment.