2 years later...

 

Chanyeol waited anxiously by the front door and looked out the window. He’d been waiting there almost everyday for the past week. He waited every day for the mailman to arrive. And once the mail was finally stuffed into their mail box, Chanyeol ran down their long driveway and threw the little door on the box open. He viciously tore through the mail, and once he had gotten through it all seeing nothing, he slumped his shoulders forward and slugged back into the house.

 

“Nothing yet?” Siwon always asked.

 

“No sir,” Chanyeol shook his head in disappointment.

 

“Don’t worry, one of them has to reply,”

 

Chanyeol graduated from high school last year with honors. He immediately started on his college application. Before Siwon became their caretaker, Chanyeol never would’ve thought that he would go to college, didn’t think he was smart enough. Of course he wanted to go but didn't think he fit the qualifications. His grades weren’t horrible, but they weren’t the best. There was no denying that he was a hard worker; He always took on more than he could handle and still finished it.

 

Siwon saw that in Chanyeol, and decided that he definitely needed to go to college. So he introduced the idea to Chanyeol. Chanyeol explained that college simply wasn't for him. But Siwon could be awfully stubborn at times. He kept talking about it to Chanyeol. He told him all about the college he went to. He shared stories of all the crazy things he did when he wasn't studying. Chanyeol was slowly convinced about this college thing. They spent the entire summer and the beginning of the next school year perfecting Chanyeol’s college application.

The college Chanyeol desperately wanted to get into was the college in Daejeon that Siwon went to. It was called KAIST (Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology).  But he sent the application to other colleges just in case.

 

The anxiety was getting to him. He nervously waited by the door for the mail for weeks. Siwon tried to calm him, but it was no use. Chanyeol was a nervous wreck.

 

After two weeks of the letter from KAIST finally came. He ran excitedly back into the house and Siwon and him jumped up and down like preteen girls who just saw their bias.

    

They ripped open the letter together and starting reading it. Chanyeol felt his heart drop and a lump in his throat start to grow.

 

“Chan,” Siwon started and put a hand on his shoulder. “We submitted the application all over South Korea, someone is going to accept it. Just be patient.”

 

“No they aren't,” Chanyeol threw the letter on the ground. “Why would they want me at their school?”

 

“Because Chanyeol,” Siwon grabbed Chanyeol’s shoulder so he wouldn't walk away. “You're an amazing kid. You might not have the best grades, but you have more motivation than anyone I've ever met. You need to go to a school that recognizes that, and obviously KAIST doesn't. Their loss,”

 

Chanyeol wasn't buying it. He broke from Siwon’s grasp and went up to his room. He collapsed on his bed and buried his face in his hands.

 

He heard the door click open. He sat up expecting it to be Siwon.

 

“What is it?” Chanyeol’s tone was sour.

 

“Can I come in, Chanyeol Hyung?” Minseok's voice was barely louder than a whisper and it cracked in the middle of his sentence.

 

Chanyeol felt a wave of guilt. He never would've used that tone if he knew it was Minseok.

 

“Oh, Minseok, I thought you were Siwon. Yes, come in, come here,” Chanyeol moved to the edge of the bed so Minseok could sit beside him. Minseok took careful steps and gently sat down next to Chanyeol.

“Why are you mad Hyung?” Minseok pulled his legs up and faced Chanyeol. “Did we do something?”

 

“No, Minnie, you guys didn't do anything,” Chanyeol reassured him. “It's about that college thing. The college I really wanted to get into didn't accept me. That's all,”

 

“Does that mean you'll stay here?” Minseok seemed to perk up.

 

“What do you mean? I applied to other places,”

 

“Oh,” Minseok’s face went back to its melancholy default. “So you're not staying?”

 

“I can't stay here for the rest of my life Seok,”

 

“Yeah, but I don't want you to go. I'll miss you,”

 

“You're going to have to leave eventually,”

 

“I don't want to lose any more of you!” Minseok bursted.

 

Chanyeol now knew what this was about. He knew exactly what Minseok meant.

 

“Minseok,” Chanyeol didn't know what to say. But he couldn't just watch Minseok fall apart.

 

“Don't leave please,” Minseok whispered.

 

Chanyeol pulled him into his embrace.

 

“No,” Minseok pushed away. He had started crying.

 

It was breaking Chanyeol’s heart. If he would've known how Minseok felt about him going to college, Siwon never would've been able to convince him.

“Minseok, I- I can't stay. I just can't. I can't stay. I have to leave, whether it's to college or some apartment, I have to go. I'm too old to be here now. I'm 19, I'm not a kid anymore,” Chanyeol could barely keep his voice steady.

 

“Siwon would let you stay! You're nearly 21! Then you can stay here!” Minseok was yelling again.

 

“But Siwon is the caretaker here,”

 

“Why can't you both do it?” Minseok’s face was wet with tears.

 

“BECAUSE THAT’S NOT WHAT I WANT MINSEOK! I DON'T WANT TO BE HERE FOREVER!”

Minseok froze. His breath caught in his throat and he looked up at Chanyeol with big eyes. Chanyeol didn't mean to yell. Minseok knew he shouldn't be so scared, he knew that this was Chanyeol. And Chanyeol has been nothing but kind to him. But to remind him of such a horrible part of his past.

“I'm sorry” Minseok squeaked.

 

Chanyeol tried to hug him but Minseok saw it as him trying to swing at him. Minseok screamed and fell off the bed and onto the floor. He curled into a ball and brought his hands over his head. He started shaking and whimpering. Chanyeol had never been so confused on what to do. If he tried to help, Minseok got more scared, but he couldn't just stare.

 

“SIWON! SIWON!” Chanyeol screamed until he heard footsteps running up the stairs.

 

“What's going on? Are you okay?” Siwon was frantic as he opened the door. He looked down and saw Minseok on the floor. “Chan, go down stairs for a bit,” Siwon said kneeling down next to Minseok.

 

Chanyeol felt so horrible as he walked down stairs. But, he never agreed to be perfect.