“I don’t think I should meet with you from now on.” the younger said clutching on his bag as Sunggyu’s car pulled in front of him with the window open, “I’m telling Myungsoo tonight.”

 It was the next day, Sungjong just finished doing phase one of his project and he’s planning to go check out some houses to get inspiration and take his mind off things . Myungsoo left earlier with a wide smile on his face as he went to his part time job.

“And I was thinking of bringing you into my favorite place” Sunggyu said sitting by the driver’s seat.

“Where’s your body guard?” Sungjong asked. Myungsoo’s brother was wearing casual clothes and it was a first.

“I just want it to be you and me for today.”

“I’m sorry but,”

“Just for today lower your guard down on me will you?” Sunggyu smiled. “ Besides I haven’t finish my story yet. I finished an early appointment and now I’m free.”

“You could’ve asked someone else” Sungjong didn’t mean to imply anything.

“That someone else I wanted is also you” the smile wouldn’t go on Sunggyu’s face. For the days gone by that he came to know Myungsoo’s older brother Sungjong could see the similarities on the two even though at first glance you couldn’t tell.

Two of the things that the brothers are the same is when it comes to stubbornness and persuasion in the form of flirting.    

“Where are we going?” Sungjong asked while they are driving.  

“ You looked tired so I wanted you to bring somewhere quiet and relaxing” after a few minutes the car left the highway, “Whenever I want to be by myself I would come here and think. It kinda became my special place.” Sunggyu explained as they left the main road and into a small road leading to the sea, tall straight trees line the street and the car passed a private property no trespassing sign.

“You sure it’s okay to go here? That sign isn’t so friendly to me” Sungjong pointed out.

“ Don’t worry about that, I put it there when I bought the property”

“ Oh” Sungjong nodded. I can clearly recall Myungsoo telling me they have a simple family but I’m doubting that now when his brother have a body guard and an expensive looking car and now a private property? Come to think of it, his friends seemed to be rich too. They lend him car and houses as if it was nothing. What the heck is going on actually?

“Hey, you okay?” Sunggyu called out to the young boy when the latter did not respond.

“Ah, yeah. I just got sidetracked for a moment” Sungjong replied, “You said this is your secret place, why bring someone else here then?”

It was just more than an hour past noon it should be a sweltering heat in the city but the trees have filtered the rays and converted it into soft lights along with the cool see breeze coming from the see up ahead.

“Good question, actually I have been thinking of the same question ever since yesterday” Sunggyu took a glance at the person sitting in the passenger seat.

“ I‘m really starting to see why you two are definitely brothers” Sungjong shook his head and said in almost a whisper, “ smooth talker. Sheesh”  

“ I would take that as a compliment if it wasn’t the person I’m trying to hit on”

“You came here to tell me the rest of the story, that’s all. Don’t play jokes on me.” Sungjong ignored Sunggyu’s comment. “ I need to go home early”

“If that’s your wish” the car halts by a wooden gate with a low lying white picket fence overgrown with minuscule yellow flowered vines, up ahead a short walk on an unpaved road and you can see the white sand beach.**

The younger boy had to make sure he was still in the city as they walked on the small road, the scenery had drastically changed as that of a country side beach.

“You like it? I’m aware you’re taking architecture so look around wherever you like” Sunggyu said as they emerged into a clearing and an odd shaped cottage came into view. The both of them walked into the house and Sungjong couldn’t help but be amazed by the what he sees.

“Can I really look around?” Sungjong asked. This is like an architect’s dream of seeing something unique yet functional type of structure he couldn’t believe he never read anything about it.

An open floor house with a staircase and a thick rope serves as the railing’s winding up into the second floor. Large windows adorned the walls overlooking the sea. Almost everything was made with reclaimed timber some he could tell are trees washed up ashore and made into simple furniture.

Instead of a chimney a large hole was cut on the floor and filled with sand to make a large bonfire which goes out into the opening on the roof. A fully refurbished open kitchen overlooking, complete with a sink and a appliances tucked away in simple guise as walls and wooden compartments.  

“It’s a dome shaped house. It reminds me of a doughnut though” Sungjong said talking to himself out loud..

“A doughnut? Hahahahaha! Of all things you said…” Sunggyu seemed like he wouldn’t stop laughing mumbling about doughnuts while Sungjong brushed him off and continue to look around.

He slowly climbed the side stairs and an open bedroom came into view, it stand on large wooden stilts on one side of the room near the sea. It almost look like a viewing deck when you look from below.

“ You sure you’re not living here?” Sungjong asked.

“ I come here sometimes just to ease things off. This was supposed to be meant for something else but things happened” the older boy shrugged off his shoulders as if thinking of a memory.

“ The decor of the place is simple yet highlights the view outside. It’s like a rustic winter cottage by the sea but built to withstand strong winds. Every part of the house was built to both have function and style at the same time” Sungjong couldn’t stop himself as he came down the stairs while Sunggyu crossed his arms to his chest and listens to Sungjong with a smile on his face.

The younger boy noticed the silence realized Myungsoo’s brother was staring at him. “Uhmm, sorry I got carried away.” well that was embarrassing, the young architect student thought.

“ I brought you here thinking it would help you get your mind off things.”

“Oh. Uhmm, Thanks it was uncalled for but thanks” This time Sungjong smiled at the older boy. Sunggyu couldn’t say anything for awhile and just stood there looking at the young boy

After awhile they they settled in and Sunggyu continued his story.

“The younger brother thought that his brother had left him but the two were only a closed door apart. The older brother sat at the door outside. From below he was sure they can hear inaudible noises from their parents followed by the sound of furniture crashing.

The brother slowly crept down sitting by the stairs listening to his parents. Everything was a mess tables upturned, broken glasses scattered on the floor, and his dad was on his knees crying.The woman appeared from the upstairs bedroom carrying two bags on her hand. She took her son’s hand and led him out the house without even looking back. A car was already waiting outside the heavy falling snow. The older brother took one last look at the attic before the car swerved into a corner and disappeared from the view..

It was snowing heavily that night” Sunggyu took a moment to himself watching the rolling waves crash slowly by the shore, “ A lot of accidents happened. The car was driving into a long highway and the woman was talking with the driver. Soon they two was arguing and the next thing was the car drove right into a dead tree by the side on the road. The young boy was saved just in time when the car went ablaze in fire, he was the only one who survived. Somehow this affected the younger brother and…” Myungsoo’s older brother took a deep breathe, “ and since then he has been blaming himself from the accident. Because of what happened Myungsoo have been trying to sever ties with his us. ”

“But he’s just a kid” Sungjong said.

“During one of his therapy session he thought his mom had abandoned him and somehow while in the attic wished his mom to be punished. Then the accident happened.”

“Why did you locked him up?” Sungjong asked to Sunggyu.

“ I told you before, it was because I thought she would choose him over me so I locked him up. Probably because I hate my him too”

“But she could just bring the both of you right? I don’t believe you would lock him up for that reason”

Sunggyu looked at Sungjong with a smile, “ You know the first time I saw you with Myungsoo, he had this goofy smile I’ve never seen before. I got interested in what kind of person you are and before I knew it I was looking forward to meeting you in person.”

“You’re saying as if you’ve known me for quite sometime”

“Oops.” a smile escapes on Sunggyu’s lips as he glances at Sungjong, “ I kinda, had you followed”

“What? Since when?”

“For some time now. At first I hired someone but then sometimes I would drive by the school. I event went to your work once ”

“Could it be you’re the guy our manager was talking about?” Sungjong said recalling what Dongwoo had told him before, “ the vending machine thing”

“Oh, that was fascinating actually. I’ve always wanted to try using it once” Sunggyu said with a soft expression playing on his face.

“You know” Sungjong said gathering his knees close to himself, “ I don’t believe you hate your brother”

....................................................IDeviant......................................................

2 chapters as compensation ^__^ HAPPY VAL's DAY EVERYONE!