-Flashback-

It was a cloudy day and two children can be seen running around on a bed of fresh mowed grass, playing a game of soccer with their small soccer ball. Their giggles and laughs are crisp against the cool air. Their parents are by the porch, having a fun chitchat with each other while watching over their kids. 

"Yah! Hyuck-ah, let me kick the ball, too." The 7-year-old Mark Lee pouted when he always fail to steal the ball from the 6-year-old Donghyuck who was just running carefree towards a small goal post their parents made them. The younger just sticked his tongue out in reply and continued running with the ball. The older gave all his might to catch up and successfully stole the ball from the younger.

"Ah! Hyung!" The two of them continued chasing each other, kicking the ball in each goal post, stealing the ball from each other, and playing like they really are in a championship just like the ones they watch on the television occasionally. They grew tired playing and lied on the ground, trying to look grown up and manly as they pant, but in reality they just looked like puff balls rolling on the ground. Mark was lying on his back while Donghyuck laid his head on the older's abdomen.

"Hyung, eomma said that the new neighbor got 2 kids that are close to our age She said maybe we can invite them to play with us next time and she also said that it would also be fun if we have many friends. What can you say about that?" 

"Mom also told me about that. But, I'm already having lots of fun playing with you. I'm fine with just Hyuckie alone. And what if those kids are not that nice like the ones in our school who always bully us?" The younger let out a sigh of relief with the older's reply. 

"Omaya. I thought you'll say that we go be friends with those kids, because I also told Eomma that I'm okay with Mark hyung only, too. And you're right, Hyung. I also don't have a good feeling in making friends with them. Besides, we're too handsome to have a lot of friends, right?" They both laughed at themselves because of that common thought.

"Mark Hyung?"

"Yes Hyuckie?"

"I'm hungry." Donghyuck said, while looking at the sky.

"You ate my sandwich before we started playing, and now you tell me you're hungry again?" The older just scoffed at the younger's gluttony.

"Eomma said that I'm always hungry because my body needs food as I grow, and I'm growing really fast, Hyung. Soon, you'll be the one who's going to call me, Hyung." The younger sat up and stuck his tongue out to Mark who is still lying on his back.

"Well, I don't mind if that would happen. You grow up and I will just stay like this. I don't want to grow up. I'm scared."

"I know you're a scaredy-cat, Hyung but you're also scared of growing up?" 

"Yah! I'm not a scaredy-cat, but yeah. You grow up, then your clothes won't fit you because you'll get bigger, then you'll get many problems, too, then the world will be cruel to you, then you'll get headaches, too, then you can't play like this anymore because you have to work like Mom and Dad do, then you'll be very stressed. It's scary, right?" The younger thought for a second.

"But Hyung, I wanna grow up with you. Maybe, it won't be scary if Mark Hyung and Hyuckie grow up together, right? It's not scary if you're not alone like when I'm alone at home, it's scary, but if Eomma and Appa is already there, it's not scary anymore."

"Hmmmmmmm I'm still not sure, Hyuckie, but I'll think about it, okay. So let's not grow up yet, okay?" Mark sat up and thought deep for a moment, like he's deciding for something so crucial and important in his life.

"Aaaah ppali, Hyung. We'll be just like my eomma appa and your mom dad. Appa said to me that him, eomma, your mom and your dad were just like us back then and they grew up together. We can do this, Mark hyung." The younger whined as he shook the thinking Mark by the shoulder.

"Arasso arasso. I'll make myself grow up, too. I will grow up with Hyuckie." the older affirmed, nodding his head. Donghyuck's lips curved up into a bright smile, jumping up with his hands in the air like he just won a precious prize that he always wanted.

"Promise, Hyung? Hyuckie will not be alone, but together with Mark Hyung?" He holds out his pinky down to Mark who's still sitting on the ground. The older looked at it and smiled.

"I promise. Let's grow up together." The two small pinkies intertwined with each other, sealing it with the meeting of their thumbs. They clapped their feeling very satisfied with what they just did.

"Eomma! Appa! Eommonim! Abeonim! Mark Hyung and I are going to grow up together, okay?" Donghyuck called out to the four bestfriends by the porch who were watching them. They just laughed at their children's cuteness.

"Arasso, Donghyuck-ah. Just don't grow up too much or else, we'll still have to adjust our doorways just for you two to fit in, okay?" Mark's mom laughed to see Donghyuck really serious and eager about the topic of growing up.

"We were like that when we were kids, so excited to grow up and now that we're all grown up, we all want it to stop and wish the we could reverse it to grow younger instead." Donghyuck's dad chuckled.

"Mark! Donghyuck! The cookies are ready! But, remember to wash your hands before having some, okay?" Mark's mom called out to them when she hears the oven bell ring from the inside. Mark's parents and Donghyuck's parents stood up to go inside Mark's house. 

"Be there in a minute! Kaja hyung." Donghyuck held out his hand to the sitting Mark. The older smiled as he took it, helping him stand up and they went inside together.

It was a beautiful joint family. It's like a perfect home. They were not that rich, just average, but they have these things that money can never buy: Happiness, Togetherness, and Love.

=//=

Young Donghyuck's POV (A year later)

I'm in the hospital with Eomma, right now. We are sitting on rows of chairs in a hallway, infront of a closed room with the sign that read "Operating Room" above it. Why are we here? Eomma is crying, but she still smiles when she looks at me, saying everything will be alright. I can tell that she's not okay, but whenever I ask her, she would just tell me that she's okay. That everything will be, okay. I don't know what's happening and I have no idea why we're here. All I know is that I was waiting for Mark Hyung because he said that he'll just buy some candies for us from the candy store across the street as we wait for my Appa to pick us up. I heard sirens wailing outside the school. It scared me for a while but then I didn't mind it. I waited although I was all alone and the night is slowly approaching. I started to feel the cold even if I have my scarf wrapped around my neck, but still I waited. However, Appa never came, and Mark hyung never came back. It was only Mark's dad who came and brought me here beside my Eomma. I'm just looking at her, wondering, as she clasps her hand together like she's praying for something.