11:30pm, Saturday

In a span of minutes, Jaehyun was hurtling up the slope that led to Taeyong’s home as fast as his legs could carry him. He had thrown on a random coat, flagged a cab and pushed a very much irritated cab driver to maximum speed after the call with Haechan. Truth be told, he had no idea why he was on his way to Taeyong’s. Haechan had brought news that Taeyong hadn’t been home since the distressing incident with Yuta. Which meant that after Taeyong had left Jaehyun’s flat, Taeyong had begun his disappearing act.

Panting, Jaehyun arrived at Taeyong’s place. The creaky metal gate swung open in full force as Haechan and Renjun welcomed him expectantly, as if presuming that Jaehyun would already have brought their missing older brother home. Jaehyun was swept with immense guilt upon seeing their instantaneous emotional dive when the children realized that their brother was still nowhere to be found. Truth be told, Jaehyun had no idea why he had rushed to Taeyong’s home – the unlikeliest of places where Taeyong would be found.

Haechan briefed Jaehyun once more about his older brother’s conflict with Yuta, repeating all sorts of facts that were pretty much irrelevant to the situation at hand. Apart from causing Jaehyun’s anger and indignation to well up like an ugly monster, the details served little purpose.

Tears had begun to well up in both the children’s eyes and Jaehyun, if anything, was terrible with children and the only thing he thought would bring consolation to the brothers was to tell them that Taeyong had probably gone to meet a friend and would be home soon.

‘I’ll go look for him. Taeyong will be back soon, I promise,’ Jaehyun reassured, praying that his worry didn’t shine through.

‘You have to, Jaehyun-hyung,’ Renjun whispered. ‘Hyung’, how endearing.

‘Taeyong-hyung gave us your number and told us to ring you if we needed anything,’ Haechan added, ‘He said you’d help us.’

There it was, the uncalled-for responsibility and trust that had been bestowed to him by three people who had been mere strangers just a week ago.

Jaehyun put the two youngsters to bed as they told him how good a brother Taeyong was: how Taeyong had always made sure there was enough food stocked up in the fridge, how he always left sticky-notes reminding them to bring an umbrella or an extra coat before he went to work… Taeyong had always put his younger brothers first and Jaehyun knew full and well how much family meant to him.

The sweet sound of Renjun’s steady breaths soon filled the tiny room and before long, Haechan was on the brink of sleep as well.

‘Jaehyun-hyung,’ Haechan murmured with his eyes closed, ‘Taeyong’s always been there for us y’know,’ his words slurring, ‘but no one has ever been there for him, not since our parents left. Your number was the first contact he’s ever given us and it’s made us feel safe. And I think… you make hyung feel safe too…’

Jaehyun didn’t realise it until later, but a tear had trickled down his cheek. How could he bear to leave Seoul now?

3am, Sunday

Taeyong was still nowhere to be seen. Jaehyun had pinky-promised Haechan and Renjun that Taeyong would be home by morning and that the four of them would have a nice breakfast together and Jaehyun was not about to go back on his word.

Haechan had kindly given him a few pointers on where Taeyong usually spent his time and a (woefully short) list of peo