Befriending and getting to know Kang Seungyoon was not easy though.

Mino tried nevertheless.

The first few weeks were the most difficult time for the both of them. Every night, Seungyoon struggled with nightmares. Mino watched over and soothed him as best as he could since Seungyoon asked him to not tell anyone about it. But when the morning came, Seungyoon went back to pretend as if Mino didn’t exist.

Except to meet with his mom, he didn’t come out from his room most of the time. So grandma assigned Mino the duty of delivering food to him. Since they lived on funding and support, grandma tried her best to be frugal. Mino was not an exception although being her only grandson. Still, he made sure to put extra portion of meat to the plate for Seungyoon even if it meant he had to sacrifice a few of his. Unfortunately though, most of it ended up in the trash bin.

But the thawing day came to the icy boy in the third week.

As usual, Seungyoon sneaked into the bathroom to throw the remainder of food away. When he came out after the deed, he met with the curious eyes of a boy. He was only around 8 to 9 years. The boy glanced at his now empty plate.

“Hyung did you throw the food away?” Little boy questioned. His contorted face showed he was upset.

Seungyoon hid the plate behind his back in reflex.

The boy continued when he didn’t get a reply.

“Mino Hyung only had rice and soup cos he wanted to give you his meat quota. I saw it.”

Seungyoon felt his heart constricted. He didn’t realize the guy was doing that for him. He felt guilty. But he didn’t want them to know his feeling. So he resorted to getting angry.

“Who told him to do that? I didn’t want his food from the first place.”

“But.. you should. should.”

“Shut up! Who do you think you are to tell me this and that?”

Little boy flinched at his outburst. He started sobbing. At the sound of his cry, someone ran up the stairs who also happened to be the culprit behind their clash.

“Jihoon-ah, why are you crying? What happened? Why?”

Mino worriedly hugged the boy and patted his back.

“Seungyoon, why is Jihoon crying? What did you tell him?” Mino looked up at Seungyoon who was standing there stiffly.

At Mino’s questioning eyes, Seungyoon ran back into his room and slammed the door shut. Mino let out a heavy sigh and just hugged the boy tighter.

The dinner time came. Mino had heard from Jihoon what Seungyoon did. “That was why you were too lean idiot.” He mentally scolded him but still decided to put on more portions regardless.

He thought maybe if he put 3 pieces, the chance for him to eat was higher than that of 1 right? He did the math, the probability. He knew that sounded stupid but would still take the chance. So he left the plate at the door and came back downstairs to have his own meal. The children had finished theirs already and it was only him in the kitchen. He warmed up some leftover kimchi soup and set the table.

He was halfway through his dinner when Seungyoon came into the kitchen. The newcomer glanced at the plates in front of him. Mino’s attempt to grab the dishes to his side of the dining table didn’t go unnoticed. Seungyoon already saw plates of some kimchi and fried dried fishes. There were only side dishes though.

Min wasn’t sure but he thought he saw a flash of emotion passed through Seungyoon’s usual stoic and cold eyes for a second.

Seungyoon placed a plate in front of him on the table and muttered_

“I have some meat left. You gave me too much. Ibroughtsomeextrameatbacksoyoucanhaveifyouwant.” Seungyoon tried to leave as soon as he jumbled out the words.

“What?” Mino questioned sounding quizzical and amused.

“I mean I left some dishes for you. I ate with a separate plate so these are untouched.”

Mino’s face gleamed when he explained again. He felt touched.

“Oh.. That’s so kind of you but you shouldn’t have. Really.” He replied but his eyes lingering on the meat plate in front of him said Seungyoon definitely should. He bit back a smile at Mino’s happy face.

“So that’s how we became friends? Because I left some meat for you? That’s so lame.” Kang Seungyoon chews down his hamburger and complaints. Bread crumps flying out as he does. Mino chuckles and wordlessly shoves the paper napkins toward Seungyoon.

They are in a burger joint at the rest station to have some supper.

Mino continues recounting their days at the foster home. Although Seungyoon can’t remember the things Mino is telling, he wants to believe him. His heart feels warm and tingly as Mino goes on. It feels good to learn something about him he forgot.

After some time, they start dropping formality and talk casually. Everything happens so naturally. Even when they are not talking and silently eating, there’s no awkwardness. He just feels so comfortable to the point that he starts complaining and throwing sarcastic comments here and there. Because he loves to see how Mino always responds with so much patience. Though sometimes, the latter does look frustrated at his antics.

Gone with his plan to maintain a business relationship with the artist or the success of the exhibit. Seungyoon just wants to get to know him more, and hear more about them. Mino is intriguing and he wants something more than a mere business relationship.

Mino says that Seungyoon once cried when he messed up the laundries of the kids. Seungyoon snorts at that.

“I cried? I, Kang Seungyoon, cried? Pff! No way. I was just young but probably wasn’t a weakling. You made it up right?”

Seungyoon rolls his eyes in fake annoyance and Mino just finds it so cute. Honestly, when did Mino not when it comes to this boy?

“Why would I make it up? I just tell you as I remember.”

Seungyoon smiles triumphantly_ “There, there! That’s the problem.”

“What?”

“Problem is, you’re not telling me what actually happened but what you remembered happened. Huh!” He concludes proudly.

Mino exasperatingly ruffles his hair_ “But isn’t that the same? I remembered because it did happen.”

“There’s a big difference of course you idiot. Now you’re just portraying me into something else I’m not.”

“Hey! That idiot is a Hyung to you.” He warns him trying to sound as stern but fails miserably when his face is breaking into a big fat smile. Seungyoon calling him nickname (assuming “idiot” is a nickname but not a jab to his IQ) could only mean they’re getting closer.

“Whatever! You said we were friends.” Seungyoon shrugs annoyingly.

“Now you remember huh?”

“Not at all. Nope!” He pops the P just to annoy him.

“Ok. So you want me to continue or not?” Mino asks in frustration. It’s like those days all over again. Those days when he had to deal with a little brat who viewed everything with doubt and sarcasm.

Seungyoon props his chin up on his hand and nods. Mino smiles and continues his narration.

After that food disposal incident, their relationship became much better. Seungyoon tried to not cause any inconvenience especially to Mino.

He was just not used to living with strangers but not a rude boy. He was more than that.

Mino stopped bringing food to the room afterward but nagged till Seungyoon agreed to have every meal with him. It was annoying at first but Mino’s company was bearable compared to cooping up in the tiny space of bedroom and being lonely. He didn’t remember the last time someone waited for him to finish his meal. Mom was always struggling with her illness and dad was just there in his life as a source of financial support, no more, no less. So he appreciated Mino’s effort to make him feel less lonely.

Though he still woke up with nightmares, it became more tolerable. Even when he was dreaming, he unconsciously knew that it was just a dream and someone would be there to watch over and take care of him. With a warm palm gently his chest and lulling him back to sleep, he felt calm and protected.

He decided to be more useful in return rather than just merely living and existing.

So one day, when he noticed there was a pile of laundry and Mino had to run an errand grandma asked him to, he offered to help wash it. Mino looked like Seungyoon gave him the world at his measly offer. He took him to the washing machine, showed which buttons to press in a hurry and forgot to tell him to separate the colored clothing from the white ones. He put everything in the tumbler only to have the cheap dye from red t-shirt stained all clothes that were put together. Seungyoon gasped in shock when he took out the washed clothes. All the clothes turned pink now. Seungyoon felt like a loser who couldn’t do one thing right. He felt devastated and didn’t know what to do. He didn’t realize how long he had been standing in front of the machine. He felt a gentle tug on his shirt.

“Hyung, what are you doing here?”

It was little Jihoon.

Despite their previous unfortunate encounter, Jihoon still acted friendly toward him and he was thankful for that.

“I.. umm..” He didn’t know what to say. He felt even more sorry to realize he ruined this little boy’s clothes too. Tears pricking the back of his eyes. He took a deep breath trying not to cry.

“I messed up. I messed up the clothes Jihoon-ah.”

Jihoon’s originally round eyes widen more at his confession. Wordlessly, he took out one shirt to show.

“Oh! It’s pink.” Little boy looked as shocked. He took it from Seungyoon’s hand to get a closer look.

“It’s my favorite yellow shirt though.” Jihoon sounded small and sad. At that, Seungyoon’s wall crumbled. He started breaking into tears in front of Jihoon. He made the boy cried and now it was his turn to. Karma worked fast.

“I’m sorry Jihoon-ah. Hyung didn’t mean to ruin it.” He apologized.

To his surprise, Jihoon only patted his arm and tried to wiped his tears.

After a few minutes, his tears dried and he felt more composed.

Jihoon helped him hang the clothes on the line. The little boy was just so kind, he didn’t even blame him. Seungyoon regretted how he treated him harshly before.

He went back to his room and curled up on the bed. He felt like the worst person on earth. Tears rolling down from his eyes again. He sobbed silently for a few more minutes before his body finally gave in to sleep.

“Seungyoon.. Yoon.. Hey!”

He opened his eyes at the soft whisper. He saw Mino sitting on the edge of bed. He must have slept for long. It was already dark outside.

"Mino you’re back.” He sat up, feeling a rush of emotion in his chest to see the concerned face of his friend.

“Mino.. I..” He choked up remembering what he did.

“Jihoon told me. I already know. It’s ok. It’s ok.” Mino shushed him, one hand tenderly touching his cheek wiping the dried tear stain. Mino the light.

“I have something to show you.”

Mino took off his hat with a sing-songy “Ta-da~”

He looked up at Mino..

“Ta-da~” Mino said again, hands gesturing upward to his head.

Only then Seungyoon realized Mino had his hair color changed to cotton candy pink.

“Your hair color..”

Mino raised his eyebrows as if waiting for Seungyoon’s comment.

“It’s pink.”

“Yeah. I just had it dyed. Do you like it?” He ruffled his hair bashfully. It looked so soft and fluffy. Seungyoon wanted to touch too.

“But why? Why pink?”

He looked like a confused little kitten. Mino couldn’t help but laughed fondly.

“Jihoon told me you were sorry that you stained our clothes pink. And I wanted to show you pink is a beautiful color too.” Mino grinned proudly at himself.

Seungyoon bit his lower lip. To be honest, it was a little stupid of Mino to do that. And he couldn’t believe Mino went out of his way so that Seungyoon could feel better? He felt so touched, sad and thankful at the same time.

On a whim, he latched onto his friend who gladly embraced him back.

“I like it. I really like it.”

He muffled into his shoulder. Tears coming back to his eyes.

He felt like crying again, this time for a different reason.