Hyuk’s POV

The whole day, I was too preoccupied by the possibilities of what’s happening with my brothers here in university. They aren’t saying much to me about school and most of the time they just updates us with their rehearsal schedule when they need to go back home late. I do trust my brothers but I don’t want them to be involved into something that can harm them.

“Hyukkie—do you really need to frown all the time?” Hae suddenly nudged my arm and that’s when I realized that we are here in the meeting room while the Nong’s and Ai’s are eating their lunch already. Ai’Kao and Ai’Tor arrived today with our lunch. I sigh, “Minhae Hae, I am just think about—” “Your brothers?” he finished my sentence. All I can do is nod.

Hae looks so sad so suddenly and usually, Hae is a clingy boyfriend. I am not complaining though. He doesn’t like it when I diverted by attention away from him but he understands how much I care for my brothers, “I do love Gun and Cap, Hyukkie. They are important to you, but you shouldn’t baby them so much. If they are in trouble, they will tell it to you right away. If you forced them to tell you now, you will only make them uncomfortable. They are not 10 years old kids anymore Hyukkie—they are bunch of adults now and you need to learn how to trust your brother.” I wonder why Hae sounds so upset right now.

We’ve never had a big argument before and he is normally upset about other people and not to me, “I can’t help it Hae. They are my brothers—” “Then—go eat lunch with your brothers!” suddenly, Hae stands up making a loud creaking noise because of the chair he was sitting on and making some people inside the room to look at our direction. I stand up as well to grab his arm, “Let’s talk outside Hae.” I mumbled before pulling him out of the room again.

I only close the door behind us and we are already in the corridor. There are some students now but it’s too early for lunch break so no one will interrupt us for sure, “Hae—why are so upset with me?” I asked right away and I can’t help but feel hurt because of his actions. He bit his lower lips and look down, “I just—” he fidgets, “Feel like—since we arrived here in Thailand—I was not your top priority anymore.” He continue looking at our feet, “I mean—I do like your family and you probably missed them—a lot so I always hang out with Heechul hyung—and Heemi—but sometimes—you forget about me because you are too focused on your brothers. Gun talked to me the other day—he said that he is happy that you have me now—because before you always look after them,” Hae suddenly looks up at me and I can see some visible tears in the corner of his eyes.

It will always be my weakness—to see those tears. So quickly, I pull him into a tight hug, “Mianhae, Hae. Sorry that your boyfriend isn’t paying much attention to you. All I want is what’s good for my brothers—you know that right? So I can’t help but feel so protective towards them. But I don’t intend to neglect you. I’m sorry~” I am getting upset by myself so suddenly. Before we went here in Thailand, Hae was very nervous about my family and about the people. He can only understand basic Thai and isn’t good enough is speaking Thai so I promised him that I will be always there for him to help him. What am I doing now? Why am I making him upset?

Eventually, Hae hugs me back and sigh deeply, “I don’t want you to think that I am so unreasonable Hyukkie. Of course I love you so I will do everything for you but also—you need to realize that your brothers are adults now. Give them enough time and space. They will tell you eventually if something is really happening to them. Now Hyukkie—all you need to do is be with me and I’ll be happy again—neh?” he is surprisingly clingy today but I set aside any negative ideas and enjoy him being like this. Besides we cannot show too much affection in Korea.

“Neh Hae—I will just look after you 24 hours in a day~”

When we went back inside, Ai’Off kept on teasing us like we are such a couple so I hit his head hard, “Shut your mouth na Ai’Off or I will kick you out of the room na khrab!” I have this scary smile on my face and I know Ai’Off will shut up. “Woie—you’re no fun na khrab! Why didn’t you follow after Ai’Singto and Ai’Krist before? They normally went out before every lunch break na khrab then came back with hickey on Ai’Krist neck—” I roll my eyes but Ai’Off suddenly stops, “Or maybe—the hickey is already there na woie~” and that’s when I saw Hae suddenly put his hand on his neck and that’s also the time I realized that I did leave a hickey on his neck.

I throw a sharp look at Ai’Off, “Try to lay your eyes again on my property and I will send you back khrab to your house with broken limbs.” Ai’Off saw my hazing team before because I passed down the head hazer role to him. He knew me so well, “Khrab—khrab—I won’t na khrab~” see, he backs off right away.

Everyone in the room laughs at our antics—even Hae. I am happy that he is able to get along with everyone despite our language barrier. Actually I told everyone to try to speak English as much as possible. “You boys are crazy kah,” Ai’Kao said while shaking her head. She was our nurse before during Ai’Off’s hazing team. I remember how Ai’Gun and Ai’Cap liked her before because she’s so pretty but now she’s in a relationship with Ai’Tor.

“Look at P’Donghae kah, he will turn into strawberry na kah soon,” and she’s right. Hae is blushing too much. I quickly run to his side and grab both of his cheeks, “Why are you so shy Hae?” my voice voluntarily became so soft. That’s how I usually talk to him, “I just—people are just so aware—and—I don’t want them to think that—we are so or something.”

‘Awwww my baby looks so cute feeling all shy~’

I chuckled, “Don’t worry about them Hae, they can think whatever they want anyway,” I always believe in the freedom of speech and opinion so if they want to think that way—so be it. Besides, we really did something naughty in the bathroom a while ago. Hae smiles at me cutely while nodding when suddenly, “Awwww P’Hyuk na khrab is sooooo soft~” another nosy person entered the meeting room, Ai’Yacht.

I slowly let go of Hae’s cheeks and slowly turn around to look at the former freshmen I did hazing before, “0328 Yacht Surat Permpoonsavat, run 10 laps outside the building na khrab!” I commanded and I saw how he tenses up so suddenly, “Wai—wait P’Hyuk khrab—” “20 LAPS NA KHRAB!” and again my voice echoes inside the room and all Yacht can do is to scratch the back of his head and run out of the room.

“Hyukkie—that’s bad, why did you do that to him?” Hae protested which earns a smile from me but not from the people in the room. They knew me so well and they don’t want to mess up with me right now, “That’s part of the code Hae. I was his previous hazer so he will follow my commands.” I answered right away but Hae still look displease, “Still—say sorry to him later!” he said before shaking his head cutely.

I don’t want to say sorry but I might say it later if Hae insisted.

‘Ahhh Hyuk! Why are you so whipped?’

We arrived in our house around 8:10pm because Nong Oaujun and Nong Ngern insisted to eat dinner together. Heemi likes the idea of eating even though Nong Plan said she ate a whole box of pizza this afternoon. She told everyone that Ai’Gun didn’t feed him just like what she said before when we tour her around. She also blabbered about her new friend from College of Applied Science and Mathematics. I don’t know how she was able to find friends in that college but Heemi is Heemi, she can do unusual things.

Then when we arrived back home, Mae and Pa said that Ai’Gun and Ai’Cap wasn’t home yet so I assumed that they have band practice today. We went straight o Heechul Hyung’s room because Hae said he wanted to talk to him because he was always not available whenever we go out.

“And then Umma I saw Title Gege again—at first I was like ‘Arghhhh I will not talk to him because he hurt my feelings before na kah,’ but Gege has a whole box of pizza for me and he said if I don’t like the flavor na kah he will buy a new one for me. He is so sweet but he has a boyfriend so I am torn between liking Gege or not. Then Umma I met this Unnie that Gun Gege said he courted before. She was really nice she gave me her Line ID though is aid I use Kakao and not Line but it’s okay because I downloaded Line already and now we are friends Umma~” Heemi is like not breathing anymore. She is spitting words after words after words.

Heechul hyung stared at his daughter very well. People might think that hyung doesn’t care about Heemi because he’s always mad at her but hyung looks at her like this—like she’s the most perfect thing on Earth, “You dummy kid, why did you accept that guy’s pizza? You are easily bribed by food. Look—you will be hurt again when he go to his boyfriend. That’s why your Appa keeps on telling you that you are so young to know about boys~” hyung said which earns a pout from Heemi.

“I will really really really try to stay away from him Umma,” she kind of look upset. Maybe she really wants affection from her Umma. Hae sit beside Heemi while I stand up, “Having crushes is really fun Heemi but your Umma is right. You will get hurt again in the future so—let’s try to be friend with Title for now on but don’t expect too much from him, neh?” now I can see how well Hae will be with our future kids.

Heechul hyung on the other hand sigh, “That was a fun day for you, neh? Now go change your clothes. You will get sick if you will not take a warm bath. Go downstairs, hurry up~” hyung said and for me, his affection towards Heemi maybe not like my Mae, but his love for Heemi is just like my Mae.

Heemi grabs her towel when suddenly, “WHAT?” a loud shout coming from my brothers room echoes so without thinking twice, I run out of Heechul hyung’s room and bang the door loudly. I know they don’t lock their door but I don’t want to brag inside, “Ai’Cap—Ai’Gun—did something happen?” I asked with my most concern voice but Ai’Cap quickly answered, “We are playing na khrab P’Hyuk~” and the visible happiness on his voice is something that cannot be hidden.

I feel uncertain again, just like what I’ve felt this afternoon inside the bathroom cubicle. Something is not right about my brothers—but I don’t think neither of them will tell me—and also I promised Hae that I will not intervene.

‘Arghhhhh!!! What’s wrong with them?’

Very fast finishing this chapter, neh? hahahahha