“ You picked up a strayed puppy?”

Sungjong’s eyes immediately averted at the little puppy in his arms, mumbling a low ‘yeah’ while rocking the cute animal back and forth. The twins bent down a little to check at the puppy and ended up playing with its nose playfully when the puppy squirmed a little because of the light touch. Myungsoo scanned at the youngest son’s facial expression, as he immediately knew Sungjong’s silent hope to keep the puppy for the time being. “ You want to keep it?”

The youngest shifted his gaze and changed it into a more pleading look, even though his emotionless face didn’t flinch, Myungsoo didn’t miss a glint of expectance in the brown orbs.

“ I hope I can, at least, take care of it until I find the real owner,” Sungjong finally stated his wish, trying to deliver his determination to his brothers. Myungsoo and the twins exchanged glances, not even taking a long time to finally approve Sungjong’s plea.

What made it more surprising a little after this, was Sungjong’s eyes beaming in happiness, even it was just a slight of it, blinking rapidly at least five teams and murmuring, “ Thank you. I will do my best.”

Actually, the older brothers found he was unbearably cute, staring down at the puppy in huge interest and it gently, even though Sungjong’s face didn’t show much emotion there but they all could feel the overflowing joy coming from the youngest son. Sungjong quietly brought the puppy upstairs towards his room and decided played with it.

“ Maybe,” Sungjong wondered, “ I should name it ‘Yoora’ since it is female.”

“ Don’t give him so much affection, Sungjong,” Myungsoo’s voice suddenly stopped Sungjong’s walk and the youngest turned his head, tilting in wonder. Myungsoo smirked from down there.

“ Because if it diverts your attention from me, I will surely prohibit you from – “

“ Lecherous old man.”

Myungsoo really thought his heart was dropped from the highest peak because of the cold treatment he received from his brother.

“ But I –“ Sungjong and the puppy had entered his room, Myungsoo left whining downstairs, “ always love you properly!”

Came a sigh from the twins. “ What ‘properly’..” Kwangmin shook his head in disbelief, while Youngmin nodded in agreement. “ Brother, sometimes I wonder if I can really say this..”

“ What?” Myungsoo sent a skeptical glare to the twins whom barely glanced at each other, before they just ing sighed and put one of their hands on their hip.

“ You know,” it was Kwangmin speaking first, “ Do you love Sungjong?”

Myungsoo frowned, seemingly not comprehending the sudden blunt question. “ I do,” he replied quickly without giving second thought and Youngmin rolled his eyes and exhaled heavily. “ In what way, you love him?”

“ What do you mean by ‘in what way’..” Myungsoo mumbled which showed the conspicuousness of being so slow and dumb around time like this. “ It is ‘love’, right?”

Knowing that leading Myungsoo to this kind of conversation would result nothing, the twins sighed again and surrender at the end of talk. They thought that the oldest really needed to figure out itself, somehow, because this was kind of important matter and helping him again would not make him become any sharper and more sensitive.

At least if it comes to something like this, Myungsoo should realize this on his own, they thought.

“ Nothing, big brother,” the twins stretched out their arms and turned around about to leave the place. “ You will understand it later, I guess. In the past you didn’t spoil us aggressively, if we have to say it.” Which caused Myungsoo frowning even more in wonder.

“ Coming back from school already?”

Sungjong nodded at Youngmin’s soft question and flinched a little when Youngmin placed a sudden touch on Sungjong’s crown of head but he enjoyed the gentleness in the end as Youngmin entangled his fingers in the soft locks, him carefully. “ Yeah,” Sungjong replied, “ The teacher cancelled our last class all of sudden so I had nothing to do except going home.”

“ Excellent,” Youngmin grinned, “ Then wanna have a pudding? It is so hot outside, right?”

“ It sounds nice.” Then Youngmin got up to take out a pudding of the refrigerator and handed it to Sungjong. “ Here, and this is the spoon.”

“ Thanks, Hyung,” Sungjong then had a small spoon of the pudding, munching the soft delicacy melting on his tongue. Judging by its taste, it must be made by Youngmin earlier. Each of his brothers had a unique style of cooking and specific flavor to describe themselves. Like, Youngmin who was not fond of sugar too much decided to give more milk into the pudding. “ It’s really delicious,” Sungjong honestly praised and the older smiled in satisfaction.

Youngmin, however, kept his eyes on Sungjong, observing him precisely, didn’t even miss a glint. After that, he suddenly chuckled making Sungjong look up from his pudding and tilt. “ Why are you laughing?”

“ It’s just that,” Youngmin smiled, “ The way you hold the spoon is exactly same with Myungsoo Hyung.”

“ Ah, really?” Sungjong stared at the spoon, “ Maybe when I came to Seoul, Myungsoo Hyung was the one who taught me so many things like the culture of this country, so..”

“ Not only that too,” Youngmin stated, “ You know, like giving a morning greeting and the way you eat using chopsticks are exactly same too.”

Or in the other words, he was like copying what Myungsoo did.

“ No wonder,” Sungjong half-nodded, “ I just followed what he told me, though.”

“ I see.” And suddenly, Kwangmin appeared with only his head sticking out through the crack of opened door, surprising the other two. “ I am sorry for disturbing your leisure time, but..” he simpered, “ Sungjong, can you help me by washing the dishes and Youngmin, please prepare the ingredients. I have to sweep the floor and won’t make it to do them all since the café will open again within one hour.”

“ Alright,” Youngmin and Sungjong got up in unison. The youngest dragged his feet towards the sink and began doing his job, until not too long after, a woman from the day before came again. “ You..”

Sungjong stopped for a moment and looked at the guest to confirm it was Sora. The youngest only responded a small “ Oh” before he went back washing the dishes. Sora rolled her eyes for receiving such a cold welcome but she knew it already that Sungjong rarely showed any emotion.

“ You came early.”

“ Yep,” Sungjong answered, “ The class got cancelled.”

Sora didn’t continue to ask again, instead she watched the youngest son thoroughly and carefully. What is so special about him, that even Myungsoo favors him a lot? He is just an adopted child.

It isn’t like I hate him, though..

“ Do you like staying here?”

“ Yes. It’s like, my decision too not to leave Myungsoo Hyung.”

“ Oh,” Sora supported her chin on the back of her hand. “ He must be a very kind person.”

“ He is.”

“ Do you..” Sora paused dramatically, eyes narrowing slightly. “ Like him?”

Sungjong stopped again. The question seemed to have an effect on him, and Sora was quite surprised too. But still, Sungjong looked so composed and he calmly replied, “ I don’t know.” He thought again. “ All I want is to stay by his side.”

“ What do you see in Myungsoo?” Sora investigated, “ ‘Brother’?”

The speed for washing the dirty plate gradually became slower. “ I.. really don’t know,” Sungjong replied, “ Honestly, I haven’t even given a thought about that.”

Sora knew the boy in front of her didn’t lie, because his emotions were developed simple, if Sora had to admit. There was no need for Sungjong to lie, because it was like, he didn’t know what’s good and bad if he lied either.

“ Is my case just like you, Sora-ssi?”

“ ‘Noona’ is fine,” Sora waved her hand, “ What ‘case’?”

“ I don’t understand it either, but you come here frequently,” Sungjong reasoned, “ Are you and Myungsoo brother seeing each other?”

“ What do you mean?”

“ I mean, at least, well, maybe..” Sungjong frowned, trying to assort the jumbled words in his head, “ You like him?”

Sora choked on the blunt question and her eyes went wider in disbelief, jaws dropping. “ W-h-a-t?” Sora felt disgusted. “ Me? Liking such an airhead? Hell no. My ideal type is charismatic, strong, and a gentleman.” Even to Sungjong’s opinion, it did sound so far away from Myungsoo; a ert, dumb, selfish, and pretending to be cool character. Though, sometimes, he looked really dashing and indeed a gentleman. But Myungsoo’s charisma failed to impress his brothers and Sora already, since they had known Myungsoo’s true character. “ I just despised him for leaving his job as a host in my place.. so I decided to take a look and perhaps, torture him a little.”

Sungjong now knew that even Myungsoo, in odd moments, could not compete against Sora. She was such a devil in pretty look, and top of all she had a very strong cunning aura. He put the washed plates beside the sink carefully and paid attention one by one whether he had cleaned them properly or not. Sora, then, stared at Sungjong again for some quite time, before she spoke, “ Do you know who you are for Myungsoo?”

The young boy quietly washed off his hands and gazed at Sora, but not answered the question. Sora, then, was hit by the fact that Sungjong perhaps didn’t know either about that. When he said that all he wanted to do is to stay beside Myungsoo, maybe it was due to his selfishness. “ Or at least, what do you want to be for him?” Sora clarified, “ A younger brother?”

“ He may be seeing me like that, so I don’t want to deny it, but..”

Sora raised her right brow. ‘Deny’? So basically, Sungjong doesn’t consider it in the first place?

“ If he does, then I will stay like that.. but actually..” Sungjong’s thin arms wrapped himself and his head drooped. A grief happened drawn across his face. “ I don’t understand anything.. what role I am taking.. or what I want.. but if I do and he does.. consider myself as a brother.. then somehow..”

“ Sora, I had a very big dream back then, the reason why I quitted my job.”

“ What’s it, the guy who has biggest brother-complex problem?”

“ I have a feeling that..” Sungjong’s voice went lower and smaller, “ I will feel very lonely..”

“ You are so mean,” Myungsoo chuckled, gaze shifting to the youngest son who simply had a conversation with the twins, “ But it was.. I wondered.. if I could live together with all of my brothers..  on my own, with my strength and effort.”

“ But you have done it.”

“ I have,” Myungsoo smiled, “ That’s why I treasure them so much.”

“ Well..” Sora decided to take a hold of this conversation and stir it carefully. “ You two often show affections towards each other, right, considering how bad his brother complexity is..”

“ Youngmin Hyung told me,” Sungjong murmured, “ That Myungsoo Hyung spoils me so much, more than them.”

“ I can see it too,” Sora responded quickly, “ Even though.. I..” The woman closed her eyes slowly, invading her own state of mind to recall the past, and what kind of guy Myungsoo was in her eyes. “ You know, Myungsoo is someone who really treasures his family.”

“ I know.”

“ What I am saying is,” I know this is none of my business, but seeing them right now, it irritates me, because one day they will end up hurt because of each other. “ In the future, there will be two types of Myungsoo’s precious one.”

“ But one day, the twins will to find their own spouse.. maybe girlfriend, or boyfriend.”

“ It doesn’t matter,” Myungsoo stated confidently, “ They are mature already.”

“ .. So will Sungjong.”

The last sentence made Myungsoo stop his words instantly and glared at Sora. “ I will never let it happen.”

“ But why?” Sora skeptically narrowed her eyes, “ You know that he is your brother, thus you have nothing against him if he finds other person that will protect him for his entire life.”

“ You just don’t know,” Myungsoo gritted his teeth. “ That time, the one who took his hands and promised to always love him is me.”

Yesterday Sora felt like, after hearing it, that they both – Myungsoo and Sungjong – were walking to the same direction, but in the different paces.

So she wanted to clarify this, because she could not bear how painful it would be for both of them if they continued this – since no one would be able to heal the wound once they both fell.

“ They are.. First, his ‘family’,” Sora said, and Sungjong was listening to her scrupulously. The woman looked into Sungjong’s round brown orbs to dive into them deeper – what kind of sincerity they both had?

They felt like Myungsoo’s, but in this kind of situation, why did she feel that both of them were turning their backs to the opposite directions?

Could it be, they haven’t figured out the important thing within their bond?

“ and second,” Sora paused, “ a ‘lover’.”

Sungjong could feel his heart was shaken off – his eyes slightly opened wider.

“ As a human, Myungsoo once fell for a girl.. but because he was too kind, and everyone was treated same, she left him. It was the first time that Myungsoo had a crush on someone,” Sora explained, “ Then because I understand his personality, one day he will find again his true love, despite his twisted personalities because he can not easily trust anyone again when it comes to ‘love’.”

But if he really does not depend on ‘love’ so much, why did he accept to love Sungjong fully, wholeheartedly?

“ And you, Sungjong,” Sora pointed at him, finally dropping the final bomb, “ Who are you to Myungsoo, if you have to consider your own feelings?”

The oldest son frowned as he arrived at home with groceries in his hands. “ Sungjong is home already?”

“ Yeah,” Sora replied, “ But he said that he wanted to take Yoora for a walk so maybe he is at the park now.”

“ Oh,” Myungsoo responded shortly while putting down the groceries in the kitchen. The twins were cleaning outside the café so there were only Sora and Myungsoo inside currently. The woman watched as Myungsoo prepared the ingredients and a small jar of coffee beans before the café was open.

“ Say..” Sora commented, “ I find Sungjong is quite interesting kid.”

“ I think he is cute,” Myungsoo began squealing, but Sora only rolled her eyes in response. “ It is just you and your weird sick ,” she claimed, and Myungsoo only chuckled. “ But well, for me he’s really funny.”

“ I’m home.” Suddenly came Sungjong’s voice and Myungsoo turned to face Sungjong, arms looping around the slim body and holding him up. He smiled at the youngest son. “ Welcome back,” he whispered, before he leaned in to capture Sungjong’s lips and kissed the boy lightly.

Whereas, behind them, Sora’s eyes were goggled out and her jaws dropped at the sight. “ W- what the – “

“ I have to do my homework, Hyung,” Sungjong wriggled in Myungsoo’s arms, and the older happily put his brother down again, his hair. “ Don’t forget to come down when it’s time for dinner, okay?” Sungjong nodded and ascended upstairs with Yoora as Myungsoo followed him for some unknown reasons, while at the same time Kwangmin entered the café (basically the café and their house were sticking together, separated only by a divider) leisurely, but got grabbed by Sora and she shouted, “ Yah! Tell me why are they like this?! Kissing on the lips even though they are brothers and Sungjong is freaking seventeen years old!”

“ I know” Kwangmin insisted, “ Brother Myungsoo is indeed a ert but we were all raised in Canada, so it can’t be helped! Plus, they are not blood-related, so it doesn’t matter either!”

“ … Why are you shouting back at me like that?”

“ Because you look like you were going to despise them two if I didn’t give a reasonable statement..”

“ Goodness..” Sora facepalmed and Kwangmin hurriedly escaped to his twin brother before Sora investigated him any further. Not too long after, Myungsoo came down and approached Sora who gave him a very obvious dirty look. The oldest, who could not comprehend anything, only blinked in confusion. “ What?”

“ Nothing..” Sora sighed, “ I was just surprised that you kissed him so directly in front of me just now.”

“ What can I do?” Myungsoo whined, “ I can’t resist him.”

The woman grimaced. “ Dear Lord, I am sure there’s something wrong with your brain..” she commented, “ So I know he’s adopted. No wonder you two can do anything you like, and he’s stuck to you like a glue. You’ve spoiled him rotten..”

Hearing the half-cynical statement, Myungsoo glared over his shoulder at the woman. “ And?” he coldly responded, “ so what?”

Of course, Sora looked taken aback at the sudden change in Myungsoo’s usually-merry-go-round expression and only smiled a little. “ Nothing, it’s just..” she said, “ I remembered I’ve read a book about a lonely wolf who meets a human that the wolf could call him ‘master.. since the wolf was treated with kindness for the first time in his life.”

Myungsoo stared at Sora intently, waiting her to finish, and she glanced at Myungsoo meaningfully. “ But.. that’s just like imprinting, isn’t it?” she spoke smoothly, and Myungsoo’s body flinched a little at the words, before she continued again,

“ Just like that kid.”

Myungsoo sighed, tossing a handful of alcohol bottle aside as he laid down in the couch helplessly, his head spinning so bad.

‘That’s just like imprinting, isn’t it?’

“ ,” he cursed in a low voice, “ That totally hit the nail on the head..”

‘Just like that kid.’

Myungsoo closed his eyes, breathing heavily. He knew it better than anyone else, but was there any need to say it out loud?

“ Myungsoo Hyung?”

The soft voice called him from behind and Myungsoo tried his best to get up. “ Sungjong?”

The youngest boy bent down to look at the older man closely and sniffed. “ You reek of alcohol,” he murmured, “ You’re drunk, aren’t you?”

Myungsoo smiled. “ I am not..” He reached out Sungjong’s wrist and pulled him closer to him so their bodies were only a few inches away. Sungjong was beneath him, and Myungsoo hovered above him while scanning the boy thoroughly. Since when the exposed collarbone looked so delicious and vulnerable? Myungsoo leaned down and whispered, “ Kiss me.” Which was responded with a sigh and Sungjong cupped Myungsoo’s cheeks, kissing the eldest’s lips passionately. Myungsoo jerked slightly at the taste and the sensation – crap. It really feels good.. The older man cracked his left eye open. Does he even know what ‘lust’ is..

And Myungsoo, in the end, returned back the kiss with double force like a hungry predator – he pushed down Sungjong even more and trailed kisses on Sungjong’s lips, chin, cheeks, neck, and going down there even further, making the boy yelp in surprise. “ Hyung – why are you like this? Hyung! You are drunk!”

But Myungsoo didn’t care; instead the twins’ words yesterday all of sudden echoed in his head repeatedly.

“ In what way, you love him?”

It got on his nerves, somehow, followed by Sora’s blunt talk today. It was like, that, if he treated Sungjong with the same, or even multiplied kindness, he felt that he had given Sungjong more insecurity because it already looked like an ‘imprinting’, just like Sora said.

Nothing more – and the fear of being hurt would be doubled even more, to Sungjong.

But at the same time, he had no idea what to do to prevent Sungjong from experiencing a feeling like that, except staying same as a good older brother.

Yet, the twins’ words pierced deeply in his heart – because he did not know what to answer, because from the first time, the line between him and Sungjong were already blurred by the fact that they were ‘brothers’ but not ‘blood-related’.

“ Hyung – Stop – “

Myungsoo slowly lost his control; he ed Sungjong’s shirt and placed his lips on Sungjong’s neck, the milky white skin possessively that even left a very red mark.

“ You’re drunk!” Sungjong screamed, trying to push his brother away but to no avail. Myungsoo kept going further and left more evident hickeys. Sungjong clenched his fist, finally pulling Myungsoo’s neck and biting it rather harshly that caused Myungsoo to scream and pulled away. “ What the – “

“ Hah! You asked for it by being a very horrible drunk,” he smirked, “ You’re still this age and you still act like this because of alcohol.”

Actually, that rather hurt Myungsoo’s feelings a little.

Because you don’t understand, that I am still this sober and only thinking of you over and over, wanting to clarify my own feelings.

“ .. Ahh, yeah. You’re right.” Myungsoo murmured, “ I can’t use alcohol as an excuse to do nasty things on you because I am an adult and right, I can handle alcohol perfectly.” He got up, slowly leaving Sungjong but the younger sensed there was something wrong. “ Myungsoo Hyung?”

The oldest stared at Sungjong coldly.

“ What happened just now was a joke,” he stated, “ How could I ever actually act like that to my little brother!”

Sungjong’s eyes went wider at the harsh words.

“If I do and he does.. consider myself as a brother.. then somehow..

 I have a feeling that.. I will feel very lonely..”

Seeing the changed expression into chapfallen one on Sungjong’s face, suddenly something hit Myungsoo’s sanity immediately.

, no.

It’s not like that..

“ Ah.. really?” Sungjong’s face fell, not daring to look up, “ I’m sorry.”

But why are you apologizing to me?

“ Where’s Sungjong?”

In the next morning, it was Sunday, and Myungsoo found there was no trace of Sungjong when he woke up. The twins took a glance over their shoulder and replied, “ Taking Yoora out again, but seems like he has not returned since three hours ago.”

“ Really?” Myungsoo frowned, “ Three hours? How far he has walked Yoora..”

“ Dunno,” Kwangmin and Youngmin ignorantly went back to their interests; newspaper and game console. Myungsoo snorted unhappily and said, “ I’ll go to look for him.”

“ But he is old enough already, and he has his own spending money if he needs lunch. He even brings his phone – ah, it doesn’t work. He didn’t answer the call..”

Myungsoo snarled. “ That idiot – “ before he ran away after grabbing his jacket and rushed out in second blink.

An hour and half later, Myungsoo was running out of breath and panting heavily. He stopped running and composed his breath first. “ , I can’t find him..” Myungsoo growled. He had already taken this route three times, with each of it 4.5 kilometers, and that was how he was finally knocked down. He wondered where Sungjong got so much stamina walking for three hours straight.

Myungsoo glanced at the sideways. Right.. I should apologize for yesterday as soon as I find him.

Because I obviously didn’t mean to make him say such kinds of things.

“ Myungsoo Hyung?”

The oldest son jerked in surprise when the familiar voice called him and he turned around, only to meet the confused Sungjong with Yoora in his arms.

“ What are you doing in hurry? And why do you have such a panicked expression?”

Myungsoo wondered, how could Sungjong such normal things now..

“  Actually I was kind of worried that you had been gone all morning. Where did you go?”

“ Trying to find Yoora’s owner?”

“ What?” Myungsoo frowned, “ So do you find the owner?”

“ Kind of.”

“ Huh?”

“ The real owner apparently died a few days ago and Yoora sneaked out after that. So I decided to keep Yoora for longer time until someone can adopt him.. or maybe, I can do that.”

“ I see..” Myungsoo smiled, wanting to touch Sungjong’s head. “ You must be really hungry and tired. I’m going home to make food now – “

Yet, initially Sungjong flinched to reject the light touch from Myungsoo, and the oldest could not hide his shock – he held his breath and mumbled, “ Sungjong..?”

“ I’d like kimbab for today’s lunch..”

“ Okay..” Myungsoo bit his lower lip. Was it just his imagination? “ Sungjong, why were you so set on finding Yoora’s real owner?”

Sungjong stared and Yoora’s fur quietly before replied, “ I understand how it feels like have nowhere to go home, because I’m that way too..” he inhaled deeply, “ If you’d be able to find your home, of course you’d be happier.”

Myungsoo paused his walk and looked at the younger boy in disbelief.

This is wrong.

“ ‘Nowhere to go’.. Wait, Sungjong..” Myungsoo gulped, “ What are you saying? Don’t you already have a ‘home’?”

I made him say this.

Sungjong smiled slightly. “ Yeah, you’re right. I should thank you,” he said, “ I will cherish the memories being in your house with all of my heart, so when the time comes that I have to move out, I will never forget it.”

“ What are you saying?!” Myungsoo half-shouted in frustration, “ Such awful and crazy words that make my head hurt – “

“ I’m sorry.”

“ And why are you apologizing?!” Myungsoo vented out his anger, at last, but Sungjong didn’t change his stern expression. He just stood there, looking up at Myungsoo. “ I said a lot of things I should not have, right?” he spoke, “ I am not like Kwangmin Hyung or Youngmin Hyung. I don’t know what is appropriate to say with you or how to keep a good distance.. Because I get too close, we’ll end up feeling hurt.”

“ So what?!” Came the loud yell, but Sungjong didn’t care.

You just don’t know why I am saying like this, Hyung.

“ Yes, Hyung. You’re right. I am not your real brother.”

“ But I didn’t mean that way – “

“ I just want to fulfill your wish, that’s why I stay by your side, so I’ll try my best,” Sungjong paused, only to look into Myungsoo’s eyes even deeper that it pierced Myungsoo’s heart in a silence. “ To fulfill your wish, I simply want to remain as a younger brother for you.”

Myungsoo widened his eyes as Sungjong continued, “ So there’s no need for you to put so much effort to take care of me.”

This is..

I caused him to say this..