Chapter Nine:

Donghae woke up cuddled against a familiar chest, the scent he knew so well as his brother’s filling his nostrils. Smiling even before he opened his eyes, he took a deep breath and let it out slowly, the residual tension from his dreams fading away.

Whatever happened from this moment on, he knew he was safe. There was no safer place to be in the entire world than the circle of Heechul’s arms. Scooting back a bit he opened his eyes wide, glad that the windows were open to the sunlight. It must be late afternoon judging by the angle of the sun. He had slept a long time.

Staring at his brother’s face, he was happy to see that more of his vision had returned. There were still some blurry spots in the corners of his sight, and sometimes he had to blink a few times to get his focus. But he could see Heechul’s face now, clear as ever, and it warmed his heart in a way that nothing else ever had. Heechul. His protector. The one person who he knew, deep down inside, would always have his back, no matter what he had to do to provide for his little brother.

He really had been stupid. Trusting Min Hyun’s false promises over his brother’s truths. Heechul would have never lied to him. He never had. Not even when doing so might have spared him Donghae’s lectures and disapproval. He was the one person in Donghae’s life who had always been up front about everything and knowing he had brushed away those legitimate concerns to grasp after the promise of a happy romance sickened him.

He remembered little about the trip back to the apartment where Heechul was living. There were tears and apologies, soothing words and gestures. Heechul had questioned whether they should return to the hospital but Donghae was afraid of going anywhere Min Hyun might find him. Instead he vaguely remembered eating something and being stripped of his clothing and forced into a hot bath. Between those two things, any remaining energy was totally sapped. The last he remembered was asking Heechul what he had done with Donghae’s clothes, begging the man not to throw them away. And then being pulled into his big brother’s arms on the soft bed.

Heechul stirred a bit, then opened his eyes, momentarily surprised to find Donghae gazing at him. “Hey sleeping beauty.”

“Hyung, you’re so pretty.”

“Better believe it.”

“Thank you for coming to get me.”

“If you thank me one more time, I might spank you. Knock it off.”

Letting out a giggle, he was pleased when his brother smiled back at him. “If I wasn’t injured, I might do it just to see if you could still catch me.”

“Are you saying I’m old?”

“Just that I’m still younger than you.”

“Want to bet?”

Donghae’s eyes got wide, knowing how his brother loved to prove him wrong whenever he made a remark such as he just had. Shaking his head quickly, he attempted to pull away. But Heechul’s grip was too strong, even with one arm. He flipped his leg over Donghae’s, trapping him, then gave him a quick slap on the . It didn’t hurt. In fact, the action made Donghae laugh, which made Heechul laugh, and they grabbed each other tightly, letting the laughter out rather than more tears.

“You’re still a little brat, you know?”

“You love me,” Donghae replied cheekily.

“I really do,” Heechul smiled, staring at him as if he were a treasure.

“Hyung, I—”

“If you’re going to apologize again, then shut it. I don’t want to hear another word.”

Donghae had tried so many times to apologize to his brother. Both for not believing his warnings and for causing so much trouble. Heechul had apologized as well. He admitted that when the hospital told him Donghae had left with Min Hyun voluntarily he had assumed his brother remembered the man and decided to stay with him. As much as it pained him to sit back and wait, he had been afraid that chasing after Donghae right away might cause another argument.

“I’m hungry,” Donghae lied, pretending that had been his intention all along.

His brother’s eyebrows went up, probably detecting the falsehood as usual, but he grinned and said, “We can order whatever you want. But I’m not trying to cook for you. And I’m not sure it’s safe to let you cook for anybody.”

“Hyung!”

“What? You make the weirdest, blandest food I’ve ever eaten. No thanks. Besides, I didn’t have a chance to shop for anything. So? What do you have a taste for? My treat.”

“It would have to be your treat,” Donghae frowned. “I don’t have any money.”

“You will. We’re going to take care of all of that. But first things first. Food?”

“Food,” Donghae agreed.

Half an hour later they were sitting down eating an early dinner. Donghae was starving. As if the security he felt had freed up all the space in his body and now there was an aching hole inside him needing to be filled. He knew he shouldn’t eat so much, so fast, but couldn’t stop himself.

After a while, Heechul joked, “You’re acting like you haven’t eaten for days.”

“I haven’t really.”

“You… what? Didn’t that feed you?”

“No.”

“Hae… you’re kidding, right? Please tell me you’re kidding?”

“I had something the night he brought me home. But he wouldn’t help me, and I still couldn’t see anything, so I wasn’t able to eat much. Then he left me alone all day. I found some apples and had those. Last night he brought me soup, but he got mad at me and threw it away before I could eat it all.”

“I’m going to kill that er,” Heechul growled darkly.

“Hyung, he wanted me to sign over the company. He set up a meeting with the lawyers and was going to have me sign papers giving him the authority to make company decisions while I recovered.”

“That son of a !” Heechul’s fist slammed down on the table. “Just wait until I see him. I’m going to—”

“No,” Donghae said quietly.

“No? After what he did? After what he’s trying to do? What do you mean, no?”

“I just want him to go away, Hyung. I don’t want to see him anymore. But I’m worried about the company. I don’t even remember what I do.”

“Listen kid, your company was doing just fine before he came along, and it’ll do just fine without him. You know what? I’m calling Ryeowook, this is right up his alley and I’m sure he’d love to help you.”

“Ryeowook?” Donghae asked, tilting his head in confusion because the name sounded familiar but of course he still couldn’t remember where he might know it from.

“Our cousin, baby. The person whose apartment this is.”

“He can help us?”

Heechul’s sly smile would have been answer enough but he said, “Ryeowook is a lawyer. A very good lawyer. And guess what he specializes in.”

“I don’t know,” Donghae shrugged. “What?”

“He’s a corporate lawyer. He deals with intellectual property laws.”

“Will that help with my company?”

“Oh, you bet it will.”

While Heechul made some calls, Donghae wandered around the apartment, familiarizing himself with the layout. His cousin had good taste. Most of the furnishings had been left behind, and the décor was elegant but functional.

It was only when Donghae opened a door and found a tiny laundry room that he felt tears threaten. Because the basket beside the wash machine had a few items inside that he knew must be his own.

Or rather, they were Hyukjae’s. Red zippered hoodie, white t-shirt and red sweatpants. There were stains on the sweatshirt that appeared to be spilled food, no doubt from his awkward attempts at feeding himself. But this was proof that at least something of their interaction at the hospital had been real. Because Heechul hadn’t brought the clothes. And Donghae clearly remembered sitting in his bed the first few days wishing he had something other than the drafty hospital gown to cover himself. Hyukjae had given Donghae this outfit, and if he were a patient at the hospital like the nurses said, then the clothes were his own, kept there for his use. He might never get rid of them.

Right now, he was wearing a flashy velour tracksuit of his brother’s. Ironically it matched the one Heechul himself was wearing. Another reason he knew the clothes in the basket had been from someone else.

While they waited for Ryeowook to come, Heechul sat Donghae down in the living room with some coffee. “All right. I’m sure you have a lot of questions about things that may have happened or things you can’t remember. Since we’re going to talk about the company, I’ll fill you in on whatever I know. We can dig into the rest later.”

“What does the company do?”

“You make toys.”

“Toys?” Donghae’s eyes went wide. “Like kid’s toys?”

“Yes. Though I did suggest some ideas for an adult toy line, but you said it went against your mission statement.”

“Hyung!” Donghae was scandalized but laughed anyway.

“Even as a kid you were always making things. You used to whittle sticks into figures – god knows how you managed to do that without chopping off a finger when we couldn’t trust you to slice a carrot safely. But when you were older you liked making little machines and stuff. You made one for mom once, a metal flowerbud that opened up when you squeezed it a certain way. She loved that thing so much. I was pissed because I spent so much money on her favorite perfume and…”

His brother’s voice grew dim as a memory flashed into his mind:

“Eomma! Eomma! Happy Birthday! I made this for you!”

The worn, but gentle face of his mother eased into a fond smile, eyes dancing as she reached out for the small box her teenage son held for her. Opening the lid, she saw a beautiful rose flower bud made from painted tin.

“Take it out,” Donghae demanded, squirming with excitement. And when she lifted the flower gently by the stem, he told her, “Push on the leaf!”

Doing as her son bid, the woman pressed down on the biggest leaf, gasping in amazement as the petals slowly opened and spread, showing the inside of the flower arranged in a multitude of pinks and creams.

“Donghae, it’s beautiful, thank you. Did you make this?”

“I did! It’s a beautiful flower for the most beautiful woman I know,” he told her earnestly, pleased by her loving smile as she reached out to pat his head.

“Ya!” his brother nearly shouted. “Why are you sneaking in here and giving her your present first? I thought we agreed we would surprise her together?”

Donghae shrugged mischievously, but his smile faded as he saw the gift bag from the expensive perfume shop his mother loved to browse in. She never bought anything, just tested the samples. But she definitely had a favorite, and somehow his brother had managed to find enough money to buy it for her. His gift suddenly felt small and cheap in comparison, and when his mother praised Heechul for the thoughtful gift, Donghae got a little sad, wishing he could take back his flower and somehow find something more worthy.

“Such lovely gifts. Just what I would have expected from my two lovely sons,” his mother said then, reaching out and pulling both boys closer. “But I don’t need any gifts from you boys. Not when the two of you are everything a mother could have ever asked for. I truly am the luckiest woman in the world to have both of you.”

She kissed Donghae on one cheek and Heechul on the other, and through his tears of happiness, Donghae saw his older brother fighting the same. Heechul never cried, or at least he said he didn’t. But right now, it didn’t matter because they were all hugging each other, tangled in a group, and nothing else mattered but the love they shared.

“Hae? Baby? You still with me?” Heechul’s voice registered suddenly, and he shook off the happy memory, aware of the tears streaming down his cheeks. “You okay, kid?”

Nodding, Donghae gave him a smile, breathing in and out a few times before he quietly said, “I remembered. That birthday with mom. You gave her perfume and I felt so awful because I thought she would like your gift better than mine. But she never played favorites with us, did she.”

“Ha!” Heechul snorted. “You were clearly her favorite. But then again you were everyone’s favorite. Why do you think I worked so hard to scrape together the money for that perfume? I was just hoping to give her something she’d treasure as much as whatever little creation you came up with.”

“Are you mad?” Donghae asked, feeling there might be lingering resentment in his brother’s words.

“Mad? At you? Never. And I never minded that she showed you her love like that. You deserved it, Hae. You’ve always been the sweetest little thing.”

“I am not little,” he pouted.

“You were her baby, and you’re my baby now. I promised her I would always take care of you, no matter what it took.”

“You’ve done a lot for me, haven’t you?”

“And I would do it all over again without a second thought. You’re my favorite person in the whole world, Hae, and nothing will ever change that.”

“What happened to her? To mom?”

“We… not now, okay? I’ll tell you another time.”

“She’s dead, isn’t she?”

“A long time ago,” Heechul nodded, his face solemn. “But we got through it. Together. Me and you.”

“Is that why I started making toys? Because of her?”

Heechul got a thoughtful expression and said, “Maybe. I never really thought about it. But she always loved the things you made. Even when people used to make fun of you, she told them you were going to go places in life. Because you were so creative and talented.”

“Did I go to school?”

“Mechanical engineering,” Heechul said proudly. “I made sure of it. And when you were in your final year at Uni you made a toy that your professors absolutely loved. They told you to patent it and sell it. It wasn’t easy at first, but once people started to find out about it, they really loved it. Everyone wanted one. You were able to license it out and made a bunch of money. That’s how you started your company, from the money you made off that silly toy.”

“What was it?” Donghae asked curiously.

“You made it for children with learning disabilities. But I guess a lot of people liked it for other reasons. It helped control anxiety in some people and others liked it for the fun designs that were made. That was a long time ago now, almost ten years. But I think people still buy them. I don’t really know.”

“Are all my toys like that?”

“You always liked making things that were different. You said toys didn’t need to be for everyone, they just needed to be the right toy for the person who played with it. A lot of things were designed with the differently abled community in mind; children with ADD or Autism, physical disabilities, that kind of thing. But then there were your specialty toys as well. You made most of those yourself. Stuff like that flower for mom, just a lot more complex. There was a waiting list for those items. You took them on as special commissions, each one was like a work of art, I swear. If I had one drop of your creativity maybe I could have done something good with my life. But all I got was this beautiful face, so I did what I could with it.”

“Hyung? What do you do? Min Hyun, he… he said some terrible things about you.”

“Like what? What did that say? Not that he should ever dare to put my name in his mouth.” Heechul’s anger flared again at the reminder of Min Hyun and the things he had put Donghae through.

“He said you… that you sold yourself. For money.”

“Oh. That’s all? Well , yeah, that’s about it, really.”

“What?” Donghae’s heart skipped a beat. Were the things Min Hyun said true?

“I’m an , Hae. I have been for years. A very classy , if I do say so myself. But yes, I trade myself for money. People pay me to… well, be with them.”

“Do you have with them, too?” Donghae’s face must have expressed both his horror and naivete on the matter because Heechul laughed out loud.

“If it’s in the contract.”

“Hyung…” Donghae pouted again, this time hurt for all the things his brother must have done.

“Listen, when mom died, we didn’t have much. Even the money people donated in her memory wouldn’t have lasted long. I got an offer, and I took it. Paid well, too, so I decided to keep doing it. Baby, you don’t have to worry about me. It’s been a long time since I had to do this just for money. I can pick and choose who I want to be with, and if I don’t like something in a contract, I turn it down. What I do, I do for me. And I’ve managed to survive pretty well. Got you through school and set myself up nicely along the way.”

“So, you won’t give it up? Not even if I asked you to?”

“You’ve asked before.”

“And you said no,” Donghae nodded, knowing it must be the case. “But it’s different now. I need you now. For real. You won’t… you won’t leave me, will you? If someone wanted you and offered you a bunch of money?”

“Is that what he told you?” Heechul’s face grew hard again. “He’s a lying sack of . If he said that anything was more important than you, especially money, he’s a damned liar. I broke a contract to come back here and be with you and I couldn’t care less about it. You come first, Hae. You’ve always come first. Money is nothing. I can always make more money. But I only have one brother and I wouldn’t trade you for anything in the world.”

Donghae nodded, accepting the words but unable to speak due to another rush of tears.

“I love you, kid.”

“I love you, too, Hyung.”

“I know. And… if you really wanted me to quit, I suppose it wouldn’t be the end of the world. But we would definitely need to start another branch of the toy company because the only way I’m working there is if I’m designing something for grown-ups to play with.”

“Hyung!” Donghae sputtered. “That’s… that’s just…”

“Such a baby,” Heechul teased, reaching over to tap his brother’s cheek with his knuckles. “Don’t worry about me right now, okay? I’m doing all right and I have some good friends who can probably help us out.”

“What kind of friends?” Donghae asked cautiously.

“The right kind. And don’t worry, I won’t do anything illegal. But if you want Min Hyun out of your life for good, then we’re going to need all the help we can get.”

Ryeowook arrived around 8pm and Donghae felt a rush of recognition as his stylish cousin kicked off his shoes and sauntered into his old apartment. He had jet black hair, slightly longer than average, and was dressed in a sleek, fitted black suit that made him look powerful and a little bit scary. At least until he saw Donghae and his face broke into a huge, sweet smile.

Stepping closer, he wrapped his arms around his cousin, squeezing him tightly. Donghae might be a few centimeters taller and a far sight more muscular, but right now all the comfort and care he was receiving made him feel like a wayward child who had fallen into a situation that only the adults in the room could rescue him from.

“I’m so glad you’re all right. When Heechul told me about your accident I was really worried. And then this situation with your business partner…” Ryeowook shook his head. “It’s a move trying to take advantage of someone when they’re injured. But don’t worry. Whatever slick moves he thinks he’s taken I’ll find them all and we’ll crush the bastard in court.”

“I just want him to go away and leave me alone.”

“Well, it sounds like he’s been trying to get his sticky fingers into places they don’t belong. If he’s attempting to take over your company without your permission, he’s got quite another thing coming to him.”

They discussed what little Donghae did know, and Heechul helped fill Ryeowook in on more detail that Donghae couldn’t recall. He also made sure to mention that Min Hyun had practically kidnapped Donghae from the hospital, saying he had guardianship, and then kept him trapped and isolated in his apartment, not feeding him properly and not providing follow-up care for his injuries.

“He sounds like a real piece of . Did you say you two had a relationship though? Like you were dating?”

“Yes,” Donghae replied quietly, not sure how his cousin would take it.

“But you maintained separate residences, correct?” At Donghae’s nod, Ryeowook sat back on the sofa, crossing his legs and staring at the ceiling while he pondered. “Of course, you wouldn’t remember if you had signed anything giving him medical power of attorney.”

“Why would he? If anything, I would have been his emergency contact,” Heechul muttered, picking at his nails.

“Which means he committed fraud with whatever paperwork he gave the hospital. I’ll check into that tomorrow. And you said the lawyers were supposed to meet with you as well?”

“He said tomorrow. I don’t know what time.”

“It doesn’t matter. All right,” Ryeowook sat up suddenly, “just leave it to me for now. Sign this contract taking me on as your legal representative. It authorizes me to look into every aspect of your business as well as your personal affairs. Don’t worry, we’re family, I’m on your side if you’re concerned about it. That hurts my family he’s not going to know what hit him. This is exactly the sort of case I love to take on.”

“Ryeowook-hyung, I—”

“Hyung?” Ryeowook snorted before bursting into laughter.

Donghae looked to Heechul, who was grinning as well. Not a hyung then, apparently.

“Sorry,” he apologized awkwardly. “I can’t remember—”

“Oh Hae, I love it! You can call me Hyung whenever you want to. But for the record, I’m two years younger than you.” Ryeowook turned to Heechul and added, “I always did say he was the real maknae between the three of us.”

“He’s our baby, that’s for sure,” Heechul smiled fondly. “But ya! Wook-a, you never call me Hyung either!”

“And I never will,” he smirked back. “Donghae, you call me whatever you want. And rest assured, I’ve got your back, okay? I’ll see what I can find out tomorrow and keep you posted, but don’t worry anymore. We’ve got this.”

“Thank you,” Donghae smiled.

“You don’t need to thank me. That’s what family is for.” Ryeowook leaned over for another hug and gave Donghae a kiss on the cheek. “Get some rest and relax. The more you remember the easier this will be for you, but your injuries are well documented, so the fact that someone was trying to use them to take advantage of you looks pretty bad.”

Ryeowook was clearly a force to be reckoned with. And after they saw the confident, fiery man out the door, Donghae was able to relax his tense shoulders and feel a sense of relief.

“I told you he was perfect for this,” Heechul said a short while later as they stood together in the bathroom brushing their teeth. “He can look all sweet and innocent one minute, like a damned cherub, and then the next thing you know, the claws come out and he’s absolutely savage. I love being related to him.”

“Me too,” Donghae nodded tiredly. The stress of his day, the last few days, really the entire week since his he woke up from the accident all seemed to come crashing down on him at the same time. He may have swayed as he stood there, prompting Heechul to drop his toothbrush in the sink and grab Donghae’s shoulders.

“First thing tomorrow, we’re taking you to the hospital for a checkup.”

“Hyung, I’m okay. I’m just tired.”

“Uh-huh. Don’t argue with your big brother. We need to make sure there’s no lasting damage from you being with that snake. He wasn’t taking care of you properly.”

“Will you be with me?”

“You won’t be able to pry me away, I promise.”

“Okay. We can go. As long as you’re with me I’ll be fine.”

“I will never let anything happen to you while I’m still breathing, kiddo. I promise.”

It wasn’t until they were lying in bed together, Heechul once again cuddling Donghae in his arms, that the younger dared to ask, “Hyung?”

“Mmm?”

“Do you think… could we…?”

“Spit it out, Hae.”

“Could we maybe check on Hyukjae at the hospital?”

“Hyukjae?”

Donghae could feel how Heechul’s body tensed at the name. “I overheard the nurses talking when I was leaving. They said he was a patient there. I just wondered if he was all right.”

“Hae, he…”

“They said he was getting treatment. That he was my roommate. Did you… I mean, when you came, did we talk together?”

“Baby, I can explain about that.”

“I just thought,” Donghae rushed forward, not wanting to hear his brother say the entire love affair had been an illusion. “Maybe I might have been imagining it all. Me and Hyukjae. But then I knew you were there and… Hyung? What did you and Sora talk about? When you went out of the room that first day?”

“Baby, I’m sorry, okay? I… I didn’t mean to hurt you or anything. I thought maybe it was for the best to let you keep thinking that way. And the last thing we did was argue, so I was afraid if you did remember you wouldn’t want to talk to me, so—”

“Hyung!” Donghae cut him off. “What’s wrong with Hyukjae? He’s sick, isn’t he?”

“He’s dying, Hae,” his brother admitted quietly.

Pulling back with the most gutted feeling, Donghae stared at his brother’s grim face, willing the words to be a lie.

“Dying? No… no, he can’t be.”

“Late stage kidney failure. He was on dialysis waiting for a transplant.”

“But… but he…” Donghae felt his tears threatening as his breathing got tight. Hyukjae had been his light in a very dark place. He was always so kind and cheerful, doing whatever he could to make Donghae feel better. And it had been wonderful. He had pushed it to the back of his mind when he was with Min Hyun and hesitated to pull it out until things had been sorted with Ryeowook. But now he wanted to try and understand what had happened and this… this was not the answer he’d been expecting or hoping for. “Why? Why did he say he was my boyfriend?”

“I think he just liked you, Hae.”

“No… why? Why would he? I didn’t know anything. He couldn’t… I don’t understand, Hyung.”

“He said he was there when Min Hyun first came. And that he felt sorry for you being there all alone. But after he started talking to you, I think he just liked you. And you went along with it all, so he just kept it up.”

“I really liked him,” Donghae sniffled.

“I think he really liked you, too.”

“I want to see him.”

“Are you sure that’s a good idea?”

“I’m not… I’m not mad about it. I just… I just want to know why.”

“Well, it might be a good idea. When we go for your checkup, we’ll ask about him, okay?”

“Okay,” Donghae agreed, snuggling against Heechul’s chest, and sighing deeply when he felt his brother’s arms tighten.

Hyukjae, his perfect boyfriend who wasn’t really anything to him, was dying? Had he created the entire charade as a joke to pass the time? Or had he, as Heechul said, actually liked Donghae? He needed to know. More than anything he needed that. Because in a perfect world, he thought he would love to have his perfect Hyukjae at his side.

And now he wondered if perfect Hyukjae had ever existed at all. Not simply Donghae’s wish fulfillment, but maybe someone else’s as well. Exhausted by his emotions and his problems, Donghae gave up and let the warmth of his brother comfort him. Tomorrow was another day.