Reason

Their next year, Brian was excited, and that surprised his parents. Jaehyung already knows something. He was up early that day, the day they were returning to Hogwarts. He happily greets his parents a good morning before eating breakfast. A lot of breakfast. Jaehyung would be going to the platform with him alone this time since Brian's parents had some errands to run. But before that, his father questions him.

“So, Brian,” he starts. “This is new, why are you excited?”

“I don't have to have a reason, right? I just want to get back to Hogwarts,” Brian brightly answers as he eats.

“Oh, but there is,” Jaehyung butts in, eating as well.

He has always been treated by Brian's parents as their son, too. Since his mother was busy in the muggle world, and his father in the Ministry, he would often be alone in their house. So every morning, he was with the Kangs, their neighbor, and he would go home every night. And besides, he was Brian's best friend since he was a toddler so he was already part of their family as well.

Brian gives a look at Jaehyung, who fails to see it, or refuses to acknowledge it.

“Oh? What is it?” his mother asks, interested.

“There's this boy — “

“Isn't it time we go? We were almost late the first time. Shouldn't we go while it's still early?” Brian cuts Jaehyung.

“Wait a minute,” his father folds up the paper of the Daily Prophet and sits up to lean at the table. “A boy?”

Brian gets nervous as he looks down at his food.

“A boy your age?” his mother asks, Jaehyung answers for him.

“Yes, he's also a second-year now. He's a Hufflepuff — “

“Oh, Brian,” his father helplessly sighed.

“It's nothing! He's just a new friend — “ No, he wasn't just a new friend, you dimwit! He's a special new friend, his inner voice argued with him.

“Abeonim!” Jaehyung called. “We found this mirror inside a room.”

“Mirror?” his father says. “Ah, the mirror! What about it?”

“Tell him what you saw, Brian! I saw myself laughing hysterically,” Jaehyung said.

“I… saw myself as an Auror,” Brian looks at his father and that was a wrong move.

His father narrowed his eyes, “Say that again?”

His mother sighed, “Brian, you know lying doesn't work on your father.”

Jaehyung blinked when Brian frowned as he stared at his food.

“I… saw… him…,” Brian mumbled quietly.

“You saw that boy with you? In that mirror?” his father questioned.

Brian silently nodded. Jaehyung can't believe it. Mark was right. How is Mark smarter than him? He finds it outrageous.

“What was he doing?” his mother asked and Brian kept quiet.

The doorbell rang and Jaehyung stands up, “I'll get it! Abeonim, I told Mark your address!”

“Mark? Is that a new friend too?” his father asked, still staring at Brian.

“Yep!” Jaehyung replies from the door.

“So? Are you going to answer while Jaehyung's not here?” his mother softly says.

Brian took a deep breath as he finishes his breakfast. He still refused to meet his parents' eyes.

“He was…,” he felt his face burn and he hid it on his hands as he finished his sentence. “He was hugging me.”

“ — Anyway, I was telling them about the mirror. Eommeonim, Abeonim, this is Mark Tuan. He's a Ravenclaw too,” Jaehyung introduces.

Mark bows a bit, smiling.

“Hello, Mark. Welcome! Have you eaten breakfast?” his mother asked happily.

“Yes, I have,” Mark muttered, nodding as he sat beside Jaehyung.

“Brian,” his father starts and Brian starts sweating. “We'd like to meet this boy someday. What's his name?”

Brian could very well fall off his chair, “Sungjin… hyung.”

“Sungjin of the Hufflepuff house,” his father looks at his mother. “Send us a letter before you come back home if he's gonna come with you, yeah?”

Brian nodded.

“Well, off you go. The train leaves in thirty and you get to the platform in twenty-five,” his mother said.

They bid goodbye to the parents and hurry out of the house. His father and mother looked at each other.

“Hufflepuff, damn,” his father chuckled.

“I know. He chose from the softest sunshine. Can't wait to meet him. I can already foresee him giving in to that boy's wants and needs. And Brian can be needy too — they need to be rich if they're going to end up together. Brian has half the appetite of a giant and if he gets the Hufflepuff, the Hufflepuff might give him anything he wants. You know where I'm getting, right?”

“Honey, I am a Ravenclaw, of course, I do. Now I’m guessing that after a week together, they'll declare bankruptcy.”

 

~~

They arrived earlier than they expected. The platform was still packed with students who are giving their luggage to the conductors. Brian closely follows Jaehyung and Mark around.

“Kang Bra!~”

Finally. The only reason he was excited about going back to Hogwarts. He turned around and was faced with a familiar round face. He was a bit taller than him now.

“Hey, hyung!” Brian greets.

“How are you — oh, there's Yoongi and Seokjin hyung!” Sungjin points off behind him.

Brian smiles and turns around. Yoongi gave him a pat on the back as a greeting, while Seokjin gave him a low five. Jaehyung and Mark called them to board and they follow the two inside. Sungjin lets them all walk ahead of him, Brian in front of him. The younger, but taller, wizard glanced back at him, just making sure he was still with them.

“What was that, hyung?” Brian questions as Jaehyung found an empty cabin.

“Hm?” hummed Sungjin.

“You were going to ask me something earlier. What was it?” Brian blinked.

They sat side by side, Sungjin next to the door and Brian between him and Yoongi.

“Oh, that was — “

A knock on the door stops Sungjin from speaking again. Sungjin looks up and grins widely before standing up and opening the door to entertain the kid.

“What? Everything okay?” Sungjin softly asks.

“No. I asked you to keep me company just until I get separated,” the boy retorts. “And you left me as soon as we passed through the wall!”

Sungjin laughs a bit and turns back to them, “I'll see you guys later in the Great Hall, yeah? I need to keep him company.”

“Yeah. Oh, and Sungjin!” calls Jaehyung just as Sungjin stepped out of their cabin.

The younger stopped and turned back to them, “Yeah?”

“We don't have classes yet tomorrow. Let's get together, I have something to show you guys,” Jaehyung wiggled his brows.

Brian sighed, rolling his eyes, “Probably something stupid as usual.”

Sungjin chuckled and patted his head once, “You better cheer up when I see you later, Kang Bra.”

Brian nods silently, now frowning as he leaned back on his seat. Sungjin blinks with a frown as well.

“Wonpil, wait a sec,” Sungjin glanced at the boy beside him. The boy, Wonpil, nodded. “Yah, why don't you come with us for a while?”

Brian shook his head in refusal as he leans his back against Yoongi's side. The older looked at him but ignored him. He can't be bothered to tell him off. He's decided against that since Sungjin punched Mark when he pushed Brian to step in front of the mirror in their first year.

“No, I'm tired, I want to sleep,” Brian says, turning his back to them as he closed his eyes.

Sungjin frowned, “Alright, I'll see you later, then. Bye, guys!”

“Bye-bye!” Jaehyung waves and looks at Brian when Seokjin closed the door. “He's gone, you can stop acting now.”

Brian opened his eyes and blinked, eyebrows furrowing, “What? What acting?” He sat up and leaned onto the wall instead.

“Didn't you want to go with him but he has that boy?” Seokjin questioned.

Brian raised a brow, “No. I really am sleepy.”

They figured he was telling the truth when as soon as he leaned unto the wall, he became still and unmoving. He had already fallen asleep. And to think he was excited earlier. Jaehyung guessed it was because of that Wonpil earlier.

 

~~

Brian was woken up by someone shaking him. He stirred a bit before opening his eyes, squinting at the two boys frowning at him.

“Hyung? Hyung, we've arrived,” one of them says.

Brian groans.

“Younghyun? Younghyun!” he heard a familiar voice shout, accompanied by heavy footsteps. They sound like they were running. Seokjin's worried face appeared in front of him. “Younghyun? Yah, wake up, let's go.”

Brian sat up and looked around. When he looked outside of their cabin, he felt his frown slowly deepen, “Where are the others?”

“Jaehyung and Mark are already inside. Yoongi is outside the train, waiting for us. Come on. We need to get these two first-years to Hagrid and have them board the boats,” Seokjin pulls at his wrists carefully.

Brian sighed, “Thank you. What're your names?”

“I'm Im Jaebeom,” the slightly taller one says.

“Park Jinyoung,” the other answered. He, compared to Jaebeom, has softer features, whilst Jaebeom has more prominent ones.

“Thank you. Let's go. Let's get you to the boats. Yoongi, yah,” Brian pulled a smile as they got off the train.

Yoongi nods at him, “Jaehyung hyung and Mark had gone to find Sungjin and Wonpil earlier but they didn't come back. Seokjin hyung and I almost forgot about you too. Sorry about that.”

“Well, at least you guys came back. So still, thank you,” Brian threw an arm around Jaebeom's shoulders as he muttered.

“Sungjin was worried something's happened to you. He wanted to come with us but Wonpil was still unsure about everything so he accompanied him,” Seokjin explains.

Brian kept quiet. They caught Hagrid standing by the dock, the boats which are filled with students still there. He was pointing at each of them, probably counting them.

“Hagrid,” calls Seokjin. “Missing two?”

Hagrid turns and booms, “Yes! There you two are! Come on now. We're late for the ceremony! Blimey, Professor McGonagall's gonna kill me.”

“I got you, Hagrid. Go,” Brian smiled softly as the giant helped both Jaebeom and Jinyoung board onto one of the boats.

He saw Wonpil there too, staring at him. Brian's smile was about to disappear but he fought against it and made it a little wider. He saw worry flash in Wonpil's eyes and he blinked at that. Hagrid thanks them and then goes off to bring the students to the castle. Brian, Seokjin, and Yoongi entered through the gates. They arrived a little bit earlier than the first years. By the time the first years had arrived, McGonagall leading them, they three were just about to enter the Great Hall.

But McGonagall stopped them. She talks to the first-years for a bit, like how she talked to them last year. Then she turns to them, her gaze stern. At that moment, Snape arrives. The Potions master asks to have a word with them in his office, while they were commencing the ceremonies since McGonagall was the one to call out their names. Brian willingly took the fall alone, convincing Snape that Seokjin and Yoongi were only late because they'd done him a favor of waking him up from his deep slumber in the train.

He also said he was responsible for the delay in the arrival of the first years since two of them had also stayed behind to wake him up. He earns an unamused gaze from Snape but at least he let Seokjin and Yoongi go. He followed Snape to his office and stared at the table while Snape scolded his ears off. He nods occasionally, just to let him know he was very well listening to him. And he starts the year for Gryffindors by getting fifty points deducted from their house.

Brian just takes it. He was still upset that his own best friend, Jaehyung, had forgotten about him for some kid that was clingy to Sungjin. Brian just lets it go and decides to not blame anyone. Because if he would have to blame anyone, his thought ends up with Wonpil, for some reason. And he's Sungjin's friend. He doesn't have the heart to hate someone close to Sungjin. So he lets Snape's sharp arrows scathe him. And his sight blurs. And he thinks this was so stupid and embarrassing.

He was not about to cry in front of a professor. He doesn't care if he gets even more degraded by the Potions master, no, screw that. What he was concerned about was that this was such an unbelievable situation he was in. He was angry and at the same time thankful. He was thankful for Seokjin and Yoongi. Especially Yoongi. That Slytherin came back with a Gryffindor, for a Gryffindor. And he was angry because never in his years did he seriously think that Jaehyung would forget about him, just for a new kid. And Brian clenched his jaws and hands.

The door slams open and Brian ignores that. Even when McGonagall's voice shouts, “Park!”

Snape sneers at the newcomer, “What business do you have in here? A Hufflepuff. And you have the heart to be this disrespectful.”

“Professor. Lay off Kang — let him go, it wasn't his fault,” Sungjin says.

Still, Brian ignores. If ever, he feels the urge to cry out of anger now. He appreciates Sungjin being here but he had to make it worse for him. He didn't need to be even more embarrassed. And he can stand up for himself, he just chooses not to because he prioritizes controlling his emotions.

“And whose fault do you suppose it is?” Snape raises a brow at Sungjin.

“It was mine,” oh, Sungjin couldn't have made it worst. What does he have to do with this?

“Yours?” Snape questions incredulously.

“I told our friends to leave him,” Sungjin answers. Brian doesn't care anymore at that point. “It was supposed to be a prank.”

Snape looked like he doesn't believe a thing that was coming out of the Hufflepuff's mouth. Even McGonagall, who stood by the entrance, watched the scene before her. Because for one, this is a Hufflepuff. Both professors know he was lying and they'd never thought a Hufflepuff would lie so openly. Still —

“Fifty points from Hufflepuff. Both of you are to serve detention tomorrow night,” Snape snaps.

Both Brian and Sungjin nod affirmatively. Snape lets them go and McGonagall lets them leave the office. Brian walked briskly, Sungjin jogging to grab at his wrist to stop him in the middle of some empty hallway. Brian breaks a little, some tears falling straight to the floor. He refused to look at the older's eyes.

“Kang Bra? Yah. Yah, I'm sorry,” Sungjin steps in front of him and puts a hand on the back of his head, pulling it to his shoulder as his other hand rubs his back.

“Don't apologize,” Brian croaks out.

Sungjin keeps quiet then. He stays there with him, just rubbing his back.

“I can't believe — I can't believe Jaehyung hyung forgot about me,” Brian sobs a bit. He was biting down on his lip, eyes shut close tightly to prevent himself from fully sobbing.

Sungjin still stays quiet.

“His best friend of eleven years, forgotten for a new kid,” Brian continues mumbling.

He felt Sungjin's fingers thread through his hair and gently massage his scalp.

“He didn't forget you,” Sungjin said.

“Then what?” Brian bitterly spat.

“He got smitten,” Sungjin truthfully answers. “My best friend, Wonpil, got him wrapped around his finger a few minutes after he and Mark joined us in our cabin.”

Brian grips Sungjin's robes and pushed him back from him. A very vulnerable sob escapes his lips and he tossed his back, face contorting to relax as he gives in.

“He left me — “

“He didn't. He was worried sick when he remembered you and he kept beating himself up on the way to the castle. He kept on looking back to see if you were catching up with Seokjin hyung and Yoongi. He's probably still worried until now. He just forgot about you but he was willing to go back. But Seokjin hyung assured him they'd come for you instead. Jaehyung's a Ravenclaw but you gotta admit some parts of his brain have a bit of moss on it,” Sungjin said.

Brian opens his eyes and sees the ceiling. Sungjin's diss on Jaehyung stuck to him and he smiled, chuckling softly to himself. “Yeah, you're right.”

“Cheer up, okay?” Sungjin grabs his head back down and wipes his tears. “I told you frowning doesn't suit you, what more if you're crying? Jaehyung will let you hex him for your forgiveness.”

“Hm, I wasn't holding a grudge on anyone. I was just upset,” Brian sighed as he took over Sungjin's thumbs over his eyes.

Sungjin smiled, “Let's go?”

Brian nods and they walk side by side towards the Great Hall. Sungjin had laughed out loud when Brian's stomach growled loudly at some point when they were on the way. Brian laughs along with him, just because Sungjin's laugh sounds so beautiful and cute to him. And Brian was bubbly again. Their little merry trip to the Great Hall was cut short by screams. Sungjin had instantly run off to see what the commotion was about. Brian follows closely.

They stop by the entrance of the Great Hall, freezing in surprise for a second at the sight of the back of a troll. It was holding a wooden club in its right hand. Brian watched it slowly raise its hand, about to swing its wooden club around. And Brian digs in his robe to hastily pull his wand out. He saw in his peripheral vision that Sungjin did the same. They pointed at the troll and cast at the same time —

“Stupefy!”

“Wingardium Leviosa!”

A beam shoots out from Brian's wand and hits the troll on its head. From Sungjin's wand, the charm graces off from the tip and takes the wooden club from the troll's hand since if it would fall, it would hit the students on the Gryffindor table. It levitates and Sungjin slowly and carefully puts it down on the ground. All eyes flicked over to them, most of the students' mouths hang open in surprise.

“Well, great start to our second year, am I right?” Sungjin grins at Brian.

Brian sighed, “I am so tired already, I’m going to sleep in tomorrow until our detention.”

Sungjin grins wider, “Let's go together.”

The professors took the troll out of the castle while Sungjin and Brian walked towards their house tables, eyes cast downward or on the other, occasionally. And they would suppress a chuckle whenever they meet eyes. They sit back-to-back and ignore the eyes set on them, choosing to focus on getting at least a single decent thing in their day — a satisfying dinner to help them get another decent thing — a good night's sleep.

---

 

Special

“Brian!” Jaehyung whines for the nth time that day in their new hang-out place — a room known as the Room of Requirement. Merlin knows how he got it to reveal itself. “I'm really sorry! I promise I didn't mean to leave you there! Yah!”

Brian sighed, “I said, it's okay! I already forgave you! What else do you want?”

“Are you mad? I'm sorry,” Jaehyung says.

“I'm not mad. I'm just upset, but that's over, I'm over it,” Brian replies.

“Are you sure you're not mad? Because your eyebrows are furrowed. Are you sure you're just upset — “

“I will be mad if you ask one more time if I'm mad.”

Sungjin giggles intensely at the continuing banter between them. The others were still watching, entertained. The new member of their little group, Wonpil, just looked at who would speak.

“I said I'm sorry! What do you want me to do?” Jaehyung stomps his feet.

A knife magically appears on the table in front of Brian and he grabs it, glaring at his best friend, “I want you to shut up.”

Jaehyung makes an action of zipping his mouth and earns laughter from everyone.

“Wah, Younghyun was set on killing you, the Room actually gave him a weapon when he can already use his wand,” Seokjin laughs.

Jaehyung raises his hands in surrender and the knife disappears from Brian's hand.

“So you and Sungjin hyung are going to attend detention from Professor Snape tonight?” Wonpil softly asks.

He was sorted into Slytherin and everyone had wondered why that was when he was such a ray of sunshine. Mark thought he'd be in Hufflepuff with Sungjin since they were both so smiley. Sungjin let them know that Wonpil is ambitious. That was his strongest trait so he was more of a Slytherin than a Hufflepuff. But they still think he can be a Hufflepuff.

Brian leaned back on his chair and sighed, “Yeah. Three hours, I guess? Hyung?”

Sungjin leaned back as well and shrugged, “Depends on what Snape says.”

The door to the room suddenly opens and they thought it was a professor, when a hushed voice yells.

“I told you, I roamed the castle last night! It's my mission to explore every nook and cranny — “

The Gryffindors stopped and looked at them, surprised. The one who was whispering has round, sparkling eyes. But Brian thinks it was nothing compared to Sungjin's. The other had smaller eyes, resembling that of a dragon's. And he looked so done with his friend when he glanced at him.

“Hello,” the whispering one greets.

“Hey,” they all greeted back simultaneously.

Sungjin giggles a bit to himself and stands up, tapping Brian on his shoulder. Brian stands up as well. They both get to the Gryffindors, Sungjin letting Brian get between them and throw each of his arms on their shoulders.

“What are your names?” Brian smiles at them.

The one on his left beams, “Jackson Wang! Nice to meet you — hey, it was you two!”

Brian frowns then and looks at Sungjin, who looked at their friends and back to Jackson, “What?”

“He's saying it was the two of you from last night, the ones who knocked the troll out,” Jackson's friend answers. “I'm Kim Namjoon. We're both first-years.”

“Oh!” Sungjin laughed. “Nice to meet you, then. Please forget about the troll incident.”

“Why? That was so cool!” Jackson whines.

“Well, it was embarrassing for us and we choose not to elaborate on it,” Brian said when Jackson was about to protest. “Come sit with us. Let's hang out.”

Sungjin introduces the rest of the group. Jackson was in awe of how the Slytherins in the group were different from the other students. The Slytherin that Jackson had first met let him know he knows curses so he should stay out of his way. Yoongi had asked for a name or an appearance description to give him a piece from his own arsenal of curses. Seokjin had told him to stop and he only rolled his eyes.

Yoongi, from the start of their first year, had already voiced out how he hates Slytherins who think they're above everyone else. Rumors on his first year that he once hexed a senior and as a result, some Slytherins fear him. Everyone knows him as someone who is friends with students from the other houses; as someone close with a Gryffindor.

Yoongi could care less, lesser than he does — no, he doesn't care at all. Seokjin had reprimanded him, telling him to respect his seniors more, no matter how wicked they are. But that was just for show. When they were alone, Seokjin had commended him and asked for a full narration of the event.

“Yah, Jackson. There are Ravenclaws here, ask if they know that one boy. I heard there's one guy from Ravenclaw who knows everyone,” Namjoon whispers.

“I heard my house. How can I be of service?” Jaehyung entertains, Mark rolls his eyes at him.

“No, it's nothing,” Jackson smiled, waving a hand dismissively and hisses to his friend. “Namjoon!”

“He has a crush on this one first-year from our house but he's too much of a coward to ask his name,” Namjoon easily reveals.

“Oh?” Mark grins. “Right off the bat? You're easy for a Gryffindor.”

“Yah!” Jackson points at him and remembers he was a senior. “Yah, hyung!”

Brian raised a brow and chuckled at him.

“Yeah, cause that was more respectful,” Wonpil scoffs to himself.

Brian looked at the younger and gave him a lopsided grin. Wonpil smiled. He had voiced out how he was a bit scared of Brian because of some personal reasons that Sungjin had oddly nodded in agreement to. It also seemed that Wonpil was choosing his words carefully while Sungjin stares him down from where he sat across him, beside Brian. Sungjin looked satisfied when Wonpil finished voicing out his concern and it also seems like he was more relaxed after that so Brian decided it was none of his business if Wonpil got to say what he wanted to.

He was contemplating whether or not he should make Sungjin stop staring at his best friend but Wonpil still seemed a lot better at the end so he decided against it. Brian assured him they were okay, that they were on good terms. And for some reason, that was what Wonpil wanted to hear. Maybe he thought he took Jaehyung from him last night on the train and now he must serve detention because of that. Brian thinks that was the only plausible explanation.

He has no idea about what Wonpil really wanted to say — that he wants Brian to like him because everything special to Sungjin is special to him as well.

“Well, what does he look like?” Jaehyung asks as he leans to the table like a councilor.

“He has small eyes and two moles on his left eyelid,” Namjoon answers for Jackson.

Jaehyung blinks as he thinks. Meanwhile, Brian raised his brows.

“Hey! I know that boy!” Brian declares.

“Really?” Jackson's eyes sparkle as he looked at him, excited.

“Yeah! He was the one who woke me up last night on the train!” Brian says. “He was with his friend that time.”

“What's his name? Do you know?” Sungjin questions.

“The boy with twin moles is Jaebeom. His friend is Jinyoung,” Brian answers. “I'll tell him about you when I see him.”

“What? No! No, don't tell him about me!” Jackson whines.

“How is he supposed to know you like him?” Yoongi says.

“He doesn't need to know!” Jackson replies. “I just want to know his name and now I do! Mission accomplished!”

“You're pretty coward for a Gryffindor,” Mark remarks.

“Yah, you don't know me, you don't know Jaebeom, and you have no idea what he looks like,” Jackson sneers at him.

Mark only shrugs with a grin, “I don't know your type, too, so what do I know, maybe he's not that cute.”

Jackson squinted his eyes at him while the others laughed.

“No, he's cute,” Brian says and Sungjin looks at him with raised brows.

“Really?” Jaehyung entertains, sharing a knowing look with Mark.

“Yeah — wait, no. Jinyoung is cute, Jaebeom is the handsome one. He got strong features,” Brian corrects as he remembered what the two boys look like.

Wonpil hums, “So, on a scale of Jaebeom to Jinyoung, where does Sungjin hyung stand?”

Jaehyung hi-fives him, commending him, “Good one!”

Brian felt his ears burn while Sungjin warns his friend. “Oh, no, he's doesn't stand anywhere between them.”

“What? Why not?” Seokjin grins.

“He's way beyond those two. You're asking for a measurement? Then I can't give you even an approximate one,” Brian says, Sungjin facepalms with a shy grin on his lips.

“So you're saying Sungjin hyung looks way better than both Jinyoung or Jaebeom?” Namjoon raises a brow.

“Right on,” Brian winks at him and receives a nudge on the shoulder from the Hufflepuff.

“Stop it, will you?” Sungjin chuckles.

“What? In our first year, I've seen a lot of students around, and maybe I've seen everyone during dinner last night, and you alone stand out for me — “

“I said stop, Kang Bra. You don't have to flatter me — “

“I'm not, I'm telling the truth — “

“May I contribute something here?” Jaehyung clears his throat. “Don't flirt when you're with every one, take it somewhere else.”

“We're not flirting, what are you saying?” Brian laughs.

“Shut up, we'll know when you're flirting. We are in the Room of Requirement — oh, there it is,” Jaehyung points behind them with his hand.

A bed magically appeared and Brian and Sungjin sprung up from their chairs to leave. The rest of the group followed.

“It just appeared because I wanted to sleep,” Yoongi muttered beside Seokjin, and the older laughs.

“No, it's because these two are flirting,” Jaehyung insisted.

“If the bed were for them, it should have appeared while they were flirting, not after, when you had butted in,” Yoongi points out.

“Hate to bust your ego, Jaehyung, but Yoongi's right. That bed might be for him,” Mark says and Jaehyung glares at him.

“Or me. You know I love to sleep, I even got left behind on the train last night,” Brian mumbles.

“You said you've forgiven me!” Jaehyung turns to him.

“That was just to trick the Room, you dumbo, it had already given me another weapon besides a wand to take care of you! I prevented a murder by self-control and you better be thankful,” Brian snaps.

Sungjin laughs out loud and clings onto him from behind, throwing his arms around his neck. Wonpil watched him and smiled.

“Oh, that's Jaebeom! Jaebeom, yah! I want you to meet someone!” Brian calls, raising his hand to wave the boy over.

“Oh, he is not the cute one,” Mark mutters.

“Hey, you're Gryffindor too!” Brian beams and then looks at his friend, Jinyoung.

The boy now scowls at him, compared to last night when he looked at him with soft features. Jinyoung had seen Brian look at the green crest by his robes and he already expects him to —

“Hey, we got another Slytherin-Gryffindor tandem! See, Yoongi! You're not the only Slytherin with a good heart! There are three of you now!” Brian says.

“Oh, him? A good heart?” Jaebeom scoffs before pushing Jinyoung aside. “No.”

“I will hex you!” Jinyoung sneers.

“I know some hexes, wanna try them on him?” Mark smirked.

Jinyoung looks at him and then at Brian, ignoring him. Jaehyung laughs at Mark.

“So, hyung, who did you want me to meet?” Jaebeom up smiles a bit at him.

“Accio broom,” they hear Jackson whisper, discreetly pointing his wand out the large gaps of the hallways.

Brian flicks his wand to the side when a broom came flying to them, flinging the broom somewhere else and grabs Jackson's robes. He put him in a headlock and grins widely at Jaebeom.

“This is Jackson,” he says.

Sungjin sighed, “Kang Bra, that's not how you introduce someone.”

He takes Jackson from him and makes him stand up straight. He pats at his shoulders, taking off the invisible dust from them, and fixes his hair a bit. Then Sungjin looks at Jaebeom.

“This is Jackson, he thinks you're either cute or handsome — “

“Hyung!” barks Jackson.

Jaebeom blinked as Sungjin runs giggling to Namjoon to hide behind him since Namjoon was a bit bigger and taller than him. He looks at Jackson who looked so embarrassed now. He smiled.

“I know you,” he says and Jackson's head snaps up to him.

“You do?” Jaebeom sees Namjoon roll his eyes on the back.

“Yeah. You were on the Quidditch try-outs earlier. You're good, I hope you get in,” Jaebeom nods.

Jackson blinks a few times, “Weren't you trying out for chaser, too?”

“Yeah, I was, but I don't think I did well,” Jaebeom shrugged.

“You did awful, hyung,” Jinyoung mutters from beside him.

Jaebeom pulls his wand out and points it at him, muttering a spell that sent him flying to the wall. Mark quickly retaliates, pointing it at Jinyoung. A charm catches him and stops him from hitting the wall.

“Oh, you're good!” Wonpil remarked.

“Pft, that was just a simple spell,” Jaehyung waves dismissively and leans to Wonpil. “He is, but don't inflate his ego more than it already is.”

Wonpil giggles and nods. Sungjin smiles at them from the side. And he thinks, maybe it's not just Jaehyung who got smitten.

“Hyung?” Seokjin wonders out loud.

“I'm born in January,” smiles Jaebeom. “He's born in September, but we're the same year.”

“Oh, like Sungjin hyung,” Wonpil says.

“Oh, well, in that case, you can drop the honorifics with me!” Brian said. “I'm born in December.”

“Okay, what was your name?” Jaebeom questioned.

“We don't know anyone's name. Except for that Jackson,” Jinyoung mutters to him. “And that Kang Bra.”

Sungjin giggles, “He wants you to call him Younghyun. I'm Sungjin.”

“Why can't we call him Kang Bra too?” Jinyoung raised a brow.

“Because he will hex you. The only people who call him Brian are me and Sungjin and he must fight the urge to hex me, his best friend, every day,” Jaehyung answers.

“A fact,” nods Brian.

“But why Sungjin hyung?” Jinyoung points at the Hufflepuff.

“I call him Kang Bra,” Sungjin said.

“It still has a portion of his name Brian in it, and not a single portion from Younghyun,” Namjoon pointed out.

“I don't know why he lets me call him that, too,” Sungjin shrugged.

“You want my opinion? I say you're special to Younghyun,” Seokjin speaks up.

“Honestly, I have only been with you hyungs for less than a day and I figured that out ten minutes in,” Namjoon said.

“Again, Namjoon, you should have been in Ravenclaw. How are you a Gryffindor?” Jackson frowns at him.

“Oh?” Mark and Jaehyung face him, interested.

“Let's just say,” Namjoon took a deep breath. “The Sorting Hat knows everything.”

“Anyway, let's go to the Quidditch Pitch!” Jaehyung says, grabbing Mark to walk alongside him.

The others follow. Sungjin grabs Brian's robes and pulls him back, letting the rest of them walk ahead. Brian frowned and looked down at the older.

“Hyung? Something wrong?” Brian asked.

“Nothing. It made me think about it now. Why do you let me call you like I do, but you hate it when someone else does?” Sungjin looked up at him as they followed the rest of the group.

Brian hums lengthily, looking at the small crowd in front of them, and watches Jaebeom poke Jackson on his shoulder. Jaebeom makes a gesture with his hand to come to him and Jackson lags in walking a bit to match Jaebeom's pace. Jinyoung had been preoccupied with Wonpil. Namjoon blends in with Yoongi and Seokjin. Brian then looks back at Sungjin who was still staring up at him with those round, shiny eyes.

“I don't know. It just… It just feels right. You calling me Younghyun or Brian just sounds… wrong now. It's like — “ Brian stops and stares ahead into space, eyes a bit wide as he does.

Sungjin frowns and stops as well, looking in the direction where Brian was looking and then back to him when he found nothing interesting. He lets their friends walk further away to wait for Brian to snap back. Brian gulped and blinked a few times before looking at him and grinning widely.

“Maybe Seokjin hyung was right,” Brian mutters, avoiding Sungjin's eyes. “Maybe you are special.”

“Maybe?” Sungjin raised a brow. Brian peeks at him. “Why maybe? Why aren't you sure? Am I special to you? Yes or no?”

Brian blinked slowly at him. Sungjin grips his wrist to keep him with him.

“Kang Bra, yes or no?” Sungjin repeats.

Brian realizes it's always wrong to look into Sungjin's eyes whenever he wants to know something because — “Yes,” his mouth answers involuntarily.

Sungjin's face brightens up instantly as he smiles, “You are to me, too.”

Brian feels his face burn and he looks away, “Hm, let's go, we've lost them.”

They sprinted out to the Quidditch Pitch, where their friends were crowded at the center of it. They approach them and figures out they were surrounding a Hufflepuff who looked like a first-year too. Sungjin pushes his way in and smiles at the fellow Hufflepuff. He smiles back and now beams, waving a hand at him.

“Hello!”

Sungjin grins, “Are they bothering you?”

“No…?” the boy questions more than answers.

Sungjin gives them a small glare, but enough to make Jinyoung take a small step back. “What did they do?”

“I was alone until they arrived. And they just stared at me until he — “ he points at Jaehyung, “ — approached me. And they all followed him. And he was asking me a lot of questions — “

The boy cuts it short when Sungjin glared strongly at Jaehyung. The boy waves his hands when Jaehyung hides behind Mark.

“But that was all!” the boy adds. “They didn't do anything else! Oh, he told them to leave me alone!” Now he was pointing at Yoongi.

“Yah, yah, I was doing you a favor. Jaehyung hyung is annoying and — “

“I'm saying it as a good thing. Thank you for that!” the boy smiles widely at the Slytherin.

Yoongi blinked.

“What's your name?” Seokjin asks with a small smile.

“Jung Hoseok!” the boy beamed, eyes disappearing as he grins widely, his lips resembling a heart.

“Where are your friends?” Namjoon inquires.

The boy's grin reduced to a soft smile, “I don't have any friends yet. Everyone seems like they have their own group already and I don't want to — “

“Join us!” Brian cuts him off happily. “My name is Kang Younghyun, the leader. This is Park Sungjin hyung, my right-hand man.”

“Yah! I'm your best friend! I should be your right-hand man! And why do you get to be the leader?!” Jaehyung protests at once.

“You left me sleeping on the train — “

“You said you forgive me! When will you really do?!” Jaehyung says.

“Anyway, welcome!” Brian throws his arms out to his sides. And then he turns to Sungjin. “We have another Hufflepuff! No one is going to be alone now!”

Sungjin grins and facepalms, “Nice to meet you, Hoseok-ah. You can approach any of us if you're alone and you see us along the hallways.”

Hoseok nods with a grin. Seokjin nudges Yoongi had been staring at the new boy with his eyes squinted.

“You look like you're planning his murder,” Namjoon whispers to Yoongi.

“He's so ing bright — it's annoying,” Yoongi sneers.

“Just because you're so dark. Maybe he'll light up your dark world,” Seokjin chuckles when Namjoon snorted beside him. Yoongi scoffs at him.

 

~~

Brian hears his heart hammer in his chest as he stared at the stains on the clear vial that he was cleaning. Their detention with Snape was to clean potion bottles and vials on one shelf. Snape had left a few minutes ago, saying he had an errand to do. Brian had a slip of tongue, incredulously pointing out that it was already night. Sungjin had snorted beside him and Snape just looked stoically at them before leaving after snapping at them to get to work. So now, they were alone, and Sungjin kept looking at him from where he stood a few inches from him.

“You know, I still want to know how you are doing, disregarding the incident last night,” Sungjin suddenly spoke. “I kept getting interrupted.”

“Oh, was that what you wanted to ask when we saw each other at the Platform?” Brian grinned.

“Yeah, well,” Sungjin shrugged. “Also the reason why I forgot I had company.”

“Well, I would have said that I was ecstatic to see you again, hyung,” Brian giggles. “Not gonna lie, I missed you over the summer break. Oh, how about you come over to our house this break? Of course, if you want to and if your parents allow you. Yah, let's ask the others too! My parents would like to meet everyone! Oh, and hyung! I told my parents that I saw you in that mirror last year and they said they wanted to meet you!

“But, besides that, I just lazed around in the house, I had nothing better to do. Jaehyung hyung comes over every day but even then, we still just lie around my room until it's time to eat or if we get hungry. My parents are gone for almost the whole day and Jaehyung's too. So we have to cook food for ourselves. I'm lazy but I like to cook sometimes.

“But of course, Jaehyung hyung must really force me or convince me to cook. What about you? How was your summer? Oh, tell me how Wonpil was when he got his letter. Because I wasn't that excited when I got mine. Is he your only friend back home? Or is there someone else? Because I only got Jaehyung hyung around my neighborhood.”

Sungjin laughs, “Wah, Kang Bra. Can you repeat all of that? I didn't quite catch it all.”

Brian was willing to repeat it, slowly and clearer this time, but Sungjin stopped him, telling him he was only kidding. Sungjin giggled when he saw Brian stare at him in awe.

“What?” Sungjin grins. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

“You have the stars in your eyes,” says Brian, making his grin widen and he looks away.

“I'll owl my parents tomorrow and see if they let me. I'd be glad to go, but I'm scared how your parents would think of me — “

“Oh, nonsense! They'll love you! After all, I love you — “

“I'm not done, I didn't cut you off when it was your turn, now, did I?” Sungjin sent him a smirk.

Brian zipped his mouth and gestured him to continue. Sungjin giggled.

“As I was saying, if my parents let me, then I'll go. And it would be nice to be with everyone over the summer break. It'll let us get to know each other. And Wonpil? When he got his letter, he could have made rainbows explode around wherever he went. He was so happy that Dowoon and I didn't know what to do with him. Dowoon's a friend of ours, too. We're three, been together since I don't know. Probably just as long as you and Jaehyung,” Sungjin continued and looks over at Brian, raising a brow to signal him that he could speak.

Brian's face brightens up, “Dowoon? I hope he gets his letter soon. Why don't you bring him with you to our house?”

“Okay, I'll ask his parents too. Wonpil's parents trust me, if my parents allow me, they automatically allow Wonpil, so my parents are kinda hard to convince because it's two for one,” Sungjin smiled. “Dowoon should be getting his letter over summer.”

“Oh, terrific,” grins Brian. “What are you doing with that?”

“What?” Sungjin questions.

“Why are you sniffing it?” Brian pauses on wiping the mouth of the potion bottle he was holding to turn to the older.

“It smells good,” Sungjin puts the bottle to his nose and Brian inhales cautiously. “Smells like you.”

“Oh, it does smell good,” Brian nods. “But it smells like you, though?”

Sungjin frowned and sniffed at it again, “No, it smells like you — chocolate and linen sheets.”

Brian grabs Sungjin's hand and puts the mouth of the bottle to his nose. He inhales again, “It smells like the kitchens and — “ he leans to Sungjin and sniffs, “ — your sweater.”

“My sweater? Why would — “

And suddenly, they felt pressure on top of their heads. It made them face forwards and Brian glanced at Sungjin, preventing a snort from coming out as he sees Sungjin blink a couple of times, surprised.

“No. Flirting. In. Detention,” Snape sneers. “And clean that up already.”

The professor walks to his desk and smirks to himself, shaking his head a bit. The bottle had a drop of pink fluid in it.

---

 

Perspectives

Seokjin Yoongi was right. Hoseok was annoying. He was too bright for Yoongi's liking. Yoongi doesn't know why but he was always the one Hoseok catches in the corridors whenever he's alone. Yoongi had tried glaring at him once but the Hufflepuff still followed him around the castle. He didn't speak, just there smiling and sometimes staring at him for a few seconds. Yoongi wonders why he was still aware of Hoseok's presence even when he wasn't saying or doing anything. Just there existing beside him.

Yoongi stopped glaring at him after a week. And since then, Hoseok would try starting a conversation. Yoongi would just be nodding or answering in one word. Still, it satisfies Hoseok. However, two weeks after that, it suddenly stopped. Yoongi was curious where Hoseok had gone. Until one day, they crossed paths and the Hufflepuff only smiled at him as a greeting, passing him by. Yoongi had stopped dead in his tracks and wondered what had happened. Hoseok didn't have any company at that time.

The next time, the same thing happened. Yoongi let it go on for a week and had had enough after that. The next time they had crossed paths, he was the one who approached the Hufflepuff. Hoseok wasn't smiling that time, just had a fresh expression on him. And when Yoongi had approached him silently, he had smiled a bit. He had said 'hi' as a greeting. Yoongi had asked him if there was a problem, why he suddenly stopped talking to him. Hoseok replied that he thinks Yoongi doesn't want to talk to him, or merely doesn't like his presence. Yoongi had raised a brow at him.

“Hobi, I would tell you straight ahead if I don't like you,” Yoongi had let him know.

Hoseok was surprised at the sudden nickname, Yoongi just said 'Hoseok' was too long. Hoseok had beamed at that and they had spent the rest of their time together.

On the other side of the group, Jaehyung had been wondering why Mark was the one who was bothering Jinyoung when in his three years in Hogwarts, it was always Slytherins who bother people. Well, he was in no place to wonder about that too much. Mark would have this certain time when he would look for Jinyoung just to annoy him with his presence. Jaehyung would be left alone then and he'd go to the library to read some books to pass time. Sometimes, they'd find Wonpil and Jinyoung together. Mark and Jaehyung would always come to a mutual decision to annoy the two Slytherins.

Well, Jinyoung was the only one who gets annoyed. Wonpil would ride along with Jaehyung's shenanigans. They would always have parted at some point, forgetting that they have their friend from the same house with them. It was always all laughs with Jaehyung and Wonpil, while with Mark and Jinyoung, it would always be threats of hexes. Jinyoung's had enough one day and just lets the Ravenclaw rant away. He'd reply at some point, bore lacing his voice.

“Can I just say something? For a Ravenclaw, you're really annoying and noisy.”

Mark would always dismiss it and find a way to further entertain the Slytherin. Jinyoung would always admit at the end of the day that Mark had succeeded in entertaining him.

When Seokjin wasn't with Yoongi, he'd always find another Gryffindor just standing on the Wooden Bridge, leaning on the rail as he stares far away. Seokjin would always approach him and stand beside him, just leaning quietly as well. They'd both silently enjoy the cold wind and the scenario together. Sometimes, Seokjin would spark a small conversation, sometimes Namjoon does. And it would always lead to another and next thing they know, they're laughing their asses off at something even they don't know about. Maybe it was something the other had said.

Seokjin finds out, during those times, how Namjoon is such a disaster with his degree of clumsiness. Once, he had to struggle holding onto him when Namjoon had accidentally leaned out the railing too much and nearly fell on the ravine. A Ravenclaw caught them and cast a spell to help Seokjin pull Namjoon up since the spell had made him lighter. Seokjin had scolded Namjoon then to be more careful.

“It will never be the Titanic between us!” Seokjin had said.

Again, they had just laughed the incident off and agreed to not let anyone know about it. Sometimes, they'd talk about their group of friends and certain pairings. Most of the time, it would be Sungjin and Brian.

It was just chaos with Jaebeom and Jackson. When they get together, they'd always go to the Quidditch Pitch and they'd always find it empty. They'd sit together in the middle. But when one of them is sad or under the weather, they'd stay at the benches. Sometimes, they would agree to bring a broom and they'd hover around the Pitch, just feeling the wind and appreciating the scenery. Jaebeom would always get poetic about the scenery, describing it and including what he feels at that moment. Jackson would always keep quiet and stare at the older, watching him talk so passionately. He finds that side of Jaebeom attractive endearing.

When they're on the bench, they'd always try to cheer the other up after they talk about their concerns. It would always end up with them laughing loudly amidst the silence of the Pitch. And they'd always feel lighter after so they always end up moving down to the field as soon as the other was okay. Jaebeom thinks there will never be a dull moment with Jackson; Jackson thinks that he doesn't have anything to hide with Jaebeom. Jackson also thinks Jaebeom had forgotten about how Sungjin had introduced him, but Jaebeom always kept that in mind. And now Jaebeom wonders what Jackson sees in him and if he still likes him.

“How nice would it be to duel in a spacious space like this instead of inside the school?” Jackson had once wondered.

They ended up having a dueling practice then and McGonagall had caught them, landing them with detention with her that night.

---

 

Minds (Summer Break)

“Eomma, Appa! My friends are gonna come over for the summer break,” Brian starts.

“Oh?” his father looked at him after glancing at his mother.

“What about Sungjin-ssi? Is he coming along?” his mom questioned.

Brian sighed with a smile, “Yes, Eomma. He is. Jaehyung hyung is picking them up from the station. Why do you even want to meet Sungjin hyung?”

Brian sat on the chair when his father ushered him. He folded the newspaper and threw it aside before leaning to the table. His father sighed, his mother sitting beside him.

“Brian, you don't know what that mirror does, don't you?” his father started.

Brian frowned, “No. I'd like to know now. What's the deal with that mirror?”

“And we assume no one's told you?” his mother added.

“No. Can you tell me what it does?” Brian blinked.

His father takes his glasses off, “Younghyun-ah.”

Brian felt nervous now. They only ever call him by that name when they're serious or concerned.

“What do you think that mirror shows?”

Brian stares at the table for a couple of seconds, “The future?”

His father raised a brow.

“Oh, wait. But Jaehyung hyung saw himself laughing hysterically…” Brian trailed.

“Younghyun, that mirror shows you what you desire,” his mother softly said. “Did you see an inscription on the top?”

“Yeah, it's like an old language or something. I didn't understand it,” Brian nodded.

His father whips his wand out and writes out on the air. Brian sees the red letters float and read: Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi.

“Does it look like this?” his father questions.

“Yeah!” Brian nods.

His father waves his wand across it and Brian watches it rearrange backward and form a sentence: I show not your face but your heart's desire.

Brian blinked, head tilting, “So — “

“It shows what we desire, whether we know it or not,” his father says.

“Do you get it now?” his mother softly asks.

“But-but wait! Sungjin hyung said he saw me smiling. Does that mean — “ Brian looked at his parents and stopped, surprised. He gulped. “He wants me to be happy?”

His father shrugged, “Simple as that.”

The doorbell rings and then the door was thrown open unceremoniously.

“Brian! Eommeonim, Abeonim! We're here!” Jaehyung declares out loud.

His father smiled at him before following his mother to the front door to greet the boys. Brian remained frozen in his seat, staring at the space. He heard soft greetings and introductions from the door and then the boys were crowding in the living room. He felt two pats on his head and he blinked.

“Kang Bra? Are you okay?” Sungjin very softly asks.

Brian looked up at him and smiled, “Yeah. Hey, welcome! Are you guys hungry or have you eaten dinner already?”

“Hungry or not, Sungjin hyung gladly accepts the food offered to him,” an unfamiliar boy mumbles beside Wonpil.

Brian stands up, beaming, “You must be Dowoon! I'm Younghyun!”

Dowoon nods and bows a bit, “I know.”

“Dowoon,” Sungjin warns.

“Yah, Bri. The others are tired from the ride. Should we hang out tomorrow?” Jaehyung speaks up.

“Yeah, it's okay. Better you guys rest,” nods Brian.

“Brian?” his mother calls from the kitchen.

Brian sighed and gave Jaehyung a look, “Jaehyung hyung knows where the guest room is.”

Jaehyung ushers the rest of them to follow him upstairs, taking Sungjin's bag from him and telling him to stay. Sungjin frowned, watching the rest of their gang go upstairs. Dowoon smirks at him behind Wonpil. Brian his lips and turns to him.

“So, remember I told you how my parents want to meet you?” he mutters.

“Yeah. Oh — now?” Sungjin blinked a few times.

“I can convince them to talk to you tomorrow if you're too tired,” Brian says.

“No, it's okay. I won't be able to sleep if we push it tomorrow,” Sungjin ran his hands through his hair, exposing his forehead, and Brian thinks the hair was what was making him cute because when he had pushed his hair back, he didn't fit the definition of cute anymore.

“Sure, hyung?” Brian frowned.

Sungjin chuckled, tapping his chin up gently with his finger, “Yeah, cheer up. How many times do I have to tell you? A frown doesn't suit you.”

“Younghyun-ah?”

Brian snapped his head towards the entrance of their kitchen and saw his father leaning against the divider, arms crossed and eyebrow raised.

“Uh — uh, Appa — “

Sungjin puts on a bright smile on his face as he approached his father. He stands in front of him and bows politely before introducing himself. Even when his father had stoically stared him down, his smiley façade didn't crack. His father looked at him and Brian jogs over, following them into the kitchen. He and Sungjin sat side by side, Brian nervous and Sungjin… excited?

“So, you're Sungjin?” his father starts.

“Yes, Abeonim,” Sungjin answers.

“A Hufflepuff, huh?” his father kind of sneered and it reminded the boys of Snape.

Sungjin's smile falters and a different look overtakes his face, “Abeonim, with all due respect, I would appreciate it if you won't invade my mind.”

Brian gets upset and he glares at his father. Sungjin holds his arm.

“How did you know?” his mother asked.

“My parents are skilled Legilimens. They taught me Occlumency and by the time I got my letter, I might as well be considered an accomplished Occlumens,” Sungjin replied, thumb rubbing Brian's arm gently to calm him down. “Additionally, it's not just Occlumency they taught me. I might not be as skilled as them, but I can still — “

“Are you saying you can and will perform Legilimency on me or his mother?” his father raised a brow, an attempt to overthrow Sungjin's confidence.

But alas, it didn't. Brian watched them, scared and confused. But he was ready to jump between them to stop whatever might break out. Sungjin let the right side of his lips curl up a bit into a smirk before answering.

“Well, if there's one thing anyone should know about me, and I might as well say it because you would still ask me to tell me something about myself — “ Sungjin grins for a while when Brian's father narrowed his eyes at him. “ — it's that, I would never question myself being a Hufflepuff, nor would I look down at the said house. And let me tell you, Abeonim, not even a single Gryffindor is prouder than someone proud of their house.”

The kitchen went silent for a moment, just Sungjin and his father staring each other down. And Brian was slowly starting to think that this was such a bad idea. He was starting to doubt that his parents will like Sungjin. Sungjin was such a burst of sunshine, that Brian was surprised the Sungjin beside him wasn't the Sungjin hyung he usually knows.

“If I could say one more thing, Kang Bra is getting scared and nervous,” Sungjin adds. And the Sungjin hyung that Brian knows comes back.

His father chuckled, eyes flicking to the clock for a second, “It's getting late, you should get to bed. We'll get to know you while you're here.”

“Wait,” Brian speaks up after being silent for practically the whole conversation between Sungjin and his father. He looks at Sungjin, “So have you been reading minds all this time? Even mine?”

Sungjin sees the betrayal in the younger's eyes, “No! No, I don't. I haven't been reading anyone's mind.”

“Hyung, tell me the truth,” Brian demands.

Sungjin sighed, “Kang Bra if I had been reading your mind, I wouldn't have asked you to tell me the truth about what you had seen in the mirror in our first year. I could have just read your mind. I wouldn't have forced you to answer whether I was special to you or not, I could have just read your mind. But no, I asked you. I'm not just going around reading minds. I haven't been using Occlumency, either. And right now, I could just use Legilimency on you to convince you but here we are, arguing about it.”

Brian looked warily at him, pulling his arm from his hand. Sungjin points at his father.

“Ask your father. He can tell if I'm lying or not.”

“Hey, this is your problem. Don't drag me into this,” his father leaned back and crossed his arms.

“Oh come on, Abeonim!” Sungjin whines when Brian's wary gaze deepened. “Eommeonim?”

“What makes you think I'm a Legilimens?” his mother chuckled.

Sungjin groaned to himself and faced back to Brian, “You have to believe me. I wouldn't — you really think I'm like that?”

Brian only stares.

“Look, you know why I wouldn't want to just go into your mind?” Sungjin says. “Because I want the answer to come out from your mouth. I want you to say the answer to whatever I want to know. I want to hear you say whatever it is you are going to say.”

Brian felt his ears burn and his mother rolled her eyes, “Oh, whatever! Go to your rooms and take a rest already! Stop flirting, Merlin, even in front of his parents!”

Sungjin giggles and embraces Brian to hide his face when the younger bowed his head down.

“Why does everyone kept telling us we're flirting? We're twelve!” Brian exclaims.

“Love chooses no age, Brian,” his father remarks.

“And because it's obvious. Now go,” his mother adds.

Brian apologizes to Sungjin on their way to the second floor. Sungjin waves it off and says his parents would be reacting the same, and that he was getting used to it. Brian sends Sungjin off to the guest room. Sungjin had made sure Brian wasn't going to feel alone in his room before plopping down on the empty bed beside Wonpil's. And now he thinks, it could be a lot worse if ever his parents decide to want to meet Brian. Since they were skilled Legilimens, Sungjin's scared they'll try to invade Brian's mind. And Sungjin can't have that. He won't allow that. And yet, he doesn't want to go against his parents.

He went to bed conflicted that night.

 

--