“You’re gay?” Mr. Lee repeated, looking over the top of his newspaper.

His son, Donghae, nodded languidly, eyes flitting between his father and the phone in his hand. “Yeah, just wanted to warn you now so you don’t get freaked out when I reject whatever girl you want me to marry,” he replied, shrugging and bit and rolling his neck.

“Well then I’m going to have to cancel that meeting,” his father muttered, sipping his coffee and folding up the newspaper, “you’re still going to have to be straight when it comes to formal events. I don’t care if you find a lover though.”

Donghae glanced up, “Yeah, I know,” he drawled, kicking away from the table and striding towards the staircase. “See you whenever you get back.” The teen grunted, jogging up the steps without as much as a farewell look.

The father stared after his son, noticing the defined muscles of his shirtless torso and the strong legs hidden under sweatpants. He sighed in slight disappointment. Some girl out there would’ve been so lucky to have his son. Oh well.

Once up the stairs, Donghae slowed his steps, traipsing around the third floor. It was all his anyways. There were originally two bedrooms and a hall bath, but the smaller room had been converted to a Study, and the bath…well, it stayed a bath. Down the strip of hardwood were double doors which he pushed open with one hand.

Inside was an oval shaped master bedroom. Off to the right were two arch windows and to the left was a short hall leading to an architecturally gorgeous bathroom. Donghae tossed his phone onto the oversized, cream colored comforter of his bed, and padded over to the closet.

School was a ing drag, but there was nothing better to do on Wednesdays. He had already skipped Monday because he spent the weekend away. Then he didn’t go Tuesday because no one likes Tuesdays. Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday were bearable, though.

“Hyung?”

Donghae had just finished buttoning his shirt when the voice of his little brother echoed through the room. Leaning out of the closet, he replied, “What’s up, Wookie?”

“Today is orientation for freshmen,” Ryeowook scuttled into view, worried eyes half hidden behind a notebook, “Are you coming to school today…? I don’t want to go alone…”

He always did have a soft spot for the cute child. Even if no one else was worth acknowledging, Ryeowook was the exception. They shared the same blood, the same childhood – though sometimes Donghae liked to tell himself that he had been a good enough big brother to protect Ryeowook from the ty business world. “Yeah, I’m going today,” he replied softly, smiling a rare smile, “are you scared? You shouldn’t be. I’m around for the entire year so no one will mess with you.”

“But I know you’re graduating after this year,” he sighed, squirming around, eyes growing sad. “I don’t want to live here alone either. The maids are always trying to dress me up as a girl…I don’t think they believe me when I say I’m a boy.”

Donghae sized up his baby brother, unable to muffle his laughter. “You are pretty skinny, Wookie,” he remarked, “maybe you should eat more and then they’ll stop trying to dress you up.”

“Stop teasing,” Ryeowook muttered, glaring before stalking out of the room. “I’ll be by the front door! Hurry up or else we’ll be late!”

“Such an attitude these days,” he rolled his eyes, grinning and pulling his pants and school tie on. The blazer was too warm to wear during the spring and summer seasons so he left it behind, hurrying towards the staircase with phone in hand.

Just as he opened the door for Ryeowook, his phone rang, and he picked it up, saying, “Yo.”

“You’re coming to school today, right?”Eunhyuk questioned.

“Yeah, my little bro is going for orientation so I have to go,” he replied smoothly. No one really knew he cared so much about Ryeowook, and he preferred that it stayed that way.

“Oh okay, cool man. See you later then.”

“Yeah, bye.” He ended the call, jogging over the driver’s side of the car, and climbing in.

Ryeowook was reading some sort of magazine and Donghae leaned over to see what it was as he started the engine. The younger of the two looked up, smiling and raising the article so Donghae could see it. “He’s the youngest person to ever win this music award.” Ryeowook indicated the name, eyes bright with awe, “I read one of his interviews too and he said that he practices from when he wakes up to when he goes to bed. Sometimes his mom has to remind him to eat.”

Donghae scoffed, pulling out of their circular driveway. “That’s all bull, Wookie. Whoever that kid is, just wants to soak up publicity. It’s a total business scam.”

“And you would know,” Ryeowook muttered, “you’re dad’s heir after all. Of course he would’ve taught you to think there aren’t any honest people.”

“It’s not because of that,” he argued, driving down the street, “those words are so obviously lies. Who would actually spend that much time playing an instrument? How old is the kid anyway?”

“Fifteen,” he answered promptly, “just a little younger than me I think. He said he’s going to be entering high school this year though.”

“What are you, his stalker?” Donghae laughed, “He’s just another prodigy that’s going to end up killing himself from stress.”

“Don’t say that!” Ryeowook snapped, shutting the magazine and gritting his teeth.

“Oh c’mon,” his brother sighed, slowing down at a red light, “that’s how all artists and musicians are. They’re so crazed and OCD that they end up dying for their music. Name one world famous artist that hasn’t off-ed himself or otherwise mutilated himself.” Donghae listened to silence and then smirked. “See?”

Ryeowook crossed his arms, pouting at the dashboard.

Donghae smiled softly, reaching over with one hand to pat the boy’s head. “Sorry,” he murmured, “don’t be so upset. You’re going to be in the same school as me now. Cheer up, we’re here!” Just as those words left his mouth, they pulled into a busy parking lot.

Slowly, the annoyance faded from his younger brother’s face to be replaced by wonderment. Ryeowook leaned his head out the window, looking around at the students lounging about the back of the school. “It’s big…,” he mumbled, swallowing.

The car engine died and Donghae grinned, taking his keys out of the ignition and pushing open the door. “Let’s go, bro.”

“R-Right!” Ryeowook stammered, clambering out of the car only to slam straight into a swinging door. He groaned, falling back against the windshield.

“Oh !” a familiar voice muttered before reaching out to help the slender boy. Eunhyuk glanced up to see Donghae glaring at him. The blonde third year smiled sheepishly. “Sorry, I didn’t see him. He’s so small!” Eunhyuk paused, looking at the in pain Ryeowook. “Damn…why is he so small? Do you feed him, Hae?”

 “Eunhyuk-hyung?” Ryeowook mumbled, trying to get a bearing on the world.

“Who did you hit, stupid?” a new voice laughed.

Donghae circled around, helping his little brother to a proper standing position. “Oh hey, Kyu,” he greeted, ignoring Eunhyuk because, quite frankly, he just slammed a heavy metal door in his brother’s face.

An attractive, dark haired boy leaned back against Eunhyuk’s car, eyes travelling over the somewhat delirious first year. “Is that your brother?” he questioned.

“Yeah I am…,” Ryeowook answered, opening his eyes slowly to meet a pair of black eyes. He caught his breath, surprised that his brother was friends with such a… “A-Are you a first year too?” he asked unsteadily.

A heart melting smirk curved full lips as Kyuhyun offered Ryeowook a hand. “Sorry, I’m a second year. My name’s Cho Kyuhyun.”

“Ah…I’m Ryeowook,” he answered, blushing and looking away. His head was spinning for an entirely different reason now.

Donghae shot Kyuhyun a glare, mouthing, “Don’t you dare touch my baby brother.” Okay, so perhaps keeping his protective nature a secret would be impossible now. Kyuhyun shrugged casually, smirk growing wider.

Growling low in his throat, Donghae led Ryeowook towards the entrance, ignoring the two people trying to talk to his sibling. They would get beat later if Donghae found out one of them made a move on Ryeowook. The kid was too young to be playing around with people like Eunhyuk and Kyuhyun.