Myungsoo was rarely nervous. This time, however, was a different case. Daehyun could only watch him walk with unsteady strides in his room, going to and fro with his right knuckle beneath his chin.

“Hyung?” Daehyun finally spoke out. Myungsoo snapped out of whatever clouded his thoughts, and focused on his younger brother.

“What is it?” he asked in reply.

“You should change now.”

“I don’t know what to put on.”

Daehyun looked at the clothes lined up on Myungsoo’s bed. He cocked his head, and grinned when he pointed at a black shirt. “You’d look good in that.”

And that settled that.

<:>

Suzy said she would go out that Saturday morning.

“Whatever for?” Sunggyu asked. Their parents were out of the due to work, and it was a rule to approach the eldest and ask for permission if the younger ones were heading out.

“I’m going to meet a friend,” she answered.

“Sungjong?” he suggested.

The younger one stood up to bring the dishes in the sink. Sang Moon already left to practice for soccer half an hour ago, leaving the two of them alone.

“Yeah,” she muttered. “We’ll be in the record shop near the National Library. I’ll be home before it gets dark.”

“I can take you to your meeting place,” he offered.

“I can just take the train,” Suzy mumbled. “It’s a waste of fuel.”

She washed the dishes while Sunggyu dried them. They did their morning chores in silence, which was far from before. Usually they would mess around and laugh. Suzy finally straightened her back after wiping the porcelain vase resting on the living room’s table.

“I’m done with my work,” she said. “I’ll go and prepare now.”

“Sure,” Sunggyu replied.

Suzy went upstairs, and from where he stood he could hear her footfalls. Sunggyu could imagine her taking her towel and clothes before heading for the bathroom. Not long after, the sound of running water began.

<:>

“We’re going to have to take the train,” Myungsoo said, when they were out of the apartment. “So you should stay close to me.”

Daehyun beamed at his brother. “I will, don’t worry.”

The two of them walked to the subway station in comfortable silence, with the young boy squeezing Myungsoo’s hand every now and again.

“Hyung,” he began.

“What is it?”

“Do you think Sunshine noona’s pretty?”

Myungsoo glanced at Daehyun, and said, “I think she has a pretty heart. So she must be pretty.”

He smiled. “I like your answer.”

“Rascal,” he teased, while tousling his younger brother’s hair.

“Hyung,” he said again. The both of them were about to enter the station, which showed no signs of the homeless people they would hold conversations with whenever the night fell on them.

“What?”

“Can I spend more time with you?”

There was a slight pause. Myungsoo tried to swallow the lump forming in his throat. “Of course, Daehyun. You’re welcome to do that anytime.”

He grinned, and this caused Myungsoo’s heart to soften all the more. Back then, he swore to himself he would never get close with Daehyun. As childish as it may sound, he simply wanted to cut off all the ties he had with his father. However, spending a few days with Daehyun made him feel the warmth he had been longing for so many years. For Myungsoo it was a new and scary feeling all at the same time. He wanted to find out more about the happiness he felt, but he was afraid of finding out too much, because like his mother, Daehyun might go away, as well. And he was tired of people walking out on him.

The older one checked the time. It was 11:45. He looked at Daehyun, and said, “We still have time to eat once we arrive. Where would you like to go?”

Daehyun shrugged. “I’ll eat what you eat, hyung.”

“There’s a burger place near there, do you want that?”

The young boy nodded with enthusiasm, and finally, the train arrived. Myungsoo held his hand tightly, and he made sure Daehyun didn’t trip. It was a Saturday, and the train was filled with people—mostly teenagers. They chattered away, and Myungsoo was able to secure two seats for the both of them. The last passengers to enter were a mother and her daughter. She was carrying a huge canvas bag, packed with groceries. The woman looked around with a worried stare. Without giving it a second thought he stood up to offer his spot.

“Thank you,” the mother said with a wide smile. She graciously sat down, and told her daughter to settle on her lap.

“She can have my seat,” Daehyun chimed in.

Myungsoo stared at his younger brother, who was already standing up, only to hold on to the pole in front of him once the engine started.

The little girl with the pretty yellow dress beamed at Daehyun. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” he replied, before looking up at his brother.

I want to be a blessing, he mouthed out.

<:>

Suzy arrived in their meeting place at 12:15. Seeing there was still time to kill, she decided to stay in the restaurant nearest the record shop to have a light lunch. The bell above her tinkled the moment she swung the door open, and looking around, she decided to settle for the vacant spot at the middle of the room, just beside the clear windows. A waiter approached her after a few moments, and she settled for a chicken wrap and a glass of Coke.

“It will arrive in a few minutes,” the waiter said with an amicable smile before leaving. Suzy took her phone out and placed it on her table. She tapped her fingertips against the wooden table, and seeing she would have to wait for a while more, she decided to take her notebook out and write. Suzy flipped it open and sifted through the pages with such precision. Soon, she arrived on her story’s last paragraph. She bit her lower lip while spinning her pen with her right hand. It was a habit of hers whenever she tried to concentrate.  All of a sudden, the pen flew off and landed on the floor with a dull thud, rolling to the next table.

She was about to pick it up when a young boy beat her to it. He was with an older guy, who was wearing a black shirt at that time. He walked on straight ahead to another vacant spot, with his back her.

“You dropped this,” the boy said with a smile. He handed her the pen.

“Thank you so much,” Suzy replied, beaming back.

“You’re welcome,” he returned. “I should be with my hyung now.”

They waved at each other, and exactly, Suzy’s order arrived.

<:>

“What happened over there?” Myungsoo asked his younger brother, after they finished ordering.

“The nice noona dropped her pen,” he answered.

“I see,” was his even reply. He didn’t bother to even look back, because he wasn’t interested. His thoughts made him restless. In a way he was still too nervous. He was about to meet Sunshine, anyway.

Myungsoo and Daehyun were already halfway through their food when they heard hushed arguments coming from the table near them.

“Don’t stare,” Myungsoo snapped, and the younger one obliged. He focused on chewing his food slowly.

“But oppa,” the girl began.

“No,” a guy cut in. “Suzy, this isn’t right. Come home with me, now.”

“I will be fine—”

“You don’t know what you’re putting yourself into. If something bad happens to you I will be the one responsible. Don’t make things difficult for me.”

Silence.

“I won’t follow you,” the girl defied. “I’ll stay here.”

“No matter what you say, I won’t take any of it. If it’s someone I know I will allow you to go. You even lied to me, saying it’s Sungjong.”

“But Sunggyu oppa we promised—”

“No. I didn’t rush over here just to let you go. You’re coming with me, now.”

The scraping of the chair, followed by tiny sobs, followed by heavy and unwilling footsteps. The bell tinkled and once again, it was silent.

“Hyung,” Daehyun whispered, after a few minutes.

“Hm?”

“That noona forgot her notebook and phone.”

Myungsoo finally looked back, and saw his younger brother was right. He stood up and took the items. He was able to glance at the gigantic clock hanging on one of the restaurant’s wall. It was already 12:53.

He took his phone out to call Sunshine.

The other phone he was holding started ringing, and his eyes widened when he saw the name displayed on the screen: Summer.

"He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end."
- Ecclesiastes 3:11