With his guitar strapped behind him, Myungsoo entered the building his father was working at. He walked briskly, entered the elevator at the end of the hall and proceeded to punch on the button with the number ‘30’ embedded on it. It glowed, and the door slid to a close.

On the fourteenth floor the elevator stopped, only to take in four employees. They stared at Myungsoo for a second longer, and he felt like cringing. He looked down on the floor, instead, but it didn’t help him, because he saw how his tattered sneakers boldly clashed against the four other pair of feet which wore polished and branded leather shoes.

“You’re Kim’s son, right?” one of the men asked him. Myungsoo had to look up to see who was speaking to him. He was a meaty guy, with a round head and friendly features.

“Yes,” he quietly answered.

“What brings you here?”

“I’m going to get my brother.”

The young man’s eyes began to relax when the tiny screen above them displayed the number 30. The door hissed open, and he stepped out before making a quick bow. Without looking back, he turned around and proceeded to go to his father’s office. The secretary greeted him first, and after making a phone call, she led him in.

His father was sitting on his chair, his head buried in a thick bulk of paperwork. He looked up, and smiled at his son. “How was your day?”

“Where’s Daehyun?”

Myungsoo saw the slight frown creeping up his father’s face, but it was quickly disregarded. “He’s in the lounge.”

Without a word he headed for the door on his left. He opened it, and saw his younger brother, reading peacefully

“I thought you’d be asleep,” he pointed out, causing Daehyun to slightly jump up.

He smiled, and replied, “I took a nap, hyung.”

“Let’s go home.”

Daehyun nodded, and shoved his book in is backpack. With his bag bouncing behind him with every step he made, he took a hold of Myungsoo’s waiting hand and waved goodbye to their father.

“I’m going with hyung now.”

“I can give you a lift,” he suggested.

“You’re busy,” Myungsoo cut in. “And you need to go home soon because your wife is waiting for you.”

Mr. Kim looked at his older son, and his deep eyes showed the disdain he felt towards him over the years. He was sure Myungsoo remembered how he came home late, and how he neglected his own son. He was aware he lacked so many things when it comes to looking after him, but what else could he do? The time they had lost was something irreversible. With silent acceptance the father nodded away.

“Take care on your way home, sons.”

“Bye,” Daehyun said, while waving. He looked up at Myungsoo, and nudged him. The older one let out an agitated tsk, and bowed at the slightest. They were out of the door when Myungsoo straightened Daehyun’s coat.

“Hyung,” he began, when they were outside of the building. “Did something good happen?”

Myungsoo looked at his younger brother. “Why do you ask?”

Daehyun shrugged. “You seem more flexible than usual.”

“What do you mean?”

“You used to be so stubborn,” he pointed out.

Myungsoo smiled a little, and nodded. “I was able to meet with your Sunshine noona.”

With this news, his eyes sparkled and his grin became uncontainable. “Really, hyung?”

“Really,” he confirmed. “She was the celebrant, but her birthday won’t be until the tenth.”

“So, are you going to call her again?”

“Once we get home,” Myungsoo answered. “It’s quite dangerous to be distracted at this time of the night. We’ll call her once we get home.”

They arrived in the subway station not long after, and while waiting for the late train to arrive, Daehyun looked around him. “It’s getting colder, hyung.”

“Hm.”

Silence.

Myungsoo felt like Daehyun was staring at him, and he wasn’t mistaken when he looked down. His honest eyes bore into his deep ones, screaming out words and questions his heart perfectly heard.

“Let’s visit the people in the subway tomorrow,” he finally said. “Would you like that, Daehyun?”

The young boy grinned, and nodded. “I would love that, hyung.”

<:>

It was three in the morning when the Bae family decided to call it a night. All they did was play Monopoly while eating the pizzas and chicken they ordered for the past few hours. Nobody said anything about Sunggyu’s flight. For them, it was just another rare night where they were complete as a family. The couple went up due to their children’s persuasion. When the three were left alone in the living room, they began to clean.

That was when the youngest began to speak.

“Hyung,” he said.

Sunggyu paused, and looked at Sang Moon, straight in the eye. “What is it?”

“Are you really leaving?”

Suzy bit her lower lip. Thinking she wouldn’t be able to stand the conversation, she quickened her pace and retreated to the kitchen to wash the bowls they used.

“I’m afraid so,” he quietly answered.

“Why?”

He smiled a little, and shoved the empty pizza box he was holding into the bin bag beside him. “Because your hyung needs to be independent.”

“But you are.”

“Not entirely,” he replied.

“I really hated you back then, you know?” Sang Moon admitted. “You really made noona upset. She cried loads because of you.”

He locked eyes with his older brother, and reiterated, “She cried loads.”

“I did a bad job, looking after the both of you, huh?”

The younger one looked away, and mimicked. “Not entirely.”

Sunggyu smiled a little, and closed the distance between the both of them. “While I’m not here, you should look after your noona, okay?”

“Hyung, I hated you back then…” he repeated. “But I forgive you now. So can you not just go?”

He gave Sang Moon a firm hug, followed by a pat on his shoulders. “I’m so sorry, but I can’t grant you that.”

They were silent for a while, but it didn’t take long before tears began to emerge from Sang Moon’s eyes.

“I’ll miss you, hyung.”

“I’ll miss you, too.”

<:>

Suzy decided to leave the two brothers alone. After doing her chores in the kitchen she quietly made her way to her room. As if on cue, her phone rang. The name ‘Summer’ flashed before her screen, and a warm smile graced her lips.

“I never expected you to answer the phone,” he began.

“You would usually call at this time of the night,” Suzy pointed out.

“True,” he agreed.

She stared at the box on her study table, and took out her old phone. “I got it back, by the way. The notebook and the phone.”

Silence.

“Are you okay with Sunggyu’s decision?”

“Are we going to talk about it?”

“If you’re willing,” he answered. “Sunshine.”

Suzy laughed a little. Admittedly, she still was used to his voice calling her by her alias. “I don’t mind. And to answer your question, there’s nothing I can do about it, right?”

“He’s a very good person,” Myungsoo remarked.

She stayed quiet. It was like that for a few minutes when she heard someone laughing in the background.

“Who’s that?”

“My brother, Daehyun,” he answered, his voice brighter. “Do you want to talk to him?”

“I’d love to.”

“Hold on a sec.”

She heard a muffled exchange of words, together with the sound of the phone being passed. Soon, the frequency cleared out.

“Hello?” a lilting voice asked. It reminded her of a sunny day and the scent of vanilla.

“Hello,” she replied.

“You’re Sunshine noona,” he said brightly. “I saw you before. I was the one who spotted your pen!”

Suzy smiled. “I remember you. Your brother said your name is Daehyun. It’s nice meeting you.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, too. Hyung told me to call you Suzy noona from now on, but I like Sunshine noona even better. May I call you Sunshine noona, instead?”

“Of course you can,” she replied, between chortles.

“Noona?”

“Hm?”

“Do you have any younger siblings?”

“I have a younger brother.”

“Is he around my age?”

“He’s older than you.”

“Noona?”

“What is it?”

“Your younger brother loves you no matter what, okay?”

Suzy paused to dwell at the young boy’s words. It was strange, how he could carry a conversation like that. She felt like she wasn’t talking to someone who was aged seven.

“Your younger brother loves you no matter what,” Daehyun repeated. “Even if you fight and even if he makes you cry—your younger brother loves you very, very much.”

Without being aware of it, tears began to trickle down her cheeks. “How much is very, very much?”

“Thiiiiiis much!” he cried. His voice grew fainter, and Suzy imagined Daehyun stretching his arms out. She also heard Myungsoo chuckling in the background.

“Daehyun?” she began.

“Yes?”

“Why are you telling me this?”

He giggled, and answered, “I just thought I’d let you know.”

Moments later, she heard him yawn.

“You must be very tired,” Suzy remarked.

“A tiny bit,” Daehyun admitted.

“Go rest.”

“Okay. I’ll talk to you again soon, Sunshine noona.”

“Good nigh—”

“Wait!”

Suzy’s eyes widened. “What is it?”

“Can you come with me to Sunday School this week? I’m going with hyung, too.”

A smile graced her lips. “Of course.”

“I’ll talk with hyung about it, okay?”

“Okay.”

“Good night, Sunshine noona.”

“Good night.”

The phone was passed to Myungsoo, and Suzy sighed. “He’s a bright child.”

“Very insightful,” he added.

“You must be very proud of him.”

There was a pause, and he said, “I am.”

A knock on Suzy’s door was heard, followed by Sunggyu’s voice calling out her name.

“I’ll talk to you again later,” Myungsoo began. “I think it’s for the best.”

“Yeah.”

“Good night, Sunshine.”

“Good night, Summer.”

Beep.

Suzy opened her door, only to be greeted by her older brother. He was wearing a gray jacket and a pair of dark jeans.

“Let’s have a late night walk,” he suggested.

“Like before?” she asked.

“Like before.”

She paused to think, and finally, she nodded. Suzy grabbed the hoodie hanging behind her door, and wore it. Sunggyu, out of habit, straightened the hood dangling behind her.

“Thank you for the gift,” she said, when they were making their way downstairs. “And for keeping your promise.”

“I’m sorry for being too hard on you,” he replied.

She glanced at him in the dark, and whispered, “I’m sorry you became too hard on yourself, too.”

"Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from him."
- Psalm 127:3