It was past midnight, but Daehyun took a longer path home. The air was strangely inviting tonight. He strolled past the park he used to come often as a kid with Yongguk. He came closer to the swings, running his hand down the metallic chains. A million thoughts ran through him as he reminiscenced his childhood.

Yongguk pushed the swing and young Daehyun laughed happily, shouting in the air with other kids in the park. The kid beside him laughed with him as his mother played with him merrily.

"Hyung, where is mom?" young Daehyun asked and Yongguk only kneeled in front of him and held Daehyun's hands in his and ruffled his hair.

"Mom is here," Yongguk said, placing his small palm on Daehyun chest, "Mom is always here watching after you."

Young Daehyun only smiled and nodded before joining the other kids jubilantly.

Daehyun sighed and picked himself up from the swing. It was getting late. Daehyun finally settled for home.

When he arrived at the doorstep, however, a rare sight greeted him.

He furrowed his eyebrows, stepping closer to the brown paper bag that sat on the doorsill. He crouched down to pick it up, looking to his surroundings, but finding no one who could possibly be the explanation.

Daehyun peeped inside and found a round, white steamed bun. He opted to bring it in.

"Hyung?"

Daehyun slipped off his shoes on the front door, walking towards the kitchen because it was the only room being lit downstairs. He didn't find Yongguk there so he went up the stairs to peek into his hyung's room.

Yongguk was lying upside-down, his feet resting on the headboard as he was in deep harmony with music. His eyes were closed, a pencil lilting lazily between his teeth. One thing his hyung was talented in was writing lyrics. He was too consumed with his work that he didn't hear Daehyun call for the second time.

Yongguk was startled when his headphones was suddenly yanked off.

"Yah, what did you do that for?" Yongguk asked, looking at Daehyun with creased eyebrows.

Daehyun brought up the paper bag to show him and Yongguk stared, urging Daehyun to explain more.

"Is this yours?" Daehyun asked, taking a seat at the edge of Yongguk's bed.

"No, why?"

Daehyun's face crinkled as he fiddled with the bag in his lap. Turning to his hyung, he said, "Someone left it outside."

"Huh? What is it?" Yongguk asked, sitting up behind Daehyun and grabbed the paper bag from him, "It's warm..."

-------

I finished work early today. My manager said I could go. I bowed to him and smiled brightly when he gave me my pay for the month. Stepping outside of my workplace, I took a glance inside the white envelope.

I kept the envelope safely inside my shirt, then went walking down the street. I stopped by a familiar bakery. The bakery was always homely, so I liked it there. The ahjumma knew what I wanted before I even came to order.

Not that my order ever changed because that was all that I can afford to buy daily, and it didn't make me hungry quickly.

I looked down to what I bought. My eyebrows crooked itself as I put myself in thought. Glancing at the paper bag once again, I wondered why I bought two buns.