"Life is unfair."

"Get. Out."

The father growls, flinging clothes and belongings from their shared room into a suitcase. The siblings, bruised and battered from their father's earlier outburst, stand quietly in the doorway, not daring to make a sound.

He was not that old; it was the stress from debts and the depression from his wife's death a few months ago that made his face what it is now. His wrinkled face scowls at the brothers, and the older of the two shifts in front of the other, as if to protect him.

The father s the suitcase into the older brother's arms, and roughly shoves them out of the house.

"Leave. I don't have the time or money to be caring for a pair of good-for-nothings." Their father grumbles, slamming the door in their faces.

It is only then that the younger brother lets his tears out, crying in fear of what would happen to the two of them.

"Why? Why are we the ones who have to pay for Father's debt? Why Mother? Why did she have to be killed by Father's debtors?" Himchan rants, slamming his fist into the brick wall of their home.

No, scratch that--it wasn't their home anymore.

Yongguk sighs, and pulls his younger brother into a hug. "Life is unfair, Channie. We just have to deal with it." Seeing that his words weren't comforting the younger, he gently pressed his lips against the younger boy's forehead, murmuring, "No matter what happens, I'll always be with you, Channie."

---

The two barely got by; they had to scrimp on anything they could, and save most of their wages from doing odd jobs for strangers. No one wanted to hire two orphaned teenage boys. The most they'd do was allow them to do odd jobs around the house, and that was it. They never had a stable income; thus, the only place they could afford to live in was a small hut near a stable owned by a benevolent old couple.

"Hyung, you okay? Want to take a break?" Himchan asks worriedly upon seeing Yongguk's pallid face. Yongguk merely nods in response, not wanting Himchan to worry about him. He'd been eating meagre portions of his food, wanting Himchan to be able to eat more.

"Y-Yeah, I'm okay. Let's hurry up and finish this job, or we won't be able to afford dinner tonight." He smiles weakly, pushing the cabinet into the designated corner.

The two help the old Mrs Park move the rest of her furniture into her new house, and, grasping their wages gleefully in their clammy hands, hurry home.

"C'mon, Channie, let's take that shortcut home! You're hungry, aren't you?" Yongguk smiles his gummy smile, but Himchan hesitates.

"Hyung, I don't wanna go through that alley... It's dark and creepy! What if someone kidnaps us or something?!" Himchan tugs on Yongguk's hand, pulling him away from the alley and back onto the path. "I can wait a little longer; let's just go home this way, alright?"

"Oh, Channie, don't be such a wimp. Hyung'll protect you." Yongguk rolls his eyes in frustration, and Himchan meekly nods his head, not wanting to annoy him.

"Okay then." Himchan hesitantly tags along behind Yongguk, and they walk through the dark alley.

"Look guys, we've got a new toy."

"Two new toys, to be exact."

A tall, buff male steps out of the shadows, flanked by two men. Himchan steps back in fear, only to be shoved forward by another henchman.

"Hyung, I'm scared..." Himchan's voice quavers in fear, and Yongguk grips his hand tighter, as if to reassure him.

"What do you want?" Yongguk's voice rings out, clear and firm, and Himchan is glad that he is his older brother.

"The two of you, duh."

Yay! The first chapter is out~ ^^

I'll update the next one ASAP! :D

Saranghae! ^^