Eric opened the bedroom’s door slowly.He sighed when he found Mir staring at his phone,again.Ever since Mir arrived from Korea two weeks ago,he never separate from his phone.Even when he was eating.Eric was not surprised if the boy also brought it into the bathroom.Mir looked up when he noticed Eric’s presence and smiled at Eric.Eric smiled back.He sat beside Mir on the bed.

‘Any call from Korea?’,Eric asked.

Mir looked quite surprised at Eric’s question before shaking his head slowly.

‘Why don’t you call them first?’,Eric suggested.

‘I already did when I arrived here.It’s okay.Maybe they’re busy.’,Mir answered,trying to sound like he did not care.

‘Cheolyong-ah,that was two weeks ago.Call them.They must’ve missed you.’,Eric said.

Mir just shrugged.

Eric looked at Mir carefully.He must admit that he was not completely oblivious to what’s going on Mir’s mind despite Mir’s effort not to show it.He missed his brother.He knew that Mir did not come to him because of his own will,it was because Seungho told him to.He sighed as he remembering the night when Seungho came to meet him.

Eric kept his mouth silenced as Seungho sat in front of him.He was surprised when Seungho suddenly appeared at Hyesung’s restaurant,knowing that Eric always eat his dinner there.Eric guessed that Mir must have told Seungho about their talk.Eric prepared thousands of reasons to never ever gave up on Mir on his mind.

‘Hyung.’,Seungho suddenly called out.

Eric was startled at the word that came out from Seungho’s mouth.Hyung.It’s been a really long time since he last heard that word from Seungho.He missed it.He never realised how much he missed it until he heard it.

‘You love Mir,right?’,Seungho looked at Eric.Eric stared at Seungho carefully.He just realised how weary Seungho looked.Seungho’s tone did not sound as strict as it was at their last talk.It was somehow sounded hopeful.Scratch that,he sounded desperate.Seungho was desperate.

‘Seungho-yah,did something happened?’,Eric asked,feeling concerned.

‘Answer me,hyung.’Seungho urged.

‘Yes.The answer is yes,Seungho-yah.’,Eric answered earnestly.

‘I-Urgh!How can I know that you will not change your mind later?’,Seungho asked,looking troubled.

‘Seungho-yah,if this is about your mom,I never lied when I said that I loved her.And I still do.I’ve made a mistake,Seungho-yah,a big one.A foolish one.I knew that no matter how many times I apologise to you,it will never ever going to make up for the mistake I’ve made.I won’t ask you to forgive me,but Mir…I need him.You have no idea how happy I am when I met him.It’s like suddenly my whole world have brightened up.I,I finally find the reason to live.Ever since your mom’s gone,I-I’ve never-‘,Eric stopped,trying to hold back his tears.Seungho kept staring at him,waiting for him to continue.

Eric cleared his throat and said,‘I’ve never gone through a day where I don’t think about killing myself.I tried to hide it by busying myself with work but my friend,Hyesung realised it,so he asked me to come here,to cheer me up.I’ve been wanting to meet you guys,but I was afraid.I’m afraid I can’t take it.When I found Mir,it was-it was like miracle.A boy who looked exactly like her.I can’t believe my eyes at first.I thought I was hallucinating or something.But he was there,he was real.And he is my son.I love him.’

Seungho looked at Eric with an unfathomable expression.He suddenly pulled out a letter out of his pocket and handed it to Eric.

‘I wrote this to apologise at Mir for what’s happening lately.As you know,hyung,I have kinda ‘foot-in-mouth’ syndrome so,I decided to write a letter.I don’t think that I’m going to need it anymore.I just want you to read it.So that you’ll take care of him just like how we’ve taken care of him.Maybe even better.’,Seungho said with softened expression.

‘Seungho,does this mean-‘Eric said,confused.

‘Mir needs a father,hyung.I’ll send him to you.’,Seungho said with wet eyes before walking away.

Eric took a deep breath before asking Mir.’Cheolyong-ah,do you regret coming here?’

‘What?No!’,Mir exclaimed,slightly defensive.

‘Don’t lie,Cheolyong-ah.’,Eric said softly.

Mir did not reply.

‘I understand.Well,if I was in your place,I would too.’,Eric said,hiding his sadness.

‘I just missed my brothers.A lot.I’ve never been so far away from them before.Maybe,that’s why.I just need some time.’,Mir clarified.

‘Time for what?What are you waiting for,Cheolyong-ah?For them to come and bring you back?’,Eric asked.

Mir looked up,quite confused at Eric’s statement.

‘You come here because Seungho told you to,right?Not on your own will.You come here thinking that you would make them happier,right?’,Eric continued.

Mir slightly nodded.

‘Cheolyong-ah,that is not how it works.Honestly,time does not heal everything.Trust me,I’ve been there.’,Eric said,his eyes started to feel hot.

‘When I left your mother,I thought of the same thing.That she would be happier if I left her.I want her to be happy but honestly,deep in my heart,I also hoped that she would hold me back.But she didn’t.Because her too,thought that I would be happier without her.Truth is,both of us aren’t any happier.I used to think like you too.Waiting that one day she would come,she would call.One day became one week.One month become years.By the time I realised that I’ve made a mistake,it was already too late.She was gone.She’s not in this world anymore.Everyday,Cheolyong-ah.Everyday,I regret it.Everyday,I thought that what if I don’t left,what if I stick together with her,what if I’ve come back earlier,maybe she would still be here.Maybe I could’ve watch you growing up.Maybe you-maybe you would be closer to me.’

Mir looked down,feeling guilty.’I’m sorry.’

‘Don’t apologize,son.It’s not your fault.It was selfish of me for asking you to stay with me in the first place.I was the one who was supposed to be sorry.’,Eric held Mir’s hand,trying to comfort him.

Both of them kept quiet for a while.

‘Do you want to go home?’,Eric asked Mir,forcing a smile.

Mir hesitated.’I-I don’t know.I’m afraid.’

Eric slightly laughed at Mir’s statement.

‘What are you afraid of?I don’t eat people,you know.’,Eric attempted a joke.

Mir laughed slightly.’No,it’s not that.I’m not sure.It was Seungho hyung who wanted me to be here.’

Mir looked down and sighed.

‘Cheolyong-ah,if that’s what makes you hesitate,take a look at this.’,Eric handed Mir a letter.

‘It’s from Seungho.He gave it to me when you’re at the hospital.Read it.Maybe it would change your mind.’,Eric said before going out from Mir’s room.

Byunghee looked around the restaurant.It was pretty but somehow felt a bit empty,just like his heart right now.He rarely went out from the house ever since Mir’s gone.He was only here because Cheondung forced him to,saying that he discovered something ‘daebak’.If the restaurant was his discovery,Byunghee would have to say that Cheondung’s standard of ‘daebak’ was quite low.He looked at the excited Cheondung.It’s been a while since his brother looked that bright.He decided that he would just play along with him.On the other hand,he noticed that Joon looked oddly nervous.

‘What’s wrong with you?’,Byunghee asked Joon.

‘Uh?Nothing.Why?Is there something wrong with me?’,Joon answered,obviously trying to hide the fact that he was nervous.

‘You look like you’ve pooped in your pants.’,Byunghee said flatly.

‘What are you talking about?I’m an adult.I would never pooped in my pants!’,Joon said frantically.

‘I’ve said ‘you look like’.I’m not saying that you did.Don’t you-‘

‘It’s here,it’s here!’,Byunghee stopped talking when Cheondung suddenly screamed excitedly when their lunch arrived.

Byunghee looked at the food.What is so ‘daebak’ about this?It looks like something I’d cook at home.Byunghee stared incredulously at Cheondung who was clapping his hands excitedly at the arrival of a bowl of ‘kimchi chigae’.The waiter tried to hold her laughter at Cheondung’s antics.Byunghee and Joon looked down,feeling embarrassed.Byunghee started to open his mouth when the waiter left them.

‘What is it that was so special about this?’,Byunghee pointed his hand at the ‘kimchi chigae’ carelessly.

‘Don’t you feel something familiar about it,hyung?’,Cheondung asked them,anticipating their answers.

Joon rubbed his neck and said,’Well..it’s strangely looks like your cooking,Byunghee hyung.Smells quite the same too.’

Byunghee looked at Joon and then started to examined the dish.

‘Ha...wait until you taste it.’,Cheondung said proudly while handing out spoons to the curious brothers.

Byunghee looked suspiciously at Cheondung before started to taste it.He kept quiet for awhile,trying to use his tastebuds effectively.He then tried another spoon.This does not make sense…

Byunghee looked at Joon,who was seemingly just as surprised at the taste he was experiencing in his mouth.Joon then looked at Cheondung.

‘WAH!This-This really taste like Byunghee hyung’s!Daebak!’,Joon stuttered,showing how mind-blowned he was.

‘Right?It’s daebak,right?!I almost thought that Byunghee hyung was the chef when I first eating it.’,Cheondung said,matching Joon’s tone.

‘Wah!I can’t believe this.How could someone make this?This is secret recipe!’,Byunghee exclaimed.

‘Joon-shi?’,suddenly a voice called out.The brothers stopped talking and looked up.

Hyesung walked out from his office.Suddenly,he heard a loud voice.He looked around and found three men sitting while exclaiming something about their dish.Weirdly enough,their loudness reminded him of Mir.It’s been a while since I’ve heard someone’s screaming in this restaurant.He walked closer and tried to peek at the customer’s faces.He recognised one of them.He remembered seeing him eating here yesterday.It was hard not to notice him because of his model-like look.Not to mention the fact that he was eating while talking to himself yesterday.Hyesung then looked at the other two.Both of them was good-looking too,but that was not the thing that make Hyesung got closer to them.It was one of the men.He remembered that man.He is Mir’s third brother,Joon.Hyesung walked closer and greeted him.

‘You’re Joon-shi,right?Mir’s brother.’,Hyesung asked.

Joon looked at the other two nervously before answering,’Y-yes,it’s me.It’s been a while,sajang-nim.’

‘Don’t call me that.Just called me Hyesung hyung.I see you bringing some friends here.’,Hyesung said smiling at the other two.

‘Oh,let me introduce.They are my brothers.Byunghee hyung and Cheondung.’,Joon gestured at the other two.

‘Oh!Oh,hi,nice to meet you!I’ve heard a lot about you guys from Mir.’,Hyesung exclaimed excitedly while shaking hands with Byunghee and Cheondung.

‘May I ask,how did you know about our maknae?’,Byunghee asked Hyesung,clearly confused.

Oh,crap.I forgot that Mir’s other brothers don’t know about his job.Hyesung looked at Joon frantically,trying to come up with lies,but then Joon said,’He is,he is Mir’s tea-No,he’s my-Oh,screw it!He is Mir’s boss.Was.’

Byunghee and Cheondung looked utterly speechless while Hyesung awkwardly waved his hands at them.

‘Wh-What?Mir had a job?And you knew about it?Wha-How?You really…’,Byunghee looked at Joon,disbelieved.

‘Cool!I don’t know that our maknae is so brave.Wait!Is he the one who cooked this?Is he in the kitchen?Mir!MIR!’,Cheondung said before suddenly screaming out Mir’s name to the kitchen.

‘Whoa,calm down,Cheondung-shi!Mir’s not here.’,Hyesung said and took another chair to join the brothers.

‘He’s in L.A,Cheondung-ah.’,Byunghee stated.Feeling ridiculous at Cheondung’s behaviour.

‘Well,I thought maybe,he’s-you know,don’t really go or something.’,Cheondung said in a disappointed voice.

‘You’ve watched too much drama,Doongie-yah.I’m sorry,Hyesung hyung.’,Joon apologised to Hyesung in behalf of Cheondung.Hyesung took a look at the dish on the table.

‘It’s okay.Actually,Mir was the one who gave me the recipe of the ‘kimchi chigae’.Maybe that’s why it taste familiar.I missed him too.I never thought that he would really left.’,Hyesung said in empathy.

‘You seemed to know a lot about Mir.’,Byunghee said in a suspicious tone.

Hyesung smiled before explaining,’Actually,Mir’s father,Eric is my best friend.That’s why I know about all of this…thing.’

‘What?Are you the one who convinced him to go and follow that-that-‘,Byunghee can’t find the right words to describe Eric.

‘Cucumber?’,Joon suggested.

‘Owh,shut up!Are you the want who told him to go to L.A?’,Byunghee said,almost mad.

‘No!That would be the last thing I would do.I just asked Mir to give Eric a chance,but I never agreed with his decision to live with Eric.It was too unfair for you guys.I thought you guys were the one who told him to go.Seungho,specifically.At least that’s what Mir told me.’,Hyesung explained.

‘WHAT?!’,all of the brothers exclaimed together.Now I understand why Mir was so loud…

Seungho walked into the house lifelessly.His day at work was totally frantic today.Not that it was not before,but usually when he come home,there would be his brothers to boost his energy.Now that Mir’s gone,all of them just not so bright anymore.He walked into the kitchen and found Joon and Cheondung staring him down.He felt weird and took a look at Byunghee,who was chopping some vegetable..with rage?Seungho was confused at his brother’s behaviour.He walked closer to Byunghee and asked.

‘Is there’s something wrong?’

‘Don’t talk to me.I’m this close to kick your right now.’,Byunghee answered dangerously.

‘Okay,whoa.What was that for?’,Seungho asked,confused at Byunghee’s sudden anger.

‘It was for asking maknae to go with his father,you bastard.’Byunghee answered angrily,now facing Seungho.

‘I can’t believe you did that,hyung.I should’ve known from the start that Mir won’t decide to leave us.’,Joon said,clearly disappointed.

‘Why did you do that,Seungho hyung?’,Cheondung asked.

Seungho looked at his brothers and sighed.Well,I should’ve expected this.

‘What do you guys want me to do then,huh?Eric is his father.’,Seungho said,exasperated.

‘A father that he never met for 17 years!You should’ve stopped him!’,Joon raged.

‘Mir needs his father!We are just burdening him if we hold him back!’,Seungho exclaimed.

‘Really?Or was it you who thought that he was a burden?’,Byunghee asked,already grabbing Seungho’s collar.

Cheondung tried to separate them.’Hyung,stop it!Seungho hyung would never thought of that.’

‘I just told him to go.He doesn’t even protested after that!’,Seungho said.

‘Of course,he didn’t.Don’t you know how Mir always thought that he was a burden to us?When you told him to go,he must’ve thought that you don’t want him anymore!Can you imagine how heartbroken he must’ve have felt?!’,Joon screamed at Seungho.

Byunghee let Seungho go and said,’And we’ve been avoiding him,thinking that he was the one who wanted to leave.He must’ve thought that we don’t want him for real.’

‘I-I just thought that we weren’t enough for him.I can’t even took care of him properly.’,Seungho sat down on the floor.Feeling tired.

‘Mir said that he was happy that he have us,hyung.’,Cheondung said,remembering his conversation with Mir at the hospital.

‘Even if we were not enough,Mir’s still a part of our family,hyung.I-I just can’t go on like this.’,Joon said.

‘I know.Me too.I thought that I would be happy if he is,but my heart hurts everytime I thought about him.’,Seungho admitted.

All of them sighed heavily.Suddenly,Byunghee held Seungho's shoulder.

‘Let’s bring him back,Seungho-yah.’,Byunghee looked at Seungho,determined.

A/N:Hi,everyone!I'm back!keke.Sorry for the late update.*180 degree bow.I'll try and update the next chapter faster.For now,enjoy the chapter and leave your comments!<3