Minseok has always been fond of the youngest. He has always felt the need to protect him, especially when they were still young. Well, younger. Back then, Sehun was still small – smaller than Minseok, at least. He was so so so adorable that Minseok’s heart thumps a little bit faster every time the young boy smiles at him. It makes Minseok swell up with pride, thinking he must have done something good in his past life to have someone like Oh Sehun in this life.

They weren't always together, not as much as Sehun and Jongin, or Minseok and Luhan. But they spent enough time with each other. Enough time to get Minseok a little attached to the boy.

He doesn't have a younger brother, you see. All he has is a younger sister. Oh, and he loves her, so much. But he has always wanted to have a little brother. Someone he can play games with, someone he can teach soccer to, someone to be a mentor to.

And Sehun can be that boy, he thinks. He can make Sehun his brother. He can take care of him, and teach him things, and be the best friend he had always wanted to have.

Sehun makes this easy for Minseok hyung, because he's still young, and he's still vulnerable. He needs his Minseok hyung, most of the time. Be it tutorials for dancing, or needing help for vocal training. He always has hyung to help him.

Sure, he has his own set of friends, and Minseok has his. Sehun hangs out with these friends most of the time. He enjoys their company, really. But he has always been happier when he's with his hyung.

Minseok hyung is someone who can turn his rainy days into sunshine. He's the person Sehun looks up to the most. He... he really doesn't understand why, not totally, at least. He just knows that when it's Minseok hyung, nothing can be wrong and everything is just a tad better.

And it's just so perfect for the both of them because they practically live in the same neighborhood. Hyung's house is only a few blocks down. So they get to keep up with each other's schedule.

At the end of the day, when they're already on the bus home, they talk about everything and anything they've done for that day, even when they've just spent it together. Of course, there are lulls in their conversations. But those aren't bad. They're usually filled with silent laughters and sweet smiles. And they are the reason why the people around them, strangers and familiar faces, know that these two are meant to be together.

It's on one of these bus rides when Minseok sees how small and weak Sehun can be. It was after a long day of training, some day in April. They were already about to debut. Sehun wasn't so little anymore. He's even taller than Minseok now. But he was so so small that night.

"Hyung..." he cries, not even caring that they're in public. His emotions were overflowing and he didn't have the energy to reign it in.

Minseok just stays there, holding him. Silent.

He doesn't know what to do. For once, Kim Minseok can't protect Oh Sehun.

"I – I don't want you to leave," the boy tries to say in between sobs.

Minseok tries to talk, but he can't – the words are stuck in his throat. He feels so helpless because he can't do anything about it.

They both believed they'd be in the same group. Well, they are but this is different. Minseok is going to be promoting in China so they'll be miles away from each other.

It's torture.

They've gotten so attached and comfortable always being together. And now they're being forced apart, just like that.

The silent laughters and sweet smiles that used to accompany them on bus rides have npw transformed into sad smiles and quiet whimpers. They stay like that for a while. Sehun is holding on to his hyung for dear life, and Minseok leaning into his hug, patting his head, as if saying: there, there, everything will be alright.

He’s not sure of that, though. Minseok isn’t sure of what lies ahead. All he knows is that they’re going to be apart, and he wouldn’t be there to protect Sehun.

The bus stops.

It takes a while before they get down. Their steps are heavy, their shoulders slumped. But they can't stall for much longer. They know this is inevitable.

A few more minutes and they're at Sehun's front porch. Minseok tries not to cry. He should be strong, he tells himself. He can't falter, not when Sehun's already like this.

But it's no use. Tears involuntarily stream down his face as he takes a final glance at the boy. Sehun is now halfway through their front door, but he hesitates.

One, two, three seconds pass by before he grabs onto his hyung.

One final goodbye.

"Thanks for taking me home," he says.

"I'll miss you," comes the answer.

And Sehun knows it will be a while before hyung takes him home again, because what Minseok doesn’t know is that he is Sehun’s home.