Canada, late November, 1996

Soft whimpering noises awoke the other occupant of the room. A little boy of 6 with black hair and bushy brows sat up on his bed and looked over to his brother. The said brother was sitting with his back against the wall and his arms hugged around his knees and he was crying.

Seeing his brother crying again, he hopped off his bed and onto his brother’s and started wiping away his tears.

            “JiaHeng, bu yao ku le. (don’t cry)” the boy comforted his crying brother. JiaHeng looked up and stared into his brother.

He felt comforted seeing a face just like his when he looked up. His face as he and his brother were identical twins. Although no one could differ them at first glance but they could not be any different when it comes to personalities.

            “YiFan gege, they’re…fighting again.” Hiccupped the younger twin. JiaHeng was born just 10 minutes after YiFan.

YiFan looked towards their door, which was left slightly opened and walked towards it hearing the shouts from his parents on their room just across the hall.

YiFan’s brows furrowed. He hated it when his dad hurts his mom but his mom, both he and JiaHeng did.

He carefully shut the door close and walked back to his twin who was now struggling to breathe. YiFan grabbed his inhaler and gave it to him.

            “I told you not to keep crying, you will make your asthma worse. mama will be worried again.”

            “I can’t help it, gege. I hate it when baba shouts at mama.” Of the two YiFan always stood as the stronger one, even if he was only 10 minutes older he really acted the big brother part well especially since JiaHeng’s health isn’t all that great.

Since he couldn’t play sports well, their father picked JiaHeng and started to mentor him at an early age. Their father didn’t favor YiFan much and he always stood by his mother. Being the stronger twin, he was always outdoors playing sports and running around aside from being with his brother.

            “I don’t like it too, Heng, but we can’t do anything.” He said patting his brother’s back.

            “will they ever get along, ge?” JiaHeng asked.

            “I don’t know. I hope they will. Let’s go to sleep, mama might check on us.” YiFan said pulling his twin into the blanket.

            “sleep beside me, gege” JiaHeng said holding onto the sleeve of YiFan’s pajamas.

            “ok.” He agreed.

            “ge, promise we will never fight like mama and baba?”

            “promise.” YiFan raised his pinky up. JiaHeng then curled his pinky around his twin’s. “we will always protect each other.”

            “and we will always be together. And have each other’s backs and we will be the best brother to each other in the world!” JiaHeng promised.

YiFan nodded vigorously, agreeing with his twin. Laughing at each other they knew they were each other’s bestfriend.

---

            “young master, Kevin, I insist you stay out of your father’s office. He will be furious if he finds out you’ve been here.” Their housekeeper, Mrs. James pleaded but the young boy didn’t listen.

            “no no, today is baba’s birthday and I have something for him.” He stomped his foot and climbed onto his father’s chair and sat firmly.

Mrs. James sighed in defeat and with a wipe to her brow she put both hands on her waist and looked at her young master.

            “I will let you stay for 15 minutes after that you have to leave, ok?”

Delighted, the little boy nodded his head vigorously. Mrs. James gave him a tiny smile before she turned and left the room.

Giggling, JiaHeng started to grab some stationery from his father’s desk and took out a bunch of crayons and sprawled it on the mahogany desk.

            “baba will be happy! I will make him a birthday card! One from me and one from gege! He must have not time to make one because he has soccer practice so I will make his for him!”

JiaHeng happily drew pictures onto the paper and wrote short messages from him and his brother. He could not hide his glee at the thought that his father might be happy with YiFan when he sees the card. He knew his father didn’t like YiFan as he liked him but in doing this he hoped his baba would at least show some affection for his only brother.

15 minutes later, Mrs. James came in and led the young master out of the office, just in time for YiFan to come home with their mother.

            “mama!” JiaHeng greeted running towards his mother and jumped onto her arms.

            “Li JiaHeng, I told you not to run around the house, didn’t I? what if you’ll fall?” his mother scolded but with a small smile.

            “nuh uh! I am careful, mama!” he smiled brightly.

            “what’s that on your hands, JiaHeng?” YiFan asked looking up at his brother’s hands. Their mother then put him down and walked towards the window.

            “oh this, this is for…”

            “kids, you father’s home.” their mother told them and YiFan noticed the sad smile on her face. Upon hearing, JiaHeng jumped and run towards the door just when it opened to reveal the tall stature of their father.

            “baba! Baba!”

            “here’s my favorite boy!” he picked up JiaHeng and carried him to the living room. He walked pass his wife as if she wasn’t there which earned him a scowl from the other 6-yr old in the house.

            “baba, look what YiFan gege and I made for your birthday!” he shouted excitedly and YiFan looked at him confused but JiaHeng caught his eye and just nodded e