Chapter 20

Kim Wonsik was only older than his stepbrother by few months, but he did not really encourage Hongbin to address him as a 'hyung.' Instead, he was far more comfortable with just being called Wonsik. This was up until he adapted the nickname 'Ravi,' thinking that it was cool, that he wanted everyone to call him that instead of Wonsik. The only problem that he was currently facing was that Hongbin kept refusing to use his nickname – "I said to call me Ravi instead of Wonsik," He grumbled, rolling over to his side of the bed.

"Well, I'll keep calling you Wonsik whether you like it or not," Hongbin answered back as he scooted closer to his brother on the bed. "What's wrong with Wonsik anyway? It's your real name."

Wonsik rolled his eyes, unable to think of a good come back. "Okay. Fine. Call me Wonsik at home, but promise to address me as Ravi when we're out. Otherwise, I'll show our sisters your embarrassing photos." He snickered, but stopped immediately when Hongbin began hitting him hard on his arm, demanding for those said 'embarrasing photos' to be deleted. Wonsik threw a playful glare at him, but the two only ended up laughing together right after.

"Anyway... I have to 'drink' my medicine," Wonsik said, unwrapping his brother's arms that were around his waist. He stood up from the bed, fixed and dusted his clothes, but Hongbin only looked at him with a horrified expression. "If you're wondering why, it's because my father thought I was crazy. So the doctors prescribed me medicines to take. They don't help though because I really do see those strings. I just pretend to take my medication and pretend that I'm not seeing any kind of string." Wonsik turned to face Hongbin, a grim look on his face. "That's how my life had been like ever since we left."

"I-I'm sorry," Hongbin said, chewing on his bottom lip. "It's my fault that you –"

"It's not your fault, Binnie," Wonsik sighed, "It's fine." He flashed his brother a brief smile before turning to peek behind the curtains. "The sun is almost setting. Do you think we could still play basketball at your backyard –" Wonsik abruptly stopped when he caught sight of two students waiting in front of the house. "Hey, Bin. There are two guys wearing different school uniforms at front..." One wore a similar uniform to what his brother would normally wear and the other boy seemed younger than Hongbin and himself. So Wonsik assumed, "And I don't think they're your sisters' friends."

"What?" Hongbin immediately grabbed the blankets to peel them off of him and pulled the curtains wide apart. A smile immediately broke out on his face upon seeing Sanghyuk. Hongbin tugged at Wonsik's sleeve, hopeful when he asked, "Do you think she'll let them in? Since I'm grounded and all..." He tapped on the window glass loud enough for the two from downstairs to notice and look up to them. Sanghyuk waved at Hongbin while Leo only nodded his head once.

Wonsik observed the two visitors, forgetting to answer his brother's question. What piqued him the most was not that quiet looking guy but the younger boy next to him who was smiling wide and waving non-stop. He realised that the red string on the said boy's little finger was leading up to the very room that they were currently in. Wonsik checked both of his hands, holding them up in front of him, panic overwhelming him in fear of being fated with the boy. And to his relief, he found out that it was not him that the boy was connected to. Instead... He glanced at his brother who had now opened his bedroom window to greet the two. "Hello Leo-hyung! Hyukkie! I'm sorry for not contacting you for so long!" Hongbin said out loud, smiling from ear to ear.

"It's okay! Leo-hyung and N-hyung told me that you were grounded and I just wanted to see how you're like when you are," Sanghyuk chuckled, teasing the former. On the other hand, Leo had already knocked at the front door that he was no longer within their scope of vision – "I missed you, Binnie-hyung! Oh and hi, Hongbin-hyung's brother!" He waved his hand once again but this time, he was focused at Wonsik.

The said boy, however, was only astonished by the fact that his brother was going to end up with a guy when he thought that Hongbin was really popular with girls. So why a guy? A short dorky looking guy at that...? Wonsik pinched the bridge of his nose while he tried to think of all the possible reasons. But when he realised that he could not produce one, he muttered under his breath, "You can't be serious, Bin." By then, his brother had already shut the window close as Hongbin heard that his mother had allowed the two to come in. It would be rude anyway to make them go away when they came all the way to visit him.

Hongbin quirked an eyebrow as if to ask Wonsik what he was talking about, but the latter did not even bother explaining and only shook his head sighing, "You hang out with that Hyukkie boy while I talk to your hyung. Is that okay?" He asked him.

Instantly, Hongbin's cheeks flared up with the way his brother had put it, but he nodded nonetheless. Hongbin opened the door to his bedroom right after he heard footsteps drawing closer.

Straightaway, small lanky arms wrapped around his body to greet him. "Hi, hyung! I missed you!" Sanghyuk greeted excitedly. The two almost lost their balance but they only giggled and fell on Hongbin's bed. Hongbin messed up the latter's hair that Sanghyuk whined and pretended to be upset.

They continued in their own little world, catching up with one another, until Wonsik cleared his throat to remind them that they were not the only ones in the room. Sanghyuk released his hold on Hongbin's arms to glance at the latter's brother who interrupted them. "Hi! I'm Han Sanghyuk and I'm glad to meet you, Hongbin-hyung's brother!" He shook Wonsik's hand, grinning.

Wonsik's confusion and curiosity grew, but he just rubbed the back of his neck and nodded at the boy awkwardly –

"Hello Hongbin-ah," Leo greeted softly that it caught Wonsik off guard. He always thought that the 'quiet' hyung would have a deep voice especially since he looked quite intimidating when he saw him earlier on. However, surprisingly, the latter's voice was quite... mellow than what he originally expected. Leo then bowed his head once he turned to Wonsik. "I'm Leo."

"Ah... I'm Ravi," Hongbin's brother replied timidly. "We're brothers... Hongbin and I. Well, ex-stepbrothers, but it's still the same thing," he explained yet the youngest two were already back to their own world, chatting about something that Wonsik did not even understand and probably would not ever want to find out about. A sigh escaped his lips just watching them. "So those two, huh...?" He muttered quietly but loud enough for Leo to hear.

Leo nodded, taken aback. What Hongbin told him must be true then...?

"You see them, hyung?" Wonsik asked even if he already knew the answer. Again, he received a nod as a reply. "That means that I'm not crazy then. Have you met yours?" He looked down at Leo's hand to find a red string tied on his little finger. Likewise, Leo searched for Wonsik's red string and immediately located it on his left little finger.

Leo shook his head. "I can't see the rest of my string..." He admitted.

Wonsik was shocked to hear his words. "What do you mean?" He inquired, splaying his fingers in front of him. "I could see yours perfectly fine. But it goes a long way from where we are now. But... Those two are..." Both of them placed their attention to the youngest two as they wrestled on the bed and argued about Naruto or probably some other anime. It was nice to observe