“you’ll be fine by your own, right?” chorong looked up at his younger brother, chanyeol, who had a frown plastered on his face, in contrast to her smiling one.

it was a tuesday, the park siblings’ favorite day of the week, and chorong made sure it was a tuesday when she decided to tell chanyeol about the news of her moving to seoul after a week for her studies. chorong had always wanted to be a photographer, and now that she is one step closer to her dream, she couldn’t help but feel happy even though it means leaving his younger brother behind.

ever since chanyeol’s birth, the both of them have been inseparable from each other. chanyeol remembered their mom telling him about chorong always wanting to carry him when he was still a little baby, and that when chanyeol started going to school, chorong would always remind him not to check out girls and concentrate on his studies. chanyeol would always laugh at the memory, because he was only six years old back then.

chorong held his younger brother even closer when their parents died in a car crash. chanyeol was at his weakest during that time, and even though chorong was, too, she tried hard and be in her strongest. she always told chanyeol that everything was going to be alright, that the moment will just pass, and that things will be better in the future.

a stomp of chanyeol’s foot, and chorong went back to life. “but, noona...” chanyeol mumbled, the frown still not leaving his face, and now it’s mixed with worry. “who would take care of me now? and moreover, who would take care of you? remember? i promised you back then.”

(“noona! noona!” chanyeol ran as fast as he could to chorong, who was lying down lifelessly on the road just after a car bumped into her, half cursing as he saw the car speeding away, but he couldn’t bring himself to care.

chanyeol burst out in tears as he held chorong close to his body, her face pale, her forehead almost covered in blood. “chanyeol-ah...”

chorong lost her consciousness then, and chanyeol, with all the might and strength that he has left in him, carried her and ran to the nearest medical facility within the place. chanyeol kept on crying as they carried his older sister into the emergency room. he kept glancing down at his watch, watching seconds, minutes, hours pass, and he can feel his heart beating violently in his chest.

the longest two hours of his life passed when the doctor emerged from the emergency room’s doors, removing his mask. chanyeol didn’t even give the doctor a time to speak. “my sister,” he said, putting his hands on the doctor’s shoulders, his eyes still filled with tears. “please, tell me she’s alive...” and chanyeol swore he felt like the happiest person alive when the doctor responded, “no need to worry, young man, your sister is safe.”

it was already daytime when chorong woke, his younger brother gripping her hand tightly close to his chest, as his mouth parted a little, breathing heavily in his sleep. chorong smiled softly, running her hand on chanyeol’s face gently, careful not to wake him up, but in the end he did.

chanyeol almost jumped in his seat when he found that his sister was wide awake. “noona!” he hugged her tight, as if it has been years since they last saw each other, a grin on his face. when he went to sit back down on his seat, he spoke a trail of words.

“noona, i’m sorry! i really am! i shouldn’t have insisted you on buying ddeokbokki for me. if i haven’t, maybe this wouldn’t have happened. i could not afford to lose you, noona, you’re the only family i have. i’m sorry, noona, i’m sorry...”

chorong felt tears prick her eyes as she watched him, his face filled with guilt. “chanyeol, no, it’s not your fault... you do not have to be sorry. what matters is that everything if fine now, we’re both safe, you and i.”

chanyeol couldn’t agree more. “i won’t let this happen again, noona. i promise to always stay by your side, noona. i promise to always protect you.”

and then chorong let her tears escape her eyes as she stared at his younger brother, whom she was certain she loved most.)

“chanyeol, noona can take care of herself,” chorong said, her voice trembling, because she couldn’t deny to herself that she is really scared of the fact that she had to leave chanyeol behind. she was scared not only about herself, but also, and most especially, chanyeol’s.

“and i believe you can take care of yourself, too. you’re a grownup now, chanyeol, and you are the bravest man i’ve known.” she reached up and carressed his cheek. “you’ll be okay.”

chanyeol found himself holding his noona’s hand on his cheek. “i will miss you, noona.”

“me, too, chanyeol-ah. more than ever.” chorong let out a sad smile.

-

chanyeol survived a week without his sister’s presence, thanks to his best friend baekhyun who kept him company. after a week though, chanyeol felt a pang in his heart, as if he needed something and as if he’d go crazy if he wouldn’t get that.

“chanyeol-ah, have you woken up? i bought breakfast!”

chanyeol opened his eyes quickly, before sitting up on his bed, wearing his slippers, and running out of the bedroom to the living room of his shared apartment with baekhyun.

“n-noona...?”

there was silence, but after a few moments the apartment was filled with the sound of baekhyun snorting. “chanyeol, please. do i look like a woman to you? and please, you’re older than me.” baekhyun rolled his eyes.

a sad sigh escaped chanyeol’s lips as he watched baekhyun lay the takeouts on the dining table. chanyeol walked over to sit by the table, resting his chin on the palm of his hand. “sorry, baek, it’s just that... chorong noona always buys takeouts when she has the money. she always buys me my favorite, and i remember being happy all throughout the whole day because of that...” chanyeol’s tone saddened.

baekhyun sighed as he sat down beside him, handing him his chopsticks. “you really miss her, don’t you?” baekhyun asked matter-of-factly as he stared at chanyeol, who was playing with the ramen using his chopsticks.

“i do, baekhyun, i really do. i’ve never wanted to see someone in my life like this before. i miss her so much, i want to see her...”

chanyeol then left the dining area, but baekhyun didn’t follow him, because he knows chanyeol was crying, just like every time he thinks about chorong.

-

baekhyun was in the middle of sorting the mail when he blinked in confusion. “that’s odd.”

chanyeol, who was munching on a granola bar, seated on the sofa by the living room, watching his favorite show, looked up from the television set and furrowed his eyebrows at baekhyun. “what’s odd?”

baekhyun tilted his head to the side, still staring at an envelope in his hands as he walked over slowly to chanyeol. “someone sent you mail. maybe it’s one of your admirers at school, because you didn’t have any family left, but would the internet be a lot more convenient? i wonder who sent this–”

“noona!” as if he was lightning, chanyeol snatched the letter from baekhyun’s hands, grinning from ear to ear. he read the name from where the letter came from, and there he saw the name “park chorong” written neatly.

chanyeol wasn’t able to hear baekhyun mutter “oh how stupid of me to think he didn’t have a family left” because he was more than excited to read the letter from chorong.

chanyeol-ah!

how have you been doing? miss me? ah, noona is just kidding. i really miss you, chanyeol-ah, and always remember that even though noona is far away from you, i will still be the noona that loves you the most.

is baekhyun treating you well? i’m sorry i couldn’t give you a nice home before i left, but i promise to give you one once noona comes back! don’t ever forget that, alright?

just want to let you know that noona will come back home next week~ can you believe it? we would see each other again! i’ll treat you to delicious food when i come back! you can bring baekhyun along, too!

ah, i really miss you, chanyeol-ah, i hope you’re doing well. see you soon!

love, your beloved chorong noona

“dude, you’re crying,” baekhyun tossed chanyeol a roll of tissue paper, but chanyeol was too happy to notice. he stood up, walked over to baekhyun, and held his shoulders, gently shaking him.

“baekhyun-ah, we do not have classes later this week, right?” chanyeol asked a confused bakehyun, who blinked and nodded slowly in response.

“yeah, we don’t. what made you ask?”

it was the first time chanyeol didn’t cry because of sadness when he thought of his sister. “i’m going to go and visit chorong noona.”

-

the journey to seoul was no joke, but then again, chanyeol was willing to do anything just for his noona. clutching the letter in his hand, he looked for the address: a village where lots of people lived.

“excuse me,” chanyeol poked the shoulder of the fifth man he asked today, “do you know where i can find chorong? park chorong?”

the man took a good look at chanyeol, looking at him from head to toe, and then he grinned. “you must be her younger brother! oh, young man, she talks about you the whenever she has the time. you really are lucky to have her as your sister.”

chanyeol found himself grinning and bowing before the man. “perhaps you know where she lives?”

“ah, yes.” the man glanced down at his watch, and his happy look seemed to fade. “she lives there,” he said as he pointed at a two-storey house nearby, “but i’m afraid that at this time of the day, young man, she goes to the market. just try and knock, ask if she’s still there.”

chanyeol nodded eagerly, thanked the man, and walked off.

-

chorong checked if the money on her purse was enough for the things she needed to buy at the market. after she did, she glanced down at her wallet picture – a photograph of her and chanyeol. chanyeol had his arm around chorong’s shoulder, and they both did a v-sign. the picture never fails to make chorong smile.

within a second, she closed her purse, and walked out of the house, whe something – someone – made her stop her tracks.

“noona!” chorong froze. that voice, that deep voice...

it couldn’t be. “...chanyeol?” chorong turned around, and there she saw the person she misses and loves most, her younger brother, park chanyeol.

“noona...” chanyeol said again, more gently this time, before walking over to chorong and pulling her in for a hug. “noona, noona... i missed you. so much.”

as if it was a reflex, chorong hugged his brother back immediately. “aish, i said i’d be back in a week! you only have to wait for two days!” she tried to sound angry as he hit his back gently, but she couldn’t wipe off the huge smile she has on her face.

chanyeol pulled away and frowned slightly at his sister. “why, don’t you miss me, noona?”

this time, chorong dropped the acts and le out a small laugh. “of course i do, pabo!” the both of them stared at each other for quite a moment, realizing how one missed the other, smiling.

“you... you came all the way here just to see me?” chorong couldn’t help but be touched at her younger brother’s deeds.

chanyeol nodded at her question, and later that moment chorong felt tears fall from her eyes because of happiness. “aish, chanyeol, you troublesome kid!”

she tried to hit his chest, but chanyeol grabbed her wrist, pulling her in for another hug, enveloping her inside his long muscular arms. they stayed like that for a moment, when chanyeol broke the silence when he whispered.

“i love you, noona.”

it was just a soft whisper, but it was loud enough for chorong to hear and keep in her heart forever.

“i love you too, chanyeol-ah.”

only the last line sounded so -y... (or so i think) asdaksdnkkfdjs this , sorry. ; ; leave me comments though, they are loved! c*8