“And then he transforms and he becomes an alien and he becomes so so big, and red!” Donghae says, extending his arms as far as he can to demonstrate just how immense the character of his favorite cartoon can be. He raises his hands in the sky to prove his point further, wiggling his fingers. “And then he beat the monster! Ha-ha!” He adds, karate-chopping the air, and kicking his foot a little. “Did you watch it?”

Hyukjae doesn’t reply.

Somehow, on their way to school, they started from talking about the Robin getting captured by the Joker, which was actually fun and interesting, to Donghae suddenly putting into their conversation Ben Ten. He usually can’t watch it because it’s usually on when he and his mommy go out to do some shopping or to “kill the time”—whatever that means.

The few times Hyukjae could watch, he found it quite boring, so he really doesn’t get Donghae’s enthusiasm for the show.

“No?” Donghae asks, feeling disappointment. He himself cannot understand how Hyukjae can always miss the best episodes. But he feels excited again as he remembers another great thing that happened yesterday.

“Hyukkie, Hyukkie,” he calls. He takes a full fist of the other’s uniform and completely misses the little scowl that his friend sends his way at the action. “Yesterday, Red Ranger and Blue ranger fought!”

At the news, Hyukjae halts, mouth forming an ‘o’ in shock. “They did?!” He asks, now holding on Donghae’s forearm as he re-assumes walking.

“Yes! Yes! Blue Ranger said ‘I can’t trust you’ and Red Ranger was like, ‘no, trust me, what did I do?’ and then they became Red Ranger and Blue Ranger and start fighting and Yellow Ranger and Black Ranger said ‘nooo, don’t fight!’ But they still fight!”

Hyukjae immediately demands to know, “who won?”

“Blue Ranger won!” Donghae announces happily.

“What? No way!” Hyukjae says in awe. A smile is almost drawing the edges of his lips up, but his sulking about not having been able to witness such an amazing moment wins.

Looking at his friend’s features, Donghae leans to take a better look. He verifies that Hyukjae is, indeed, back to being his pouting self, and he doesn’t understand how could this be happening. Because Hyukjae likes Blue Ranger. He’s his favorite Ranger! He should be happy that his favorite won, right?

So he asks, “why are you sad, Hyukkie?” And adds, “he won, Hyukkie. Blue Ranger won!” In case the other didn’t hear him before or he heard what Donghae said wrong.

Hyukjae drops his gaze to the ground, clearly even more irked.

Donghae is really confused. He can’t explain Hyukjae’s behavior. Not at all. Why is he like this?

He glances at Aunt Sandara for help. She’s chit-chatting with his mommy right now. He can tell her about Hyukjae, but—

He looks back at Hyukjae.

But if he does that and Hyukjae hears him, then Hyukjae will be angrier because he doesn’t like when Donghae “rat” out him. He still has to fully grasp what have rats and telling that Hyukjae is mad for some reason have to do with each other.

He has to come up with his own solution then. And so Donghae thinks and thinks and thinks.

There’s this song that he and mommy and Hyukjae and Aunt Sandara used to sing together when someone’s down. They haven’t used it for long, but the ‘I love you’ song never failed before.

Hyukjae is still looking at the ground.

Donghae inhales deeply, gathering lots of air that makes his little chest puff. As he exhales, he starts,

“I love you~ You love me—” He points first at Hyukjae and then at himself as the song requires.

Hyukjae looks at Donghae, startled. What the—strawberries. Is happening?

Donghae grins as he finally gets Hyukjae to wear an expression that’s not sadness or anger. The song really works! So, with an unwavering resolve, he continues,

“We’re a happy family~”

“Argh!” Hyukjae groans. He tries to cover his ears. This is torture. It's like listening to a cat mewl in pain. But then the other’s on the fourth line of the Barney song and he has to stop Donghae with his hands from hugging him. “Donghae, what are you doing?”

Donghae’s not particularly happy about being held away, but he equally shoots his friend a smile because Hyukjae’s talking now!

“I’m making the pain and sadness bothering you go away!”

“What? No.” Hyukjae says, finally removing his palms from the other kid. “Stop singing. Why would you sing?”

Donghae frowns. “Because you were sad, Hyukkie.”

“Was not.”

“You were!” Donghae insists. “You were, Hyukkie!”

It’s common knowledge that all kids can activate their crying on command. Hyukjae cries to obtain what he wants. Donghae doesn’t. Instead, he’s one of those kids who gets upset about the most random of things. Mostly regarding Hyukjae, or his cartoons, or his mommy and papa, or—or Hyukjae.

Because Hyukjae sometimes is a meanie.

“Oh, no!” Hyukjae mumbles as he watches Donghae’s eyes water and his bottom lip quiver dangerously.

The problem with a crying Donghae is that once he starts, it’s so hard to make him stop. And it actually hurts to watch as a scene because Donghae’s tears are not normal tears. They’re big and fat and they roll down Donghae’s cheeks nine—no, thirteen at a time and that’s a lot. Sometimes even Hyukjae worries Donghae’d run out of tears if he cries for more than one minute.

“Okay, you’re right!” Hyukjae admits in the end. Unfortunately that doesn’t stop Donghae’s chin from trembling. Alarmed, Hyukjae sputters, “but now I’m not sad anymore! See? I’m smiling! See?”

Donghae stares at him. “Hyukkie isn’t happy.” A sob escapes his mouth. “When you’re truly happy I can see your—pink teeth.” He’s referring to Hyukjae’s gums that the latter shows when he's grinning or laughing heartfully.

Hyukjae doesn’t know what to do to stop the situation from degenerating. He doesn’t have many options at the moment. What does he have? Well, he could keep singing the song, maybe?

No. He refuses.

He doesn’t want to sing that stupid song.

Huh-hoh. A bad word. Hyukjae inwardly sighs, relieved that his mommy hasn’t heard him think that. Otherwise she would have washed his mouth with soap.

When Donghae starts hiccuping, face starting to become ugly, Aunt Bom comes to the rescue.

“Baby,” she says, concerned. She caresses Donghae’s head. “Why?”

Hyukjae holds his breath, expecting Donghae to bawl, but a miracle happens because Donghae only sniffs one, two, then stops and he lets his mom wipe his eyes area with her handkerchief.

“Because—because Hyukkie’s mad.” The kid explains before blowing his nose.

“Oh, dear, if you cry every time Hyukjae’s mad you’re going to pass out,” Sandara comments and reaches out in apology to her son when she realizes he’s been listening.

Hyukjae sticks his tongue out at her. “It’s your fault, anyway, mommy!” He explodes after taking a moment to think about it.

Sandara puts a hand on her chest. “How is it my fault now?” She asks. “I don’t even know what’s going on.”

“Because you and daddy made me took a shower and I didn’t get to watch Blue Ranger win!” Hyukjae accuses, throwing a dirty look at his mom. “Donghae, got to—” He begins, but doesn’t finish as, when he turns to his friend, he notices that Donghae’s nose became red. From blowing his nose too much. It’s red like a tomato. Like. Like—

“Rudolph the red-nosed Reindeer!” He starts with a giggle that later turns a boisterous laugh. All of this while pointing his finger at Donghae’s nose.

Donghae, for his part, hasn’t really comprehended that he’s being laughed at. Not that he cares much, anyways. The only thing that matters is that Hyukjae is shrieking in happiness. Doesn’t matter if it’s at his expense.

“Mommy,” he calls at Bom, “Hyukjae’s pink teeth.” He points out as he sees them, grinning widely.

“He took those after his dad.” Sandara responds quickly as Bom shoots her a playful side-way glance.