I glanced up, having laid the beach towel onto the sand, "Don't go too far, guys!"

"Yes, noona~" came the familiar chorused drawl from seven little mouths.

Without missing a beat, they made a mad scramble for the ebbing shoreline.

I smiled.

How could those little rascals contain so much energy?

I plopped myself onto the towel, leaning against the cooler I had fashioned into a makeshift backrest. Under the shade of the huge beach umbrella, I sifted through my bag, pulling out a novel and placing it beside the cooler.

Cupping my hands around my lips, I hollered, "Kids! I need the toilet, be back in a second! Don't go anywhere!"

"Okay!"

I hurried back to the spot, anxious to leave the little ones alone for too long. I did a head count.

Only six.

My heart thundered, as I scanned the perimeter.

Scrutinizing the six tiny heads, the gears in my head turned.

"Noonaaa," came a shaking whine from behind.

I gasped, relieved to hear that voice.

"What's wrong?"

I whipped my head around, ready to attend to my little brother's every need.

"Woo-woohyunnie has an ouchie..." he mumbled, his eyes starting to glisten.

"Where?" I gently took hold of his hands, eyeing him from top to toe quickly.

The six year old held up his index finger, eyeing the tiny, fine line on it. "It hurts!" he pouted.

"How did you get that?"

"W-woohyunnie was just..." He looked down, mumbling the rest of his reply, "looking at your books." 

"No, he didn't mean to — really!" he cried out, "b-but he did! Accidentally! I'm sorry noona, I didn't mean to..."

Tears started to spill at the sides of his face.

I sighed. Trust him to get a paper cut after merely ten minutes upon arrival.

"It's okay, sit down, I'll make it better." I patted the area beside me.

I rummaged through my backpack, this time emerging with a band aid and some antiseptic swabs.

I held him gently but firmly, trying my best to coax him into siting still.

"Noo!" he yelled at me, pointing disdainfully at the little square swab. "Those things hurt!"

"But you'll get better!"

He pouted.

"Please? You can play again after that."

He stared at the cotton swab for a good while, his internal turmoil apparent from the dozen different expressions crossing his face.

Eventually, he glanced up and nodded slowly.

I wiped his finger, my heart breaking into smithereens as I watched him wince and wrench his arm away. I wrapped the band aid around his finger quickly, before bringing it up to press a kiss on it.

"There, all better!" I grinned at him. "Woohyun is a brave boy!" 

I patted his head. He beamed brightly, a stark contrast to his previous expression.

"Thank kew, noonaa~" he sang out adorably, already running towards the other little tots.

A chuckle escaped my lips, his smile was infectious. I looked at the pack of little ones — off into their own little worlds.

Woohyun's chocolate brown head of was a stark contrast from the caramel coloured hair belonging to the sensible seven-year-old, the eldest of the boys, Sunggyu. Perhaps it was that he liked to be fussed over and pampered, Woohyun just seemed to love clinging onto his elder brother, feeding off his attention. The two of them were attached at the hip, almost never seen without each other. Maybe it was for the best, he seemed to be the only one who could keep Woohyun quiet. Now they were building a sandcastle, judging by the way they were digging furiously for sand to fill their bucket. Honestly, it was one of the cutest sights to behold — I had never seen anyone build a little sand sculpture with such concentration. 

A focused little Sunggyu with his plans was always cute, but if you added a serious Woohyun to the equation it was plain adorable. Their tiny palms were crusted with sand, wobbly fingers pressing onto the sand mould they had with precision.

Beside them, cousins Howon and Myungsoo were following the lot, building sandcastles of their own. Both of them — equally competitive —were the same age as Woohyun. "Flower-boy" Myungsoo had a tendency to attract compliments for his distinct, well-sculpted features, despite his tender age. In spite of all the compliments he recieved on a daily basis, he never quite seemed fazed nor particularly happy by it. Myungsoo was a quiet, shy little thing, unlike Howon and his close companion Dongwoo. Right now, he was sitting by himself, glaring at a mound of sand with his arms crossed before him. Envy filled his gaze at Hoya's finished masterpiece, complete with a tiny flag he had magically whisked out of nowhere. 

"I'm done!" energetic Howon had announced and shot Myungsoo a smirk.

He sulked, isolating himself from the rowdy group, seated down near the shore and kicking in the waters.

Just then, a familiar little brown head of hair appeared beside him with a caramel one in tow. Woogyu — as I liked to call the tight pair — had joined him, landing their behinds on either side of their glum friend. 

"Myunggie, don't look so sad!" Woohyun shouted merrily in his lilting tone of voice.

Being the cheery person he was, Woohyun began to grin widely at Myungsoo, pulling ridiculous expressions with his chubby cheeks. The attempt to lighten the latter's mood had worked, somehow, though it was slight. Myungsoo wasn't glaring daggers at Howon anymore and that was what's most important. Sunggyu merely gave the grumpy boy a weak smile, and reached an arm out to pat his soft hair.

"See! Gyugyu wants you to be happy too, so smile!" Woohyun spoke again, seeming pleased with himself.

"Smile~" chimed another voice, from behind them.

They leapt from their spots, shocked by the sudden intrusion in their conversation.

"Hyung has to smile~" the youngest of the bunch, Sungjong, had been the one to interrupt their little pep talk.

Sungjong was another one who recieved compliments day in and day out. His features were delicate and feminine, hence he was often told he had a pretty face. He had large, doe-like eyes, which contrasted greatly with his elder brother, Sunggyu's, tiny ones. He also liked to flaunt his dancing to all who were willing to watch, as well, much to the displeasure of Sunggyu. His other brother, Woohyun, didn't seem to mind it as much.

"Hyung! Let's find seashells, okay?" he tugged at the hem of Myungsoo's plaid shirt. He pointed at woogyu's little disfigured lump of sand. "Let's make their castle pretty!"

"Will it be nicer than his?" Myungsoo's eyes widened in realisation, nodding towards Howon's sandcastle.

"Yup!" Sungjong's eyes curved into little crescents as he pulled the previously sunken boy along.

Deciding there was nothing better to do, woogyu joined them, of course.

"Gyugyu! I bet you can't find more than I can!" Woohyun taunted, sticking his tongue out.

"Just watch me, you little-"

"Gyu," I called out in a reprimanding tone.

Abruptly, he looked at the ground, feeling rather sheepish to be told off. Woohyun chortled, prancing off into the clear, shallow water to begin his treasure hunt.

Sunggyu hurried after him, but stopped as he reached the shoreline. 

He stared.

"Gyugyu? Aren't you coming?"

He made no attempt to move.

"I-I'm coming," he belatedly murmured back.

He took a huge puff of air, letting it out slowly, then stepped in.

The water was up to his ankle, by the first step. By the second, mid-calf. It was knee-height by the next and he looked utterly terrified.

"You can do it Gyugyu!" Woohyun cheered, gripping onto his hand tightly for encouragement.

Sunggyu quivered.

"I-I won't get swept away right? I-I read that the sea can wash you away f-forever and e-ever."

Woohyun's eyes were as wide as saucers. "Really?"

His brother nodded solemnly.

"B-but Woohyunnie isn't scared! I'm a brave boy, like noona said!" He beamed again, as bright as the sun.

"Yup, I'll pick all the seashells for Sungjong!" he nodded, assuring himself.

"I'll pick them too!"

"But you're too scared!"

"No, I'm not!"

"You are!"

"I-I'm not! I'll show you!"

Sunggyu squeezed his eyes shut. He reached his hand out into the water, feeling for an object and pulling up the first thing his fingers secured itself to. In this case, it was a piece of seaweed.

Woohyun cackled in glee, clutching his stomach, while Sunggyu proceeded to turn a hundred shades of scarlet.

Popping his head in with curiosity, Howon joined in, ushering them over to play with water guns instead.

"Be careful with them, okay?" usually happy-go-lucky Dongwoo blurted out, worried.

Water guns were the love of the little seven-year-old's life, Dongwoo treasured them as he would his family and friends. He did look out for the latter, very much so, that he seemed far more responsible than Sunggyu. Beside him was tall and lanky Sungyeol, was his younger brother who was often restless. He wasn't the youngest, but he sure acted like it.

"Dongwoo hyung! It's war!" Sungyeol directed a huge splash of saltwater into their faces.

"It's war, oh! You coward, oh!" he sang out with a high pitched yell, belting out the lyrics to MBLAQ's hit song, It's War, which seemed rather befitting.

Before they could even point their guns, Sungyeol galloped off, quick on his long limbs. He dodged several of the opposing attacks with ease.

Shouts and grunts rose from the pack of seven, all due to different reasons, causing an even bigger ruckus than before. In addition, my head was starting to whirl from all the zipping around they were doing.

I rubbed my temples. How did they still have so much zest in them?

I took a glance at the horizon. The sky was already painted a breathtaking mix of pink and orange, the sun no longer emitting it's harsh rays, instead, glowing warmly upon us. The dimmed rays seemed to frame the mischievous lot, etching the scene deep into my memories.

I smiled. 

I'll miss this harmonious laughter when they grow up.

"Hey!" I hollered over, patting the beach towel.

"Let's watch the sunset together!"

 

A/N: This is an entry to a writing contest! http://www.asianfanfics.com/story/view/689222/in-the-summer-infinite-one-shot-contest-contest-infinite-writingcontest