"I don't want you to go!"

"I'm sorry Woohyun, but hyung is very sick. You know this."

"B-But who will play with me when you're gone? Who will take care of me when mom is busy? W-who wi-will... Hyung!"

"Woohyun-ah, please stop crying. I won't be gone forever. I'll wake up soon, you just have to be patient."

"I-I don't think I can."

"Well that's a shame, whose going to take care of my brother if you're busy crying like a little boy?"

"I-I'm not little! Woohyun is a big boy!"

"Prove it. You need to be his hyung while I'm gone. Not too hard, yeah?"

"F-fine... but I won't watch him forever! You have to come back hyung! You have to come back for me!"

"Of course I will. You know how much you mean to me Woohyun-ah."

--

Sunggyu swore he could hear singing. He soon realized that it wasn't the disembodied voices of angels guiding his soul, but just a nurse humming as she tapped his I.V drip with the back of her pen. Sunggyu was able to open his eyes a little to see her scrawl notes on a chart.

Unfortunately, that was all he could make out before he had to close his eyes again; the light was too bright, but her soft voice flowed as she walked around the bed and checked the other machines. Sunggyu wanted to sit up and give her an indication that he was awake, but his body hurt all over. He felt weak, heavy, and drowsy, all of the signs the doctors had warned him of before he was put under.

The nurses song died with the click of the door, and Sunggyu realized he was alone.

Grunting, almost surprised by the own sound of his hoarse voice, he lifted himself up and rubbed his eyes lazily. He blinked once, twice, and looked around. He was still in his pod, the one they had placed him in when the cold sleep first started, only the glass was laying on the floor.

"Huh," he rubbed his jaw and tried moving his legs. They were stable enough to swing over the edge of his bed, but once he tried to put weight on them he nearly fell to the floor.

"Bad idea. Bad, bad, bad idea," Sunggyu gasped as he heaved himself back on the mattress, at least the strength in his arms were returning. He concluded it was because of the I.V line and rolled the pole closer. Using it to support some of his weight, Sunggyu slowly stood and balanced himself on the cold tile floor.

Letting out the breath he forgot he was holding, Sunggyu then noticed an oxygen mask tugging around his mouth and pulled it off. He concluded that was probably also a bad idea because his breaths came out short and the consistent feeling of light headedness got worse.

"," he muttered, stumbling to the door. Sunggyu pushed it opened and glanced down the hall, eyes landing on a nurse and a man in a full body cast walking away from him. He sighed in relief and walked further down the hallway, following them in case they were headed to the front desk.  He wanted answers, and he wasn't going to get it just by sitting in an empty room.

There was loud laughter and clapping when Sunggyu walked into the lounge, it wasn't for him though. A little girl with a shaved head was having a birthday party and in the middle of blowing out her candles when Sunggyu wobbled over to the nurse's station.

"Excuse me," he began, horrified with how bad his voice actually sounded. The woman behind the counter grimaced slightly, but smiled anyways; Nice professionalism, "What is today's date?"

"June 17th," she furrowed her brows, "Are you alright sir?"

"What year?"

"2018."

Sunggyu blinked, "2018?"

She nodded slowly, "Sir, are you sure you're alright? Where is your supervisor?"

Sunggyu didn't respond. His eyes drifted over to a large screen he'd never seen before, playing some kind of TV show that looked new as well. He felt himself get dizzy again as he did the math in his head, "18 years..."

"Sir?"

Sunggyu still didn't reply. His nausea got worse and he leaned over a potted plant to empty out a small amount of bile that crawled up his throat. He was on the ground in the next second and heard different people shouting for assistance.  This certainly wasn't his day.

"N-No," he coughed, attempting to push whoever was grabbing his arm away, "Stop. I'm fine."

"Wait, isn't this the sleeper? What is he doing out of bed?!"

"Oh my, someone get a wheelchair! Sir," the nurse he was talking to earlier gently grabbed his chin and turned it towards her, "Can you tell me your name?"

"Kim Sunggyu," he replied gruffly, "Look, I'm fine. Just a little dizzy-"

"How long have you been out of bed," she cut him off, glancing to a chart in her other hand while two men in blue put him in a chair.

"I don't know."

"He shouldn't even be able to move in the condition he's in. How is he up?"

"I'm fine!"

"Mr. Kim, you've just been through extensive surgery. Your body is under a lot of stress right now," she reached forward and grabbed the collar of his gown. Sunggyu almost yelped as he yanked it aside, but his eyes widened at the bandages covering his chest, "It's a good thing you didn't tear open any stitches."

" Surgery? What do you mean?" he asked, a little panicked. Then, the little girl from earlier squealed at the sight of them and ran over, "Um... hello?"

"My wish worked!" She cheered, "Hello Mister. My name is Hyemin and I woke you up!"

"Hyemin-ah, why don't you go back to your party?" another nurse tried to shoo her away while Sunggyu sat utterly confused.

"But I want to celebrate it with this oppa too!"

"Well your oppa needs to get some rest, he left his room when he shouldn't have," she added, glaring pointedly at another nurse beside her.

Sunggyu figured that was the woman who sang earlier and rolled his head to the side to look at the girl clinging to his arm, "So your name is Hyemin? Forgive this oppa's voice, I haven't used it in a while."

"That's alright," she giggled, "I'm glad you're awake, now the handsome oppa that comes here won't be so sad when he leaves."

"Who?"

"Alright Hyemin," a woman he assumed to be the child's mother walked over and picked the girl up, "We'll save him some cake, yeah? Let's go back and open your present."

"Okay momma," she waved enthusiastically as she was carried off and Sunggyu was rolled away.

The nurse holding his chart walked beside him, scanning his papers with a blank expression. Sunggyu didn't know if it showed anything good until she smiled and turned to him, "Well Mr. Kim, your scans show a healthy reaction to the surgery. The cysts surrounding your heart have been drained and the ones in your lungs are virtually gone."

"Really?"

"Yes. You've still got a week or two left here, but by the time you leave you should be completely cured."

Sunggyu had a hard time swallowing those words. The things that had been growing inside him, killing him slowly for almost 20 years, were gone? Just like that? "Are you sure?"

"Positive," she laughed, holding open the door for the man wheeling him around, "A lot has changed in 18 years Mr. Kim. Your family was contacted when we began the surgery, but we'll let them know you're awake and... kicking. Please try to refrain  from leaving the bed until you can stomach solid food."

"O-Okay," he replied numbly as  he was lifted up. The man carrying him commented on how light he was and made Sunggyu scowl as he was placed down. The nurse grabbed the oxygen mask he discarded earlier and placed it over his mouth gently.

"For the sake of recovering faster,  please keep the mask on and stay in bed," she  smiled, "My name is Lee Taeji. Use this button to call if-"

"H-how much has changed since..."

"Since 2000?" He nodded with her giggling following it, "Not much. Mainly advances in technology and medicine. I'm sure you'll see subtle changes here and there upon your discharge."

"Right."

"Press this button here if you need any other assistance."

"Will do," he breathed, taking in the air the oxygen had to offer.

She smiled at his content posture and walked out of the room with the male nurse rolling the wheelchair behind her.

Sunggyu waited until the door was closed before he got out of bed again, more like fell, and approached the window.  He pulled the curtains back and stared out at the sky, it was bright blue without a single cloud in sight. He laughed and pressed his hand to the window, glancing around for anything different.

Still the same sky. I wonder what's different though.

--

Sunggyu was sleeping when his parents arrived. He heard a stifled sob and slowly opened his eyes, gaze resting on a woman that looked much like his mother, only years older, holding back her tears. His brows furrowed and he glanced back at the man beside her, his father.

"...ma? Mom?"

At the sound of his voice, which had gotten significantly better, she released another sob and rushed forward. Her arms wrapped around her eldest son's neck in a tight hug, not even giving him the opportunity to sit up properly. The contact was awkward, but still held the same warmth like the last one she gave before his sleep.

"M-mom! H-hurts," he managed to squeeze out before she pulled away and looked at the bandages peeking out of his gown.

"O-oh! I'm so sorry!" she sniffed, wiping her tears, "I-It's just so good to see you awake a-and-oh my son!"

"Dad," he looked over her shoulder with pleading eyes, "Help."

He simply laughed, eyes also watery, as he approached his wife's side and patted Sunggyu's non injured shoulder, "It's good to see you up, kiddo."

He scoffed, "I'm hardly a kid anymore. The nurses said it was 2018 so I'm, what, 38?"

"Well thanks to your alien pod, you don't look a day over  20."

"It could be because of my genes."

"No, definitely the pod. Just wait a few years and your body will catch up to you," Sunggyu feigned a scowled before it turned back into a grin with his father's laughter.

His mother was quietly calming herself down during their talk, and stared lovingly at her son's face when she saw  his smile, "It's been years since I've seen that face. I don't ever want it to go away."

He beamed at his mother and brushed her hair from her face, "You've changed ma."

"You haven't, but yes, we all certainly have. Even your brother."

Sunggyu's eyes widened and his hand froze, "I-I almost forgot. Myungsoo, how is he? Is he healthy?"

"Myungsoo is fine," she reassured, "He doesn't have the same mutation you had. He was born a perfectly healthy boy on March 13th."

"Funny, three days after I went to bed. Guess you had good timing."

"I say he just knew when he was needed," His father smiled, "Your mother's the nurturing type. She's got to have someone in the nest. Pretty soon she'll be taking care of my old ."

"What makes you think she isn't already?"

"Yah, watch it you punk!"

"My boys," she sighed, "It was much more peaceful when it was only one of you."

"Mother! Shall I go back to sleep then and make your life easier?"

"You've slept enough Gyu," she pinched his cheek, "I'm amazed these are still here. You've seemed to have lost all your weight except from your face."

"Give him a week of homemade food and he'll be back to the good old hamster rolling in the yard with Woohyun."

Sunggyu's groaned at the nickname the young neighbor's kid gave him back when he looked after him, "How's that little twerp doing anyway?"

"He's off at college. Seoul University."

He gaped, "Really? He actually got in? How?"

"He studied, how else? He wanted to go to the same school you went to, silly. You know up until last year he has been here every week to see you?"

"R-really?"

"Yes, it was so sweet. He missed you so much... we all did," she sniffed, getting emotional again. His mother wiped a tray tear away and pulled Sunggyu back into a tight hug, "Welcome back my son. I hope this is the last of that dreadful disease."

"The nurse said I was cured mom," he reassured her, hugging her back just as tight, if not tighter, "I'm back for good. "

Sunggyu's father placed a hand on the back of his head and bent down to kiss the top of it, "Good to see you sport. Good to see you."

--

Sunggyu was stuck in the hospital for another week after the initial meeting with his parents. It turns out Myungsoo was on a trip to the beach with his graduating class and didn't know of his return. Sunggyu remembered having to skip his for the sake of his body, but he was happy Myungsoo was living his high school career to the fullest. The boy wasn't going to be back for another day so his parent's decided to keep it a secret in an effort to surprise him. Apparently Myungsoo was just as hard to surprise as Sunggyu.

The first thing Sunggyu did when he was home was go next door and greet his neighbor. Ms. Nam treated him like a second son, since he had spent most of his free time with Woohyun while she was working two jobs, so it would have been wrong to ignore her. The woman was in tears when she open the door and hugged him tightly.

"Calm down! I wasn't gone that long!" Sunggyu laughed as he held her back, albeit awkwardly.

"'Not gone that long'!?" she repeated, gaping at him as she pulled away, her short black and greying hair laying skew across her pale features, "Son, you missed out on Woohyun's childhood. You were gone a long time."

"Sorry..."

"Oh honey, don't-" she choked, "Don't apologize."

He caught himself from doing it again. It was hard not to when the woman looked so fragile, "How about we sit down? I'd like to know everything you've been up to while I was out."

"What I've been up to or Woohyun?" she smiled.

"Both of you. You're like my second family, you know?"

"Oh Sunggyu, you're such a sweet boy. I consider you my own sometimes, but then I remember you have a wonderful mother and father already."

"Couldn't hurt to have more," he shrugged, purposely avoiding looking at the pictures of Woohyun scattered around the house. Ms. Nam was an observant woman though and shot him a questioning look, "The last time I saw Woohyun in person was when he was a kid. When I see him again, I'd also like it to be in person."

"You're in for a surprise," she laughed as they walked into the kitchen and motioned to a man Sunggyu had never seen before, who was washing some dishes at the sink, "This is my husband, Seukjin."

The man gave him a smile as she introduced Sunggyu and offered to make them some tea as he cooked dinner. Sunggyu saw how the woman stared at him lovingly before he walked off and gave her a knowing smile.

"What?" she asked with a red tint on her cheeks.

"Why Mrs. Nam, where did you go? All I see is a blushing school girl."

She laughed and shook her head, "I suppose that's what love does to us. Woohyun didn't really take a liking to him at first. You know how boys can be."

"Of course, I'd be hesitant if my mother introduced me to some strange man."

"Yes, well he eventually opened up to him. Seukjin taught Woohyun how to play soccer, and that sort of fueled his interest during high school. He was captain of the soccer team there, you know."

Sunggyu raised his brow's, impressed, "Really?"

"Yes. When he wasn't working, watching Myungsoo or studying, he was in the field with him. They spent most of their summers practicing until dusk," her eyes glazed over with the memories, "He came home with grass stains and dirt on his face but his smile was always so bright. I could never get mad for the messes he made."

"That childish grin of his is rather adorable," he agreed. She snapped out of her trance and folded her hands in front of her, "Why do I have a feeling I'm in for a mom lecture?"

"Not a lecture. Just motherly concern," Mrs. Nam leaned forward, "We were so worried you know. He was so worried. Did your parents tell you that Woohyun-ah went to the hospital so often, that they had to add him to the lists of approved visitors so he wouldn't be stopped every time he came? They recognize him there as well. I went once and all the nurses and patients stopped by to greet him. My Woohyun is just so polite and popular."

"I knew he was going to be a social butterfly," Sunggyu smiled, feeling a weird sensation stir in him as he thought of Woohyun coming to check up on him. He didn't know what it was, but decided not to classify it as anything just yet; if anything it was probably just comfort that someone cared.

"Does he know you're home?"

"No. I don't really know how to contact him-"

"Oh sweetie!" she jumped from her chair and ran to the counter. Sunggyu watched as she fumbled around with the drawlers until she produced yellow paper and a pen. She scribbled a series of numbers down and came back, sliding it in front of him, "This is his cell phone number dear. He'll be absolutely thrilled to know you've returned."

"I think I may just wait a little while. I haven't even seen Myungsoo yet," he admitted sheepishly. Mrs. Nam's gaze softened and she reached across the table, placing a hand over Sunggyu's twiddling thumbs.

"Are you nervous?"

"Am I that obvious?"

"Myungsoo is a good kid," she began, leaning back in her seat and staring at the cup of tea that had been poured for her earlier, "He's had his ups and downs, but Woohyun has always been there for him. It's not like you've been replaced though, Woohyun's always been sure to remind him that you'll be back. Myungsoo seems to have taken a liking to you anyways. He's gone to the hospital almost as often as him."

"I don't know if I should be reassured or creeped out," Sunggyu joked, feeling the tension drain from his shoulders, "You all like watching me sleep."

"Well what else is there to do when you're asleep? Sometimes they drew faces on the glass and posed with it."

"Those brats."

She laughed and Seukjin chose that time to return to the kitchen and pull a hot pot off the stove. He smiled at his wife and Sunggyu, motioning to the food with his head, "Will you be joining us for dinner Sunggyu-ssi?"

"Oh I shouldn't-"

"Nonsense! You're a guest in this house and I'd like to treat you as such."

"Yes dear, if your parent's don't mind," Mrs. Nam encouraged, smiling kindly at him.

Sunggyu sighed, defeated because when he looked at her he saw the stubborn determination that Woohyun shared, "Alright, I would be happy to join you."

"Excellent! I'll set the table," she was gone before Sunggyu could even protest. Seukjin set the hotpot down and made small talk with Sunggyu as they waited for his wife to return. Sunggyu rolled his eyes at the two teasing his cheeks when she rejoined the table, at times like this he really did feel like Mrs. Nam's son.

Dinner had gone well; Woohyun's mother ended up revealing more about the boy's past, such as how he was top 10 in his class and had earned a scholarship to help pay his way to Seoul Uni. Sunggyu couldn't help but feel proud of Woohyun and returned back home later that evening with a smile gracing his lips. However, it soon disappeared when he approached his old bedroom and saw the door frame was damaged.

"What happened here?" he asked, looking at the sanded, dented areas.

His mother sighed and handed him his key, "When Myungsoo was young, he threw a little fit about you. He wanted to know where you were since all we ever told him was that you were sleeping. He broke in here and when he saw how... barren the room was, he thought you were dead and ran away. Woohyun helped up bring him back and brought him to you the next day."

"I forgot he's seen me before, now I can't, like, pretend to be a cousin or something and confuse the crap out of him," he sighed, "This punk broke my door."

Mrs. Kim laughed and stepped away, "He started visiting you with Woohyun after he got into high school and he's continued going since."

Sunggyu thought back to the little girl named Hyemin and smirked, "I guess that was the handsome oppa she was talking about."

His mother laughed again and patted his back, wishing him a good night as she walked back to her bedroom.

Sunggyu stared at the key in his hand and the lock on his door before he took in a deep breath and put it in. His hand was turning the knob when he stopped and looked at a picture on the wall beside the frame.

There were two, one on either side. One was of Sunggyu in his old high school picture; it was actually pretty worn out with his face was hardly recognizable and he briefly wondered why his mother still had it up. The other was of a boy with brown, side swept hair and an intense gaze. He was definitely a handsome boy and Sunggyu realized his nickname fit him well.

Sunggyu entered his room as he wondered what his brother was like. Was he a brat?  Was he clever? Was he reckless? His thoughts trailed off as he surveyed the area. To him, his 'sleep' felt like a blink, like it had only been a week or two since he was here. The condition of the room said otherwise.

There was dust everywhere, encasing anything that had a surface for it to stick to. His bed was crisp and clean and closet untouched as well. The only thing that looked like it had been used was his bookcase. Sunggyu always alphabetized his books, it was just a habit he had since grade school, and these books were completely out of order. They looked worn too, especially the one he had on astronomy. That could have just been him though, but as he pulled it out and flicked through it he realized different pages were bookmarked and dog-eared (Sunggyu only ever highlighted passages).

Sunggyu realized that his room was never really locked and that Myungsoo might have been sneaking in to look through his things. He was grateful to have gotten rid of the stash under his bed and flopped back on top of it. His conversation with Mrs. Nam was both emotionally and physically draining; even though he had been sleeping for 18 years, he couldn't help but feel it wasn't long enough.

Sunggyu forgot he was still holding the book and fell asleep with the pages tickling his arm.

--

"I'm home!"

The voice was foreign, but sounded young. As Sunggyu came to, he found himself tucked gently under the covers with his astronomy book resting on his night stand. Groaning, he tried snuggling back up to the covers...

Until he remembered the voice and realized it was Myungsoo's.

Throwing the blankets off him, Sunggyu jumped to his feet and ran to the mirror hanging off his closet. He grumbled at his mess of hair and tried to flatten it down. When it looked somewhat presentable, he heard a knock on the door and turned to see his father standing in the frame.

"Hey Kiddo," he greeted quietly, "Myungsoo's downstairs with his boyfriend, Sungyeol."

"Boyfriend? He's gay?"

"Yeah, we were surprised too. Sungyeol's a charming boy though. Loud.... but he keeps Myungsoo from growing up too quickly," his dad smiled as he heard loud laughter from downstairs, "Myungsoo was rather distant from kids his age and only ever talked to Woohyun when he entered high school. After Woohyun graduated and went off to college, we thought he was going to be a loner, but this boy was persistent and really opened him up."

"That's good."

"I guess. They're a couple of pranksters now. How's your chest?"

Sunggyu reached up to touch the bandages over his heart, the doctors said in three more weeks he could take them off and remove the stitches, but for now they had to be changed once a day, "Fine, I think I'll take more medicine later."

"That's fine. Your mother has it ready on the counter. So... how do you plan on surprising Myungsoo?"

Sunggyu smirked evilly, "I guess I can't just sneak up behind him and yell 'Boo!' If you think about it we're complete strangers-"

"Trust me," his dad grinned, "You're not a stranger to him. He's been there when they cut your hair, bathed you, changed your waste bags-"

"I didn't need to know that.... ew," Sunggyu grimaced, "Then I'll probably be nonchalant about it. Greet you and mom, take my medicine, say hi."

"That works," he laughed, but was cut off by a loud and whiny sounding 'DAAAD', "That's my cue. Don't take too long."

"I'm right behind you," Sunggyu smiled and followed him out of the room. He tiptoed down the hallway and waited at the top of his stairs while his dad went down first. Sunggyu couldn't hear anything but rambunctious laughter and chairs being scraped across wood floors. Sunggyu quietly made his way down the stairs and stopped at the end, where he could see the walkway to the kitchen and dining room.

His mother was setting food out on the table, leaving two extra plates for himself and probably the boy called Sungyeol, while his dad was looking at a T-shirt (probably the ugliest Sunggyu had ever seen) with Myungsoo and Sungyeol laughing.

Myungsoo looked better than he did in the pictures and Sunggyu found his smile endearing. His eyes weren't too small but seemed to scrunch up and disappear like his own, a family trait. He was shorter than him, though probably still growing, and quite loud. The boy with him was taller than himself, with wide eyes and a child-like face.

Sunggyu looked at how the two poked fun at each other and his father and held back a laugh. They looked cute together.

"You have to wear it dad," Myungsoo snickered, his voice a little higher than what Sunggyu expected, "It's a gift from Sungyeol. It would be rude not to!

"Yah! I know your tricks! This thing is hideous, I would never!"

Sungyeol feigned hurt and 'sobbed' dramatically into Myungsoo's shoulder, screaming things like 'He hates me! All I have ever done was show him my love and affection!' Eventually Mr. Kim sighed and began sliding the shirt on while the two laughed and high fived each other.

Mrs. Kim rolled her eyes and spotted Sunggyu. She gave him a knowing smile before turning back to the boys, "So, how was the trip?"

"Fun. Yeol got burned though because he forgot his sunscreen in the hotel room. If you saw his back, you would think that he was kidnapped by cannibals and partially roasted, it's that bad."

"It's actually Myungsoo's fault," Sungyeol glared, poking his side, "He didn't wake me up! Even when I said 'Hey, if I look a little red can you poke me or something?' but no! He didn't!"

"Actually I did, which is why he has a single white spot on his side," he snickered, "I burned my finger though, but it was totally worth it."

"You're a jerk."

"Thanks babe."

"No grease at the table," Mr. Kim sighed, "What do you plan to do for the rest of the day?"

Sungyeol looked expectantly at Myungsoo, who finished chewing his rice before he spoke, "Probably unpack, watch some TV... I was thinking of introducing him to Gyu."

Both his parent's, plus Sunggyu's, eyes widened in surprise. His mother was the first to speak, "Really?"

"Yeah, I figured it was time... if you guys don't mind."

They shared a smile and shook their heads, "Not at all."

"It's actually because I keep pestering him," Sungyeol admitted, "The illusive older brother. Myungsoo never talks about him. The only reason I know is because Woohyun asked to see him when he was visiting for spring break."

"Still, you should meet him," Myungsoo smiled at him fondly, "I'd like to do this properly, especially since we've been with each other for 4 or so years."

"What, like get his blessing?"

"Something like that."

Sunggyu's stomach churned nervously; he interpreted the conversation as his signal to come in and decided it was either now or never. He kept quiet as he approached the table, his mother and father watching from the corner of their eyes as he walked behind the boy. He felt his hands shake and swallowed thickly, Can I just walk in like this? What would I do? What would I say?

The possibilities of what could happen ran through his mind like racing horses. He didn't know what would happen, but every outcome he could think of ended badly. He wasn't ready, he just... I'm not... Taking a deep breath, he changed directions and retreated to the stairs.

His mother looked at him concerned and Sunggyu shook his head, signaling he would be fine.

Myungsoo spoke up amidst the silence, "Mom, who's the extra plate for? I said I was only gonna bring Sungyeol. Sungjong is off visiting his grandma."

Sunggyu froze and took a deep breath as Mrs. Kim glanced behind Myungsoo, "Actually... it's for someone else."

"Really? We have a guest? Is it Aunt Lee again? Oh god I hope you didn't let her sleep in my room. It always smells like perfume when she's done."

"No silly, she's in Peru, remember?"

"Huh... I'll bite, who?"

Sunggyu exhaled and walked back to the second floor. He heard Myungsoo question his mother after she stood to follow him, but Sunggyu did talk to her until he was by his room, body still trembling.

"Honey, what's wrong?" She asked, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"I-I can't do this," Sunggyu admitted, "I don't think I can see him just yet."

"But baby-"

"I've been gone his entire life. I wasn't there for him in times when he needed an older brother. Dad says we aren't strangers but somehow that's all I can see us as. I'm just scared he'll think differently of me when he sees I'm up. It's easier to talk to a person when they're not responsive."

"Sunggyu-ah," she smiled, "You needn't worry about that. What he's doing right now... he's going to bring Sungyeol to meet you. This is the first time he's ever wanted to show his friends you. Not because he's ashamed of you, don't start thinking that, but because he's a bit overprotective. I think some of Woohyun rubbed off on him."

"Right," Sunggyu rolled his eyes, "My chest is starting to hurt, do you think you could bring my medication?"

"Of course," she smiled, "You don't have to go down just yet. Your father and I will keep it a surprise until you're ready."

He laughed, "I'm sure he'll be surprised when I'm not there."

"I wish I could see his face," she chuckled as he left, telling Myungsoo that it was nothing to worry about and that 'our guest is feeling a bit under the weather, try not to disturb him so much with the loud ruckus.'

Sunggyu smiled when he heard him complain and walked back into his room. The boy laid back on the bed and breathed deeply until he could feel the shaking stop.

His chest was hurting, but not from the stitches.

--

Sunggyu held the home phone one hand while the other held the yellow parchment Mrs. Nam had given him. After Myungsoo and Sungyeol left to go see a movie, Sunggyu returned downstairs and ate his breakfast. His father joked about him chickening out last minute, but gave him a comforting look and then left for work. His mother was still sorting our Sunggyu's things in the attic, leaving the boy alone and bored.

He thought about what happened that morning with Myungsoo, and wondered if he'd have the same problem with Woohyun. On impulse, he found himself scouring the house for the landline and the paper he nearly lost the day before.

After finding it Sunggyu escaped back to his room, where he was just sitting on his bed and staring. His fingers had shaken when he typed the number into the phone (He had dialed the wrong number twice, it was that bad), but now all that was left was to call. Was he over reacting? Did he really want to talk to Woohyun? What would he say? Would the boy feel betrayed? Angry for being gone so long? Is there any form of resentment there?

Without thinking, he hit the call button, and didn't realize it connected until a voice brought him out of his thoughts.

"Hello?"

, I don't know what he sounds like.

"...Uh, hello?"

"H-Hi," Damn it, a stutter.

"Myungsoo? Is that you? Speak up man! I can barely hear you. Why are you calling from a landline? Did you lose your phone again?" the person speaking chuckled and the lightness in his voice reassured him.

Sunggyu took another breath and squeezed his eyes shut, "Is this Woohyun?"

"Yes? Oh , are you one of Myung's friends? He got in trouble huh? That brat, what did he do now?"

"Myungsoo gets in trouble?"

"Yeah, it's usually over stupid stuff like pulling pranks. But if you have to ask that then you're not his friend, so seriously, who is this?"

"Wow Nam, when I said take care of my brother I didn't mean turn him into a smaller you," Sunggyu laughed. He waited for a response, but the noise on the other line was practically dead, save for some confused mumbling and movement. Sunggyu got an uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach, "... Woohyun?"

"H-hyung?" he heard how the person's voice cracked and smiled hesitantly, "Is this some kind of sick joke?"

"No Woohyun-ah. This is hyung," Sunggyu quickly reassured him, "I'm calling because... well... I guess it's self explanatory."

"How long?"

"For a week or two now. I wasn't... home until yesterday. I met your mother though, she looks like she's doing well. She told me about your upbringing, I must say I'm very impressed. I didn't think a punk like you would take school so seriously."

A sob ripped through the phone speaker and Sunggyu felt his heart drop when he heard the worried chatter of other people on the other end, "W-Woohyun... I'm sorry. I shouldn't have called-"

"You should have called sooner!" the yell made him wince, "H-hyung, I-I don't even know what to say! I'm so happy your back and I'm s-so pissed that I'm not there!" Sunggyu heard more fumbling and a small bit of dialogue directed to another person, "Hoya, Look up the next bus that leaves for home."

"Yah Nam Woohyun! You are not cutting classes to come see me!" Sunggyu scolded, "What a waste of your education! School's almost out for summer, isn't it? Just wait for that."

"But  Hyung-!"

"Don't 'hyung' me. Don't you remember what I've always said about college? Best damn years of anyone's life."

There was a childish whine and some sniffing before Sunggyu got a proper response, "F-fine. I'm coming back as soon as finals are over. I'll bring a bag and leave straight after."

"That's fine, as long as it's after your finals," Sunggyu smirked, "I wonder if I'll still recognize you."

"I'm still the handsome devil you use to babysit."

"Woohyun you were, what, 4? If you still look like your four year old self I will question your mother's genes."

"My mother has good genes! I bet you haven't aged a day."

"You got me there," Sunggyu glanced at a nearby mirror and touched his face, "Still me..."

"I kept my promise," he said suddenly, "I watched over Myungsoo. Are you happy with him?"

"From what I heard, he looks like a good kid."

"...You haven't spoken to him yet, have you?"

Sunggyu bit his lip and sighed, "No... It's hard Woohyun.  I know you, hell for a four year old you were one of my closest friends..."

"And you are mine hyung."

"B-But Myungsoo... He wasn't even born when I was put under. He's this kid brother I'm supposed to have and when I look at him I can only help but think the worst... Does he hate me? Is he upset with me?"

"Hyung-"

"You know, I almost didn't call you because I thought you would feel the same..." Sunggyu admitted, voice cracking near the end. The boy didn't know when he started to cry, but now that he was he couldn't bring himself to stop.

"... Kim Sunggyu," his full name startled him, but not as much as the tone behind it. Woohyun's voice was still raw from crying, but the way he spoke sent shivers down Sunggyu's spine, "Do not think for one second that I would ever resent you. Of course I was upset when you were gone, we all were, but I knew that this was the best choice for you. Granted I didn't understand until I was a little older, but I knew hyung. I understand, and Myungsoo does too."

"R-really?"

"Yes... back in high school, when Myungsoo was still a kid, I would take him with me to visit you. Sometimes the brat wouldn't even wait for me and when I got to the hospital, I would find him already sitting in a chair telling you about his day. Trust me Hyung, he treated you like a brother even when you couldn't see it. "

Sunggyu laughed, thinking about a small boy talking to him through his glass pod was ridiculous... but still a nice thought, "Thanks Hyun."

"I'm here for you hyung, don't ever think I'm not. Where is that little brat anyways?"

"I don't know. Movies maybe? he said he was going to introduce Sungyeol to me. I guess it was a big deal."

"Yeah, Myungsoo doesn't like other people knowing about you. He feels like they won't understand like we do. That Sungyeol kid is nice, although if you leave them alone together then expect the room you're in to be y trapped."

"Somehow I feel like they got that from a certain annoying little tree..."

"You could call them my prodigies."

Before Sunggyu could come back with something snappy, the front door of the house was slammed open, shaking even the walls in his room. Worried cries of 'Myungsoo!' followed after as two sets of footsteps stomped upstairs.

"He's home," Sunggyu whispered as they approached his room, "And he doesn't sound too happy."

"I bet it's because you weren't in the hospital. He probably thinks you're..."

". Okay Woohyun-ah, I got to go."

"Alright," there was a short pause, "Thanks for calling me hyung. Thanks for letting me know you're awake."

Sunggyu smiled as he stood up, "Thanks for taking care of Myungsoo... and visiting me I guess. I'll see you after your finals."

"You'll be in for a world of hurt when I get back hyung. You've got lost time to make up for."

Don't worry, once you're home I'm all yours," The door opened, and Sunggyu was caught in Myungsoo's gaze like a deer in headlights.

This is it.

 Myungsoo's eyes were wide in disbelief; it was almost comical, but Sunggyu knew better than to comment on it. He ended the call and let the phone fall from his hand, emitting a soft 'plop' as it made contact with his sheets.

The two just stared at each other, motionless. Sunggyu could feel his eyes watering, this was the boy that was still in his mother's womb the last time he saw him. This boy and he had no contact what so ever for the past 18 years. What does one say in a moment like this?

"Hey..." it came out hoarse, and Sunggyu had to cough to make his voice normal, "M-Myungsoo?"

Myungsoo didn't reply. He was still staring and let his jacket slide off his shoulders as he walked further into the room. Sungyeol was outside with their mother, looking completely lost and confused while she was on the verge of tears herself.

Myungsoo stopped in front of him. Sunggyu felt like he was stripping away his skin with how his eyes scanned every inch of his face. He felt awkward, worried, relieved...

And then Myungsoo hugged him. It was hesitant at first, like he was scared of how Sunggyu would react but when the older boy put his arms around his shoulders, he let out a sob and squeezed tighter. Myungsoo's head rested against Sunggyu's chest, where his bandages were and although the pressure hurt, Sunggyu remained quiet. If anything the slight throbbing was letting him know he wasn't dreaming, that he was hugging his brother, that he was awake.

Mrs. Kim hid her face in her hands as she watched the scene unfold. Sunggyu knew she was just as worried as he was, but now all he could think was that Myungsoo didn't hate him.

"Y-you're awake," he spoke between sniffs, though his words were muffled by Sunggyu's shirt, "I-I was so scared. T-They said you weren't in the room anymore a-and I thought that they finally..."

"B-baby!" Their mother ran forward and put her hands on his shoulder, "We would never! We would never give up on your brother like that!"

"Yeah, give me some credit," Sunggyu tried to joke, but Myungsoo tensed and slowly pulled back. His face was red and marred with snot and tears, but his eyes were wide again; not in surprise, but in fear.

"Oh my god," he practically whispered, "You have no idea who I am."

"Huh?"

"I-I'm sorry!" he pulled away completely and took a couple of steps back, rubbing his face furiously with his sleeve, "T-this is just so- I've visited you so often and Mom and Dad told me stories and I feel like I've known you b-but we've never... I'm sorry."

Sunggyu couldn't help himself. He let out a laugh, surprising everyone in the room. His laughter was more out of relief than of humor and the tears that he was holding back escaped. He covered his eyes with his hands as he continued, having to take a seat on his bed so he wouldn't fall over, "Oh god, the reality of this situation..."

"Sunggyu?" his mother questioned. Sunggyu shook his head and looked up, back at Myungsoo.

With a smile, he extended his hand, "I'm Sunggyu, your older brother."

Myungsoo smiled slightly with his eyes watering again and accepted the hand, "Myungsoo, your younger brother."

Yeah, so this is probably gonna end up longer than intended. Oh well. Thank you all for subscribing even with only a little bit of that forward to hold you over. I really wanted to post this sooner but I felt like it wasn't the right time. Yet here i am now in LA, getting ready to go to the free kpop concert tomorrow and figured that yeah, i can post this now. 

Tell me what you think!

Hello my loves. I will be seeing you soon~