Taekwoon pouted as he held a crayon in each hand and stared at the paper in front of him. Neither of the colours were working for him; the sky blue too light and the navy too dark. The little boy had already tried mixing them, which went wrong and created a horrid smudge in the corner, and was now giving up. In a moment of frustration and anger, Taekwoon slammed his hands down onto the table causing the crayons to break in half. He stared at the broken colours before he held them in his hands, tears springing in his eyes as he cradled the pieces of wax as though he’d hurt them emotionally.

Sensing a storm over the other side of the playroom, Hakyeon looked up from where he was playing with his plastic toys. He’d been having great fun moving the monkey around as though it was climbing a tree whilst his favourite, the toy lion, was roaring at the bottom of the cabinet trying to get the monkey. Now, the young boy was scanning the room, a small gasp leaving his mouth when he locked sights on a crying boy sitting on the colouring table.

            “Taekkie,” Hakyeon whispered before letting his toys clatter to the ground except for his lion which was gripped tightly in his small hand.

The journey to the table where his best friend was sat was short but treacherous, Hakyeon having to tread over Legos and scoot round the sleeping and entangled mess that was Hyukbin. He stopped once only to glare at a dead-to-the-world Hyuk when the toddler’s foot lolled out from under a blanket and nearly tripped him. Hakyeon made a mental note to scold the little boy later but that was quickly forgotten when he focused back on his task to cheer up the still teary boy sitting at the table.

Taking a deep breath, Hakyeon reached forward and tugged on his best friend’s arm. Taekwoon only blinked, eyes not wavering from the pieces of wax before him when another pull jerked his shoulder.

            “What?” He muttered and glared at the boy interrupting him. Hakyeon stared incredulously at the boy before sending him an eye-sparkling grin.

            “Why are you upset?” He asked, not beating around the bush. Offended by the lack of sympathy in his friend’s voice, Taekwoon sent Hakyeon a look that would have him buried twice over if the words ‘if looks could kill’ were true. Sensing that his presence wasn’t wanted, Hakyeon tore himself away from the sad boy; his brain working out ways he could make him smile.

(;_;)

What was this emotion that Hakyeon was feeling? It hurt; it hurt in his chest as he watched his best friend cheer up to someone that wasn’t him. Sitting bitterly in the play den, Hakyeon had watched as Jaewhan, or ‘Ken’ as the younger ones called him (because apparently his blonde hair and slightly western features made him look like Sanghyuk’s older sister’s Ken doll) sat down opposite Taekwoon with a pout on his face.

            “Why Taekwoonie-hyung sad?” The younger boy had squeaked cutely making unpleasant shivers run down Hakyeon’s spine. What left Hakyeon gobsmacked was when Taekwoon giggled ... actually giggled at the younger. He felt angry as he watched his best friend leave the table and the crayons in a second to go and play football with Ken, tears springing to his eyes as they wandered out the door obliviously.

(TT_TT)

“Hyung?” Hakyeon didn’t know how long he’d been sitting in the den with tears running down his face and snot blocking his nose but it was only when an innocent looking Ravi crawled into the space next to him that he snapped from his self-pitying. He looked at the younger, confusion on his face as he took in the little boy’s attire. The usually boyish Ravi was wearing his dinosaur top and dungarees but his hair was decorated with small pink and purple bows contrasting with the red-ish brown of his hair. “Hyung, save me!”

“From what Ravi-ah?” Hakyeon sniffed as he poked at the bows.

“From Hongbinne and Hyuk ... are you okay hyung?” Hakyeon looked from the bows down to the face of the younger who was staring at him with large innocent eyes. Hakyeon nodded, the sight of the little boy cheering him up and before he knew it, he was being dragged from the den out into the main area of the nursery.

“Make sure you get your mats,” Luna, the nursery worker was helping the little ones set up mats for nap time. Looking around the room, Hakyeon could see that most of his playmates were sleepy, even Hyuk and Hongbin who had been napping only an hour earlier. He stood there, not sure what to do until he felt a tug from Ravi on his hand.

“Hyung, will you nap with me?” Hakyeon couldn’t say no. Ravi was just too cute and soon he had forgotten about his best friend who he usually napped with. Snatching his usual pink mat, Hakyeon settled down with his ducky blanket wrapped around not only him, but also the little boy with bows still in his hair. He closed his eyes, drawing the small body closer to him and snuggling into clean hair, not noticing a shadow that fell over the two of them. Hakyeon was on the edge of sleep when a jab in his back startled him; his eyes shooting open to see his best friend with a displeased look over his face.

“Hakyeon? Nap?” Taekwoon whispered, crouching down to the two huddled together.

“Sorry Taekwoon,” the boy frowned when his full name and not his nickname fell from the elder’s mouth, “I’m sleeping with Ravi-ah today.”

“No,” Taekwoon stated, his arm reaching out for the blanket and pulling it off the sleeping boy. He then tried to pull Hakyeon away, to no avail though and it ended with Hakyeon sending Taekwoon a glare and snuggling closer to Ravi.

“Yes! Go sleep with Ken; your new best friend.” Taekwoon stared at Hakyeon’s back and started to cry silently. He hated to see Hakyeon cuddling Ravi. He should be the one cuddling Hakyeon and so he waited, waited until the elder was asleep before wrapping his arms around his best friend and slipping into his own dreamland.

^_^

            “Lift your arms higher Ravi-ah,” Hakyeon demanded as he repositioned the younger. He had been trying to teach his friend the dance to Girl’s Generation’s ‘I got a boy’ and it wasn’t working. Hakyeon let out a frustrated sigh before glaring at the younger.

            “Hyung, I can’t do it,” Ravi pouted and wiggled his bottom making Hakyeon laugh at the cuteness. All feelings of being annoyed at the younger disappeared and he found himself squishing two puffy cheeks. “Hyyyuunnnggggg,” a whine made him stop.

            “Sorry ... you’re just too cute!”

            “RAVI!” A shout interrupted the two and Hakyeon felt his blood boil when Ken came skidding round the corner and barged straight into the one he was shouting for. “I need your help.”

            “Ok hyung,” Ravi grinned. He was too sweet for his own good and before Hakyeon could protest, the two had disappeared. Feeling rather lonely, Hakyeon made his way back to the den where he plopped onto his bottom. He yelped though when something sharp poked him in the leg and he wiggled out the way to find his toy lion. Smiling, Hakyeon picked up the toy and stood up. He wanted to play. However, wherever he looked, there was no one free to play with him. Hyuk and Hongbin were playing with Tao and Sehun whilst Kyungsoo and Suho watched over them like protective parents. Ravi and Ken were standing around the sand pit prodding something with a stick as Jongin and Chanyeol were pushing a squealing Baekhyun, who was shouting for help from Kris, towards the edge of a muddy puddle. Finally, a sleeping looking Lay was being pestered by a hyper Jongdae and Luhan and Xiumin were playing with a football. The only person left was Taekwoon sitting at the colouring table again with two green crayons in his hands and a confused look on his face.

Hakyeon grinned before making his way towards his best friend again, stepping over Legos and round books before stopping next to the younger. Tugging on Taekwoon’s arm, this time Hakyeon wasn’t ignored and was given undivided attention and this made the elder very happy.

            “Why the face Taekkie?” Hakyeon asked pulling a content smile from the younger who was happy to hear his nickname once again.

            “The green won’t work,” Hakyeon laughed at the cuteness of the younger before he took the two colours from his hands and placed them on the table.

            “Why don’t you play with me instead?” The elder asked before placing the lion on the table. “For you!”

            “Why?” Taekwoon asked with another confused expression.

            “Because you remind me of my favourite lion!” Still confused as ever at the elder’s answer, Taekwoon shrugged before taking the toy and following his best friend out to play.

(8_8)

Hello, I'm here with the first one-shot of this series. I hope you liked it. 

Please comment/subscribe/upvote ^^

Sophie :)