Five years later . . .

          One night, Hankyung was awoken from his sleep a little after two in the morning. He could hear something loud coming from Heechul’s room. Groaning, the fifteen year old got out of bed and walked down the hallway to his brother’s room to see what was going on.

          Looking inside, Hankyung saw Heechul lying in bed in the fetal position, whimpering and crying. Hankyung rushed over to his brother, shook him, and whispered “Heechul, wake up. You’re having a bad dream.”

          Min had told Hankyung, when they first met, that Heechul had started having night terrors occasionally, ever since his father died, and had recently been having them more and more. Heechul opened his eyes and looked up at Hankyung. The raven haired teen shook as he asked “Hankyung, what happened?”

          “You had another nightmare Heechul,” Hankyung informed gently as he gripped his brother’s head. Heechul seemed to recall the nightmare and cried more. “Hey, it’s okay, nothing’s gonna hurt you,” the blonde promised quietly. “It’s all in your head.”

          Hankyung stood up to leave, but Heechul grabbed his wrist. “Will you stay in here with me for a little while, just in case I have another nightmare?” Heechul requested.

          Hankyung looked down at his brother, sighed, but replied “Scoot over.” He climbed into bed with Heechul and tried to make himself comfortable. Before Hankyung knew it, Heechul was laying his head on his chest. “What the hell are you doing?”

          Immediately, Heechul drew his head back. “Sorry, it just felt right,” the raven haired teen apologized before turning away from his brother.

          The fifteen year old blonde looked over at Heechul. “So, if you’re so smart, why haven’t you found a cure for your night terrors yet?” he asked.

          Heechul turned over to face his brother. “It’s not that simple; scientists have been trying to prove it for years, but different minds think different things. As soon as you think you have a cure, something happens and it’s back to the drawing board,” he explained.

          Hankyung smirked and ran a hand through Heechul’s hair before saying “You really are a gifted learner; even at two in the morning you have some kind of brainy response.”

          The blonde turned over and tried to go back to sleep, and Heechul watched him. He knew they had school in the morning, but Heechul couldn’t sleep, so he watched Hankyung. When he figured Hankyung was in a deep enough sleep that not the slightest movement could awaken him, Heechul lie close to Hankyung and cautiously began to wrap an arm around his brother’s waist. Heechul lay his head against Hankyung’s back and could feel his heartbeat, and hear him breathe. The raven haired teen thought nothing wrong of it, and smiled as he closed his eyes.

          The next morning when Hankyung woke up, he stretched and felt his brother’s arm around his waist and his head against his back. Hankyung jumped up out of Heechul’s bed, woke the raven haired teen by throwing a pillow at him, and demanded “What the were you trying to do?”

          Heechul yawned before saying “Nothing, it just helped me sleep. I didn’t mean anything by it.”

          “Heechul, you know I’m not like that,” Hankyung reminded. “I mean, dude we’re technically brothers.”

          The raven haired teen nodded. “You know I would never do anything to hurt you,” Heechul muttered before turning his head.

          Hankyung stood there silently for a minute before saying “C’mon, we gotta get ready for school.”

          Heechul slowly got out of bed and changed clothes before joining Hankyung in the bathroom. The two began to brush their teeth, awkwardly looking over at one another from time to time. After they got ready, the two climbed into their mom’s car and were silent the whole ride to school. Heechul casually looked over at Hankyung, and saw him was glancing out the window. The raven haired teen pulled out his phone and texted Hankyung:

          Heechul: Are you mad at me?

          Hankyung: No, why?

          Heechul: You’ve just seemed distant this morning...

          Hankyung: Well I think you know why

          Heechul: Yeah…

          Hankyung: I love you bro

          Heechul read the last text and looked at Hankyung. The blonde then added,

          Hankyung: But not like that..

          The brunette smiled at his brother and nodded. Hankyung knew that Heechul had recently told him that he was biual. Hankyung didn’t care that Heechul chose that lifestyle, but Heechul had requested that he not tell their parents just yet. The raven haired teen then texted back,

          Heechul: I love you too Hankyung, as a brother

          Hankyung: Let’s not tell anyone about this conversation or about what happened last night/this morning btw us

          Heechul: Okay, are you sure you’re not mad at me?

          Hankyung: I’m sure Heechul, I could never be mad at you

          Heechul turned off his phone and grinned to himself as Hankyung put in his earbuds and began to listen to his music. Looking out the window, Heechul questioned why he was beginning to blush and feel his heart pounding after reading his brother’s text. What’s happening to me? Heechul thought. Why am I feeling this way?