Taebin and Jun-Ho had been as close as brothers their whole lives. Wherever one went the other followed. They were inseparable, almost as inseparable as Jun-Ho and his little brother Ji-Han. You see, little Hannie was everything to Jun. He was younger than the friends by three years and, although three years really wasn't all that much, to Jun he was a baby. This precious little thing that always needed to be protected, always needed to be shielded from the world.

When they were younger Hannie would beg to play with his brother and Taebin. Obviously, the elders refused; saying that Hannie was much too young to play with them. They were older than him after all, far too much older to play with a baby like Hannie.

Hannie still remembers his fourth birthday. He was so excited, all his friends were going to be there, but most importantly, so was his brother. He always looked up to Jun, his big brother who showered him with love almost every second of every day. The only time he didn't, however, was when he was with Taebin.

Taebin always stole his brother away, always taking all the attention for himself. Hannie hated that, he hated him.

It was his birthday and all the attention belonged to him by right, yet somehow the seven-year-old Taebin had managed to steal it all away from him. Jun soon lost interest in his brother that day, not that it was his fault. Every time Hannie came over for a hug or to ask his brother to play Taebin was there, his intimidating glare sending the other away before he even reached his brother.

No one ever noticed, no one ever cared. It was just how it was. His brother was older, after all, and his interests were different. Not to mention, his friends were much more mature than his baby brother. He wasn't obliged to play with his brother every second, nor was he expected to stay by his side.

Even on his birthday.

Their parents always thought Hannie would grow up to be too dependent on Jun. The way he followed him around everywhere, holding onto the back of his shirt as he waddled around the house may not have been an issue for either of the brothers, but their parents knew otherwise.

Mr and Mrs Choi realised just how much of a problem it was the day Jun first stayed out at a friend's house. The Moon's had been nice enough to ask Jun round for dinner, which Hannie didn't mind, but when Taebin suggested a sleepover Jun couldn't have been more excited.

Hannie didn't sleep that night.

He was alone for the first time. Jun was always there, always just a room away. Hannie could only sleep in peace when he knew that all he needed to do was call for his brother and he'd come running. Oh, how many nights he had wandered into his brother's room in the dark of the night. How he would come tiptoeing in with his blanket and teddy in hand, carefully climbing into bed next to his brother and snuggling up against him.

Jun never needed to wake up, he just needed to be there. His presence alone was enough to ward off the nightmares and scare away the monsters under his bed.

Hannie screamed and screamed, begging for his brother to come back. Crying for his big brother as he sat alone in the darkness.

That was when his parents really knew it was an issue. His mother comforted him, stroked his hair and told him that it would be okay, that Jun would be back in the morning.

Hannie still couldn't sleep.

He just lied between his parents, wide awake and watching the monsters crawling about in the shadows. Lurking around as they stalked their prey.

Jun did come back in the morning. Hannie jumped into his arms the second the door had opened, crying all over again. Their mother watched on, donning a sad smile. She knew that this would have to happen a lot more to break Hannie's dependency on his brother and it did.

The closer Jun and Taebin grew the further Hannie drifted away. He always loved his brother but as the years went by, he learnt that he could live without him, that he could finally sleep on his own.

All throughout school, Hannie felt like he was falling behind. He knew that he could never catch up with Jun-Ho and Taebin, he knew he was always going to be three years younger. Always going to be seen and treated like a baby.

But as Hannie grew, he also grew less dependent. Jun-Ho didn't notice at first but by the time Hannie was starting high school he realised it. His brother didn't need him anymore.

That was when Jun became the dependent one.

He followed Hannie around. He made sure Hannie was okay, made sure no one in the older years was picking on him. But Hannie, little Hannie gave him the cold shoulder. Hannie had had enough. He was an individual, he was finally independent. He was finally growing up.

He still hated Taebin though. He always would. Taebin stole his brother away. Taebin replaced him.

As Hannie grew older he became colder, closing himself off to people. He had friends, sure, but they weren't a good influence.

They'd go to parties almost every weekend. Parties full of drinking, drugs and sex.

Jun, however, acted as if his brother was still a baby that needed to be protected.

Hannie drank a lot. Occasionally, Hannie even did drugs. He danced, grinding up against dozens of girls, but that was all. He didn't indulge in the same sexual activities his friends did. They would tease him, their little virgin. Hannie would punch them, still, they would tease again.

Obviously, Hannie wasn't totally innocent. He had received his fair share of blowjobs and, much to his dismay, seen his fair share of female parts but he had never gone all the way. That was something he still treasured.

You see, Hannie grew into your typical rebellious teenage boy. The thing was, only he knew. His parents and brother still saw him as their innocent little Hannie. The ever so quiet and shy little Hannie. Even Taebin, who never had anything against the younger boy, would ruffle his hair and treat him like a little kid. Hannie didn't ever really say much to Taebin, well, save for the occasional sarcastic comment or insult. Taebin knew that Hannie didn't particularly like him but he never realised just how deep the younger's hatred ran.

Hannie didn't only grow in personality. Don't get me wrong, he was still a little below average height for his age and hadn't bulked up too much. His frame was a little feminine and on the skinny side, but it only added to his boyish charms. The girls at school swooned over him left and right but he never accepted a single confession, neither did he let anyone think they were anything more than a quick bit of fun.

Some would say he led them on but really, they knew that nothing was going to come of their so-called relationship. They all knew. Getting caught up with Choi Ji-Han was never a relationship proposal, it was simply a bit of fun.

Every girl had this belief swimming around in their head that they would be the one, the one to melt his stony chocolate eyes. The one he would finally let into his heart. The one he would lose his ever so protected virginity to.

They were all wrong.

They all knew it, deep down, they knew. They knew they wouldn't be at all special, that they'd make out a little and maybe, just maybe go a little further but never all the way.

Everyone wanted to crack the mystery that was Choi Ji-Han, but none could.

Now, Hannie may have been with his fair share of girls. Maybe he'd even fingered a few, gone down on them even, but he saw that as more of a duty than a pleasure. They would always do him first, always the ones to touch him first. It would be rude not to return the favour but Hannie, well, Hannie would never be the first to touch them. Deep down, he was still a sweet, kind-hearted boy, but no matter how hard he tried, relationships just weren't his thing.

Maybe he would initiate the kiss, maybe he'd even give their bum a little squeeze but that didn't turn him on. No, girls never did.

Hannie had never really had much interest in love, or dating for that matter, but he was still a teenage boy and still got horny just like the rest of the boys his age. He still wasn't sure what he was attracted to, if he was attracted to anything at all. Sure, sex had its appeal but none of the girls were enough for Hannie. Hannie wanted something different, he just wasn't sure what.

He thought he was asexual for a while but was later proved otherwise when he began to get a little more than just morning wood. It wasn't that he didn't want sexual action, just that he wasn't quite as bothered as the others. He was looking for something else, he just didn't know what.

When he wasn't with some girl he was with his usual group of misfits. Hanging out, drinking, smoking and getting high. That was what they did. Almost every single day and today was no different.

"Come on Ji, take a puff," Woojin insisted, holding out his cigarette to Han.

The younger boy shook his head, "No thanks Hyung, I don't smoke."

Woojin began to chuckle but soon found himself coughing instead.

"And that's why," Han added, his snarky tone earning a laugh from the other boys.

"Kid's got you there," Haeun stated, patting Woojin's back as he continued to splutter.

There were always two sides to Han. Hannie, the cute and innocent little brother and Ji, the cocky and snarky teenager. And Han, well, Han was the personality between.

Three nicknames, all used by different individuals. Each one holding a hidden side to the boy's personality.

That was why he was so difficult to figure out, why no one could get close. He was hiding from everyone, even himself.

"I should really get going," Han announced, getting up from his chair.

Haeun pouted, directing her seductive gaze at the younger as he began to leave.

"Come on Hannie, stay a little longer? For me?" She whined, draping her arms over the boy's shoulders.

Haeun always had a soft spot for Han. She was the eldest in their group at almost twenty, why she hung out with the younger boys was a mystery to even them. They all figured it was because of Hannie, his charms had sucked her in too.

She leaned in, catching his bottom lip between hers, tugging on it ever so slightly before kissing the boy.

"I really have to go Noona," he hummed, only enticing her more.

She sighed, sad to see the younger go and licked his lips one last time, "Okay, okay. Get home safe."

Hannie was almost always the first to leave, never once late home for dinner. His social circle may not have followed the curfews set by their parents but Hannie still valued his relationship with his family and he just didn't have it in him to disappoint his big brother.

"Hannie, you're home," his mother chimed, wasting no time in walking over to her little boy and giving him a hug.

"Need any help with anything?" He asked, smiling at his mother as she led him into the house.

She shook her head, "No, your brother and Taebin are already laying the table and the food is almost done. How was the study session?"

Taebin. Han scowled, looking into the dining room just in time to make eye contact with the man he hated most.

Snapping out of it he turned back to his mother, "It was fine, I finally figured out how to do that problem I couldn't solve."

Han always felt bad lying to his mother but to him, that was better than the alternative.

"My smart little boy," she gleamed, ruffling his ebony hair.

Once again, he smiled, masking the guilt that hid beneath.

When the family sat down for dinner Hannie was quiet, as usual. Only speaking when spoken to and ignoring Taebin as much as possible.

"The food is so good mum," Taebin had cooed, stuffing his face with food.

My mum, not yours. Han thought before zoning out of the conversation the others were busy having.

By the time they had eaten Han was beyond scowling at the older boy, simply smiling at his brother whenever he finally turned his attention to him.

Jun disappeared pretty much as soon as everyone had finished, dragging Taebin upstairs to play videogames.

"Don't worry mum, I've got it. Go and sit with dad, watch some tv," Han insisted, taking the dishes from his mother's hands and plopping them into the sink.

She smiled sweetly at the boy and pushed his hair out of his eyes, "Thanks, Hannie."

Why was Taebin there? Well, he was always there. More often than not he stayed for dinner and went upstairs to play videogames with Jun. Jun never played with Han.

He was almost done with the dishes when he heard heavy footsteps coming down the stairs. He had hoped it was Jun but was disappointed when Taebin stepped into the room.

"Hey, Hannie," he breathed, ruffling the boy's hair.

Han rolled his eyes, rinsing off the last bowl as the elder grabbed a glass out of the cupboard. Before he knew it, he was being moved out of the way, two large hands on his shoulders forcing him to step to the side.

"Just need some water and you can go back to cleaning up," Taebin mumbled, turning on the tap.

Han put the last bowl away and muttered, "I'm already done."

"So you are." The older noticed, smiling at Han as if he was a young child before leaving the room and heading back up the stairs, glass of water in hand.

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