Chapter 44

Yeonseok frowned and crossed his arms, "No! You can't be with noona!"

Yiyeon immediately stepped between the two and carried her brother, "Yeonseok, what are you saying?" She chuckled. "Don't be mean towards Jeno," she pouted.

The boy huffed and crossed his arms as he looked away.

A week came by in the blink of an eye, and Jeno never felt more uncomfortable in his life. He couldn't even step inside the Hwang residences because Yeonsuk would throw tantrums, much to Yiyeon, Yikyung, and Hyunjin's apology. 

Yiyeon's parents have also talked to Jeno, explaining the whole situation, and maybe persuading Jeno to be more understanding especially when it comes to the kid.

And Jeno is trying, yet no matter what he does, no matter what he gives Yeonseok, the child would still ignore him.

Now, here he is, standing in front of Yiyeon's house, waiting for his girlfriend to come outside. The two of them were supposed to go out on a date; watch movies, eat at a restaurant, and maybe play at the arcade if they still have enough time.

He smiled as his girlfriend slowly walked toward him, but his smile slowly faded upon seeing who was trailing beside Yiyeon. It was Yeonseok, and he was also dressed. He could only guess what was about to happen, and somehow, it hurt him.

Yiyeon looked down shyly, "Uhm... I'm sorry we have to bring Yeonseok with us," she sighed. "He won't let me go and ould constantly throw a fit if I won't take him with me... I-I'm sorry... I'll make it up to you! Promise!" She said, sounding as if she was as disappointed as he was.

Jeno could only sigh and hold Yiyeon's other hand as they began walking. "It's okay, you don't have to be sorry..." He keeps on saying that it's okay, but deep inside, he's wondering why Yiyeon's younger brother hates him so much.

The two of them were supposed to have a date, yet here they are. The whole scenario was all too surreal to Jeno; he can't believe that the competition he would have for Yiyeon's attention wasn't sasaengs, nor Yangyang, but Yiyeon's brother. Her own brother!

***

"Everything alright? Why do you look so down?" Yiyeon asked as she held Jeno's face. 

The three of them were at the arcade, waiting for Yeonseok to get off the carousel ride. The kid looked like he was having the time of his live, but glance at his sister occasionally, especially when other kids approach him.

Jeno shook his head, "I think Yeonseok hates me..."

"It's not like that," Yiyeon sighed as she held his hands. "Maybe the reason why he's hostile is because he hasn't been with you that long," she then threw a glance at the carousel ride that was about to end. "Give him time, love. Okay? I'll also try to talk to him," she said. "Okay?"

She looked like she was just as stressed as him, and he feels like if he pushed his limits further, Yiyeon might actually cry.

Nodding, he smiled. "I  understand, don't worry."

The buzzer rang, signaling that the carousel ride ended. The children who was on board fell into a line as they walked to the exit. Yiyeon waved her hand at her brother, and Yeonseok, on the other hand, had a huge smile on his face upon seeing Yiyeon.

"Yiyeon-noona!" Yeonseok yelled as he ran towards her sister who had her arms open for him. "Noona, I made friends with someone!" He said excitedly.

Yiyeon raised a brow, "Really? That's good, then!" She cheered.

Yeonseok turned around and pointed at a girl by the claw machine. She was wearing a pink dress and yellow hair band. "She was on the horse beside mine during the ride. She told me she was scared, so I told her to hold my hand." He smiled.

Jeno crouched down beside Yiyeon. "Did you ask for her name?" He asked.

The boy nodded, "She said her name was Kim Dasom. I also told her my name, Hwang Yeoneok!"

Yiyeon and Jeno looked at each other, as if they were talking telephatically. Yiyeon shook her head while chuckling as she carried her younger brother. "Alright, that's enough arcade for now. Let's eat lunch first, okay?"

"Okay!"

***

The line at their favorite fastfood chain was longer than they had expected, making Yeonseok frown.

Yiyeon crouched down, "Hey, why don't you and Jeno-hyung go somewhere and save us seats?" She asked. "I'll order for the three of us, and I'll just go to where you are once the orders are done."

Yeonseok looked at Yiyeon first, then to Jeno. It was as if he just had the biggest dillemma in his life.

Sighing, she nodded, "Okay, I'll go with Jeno-hyung. Be careful, noona!" He said as he went behind Jeno. But unlike the usual, he wasn't being his grump, hostile self towards Jeno. To the older boy's surprise, Yeonseok was holding onto the hem of his shirt, as if afraid to get lost.

Jeno looked at Yiyeon, worried. "Are you... sure?"

"About me taking our orders? Yeah⁠—"

"No, not that," Jeno said. "Are you sure Yeonseok's going to be okay with me?" He asked.

His girlfriend nodded, "Of course. I know him well." She said. "Now go!"

Yiyeon watched as the two boys walk away from him.

They'll be okay, right?

***

After a few minutes of scanning the whole dining area, Yeonseok and Jeno were able to secure a table for them. Jeno sat down, and so did Yeonseok, in front of him.

The kid was quiet, Jeno noticed, and he wanted to ask why, but he doubts that the kid would answer. But he answered me at the arcade earlier, didn't he? Or was he just being nice since his sister was looking⁠—

"Didn't you... hurt noona?" Yeonseok asked while looking down.

Jeno's breath hitched as he looked away. He didn't know how to explain everything to this little kid. How does a 3-year old kid know what a heartbreak means anyway?!

"I heard my parents and hyung talk about how you hurt noona. Appa was really surprised when Yikyung-hyung said that you and noona were together again. I remember that scene when we were going home from the airport," Yeonseok explained. "Appa also warned noona about the possibility of you hurting her again. Yiyeon-noona defended you from appa, and even Yikyung-hyung and Hyunjin-hyung did..."

Jeno's eyes widened, surprised at the fact that a kid could say all of those, and know what the pain of a heartbreak could bring.

He sighed, "Listen, Yeonseok-ah... I know that I have hurt your sister in the past, but that's why I'm here... to make new memories with her. To replace those sad and hurtful memories with new and happy ones," Jeno smiled. "I know that I don't deserve this second chance that she gave me, but I'll do my best to make her happy."

"Noona won't cry anymore?" Yeonseok asked.

"I can't guarantee that⁠—" 

"Then I won't let you be with noona!" Yeonseok huffed and crossed his arms.

Jeno chuckled, "Yeonseok, as a couple, it's normal to fight," he explained. "We might fight someday, but I will make sure that I won't hurt your noona, okay?" Jeno, you're contradicting yourself.

"Then why would you fight if you did not hurt noona?"

This kid keeps on outsmarting me!

Jeno was silently crying for help. He was hoping that Yiyeon would come in the nick of time and save him from the distress, but he knew better.

"If you're worried that your Yiyeon-noona would be hurt the way she was before? I won't allow that. We've been through a lot as a couple and as individuals, and I think that those circumstances made us stronger. I'm not sure if you understand everything I'm saying right now, but I need you to trust me," Jeno explained. "Trust me, Yeonseokkie, okay? Because I love your noona so much. If not, then why am I here?"

The kid looked at him for a while and rubbed his chin in a cute way. "You promise not to leave noona anymore?" He asked.

Jeno nodded, "Never again."

What he said made the kid's face light up as he stood from his chair to stand beside Jeno as they fistbumped.

"Jeno-hyung must be true to his words!"

Jeno nodded as he hugged the kid.

From afar, Yiyeon stares at them, smiling. She has no idea what happened in the few minutes she was gone, but she knows that something about the winds changed.

- tbc.

my friend who read the initial draft told me that yeonseok sounds like yuri from spy x family and i could see why LMAAAOOO. anyways, the next chapter would be the epilogue! thank you so much for sticking around even if the updates were inconsistent :< 

i love you, jaems! stay safe <3