Kook was lying on his bed, scrolling through his phone when he heard a soft knock at the door. His fingers paused over the screen, and his heart skipped a beat, realizing who it must be. Tae had probably come to check on him. Kook quickly tried to hide the phone under his blanket, but it was too late. The door creaked open, and Tae stepped into the room.
Tae stood there for a moment, eyes landing on the obvious bulge under the blanket where Kook's phone was hidden. Tae sighed deeply, not in anger, but in a way that told Kook he was already tired of repeating himself. This was not the first time Tae had caught him slacking off on his schoolwork, and both of them knew it wouldn't be the last.
"Kook-ah," Tae said quietly, walking toward the bed. His voice was calm, but Kook could sense the underlying frustration in it.
Kook looked up, trying to appear innocent, but he knew that Tae wasn't here to scold him about using his phone this time. He braced himself for what was coming next.
Tae stopped at the edge of the bed, looking down at Kook. "Take out your assignments," he said simply, his voice steady.
Kook blinked, his stomach tightening. His assignments? He had barely touched them, and they were far from complete. Panic washed over him, and his mind raced for an excuse. "Hyung, I-"
Before he could finish his sentence, Tae cut him off. "I know they're incomplete," he said, his tone a little firmer now, but still calm. "I'm not asking. I'm telling you to finish them now."
Kook's shoulders slumped as he realized there was no way out of this. Tae wasn't going to leave him alone until the work was done. Tae always knew how to break through his procrastination, and this time, it was no different. The fact that Tae had chosen to stay calm instead of getting mad made Kook feel even worse.
Seeing Kook's hesitation, Tae sat down on the chair next to the bed, crossing his arms. "I'm staying here until you finish," Tae added, his eyes locked on Kook's.
Kook swallowed hard, knowing his hyung wasn't kidding. If Tae stayed there, there was no chance for Kook to procrastinate any further. He sighed heavily, dragging himself up from the comfort of the bed and reaching over to his school bag to pull out the dreaded assignments.
The moment he laid out the unfinished work in front of him, Tae relaxed a bit, leaning back in the chair. He didn't say much, but Kook could feel Tae's eyes on him, watching his every move. Knowing his hyung wasn't going to let him escape this time, Kook quietly began writing, his pen moving slowly across the paper.
Tae stayed quiet, only occasionally glancing at his phone, giving Kook the space to work while making sure he stayed focused. Kook knew that his hyung was serious about making him finish the assignments, and with no other choice, he forced himself to concentrate.
The silence in the room was heavy, but not unbearable. Kook could feel the weight of Tae's presence behind him, a constant reminder that he needed to get this done. Every now and then, Kook would sneak a glance at Tae, hoping to see if his hyung was distracted enough for him to take a quick break, but Tae was vigilant.
This was the only way Tae knew how to keep Kook on track-staying close and keeping an eye on him, knowing that Kook had a habit of letting his mind wander. It wasn't the first time they had sat like this, and Kook knew it wouldn't be the last.
---
A couple of days later, the long-awaited event finally arrived-Eunwoo's birthday party. Kook, Soobin, and their friends had been looking forward to it for weeks, and it didn't disappoint. The party was lively, filled with laughter, music, and plenty of delicious food. Kook, being one of Eunwoo's best friends, had helped plan a few surprise moments during the party, and everything went off without a hitch.
They played games, danced, and made jokes throughout the night, and by the end of it, everyone was exhausted but incredibly happy. The highlight for Kook was seeing Eunwoo's face light up with surprise when they revealed the birthday cake, which was designed with all his favorite characters from the latest anime series they were obsessed with. It was a night to remember, and Kook felt content knowing that he and his friends had pulled off a great celebration for Eunwoo.
---
The weekend after the birthday party was a much quieter day. It was a lazy Saturday morning, and the Kim household was filled with the usual weekend buzz. Kook and his brothers were lounging around, enjoying the rare peace of not having any school or work to rush to.
In the living room, Mr. and Mrs. Kim were talking quietly, but soon, Kook noticed something unusual-his dad was leaning in closer to his mom, whispering something in her ear. Kook narrowed his eyes, suspicious, and when he saw the playful smile on his mom's face, he realized what was happening. His dad was flirting with his mom-right in front of the kids!
Kook felt a mix of embarrassment and amusement as he watched his parents. It wasn't every day that he saw his dad act so playful. Tae, who had just walked into the room, caught the scene as well and raised an eyebrow.
"Really, Dad?" Tae said with a teasing grin. "In front of the kids?"
Mr. Kim chuckled, throwing an arm around Mrs. Kim's shoulder. "What? Can't a man flirt with his beautiful wife, even in front of his kids?" he joked, winking at Kook and Tae.
Kook groaned, covering his face with his hands. "Dad, please, we don't need to see this," he said, half-joking, half-horrified.
Mrs. Kim, smiling brightly, patted her husband's arm. "Alright, alright, we'll behave," she said, laughing at the boys' reactions.
After a few more moments of lighthearted teasing, their parents announced they were heading out for some shopping. "You boys behave while we're gone," Mrs. Kim called out as they left the house, waving goodbye.
Kook stretched out on the couch, feeling the weight of boredom settle in. It was still early in the day, and he had no plans. Just as he was thinking about what to do next, his phone buzzed. It was Soobin.
"Hey, are you coming to play basketball at the court?" Soobin's message read.
Kook's face lit up with excitement. Basketball sounded like the perfect way to spend the afternoon. Without wasting a second, he messaged Soobin back and quickly went to ask Jimin for a ride.
---
Later that afternoon, Kook was dropped off at the basketball court by Jimin. The sun was shining brightly, and the court was already buzzing with activity. Soobin waved at him from across the court, already shooting hoops with a couple of other friends.
Kook ran over, high-fiving his friends and joining the game. The hours flew by as they played, laughing and teasing each other during the match. Kook, as usual, was competitive, determined to win every round.
But the fun was interrupted when Kook suddenly heard a commotion nearby. He turned to see a woman standing at the edge of the court, holding a young boy who looked to be around 8 or 9 years old. The boy was clutching his nose, blood dripping between his fingers, and the woman was shouting furiously.
"Who did this to my son?!" the woman screamed, her voice echoing across the court.
But before Kook could even process what was happening, the woman's eyes locked onto him.
"You!" she yelled, pointing directly at Kook. "You're the one who did this! You made his nose bleed!"
Kook's eyes widened in shock. "What? No, I didn't!" he protested, backing up slightly. He hadn't even been near Minho during the game, but the woman wasn't listening. She stormed toward him, her voice rising with every step.
