Come To Me (Kyuwook Fic)

Chapter 3

Eunhyuk continued to stare at Ryeowook even after the woman left, finally, he said, "Never mind the blasted storm, let's go home." and he picked Ryeowook up and walked them home. Ryeowook buried his face into Eunhyuk's shoulder and cried his heart out, "She was a mean woman." he sobbed, "My brothers take care of me well, we're not beggars and thieves."

When they finally got home, Ryeowook was still sobbing the same sentences over and over again.

"Thank goodness you're here!" Leeteuk cried out and rushed to help them in, "Oh! What happened to Ryeowook?" he took the youngest into his arms and cuddled him.

"There was a bad woman and she called me a beggar and a thief!"

This did not explain much, so Leeteuk asked Eunhyuk for an explanation.

"Where did Ryeowook get this coat? It looks expensive." Donghae marvelled as he touched the fabric.

Eunhyuk told them about the boy and his mother.

"What a nice boy! And what a cruel woman! Everything she said was a lie, Ryeowook, don't listen to her, she's a bit-" Donghae stopped as Leeteuk glared at him, warning him not to say bad words in front of Ryeowook.

They had learnt all these bad words from their uncle, he had called his wife and their mother a bitch, and many other rude names, luckily, Ryeowook did not pick up any of these words, but Donghae occasionally used them - for especially cruel people.

"I bit her." Ryeowook said proudly as Donghae wiped his tears for him, "She called us bad things so I bit her, because I won't let anyone say bad things about my hyungs."

"Oh Wookie." and with that Leeteuk burst into tears.

"What did I do?" Ryeowook asked, "I'm sorry hyung! I'm sorry I made you cry! Are you sad because I bit someone?"

"No, Wookie, I'm touched," Leeteuk gave his younger brothers a sad smile through his tears, "I'm touched that you love me so much."

Eunhyuk and Donghae leaned in to join in on the hugging, "Of course we love you hyung, we love you more than anyone in the world!"

But Ryeowook never forgot the boy whose name he didn't know, he wondered what his name could be, he really wished he knew, it would be so much easier to call him by his name than by, "That boy who gave me this coat," or even just, "That boy." It was much better to have a name.

And, in that same city, was that boy, he never forgot Ryeowook either, he replayed all the details he knew about Ryeowook in his mind every day, so as not to forgot, His name is Kim Ryeowook, his eldest brother is called Leeteuk, the second in Eunhyuk, and the third is Donghae, they all have different surnames. Leeteuk takes care of them.

He wished he could've helped them more, after this incident, he realized that his mother was not the kind woman he had thought she was, and for such cruelty to some poor children he never forgave her.

***

"Hyung, Donghae hyung started working when he was 5, and I'm already 7 now, why can't I work too?" Ryeowook asked, he was aware that he was the only person in the family that didn't have a job.

"Because you're our baby." Leeteuk told him.

"But Donghae could work when he was only 5!"

"I look a bit older than I am, Eunhyuk too, but Wookie, you still look 4! And you're so frail, please, trust your hyungs and stay at home, alright?" Donghae pleaded.

"Alright." But Ryeowook had his fingers crossed behind his back.

The next day, when all his brothers left and Heechul came for him, Ryeowook told him what he wanted to do, "Aww, you want to work too? What about our lemonade stand? You're just gonna leave me?" Heechul pouted and squat down beside Ryeowook.

"No hyung." Ryeowook pat the elder's head as if he were a pet, "I want to do proper work and our lemonade stand, hyung help?"

"Of course I'll help." Heechul agreed, he just couldn't resist the child.

"But it's a secret, you can't tell hyungs! Okay?"

"Deal!" and they shook on it.

So from then on, when he was supposed to be selling lemonade with Heechul, Heechul took him to a small sweet shop where he worked, he put the candy in bags and told them the prices and things like that, though he wasn't allowed to work the cash register and give change yet.

And then, after 2 hours, Heechul would quickly take him home and they'd pretend that they had been out selling lemonade, as usual.

The truth was that Heechul now sold the lemonade alone, he brought the stand out right in front of Ryeowook's store, and that was how they got more money.

But things like this could not last forever, and they got caught in about 3 months.

It was a hot day, and since his boss had closed the fish and chips store early today, Donghae decided to go get some lemonade from Ryeowook. But to his surprise, the stand wasn't where it had been. So Donghae wandered along, confused, until he walked right into Heechul with his lemonade stand, and before Heechul could stammer out an excuse, he saw Ryeowook working behind the counter in the little store.

That afternoon, Donghae told on them.

"Heechul-ah! How could you!" Leeteuk sighed.

"He wants to help out! Why don't you let him?"

"He's our baby!"

"I'm seven now!" Ryeowook said indignantly.

"Donghae worked since he was five, so Ryeowook should be able to work too."

"But he's not street-wise like Hae! He's so small, anyone can take him!"

"Silly! I'm standing right outside the store selling lemonade and keeping an eye on him! Please, Leeteuk." Heechul pleaded.

Finally, Leeteuk gave in, "Fine," he said, "But keep an eye on Wookie at all times, okay?"

"Thank you hyung!" Ryeowook jumped around in excitement.

Leeteuk smiled, his face was worn and weary from the many jobs he had, he worked at an ice cream store every weekend from 1-5 pm, in the mornings he worked at the cleaner, 8-12 am, and from 6-8 at night he was a waiter at McDonalds.

On Weekdays, he worked after school.

He was tired, and Ryeowook could see that, he was only trying to help.