Somebody Take Me Home

V

Yeosang had got more and more confident around the house and its inhabitants, and he felt particularly enthusiastic about spending some time with baby Mingi. There was something about the little one that unleashed something in him. Something positive. Something that gave him hope.

He put the plastic spoon in the baby's mouth once again, and watched as Mingi chewed the mash as well as he could. Some dropped on his cotton bib. The baby opened wide his mouth again and Yeosang gave him another spoon. Feeding Mingi was his new thing and his new commitment. He would not let anyone else do it; and as it seemed, Mingi would not let anyone else do it either.

Seonghwa walked past them and pet Mingi's growing thin hair. "Are you enjoying your meal, love?" he cooed.

Mingi yelped a few times, pointing at Yeosang next to him and said something like "Yeo! Yeo!" Seonghwa and Yeosang locked eyes for a moment and he saw the teenager beam at Mingi calling his name.

"Yes, Mingi-yah, you're right!" Seonghwa said fondly. "That's Yeosang-hyung! Can you say it again, Yeosang-hyung?"

"Yeo! Yeo!" Mingi repeated, clapping his mash-covered hands.

Yeosang smiled brightly and he thought that was the first time he did in a long, long time. Mingi made him so happy. Because he knew that Mingi could never hurt him and that he was to be cared for. Caring for Mingi was what kept Yeosang going now.

"Hey!" someone muttered from across the kitchen table. "Yeosang-hyung arrived after me and still Mingi says his name before mine!"

Yeosang grinned at San who was pouting, and shrugged. "Would it perhaps be because you never help take care of Mingi?" Yunho ironised, sticking his tongue out at the smaller boy.

"I do! I changed his nappy once. Worst day of my life."

Yunho and his brother laughed and San crossed his arms on his chest, vexed. Seonghwa ruffled his hair and said softly, "Come on, Sannie. It's simply harder for Mingi to pronounce the letter 's', is all."

"Maybe he just doesn't like mountains," Jongho sniggered, taking a mouthfull of bread.

San rolled his eyes. Those two had been teasing one another in a friendly way ever since they fought in the living-room the previous week. But San had apologised and so had Jongho, as they did every time they had a disagreement. Jongho, even though he was young, knew that, with San, patience was all it took.

Yeosang concentrated on Mingi and ignored the others. They were often too loud for him. He preferred to remain in his bubble; it was too tiresome otherwise. He felt the three boys had their own dynamic and did not want to ruin that. He would only be intruding, and he would not even talk. He knew there was no point trying to be friends. At least he did not need to talk to Mingi.

Seonghwa kissed Mingi's head and addressed the boys, "Guys, tomorrow I'll need your help - all of you," he added in San's direction, "because we're having Hongjoong-ssi and Wooyoung-ah over for dinner."

"Really?" San shouted excitedly. "Why didn't you tell us earlier? Can we start now?"

"Wow, calm down, tiger!" Seonghwa laughed heartily and winked at the small boy. "For now, you can decide which games you want to play with them, if you like. We'll cook together tomorrow. That okay?"

San shook his head, finished his plate, and ran towards the living-room where their board games were stocked. It made Seonghwa smile. The boy could be so passionate and considerate, provided Wooyoung was involved. It was exactly the reason why Seonghwa's heart had melted for him, a few years before.

After dinner, Yeosang watched as the adult put Mingi to bed and directly went for his bedroom afterwards, reading some of Yunho's comics which he was addicted to. San joined him, still all excited, and even when the lights were switched off, he could not stop fidgeting, which kept Yeosang awake.