fever | ateez lore story

| the brother |

brother
/ˈbrʌðə/
noun
1. a man or boy in relation to other sons and daughters of his parents.
"Together or apart, you're always the other half of me. My brother."

┉┈◈◉◈┈┉

He can be a bother, like a ball of gum that sticks to the bottom of your shoe and makes that annoying, tacky sound every time you take a step.

Other times, he's everything. He's the energy I need in the morning (since I ain't a morning person). He's the machine that holds all of my worries, dreams, doubts, you name it.

Above all, he's my brother. I wouldn't have these moments with anyone else. This is a story where only me and him understand the plot line.

He has a huge ambition of pursuing music, which I'm helping him with. I don't think I have the courage, or the potential that my brother has to become an idol, so I'm helping my brother on this journey. I want to see him succeed. I believe he will, and I'm happy but...

He'll be leaving me soon.

---

-"Bro, wake up. We'll be late for school."

I feel a nudge on my shoulder and I moan.

"5 more minutes. Please." I respond before drifting back into dreamland. I try to, anyway, before I feel a huge weight fall on top of me, making me sink into the mattress. My older brother lies limp, careless about the fact he's crushing my ribs into my lungs.

"Dude! Get- I can't breathe!" I squirm, letting out breathy laughs that almost leave my lungs paralysed from the lack of air. I clutch my chest, turning to the side, finally able to laugh properly. I watch as he stands up, his school shirt now all crinkled. He sticks his hands to his hips, giving me the oddest mother-pose ever.

"Get up, young man. This isn't a good look for the assistant to the class captain now, is it?" He rants.

"Young man'? You're only a year older than me." I complain, throwing the duvet off my body, feeling the morning chill hit my spine. I shiver slightly, groggily pulling my body up into a sitting position and groaning. I catch my reflection in the wardrobe mirror, and realise how much of a mess I look.

"Doesn't change the fact I'm still older than you. Now please, get up, get dressed and get eating." He orders before letting out this hearty laugh which made his bony shoulders shake. I scoff, chucking a pillow to his back as he leaves the room.

Bad idea.

He slowly turns and glares at me, like how a boxer stares at their opponent. Then he drops down, grabs the pillow and strikes me across the face, the softness of the object still enough to almost knock me into unconsciousness.

For the eldest between the two of us, he's no better than a 5 year old.

---

"And when I'm on stage, with a thousand people yelling my name, you'll be the first one I thank. I'll say the nicest speech like 'I want to thank my little brother, Yunho, for helping me on this successful journey. Couldn't of done it without you, bro.' I'll start shedding tears, too. Who knows, maybe I can force you on stage with me." He explains, planning the next few years as an idol on our way to school. I just listen and take it in, imagining his glowing image in front of a dozen cameras and millions of people. His eyes will be sparkling and his smile will be tattooed in people's minds forever. Then I'll watch from the side and think "that's my brother."

"I don't want to ruin your moment. Besides, that's embarrassing, and I'll hate you forever if you did that." I tell him, playfully smacking the back of his head. He slows his walking and turns to me, a perplexed look on his face - like I said something stupid.

"You can find it embarrassing, but I'm doing it. I want people to know the master behind the madness. If I succeed, it's because of us, but mainly because of you. Why don't you become an idol too, Yu?" he asks, wrapping an arm around my shoulders. He could feel me slump as I keep my eyes on the road ahead.

-"I just...I don't know. I don't think I have the qualities to be one. And on top of my studies? I'm not risking losing my spot at one of the greatest universities in Korea."

He nods, patting me reassuringly on the back.

"Fair enough, but in my eyes, the stars in the sky could use another one. The fact you're even helping me on my journey to the music industry is one of the most evident qualities of an idol. Just, don't waste your potential, okay? Even if it means performing in the school's talent shows." He gushes, and I nod, partially agreeing and partially disagreeing.

He's said similar things to me in past, and I have always thought about it. But it always leads to me not considering it at all. I want my brother to have it all. He deserves it. And I want to help him through it. Once he succeeds, I'll understand the potential I have - helping others with their dream.

"Yunho. Check it out." He sounds dazed, and I look over to his line of sight to find a stream of branches dotted with pink cherry blossoms. It's like a painting, with how unreal it looks. The thin branches snake out around the cement wall it was attached to. The glittering, blush petals bring a much more loving hue to the plain tone of the grey wall. A sudden wind blows in, and the petals leave the branch and dance in the air, being pulled further and further away from where they began.

I imagine my brother. Once he becomes an idol, he'll never be home. He'll always be out, committed to schedules, meeting fans and what not. I probably won't even get a moment alone with him without someone asking for a picture. I suddenly feel reluctant to let him go, a selfishness in me wanting to hold him back.

"Yu, can you promise me something?" My brother suddenly asks, and I look towards him. His gaze is still towards the cherry blossom branch, his mind clearly not present.

"Anything. What is it?" I say, watching the petals with him.

It's like he can read minds. It's scary how people can do that. The promise he wants me to make...

-"Promise me things won't change, should I become an idol. My name will be heard and said everywhere around the world, but it will never change the fact that you were one of the first people to say it. I'll be a certain someone to people, but I'll always be your hyung."

I felt a knot in my chest. Has he thought about it, too? Well, since we're sharing feelings...

-"As long as you promise not to leave me. I know that's kind of what you just said me now but, with the amount of schedules and concerts and whatnot you'll be attending, you'll hardly be at home. Please don't leave me alone, hyung. Promise me that."

His attention is brought to me, and I look back at him. He comes closer and places a warm hand on my shoulder, rubbing it back and forth with his thumb.

"I'd never do that. I'll never leave the one person on the planet that I want to annoy." He giggles, honesty pouring out his eyes like waterfalls. I feel a pang of relief in me, because he has never lied to me before.

My hand comes up between us, with the thumb and the pinky held out to signal a human contract waiting to be made.

-"I promise things will not change, whatever the future may be for us."

He smiles, linking our fingers together, binding and sealing our terms.

-"I promise not to leave you alone."