Okay... So, Here's The Thing...

Chapter 9 ✨

*special chapter: chapter in Raven's POV this time!

Raven clicked his phone shut, smiling to himself.

Luke. That idiot. He better not be dead. I'd hate to sit alone in class tomorrow.

Lazily, he got off the couch and headed into the kitchen. His brother was behind the counter, chopping carrots on the cutting board. He had changed out of his work clothes and the shirt with blood, and was wearing a oversized grey hoodie and joggers.

He looked up at the shuffle of Raven coming into the kitchen.

"Finally. Get over here and help me." Eun-sun rolled his eyes, switching to Korean in the middle.

*A/N: I'm not gonna actually put in the Korean words bcoz I don't think people would be able to really read them, so I put English— just pretend it's in Korean. :)

Raven sighed. "Okay, okay! Be patient, old man!"

His brother spoke in Korean most of the time, but spoke in English when guests were around (guests being Lukas, because that boy comes over way too much).

Raven would say he was fluent in both languages— it would be horrible if he couldn't even understand his own mother when she spoke Korean.

I miss mom. And dad. A fleeting thought crossed his mind. I wonder how they're doing in Korea.

He wasn't allowed to miss them. Eun-sun and him had both vowed to not miss their parents.

All they ever did was be busy and out of the house most of the time, forcing Eun-sun to take care of his younger brother and making Raven grow up with his parents around to even hug him goodnight.

All they did was buy Eun-sun and Raven a mansion to call home, leave them money in Eun-sun's account (a lot of money though), and then fly to Korea without a single goodbye when Eun-sun turned sixteen.

Raven bit his lip, toying with his bottom lip.

I'm allowed to miss my own parents though, aren't I? I mean, I don't have any good memories of them— they were always so busy... But...

Raven fidgeted with the hem of his shirt.

"Hyung..."

Eun-sun looked up and his face softened when he met Raven's teary eyes.

"Seung-il? What's wrong?" He asked in Korean, using Raven's Korean name.

"I... miss mom and dad." Raven uttered quietly.

"I—I know I shouldn't!" He said quickly. "But... I..."

Raven clapped a hand over his mouth as a wrangled-choked sob escaped him. A mix of sadness, regret, and slight anger washed over him.

Eun-sun came over and wrapped his arm around him, squeezing him tightly.

"You're allowed to cry."

At that, the river of tears flooded down his cheeks. Raven sniffled, his eyes blurry from the tears.

"W—Why did they have to leave? I mean, t—they weren't a—around anyway, so it's not that different... But j—just knowing my own parents are across the world, not even caring to call or c—contact us to see how w—we are... It's just... I miss them..." He said, hiccuping in between words.

Eun-sun rubbed circles on his back.

"I know. I... I can't say I don't miss them sometimes." He admitted. "But... They abandoned us. And.... Maybe I didn't want them to hurt us again. Maybe that's why I was forcing myself to just forget them. I didn't realize I was hurting you too by making you try to forgot them too. I'm sorry."

The familiar English words at the end warmed the air.

"It's okay, hyung. It's not your fault either. You were the one raising me, and... you're kinda like the parent I needed." Raven spoke softly. "Thanks."

"It's my job as your older brother." Eun-sun nudged him as he pulled away. "Even though, you know, it's not easy." He teased.

Raven smiled, wiping his tears away. "Hey, enough sobbing. I'll help you make dinner."

Eun-sun laughed. "Great, you can finish chopping the carrots, then move onto the onions, then you can make the sauce for it, and—"

"Hyung!"

Eun-sun laughed.

"Kidding, kidding. Just finish off the carrots for me. I'll make the sauce and do the onions then."

Raven rolled his eyes playfully, and went to wash his hands so he could help cook.