Friend {SoonHoon}

fourteen

-Nine years ago-

"For the last time, I said no." Twenty-year-old Choi Sungcheol said with a tone of finality and slight annoyance.

It was only seven in the morning and was already engaged in a headed argument with his younger brother. It was becoming the norm as he found himself in arguments every other morning about the same thing, money, or rather, the lack of it.

"Come on," Hansol pleaded. "I'm not quitting school. It's just a part-time job after school."

Hansol was Sungcheol's younger half-brother. The two had a relationship that was less like brothers and more like a father and son. Sungcheol's mother had died before Hansol was born and their father walked out on them five years ago. Now, Hansol's mother was too ill to get out of bed most mornings, leaving Sungcheol to shoulder most of the burden left behind by their absent parents. Hansol often voiced his guilt and his want to help, but Sungcheol would refuse him each and every time. Sungcheol had been fifteen when he became the man of the house. He had to grow up before his time and he refused to let Hansol experience what he had. He was only seventeen. He should have been worrying about exams, college, and his first love, not about how they were going to make all the bills that month. However, no matter how hard Sungcheol worked to hide the true reality from his little brother, Hansol always managed to figure it out, leading to arguments about jobs and money. Hansol had been suggesting that he could get an after-school job, but Sungcheol wouldn't let him. Hansol would even go as far as to try and get the jobs secretly, leading to Sungcheol dropping him off and picking him up for school every day just to stop him from scheming. Despite all his efforts, Hansol refused to give up.

"You have homework to do after school." Sungcheol pointed out as he packed Hansol's backpack for him, zipping it up when he was satisfied with its contents.

"I could always do it after work," Hansol argued.

Sungcheol scoffed at the nativity of the answer. "You would be too tired after work to do your homework. You still have time before you need to enter the work world. Enjoy this time while you can." He told him as threw the younger his backpack and continued to get everything together.

While Hansol getting a job would make things a bit easier, Sungcheol didn't want him to experience what he was just yet. He wanted to give Hansol the chance to discover a job he liked and not be stuck in an exhausting endless cycle just because they needed money. Most importantly, Sungcheol didn't want Hansol to have a life like his. His little brother glared at him as he caught his backpack.

"You're being ridiculous. I'm going to have work one day."

"Well, that's not today."

"You can't protect me forever." Hansol scoffed.

The words cut Sungcheol deep. They were true. He couldn't protect his little brother forever. One day he was going to grow up and do things for himself and was going to be exposed to the harsh world Sungcheol had tried to hide from him. It was a fear that kept him up at night. Regardless, he cleared his throat, not wanting to show just how much Hansol's words affected him.

"Why can't you just enjoy your childhood for the short time it lasts?" He asked.

His voice had a hint of desperation in it as if he was pleading with him. Tears began to well in Hansol's eyes, but his expression was full of anger and disbelief.

"Enjoy my childhood?" He repeated with a mocking tone. "What is there to enjoy about having to come home every day and see my brother so tired he can barely make it past the doorway? What's to enjoy about having to worry if we're going to have a house next month or food the next day, knowing there isn't anything I can do about it? I can't enjoy my childhood if I feel helpless for most of it."