𝕄𝕒𝕜𝕖 𝕞𝕖 𝕗𝕖𝕖𝕝 𝔸𝕝𝕚𝕧𝕖 || 𝟚𝕞𝕚𝕟

27 | I 𝖢̶𝖺̶𝗇̶ Can't Fix Him

The first time Hyunjin had ever snarled at someone, he was three years old.

It happened at the park, when Seungmin's mom tried to pick up baby Seungmin to carry him home. Seungmin had been clinging to Hyunjin's tiny hand all afternoon, his chubby fingers wrapped tightly around his. But when his mom crouched down and gently reached for Seungmin, Hyunjin had snapped.

"No!" he had shrieked, stomping his foot with all the force his little body could muster. "You can't take him!"

The woman had chuckled, taken aback. "Oh, sweetheart, we should be heading home now shouldn't we? Its getting dark—"

"No!" Hyunjin had stepped in front of Seungmin, arms spread out like a tiny human shield.

Behind him, Seungmin's face crumpled as if sensing the separation. His big, round eyes filled with tears, and within seconds, a loud, hiccupy wail filled the air. He reached desperately for Hyunjin, his tiny hands flailing.

"Jinnie!!" Seungmin sobbed, his little body wriggling as he tried to cling on Hyunjin. "Jinnieee!!"

Hyunjin turned, alarmed, and immediately grabbed Seungmin's hands again, squeezing them tightly. "Shh, shh, it's okay! I'm here, I'm here!" He glared up, now at both the moms who were watching the scene, amused. "See? You scared him!"

The thing is, long before Seungmin and Hyunjin even existed, their parents had been best friends.

The four of them—Seungmin's parents and Hyunjin's parents—had met in college, quickly becoming inseparable. They did everything together, from late-night study sessions to road trips, promising that no matter where life took them, they'd always remain a family. And when they got married and had kids, their bond didn't change. If anything, it only grew stronger. 

So, naturally, when Seungmin was born, he immediately had Hyunjin in his life.

Hyunjin was already a year and a half old, waddling around on unsteady legs when Seungmin was brought home from the hospital. The first time their parents introduced them, Hyunjin had stared curiously at the tiny baby wrapped in a soft blue blanket. He had blinked, hesitated, then carefully poked Seungmin's chubby cheek with his small fingers.

"Isn't he adorable?" his mom had asked, smiling on seeing his reaction.

Hyunjin nodded, still staring at the baby in awe.

"He's going to be your best friend."

That, apparently, was all Hyunjin needed to hear.

From that day on, he took his role as Seungmin's best friend very seriously.

As a baby, Seungmin always reached for Hyunjin first. If Hyunjin was playing on the floor, Seungmin would scoot over to be next to him, grabbing at his shirt with tiny, uncoordinated hands. If someone else tried to pick Seungmin up(other than his parents), he would wail and stretch his arms toward Hyunjin, refusing to be held by anyone else.

Hyunjin, despite his young age, understood.

If Seungmin cried, Hyunjin would rush to his side, patting his head clumsily. If Seungmin got sleepy, Hyunjin would sit next to him, letting the younger boy curl into his side. And if anyone—anyone—tried to take Seungmin away, Hyunjin snapped.

From then on, it became clear—Hyunjin was Seungmin's protector, and Seungmin was his shadow. And since they only lived two blocks away from each other, they were mostly together at any one of the house.

At daycare, Seungmin refused to play with the other kids unless Hyunjin was there, and it was no different for Hyunjin.

If another child tried to take Seungmin's hand, Hyunjin would snatch it back. And Seungmin, in turn, clung to Hyunjin like his life depended on it. Even if he was playing with blocks or babbling nonsense, his tiny fingers always found their way to Hyunjin's sleeve, as if making sure he was still there.