Everything Seventeen

Minghao (The8)

"Kang-dae!!" Minghao called out as he walked into the living room.

I was sitting on the sofa, watching Myung-Hee who was playing with the female cat while the male one dozed in the corner. I glanced at Minghao who was looking everywhere. His forehead creased.

"You may want to check your room. He's probably fishing for your nunchucks again," I giggled.

At that moment, the sound of metal chains was heard. Minghao had a distressed look as he rushed to our room. Called it. He was a courageous rascal, that boy. He had expressed his wish to be as cool as his dad. Well, I really could not blame him. Minghao was pretty cool himself.

"Ouch! Yah, Kang-dae. Put that down. N-no! Ok, calm down. P-put that dowN- KANG-DAE!! CARAT! HELP!" I heard Minghao scream from the other room.

"You're his sensei! You handle it!" I shouted back.

I let the conflict be settled between them. Myung-Hee turned around.

"Mummy, why aren't you going to help dad?" she asked with that squeaky voice of hers.

"He doesn't need my help. He can handle your brother on his own," I replied, leaning back on the sofa.

She shook her head vigorously.

"I don't think so. Dad is pretty helpless. I'll go help him," she mentioned.

She gave the cat one more pat before running off to the room. I heard her shout at her younger brother and soon, the noise died down. Minghao emerged and sat next to me in pain.

"That kid is strong and reckless," he mentioned.

He rolled up his long sleeves to reveal bruises on his arms.

"Just like you. Hold on, I'll go get some ice. Oh, and Myung-Hee said you were 'pretty helpless' which was why she went to help you. Need me to fetch some aloe vera for that burn too?" I teased him as I stood up.

"Shut up, shorty."

"Well, you need height to make up for your helplessness."

"Whatever, you still love me either way," he smirked.

"I'll just go get the ice pack... Sit still..." I mumbled loud enough for him to hear, heading to the kitchen.

A blush crept on my cheeks. Like always, I fell silent whenever Minghao said such things.

I came back and tossed the ice pack his way before going to check on the kids. Myung-Hee was just done scolding her younger brother and the moment I entered the room, Kang-Dae ran to me and hugged my legs. He pleaded innocence.

"Mummy! Jie jie*scolded me!" he cried.

"She's right. You shouldn't play with dad's things. Also, you shouldn't hit Dad either. Dad's things are dangerous enough. Hitting him with his own things are bad. You want dad to live longer, right?"

He nodded.

"If you want Dad to live longer then stop playing with his things and stop hitting him too, ok? Now go say sorry to him," I told him.

He quickly complied and ran out. I high-fived Myung-Hee. She was a good older sister. She retrieved the nunchucks and passed them to me. I thanked her and hid them again for the 100th time.

Minghao came into the room and sat at the edge of the bed. I sat beside him. He was still treating his bruise with the ice pack.

"Aww, poor poor thing," I cooed.

I put my hand on top of his that was holding the ice pack on his bruise and pushed it. He jumped and yelped. He did not dare hit me so he glared at me.

"You are really taking advantage of the fact I love you too much to hit you," he mentioned.

"Ok ok for real this time, pass me the ice pack," I said to him.

He passed it to me and I gently dabbed it on his bruises. After a few minutes, I looked at him to see him gazing at me. I raised an eyebrow.

"I wouldn't mind getting bruises every day if it means you'll keep caring for me," he said.

"Well, dear. You are so wrong because I always care for you regardless if you get bruised or not," I said to him, pinching his cheek before leaving.

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*jiejie- older sister in Chinese