Best of You [ChanCheol] ✔

01

The little girl's laugh booms through the speaker of the phone. As soon as she's finished, she falls into a fit of coughs so concerning, he stops himself from saying anything further. The joke was a mere dad joke; definitely not fitting for a laugh so hard and yet he can't help but say that he's pleased. Her little voice follows a second later. "This was fun," she chirps and from the tone of his voice, he can tell that she means it.

"I'm glad," he says, eyes following his brother who walks in. He takes off his shoes at the entrance of their little apartment and disappears into the kitchen. Chan's gaze flickers back to the television in front of him, smiling at the blank screen.

"I have to go, Mister, but thank you!" the girl chirps again. Chan hadn't caught her name, but he doesn't think it matters. He made her smile on an awfully rough day (according to the nurses. She had just been taken to the emergency room and was diagnosed with brain cancer. She's only eight.) He was glad that he could cheer her up.

"Keep that smile, okay?" She hums pleasantly in response before the line cuts off and he's met with the familiar beep of the phone. Putting down the phone, he jumps up from the couch and walks into the kitchen where Jihoon sits at the counter, hands curled around a cup of what he could only assume is coffee (because forbid he ever drinks something else.) With a peak, he notes nothing of interest in the packets; just the usual groceries. Jihoon shoots him a look which has Chan frowning.

"I told you I could get them," he says. He starts packing it all away.

"And I told you not to worry," Jihoon replies in the crisp tone of finality his voice always held. With him, you could never be sure whether a conversation was still ongoing or whether he'd brought an end to it. Not unless you really knew him. "You can get it next month, alright?"

Reluctantly, Chan nods. He starts folding the empty packets and stashing them into the broom cupboard before he turns around. "Did you take anything out for supper?" He catches the shake of his brother's head and can't help the way his mouth pulls up at the corners. "So we can get take-out?"

This time, it's Jihoon who smiles.

An hour later, they're on the couch and watching The Avengers (because Jihoon insisted) when their doorbell rings. Chan doesn't bother getting up. They ordered from the pizza place Jihoon's boyfriend worked at so he knew who it was. They did this often considering it was the easiest way. The two had conflicting schedules so often pizza would be ordered the last few minutes of his boyfriend's shift. The manager apparently didn't mind.

Minghao walks in looking like sunshine. "Hey, Chan," he greets as he shuts the door behind him and pulls off his pizza delivery hat. He disappears into the kitchen and there's the familiar clatter of kitchenware before he returns carrying three plates, the box of pizza and balancing the serviettes on top. Jihoon follows behind, fretting as he tries to take something and help, but Minghao is as persistent as ever and he waits until Jihoon has sat down before he puts everything down.

"So, who was it today?" Minghao queries as he passes a plate to each of them. Minghao entered Jihoon's life around the time their mom first got sick which meant that he was there for everything; from the hospital trips to picking Chan up and heading over together right down to her last breaths. So, he was there when Chan started making the phone calls. He called it a coping mechanism the first three months. Three years later, he calls it sweet.

"A little girl," Chan replies. "I didn't catch her name, but she laughed," he informs, lips pulling back into a smile. Sometimes he couldn't help but smile. He loved being able to make others smile.

"You told another dad joke, didn't you?" Despite the question, Jihoon shot him a knowing look. Chan nudges him and they're laughing. Once they've dished for themselves, they continue with the movie (Minghao makes a joke about how it was another Avengers movie, but he and Jihoon knew better. Minghao teased, but he loved it just as much. More so when he found out that Jihoon loved it too.)

Minghao stays over. He takes the shower first which leaves Jihoon and Chan alone again. A silence looms over them, comfortable but tight and stiffening. Neither of them say anything, but Chan leans into his brother until his head touches his shoulder and he closes his eyes.

"I'm nervous," he admits, his voice quaking.

Jihoon is silent. He never talks immediately. He was the sort to think before he jumped to say anything. Chan can practically hear the way his lips part.

"Nervous for what?"

"It's my final year–"

"I mean, nervous for what, because you'll do great." Jihoon pauses, so he waits for what will be said next. In the silence, he can hear the shifting in the bathroom as Minghao moves around. A sigh is released and then Jihoon continues. "Mom would be proud," he whispers."

And Chan wonders if she would.