Chapter Text
11th year
Yeonoh looked at his mother as she counted the number of chocolate eggs in the bowl on the kitchen counter.
“Thirteen.” She counted the last one. “Interesting since there were eighteen at first. Wouldn’t you guys think so?”
“Yes, that's very weird. '' Yeonjun said, acting shocked like his mouth wasn’t covered in chocolate.
Yeonoh had to bite his lip to not start laughing, his mother winked at him before kneeling down to be at eye level with her youngest son.
“Do you have any idea what could have happened to them?” She gasped.
“Well, maybe the rabbit was hungry while he dropped the eggs so he ate some.”
“But then there would have been thirteen from the beginning.” Yeonoh pointed out, with a smile.
“Ah.” He thought hard, puffing his little cheeks. “Then it’s the cat, no?”
“The cat?! That could be it.” Their mom played along. “But how did it escape with five eggs?”
“Maybe it ate three and kept two for later.” Yeonoh said with a barely hidden smile as Yeonju instinctively touched his rounded pocket.
“Well, let’s get to the bottom of this, right away!” Their mother said as she stood up, putting her hands on her hips. “Where did the little thief escape to?”
“The garden.” Yeonju excitedly said, as if he’d forgotten all about the fact he was the thief.
“Then let’s try and find the clues, detectives.” Their mom said as she led them to the small garden.
After ten minutes of looking around, they had to come to the conclusion that there was no sign of the cat.
“Seems like the cat isn’t here.” Their mom turned to them.
“Maybe it’s in the neighbour’s garden.” Yeonjun exclaimed.
“How about we go ask them?” She clasped her hands together.
“No!” Yeonoh screamed, blushing furiously.
His mother and brother turned to him, surprised by his reaction.
“We shouldn’t b-bother them.” He stuttered.
“You don’t have to come sweetie, if you’re too embarrassed.”
“I’m not embarrassed, why would I be?!” He said too vehemently.
“Perfect then, let’s go.”
It was with a pit in his stomach that Yeonoh followed his mother and brother as they crossed the garden and walked up to their neighbour’s fence. The 11-year-old glanced over the fence and into their garden, and felt his heart skip a beat when he saw Jaehyuk, the neighbour’s son. He was laying on the grass, reading a book. The nineteen year-old’s once luscious hair was cut short as he was currently serving in the army. Yeonoh hadn’t seen him since he had enlisted, this was his first permission, but he thought he looked just as handsome with the new haircut. He couldn’t exactly explain why but he felt his heart beat faster and his body flush every time he saw him. It had been like that since they had moved here a year ago. One day, while coming home from school, Yeonoh had caught him kissing his girlfriend in front of the house, without knowing why his chest had started throbbing and he had cried the entire night.
Aside from that little incident, Jaehyuk was very nice to them. He always helped their mother change the gas canister, or Yeonoh do his homework. He was the one that had rescued the kittenYeonjun had found stuck in the gutter, now it was their beloved pet. He sometimes babysat them when their mom was working late, and would always let him read his comic books and give them stuff he didn’t use anymore. There were many more things he did that he loved him for, but it would take an eternity to enumerate.
“Hi Jaehyuk, sorry to bother you.” Their mom started. “My sons are wondering if you have seen our cat.”
“Hello miss.” He stood up and bowed. “The cat was playing in the bush, over there, earlier.” He said as he came closer to the fence. “Do you guys want to come take a look?” He asked, smiling at them both.
“Yes, please!” Yeonjun jumped in place, while Yeonoh shyly nodded, beet red.
“Then climb over the fence.” He extended his arms to Yeonjun to catch him as their mom propped him up.
“You're so tall!” Yeonjun exclaimed as he was in Jaehyuk’s arms.
“You’ll be too when you’re older.” He chuckled. “Do you need help?” He asked, looking at Yeonoh.
“No thank you.” He muttered, even though he felt jealous of his brother. He, too, wanted to be carried, but he wasn’t a child anymore, it wouldn’t be cool to ask for help. He climbed the fence that was around the same size as him, without any difficulty. However, he did slip as he climbed down, and Jaehyuk had to grab him so he wouldn’t fall.
“You good?” he asked him.
Yeonoh nodded, feeling mortified, Jaehyuk was probably thinking he was clumsy and dumb now. Even though the teen only smiled at him softly, without any ounce of mockery.
But he was soon too distracted by the nice scent of his neighbour to care, it reminded him of lemoncakes. He loved lemoncakes.
“Why are you guys looking for your cat?”
“He stole our eggs.” Yeonjun said dramatically.
“Really?” Jaehyuk raised an eyebrow, amused. “Did they happen to be chocolate eggs?”
“Yes! Have you seen them?” The four-year old really had forgotten he was the culprit and had the proof of his crime smeared all over his face.
“I don’t think I’ve seen whole eggs anywhere, maybe some crumbs.” The teen said, winking at Yeonoh.
Yeonoh felt his heartbeat accelerate as he shyly smiled at the teenager. His brother grabbed his hand and dragged him to the bush.
“You go check.” He told him. Yeonoh knew his brother was scared of the dark so he complied.
“Do you see anything?”
“She’s not there.”
He got out from behind the bush with dirt on his hands and knees.
“Mom, the cat’s not here.” His brother said.
“Then could it be that someone else took the eggs?” She acted surprised.
“Maybe…” Yeonjun glanced at Jaehyuk, who raised an eyebrow.
Yeonoh couldn’t believe this, now he was going to accuse the neighbour.
“Maybe he was hungry.” Yeonjun whispered to their mom.
“I don’t know, wouldn’t the thief have chocolate all over their mouth?” She asked, as she pinched her chin with a focused gaze.
Yeonju wiped his mouth in reflex, and gasped when he saw the chocolate on his hand afterwards. Finally remembering, he had been the thief all along.
“Oh no, how did it get there?” He tried to act surprised.
“Seems like our little thief got caught red handed.” Their mom said. “Do you know what that means honey?”
“No chocolate egg for me?” He asked, acting cute.
“Well no more chocolate would be more accurate, you already had some. It wouldn’t be fair if you got more than your brother, would it?”
“Yeonoh doesn’t mind!” His brother pouted as he hugged him. “Right, Yeonoh?”
“You will have bad teeth if you eat too much sugar.”
“You big meanie!” Yeonju whined.
“Thank you, for letting us check in your garden.” Yeonoh bowed to Jaehyuk.
“No problem.” He ruffled his and his brother’s heads. “I’ll help you guys cross the fence.”
“Thank you for humouring us.” Their mother said. “I made a strawberry shortcake, so tell your mom, I’m waiting for her!”
“I’ll remind her.” He nodded politely.
As promised he helped them cross the fence, to get back to their own garden. Yeonoh turned back one last time, as his mother and brother made their way back inside hand in hand. He waved at the older boy and Jaehyuk smiled at him, waving back.
And that was the last time he saw him.
For another ten years.