My little Youngjae

An almost Oasis

Daehyun crashed down on his knees defeated. He let his tears roll freely and gave up on wiping them because it was no use. They just kept coming anyway.

Why was life playing this game with him? What had he done wrong to deserve any of this?

He waited eight years for nobody.

If he knew Youngjae wasn't coming back even when he waited then he wouldn't have waited at all. He would have tried to find him to death...
But he didn't. Instead, he wasted time living his life in Seoul without even thinking about how long he's been there.

Eight years is too long for someone to be missing.
For someone waiting to be found.

It's too long.

After a few exchange of words and comforting hugs, Daehyun made his way home.

Looks like this summer's going to be the same as the previous seven.

-
The next day, Daehyun was tasked to watch over Younggyu as his mother and the Yoos needed some catching up to do with each other.
He still found the aspect quite queer. How can a child bare such uncanny resemblance to his long lost best friend? He gets it. It's his little brother. But what are the odds of a sibling, 9 years younger sharing such identical physical features with his brother? Yes, the concept of genes made things as amusing as this possible but Daehyun just couldn't help but have second thoughts about the child not being Youngjae entirely.

He looks down at Yonggyu as the boy plays with two plushies; Donald and Mickey.
Regardless the pure intention of the child to play just for the sake of it, he couldn't help but feel a sharp sting in his chest when he let all the thoughts and memories sink in;
The thought of him and Youngjae ogling at the same two cartoon characters when they were younger, the thought of them playing together till the sun was no longer visible and just the sole thought of Youngjae in general. All these made him want to curl down in a ball.

Shaking his head, he refused to think negatively in the presence of such a precious being. He was tasked to watch over him and that's exactly what he's going to do.

"Hyung... Can we go to the park today?" Younggyu's cute little voice rang in his ears, completely snapping him out of his deep train of thoughts.

"My mommy never lets me leave the house alone so I don't get to go there often... but I'm with hyung now! And hyung is a big kid.. so mommy will be okay with it, right?"

It all figures.. Mrs.Yoo's strictness is understandable.. After what happened with Youngjae, any parent would've done the same thing. Still, it doesn't change the fact that the child was deprived of a good childhood. It's kinda sad.

"I don't know.. but let me ask her." Daehyun cracks up a smile at the glow of Younggyu's blissful face and fishes out his phone, punching in his Mrs.Yoo's number.

"Aunty, Younggyu asked me to take him to the playground today.. would it be alright with you if I did?"

Silence washed over the other line before a quiet sigh was heard.

"It's fine by me as long as you watch over him properly. Please don't let him out of your sight, okay?"

Daehyun gave her a solid 'Yes' before hanging up, smiling brightly and chuckling at Younggyu's adorable face of surprise and happiness. He really looked so much like Youngjae.

_

"Higher hyung, higher!" Yonggyu cheerfully sang as Daehyun gave not too hard pushes because he knew the child would topple off the swing if he added even the tiniest strength more.
The moment they got in the park, Yonggyu was all smiles and immediately went on every playing contraption he layed his eyes on that Daehyun could only think this was the child's first time coming here despite having lived in the area his whole life. He got on the slides without having an ounce of fear present on his face in contrast to what other children would most probably have and had Daehyun guide him up the monkey-bars and coordinating his hands and feet so well like he's done this millions of times, although he did say something about practicing climbing bars on his bed, considering the fact that Mrs.Yoo wouldn't let him out on anything else.