Chapter Text
The bittersweet reality of a holiday weekend is that the three days always seem to evaporate into thin air. By Tuesday morning, the festive atmosphere of Seollal had faded back into a regular routine, and the dark grey sedan parked in the driveway was a stark reminder that Changbin had a life waiting for him back at his university campus.
Upstairs, the house was mostly quiet as the older boys slowly prepared for going back to their school schedules. But in the smallest bedroom at the end of the hall, a frantic, highly calculated operation was underway.
Six-year-old Jeongin stood in the middle of his room, his tiny brow furrowed in deep, intense concentration. His little first-grader mind had spent the previous night trying to come up with a foolproof, logical plan to stop his eldest brother from driving away. Three days hadn't been nearly enough. Ever since Changbin had gone off to college, the house felt vastly different to Jeongin, and having his favorite hyung back—even for just a short holiday—had reminded him exactly how much he hated the empty space at the dinner table.
"If he doesn't have his bag, he can't go to class," Jeongin whispered to himself, nodding firmly as he dragged Changbin’s heavy, oversized university duffel bag across the floorboards.
With a mighty heave, the six-year-old shoved the massive bag underneath his small, racecar-shaped twin bed. The execution, however, lacked professional stealth. Because the bag was so incredibly packed with thick winter clothes and books, it couldn't fully fit. The entire bottom half of the bright blue duffel bag stuck out completely into the middle of the rug, as obvious as a lighthouse in the dark.
Jeongin dusted off his hands, entirely satisfied with his work. "Phase one, complete. Now for phase two."
Down the hall in the small home music studio, Changbin was sitting in Chan's plush, ergonomic leather production chair, quietly wrapping up a final audio edit on his laptop before he had to load the car. He was so focused on the screen that he barely noticed the tiny figure slipping into the room behind him, holding a massive, tangled skein of bright blue knitting yarn that he had smuggled from Minho’s craft closet.
Before Changbin could even turn around, Jeongin began frantically wrapping the blue yarn around Changbin's broad shoulders, trapping his arms against the high back of the leather chair.
"Whoa! Innie? What are you doing, buddy?" Changbin laughed, halting his fingers over the keyboard. He looked down at his chest, watching his six-year-old brother circle the chair like a manic spider, wrapping the flimsy yarn tighter and tighter around his muscular torso.
"You are under arrest, Binnie hyung," Jeongin declared, his voice full of a deadly serious, logic-driven authority. He tied a massive, sloppy knot right across Changbin’s chest. "You are officially tied to the chair. The law says you cannot leave the house today. It is a safety regulation."
Changbin possessed the physical strength of a varsity athlete; his broad shoulders and gym-honed arms could have easily snapped the thin knitting yarn with a single, light shrug. But as he looked at the sheer desperation in his youngest brother's eyes, and the tiny, fierce pout on his lips, Changbin’s heart completely melted. He let his posture go limp, intentionally slumping into the chair to make the yarn look effective.
"Oh no! You got me, Officer Innie," Changbin feigned panic, wiggling his shoulders slightly while making sure not to put any actual pressure on the string. "The yarn is too strong! I’m completely trapped. Whatever shall I do?"
"You have to stay here and play dinosaurs with me forever," Jeongin said, crossing his arms over his tiny chest, standing guard right next to the desk. "It’s the only logical choice."
A few minutes later, the heavy studio door pushed open, and Chan walked in, holding a fresh mug of coffee. He stopped dead in his tracks, his eyes shifting from Changbin—who was completely wrapped in bright blue yarn like a festive mummy—to Jeongin, who was standing tall with a fierce, protective expression.
Chan blinked, a massive, dimpled grin breaking across his face as he took a slow sip of his coffee.
"Well, look at this. I leave the studio for ten minutes, and my eldest son gets taken hostage. Care to explain what happened here, boys?"
"Innie doesn't want me to leave, Dad," Changbin said softly, casting a highly meaningful, tender look at his father.
Chan's smile softened instantly into something deep and understanding. He set his coffee mug down on the desk and walked over, placing a gentle hand on Jeongin’s shoulder.
"Is that true, Innie? Did you capture your brother so he wouldn't drive back to campus?"
Jeongin looked down at his light-up sneakers, his bottom lip suddenly beginning to tremble violently. The logical facade he had tried so hard to maintain over the last hour completely cracked.
"He... he has to stay, Daddy. Three days is too fast!"
With a gentle, careful movement, Changbin simply expanded his chest and pulled his arms forward. The thin blue yarn snapped effortlessly, falling to the floor in harmless pieces. Changbin stood up from the chair, completely unbothered by the restraint, and knelt down in front of Jeongin, trying to catch his eye.
"Innie..."
But Jeongin didn't let him finish. He turned around and bolted out of the studio, his small feet flying down the hallway until the sound of his bedroom door slamming shut echoed through the house.
Chan and Minho walked down the hallway together a moment later, their expressions full of a quiet, unified parental concern. Minho pushed Jeongin’s bedroom door open gently. The room was dim, and the sight that greeted them was profoundly heartbreaking.
Jeongin was sitting on the edge of his racecar bed, his small knees pulled up to his chest. Right next to his feet, Changbin's massive blue duffel bag was sticking out completely from under the bed frame. The six-year-old was sobbing silently, big, heavy tears streaming down his face, his tiny hands wiping furiously at his cheeks.
"Oh, my sweet baby," Minho whispered, his heart breaking instantly. He rushed across the room, sliding onto the mattress and pulling Jeongin directly into his lap, wrapping his elegant cardigan around the boy's shivering shoulders.
Chan walked in right behind him, sitting on the other side of the bed, his massive hand gently rubbing Jeongin's back.
"Hey... look at Daddy, Innie. Why are you crying so hard, buddy? Talk to us."
"I... I didn't know," Jeongin choked out, his voice thick and broken with hiccups as he buried his face in Minho’s neck. "When Binnie hyung was away at university, I missed him, but it was okay because I was busy with first grade. But then he came back for the New Year... and we ate cake, and we played in the snow, and he held me the whole time. And now that he has to go back, the house is gonna feel so big and quiet again. I'm gonna miss him even more than before! I don't want him to go!"
Jeongin broke down in sobs again and Chan let out a long, slow breath, his eyes brimming with an intense, paternal tenderness. He reached forward, gently taking Jeongin’s tiny, trembling hand into his own massive palm.
"Innie, listen to Daddy," Chan said softly, his deep, resonant voice acting like a warm anchor in the quiet room. "University is different from regular school. Right now, Binnie hyung is studying very hard, learning how to write beautiful music so that when he grows up, he can get a great job and build a beautiful life. It’s a very important step for him."
"But why does he have to leave us to do it?" Jeongin sniffled, his big, tear-filled eyes looking up at his father.
Minho gently wiped a tear from the boy's nose, rocking him back and forth on his lap.
"Because that’s the cycle of life, sweetie. One day, many years from now, you’re going to grow up, too. And one by one, each of your big brothers are going to leave this house to go to college, or to start their own adventures. Jinnie will go to his art school, the twins will go to their universities, Seungmin will go to his music academy... and eventually, even you will grow up and go out into the big world."
"Does that mean we won't be a family anymore?" Jeongin asked, a sudden, terrifying panic gripping his small chest. "If everyone leaves, do we stop being brothers?"
"Never," Chan said fiercely, his voice full of an absolute, unbreakable certainty. He leaned closer, pressing his forehead gently against Jeongin’s. "Listen to me, Bahng Jeongin. Even when all of you are grown up, even when Binnie is a famous music producer, and Jinnie has his own art galleries, and even when all of you get married and have your own little kids running around... we will still have each other. We will always be a team. We will still gather around the living room carpet to play Uno, and we will still eat Papa’s cooking on the holidays. The way we live is just going to be a little bit different, but the love in this family will never change, and it will never shrink. Do you understand?"
Jeongin stayed quiet for a long moment, burying his face deeper into Minho’s sweater, letting the deep comfort of his parents' words settle into his heart. The heavy weight of his sadness didn't completely disappear, but the terrifying fear of losing his family began to melt away.
"Okay..." he whispered softly. "I understand."
A soft scuffle of footsteps sounded from the doorway, and when Chan looked up, he saw all five of the older brothers standing in the hall. Changbin was at the front, having told the rest of the boys that their little brother was having a deeply difficult time with the departure.
Felix stepped into the room first, his deep, booming baritone voice carrying a soft, comforting warmth.
"Hey, Innie. Look at us."
Jeongin turned his head, sniffing.
"Binnie hyung has to leave at noon," Hyunjin said, a bright, gentle smile on his face as he leaned against the desk. "But he told us that he has an executive order from the graduate himself. He’s taking all five of us to the local ice cream parlor right now before he hits the highway. His treat."
"Ice cream? Before lunch?" Seungmin asked, leaning lightly on his walking cane, his eyes sparkling with a rare, mischievous glee. "Papa, can we please break the nutrition rules just this once?"
Minho let out a soft, beautiful laugh, kissing the top of Jeongin’s head.
"Since it’s a special emergency send-off for Binnie, the nutrition rules are officially suspended for the next one hour. Go get your jackets, boys."
"YES!" Jisung cheered, immediately grabbing Jeongin’s hand to help him slide off the bed. "Come on, Innie! I’m gonna order a triple-scoop chocolate mint, and you can have the strawberry one with the sprinkles!"
Within ten minutes, the five brothers were piled into Changbin’s compact dark grey sedan, the car packed to absolute capacity with teenage limbs and laughter. They spent a glorious, chaotic hour at the neighborhood parlor, laughing over dripping waffle cones and listening to Changbin play a preview of a new audio track he had mixed on his laptop. Jeongin sat right next to Changbin the entire time, his small mouth covered in strawberry ice cream, his hand tightly clutching his older brother's sleeve. When they finally returned to the front driveway of the house, the time for the official goodbye had arrived. Chan had easily brought Changbin's blue duffel bag out from under the bed, and he loaded it securely into the trunk.
Changbin stood by the driver's side door, looking at the row of his five big brothers and his little first-grade sibling. One by one, he gave them deep, powerful hugs. He squeezed Changbin-style, lifting Jisung entirely off the ground, whispering a supportive word to Hyunjin about his art portfolio, and gently high-fiving Felix.
When he reached Seungmin, Changbin leaned down, careful of the flexible cast.
"Keep doing those rehab exercises, Minnie. Next time I come home, I want to see you walking without that cane, okay?"
"I’ll be faster than you, Binnie," Seungmin promised, a bright, determined smile on his face.
Finally, Changbin knelt down in front of Jeongin. The six-year-old didn't cry this time; he stood tall, his little hands tucked into his pockets, trying to be brave like a real schoolboy.
"Hey, little loaf," Changbin murmured softly, his deep voice incredibly tender as he reached out to gently boop Jeongin’s nose. "I’m putting you in charge of the house while I'm gone. You have to make sure Jisung doesn't eat all the snacks, and you have to help Papa water the plants. Can you do that for me?"
Jeongin nodded firmly. "Tactical mission accepted, Binnie hyung."
"Good boy," Changbin smiled, pulling Jeongin into one final, long, and fiercely loving hug, burying his face in the boy's soft hair. "I promise I will call you every single Friday night on Facetime after your homework is done. And the spring break is only a few weeks away, Innie. Before you know it, I’ll be driving right back up this driveway. I love you."
"I love you too, Binnie," Jeongin whispered, wrapping his small arms as far around Changbin’s broad neck as they could go.
Chan and Minho stepped forward, each giving their eldest son a final, proud hug and a warm kiss on the cheek.
"Drive safely, son. Call us the second you park at the dorms," Chan said, his hand resting proudly on Changbin’s shoulder.
"I will, Dad. Bye, everyone!" Changbin waved, finally climbing into the dark grey sedan.
The engine roared to life with a healthy, steady hum, and within seconds, the car backed out of the gravel driveway, disappearing down the quiet, snow-dusted street. Jeongin watched the car until it was completely out of sight. A single, quiet tear escaped his eye, but he quickly wiped it away with his sleeve, turning around to take Minho’s hand as they walked back inside the warm house. He understood now. His brother had to leave, but his family was forever.
By 9:30 PM, the long, emotional day had taken its toll on the household. Chan and Minho had gone through their nightly rounds, turning off the living room lights and ensuring Seungmin’s leg was resting comfortably before retiring to their own master bedroom.
The room was quiet and cool, the moonlight casting long, peaceful shadows across the mattress. Chan was sitting up against the wooden headboard, a book resting open in his lap, while Minho was tucked securely against his side, his eyes closed as he enjoyed the deep, unhurried silence of the evening.
A tiny, microscopic click sounded at their bedroom door.The door creaked open just an inch, and a small, quiet figure stepped into the room. Jeongin was wearing his favorite dinosaur pajamas, holding his plush puppy tight against his chest. His eyes were wide, a lingering, sweet sadness making him look incredibly small in the vast doorway.
"Daddy? Papa?" Jeongin whispered, his tiny voice barely a breath against the quiet of the night.
Minho’s eyes fluttered open instantly. The moment he saw his youngest son standing there, his maternal instincts flared with an intense, protective warmth. He lifted the heavy duvet immediately, reaching his arm out.
"Innie? Come here, sweetie. What's wrong?"
Jeongin padded across the hardwood floor with his small, bare feet, climbing up onto the high mattress. He crawled right into the center of the bed, sitting between his parents.
"I... I tried to go to sleep in my room, but the bed felt really big, and I kept thinking about Binnie hyung’s empty studio chair. I'm still a little bit sad about him leaving. Can I please sleep with you guys tonight?"
Chan let out a low, incredibly fond, and tender chuckle, setting his book down on the nightstand. He reached over, his massive, powerful arms scooping Jeongin up effortlessly and pulling him flat against his broad chest, tucking the boy securely into the crook of his shoulder.
"Of course you can, my little loaf," Chan murmured, his deep, resonant voice sending a wave of absolute safety through Jeongin’s entire body. "You can sleep here whenever you need a little extra love."
Minho shifted closer, wrapping his arm completely over Jeongin’s waist, pulling the heavy, plush duvet all the way up to the boy's chin, anchoring him in a tight, warm parental shield.
"You were so brave today at the driveway, Innie. Papa is so proud of you."
"Thanks, Papa," Jeongin whispered, his small eyes finally growing heavy, the exhaustion of the tears and the ice cream finally catching up to him as he buried his face tight into Chan’s familiar, warm t-shirt.
Chan closed his eyes, resting his chin gently against the top of Jeongin’s soft hair. In the quiet, blissful darkness of the master bedroom, Chan began to hum softly—his deep, smooth, and incredibly comforting voice vibrating through his chest as he sang a sweet, familiar family lullaby. Minho smiled in the dark, his hand resting over Jeongin's back, gently patting a slow, rhythmic beat until the six-year-old’s breathing went deep and steady, completely safe, completely loved, and drifting off to sleep cradled by the unbreakable bond of the family that would always be right there waiting for him.