Brother

"Bang Chan, dear, come in!"

His mother greeted him with a warm smile at the doorstep. Chan returned the smile, though his heart pounded with unease. From behind the door, he could hear loud noises laughter and shouts from five boys his age.

"They're in the living room," his mother whispered, pulling his hand inside. "Be kind, okay?"

Chan nodded. I always try my best, Mom.

The moment his feet touched the white marble floor of the living room, the atmosphere shifted. Silence. Five pairs of eyes stared at him sharply.

On the longest sofa, Yeonjun sat with his legs crossed, smirking a smile that didn't reach his eyes. Next to him, Soobin, the eldest among them, gazed at Chan with a flat expression. Beomgyu and Taehyun sat on the carpet, gripping game controllers, though their fingers had frozen the moment Chan appeared. And Huening Kai, the youngest, hid half his face behind a cushion.

"Boys, this is your older brother. Bang Chan. From now on, he'll be living with us."

Yeonjun snorted softly. "Older brother? We don't need an older brother."

"Yeonjun!" Mr. Choi's voice boomed as he descended the stairs. "Don't be rude."

"Dad, there's already five of us. This house is crowded enough," Soobin interjected, his voice calm but cutting. "Why do we need a stranger?"

Chan smiled. "I know this is strange for all of you. But I promise, I won't be a bother "

"Don't be fake," Beomgyu cut him off without even looking up. "You're not our family."

Taehyun only glanced up briefly before returning to his game screen. Kai pulled the cushion further over his face.

That night, dinner was suffocating with awkward silence. Chan sat at the far end of the table, alone. Across from him, Mr. Choi's five sons laughed and joked as if he didn't exist.

"Chan, have some side dishes," his mother tried, pushing a bowl of soup closer.

Before Chan could reach it, Yeonjun swiftly pulled the bowl to their side. "This is ours."

"Yeonjun..." his mother pleaded softly.

"Leave it, Mom," Chan said quietly. He smiled again, then took plain rice without any side dishes. "I'm not that hungry anyway."

Soobin watched him briefly, eyes narrowing. Something about Chan's endless patience unsettled him. He's pretending. Sooner or later, his true colors will show.

After dinner, Chan went up to his room. A small storage space at the end of the second-floor hallway. No bed only a foldable mattress and a plastic table. His mother cried when she saw it.

"I'm sorry, dear. They didn't have another room available."

"It's okay, Mom. I'm used to simple places."

He opened his suitcase and pulled out a small teddy bear the only thing left from his late father. Chan held it tightly.

Late at night, he heard footsteps approaching. The door opened without a knock.

Soobin stood at the doorway, hallway light casting half his face in shadow.

"Bang Chan," he said coldly. "I'll say this once. This house belongs to my father. Your mother is just his new wife. You have no rights here."

Chan exhaled softly, then smiled. The same smile. The same patient smile that was beginning to ache in his cheeks.

"I understand, Soobin. But I'll still try. As an older brother."

Soobin laughed quietly, bitterly.

"Older brother? Don't even dream of it."

The door slammed shut.

Chan stared at the ceiling. Rain still poured outside.

Five younger brothers. And they all hate me.

But Chan didn't cry. He only clutched his teddy bear tighter.

"I'll keep trying. Until they see... I really do care for them."