It’s a familiar smell, a familiar sound, a familiar feeling the moment he steps inside the house. It’s been months since he’d been home, the last time having been in much lower spirits, and this time he isn’t even sure why he’s visiting - maybe to solidify his mothers peace of mind. The last time he’d left with his head down and eyes brimming with tears he wouldn’t yet let fall. It had been a difficult time, in which he’d not really known what to do with himself, but visiting home had helped, even if the visible effects were invisible; his eyes still swam with tears, his heart still ached so much he found it hard to talk.
But that had all changed, and coming home this time his head was held high, heart light, as if the weight that had been suffocating him had been lifted. In a way it had, but he the reason wasn’t important today, no today was for family. Real family. So it was pleasant, to be able to walk into the warmth of his family home and kick his shoes off at the door.
“Guess who’s home!” He called out, a bright smile spreading over his lips as he heard chatter die down from the kitchen, then a sudden rush of footsteps, belonging to, it seemed, his sister, her petite figure appearing in the doorway at the other end of the hallway. He managed to get a look at her for only a couple seconds before a squeal passed her lips and she was headed straight for him, jumping at him like the monkey Hansol often referred to her as.
“Hey squirt, how’s my favourite little ballerina been?” His eleven year old sister had been dreaming of being a ballerina ever since she saw their mother dance when she was young - just as Hansol had forged his own dream off the peace in her expression when she danced.
“Great! I learnt so much- I have to show you!” Had they been closer in age Hansol was sure their relationship wouldn’t have been half as good as it was. As great of a brother as Hansol liked to think himself, he knew he wasn’t as close to Lucas as he was Annabel. He couldn’t be as protective over his sixteen year old brother as he was over Annabel, but they got along relatively well - as well as you could expect brothers to get along.
“Hyung!” They may not have been as close as Hansol and Annabel, but Lucas clearly still enjoyed Hansol’s visits. Their relationship had gotten better since Hansol had moved out - seeing less of each other put the strain off the comparison between them that was inevitable. Lucas wasn’t very like the rest of the family, so Hansol could understand why he was sensitive to being compared to them.
Lucas was a far more intellectual boy than the rest of the family - he liked science, while everyone else loved music and dance. Hansol never did understand his affinity for physics, but he expected great things from his intelligent little brother.
The fact that two out of three of the children were adopted made no difference to their relationships - they barely even remembered that fact. To them they were as much a family as blood related families.
Reaching out to his brother Hansol brought him into a hug, remembering the last time he’d seen him - Lucas wasn’t the most sensitive boy, like many at his age, but Hansol remembered how he’d sat with his arm around Hansol’s shoulder as the he sat hunched over, head in his hands, on the couch. He’d been there mentally and even slightly physically, even if he hadn’t been able to be there verbally. He didn’t know what to say, Hansol could understand that, but it was nice to know he cared enough to try and comfort him.
Hansol couldn’t express in words how glad he was to be back home with his family, he only wished he could have brought Byungjoo with him to meet them - but maybe that was a little early. He wanted it to just be him and his family this time, just to catch up, spend quality time together, and strengthen those bonds that were already unbreakable.
There wasn’t a day that went by that Hansol didn’t thank the universe for being gifted such a wonderful family, because he knew other’s might not have the same, perfect family that he did.
