The mischievous little Jaehyun was only six years old, but he carried himself as though the world had appointed him king of the neighborhood. He lived right next door, and you, being only three, were his shadow—tiny feet pattering after his, still speaking in a tumble of baby words mixed with half-formed sentences.

Despite the age gap, you were inseparable. He would run, and you would waddle; he would giggle, and you would squeal in return. Most of the time, you hardly understood the wild schemes he cooked up, but you followed anyway, because what else does a little duckling do but trail the bigger one? Whether it was plotting to poke holes in your mom’s bicycle tyre or hiding his father’s prized golf kit under the porch, Jaehyun was determined to drag you into his brand of chaos.

That evening, your mom arranged a small campfire in the backyard, inviting a few neighbors to join. Naturally, Jaehyun’s family came along. His mother chuckled fondly as she pointed at her boy, who was clumsily holding a marshmallow stick, trying to guide it to your tiny mouth.

“He’s like her older brother,” she said with a smile.

Those words puffed up Jaehyun’s chest like a proud little rooster. “Older brother.” It wasn’t a serious title, of course—but to him, it was a crown.

The very next day, he decided to prove his brotherly duty. Gripping your tiny hand in his slightly bigger one, he boldly marched toward the busy road outside your houses. “Come on! Let’s cross!” he declared.

“Jae!” his mother shrieked, rushing to snatch you both back. “You can’t cross the road by yourself!”

“I can!” he argued, stamping his foot. “I’m her older brother!”

There was a pause before his mother burst out laughing. “Just because you’re older than her doesn’t make you a grown-up, silly boy! You’re still six!”

Jaehyun’s little lips puckered into a pout, eyes narrowing in protest. Poor child—he truly believed age alone made him wise.

But six-year-olds can be just as stubborn as kings.

One afternoon, as you played in his room surrounded by scattered toys, Jaehyun decided to prove his superiority. He had just learned basic addition, and you—still tangled in the magic of picture books—were his perfect victim.

“What’s two plus two?” he asked proudly, wiggling his eyebrows as if presenting you with the grandest riddle in the world.

You blinked, tilted your head, and mumbled, “Huh…?”

“Hah!” he shouted triumphantly. “You don’t know! You’re a baaaabyyyy!” He stuck out his tongue, wiggling it in your face.

Well… technically, you were a baby. But that didn’t mean you’d accept the insult.

“Ahhh!! Nooo! Not baby!!” you protested, stamping your tiny foot. “No! No! Googagooo—” Your words tangled in your excitement, tripping over themselves until you dissolved into a babble of nonsense.

Jaehyun collapsed into giggles at your flustered face, clutching his belly. And even though you had no idea what he was laughing at, you started giggling too—because laughter was contagious, and with Jaehyun around, your world was always filled with it.