DENYING.

        Sunday is the best day for family time, jogging together, picnic, going to somewhere like as amusement park or aquarium. There is also family who decide to spend their day off in house, Jiyeon and her mother for example. They watch tv together with green face mask on their face, initiated by her mother who wants to try one of activities that are often carried out together with their daughters.

        “Tiyon, can the canel (Change the channel),” Her mother doesn't like thriller film which just has bood, case, and murder. Besides, how in the world they showed this film when it's still morning.

        “What?” Jiyeon who is lying down on the couch, throw her glance to her mother.

        “Can the canel (Change the channel),” She repeated with pointing screen of tv this time.

        Jiyeon wants to frown, yet she has hold it a little longer because it hasn't thirty minutes.”Tak to me later, mom (talk to me later, mom).”

        “Tiyon!” Her mother, who also doesn't understand what Jiyeon's said, take it as refusing.

        “What?” Jiyeon gets up because her mother still insisted.

        With irritated face, her mom takes step closer but Jiyeon is avoiding her to the back of the couch.”What now?” She has to keep her guard if she doesn't want to be pulled by her mom and asked her to apply mask face together. It's not like Jiyeon hates it, she just not used to it.

        “Tiyon (Jiyeon), why you run?” Her mother doesn't help but run after Jiyeon.

        They're running around the house, chased and being chased. Jiyeon can hear her mom panting with the effort from ten feet behind, that's how freakin' noisy she is. Her mom, in other side feels her heart beats frantically, all or nothing. Fail and her whole body will pay the price, run and the damage is limited mostly to her shins and knees.

        “Jiyeon, I just want the remote!” In the end, she give up her mask, letting it to crumble and mess.

        Jiyeon stops automatically. She turns around, facing her mom,”I thought you want me to do something together again.”

        But after she saw her mom face, suddenly, she is laughing so hard, she can’t stop. She waves her hand in the air, her flag of apology. She doesn't know why, but the waves of laughter keep coming. She try to catch her breath and snort, staring at her mom wide-eyed, shocked that she would do such a thing and her mom suddenly bursts out laughing after saw Jiyeon's mask crumble too. With each surge of laughter, she release some of the tension that has built between them. Perhaps her body could just not contain it any longer. She is not sure, but her mom laughter fills her with joy.

        After all, their first mask together is failed.

        They just stop laughing when they hear the phone ringing and her mother right away goes downstairs and pick it up.

        “Eoh, Seung Heon?”

        Jiyeon leans against banisters once she know Jungkook's father is the person who called her mother.

        “...”

        “Is that so?”

        “...”

        “Alright. Don't worry.”

        That conversation ended when Jiyeon approached her mom,”Is it Jungkook's father, mom?” Jiyeon wondered if it's about her arranged married or not.

        “Right, Jiyeon. He wants me to look after Jungkook’s meal today because the ahjumma still in her day off.”

        Jiyeon rolls her eyes.”Tsk! is he a baby or something?”

        “He said that yesterday he was coughing and it's worry him.” She explained.”What should I do? I have meeting in an hour.”

        “I'll go then, mom.”

        “Eh? right now?” Her mom frowned.

        Jiyeon giggled.”After I wash my face, of course.”

        “No, take a bath and change your clothes, Jiyeon,”

        Jiyeon looks at herself. Over size white shirt with short pants that we can't see because it's covered by the shirt.”Why? it's not bad.” With that, Jiyeon left her mom who yelling the same words behind.

        Jiyeon press the doorbell three times, while tapping her sneakers and crossing her arms. The knock came quietly first and then there was silence. Then, the knock was louder and faster this time. She lost her patience.”Jungkook, it's me! open the door. I know you're there!” Jiyeon shouted.

        Hand on her waist, she scanned around the house and neighborhood. There was a window that open upstairs.”This isn't breaking and entering. It's just entering, because there's an unlocked door.” Jiyeon told herself.

        She climb up the pillar with help by plant that spread around it, of course Jiyeon has made sure first it's strong enough for her weight.

        When she got to the house the lights were on. In the corner of the house, Jiyeon could hear someone coughing and wheezing.. It must be Jungkook.

        Stepping across the threshold she felt the walls close in on her. It was a totally blue with beautiful murals on the wall, hand painted by someone who knew what they were doing. On the beside table sat a doily and a lamp that could have just leapt out of the nineteen forties.

        Jiyeon saw Jungkook is lying on his bed with blanket covered him.

        “Jungkook,” Jiyeon called him while placing her back of her hand on Jungkook's forehead,”Omo, you get a fever.”

        Jungkook opens his eyes after realizing there is someone in his room. Waves of heat coursed through his blood, a cold sweat glistened in his gaunt features. His eyes sunken and his skin sallow, everything ached, everything sagged.

        “Why are you here?” Jungkook asked weakly.

        “Your father told me to look after your meal today.”

        “I'm okay, so you can go now. I'll eat when I'm hungry.”

        “Did you take the medicine?”

        “Nope. I just need rest and everything will be normal again.”

        “Alright. I will leave after placing the food. Get well soon.” Upon said that, Jiyeon get up and leaving the room.

        The glass of water stared at Jungkook from the bedside table, he took a sip and plopped back onto his pillow.”Tsk! insensitive ahjumma!” He was the one who told Jiyeon to leave but he's sulking, instead.

        He can't back to sleep. The leaving of Jiyeon bothered his mind. No matter harsh his words to tell her to go, how can she left the sick person. It's annoying, all he's left with are good thoughts like how she can help others and be nice.

        “Yo!”

        Jungkook looked up, seeing the woman in his mind is back, carrying a tray with a bowl of soup and porridge on it.

        The waves of happy blast him, yet he doesn't want to show it.”Why are you still here?”

        “You think I'll do whatever you want? like hell, I've gone this far just to give you this food.”

        Jiyeon sat on the edge of the bed and then pulled his blanket.”Can you get up and lean on your headboard of the bed?”

        Jungkook do what Jiyeon said obediently. Somehow, unexpected action from Jiyeon gives spark of fire that warm his heart until he forget he is sick right now.

        “Say aaah~” Jiyeon took a spoon of porridge and gave it toward Jungkook's mouth.

        “I can eat by myself,” He refused.

        “Eat or ...” Before Jiyeon could utter her words, Jungkook immediately eat the food in the spoon into his mouth. He doesn't want Jiyeon to leave for real. It's not like he wants her to stay, it's just he would be lonely and sad if there is no one at home while he is sick.

        “Oho, good boy!” Jiyeon complimented him.”How's the taste?”

        “Tasty,”

        Jiyeon let out sigh in relief,”Glad if it's not tasteless, means that your fever didn't affect your appetite.”

        Jungkook covered his mouth while chewing to hold his chuckled. He thought Jiyeon would answer it's made by her, something like girls would show off their skill in order to get compliment from their boyfriend. She apparently just checked his condition. Jiyeon continues to amaze him.

        “Did you have any plan for today, ahjumma?”

        “I did. I'll leave when you take the medicine.”

        “Is that so?” When he speaks his voice trails slowly, like his words are unwilling to take flight.”But what if when I wake up, my fever hasn't gone down?”

        The left side of her faint pink lip tugged upwards, creating smirk on her face. Jiyeon knows Jungkook wants her to stay but he doesn't want to say it straight away.

        “Do you want me to stay?”

        “If it's important meeting, you can go,” Jungkook took another spoon from Jiyeon's hand.

        “I planned to meet Taehyung again but if you want, I can keep you company.” Jiyeon lied, she just teased Jungkook. “So, you want me to stay, or not?”

        His thought is going somewhere, imagining Jiyeon will