A/N: Oh boy, don't we get to learn about some charactersss... This is an emotional chapter. I relate to that too much to the emptiness thing so I might have gotten carried away X) Anyway, next chapter will be happier. I swear lol. Anyway, enjoyyy -Banana

The autumn leaves begin to fall, coloring the landscape with bright oranges and browns. The sounds of a few cars and mostly other school kids surround me as I walk to school. I live at a 10 minute walk, way shorter than the two-hour ride I used to make. Don’t let my previous attitude fool you; I really got tired a lot riding a train for four hours a day. I usually slept or ate breakfast. Usually, I would get some homework done, too. I guess that’s one of the main reasons I didn’t really have friends. I didn’t live near them, nor did I want to hang out with them in my busy life. I think about my shorter commute to school and my shorter school day and how much time I will have left over. Maybe I can have time to play with my sister? That is if she doesn’t spend her time out of work with her fiancé. She always tells me how he is her best friend and that I could have a best friend, too, one whom I will be able to spend time with and just enjoy whatever. The school where I came from didn’t have people that were close like that. Maybe that’s why Yesung’s group of friend’s scared me so much. The idea just seemed too foreign to me.

In my hand I have Yesung’s phone number. He scribbled it on a piece of paper and told me to call him later to discuss the literature project and the notes from today’s lab in biology. I was about to tell him that I didn’t even own a cellphone, but he quickly said goodbye and waved as he skipped off to his boyfriend. I was left with my words at my lips.

Unlocking the door to the house, I checked to see if anyone was home. My voice echoed throughout the half-furnished home. It’s a bigger home than our last one because Ahra plans to move in her fiancé. I mean, he’s pretty cool. He’s also my piano teacher, too. And part time vocal coach? He really wants me to sing publicly, but then again, I am the man who said “Hi! I’m Cho Kyuhyun!” with the most awkward smile and handshake. Someone with more charisma can do better than me. I bet Yesung can do better than me.

I keep going back to this kid. I don’t know why, but he keeps intruding my thoughts. I won’t let me distract me, though. I’m a strong man who can manage a friend and school life. Wait…

Did I just say friend…?

What have I become.

I made myself a grilled cheese sandwich like the ones Ahra used to make for me. They’re the same ones that my mom would make her. I used to hate these, but ever since my mommy left, I’ve grown to love them. Weird. Yesung’s number sits right in front of me on the counter. I’ll probably use Ahra’s cellphone because we don’t even have a landline. It’s barely 3:15 and I feel like I still have an eternity to go through before the next day.

4:45

I finished my homework. I have nothing else to do. I’m still alone at home. Ahra was supposed to get here at four. I don’t think I’ve had this much free time in years. I pick up my laptop and start to watch YouTube videos. My boredom has hit me so hard that I am watching John Green test 30 life hacks. Now, I am screaming at the fact that I can remove the stem of a strawberry with a straw. Who wudda thunk! OH, strawberries, how I love you. I also love strawberry milk… Hey! I wonder if I have any in the fridge!!

I jump over to my fridge and rejoice at the bottle of strawberry milk. I open it and take the most satisfying sip ever. You know who loved strawberry milk? My daddy. He loved strawberry milk. My grandpa was a strawberry farmer. My dad used to bring us strawberries every day after school… I really do love strawberries… And my dad, too.

I feel tears forming in my eyes. I feel a sense of emptiness inside. I’ve never felt this empty, even after chugging down an entire bottle of strawberry milk. Well, I can’t handle it. I’m now lying on the floor, sobbing my eyes out. Why do I miss my parents so much all of a sudden? Why today? I curl up into a ball in front of the fridge and hug the milk bottle close to my chest. I hear some noises, which might be my sister arriving home. I can’t even tell what those sounds are because I’m crying too loudly for my ears even bother.

“Kyu? Kyuhyun!” I hear her heels click as she runs over to me. She throws her keys and bag onto the counter, the fear in her voice apparent, “Kyukyu! What happened?”

So that’s why it hurt so much that Yesung called me Kyukyu. Well, it didn’t hurt, but it struck a chord with me. My parents used to call me Kyukyu. My sister picks me up and hugs me, holding my head to her chest.

“Kyuhyun, what happened? Why are you on the floor? Are you okay?” she puts her hand up to my forehead, “you don’t have a fever…”

I shake my head while I cough my guts out as if I could cough out the empty feeling. My sister shakes, terrified at my stupid reaction to my emotions. She wipes the milk that dripped from my mouth with her sleeve. I feel bad. That’s her new sweater that she got for her first day of work. She hugs me tightly, rocking me back and forth. After a few minutes in the now quiet room, I stop crying and my breathing is more relaxed. She asks me again the same questions as before.

“I just… some thoughts got in the way…”

“Is everything okay at school?”

I nod my head, “Yes, I just missed mommy and daddy all of a sudden…”

The room falls dead quiet, even quieter than before