"It is not our abilities that show what we truly are. It is our choices." - J.K Rowling (Albus Dumbledore)

‘Thank you for banking with us. Have a nice day.’ The automated voice in the ATM machine sounded as Wooyoung took his receipt.

“777 won?! I’m so not happy to get triple 7s for once!”

“JUNHOOOOOO PLEASE! I need to work today!”

“But you gave such short notice! Why do you need to work so urgently anyway?”

“I’m utterly broke! I need money for something very important too. PLEASEEEE?”

“My manager won’t agree! And you have a cold, it’s even more impossible that way!”

“Please please please, I BEG YOU! And it’s your fault that I have a flu!” Junho stopped in his tracks and looked at Wooyoung. Wooyoung placed his palms together and gave the best pitiful look he could muster.

Junho sighed and pulled out his phone. Wooyoung smiled in victory as Junho started to dial a number to call the game corner he worked at.

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“It’s really rare!” Junho exclaimed suddenly.

“What’s-AH-CHOO!!!- rare?” Wooyoung asked, sneezing when he was halfway through his sentence.

“You’re exceptionally nice when it comes to Taeyeon! You’re working this hard to get her a birthday present when you’re sick? Just go home and rest, dude.”

“AH-CHOO!!!! Well, you also worked hard at this job to buy that camera, didn’t you?” Wooyoung sniffed and used a tissue to blow his nose.

“Wh-what?! How did you know that? I didn’t tell anyone about it! HOW!” Junho demanded.

‘Ah damn, I shouldn’t know about it yet at this point of time.’ Wooyoung thought to himself.

“HOW DID YOU KNOW?!”

“Hey break time’s over, let’s go back to work!” Wooyoung said and walked quickly out of the pantry’s door to avoid any further questioning.

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“Argh…” Wooyoung muttered as his legs gave way and he dropped to the floor, causing the full basket of gaming coins he had in his hands to topple over and the coins to roll all over the game corner’s floor.

“Oh no!” The game corner’s manager knelt beside Wooyoung and was about to open his mouth again when Junho came running and interrupted.

“We’re sorry! I’ll clean it up!”

At his words, the manager kept quiet and helped with the picking up of coins.

“Wooyoung, it’s okay. Go home and rest. Don’t force yourself, please!”

“Why did I come back here anyway?”

“What? Where’s ‘here’?”

“The past…”

“The past?!”

“I’m still… okay… I still need to…” Wooyoung muttered feverishly to himself.

“Hey, are you okay? Wooyoung!”

That was the last thing Wooyoung heard before collapsed to the floor.

“I don’t want you to work here anymore!” The manager finally said with frustration.

“No, please… I don’t really have a cold…” Wooyoung, who was barely able to open his eyes, denied immediately.

“I’m sorry, but can you please just go home? It’s not only for me but also for you. Junho, help him up.” The game corner’s manager said, before walking out of the room.

It was not long after when the manager came back with a large pea plush toy in his hands. (A/N: Taeyeon's dookong!)

“This is for your effort. Please go home before your cold gets worse!” 

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“Youngie’s really that sick?” Taeyeon asked Junho over the phone, with much concern.

“He was about to fall apart during work…”

“What? Why is he working?”

“He doesn’t have money, so he said he wanted to earn some today. I told him not to but he went on to do a one-day job!” Junho said with exasperation. “I told him to stop, but it was totally useless. He doesn’t listen!”

“Aigoo, that kid… How is he now?”

“He’s sleeping now, so I think he should be okay.”

“That’s a relief… Junho, please take care of him! I’ll try to visit once I’m done with my work. Thanks, bye!” Taeyeon ended the call with a