“You sure you’re going to be okay?” she asked me again.

   I feel pathetic, but I don’t want her to leave me. It’s actually scary to be alone when a nightmare like that haunts you. I opened my mouth, only to gasp and inhale sharply. The words just wouldn’t come out of my trembling mouth. It’s embarrassing to say that I need her. “Well, anyway, even if you don’t want to go, I’m bringing you. Haha, I’m not going to let you run away again. You’re MY TOP Oppa from now on, okay!” she just said cheerfully, acting as if nothing happened. It’s better this way too, I guess.

   Maybe she isn’t that bad. I’ll just have to endure.. being someone I’m not while I stay with her.

Earlier, one day ago…

  “I’m serious. It’s ok. Just go. If you don’t appreciate what I do for you, I don’t care anymore.” Ji Eun said and left. I hate it when she does that. There’s always this… AIR inside my chest. This weight. I don’t know how to explain what it is, but that feeling always comes.

  Well, anyway, it’s good that she said that! I’m so ready to explore the world myself.

  Sweet freedom!!

  I tore my eyes away from Ji Eun’s back view, willing the heavy feeling to go away. Turning around, I walked down the streets, enjoying the outside world. It was nice being outside, rather than being cooped up in a small little room everyday, doing nothing but watching shows on the television, watching clouds float by in the sky from a tiny window, and just… moping around.

  The city wasn’t crowded. In fact, there was hardly anyone. I passed by numerous shops. A shop selling flowers, a costume shop, a café, a thrift shop, etc. It was actually pretty interesting. But after walking for a while, I was beginning to feel lost. Wandering around the streets with no where in mind. I didn’t want to think about it, but I knew I needed to find a place to spend the night. And soon. That’s right! My mask! I’ve been mindlessly carrying it in my hand. It’s a surprise no one recognized me as TOP yet.

   I was about to pull it over my face, when suddenly that fireworks feeling came. It wasn’t as bad, but it still felt slightly painful. I dropped to the ground in my plushie form, shocked as always.

   Here I am, TOP (not really…), lying on the cold floor of the street. I gazed at the clouds which drifted way above me in the sky. How I wish I could just do whatever I want, be whoever I was, just like everyone else. Instead, I’m just some… TOY without any identity. I don’t know where I came from, nor who I am. It’s starting to get really scary being, literally, nobody.

  Out of the blue I was grabbed roughly, and lifted from the ground. My gaze lay on this small boy. He’s the boy whose toy I tried to snatch away! He sneered at me, saying, “You look just like that bad guy!”

  Excuse me, little boy, but I have a superstar’s face! What do you mean by Bad guy. Just because I took your toy doesn’t mean I’m some evil villain! Right? Right?

  Okay maybe I would be bad if I did that. Ah, whatever. I wondered what he was going to do with me, as he kept me in his bag and rushed forward to follow his mother. After a while I saw light as he opened his bag, and took me out. His massive face loomed in front of me as he grinned mischievously. I don’t like where this is going…

  “You wanted to take my plane didn’t you! Well, this is pay back, bully!” he screamed in my face and threw me upwards, making me hit the ceiling. As a plushie, the only senses I have is that of sight and hearing, so naturally I didn’t feel any pain as I came crashing down to the ground. But it was scary enough! This guy is one heck of a bully! He then proceeded to tie me with his shoelaces to that remote control car, and drove it madly around the house.

  “BANG!” he shouted gleefully whenever the car crashed into a wall. My head would flung forwards bringing my body with it, and then suddenly the car would retreat and zoom madly across the floor again. It was the most terrifying thing that has ever happened to me! Even more terrifying than that time Ji Eun was grinning creepily at me! I wanted to close my eyes whenever I came dangerously close to a wall, but being a plushie, I had no control over my eyes and was forced to look.

  If I had a heart in this plushie state, it would be drumming painfully against my chest. Finally, there came a time when the car hit against another of the boy’s toy. The impact, being so strong, and the laces being too loose, I was flung out of the car and flew in an arc before I landed with a thud at the other end of the room.

  Stop, just stop it! I was screaming in my head. Fear gripped me, even though I couldn’t feel any pain. It was so scary, being tossed and knocked here and there. That evil little boy cackled and left me to lie underneath his sofa as he went away. Thank God it’s over, at least! I stared at the ground, facedown. What else could I do?!

  When I become human again, I have to really escape this place! The hours passed exhaustingly slowly as I lay under a sofa, with me practically kissing the floor. I heard conversations between the boy and his mom. The boy sounded like an angel, giggling happily as his mom played with him. What a two-faced person! I was itching to move already. I hated being a plushie. Being left with no choice, I fell asleep, with my eyes still open. I awoke in what I supposed was morning. I have no idea how much time had passed. Usually it would take about 20 plus hours before I could turn into a plushie again. Time dragged on annoyingly slow, but nothing happened. In my plushie life, the worst thing ever about being a plushie is doing nothing. You’re forced to freeze in your position and you just feel like crap.

  After what seemed like forever, I finally poofed into a human again. My head and back screamed in pain when they collided with the sofa I was under. I freed myself from the sofa, and quickly escaped the boy’s house without any hesitation. Now, without my warm winter coat, I found myself shivering as I dashed across the streets. I had to retrace my steps, even though I had no idea where I was going. The only place I could go to was Ji Eun’s house now, even though I hated to admit it. Dashing with the world swirling around you, not knowing where to go is seriously no joke. Thankfully, I managed to find the long pavement, which led to Ji Eun’s school. Only question is, which way to her house?

  I spotted my brown fur coat lying on the pavement and happily picked it up. A warm fake coat is better than nothing. After walking till my legs ached, dodging my head countless times whenever I saw a person passing by and trying various of different routes in a trial-and-error fashion, I finally reached Ji Eun’s house. Relieved, I searched for the key under the door mat and opened the door. How I knew there was a key there? Well… I just knew. It’s so predictable for someone like Ji Eun to do that! The familiarity of the living hall greeted me. I smiled as warmth enveloped me, and wriggled out of the trench coat. Right now, I only wanted to sleep in that cosy bed I always slept in.

  As I thought about this boring routine of not doing anything everyday, fatigue overcame me and dragged me to dreamland….

  Fire was burning on my shoulder. But I couldn’t do anything. I was frozen in place. It went away as quickly as it came.

  I felt her hand on my shoulder. I was surrounded by darkness. An illuminated face appeared out of nowhere. The face was gigantic. I recognized it, it was that boy. The face grew bigger and bigger until it seemed as though the boy would eat me up. It loomed closer, until it passed through me. It was only an image. A shrill girl’s voice echoed in this dark and never-ending void. She broke into a fit of eerie laughter, giving me goose bumps. My mind screamed for me to run, but I couldn’t. Gigantic images loomed over me everywhere, in the dark. Pain coursed through my body and I felt myself shriveling up. Loud explosions resounded around me as I burst into sparks, and then I was gone.

  “TOP! TOP! Plushie boy! Hey!” the pain faded and as I opened my eyes, colour came back. I felt my face soaked in perspiration. A face loomed in front of me, but it was a comforting one. When my eyes finally focused properly, I saw that it was Ji Eun. Her face was pained with worry. I felt her hand on my cheek, and just stared at her blankly.

  “Everything’s okay now.. It’s all just a nightmare…” she said soothingly, while my cheek. I managed to relax, hearing her words, and my body loosened up. My jaw was no longer clenched; my eyes were no longer livid. I felt her thumb run across my face. I was crying?

  “I’ll go get you some tea to drink…” she said as she got up to leave. Acting on its own, my hand reached out to grab hers. I couldn’t even speak, but just stare at her. The frown on her face deepened, and she sat back down again. Her warm hand enveloped mine, and she just sat there, wiping the tears off my face with the back of her palm. The grip fear had on me slowly loosened.

  On seeing that my crying had subsided, Ji Eun asked, “What happened? Are you feeling better now?”

  I looked at her blankly and shook my head. As I got up slowly with her help, I said in a hoarse voice, “I don’t remember anything. I only remember feeling this intense fear.”

  “Anyway, it’s over now, right?” She said encouragingly, patting me on the back, “It’s just a nightmare.”

  Now that everything was peaceful again, I could even laugh at what she said. “Yeah, you’re right.” I chuckled.

  She stared at me, in a daze. “What?” I asked.

  “I just haven’t seen TOP smile like that for a while. No, in fact it’s the first time I’ve seen a genuine smile from you.” She said in awe.

  “TOP TOP TOP.. It’s getting annoying. I’m not him, okay?” I grumbled, to which she grinned sheepishly.

  “Yeah, sorry. I keep forgetting you’re not.” She said.

  “haru-haru mudyo-jyoga-ne~~” A song played out of no where, and Ji Eun scrambled to answer her phone.

  “Hello?” she said, “What?! How did you get my number? Huh?” After a pause, “REALLY? But why- Hello? Hello?” She looked at her phone once again, with a large grin. “Guess who’s going to camp tomorrow~” She sang happily while doing this crazy dance, “Me~”

  I gave her a cold stare.

  “Oh yeah. But now you’re back. Can you manage-"

  “I’m fine. I don’t want to go to some stupid camp with you.” I snapped at her, not meaning to.

  She looked at me for awhile without saying anything, as if she was thinking.

Present

  “You sure you’re going to be okay?” she asked me again. I feel pathetic, but I don’t want her to leave me. It’s actually scary to be alone when a nightmare like that haunts you. I opened my mouth, only to gasp and inhale sharply. The words just wouldn't come out of my trembling mouth. It’s embarrassing to say that I need her!

  “Well, anyway, even if you don’t want to go, I’m bringing you! Haha, I’m not going to let you run away again. You’re MY one-and-only personal TOP Oppa from now on, okay!” she just says cheerfully, acting as if nothing happened.

  It’s better this way too, I guess. Maybe she isn’t that bad. I’ll just have to endure being someone I’m not while I stay with her. 

  “Come! Now, to celebrate my registration for the camp lets go out for dinner!” She bounces on the spot excitedly, giving me her hand.

  “No.” I reply flatly.

   “EH!!! Pleaaaaaaseeeeeeee TOP? PLEASEEEEEEEEEEE?” She grabbed my arm forcefully this time and pleaded in an annoying tone. “This is going to be a-once-in-a-lifetime thing! I don’t just treat people food everyday you know!!! PLEASEEEEEEEEEEE!”

   “OKAY OKAY FINE!! FINE!” I gave in, annoyed.

   “Yipeee!” She squealed and dragged me to what I assumed was her father’s closet. “Now, time for your disguise!!” She muttered excitedly.

   “Wait… what disguise?” I asked suspiciously. Why do I have a bad feeling about this?

[A/N] HI LOVELY WONDERFUL AWESOME READERS!!!

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