“Hand,” Zico ordered. Zelo placed his hand on Zico’s opened palm. The innocent smile was hanging on his face.

“Bark,” Zico continued. The kid shoutted the loudest noise he could ever make. Zico had to cover his mouth to stop the kid from...barking. “Ssh...that’s too loud!”

“I’m a puppy with full of energy and growth time,” Zelo made excuse. “That’s my short profile.”

Zico snorted. “Whoa...kiddo, you really take this seriously just for food? You must be really crazy.” Zico stood up and walked  to the fridge. He opened the cold can of Red Bull.

“Uh, you’re the one who invented this idea, remember?” Zelo followed him, sitting on the chair. “Then you’re crazier than me. I’m just the lost pure soul who can’t find home.”

“Shut it already,” Zico threw the empty can to the trash.

“Zico-ssi, you shouldn’t drink Red Bull in one sip in the morning,” Zelo warned his master. “It’s better to take vitamin or drink water. And I see there’s ciggarete on your desk. You could die because of lung cancer at fourty, you know.”

“Why you suddenly lecturing me?!”

The door bell rang. Zico ran to the front door, peeking from the door hole and sighed at the wrinkled face. It’s the land lady. Zico rolled his eyes but opened the door lazily. “Mrs. Park, hi.”

“I heard dog’s bark from here. You know this building isn’t allowed you to have pet, don’t you?” Mrs. Park bluntly spoke about the building’s regulation.

Zico landed his head to the door’s leaf,

“Hello ahjumma~”

“Who is this?! One of your lovers too?” the middle-age woman with perm hair scanned Zelo from head to toe.

“Lovers? Zico-ssi, you’re naughty man~” Zelo playfully hit Zico’s arm.

“No, he’s not! This is Zelo my p-uh-cousin! Yeah, cousin! We’re just playing around as master and the dog.”

“Woof woof!” Zelo barked.

“You have blond hair, you must be part of school gangster or something like that,”

“Nope mam, I’m the nicest kid on Earth”

“Don’t be too noisy. I already have complains from other rooms because of you before. Behave yourself,” Mrs. Park waved her arm and walked away without saying goodbye.

“Yes, Mrs. Park...”

“Bye, Mrs. Park...” Zelo waved. He turned his sight to Zico, continue teasing the guy, “So... wanna talk about who are your lovers so when they’re here I could—”

“Shut up!” Zico lifted his palm to the air, surprising his pet.

 “Oh, God, you almost hit me!” Zelo gaped but covered his face by reflex. “Warning, pet abuse, warning!”

“Listen, I have to go to work, so you behave yourself. Don’t make too much noises. If you feel grateful I let you living here, use your muscles and clean up the place,” Zico walked to his room. He stripped his t-shirt and changed to the new one.

Zelo peeked in from outside the room, notice how fancy Zico’s clothes that morning. The skinny jeans with dark t-shirt covered with formal coat, the fashion these days. He pulled up his blonde hair, grabbing some silveraccessories from the box and wore it on his fingers and neck. Zelo was amazed how his master suddenly looked like different person. “You look so high class now... Why dressing so neat?...Going to meet your lover?”

“I have a meeting in an hour. Since I didn’t manage to come early today, I’ve told my friends I’ll dress up from home,” Zico was checking himself to the mirror. “Ergh, I need a little make up...”

“What are you, by the way?” Zelo secretly slided to the wall beside him and rested his back there, kept staring at Zico from afar. “A businessman? A celebrity?”

If Zico was snob enough, he’d definitely yell the kid how come he doesn’t know who he is. But since he’s not on the level to brag yet, Zico kept himself calm and told him, “Watch tv at 4 pm today.”

Zelo gasped. “You’re a celebrity, aren’t you?! Why you tell me to watch tv?! Or are you some kind of most wanted criminal—”

“If you don’t stop talking I’ll pack you inside the box and drown you to the river.”

*

Few Hours Later.

“Hello?”

Zico bit his lips as he heard the person he answered the call. He’s suddenly out of words when the familiar voice called his name, “Ji Ho-yah? Is that you? Hello?”

He exhaled, “Yes, hyung, it’s me. Where are you?”

“Uhm... I’m having dinner with the members now. What is it?”

“Nothing,” Zico startled when he saw the other Block B members came out from the recording room and meant to approach him. He got up and went to the porch to keep his privacy talk with Mir. “I just missed you.”

Zico might not know that Mir was smiling widely at his words, but he noticed the sudden change at his voice tone, “Wanna meet up for coffee later?”

“I can’t,” Zico scratches his nape in disappointment to himself. “I have deadline for our upcoming album. My boss already pissed cause I’m late for mixing.”

“Hmmm...” Mir’s voice suddenly sound bitter. “Then...you call me just to say you miss me without letting me see your face today?”

“I really wish I could see you too, seriously,” Zico moved his phone to his other ear. “But what about tomorrow morning? We could meet for breakfast!”

“That sounds fun, but be realistic here. You probably won’t be home till midnight and I don’t think you could wake up early tomorrow for breakfast. There’s no such thing breakfast for you, it’s always a brunch.”

“I really hate you when you’re saying the right thing,” Zico looked up to the empty night sky. It’s like there’s no hope he could meet Mir that week. “And my schedule for this week is already packed.”

“Busy rookie indeed.”

Zico heard someone knocking the glass wall behind him, Kyung gave him a sign to go back to the studio cause the break time was over. “Okay, a cucumber just told me I have to go now,” Zico said to the phone, listening to Mir laughing on the other side. “I’ll talk to you later.”

“Okay, text me when you’re finished.”

Zico waited until Mir hung up the phone. He walked back in to the building and followed his fellas to the recording studio. His feeling was still darken as he couldn’t meet Mir again that week. They’d been busy with their own schedules even it’s hard for them to escape from it. Zico threw another sigh as he put back his phone in his pocket.

*

“I’m home...” Zico opened his apartment door at dawn. He’s so tired after the recording combine with the fact he couldn’t meet Mir again that night. He dragged himself to the couch, lying his head to the back of the seat. He slightly closed his eyes, the feeling of not being able to touch Mir that night ruined his mood even more. Since he decided to live alone outside the dorm, Zico never realized how lonely he was without his friends or his family. He exhaled in hoping the gloomy feeling would go away. Although it was nice to be alone sometimes, but that night was the time when he wished the opposite happened.

Zico opened his eyes. Suddenly, he realized he shouldn’t be alone for the past few weeks. He had someone to accompany him with the noise he made. He finally noticed the house was too quite that time.

Usually there’s someone who’d greet him enthusiastically the second he opened the door. Zico looked around but he didn’t capture any sign of other living. “Zelo-yah...you’re here?”

There’s no answer. He called again several times but nobody replied him back. Zico started feeling anxious. He got up and checked every room: the bathroom was empty; the porch was also empty and the weather was too cold for anyone to stay in a long time; there’s no one under the bed.

Zico bit his nails and something clicked his memory. He ran back to the kitchen and opened the fridge. He told Zelo to cook for himself, but he forgot that some dishes were expired. He always forgot to throw the stuffs away. And looking at the messy and dirty kitchen, it seemed there was a cooking war few hours ago: the half-empty sink with bowls and plates everywhere. And the odd-colored thick sauce on the pan...

Did he poison himself?

Zico checked the egg box and it was almost empty. The rotten smell his nose. He threw some stuffs to the trash bin when he heard someone open the door. He quickly ran back to the front door and threw the pan he’s about to wash back to the sink.

He stopped when the perm blonde hair facing him. “Zelo-yah...” he called the person in low tone, to make sure it was the right person.

Zelo who was struggling to take off his shoes, looked up, “Oh, master, you’re finally home?”

“Where have you been...”

“I just went to the convenient store to get instant meal,” Zelo put the shoes inside the closet close to the front door. “I checked your fridge and there’s nothing to eat. How could you tell me to cook with those ingredients, sheez...”

Zelo stopped complaining when Zico suddenly crashed his body into him. He took the boy into his embrace, leaning his head on Zelo’s shoulder. The kid almost lost his balance by the sudden attack. “Zico-ssi...why you suddenly—”

“I thought something happened to you,” Zico sighed. He tightened his grip around the kid, suddenly the pain of being lonely inside him disappeared. He ruffled the pet’s hair, exhaling his breath to the air again. This time, he felt relieved he’s not alone.