chapter thirty seven- of fondness and importance. (filler)

Things didn’t go the way I expected them to. Ren was already asleep when I went into the class and Mihi was preoccupied with some other girls that she didn’t even notice me go in. Even as I walked towards my desk, I could feel the pointing fingers of my classmates.

I wanted to cry.

What did I do wrong?

“So fight it. I’ll be your mascot and I’ll cheer on you from the sidelines.”

JR oppa’s words echoed in my head as I straightened my shoulders, and walked towards my desk, my face emotionless. The stares got even more intense.

“Yah, Lee Minki!” I heard JR oppa shout from out class window. “Lee Minki!”

Turned to my left, I saw that Ren oppa didn’t even stir. I turned back to JR oppa to see him inditae me to wake him up. I was confused. I thought he wanted me to fight the problem, not to cause more problems.

But I obeyed. I put my stuff down and walked up to Ren oppa’s desk. The whispering got louder, if that was possible.

“Oppa,” I whispered gently in Ren oppa’s ear. “Get up.”

Grumbling, he shooed me away and turned his face in the opposite direction. I frowned. “Get up.” I whispered again.

This time, he looked at me, with an annoyed face. When he realized it was me who was calling him, he frowned. “What’s wrong?”

I indicated towards the window with my head. As soon as he caught sight of JR oppa, he stood up and walked towards him. Even though the whispers were still there, I felt relieved. A job well done, no matter how small.

Mihi turned around and faced me, looking confused as hell. Her expression, as if asking me what the hell was going on. This made me even more content, I didn’t know why. I smirked. I didn’t smile, I smirked. I had reeled her in, as well. Now who couldn’t be reeled in.

“Trust me, Mihi unnie.” The words came out without consent. Not that I minded, of course.

After a brief talk with JR oppa, Ren oppa, bored as hell, began walking towards his desk when Mihi caught his attention. Cocking his head sideward, he walked towards us.

“You came to school? We doubted you’d come, after what happened yesterday.” His voice was low, like a hiss, yet threatening. I was pretty sure his low voice was to prevent anyone else from hearing.

“Wh-what are you talking about?” Mihi stammered out loud.

Ren oppa smirked and pinched her cheek. “A cute façade you have there. Minhyun made things really clear for you, didn’t he? We’re all watching you.” And with that, he walked back to his seat, back to his sleep.

“Yuri…” she mumbled. “What’s going on?”

Don’t show any emotion, don’t show any emotion, don’t show any emo—

Mihi looked frightened. As if she expected something else from Ren oppa. I couldn’t help but sympathize.

“Listen princess. Just for today.”

“I don’t know.” I admitted honestly, shrugging. “But who actually cares?”

The feeling of fondness…it was still there.

-

Minhyun woke up the next day when a cold jab of water hit one of the purple bruises on his abdomen. He winced in pain and was automatically dragged out of sleep.

As he opened his eyes, he saw a woman, a woman other than his noona, sitting by the bed with a concerned look on her face. She had been jabbing the wounds on his bare abdomen with a wet towel, like his noona had, the day before.

“Minhyun-ah..” she said, softly.

Sitting up and leaning against the bed’s head, Minhyun frowned and looked at the woman. “Who are you?”

She looked hurt. Not just hurt, but genuinely hurt. “Minhyun-ah, don’t you remember me? Did you get amnesia? Eunbi didn’t say anything was wrong…”

She reached out to touch his forehead but Minhyun slapped her hand away just before it touched his head. “Don’t touch me.” He whispered, acidly. “Where is my noona? Who are you and what are you doing here?”

Her hand was trembling, and so was her voice, when she spoke. “Minhyun-ah, it’s me. Hyein noona. Don’t you remember?”

Hyein…Hyein noona..

The remembrance clicked inside his head. Guilt rushed through his body.

“Noona!” he exclaimed. “I’m sorry..”

She was relieved, Hyein was. For a moment, she was scared that she might have probably been completely erased from his life.

I guess I’m of that little importance..

“It’s okay, I’m just glad that you are ok-”

“Yuri! Noona, give me a minute, I need to make a call!” he exclaimed, reaching out for his cell phone underneath his pillow.

And this is how much of an importance Yuri is in your life..

Hyein smiled, not sadly, but proudly. She loved Minhyun, sure, but like a little brother. Seeing him, worrying over a girl like that almost made her proud, not by the fact that she wasn’t as important as that girl in his life, but by the fact that he does have a girl in his life other than her and his noona.