-C H A P T E R  T H R E E-

Day One

One Strange Occurrence

Donghae

“Sorry for intruding…”

“Oh, school’s already over?” Leeteuk said, looking up to the clock on the wall.

I saw him tuck away the romance novel he was reading under a stack of reports, and at an instant I grinned while shaking my head. He does that every time a student walks in, and yet he thinks no one notices.

I guess it is understandable though. What else can he do while babysitting some sick students anyway?

            “I brought Tiffany’s bag with me,” I chirped, waving her bag in front of me at arm’s length. “Is she still sleeping?”

Leeteuk went over to check on her, and I walked up to his desk to place her bag down. Then I noticed that something was missing.

            “Hyung,” I called, looking around the infirmary. “Where’s the Monkey of Zodiac Plushie?”

Leeteuk looked at me, and for some reason he looked as if he’s done something wrong. “You mean the toy?” he asked. I nodded and I saw his mouth twitching as if he’s trying to force himself to smile. Goodness the effort he tried to put in was incredibly obvious.

            “Well I…I gave it to Hyukjae,” he said apologetically, “He said he would take good care of it, so…”

Without even waiting for Leeteuk to finish his sentence (or Tiffany, for that matter) I left to one place I never thought I’d ever set my foot in again.

*************

            “Hyukjae dear, Donghae's here to see you,”

            “Who did you say?” Hyukjae sounded surprised, as expected. The last time I was here was more than a year ago.

 I shot him a dirty look the moment I entered his room, along with his mother following me from behind as she showed me his room. A while ago, I did hear from my mom that they changed the interior of the house, but I never knew they changed it that much. I hardly even recognize the place.

            The first thing I did was scan his entire room to look for the Devil Monkey, which was perched on a table at the foot of his bed, which he was caught staring at as I walked in. God what on earth is that cute little thing doing in the bastard’s room anyway?

            “Stay her a bit longer, would you dear?” Hyukjae's mother asked me, which I returned with a light chuckle.

            “I wish I could but I'm in a bit of a hurry, and sorry for disturbing you Mrs Lee,” I said politely, smiling sweetly at my mother’s so-called BFF.

Seriously, when we moved into this neighbourhood back then our mothers hardly even knew each other. Just one pleasant encounter at the supermarket and a an exchange of an apple pie with beef stew made the two of them click like they were the best of friends even before they were born.

            “Nonsense,” she laughed, then frowning while squeezing my arm a little. “I wouldn’t mind the slightest! Now I’ll be back later for some snacks so make yourself at home,”

            “Thank you Mrs Lee,” I said, bowing to her a little. “And I will,”

As soon as his mother closed the door to his room I immediately drop my sweet and innocent façade and glared daggers at the Monkey Plushie kidnapper.

            “What do you want?” he said, the frown visible on his face. “Hurry up; I don’t have much time to entertain you,”

I can't believe this guy, he’s just sitting there on his bed looking like he’s something far more superior than I am. And what’s with the whole ‘I don’t have much time’ crap? Please, we both know that all he’s been doing is just lying there on that bed doing nothing but read magazines. And maybe…even stare at the Monkey Plushie? Oh whatever.

            “Well you’re not the only one who’s busy so I’ll just go straight to the point then,” I said, heaving a sigh while trying to compose myself. Hyukjae cocked an eyebrow at me, and I hate to resist the urge to just kick him hard in the face.

“Give me the Monkey Plushie you bastard!” I spat.

            “That’s a freaking too straight to the point don’t you think?” he snapped back, banging the table next to him with rage. “And you don’t have call me a bastard you darn two-faced fish!”

I scowled at him as I retreated myself a little, fixing my posture while I'm at it. “I heard from Leeteuk hyung that you took the Monkey Plushie,” I stated. “That’s strange for someone like you, what do you want to do with it anyway? I doubt you’d want to use it as part of your room décor,”

            Hyukjae scoffed and tore his gaze from me. Funny how it seemed like his face fell and that he’s trying to hide it from me. “So what if I want to make it part of my room decoration?”

I made a face. “Come on, you have other cool stuff in here,” I pointed at the figurines and soccer trophies he had set up on his shelf boringly, emphasizing on the word ‘cool’ to show him my lack of interest in those things.

            “You don’t have to make that face if you don’t think it’s cool!” He yelled disapprovingly. I simply rolled my eyes at him.

Like he had never judged the things I liked. “I thought you said you don’t like plush toys?” I said, remembering what he told me over a year ago. “You said it was girly and stupid. And no guy in their right mind should even want to own it,” I paused and swallowed the imaginary lump in my throat.

            “So you threw it away…the one that I gave to you,” I added, bringing down the volume in my voice a little.

Hyukjae's jaw clenched and he didn’t even look at me. His face looked tensed, while his expression was unreadable. For a moment there the room was quiet, neither of us spoke. Finally, Hyukjae heaved a sigh and scoffed.

            “That was in the past,” He said, still not looking at me. He scoffed again and even clicked his tongue. “This is none of your business anyway. I can take care of a dumb toy if I want to,”

That does it.

            “BUT YOU DON’T HAVE THE FREAKING RIGHT TO LOOK AFTER THE TOY, THAT’S WHAT I’VE BEEN TRYING TO TELL YOU DAMN IT!” I screamed. “SO GIVE THE FREAKING THING BACK TO ME!”

            “HELL NO!” he shouted back just as loudly. “WHY THE ARE YOU GETTING WORKED UP OVER THE STUPID TOY ANYWAY?”

            “WHY DON’T YOU JUST PUT UP YOUR COLLECTION AS DECORATION THEN?”

            “SHUT UP MY MOTHER IS FREAKING DOWNSTAIRS DAMN IT!!”

Goodness. Why can't you two just be honest with each other? Screaming at each other like this is not cute you know.

The two of us paused.

            “Well sorry if I'm not cute.” I muttered, frowning. “I never had the intention to attract your attention anyway,”

Hyukjae waved his hand in front him. “I…didn’t say that…”

I rolled my eyes and made an attempt to grab the Devil Monkey. “I’ll just take this leave then,”

            Just a few inches more and the Devil Monkey would’ve already been within my grasp but Hyukjae suddenly pushed me aside while screaming, “Don’t touch it!”

At one moment I saw Hyukjae grabbing hold of the Devil Monkey and the next thing I knew, Hyukjae had landed on the floor with a loud thud, blood dripping out of his finger and his entire body immobile.

Panic had decided to take its affect on me when I realized that Hyukjae really did passed out, even after I poked that one sensitive spot near his belly button. He would always respond if I poke him there, but now...nothing.

            I began sweating as my heartbeat starts to race, and I was about to call out for his mother when I felt him moving next to me. “Hyukjae, you’re awake!” I said a bit too loudly, and I sounded a bit too relieved too.

Hyukjae didn’t say anything as he got up and supported himself on one arm, his hand covering his face as he massaged his temples.

            “Seriously, do you have to pass out even after being pricked on a finger?” I asked, trying to sound sarcastic to hide the fact that I was almost on the verge of tears at the sight of him on the floor just a few seconds ago.

Hyukjae looked up and stared at me, and I stared back with a bewildered expression. “Aw, I made I mistake,” he said, pouting. “Oh well, this should be more fun I suppose,”

I watched him stretch himself and- DID HYUKJAE JUST MADE A POUT?

            I stared at my neighbour for a long time, observing him as he stood up and stretches himself some more. Okay this is too weird.

            “Hey Hyukjae?” I called. He turned around to look at me and smiled, which had taken me aback a little since he never smiles like that. “Are you alright? I mean, you did fell with a thud just now, so...”

I could swear that all the hair on the back of my neck was standing when Hyukjae giggled and slapped my shoulder lightly.

“Aw, there’s nothing to worry about; I'm fine!” He chirped.

He grabbed the Devil Monkey and handed it to me with that generous smile on his face, and mind you, that smile of his looked as if he had literally plastered it on his face when I wasn’t looking.

But that aside, the Devil Monkey is safely in my hands now and before I could say anything else Hyukjae had already ushered me out of his room. “Take very good care of the toy, okay?” he said as we reach his front door. “I’ll see you in school tomorrow!”

            “Well, take good care of yourself then. You should put some ice on your head or something. And uhh...sleep early tonight,” I finally said when I realized how awkward and cliché I sounded.

            “Of course!” he beamed. “Don't you worry about little ole me, just go home and have a good night sleep,”

Funny, a few minutes ago it was as if he would kill for the Devil Monkey’s custody but now it seems like he’s too darn happy to have it out of his sight. But who am I to complain?

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This should answer some questions right? LOL

thank you for reading and subbing :)

-ily