It's Monday morning. The winter grey churning up a dark storm that rattles your windows like a monster. It's chilling to hear the wind howling. Bullets of rain pelting the glass panes so hard you swear you hear them cracking. It's getting late. Your alarm went off almost twenty minutes ago but you hadn't moved an inch. Curled up on your side, nestled in a cloud of thick blankets and pillows. For some reason you just don't want to go outside. Don't want to face the bitter cold and icy weather bound to give you the flu. It's so much more safe inside. Warm and comfortable. That's the best feeling. Being absolutely toasty when it's freezing outside. 

How lazy. How irresponsible and down right selfish but you decide you're not going to work today. It's very risky but you hadn't called in sick ever. Not since you took any of your jobs and honestly you were a damn good worker. Tenacious, energetic and friendly. Your employers loved you even on your off days and one single disappointment couldn't get you fired. That wasn't going to happen so you keep laying down. Thinking about how you're so going to regret this in like an hour. " Urgh " You still need to call in though. Common procedure. 

With a frown you struggle to free yourself from your cocoon. So tightly bundled up you end up rolling off your bed and flailing on the floor. It's frustrating and once you escape, you kick the sheets. Crumpling them back on your bed before stomping out of your room. It's quiet, the morning hurricane roaring on but it's also dark. All curtains closed with a bleak darkness peeking through the slits. You quickly force your messy hair into a ponytail. Throwing on a coat and some slippers before heading into the hallway. Unfortunately you had no phone, couldn't afford one just yet but your sweet neighbor was always willing to lead you his. You knew he would be up since he had morning classes at the university so you don't hesitate to gently knock on his door. Hugging yourself and trying to look miserable incase he questioned your health. In a few moments time you are greeted with a handsome but surprised face. Howon's eyes are wide but an awkward smile appears on his lips. He ruffles his hair and opens the door more. 
" Good morning " He says " Need something? " 

Guilty you nod and Howon chuckles. Putting two and two together quite quickly. " Phone? Calling in sick huh? I was thinking about doing the same " He muses casually and the boy moves out of the door frame. Inviting you with a lazy sweeping gesture of his left arm. You smile thankfully and dart inside. Howon's apartment was rather...purple but also comfy. You liked it better than your own and while looking around, he hands you his phone. " Are you really sick? You look like you could use a bowl of soup " He lifts an eyebrow at you and while smiling sheepishly you dial the number of the cafe. Howon was always looking out for you ( boy was crushing hard ) so it was safe to say you enjoyed his company. A bit over bearing sometimes but there was nothing like hearing his laugh. Seeing those canines whenever you got him to smile wide enough. He listens to you lie to your employer with a tiny, sniffily voice and once you hang up Howon snorts, busy pouring his coffee. " Sick huh? " He drawls out and you roll your eyes so hard you swear they'll pop out of your head. " I just don't feel like going into that storm today " 

" Checks out. " He says simply " Want coffee? " 

" Yes please " and you dial the number of your other job. Might as well get out of the way now since you'll be too lazy later. Howon gives you the cup he had been making for himself and you wrap your hands around it with a sigh. The burning hot mug felt so good against your cool skin for some reason. You shove the phone between your ear and shoulder and sit down at the countertop. Howon is busy making a second cup. He is still half dressed and you notice his shirt isn't fully buttoned. The top is flapping haphazardly with his movements and the skin underneath is welcoming. You really can't help but glance every two seconds. Mumbling into the receiver before hanging up with a relieved sigh. " Done " 

Howon looks up with chocolate brown eyes and then you are reminded of Jongin. The thought of him sends a long shiver down your spine and Howon laughs at the way you shudder. Shoulders trembling and everything. " You okay there? " He inquires. Eyebrows raising as he sips his coffee. You nod without thinking twice and he leans over the counter. One arm supporting him. " So what's up? Haven't heard for you in awhile " You're really tempted to blow him off and go back to your apartment but you feel too guilty. Always using him and leading the poor guy on. " same old same old I guess. What about you? " Howon makes a face then sighs deeply. He holds some very ardent eye contact but you don't look away " Nothing new. Just really lonely " 

" Oh " You reply and he grins. " Go back to sleep. You look like you're going to pass out " In a flash you're gone. Leaving the coffee and smashing into him for a quick hug. Mostly because you want to feel him. Wait. That didn't sound right in words but it made sense. You were unusually desperate for human contact these days and Howon is pleasantly surprised when you bury your face into his chest. Mouth making contact with that bare skin because you stood on your tippy toes. " I'll see you later " He says with a satisfied smirk and you close the door on the way out. 

His cologne was out of the world. 

You shuffle back into your apartment and you realize the storm is only getting worse. You go back to your bedroom and curiously peek out the windows. Met only with a mess of dark grey and blurry buildings. For a few seconds you sit there watching then you lay back down. Crawling under your blankets with your coat still on. You begin to wonder where Jongin is in all this. You helplessly hope he's indoors and once again you're seized by guilt. Mind numbing guilt that makes you feel utterly miserable. Poor thing was probably cold, rained on and most likely scared. You imagine him cringing whenever the rain fell too hard and it breaks your heart. He's lost out there. Wandering aimlessly with nowhere to go- oh dear god how could you be so cruel? Saturday night, after your little breakup/makeup he walked you home. At the doors you awkwardly hugged then went your separate ways. You fell asleep to a warm fuzzy feeling inside but didn't even think to worry about him. Sleeping god knows where in a cold city. " I'm sucha a " you mumble to yourself and you wish you hadn't have called in sick. You deserve to be out there. Abused by the storm just like everyone else. How can you be so soft? 

You roll around restlessly and you end up face down. Jongin. Jonginnie. Oppa? He is older. But that sounds so weird. 
" Jongin oppa " You try out but it sounds like " Jagoinpa " because your mouth is covered. The fabric gets a little wet so you flop onto your back. Staring at the ceiling and imagining patterns that aren't there. Jongin probably looks up at the stars every night, it pains you to think he's alone so you pretend he isn't. That he has a family somewhere in Seoul and a mother who takes very good care of him. It's a new form of insanity you're breeding so you push him out of your mind all together. 

But you can't. Not really because he lives in the back of your head. Just sitting there patiently with wide eyes brightening every time you thought of him. You can't stand it. You flail around and want to pull your hair out. How nice would it be to have him right now. Just to cling to, to baby and take care of. You could easily see yourself playing with his hair and over night you have developed this weird fantasy of rubbing his tummy after he just finished eating a hearty meal. Jongin would fall asleep quick. Lulled into slumber by the gentle but still firm motion across his stomach. His hard stomach rippling with muscle, happy trail coarse and disappearing into the waistband of his boxers and why are you so hormonal? Your thoughts keep wandering to certain things and pretty soon you're going to need to throw yourself in a cold shower. 

It's no use. You really shouldn't have called in sick but whats done is done. You roll on your side prepared to think some more but you find yourself hazy. Eyelids too heavy to hold up till they inevitably collapse and you catch up on some much needed Z's 

When you awake it's mid afternoon and the weather is much worse. You thought it was nighttime due to the darkness but you are surprised to see that your alarm clock reads somewhere around 1pm. Had you really slept so long? You don't feel rested but you do feel the need to get up. Get moving, do something. It's hard to explain but at times you get a bit OCD. Just lowkey and after a lame breakfast/lunch ramen concoction, you start cleaning. Like really cleaning though. Scrubbing things down, dusting and moping. You tidy up your room too and once you gather all your dirty clothes, you head down to the laundry room. It was downstairs and you decide to put normal clothes on instead of parading around in your pajamas. Nothing special though. You just squeeze into some skinny jeans, yank on an over sized hoody and grab some sneakers. Outside the halls are eerily quiet. You shuffle across the granite floors and find yourself humming a distant tune. Foreign and soft but not loud enough to counter the endless pound of rain. What a terrible storm, it's getting worse and you find your mind blanking out in the laundry room. Just mindlessly shoving through colors, delicates and machines. Completely out of it and another person in the room calls your attention. 

" Hey there, young girl? " The female voice chimes. Her Korean a bit off, probably not a native speaker but she's still perfectly understandable. You look up in mild surprise and the woman across the room gives you a warm smile. She's young but mature, probably in her mid twenties despite the youthful glow of her porcelain skin. She's folding clothes from a dyer. She's also very beautiful. Nothing like your average Jane doe " You look a bit down " The stranger observes " Is there something wrong? " 

Yes. You think yourself. Something is very wrong and you blurt it out because it's eating you up and neither Krystal or Ren is present to hear you vent. The woman's expression softens. She turns and you realize she's pregnant. " What is it? Sometimes a stranger's unbiased two cents can be helpful " The glow of motherhood is prominent when she looks at you. There is compassion in her eyes and you wonder why you deserve such a luxury in a mean ol'city. " There's this guy " You begin apprehensively, sounding so stereotypical you want to ram your head against the wall " And I know there's something wrong about him but.... " But what? You go silent and she waits. Returning to her folding in patience. Like that it is much easier to speak. You turn back to your laundry and start unwinding. " But I think he's worth getting to know- I mean so far he's been the sweetest thing to me. I'm sure he's flirting but at times I feel like he just wants something from me....I don't what it is but...but I don't think it's bad.... " 

You stare at your hands with furrowed eyebrows and she makes a small noise in the back of , letting you know she was listening. " He's really clinging to me though. It's weird. Kinda creepy? We didn't meet too long ago and we just barely had a first date but already I think things are going too fast....Am I making any sense? " Your stranger is quiet for a brief beat then she spins her web of knowledge. Simple but it knocks into your head real good. " I don't want to make assumptions honey and don't take this the wrong way but you sound a bit paranoid. If this boy is earnest in his ways then perhaps you should ease up? " The woman neatly stacks clothing in a basket while she speaks and you watch with watery eyes. Hoping your situation could let up a bit. " You're very beautiful. I see you around these halls often but you seem so lonely. Don't be afraid to let someone in. Even if it doesn't turn out the way you expect. Give it a shot- give him a shot. He seems just as scared as you " That last bit of information gets your attention and she grins at her slip up. But it was intentional in a sense. " The boy with the gold eyes? I might have seen you two the other night " Come to think of it her face was familiar. Something you had seen recently. She gathers the rest of her belongings. Basket, soap and all that. She balances it against her hip and gives you one last eye smile. " I'm Victoria by the way. " Victoria. You smile at Victoria and the pregnant young lady is teetering out of the room. " Thank you! " You call after her and you hear a distant " You're welcome! " echoing back. 

a/n : Omfg, i can just see the disappointment on your lovely faces! Thought this was going to be all about presh Jongin, didn't we? xD No worries! Chapter 12 will have you swooning, promise ^^