“This ,” I groan as I shift my weight from one side of my body to the other.

It was Saturday, and I realized I got a fever when I woke up this morning.  My whole body was covered in cold sweat, I had a horrible migraine throbbing consistently in my head and making me want to puke every now and then, and my whole body aches as if I had just ran a five kilometre marathon.

Myungsoo, who was ever so kind enough to buy me medicine and make me tea, chuckles by my side as he sit on the floor next to the couch I was lying on.

“What exactly did you do? Run in the rain?” He asked, rinsing a towel in a bucket of cold water he had brought from the kitchen.

“I didn’t do anything,” I mumbled in response, placing my arm across my head to ease the pain. Myungsoo grabbed it and pushed it to the side gently, instead replacing it with the cold towel. The chillness of it immediately cooled down my burning forehead, easing the pain a little. Just a little though.

Myungsoo, who heard my response, scoffed. “So you’re saying the fever came up from nowhere?”

“Yeah,” I answered. It was technically true. I didn’t do anything worthy of causing me this horrible sickness, though my exhausted self yesterday should have been an obvious sign I could have been overexerting myself. 

“What have you been up to these past few days anyway? You seem pretty busy,” Myungsoo questioned, staring at me.

I sighed, wanting so badly to tell him about my dilemma on the genies but knowing full well I can’t.

“I’ve been looking for a job,” I lied through my teeth, hoping he’d drop the subject.

Myungsoo gave me a raised eyebrow and a skeptical look.”A job?”

I nodded my head.”Yes, a job.”

“And why would you need a job?” He asked.

“You know,” I paused before continuing.”Extra money, and to gain some experience.”

“But why a job now?” He continued questioning.

This isn’t going as I had planned it to be.

“I’m twenty four, Myungsoo. It’s fine time I start acting my age. Since school only takes up two days of the week, I might as well put the free time I have to good use,” I explained, feeling I gave a pretty good excuse and praising myself for it.

This earned a laugh from him."The free time you have isn't even enough for you to complete a one week assignment, and you still want a job?"

I opened my eyes, turning my eyes to glare at him only to figure out it wasn't such a good idea considering the headache I was having right now.

"Be thankful I'm bedridden for now if not you'd have a bruise right here," I said, pointing to my cheeks as an indication.

"I don't think thankful should be the right word. We were supposed to go watch the latest move release today, remember?" Myungsoo says.

My eyes widened as I remembered the arrangement I made with Myungsoo over the phone one week ago, and noticing his slightly dejected look, I felt my heart scrunch up in guilt."I'm sorry. Not today, but I promise I'll go watch it with you one day"

"Hmm," He mumbled.

"Oh, come on." I punched his arm lightly."I couldn't have predicted the appearance of my illness."

"It's just that, you've been so busy lately. I hardly get to see you, and you're always to reply to my messages and calls too," Myungsoo mumbled, and I felt my heart drop at the dejected look he had on his face. My hands shot out to place itself by his cheeks, and Myungsoo instantly look up at me.

"I'm sorry," I said."I won't do it again, I promise. There was just some things I needed to attend to."

Myungsoo stared into my eyes for a few more seconds, his gaze fixed on my own and searching them for something; truth, sincerity, honesty. But whatever it was, he must have found it, because he broke out into a gentle grin. His own hands reached up to place itself over mine, warming my cold hands immediately.

"You just get some rest," Myungsoo said, and then gently moved his hands away from mine, the warmth I once had disappearing. He then took the bucket he hand beside him and stood up with a soft grunt.

"I need to leave for lessons now," Myungsoo said, moving towards the kitchen to wash and place the bucket back to its previous place. “I’ll come around in the evening with dinner?"

"Chicken and beer?" I asked, my voice laced with hopefulness.

I hear Myungsoo's laugh. “You’re sick, Haejin, and you still want chicken? And alcohol?"

"I have a fever, not a sore throat," I said.

"How about ginseng chicken and chrysanthemum tea?" Myungsoo suggested.

I made a face."Are you kidding me? I'm not eating that. It's so bland."

"But I thought you love ginseng chicken!" Myungsoo exclaimed, coming back from the kitchen.

"Loved. I want chicken!" I whined, looking at him with a slight pout. Myungsoo rolled his eyes and sighed.

"Fine. But no beer," Myungsoo said, finalising the decision."You're going to be okay by yourself?" 

I nodded my head, feeling the dull throb on the sides of my head as I did so."I'm not a kid. I can take care of myself."

Myungsoo scoffed, and then moved towards the door."Don't do anything stupid?"

"Just leave, Myungsoo."

With one last look and a small wave, Myungsoo closed the door behind him, leaving me alone in the silence of my own home. I found myself dozing on soon after, lulled by the repetitive chime of the clock and the constant chirps coming from the birds outside. When I woke up, it must have been mid-afternoon because my room was pretty stuffy then, the sun glaring through the windows and making its mark inside my house. With a groan, I pushed myself up from the couch, my legs swinging to come into contact with the wood flooring. My hands reached up to message my temples, realizing that my headache has disappeared by itself. Sighing in relief, I made my way to the kitchen to pour myself a cup of water and opened up my cupboards in hopes to find something I can snack on to satisfy my food deprived stomach, only to be greeted by an empty shelf.

I sighed in frustration, leaning against the counter and contemplated going downstairs to the convenience shop to get something to eat. After much hesitance and some much wanted self-debate, I finally decided on going to get someone for my growling tummy. Grabbing only my wallet and my keys, I headed out and made my way leisurely towards the store. It was already five in the afternoon, as I have seen on the clock back at home. Here in Korea, the sky turned darker earlier than other countries, so at this point of the day, the sky was already turning shades of orange and pink. All around my, people were making their way back home while students decked out in their uniforms were all walking together in groups, a form of food in their hands and a smile on their face. My heart quenched at that sight, reminding me of the good old days I had with the genies. I still have Myungsoo, but it's different when you're with a bigger group. The atmosphere was just so much livelier.

I reached the convenience store and went inside, the bells jingling to signal my entering. On my way there, I had already decided on what I wanted to buy. Heading straight to the hot food section, I grabbed myself a steamed bun. I then made my way around the store, grabbing a packet of red bean bun and also a packet of frozen dumplings.

"That would be eleven dollars and fifty cents," The cashier told me, and I handed him the money in cash while he gave me the plastic bag filled with my stuff. I headed out, and walked home with lighter steps knowing I had something to eat once I got home. 

On my way back, I noticed two young guys standing further up. They were leaning against the wall, completely decked out in black. Black shirt, black jeans, black leather jacket, black beanies, black high-tops. I frowned. I knew these kinds of people. Youngsters nowadays are always mixing with the wrong company, picking up bad habits and trying to look cool by following the trend. From what I see, those two were no different. With one leg propped up against the wall to support their weight, a stub of cigerette took their place in between their index and middle finger, the edges lighter up with smoke emitting from them. 

As I went closer, I could just make out a small packet of white powder they had in their other free hand. My eyes widened a centimetre when I realized what it was. Drugs. I shook my head, giving them a disapproving gaze. Not only where they too young to be doing this, but they were committing such a felony in public. Do they have no shame?

Now less than a metre from them, I could finally get a look at their faces. The first guy, who was facing me, looked around his mid-twenties, and his face looked ragged. He seemed like he haven't slept for weeks, dark circles so heavy that they went on all the way to his cheekbones. He was starting to grow a stubble, and his skin was a horrible colour.  The other guy, whom I only managed to catch a glance of when I had already passed them, had pale skin and looked much younger than the other. He was probably in his early-twenties, and was taller than the other guy by a head. Before I can get a good look at his features, he let out a puff of smoke, completely blocking out the view.

When the smoke cleared and I was able to see, my legs came to a startling halt. The plastic bag that was swinging around freely in my hand stopped its motion, and I felt it slowly slip out of my fingers. The noise it made was loud enough to cause the two boys to stop their smoking and tilt their head up to look at me, their eyes finding its way to my own. Even with both of them looking at me, I could only focus on one of them. His eyes that seem to be drooping at the corners stared into my own with such sadness and grieve, and his mouth was turned down into a frown instead of a smile. No, this isn't right. It should be a smile. He always smiled. Always.

"J...Junhong-ah."

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If you guys don't mind, do check out my new story featuring Sehun from EXO! > Chasing Dangerous