He waited outside her house hoping to walk her to school but only her mother left the house. Through her he learned that was she really sick and probably wouldn't be in school for a while. Yongguk slowly walked towards the school building after thanking Miss Hwang. He tried to figure out what was wrong with Mieun and some way to help. The boy froze as he replayed that thought over in his head, he was worried about her? She was sneaking off with Zelo and trying to run away from him yet he was woried about her. Thoughts of Mieun filled his head as he tried to go about school business as usual. Yongguk felt a burning need to run out of the building to check on her. Time and time again he would check his phone staring at her name in his contacts. Ever slowly a week creeped by with no sign of Mieun getting better in fact from the few chats he had with Mieun's mother she seemed to get worse each day. Zelo even retreated into himself hearing about Mieun's condition. Yongguk thought of the few glimpses he'd seen of her smiling and laughing wondering if he'd get a chance to be the one to make her smile and laugh. He stumbled over the thought as he once more tried to grasp why he wanted to do that for a toy.

 

"Hyung, are you okay?", Daehyun pats his shoulder.

 

"How's Zelo?", Yongguk changes the subject.

 

"The same"

 

"I'm going home early," Yongguk nods.

 

Yongguk followed the same routine for the next three weeks or to him what seemed to be weeks. He couldn't be sure since he stopped caring about the date. School then straight home to shower than sleep. Yongguk couldn't be sure if he actually slept or not but he knew laying in the bed helped. He'd only let one of his toys in his house and in his personal bed, Mieun.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

He stared down at the assignment the teacher gave him and his whole class. They were to emulate the character in the story they finished discussing; the main character had been a spy who commited terrible crimes in the name of his country but died of natural causes after writting letters to everyone he ever hurt. Zelo was to write a letter to anyone he had ever hurt, the teacher promised that the letters were not to be read and that they would not be sent. He froze remembering Mieun was in his class and she too would have to do this assignment. Zelo decided to start his letter thinking of Mieun and didn't stop writing till it was time to leave for the day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

He stared at the paper folder in his hands, he had to deliver her homework since Himchan was occupied with a new girlfriend. Yongguk was happy for him if not a bit jealous of him which made no sense to him since his friend's girlfriend wasn't the least bit attractive to Yongguk. He shook his head walking towards Mieun's house wanting to see her but equally afraid of how she would react to seeing him. If she was really sick then she wouldn't....no she shouldn't see him. He'd wait still she felt much better to try to figure out what was wrong with him lately. Yongguk wasn't sure why but he felt like he had to talk to her about it and only her. Behind him someone cleared their throat. Yongguk whipped around to come face to face with who he assumed was Eunjin's sister.

 

"You're......"

 

"Jung Jin, Eunjin's older sister and Mieun's protector"

 

"Jung Jin....I'll be sure to remember it"

 

"Where are you going, Jerk?"

 

"Mieun's homework"

 

"I'll take it to her"

 

Yongguk bows, "If you'd like I can give you tomorrow's work too. The teachers' had given them to Himchan but he had a date-"

 

"Why not let Zelo take them?"

 

"Jun Hongie hasn't been the same since he heard she was sick"

 

"So you're being nice?"

 

"Please don't do this, I just wanted to do something to help"

 

"Help, huh?"

 

"Yes...I can't sit by any longer"

 

"From now on, when I get the homework from you have some fatty food with you....the kind girls can't bring themselves to eat given how much weight you stand to gain from just a smell"

 

"W-why?"

 

"......She doesn't eat"

 

Panic and alarm filled him, "What? Is she okay?"

 

"Bang Yongguk if you do this then I might just forgive you"

 

Yongguk swallowed a lump in his throat waiting for her to take the folder. He couldn't run away quickly enough as the image of a sickly Mieun captured his mind. Skin and bones. Tears spilled from his eyes blurring his vision as the image never left his mind the entire walk back to his house. How could things have gotten this bad? He wished for things to go back to him teasing her with his body. Yongguk wanted so badly to go back but time only went forward. If she made it through this then he would have to let this toy go. Mieun wasn't for playing with, strictly decorative purposes only. If only he had known how easily she broke before he started all this.