“Cleo?” the professor at the front looked up as Jonghyun peered in from the doorway.

“Why hello there superstar. Looking for Cleo? Well I was hoping you’d know where she is,” Jonghyun turned to look at the bow-tied professor who seemed to look a bit too young to be teaching at a high school because he himself looks like he has yet to graduate from one. Raising an eyebrow in question, the professor simply pointed his pen towards the back of the class. Turning to where the stationery was pointing at, his eyes were met with a very familiar bright purple bag. His heart sank.

Cleo. In an instant a flash of pink invaded his mind. He blinked as his heart beat increased.

“Where--?” The professor shrugged his shoulders at Jonghyun’s incomplete question. He packed his stuff before walking pass the boy who was still perched against the doorway. Jonghyun rushed over to Cleo’s belongings and grabbed them before turning on his heels, running out of the classroom in a hurry. He raked his mind for other places that she might be after searching each and every girls’ lavatory there was in that bloody school. He made sure that they were empty first before barging in any of them of course. He dashed for the auditorium only to find it empty, his phone dialing Cleo’s number non-stop.

“Gawd! Where the bloody hell is she?!” Jonghyun hissed as he slammed the auditorium doors shut. He ran up the stairs and into the open, his hands grasping onto Cleo’s purple bag. Without giving much thought, he dashed out and into the street. Making sure that he ran fast enough keeping his head down the whole way so that no one was able to have a good look at his face, Jonghyun pushed his way through the crowd.

By the time he reached his destination, he was thrown forward, hands on his knees as he tried to catch his breath. However it certainly was not helping when his heart was pounding in worry and concern. Jonghyun straightened his back and wiped away the sweat that was trickling down the side of his face. Walking up the lawn, he finally came to a stop once he reached the door. He inhaled deeply before giving the door three sharp knocks. The door swung open after just a second, as if the person who answered had been waiting behind it for the knock. Jonghyun was gaping like a goldfish when he was greeted not by Cleo’s sweet aunty that he had grown to appreciate the other time but by her glaring uncle.

“You. You know what happened to her?” the guy was pointing his finger accusingly at the boy. Jonghyun had no idea what he was saying but he instantly felt guilty for god knows what reasons. He was still gaping when the gentle voice of a lady that he was familiar with met their ears.

“Hun, who’s that by the door?” Cleo’s aunt walked into view and Jonghyun instantly felt the rush of calmness engulfing him whole. He sighed.

“Are you here for Cleo?” she eyed the bag hanging limply from Jonghyun’s tight grasp before staring at him with gentle eyes. Jonghyun lost his voice when he tried to speak thus ended up just nodding his head. The lady smiled before pushing her husband out of the way and opened the door wider for the boy. She ignored her husband’s look as she pulled Jonghyun’s hand and walked him into the house. Jonghyun did not miss the slight grumble from the man as he walked pass him and the slam of the door. He jumped at the sound. He was pushed into a chair and when he had finally sat down; he realized just how tired he was. The exhaustion from running down 4 blocks finally came crushing down on him. He gladly took the cold drink from her as he drowned it in a second.

“Have you eaten?” Jonghyun was not expecting such a question. He looked up at the two that were sat across him. Both held two very different expressions, one was full of gentle and love while the other was just…frightening. He shuddered.

“Err..errr no. I guess,” he could not remember exactly the last time that he has eaten. The last time he did was lunch with..….”CLEO!”

Jonghyun snapped out of his thoughts as he accidentally shouted their niece’s name out loud.

“Where—“

“She’s fine—“

“Fine?!” Jonghyun flinched when Cleo’s uncle bellowed in utter disbelief at the small lady beside him. He watched how the lady gave him a stern look and the man turned away from the both of them grumbling under his breath as he glared out the window.

“Cleo’s fine,” her aunt continued and Jonghyun noticed how her husband’s eye twitched. Jonghyun gulped. His stomach sank even deeper.

“She’s just a little sick. That’s all. Thank you for bringing her stuff back. We appreciate it,” Jonghyun gave her Cleo’s stuff as he stood awkwardly on wobbly legs.

“Do you want another glass of water before you leave, or maybe even stay for dinner?” she said, Jonghyun’s head in a loving manner. His heart soared at the motherly touch, something he had always been yearning for during his rough time when he was younger. Jonghyun closed his eyes, willing the memories to go away. He shook his head and gave them both a small smile.

“Tell her I’ll be here by 7:30am,” he said quietly and went through the door before anyone could say anything. Everything was silent for a while between the two old-married couple as they looked at each other. Then shuffling was heard from upstairs before a quiet voice whispered,

“Is he gone?”

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Just a short one.