Kai sat quietly in a corner of Suzy’s room, watching Suzy fix herself in front of the mirror. She still had wet hair, as she just stepped out of the shower. She was drying it off now, and was applying some creams on her face which Kai– being the clueless boy he is – did not know what was for.

“You’ve been awfully quiet,” Suzy comments as she turns around to address the boy.

“Have I?”

Suzy nods timidly. “Your expression doesn’t look good either,” she adds sounding a bit worried for him. “Did something happen when I wasn’t around?” It was just a hunch, but Kai’s mood suddenly seemed off ever since Suzy told him to go outside for a while she took those boring classes.

Kai just stared at Suzy’s face. Yes, she was indeed a head turner. He notes her milky white skin and gentle facial features. She had no makeup on at this time, and her hair was all pushed back as to not get in the way of her face. Kai sees her raise both of her eyebrows, reminding him that he needed to answer her question.

It’s just… Kai thought, wanting to tell her about Chanyeol calling her dream girl, and how she was the only reason why Kai felt like he existed.  But instead, he decides to push it all aside. He shrugs and responds, “Nothing” while shaking his head.

“Then why’d you hesitate?”  Suzy interrogated, not at all convinced of his answer.

“Hesitate? When did I do that?” Kai acted innocently. “I’m okay, Suzy. Why don’t you just go back to what you were doing?”

“That’s it exactly,” Suzy pressed on. “You usually don’t like it when you’re not doing anything. It’s weird.”

Kai laughed at Suzy’s suspicion, though she was point on. He steers the topic elsewhere. “What should I be doing then?”

Suzy shrugs. “Dancing?”

“Do I look like a dancing machine to you?”

“Honestly, yes,” Suzy stated straightforwardly.

Kai laughed. “I only dance when you’re too busy to pay attention to me.”

“Why? Don’t tell me you’re shy.”

“Ha!” Kai huffed. “Of course not. It’s just, I want it perfect, is all.”

Suzy tilted her head, “Really? Watching you practice is interesting though…”

Kai looked to the floor in embarrassment and whispered, “You watch me when I practice?”

“Uh-huh,” Suzy nodded. “You’re too absorbed in repeating steps most of the time that you don’t notice that I’m looking at you.”

“Ah,” it was Kai’s only response, still with his head down.

“I thought you weren’t shy?” Suzy teased.

Kai lifted his head to see Suzy smiling at him. “I don’t see why you should be, you’re very good,” Suzy complimented him.

Kai smiled. He always knew Suzy’s smiles were rare and contagious. “Thank you,” Kai croaked, meaning it, but now, he did feel embarrassed. Still, he felt better about himself.

“You still promise me that dance though…” Suzy thought aloud. She then faced the mirror. She tried to look for Kai’s reflection there, but she didn’t see it.  She had to do a double take and turned her head towards his direction. He was still there, but his reflection on the mirror wasn’t.

Kai noticed Suzy did so. “Anything wrong?” he asked.

“It’s just…” Suzy sat so that she would face Kai. “Kai, can you see yourself in front of the mirror?” She asked, confirming what she saw, or rather, what she didn’t see.

Suzy watched Kai as he walked in front of the mirror. She then faced the mirror. Like before, she only saw her reflection and not Kai’s. She turned around to see Kai. She need not ask him twice to know his answer.

Kai’s eyes widen in shock, as if looking for something that was supposed to be there.

Kai should have been used to this. He should have been used to the little things that confirmed his possible non existence. Not being seen, not being heard, not being felt… Kai sighed, but tried to smile to mask the feeling out.

“Ah what a pity…” Suzy sees Kai force a smile out. “Well, I guess I would never know how good looking I am,” Kai joked.

Suzy knew what Kai felt. She knew that this one of the little things that made him feel, unreal.  It made her wonder how Kai manages to still tell jokes about it.

Then again, this was better than 2 minutes ago, when he really looked down in the dumps.

“Oh, how do you know you’re good looking?” Suzy asked, raising an eyebrow.

Kai shrugged. “Am I?” a little bit of amazement was in his tone.

Suzy shrugged back. Somewhat flashing a secretive smile.

“I’ll take that as a yes then,” Kai confidently announced. “Ah, no wonder you accepted me easily.”

“Whatever makes you feel better Kai…” Suzy shakes her head in amusement.

Kai felt his facial features. “I may not see them, but I have a high nose bridge,” he said pointing to the side of his nose. He then held both sides of his jaw with his thumb and index finger, “And my jaw line, wow, it must be something,” he shakes his head, acting out his disbelief at how his facial features must look like. “Of course I’m good looking.”

Suzy giggled. “You couldn’t even remember what you looked like?”

“Why? Am I describing myself wrong?”

“No. It’s pretty accurate actually,” Suzy said probing Kai’s face. “You do have a high nose and an angular jaw line. You know, kind of like those in Grecian sculptures, but softer.”

“I don’t know what Grecian sculptures are,” Kai paused for a while and thought. He then tilted his head a little to the back to emphasize his jaw. “But thank you for the compliment,” he said proudly.

“Don’t get too full of yourself though,” Suzy shook her head. “Too think you were shy…”

“I told you I’m not!”

“I can see that,” Suzy remarked. “Now, how about the dance then?”

“You won’t let that go, will you?”

“Nope,” she shook her head in retaliation. “Not anytime soon.”

“Come to think of it… What do I get in return if I dance for you?” Kai teased. “My services aren’t free you know. It’s not a free show.”

“Let’s see…” Suzy cupped her chin and tilted her head in thought. “Technically, I provide your music,” she held one finger up. “And your practice space,” she raised another finger. Right now she was making a V with her fingers, “Do I need to add a third one?”

Before Kai could answer, she raised a third finger and announced, “No one else will see your show except for me.”

“Oh, but the third one,” Kai shook a finger. “Is what makes it special, thus I may need some kind of compensation for it.”

“What I meant by the third one is that I’m the only audience you have.”

“It still doesn’t decrease the rarity of seeing my performance though,” Kai reiterated. “And, let me remind you, I am not the one offering to dance for you. You were the one who asked to see my dance.”

“Point taken,” Suzy gave up. Kai was always more stubborn than she was. She was always the first to give in whenever they had opposing thoughts. “What compensation do you seek?” she waved.

That was easier than I thought. Kai didn’t expect her to budge so easily. Huh. “Well… I haven’t thought about it yet.”

“I see,” Suzy nodded. She faced the mirror again, now removing the head band she had to pull her hair back. “Oh,” she pauses for a while as if remembering something and faces Kai, who seems deep thought. “No weird stuff okay? You can ask me that favor only after I see you dance.”

He nods, but his gaze is fixed on Suzy even after she turns back around to the mirror. Kai’s gaze stays on her face reflected on the mirror. He sees everything reflected off the mirror image, except himself.

His gaze stays on the mirror. He glances back between the empty corner of the mirror image, and then Suzy.

I think I know what I want.

It was a typical weekday morning for Suzy. She prepares breakfast for her and her Aunt, Kai hovering around her as she does so. Kai seemed normal again, if normal meant asking a lot of questions and moving a lot.

She eats breakfast with her Aunt, who seemed to have prepared earlier than usual. Her aunt usually went frantically around the house at this time, just fixing herself and her things before she leaves for work, but now, it seems that she was already to go, if not for eating breakfast.

When Suzy ate with her Aunt, the table was always quiet. If it not for her Aunt seldom checking up on her – general questions centered around  how Suzy was doing at a certain point in time. Conversations like this usually occur once or (if her Aunt felt like talking – which was almost close to never) twice a week.

That day was one of those days.

“Suzy,” her Aunt calls her attention just before Suzy takes in a spoonful of cereal.

Kai raises an eyebrow, sort of in shock that Suzy’s aunt was actually taking initiating a conversation. During breakfast at that. During meals, or generally whenever Suzy’s aunt was around, Kai had always stayed clear of any interactions with Suzy. He stays at the dining room, but just stands a good distance behind Suzy, so as not to attract any attention.

He doubts Suzy’s aunt will believe whatever Suzy says about Kai. He’d always picture her shipping Suzy off to some mental institution once he trips the balance as he did before, when he first went to Suzy’s house.

Suzy looks up to acknowledge her aunt. “Yes, Auntie?”

“Are you still taking your medications?”

Suzy stays silent for a while. Being behind Suzy, Kai doesn’t see what face she had on.

“No…”

“What? Why are you all out?” her aunt asks her. It was weird but, did Kai actually detect a hint of concern in her tone?

“I guess, it slipped my mind,” Suzy quips.

“What do you mean ‘slipped your mind’?” the concern Kai thought was there, turned into irritation. “Since when did you stop?”

“A couple of weeks ago, but I’m doing fine-,” her aunt stops her there.

“Are you a doctor? You think you’re good enough to diagnose yourself? Do I need to constantly remind you to take your meds? You’re not a child Suzy.”

Suzy stays silent, then croaks out a meager “I’m sorry… Auntie.”

Her aunt sighs, more as a stress reliever more than anything else. “Take your medications. You need them. Is that understood?”

“Yes, Auntie.”

Just when Kai thought that was the end of that, Suzy’s aunt says something else.

“If you think you’re not feeling well, see a doctor. I won’t be much help,” she says, almost in a whisper. Suzy meekly nods in response.

The two just left it at that and continued with the meal, leaving Kai curiously gaze at Suzy the whole time.

"What was that about?” Kai asks as soon as he hears the front door shut. Suzy’s aunt left for work already, so he could talk to her normally now.

Suzy herself was getting ready for school, but was cleaning up the table – doing chores – before she leaves. “That was my Aunt’s secret concern for me. It comes out once in a while,” she announces, weirdly too cheery…

“Well, there’s that,” Kai hovered beside Suzy. “But I was curious about the medications she was talking about.”

“Oh, that…” Suzy seemed like she wanted to avoid the topic. “It’s weird that she keeps on insisting I take them. I mean, look, I’m healthy enough to work around the house and go to school by myself.”

Kai scrunched his eyebrows together. “Regardless, if that’s enough to get her worked up-,” Suzy interrupts him.

“I’m fine, Kai,” Suzy looks straight to his eyes, her tone changed from cheery to serious. “Trust me.”

Kai looked into Suzy’s eyes. They seemed serene, but Kai couldn’t shake off the feeling that he should be worried about something.