For your (and my own) orientation: It's Wednesday (about 2 weeks after Zelo started living in Soora's house) [I lost count of the exact amount of days myself, I'm sorry xD]

Soora's POV

I woke up because of the rays of sunlight that broke through my window. Seriously, like thieves: absolutely not wished-for. I hate this day. I had hated it for 10 years straight. “Okay, Soora”, I mumbled into the pillow. “Try not to cry today. Don't make it any harder than it already is, okay? Alright, let's do this.” I forced myself out of my bed by rolling around until I fell to the floor with a painful groan.

Then, I stood up while being confronted with another fit of dizziness, got dressed and got myself something for breakfast. Nothing really special until now, right? And it was good like that. I felt a little bit better than the day before already, at least concerning the fever. My heart was as heavy as lead, but hey, my head felt lighter than before.

I recalled the past evening. Daehyun who took me home and made something to eat for me. Daehyun, who had sung for me before I fell asleep. Daehyun who had taken care of me in general. He deserved so many “Thank you”s, I should have started writing a book about it by now. But there was something else yesterday, right?

I glanced at my phone. Zelo hadn't come home. Brat. I walked up to the nightstand and stared at the screen. New message: Zelo. What was it now? Was he saying he'd never come back? I shouldn't have caused him that much trouble in the first place. All it was to him was a burden. I sighed and tapped on the screen to make the message show. Then, I choked on my own breath for a moment.

“So that you don't have to stay up to open the door for me later.”

Wait. When had he sent this?...Oh. Yesterday. “I was wrong”, I whispered. “Daehyun was too...The giant baby cared after all? Still, he should have come along when I went home instead of causing trouble for Daehyun...” I swallowed, forgetting about me being sick for a moment and replying with fast fingers. “Come home as soon as possible. I need someone to distract me.” I wondered how long it would take him to reply. If he'd ever do so. Maybe two hours...maybe more...I needed to do something else until he arrived. He had to come. He owed me that.

After the message was sent and I had finished eating breakfast, I did my best to make myself look confident. I eyed my desk when I got back to my room, finding the bracelet on it, and put it on like every day. Just for you to know: That bracelet belonged to my mother a long time ago.

Then, suddenly, the doorbell rang, causing me to frown and glance at my phone to check the time. 10am. Who was ringing someone's doorbell at 10 in the morning? Ah, right...it wasn't weekend, I had to be at school if it was a normal day...Oh well. “Who's there?”, I shouted while walking up to the door, but there was only a tired groan in reply. I carefully opened the door to find the stick-figure standing in front of me.

He yawned, dark circles around his eyes. He must have slept very few hours. “Say, why are you so demanding? Texting this early in the morning. Shouldn't you be at school?”

“Y-You came right away?”, I wondered with wide eyes. I had sent the text about 30 minutes ago, why did he come as soon as I told him to?

“Would I be here if it were any different?”, he grumbled, making his way past me and to the kitchen to grab a package of jelly from the fridge. Isn't it unusual for him to do as I say? All I could do was follow him silently when he sat down in the living room to eat. He's coming here just to eat, I swear. I noticed his still bandaged hand: He didn't use it, but ate with his left hand, which is why it took him longer to finish the serving. It really seemed to be badly damaged.

Zelo glanced at me and scanned me from head to toe, causing me to feel uneasy. He then seemed to hesitate when he opened and closed his mouth a few times, but in the end, he decided to just say whatever he was thinking. “How are you?”, he asked between two spoons of jelly.

“Huh?”
“You know...That D...Dae...euh...That pink-haired guy from yesterday took you home because you were sick, right? H-how are you today?” Still, I only stared at him in disbelief. He knew I wasn't feeling well, but didn't do anything about it? Should I be glad he remembered or angry for not caring? Zelo rubbed his neck in uneasiness. “I was too immersed in impressing other people...Euh... Sorry for not caring back then. To be honest, I have a bit of a bad conscience.”

Okay, Soora, try to conceal your surprise about that. Say something smart! “Wait, you have a conscience?”, I replied, happy that I had found something to with this fast. “I don't think you do.” I crossed my arms in front of my chest with a patronizing smirk and leaned back on my chair as Zelo lowered his spoon.

He obviously couldn't believe that I had just rejected the ounce of pity he was granting me. “Listen, girl, I came here right after you told me to, feeling really bad about my decisions when being half-drunk and you blame me for having no conscience?” I nodded, but felt my defense crack on the inside. Zelo snorted. “Too much. You're just too much. But aside from that: What is there even to be distracted from? I didn't understand what you meant in the text!”

I rolled with my eyes, seemingly fanning the topic away with one hand. “It's today's date. This day is something I need to be distracted from, stick-figure. Don't question it and do something, anything, to amuse me. Don't just sit there devouring that jelly, you'll get fat.”

The giant snorted once more, throwing the spoon into the now empty packaging. “Who's the one being fat here, huh? I wonder why I'm even here!”

“So you didn't know you had a conscience either, am I right?”

“No you're not! Aish!” Zelo threw his hands in the air, gesturing wildly while standing up. “I don't know what this all is about, but why don't you just ask the grape-head to satisfy you? I haven't seen him around for a while, that dog will miss you for sure. I'm out.” He turned around to leave, but I grasped his wrist and stood up to stop him just to be confronted with another fit of dizziness.

“Wait. Jongup-oppa is on a vacation since Monday and Daehyun-oppa is at school. Come on, stick figure, I'm lonely”, I admitted with a pout while leaning against the wall to keep my balance.

Zelo frowned for a split second when he noticed it. “You're still not well yet. Stop acting as if you were. Go to bed, I've got to meet someone today-”

“Don't want to.” I tightened my grasp around the other's wrist and blinked a few times to be able to stare him down right after that. “I want to get out of this house for now. Let's go downtown and eat something there, okay?” I made big eyes to convince him and he seemed to seriously think about my suggestion.

“Alright, but only if you're the one who pays.”

“Yay!”, I squealed, jumping up and down, which wasn't very advantageous concerning my condition, and put on my shoes to go out right away. Zelo sighed, obviously questioning his own decisions.

I didn't really say anything as we were slowly walking through the streets, stopping by some shop windows if we saw something we liked. Zelo asked me about why I had been that quiet after some time, but I denied the fact that I was and started humming my favorite song to prove him wrong. Of course I was thinking about Mum. How could I not? No, Soora, don't think, clear your thoughts.

Right now, we were at a pet shop and I was intensely staring at the little hamster that was sleeping in its cage. “Look, Zelo. Look at how cute he is!”, I exclaimed and he raised an eyebrow.

“The hamster? He's fat, loses hair and all he does is sleeping and eating.” He glanced at said hamster once more before looking at me again and taking another breath. “Now that I look at it like that, you two seem similar.”

“Yah!”, I shouted, punching his side and he flinched a little while biting his lower lip so that he wouldn't laugh out loud.

“Alright, alright, got it. It's too easy to tease you, it's no fun at all.” Zelo glanced at his watch to change the topic. “It's 11:15 already? Man, time flies. Are you hungry?”

I noticed my growling stomach. It wasn't even lunchtime and yet I was craving some pancakes. “Kind of”, I admitted. “But not because I'm a hamster.”

“Come on, don't deny it. You can eat all day, I swear. I've never seen someone empty the fridge as fast as you do.” He stared at me in amusement before pointing at the food concourse. “Let's go eat. I want pancakes.”

I returned his stare with with surprise. “You like pancakes too?”

“What do you mean: 'you too'? Who doesn't like them? Doubting the power of pancakes, seriously that girl...” Wasn't there some sort of angry undertone in his voice? I chuckled silently.

“My big brother hates them. I can't understand him either. Himchan has always been special when it comes to food.”

“Himchan?” Zelo raised his eyebrows. “His name means vivacious in Korean, it's funny. Does it fit him?”

Now, I had to laugh a little louder. “Mum couldn't have chosen a better name for him-” And the laughter ended abruptly. I could hear the car's tires screech in my ears as if everything repeated itself. Mum...

I stopped walking, my eyes fixed to the ground and Zelo turned back to look at me with a frown, irritation and curiosity in his eyes. “Hey, are you alright? You're behaving differently today.” I would have to tell him sooner or later...but...now? I didn't want to...But what if it was better for me after I told him? I nodded weakly and raised my head to see his face, but the stick-figure wasn't paying attention to me in that split second, his gaze seeing something behind me. That's when his eyes widened all of a sudden and he kept looking back and forth between me and whatever was behind me.

“I-I'm fine”, I lied. “But actually, I... Today is...Hey, what's there to look at-” I wanted to turn around to get what was making Zelo that restless, but he grabbed me by the wrist and ran. He ran past all the food shops with me stumbling along while I could feel the fever throw a wave of heat through my body before we were rounding a corner so that we were standing in a dark alley. The world was spinning around me for a few seconds and I tried to touch the wall to my right to regain my balance.

Zelo for his part kept glancing around the corner, holding his chest where the rib was hurt with his injured hand and panted before his body stiffened and he looked at me, pulling me deeper into the shadows of the alley. My world was still spinning and my head was burning. Maybe I shouldn't have gone out of the house and stayed in bed like he had suggested it before. Daehyun had once told me that I didn't think things through. I think I got it at that moment. “What are you doing, Zelo-”

“Shht, be quiet”, he hissed when a group of three people passed by the entry of the alley. One of them stopped, looking into the dark corridor between two shops. Zelo pressed me against the wall with his whole body, making me feel even more uneasy. What does he think he's doing?!

“Let go of me”, I whined only to be muted by his left hand.

“I told you to be quiet”, he growled urgently, his eyes wandering between the alley's entrance, where the person was standing and my own. That's when I understood with wide eyes and nodded hastily. That guy was one of his chasers and Zelo definitely didn't want to meet him.

“Jae, you comin'? What's there to stare at?”, some male voice yelled, making the person – whose silhouette was the only thing I could make out – move in haste.

A few seconds passed. I could feel Zelo's heavy breaths my ear and my heart started beating like crazy when he was this close. Wasn't this too close? Couldn't it be counted as harassment already? “I think they're gone”, he mumbled and took his hand from my mouth. Then, the world that hadn't stopped spinning yet seemed to become quite dark all of a sudden.

“Z-Ze-lo, I-”, I breathed, but I couldn't stand on my feet anymore; they were collapsing under my weight and all became black.

Zelo's POV

“Jae, you comin'? What's there to stare at?” I took a deep breath. Jae? Probably one of the new kids. I have to watch out, I can't recognize them yet. Good thing the new ones were always with the boss when walking around. I had seen that bastard behind the rich girl in the street and dragged her into this dark alley, where I had panicked for a split second.

When she didn't shut up, I had to cover with my hand and I admit, I was standing extremely close to her to make us blend into the darkness of the slim alley. She was smelling like roses. I remember that scent from when I was a kid. A kid, my . I never had the chance to live like one. And I shouldn't be thinking about her scent right now, should I? “I think they're gone.” I released and was about to step back, when she breathed my name and collapsed on the spot.

I managed to catch her before she hit the ground, but I didn't expect her to be this heavy. “You're a big hamster after all”, I mumbled while glancing around to look for help. But wait, the idiots were lingering somewhere close by, I can't just go out and ask. “Fine, then I have to do it by myself”, I grumbled in dissatisfaction, heaving the girl on my back with a tiny sound of pain escaping my lips when I felt a stitch in my chest.

“That damn rib. Just heal already. And you too, hand”, I hissed while taking a few unsure steps to test whether I'd be able to carry her or not. I figured it would be okay for a short time, but I should take the bus to get her home. My senses were fitter than ever when I glanced around to make sure nobody shady was following me.

Thank god the way to the giant house didn't cause any serious problems. The bus driver had been staring at me, judging very hard. An old lady asked me, why we were ruining our lives at our young age with alcohol... It took me some time to make her understand the girl was sick. Meanwhile, I thought of just throwing her into a bush until she wakes up. Only for a split second though, I'm not as bad as you might think. Bushes are not very comfortable, let me tell you this.

As soon as I reached the stairs that led me towards the entrance, I sat her down on the ground and searched the keys in her handbag. A woman's handbag will be a mystery until I die, I swear, how do they manage to fit so much in so little space?! It took me forever to find what I was looking for and I'm sure some of those who passed by the house were throwing weird glances at me. No I'm not a thief. And no I'm not kidnapping this girl. “I need a big package of jelly after I got you into bed”, I mumbled, throwing her over my shoulder again when I unlocked the door.

“Ze...lo...oppa~”, she mumbled as I carried her up the stairs, making me start and stare at her.

“What did you just say?” But she didn't answer anymore, probably drowning in a dream. Was it good or bad that I was a part of that dream? I don't know. The fact that she had called me “Oppa” filled me with a strange warmth, but in the end, the only thing surprising me was the fact that she started snoring only seconds later.

“Do you dream of me often?”, I asked teasingly, knowing that she wouldn't reply and kept carrying her into her room, but then, she snuggled up against my back and I had to peel her off me without waking her up. It was kind of difficult, but in the end, I managed to do it, panting because of her weight. “Hamster”, I grumbled as I put my hand on her forehead to measure her temperature. Fever. Still.

“Don't overdo it when you're sick, you stupid girl.” I then walked into the bathroom and back again with a damp washcloth in my hand, placing it on top of her head. A silent grin of satisfaction like a child's appeared on her face and I had to return the smile before realizing what I was doing and shaking my head. “Get a grip man. She's no different from the others. She knows nothing. And it's good the way it is”, I mumbled while grabbing a book from her shelf and sitting down next to the girl's bed. 'Intrigue and Love', a drama with German origin. I had never heard of it and since the girl was sleeping and Yongguk-hyung wouldn't be at home, it was the perfect pastime for me.

Soora's POV

It was still bright outside when I came to my senses and I clenched my eyes shut to fight the light. What had happened? I wanted to eat pancakes and then...ah, Zelo's chasers...I fainted, right? I felt something soft over and under me; I was probably in a bed. I think I'm at home. I risked a glance and slowly opened my eyes, moving my head a little to find out whether I was right or not. I was.

After blinking a few times, I also noticed the piece of damp cloth that was lying on my forehead and I frowned. What's with that? It was enjoyable since it cooled me down a little. And I knew it would narrow down the vertigos to the minimum. I should have thought of that earlier.

“You're awake?”, I heard a sleepy voice to my right ask and I turned my head to face the person. Zelo. He was sitting beside my bed with a book in his hand.

“Kind of”, I mumbled with a yawn and tried to sit up with a sound of dislike. I felt as if I had been run over with a bus or something like that and I pressed my hands against my temples. “Is it still the 26^th of September?”

Zelo snorted. “What's with that question? You've been weird all day, what happened? Yes, it's only 4pm right now, you slept through lunchtime. Why?”

I sighed and let myself fall back onto the bed, pulling the blanket over my head. “Wake me up when this day is over.”

“No way, girl”, Zelo replied and removed my blanket so that I was cold all of a sudden. And awake. “It's boring without having someone to tease. Plus, listening to your sleep talking is no fun either.”

“Yah! I'm not sleep talking!”, I exclaimed with a blush. Or was I? Wait, had I said something I shouldn't have? Aish, making me frustrated. “What did I say?”

“Oh, now you're curious, huh?” My stick-figure stood up with an evil chuckle. “Maybe I'll tell you when you explain me what is so special about today and why you don't like it”, he kept teasing and I thought about the options for a few moments.

Telling him....not telling him...which was worse? I could feel my heart become heavier like in the morning. Would it be better if I had someone to share the information with? Maybe I should give it a go. I sighed in a heartbreaking manner and stood up just to be confronted with Zelo's demanding eyes. “Fine, I'll tell you...but...It's...not that easy for me, you know?”

Zelo had a confused glimmer in his eyes and tried to cover it with an unsure grin. “Now what's with that sad face, just tell me. It's as if someone died”, he joked around. Too bad he hit the bullseye.

“Exactly that.” I walked past him with a blank expression, taking the wooden stick from behind my door and walking into the corridor where the trapdoor in the ceiling was leading to the attic. It took me a few moments to open the flap and pull out the small ladder, but when I was finished, I let him go first.

“What do you mean, 'exactly that'? I feel like I shouldn't have asked after all”, Zelo said nervously and swallowed as he made his way towards the attic. On the last rung, he stopped for a moment, a gasp escaping his lips. “Woah.”

I poked his leg to make him keep climbing so that I could follow. It was set. I'd cry today. And Zelo would be the first after Jongup and Daehyun to be a witness. And the second person to ever see what was on the attic. It was a wide room with many pictures on the walls. In the room itself, there were a few glass boxes with all kinds of jewelery inside. “What is this?”, Zelo whispered completely out of breath, admiring the width of the chamber.

My lower lip started trembling and there was a certain pressure behind my eyes, announcing tears that wanted to break out. No, not yet. I still need to tell the story. “All you can see here once belonged to my mother.” I took a few steps forward until I reached the middle of the room and turned around to face the wide-eyed Zelo. “You asked where my mother was when you were here for one day. I'll tell you now.” I took a deep breath, sniffing once to restrain the tears some more and breathed out again.

“My mother is dead. Today is the day of her death.”

This one's kinda long, but I didn't want to delay the last sentence any longer since most of you probably remember Daehyun and Soora talking about "that day". So...I hope you're still reading even though the chapters are very different in length and content ^^"

Zelo-moment! And more to come! :D Hope you like it~

B.A.P's on hiatus. It's a good thing they're resting, but I really wished I could get the Japanese Album for Christmas this year, to be honest xD No, but seriously, they need a break and I'm happy they have one~