Chapter Four

Confused Behavior

***

Eight year-old Kibum paced along the hallway of Kim's mansion in front of the entertainment room. Jonghyun and his friends had been inside since earlier and Kibum was told to fetch them so they can have an afternoon snack together.

The problem was Jonghyun personally told him to Don't bother me and my friends or I'll lock you up in the bathroom this Monday, only thinking of it made Kibum want to curl up and hide.

He bit his lower lip (which seemed to become his new habit) and proceeded to head back to the dining room when the door opened, the hairs on his nape standing up.

"Didn't I told you to don't bother us?" Jonghyun's cold voice run a scary shiver down Kibum's spine, his head swarming with many reasons yet none of it made its way to his mouth.

"I-I..." he stammered, slowly turning around to face Jonghyun.

"Hi Kibum!" Jinki came out of the room and waved at Kibum, the latter forcing a smile onto his face. "H-Hi Jinki..."

Jonghyun raised a brow at the scene before him and turned to Kibum sharply, sending a message thru a glare. Go away, you're not needed here.

"I g-gotta go now.." Kibum smiled at Jinki before bowing lightly.

"Wait!"

Jinki ran after him and grabbed his wrist, pulling him inside the entertainment room, passing a pissed-off Jonghyun by the door. Only one thought ran through Kibum's head: I'm dead.

He watched as Jinki prepared a spot for him to sit at the toy-full couch, video games scattered on the floor, Minho quietly playing with another boy Kibum knew as Changmin. They didn't even bother to glance at their direction which made Kibum thankful since he felt like he's an outcast here or something.

Jonghyun closed the door with a thud, Kibum's heart momentarily stopping with the sound of it. Jinki didn't notice it though and was busy arranging a board game before turning to him excitedly. "Let's play!" He grinned and handed Kibum a pink-colored dot and dice.

"You do know Snake and Ladder, right?" Jinki asked seriously, Kibum mentally glaring at him.

"O-Of course." He stuttered, hearing Jonghyun throwing something at the floor with a loud thud, Kibum glancing to his direction and saw the other looking emotionlessly at the broken robot toy.

Kibum's heart stopped. It's his robot toy. H-How did it got here? He spared a glanced at Jonghyun and saw the latter staring coldly at the toy before meeting his eyes, not even a regret was seen on his stoic features.

"I-I'm sorry, Jinki. I gotta go..." he bid goodbye to the confused other and left the room. His heart suddenly beating faster and hurting his chest, his eyes moistening from the unshed tears.

Is he that of a hindrance for Jonghyun to behave like that?

It's not his fault why his life became like this, right? His Imo always telling him that its not his fault his Mom died, its not his fault why the accident happened, its not his fault that he was dragged into Jonghyun's life.

Why is Jonghyun blaming him for it?

***

Jonghyun stood up after a few minutes of staring at the broken toy. He wordlessly picked it up and walked over to the table beside the glass windows, fixing the broken part of the toy and examining if it was okay to be played again.

He didn't mean to do that. He just want Kibum to get lost because he's always stealing the attention from Jonghyun. Jinki was supposed to be his friend!

He dared a glance at the swings in the garden, already knowing it to be the place where Kibum spends his time when he's upset or something. His assumptions were correct although Kibum is not alone, Jonghyun noticing the familiar figure of Jinki stopping in front of Kibum, the former wiping something at the latter's face. D-Did Kibum cry?

He forced the weird feelings on his chest to go away, willing himself that he's not feeling guilty over those small non-trivial matters. Besides, who would cry over toys?

That would be pathetic.

***

"Kitty..." Kibum rose his head to the direction of that voice, knowing who it is already since there's only one person who call him that.

"Rabbit..." he mumbled lowly, his hands tightening around the swing's chain to prevent himself from crying any further. Why does Jonghyun's behavior towards him affect Kibum greatly? He released a shaky breath, eyes widening when a pair of hands held his face gently and wiped the remaining tears on his eyes.

"Don't cry, it makes harder for me to leave..." Jinki whispered to his friend, Kibum's heart stop when he heard those words.

"W-What do you mean..?"

Jinki released a sigh and went to the other swing, looking ahead of him.

"Dad was assigned at the main branch of their company in America..." Jinki informed the other, Kibum staring at him, disbelief painted in his features.

"Y-You're going with him?" Jinki nodded at Kibum's inquiry,

"Me and my mom..." Jinki added, looking back at Kibum while smiling reassuringly, as if saying 'Don't worry about it.'

Jinki stood up and ruffled Kibum's hair, the latter feeling the protective aura of Jinki all over him.

At least, he could feel it until it lasts, right?

***

Night fell upon the Kim's mansion and still a wide awake Jonghyun can't sleep. He tossed around in bed, hoping to find a comfortable position but to no avail.

He knew why he can't sleep and he felt like throwing up just by the thought of doing it. Sparing a glance at his bedside table where a familiar robot toy was standing, he released an exasperated sigh and got out of bed, grabbing the said toy, noting that it was already 10:30, he's probably asleep.

He stared at the brown mahogany door skeptically, his hand hovering over the door knob. Letting out a last breath, he finally opened the door and met with a dim lighted room, the only light open was emitted from the lamp in the night stand.

He took slow steps towards