The Next Few Days

Heechul’s POV

“Hyung?”

“Hyung…”

“HYUNG!!”

I fell down on the hard floor of the practice room after Sungmin’s shout interrupted my thoughts.

 “Dude, what’s wrong with you? You look like a total zombie.” Yesung told me.

Leeteuk shook his head with a little disappointment. “Ok, take a break, guys.” He announced, and everyone stopped dancing and grabbed their bottled water to freshen up. I saw Leeteuk walking over as I stood up carefully and ruffled my hair. “What’s going on?” he suddenly asked me.

“What’s what?” I asked him back.

He rolled his eyes. “You’re never this bad when it comes to practice.” He said.

I walked towards the table to grab my own water. “But I’m fine.” I told him.

“You hardly ever lose focus during practice.” He eyed me curiously.

I released a little chuckle. “Hyung, I’m fine…” I told him as I took a sip of my drink.

“Hey, how come you didn’t tell us Jade was dating Taecyeon?” Sungmin jumped in and asked, making me spit my drink back out and having all eyes stare at me.

“Well it’s not really something to talk about.” Donghae said, shrugging.

“Jade’s dating?” Leeteuk turned over to me and asked with his eyes wide.

“Oh, come on! You could’ve told us!” Sungmin whined at Donghae. “What kind of a best friend am I if I don’t know?” he pouted. My teeth were clenched tight at the subject.

“Look, can we just not talk about that?” I accidentally said in a sharp tone and the whole room became quiet. I swallowed hard and my eyes were giving off a hint of glare. 

“Geez, what’s wrong with you? You’ve been so grouchy lately.” Eunhyuk frowned.

I noticed Siwon glancing at me with a slight concerned look. “Hyung, have you been eating well?” he asked.

“Of course.” I replied confidently with both arms crossed. “Why?”

“Well, you haven’t been joining us for dinner lately…” Ryeowook said from the floor while he was sitting beside Kyuhyun.

“Yea, you ok?” Sungmin asked me. “You’re not sick, are you?”

“Look, I’m fine, ok?” I hissed, throwing them off.

I looked away to avoid their looks and sat down on the floor and leaned against the huge mirror. I admit, I was a little bit harsh just now. Ok, too harsh. My mind’s blazing and ditzy, my appetite’s disappearing, and my mood is clearly off.

“Yo, anybody in the house?” a familiar voice appeared.

Leeteuk looked over his shoulder and saw Hongki standing at the door, waving.

“Oh, Hongki. Come in.” he said.

Hongki gladly walked inside with his guitar strapped over his shoulder, obviously showing that he just came back from the studio.

“I’m just dropping by ‘cause Heechul said that he’d bring me to check out some tunes,” Hongki hesitated and stared at me. “But he FORGOT.” He emphasized with a glare.

Leeteuk laughed nervously and calmed him down. “Sorry, Hongki. But Heechul’s a little… off right now.” He told him.

“Hm?” Hongki raised a brow.

“He hasn’t been eating well, so it’s been making him sorta… grumpy.” Sungmin explained.

Hongki bravely walked towards me and crouched down, poking my forehead.

“Yah,” he glared. “What’s wrong with you?” he asked, taking his guitar off and putting it beside him. “You haven’t answered my calls, my texts, my tweets. What’s up?”

I ignored him and cupped my face.

“Well,” Yesung sighed as he and the guys stood up to grab their things. “Good luck trying to get a word from him.” He said as he and the guys walked out, leaving us alone.  

Hongki eyed me from top to bottom.

“They said you haven’t been eating?” he asked. I shrugged without an answer. “Why?” he sighed.

I held my head up with a dazed look.

“Dang it, Hee, have you been sleeping?” he exclaimed, pointing at my eye bags.

“Shut up…” I weakly pushed his hand away.

“Dude, what the heck is wrong with you?” he said and started shaking me. “Say something.”

I slapped his hands back with a glare. In the end he gave up.

“Fine then. You don’t wanna talk.” He said, shrugging his shoulders and curling up to sit beside me.

There was silence for a full two minutes.

“You’re gonna get bored.” I said. “Might as well go back home.”

“Nope.” He answered confidently. I glanced at him and squinted my eyes. He turned his head and looked at me. “You’re not gonna talk? Then I’ll just sit here.”

I was struck by his words. Even though I had no intention to speak to anyone, he still had the courage to stay by me in the long silence. I looked down, pursed my lips and sighed quietly to myself.

“If your friend is happy… you should be too, right?” I finally asked him and broke the two minute silence.

He scratched his head. “I guess so…”

I tossed my head back, leaning on the mirror and sighed heavily with a little depressed groan. “Then why do I feel like I’m dying?”

He caught my words and stuttered, “Y-Yah, what’s wrong with you?”

I closed my eyes and just sighed.

He gripped both my shoulders and began to shake me again. “Yah, stop fooling around!”

For the whole years we’ve been friends, I’d never really appeared like this in front of him. Not ever. The only side he’s seen was the happy, joking, idiot kind of guy that would do stupid things without thinking.

“Heechul-ah, snap out of it!” he shouted.

“First,” I said. “Let me go.”

He looked down and released his grip on my shoulders. “Oh, sorry.”

I rolled my eyes and re-adjusted my slouchy position.

“Just… who are you talking about?” he asked while leaning back and sitting in front of me.

I gulped while bravely looking into eyes and admitted, “Jade?”

For a second he sat there and blinked.  

“YOU LIKE JADE?!??!?!?”

I stared at him weakly. “Wow, you’re slow…” I said with a sarcastic tone.

He leaned back with his mouth still hung open as he scrunched his hair. “No WONDER you never let me hang out with her.”

I rolled my eyes and gave him a second to cool down.

“So,” he looked at me with a big grin. “Are you gonna ask her out?”

“Psh, not a chance.” I said. “She’s with Taec.”

He scoffed the name and leaned on the mirror beside me. “You give up way too easily.” He said. “Let me be your Wingman then.”

I blinked. “Hm?”

“Just leave it to me.” He smirked.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Jade’s POV

I sat down on the couch and hugged my knees, giving out a slight pout. The TV was on, but I had no intention to watch anything. The whole dorm was quiet and empty as all the girls were busy with their schedules, and I was left alone.

“I’m back!” the front door opened with a bang!

Or maybe I’m not alone.

“Sooyoung- I-I mean, unnie!” I looked up from the