The minute you stepped through the door, you were immediately assaulted by a foul odour of Jongdae’s socks.

The smell was so bad, you didn’t even want to walk over them, you had to cover your nose and walk around them. Once you were a good distance away, you shook your head in refusal and shouted, “JONGDAE! Pick up your socks, they’re gross!”

Silence…

You peeled your eyes away from the stink source before judging your brother silently through his door. Did he lose his ability to speak?

Whatever, it’s not my problem.

You unconsciously shrugged and entered your room, dropped the many bags you carried, shimmied out of your blazer and tied your hair into a loose bun.

That’s when you realized that Shishi hasn’t spoken a word since you came in.

Searching for the bunny, you twirled around, checked under the bed and looked into every tiny space he could possibly squeeze into. Nothing.

What in the world? He couldn’t have left home… Maybe he went exploring outside, but then Jongdae would have seen him sooner or late-

Your jaw dropped and eyes widen in realization, “Jongdae…”

In a few long strides, you found yourself in front of his door. Your heart beats painfully against your chest from fear and anxiety.

You knocked on his door once, then twice before deciding to just it and fling it open hard until it recoiled against the wall.

Unfazed, Jongdae lied on his bed, the same suspiciously red magazine in his hands.

“Can I help you, sister?”

“Where is he?”

He looked at you with a bored expression in contrast with your menacingly urgent glare, “Where is who?”

“Shishimato! The doll, Jongdae. Where is he? I know you have him.”

“Ahh… That thing…,” he slowly got up to sit at the edge of the bed, gently putting down the magazine and nonchalantly continued, “I sold him.”

“……..”

Jongdae stared you down and waited for a reaction.

“YOU WHAT?”

In an instant, you had a firm grip as you pulled him up in a half stance, by his shirt collar, effectively choking him.

Who knew you had that much strength in you?

With trembling hands, Jongdae tried to push you away but to no avail, “I’m k-kidding… He’s in the, urk- closet…”

You let him go but not before giving a satisfying smack at the back of the head for lying. With a deep breath, you steadily pulled the wooden doors open, listening as it creaks before finally revealing Shishi playing with some… pins and needles?

The doll noticed your presence and waved with a cheerful attitude (his welcome home ritual) despite looking like a well-used pin cushion.

Horrified by his current state, your jaw dropped in a silent scream and your vision began to get hazy. You wanted to faint. He resembled something that would pop out of the 13 Ghosts movie.

“Shishi! Oh my god, oh my god… OH MY GOD. Are you okay?”

Thumbs up and an affirmative nod.

“Are you sure? How are you not writhing in pain?”

Jongdae, after regulating his breathing, comes up behind you while twirling one of the longer needles between his fingers, “We’ve experimenting and turns out he can’t feel pain.”

“See?” With the ill intent of giving you a heart attack, he stabs the sharp needle into Shishi, piercing into his back until it went through his chest.

You screamed, “Take it out! Take it out!”

You said as you repeatedly smacked Jongdae’s arm. All the while, Shishi seem intrigued with the spear in his chest.

After it was removed, you immediately picked Shishi up and cuddled him to your chest, “Don’t just stab people’s doll like that!”

Hearing the worry in your voice, Shishi gently patted your collarbone to assure you that he was fine.

Jongdae clicked his tongue as he rubbed his swollen arm. He threw the offending needle far away from his sister before staring at the animated rabbit creature in her arms. He had a lot of fun with it before she came home.

After being released from the confinement of his bag, it was surprisingly compliant with his request to experiment on it. The real question now is that how didn’t he notice it sooner?

The last time he saw doll was the first time he laid eyes on it, when Sungrin was screaming in his ear telling him that the thing was alive but that was weeks ago. How did she keep this large of a secret in her room all this time? Surely, the thing must have wanted nourishment.

More experiments are needed, “So, how long are you going to keep it? You can’t keep it a secret forever, people will find out.”

“First of all, stop calling him ‘it’, Shishimato is a ‘he’. And I don’t know. I’m not sure,” you said, uncertainly. “I guess until I figure out where he came from.”

“Well, had any luck?”

You heaved a dejected sigh, “No…”

Jongdae trailed his fingers lightly on the keyboard of his Mac, letting out a slow hum before softly starting, “You know, I could help you. I have… connections.”

You knew where this was going.

“What do you want?”

“More experiment sessions.” This is what you liked about Jongdae, straight to the point. No beating around the bushes whatsoever.

However, you shook your head firmly to which he quickly protested, “I’ll tell mom and dad.”

Your face contorted in terror, it never crossed your mind that he would stoop so low.

You made a disapproving sound, several grunts, whimpers and couple of animal noises before finally giving in. You had lips in a tight frown showcasing that you really really really did not want to agree with this.

“Promise not to tell mom and dad.”

Jongdae crossed the right side of his chest before childishly stating, “Cross my heart and hope to die, poke a cupcake in my eye.”

“You heart is on the other side,” you said, unimpressed.

He let out annoyed grunt before shoving you out of his room along with Shishi mumbling something about you defiling the manliness of his room with your presence.

* * * * *

“I’m sorry you had to go through that Shishi,” you gently patted his head as you said so.

Currently, the both of you were in your room and your parents had returned home right after Jongdae kicked you out.

Sitting at the work table in your comfy jammies, you had your arms stretched into a position that allowed Shishi to sit in between your arms as you played with your phone. As usual, the game displayed on the screen was Angry Birds which caused for the bunny to twitch excitedly.

You realized then that Shishimato had effortlessly wedged himself into your daily routine. Everything you did with him now was considered a norm to you- minus the secrets of course.

How would it be like when I have to let him go?

You suddenly sputtered when the doll’s ears slapped from his enthusiastic gaming.

Damn ears are too long.

 Just then, you heard your mother’s voice call you, telling you that dinner was ready.

Your head turned towards the call before looking back at the bunny below you. You didn’t want to interrupt his gaming time but food was calling.

With a tap of your finger, your phone returned to its home screen that proudly displayed a picture of a shirtless Jay Park – oh mai gad so dreamy.

You should probably change that before your father gets cardiac arrest.

After quickly changing it (to a more decent picture of Jay Park), you watched as Shishi climbed off the table and onto your bed. His ears deflated now that you called quits to the game. He couldn’t play without your assistance so he settled with a read while he waits for his own dinner.

As you entered the dining area, you gave a quick glance around and noticed your brother in his seat giving you a sickening smile. You both engage in a stare off soon after, the both of you not speaking a word.

Having noticed his children’s silent war over his spectacles, Mr Kim took the liberty of catapulting the peas from his dinner plate at them. Broken from your intense battle, the both of you shouted, “Dad!”

Surprised, your father comically hid behind the iPad in his hands, pretending to read the contents of the screen.

At that moment, your mother enters holding a piping hot bowl of jjigae and hands it over to you, telling you to place it on the table. “No electronics at the table honey.”

“Yes, my queen.”

She sits down with a chuckle and begins to make small talk as she serves dinner. The delicious smell of home cooked food wafted around the room and you took a sniff before silently wondering if Shishi could smell it from here.

Does he even have a nose?

Your brows furrowed as you tried remember seeing the doll ever breathe. The spoon in your hand slowed down before coming to a stop with loud clunk against the ceramic.

“What are you thinking about Sungrin-ah?”

You stared at your mom, unable to think of an answer. In that moment of total brain failure, you dumbly muttered, “Bunnies?”

In the corner of your eye, you saw Jongdae choke on his rice.

Being the understanding mother she was, your mother just patted your cheek with a smile but you knew in her head she was asking herself why she had given birth to such an odd child.

As you turn back to your food, you gaze landed on your father’s iPad lying idly at the side. That’s it!

“Hey Dad, can I get a new phone? You know the one with the pen?”

And you knew there is no other time to ask then now, when his stomach is happily being filled by mom’s cooking. Your father would be absolutely compliant at times like this.

Throw a party? Sure. Go for a holiday at the Philippines? Absolutely! Start a zombie apocalypse? What could go wrong? Get a brand new phone even though your old one is just fine?

He shrugs, “Why not?”

Jongdae whines and dangerously points a chopstick near your eyeball, “How come she gets a phone??”

"I'm the smarter child."

A/N: Hi there everyone^^

I'm sorry if the end feels like it was cut so abruptly..

Meh..

I want to thank you all so much for subscribing and voting and just reading this in general!

So, THANK YOU!

*deep 90 degrees bow"

*sits down on the floor*

*bows some more*

Also, sorry for taking so long...

My laptop is giving me problems -.-

I don't know how many times I had mini heart attack everytime the screen blacks out

I almost lost everything I wrote twice

and i had to rewrite 

and all in all it just becomes STRESS

OK, sorry for the rant.. off with our lives now,

Stay tuned for the next chapter!

BYE! <3

Q of the day: How would you react if you had to let Shishimato go?