“…play on the swing so I took him to the playground opposite the square. I pushed him from behind as I watched him giggle louder and louder as the swing went higher and higher. I still remember the sound…”

You slowly started to zone out your classmate’s heavily accented words as she drawled on, the scenery outside was better at catching your diminishing attention than her.

The leaves danced across the window as it caught a strong gust of wind, reminding you that beautiful autumn was coming to an end and winter break was only two weeks away.

Soon, your thoughts lingered towards home and the little creature you left behind.

You shifted your arm to let your cheek rest on it as a fond smile formed on your lips. He wasn’t as much as a menace as you thought he would be.

In fact, it was pleasant to have him around, he was like a little pet that you kept hidden from your parents until he was too big to hide inside the box you kept under your bed and one morning, you’ll just explode from having to keep a secret for too long and tell them that he’s been living in your room for 10 years, eats all the leftover dinners and has a hobby of pooping in the laundry room and that’s why Jongdae’s socks are so stinky. Then, your parents would order you to either send him to the shelter or give him away but you didn’t have the heart to do any of those, so you decide to leave the house with him and live under the bridge and sleep at the bus stations as people pass by and comment on how smelly you are.

You paused as you processed the vivid imagination your mind conjured and concluded that perhaps, you did have extra syrup on your waffles today.

Where am I going with this?

“Next, uh… Miss Kim,” a voice promptly brought you out of your daydreaming.

Wide eyed, you whipped your head to the front of the class where Mr Shim stared you down with a sly smirk.

“Would you mind continuing where Miss Chae left off?”

“Um… yes sir.” .

* * * *

With a pen in his arms, the matoki scribbled his thoughts onto a piece of blank paper. Being alone in Sungrin’s home gave him time to think and recount the strange hallucinations he’s been forced to witness.

Just this morning, while the room’s inhabitant was showering, he saw another one which was blurrier than the previous and much more confusing.

In the hallucination, he was looking down onto a pair of hands writing rhythmically, poetic words and rhymes that held strong meaning behind a chastising tone whispered, mumbled by an unclear voice.

It all felt so familiar but he had a hard time putting it all into place.

Everything became even hazier when a different voice, much softer appeared. It obviously belonged to an elderly woman and someone the person cherished greatly. As Shishimato was somehow sharing the man’s body, a warm feeling washed over him as the woman spoke from behind a door.

Her words were muffled but filled with love and concern. Just as the dark brown door creakily opened, he was jolted back to reality.

But now that he had time to think, he’s starting to wonder if the moving images he saw could be something else than hallucinations. Maybe visions?

Was he living life through someone else’s eyes or watching someone’s future?

Maybe he’s gaining some super power he didn’t realize he had.

Or maybe all these nights of no sleeping finally caught up to his brain?

Shishimato had his chin in his fingers as he pondered and pondered, his right ear folded to scratch his forehead that itched as he gave his total focus to paper in front of him.

In the end, he flailed him arms in frustration and gave up before folding the parchment into a neat little square. Thinking that Sungrin didn’t need to know about it, he hid it in the box she kept him in while she changed.

He never peeked at her, not even once. (Though his hand did itch in a few occasions.)

The clock stated that there was still another 4 hours until Sungrin comes home with Jongdae. Frankly, he was not prepared to sit and stare at the door for 4 hours.

Think Shishi, what can you do in the meantime…

* * * *

You quickly packed your books and stationaries as your classmates started pouring out of class. They were heading towards the gym and so should you.

“Hurry up, Sungrin!”

Yerim tapped her foot impatiently with one hand stuck on her hips, “Move your faster, we’re going to be late!”

You clicked you tongue, annoyed at being rushed. You gave a quick glance towards Yerim and decided to just take your time. THE GYM AIN’T GOING ANYWHERE.

“Just go first, I’ll catch up with you,” you said, sending her off with a wave of your hand. Not a second later, she ran through the hallway with lightning speed.

In the silence of it all, you started to wonder if leaving Shishi alone was a good idea. Sure you’ve left him at home before but today… it just doesn’t sit well with your stomach. Oh, and this morning was extra weird!

All you did was ask him to get in his box as usual and he jolted and looked at you like he saw a ghost.

I don’t look that bad in the morning, right?

The longer you dwelled on it, worry overcame you and soon you started to forget that you had to hurry to the gym. Luckily enough, a voice called you from the door.

“Sungrin-ah, what are you doing alone?”

You whipped head as fast as you could when your heard her voice, “Oh! Sunbae! What are you…doing here?”

“Just came by to tell you that starting today, intensive practice, every day, after school. Call whoever you need to, tell them you’re going home late.”

Your eyebrows furrowed in disbelief, she did not just say that, “Intensive? Every day?”

“Yep,” she cheerfully smiled, “Gotta get those extra hours before the winter break starts. Tell the others while you’re at it kay? See ya!”

You raised your hand in attempt to protest but before you knew it, she had already escaped through the halls. She must be crazy, it will be ing snowing in a few days, how the do you ing practice in the snow?!

I better tell Jongdae to leave without me. You drew a long sigh.

* * * *

Shishimato giggled a little louder at the antics of the MC’s and increased the television volume. After scouring the whole house - or at least the places he could reach - he ended up with a packet of Lays and the TV remote, relaxing on the couch and watching some gag show.

He couldn’t remember how long he had been sitting there and frankly, he didn’t really care. He choked on his chips when the MC fell on his before harshly hitting his chest to let the air flow.

In his, he didn’t hear the sound of the door being unlocked.

And definitely didn’t hear the shuffling feet coming into the living room.

“Did Dad forget to turn off the TV?”

His eyes widen and his coughing immediately stopped.

Jongdae… is not supposed to come home this early.

He sat frozen as Jongdae entered the room, messily removing his socks as he searched for the remote. Slowly, Shishimato tried to slide away from plain sight but with crunching of a chip, it had Jongdae turning his head in his direction.

Their eyes locked and Shishi could practically hear the gears turning inside the boys head, processing what his eyes see.

“Oh my god.”

With a squeak, he quickly dropped from the couch before hightailing towards Sungrin’s room. Jongdae emptied his bag as fast as he could, his instincts told him to capture the creature.

He could sell it to the scientist, give a story to the press and make a name for himself with that… that… thing!

Jongdae ran around the room, locking every possible escape route before cornering the black creature. Shishi gulped as he was forced to a corner, his eyes wide and looked at the boy with a pleading look in his eyes.

Jongdae would have none of it and leaped in, trying to get the creature into his school bag.

It was a struggle but he managed zip up the bag before Shishimato could escape again.

“Damn, he’s a fast one. Phew!”

A/N: Hi everyone, thanks for staying with me all this while and thank you new subscribers for joining our little adventure.

I'm in need of some honest opinion, what do you all think of my 'style' of writing? Because I feel like its quite boring and draggy. So I need you, reader's opinion to fix myself up.

It's been in my head for a while now and it's disrupting my writing  so.. yeah.

I'd appreciate if you would leave your comments or if you have tips, feel free to let me know.

Bye byeeeee.