FIRE DRILL. / lee haechan

twenty-one

the whole weekend, seri just looked herself up in her bedroom while her brothers where checking her from time to time and to remind her to eat.

on sunday, dongsook also paid a visit but it didn't make the girl better. the both of them just binged watched some horror movies even though dongsook wasn't fond of it unlike seri who loved the genre.

and the day that seri despised came. it was monday and normally, in this time, seri would be already on the bus stop waiting for the bus but she was still covered with her blankets, pretending to be asleep.

a knock on her door was heard, she assumed that it might be jaehyun and she stayed still. she didn't want to come to school at all.

"seri?" the door opened as jaehyun peeked his head inside and saw his sister covered in blanket.

the adult was deeply worried about her sister yet he chose not to ask about it and just wait for her sister to open up her problems.

"it's already eight. why are you still pretending to be asleep?" jaehyun asked as he got inside.

seri's brows furrowed. she was taken aback that jaehyun knew she was just pretending to be asleep but she didn't move an inch.

"you don't sleep with blankets covering you. why do you want to skip school so bad?"

the girl gave up and slowly got the blanket off her face. her eyes went to jaehyun who's back was leaning on the door frame.

"i feel sick,", she reasoned with a sad face.

"so how about tommorow? and the next day?" jaehyun walks toward her bed and sat, "i don't know why you wanna avoid school but you know that being absent today won't change a thing. it will only prolong it."

seri shifted her gaze away from her brother as she lowered her head.

"by the way, seri," jaehyun says, "someone left it for you this morning."

seri lifted her eyes and a box of her favorite chocolate that made her sighed. donghyuck has been sending her stuffs with notes of apology, not just some stuffs, her favorite stuffs.

"you won't accept it?" jaehyu asked her. seri shook her head before she stood up and went inside the bathroom.

when seri had arrived at the school, the first period was already on going. all eyes where on her, and seri didn't like the look on her teacher's face.

the teacher shook her head as if disappointed before she  proceeded back to her discussion.

"sungchan told me you didn't want to go to school," dongsook whispered when seri took the seat beside her.

seri didn't answer her, her eyes were fixed on the empty seat not far from her. it was renjun's. the seat was completly empty unlike when renjun was around. it use to have some paint brushes under the desk and other art materials.

the morning classes ended and seri didn't even listen. she kept on staring at the empty seat a few rows awat from her.

dongsook started fixing her desk and stood up from her seat. "seri, let's eat lunch, hmm?"

seri looked at her bestfriend and smiled. "okay." then she stood up and got her bag, slung it over her shoulder.

the girl immediately noticed the stares among the students they walk passed through. dongsook have told her to ignore it but she can't help but feel anxious about it.

she was always greeted by the people around her with kind and welcoming smiles. but now, the stares and the treatment she's receiving from them are far from that.

"i'll get us both our lunch, just stay her, okay?" the tanned girl told her which she obliged.

seri looked down and started playing with her fingers to distract herself. until she saw a peach juice on the table and donghyuck's retreating back, making her conclude the the boy gave her the juice.

she started at the juice until a tray was placed down infront her and dongsook sat. "that's from my brother, right?"

seri nodded and got the banana milk dongsook bought her instead.

"your eyes look so empty," dongsook commented when their eyes met, "getting hurt emotionally is more painful than physical... i saw that look on my brother three years ago."