Recovery

Chapter Two: Last Day

Yuri leapt onto Y/n, wrapping her arms around his torso. She dug her face into his chest with a giddy smile. The hold she had on the man was one of longing. Whether days, week, or months passed, she would hug him all the same.

"Yuri ya..."

"Hm?" Yuri smiled. She stared with an innocent curiosity and a hint of excitement. "Have you come to play with me?"

Y/n glanced toward Chaewon before nodding energetically, "Yeah. I'm here to play."

"Yuri ya. How many times do I have to tell you not to answer the door-" Jimin furrowed his eyebrows. "What are you two doing here?"

"To play," Y/n smiled. "I also have something to tell you after we're done."

Jimin crossed his arms, "Before you play, Yuri needs to take a shower."

"Shower with me, Oppa!!!" Yuri beamed.

Y/n reeled away from the booming hamster, "You're too old for me to bathe you. Ask Chaewon."

"Me?" Chaewon questioned. A sly grin grew on her face. "She likes you a lot. Why don't you humor her?"

"It's an order," Y/n glared.

Chaewon shook her head mockingly, "Okay, Master."

Jimin grimaced as he had watched his own parents flirt. "Gross. I didn't need to hear that."

Y/n rubbed the hamster's head before waving her away. "I'll play with you after you shower. I'm going to talk to Jimin real quick."

"Okay!!"

Yuri led the radish maid to the house's single bathroom. Limestone coated the edges of the bathtub, accentuating the discoloration in the room.

Chaewon rolled her sleeves back as Yuri undressed and situated herself in the tub. She turned the shower handle causing water to spew from the faucet.

"So, anything new?" Chaewon inquired. She stuck her hand underneath the running water, taking breaths while the water pricked at her skin.

Yuri swayed in her spot, "I like him. I like him a lot."

"You haven't seen him in months," Chaewon giggled. She scooped a small portion of warm water with a wooden ladle, pouring it over Yuri's head.

"And I like him even more!! When I see him my heart beats fast, and I smile a lot!"

Chaewon scratched deep into Yuri's roots with her soapy hands causing the small girl to cock her head back.

"Your nails hit the spot, Unnie," Yuri sighed.

"I'm glad to hear that," the older smiled. "You've grown well since I last saw you."

Yuri whisked her head around, splashing Chaewon with soap and water. "Do you think Oppa will notice that?!"

Chaewon wiped the soap from her face, huffing through her nose. "I hope not. He shouldn't be looking there. If he does I'll slap him."

A slight pout formed on Yuri's face as she slouched forward. She fell silent while another wave of warm water splashed atop her head.

"I want to give him my first kiss."

Chaewon's hands came to a stop. She turned her gaze to the back of Yuri's head with wide eyes. "That's a big deal, you know. You shouldn't give that kind of stuff out all willy-nilly."

"It'd be a promise for us to stay together forever."

"Ah..." Chaewon pulled her hands away. "About that..."

Yuri stared at the wall, waiting for the older girl to continue. She waited. And waited. And waited...

"Unnie?" Yuri turned around, meeting Chaewon's large frown. "What's wrong? Are you two dating?? I can back away if-"

"We're moving away, Yuri ya. Somewhere far."

Yuri's eyes widened. Tears pooled in her eyelids until they flowed down her face. The paths left behind blended in with her wet skin, but her crystal sorrows glistened as like stars in the night sky.

"So that's why you came here."

"Yeah..." Y/n sighed. "I should have said this earlier, but we also haven't talked at all since we graduated."

"Dick move," Jimin crossed his arms. "I personally don't care cause I can talk to you if I need to, but Yuri ya doesn't have a phone. She's almost always talking about you, and always asks me when the next time you're coming over is."

"It somehow slipped my mind that this would happen." Y/n frowned.

"Then make it up to her," Jimin sighed. "Take her home with you today and spend as much time as you can before you leave—when do you leave?"

Y/n pursed his lips, "We're set to leave in a few days."

"I expect her home by bed time tomorrow."

Yuri bolted into the room, gripping Y/n's clothes tightly. "Please don't leave, Oppa!! Please!!!!" Her head pressed against his chest, dampening his clothes.

Y/n waited for Chaewon to wrap a towel around the young naked hamster before picking her up. "I'm sorry, Yuri ya. I have to go. I'll make it up to you though."

"How...?" Yuri sniffled. She wiped her eyes, but her tears continued to drop.

Her sporadic breaths shot stakes through Y/n's heart. He hugged her tightly, cradling her with one arm before pulling away—wiping her tears as he did so. "You're going to spend today and tomorrow with us."

"But I want to spend forever with you!!" Yuri whimpered.

"I know," Y/n frowned. "But I have to go, so let's spend the last remaining time together, okay?"

Yuri buried her face into Y/n's neck. She remained quiet prompting Y/n to bounce her in his arms. In spite of the bouncing motions, her arms and legs remained locked around his body causing the young man to stop.

"What do you want to do, Yuri ya?" Y/n asked, hoping she would give a reasonable answer.

"Make you stay here..."

"Yuri," Jimin stepped in. "You're going to be in high school now. You need to be a big girl here."

"I don't want to be a big girl!!!" Yuri groaned and whined as she shook her body. Her koala hold on Y/n shook the man's balance, prompting Chaewon to ready herself in case he fell.

Y/n ran his fingers through Yuri's damp hair—scratching the base of her head where it met her neck—causing her head to cock back. "There you go..." He continued until she loosened her hold. "Good girl."

With her body weight no longer supported by her limbs, Y/n wrapped both of his arms underneath the towel. "Go get dressed so we can head over to my house, okay?"

Yuri nodded, sliding down onto her feet before exiting the room.

"How... How did you do that?" Chaewon questioned.

Y/n shrugged.

"No," Jimin stepped forward. "We're not skipping over that. How the hell did you know what would work? I've been trying to find a way to calm her down since she started throwing tantrums."

"Some people like having the back of their head scratched. That's all," Y/n replied.