"Hi, I'm Woozi!" the little one greeted, waving his tiny little hands cutely in front of his face. Hoshi gulped down the huge lump that had formed in his throat. He tried to say something, but his mouth became too dry. He peered at the boy's neck once again. But to no avail.
"Y-you don't have it." He finally croaked out, bring the tips of his fingers to the milky-white epiderm of the so-called Woozi, right where the mark he was looking for was missing. Instead, there was a hole-like scar. The smaller boy flinched, surprised by the move, before letting out a cute chuckle:
"You sure are a special one." He said before cupping Hoshi's cheeks. "Well since you started, I will not restrain!" He suddenly pinched them, extending them into an inhuman length. "They are so squishy!" He exclaimed before laughing hysterically.
"It huuurch-" Hoshi managed to blurt, struggling to escape from the deadly grip. He could feel the tears accumulating at the corner of his eyes. "Yah! What was that for?!" He shouted once he finally managed to escape.
"Well, you started it." The pink-haired one retorted teasingly, sticking out his small tongue in a childish manner. "You dared to touch my precious skin," he added, faking a disgusting frown while hugging himself. Hoshi couldn't help but laugh at the cute expression, quickly joined by the other.
"I'm Hoshi." He finally said between two laughs.
"Hoshi." An ascetic voice snapped.
The said one turned his head to the income of the sound, meeting his mother's ice-like stare. His eyes drifted towards her neck.
The mark was still there.
So he hadn't imagined them. They were really there. The numbers signalling the date. Only this tiny boy didn't.
"Stop staring would you?!" She exclaimed coldly, tugging one again at his wrist, urging him to stand up.
"You are making yourself look like a freak." She added in a spiteful tone, pulling him behind her as she would pull a mere shopping caddy.
Hoshi glanced back at the pink-haired boy who was witnessing the scene with a concerned pout but smiled when their gazes lock.
Hoshi smiled back.
And he finally noticed that he hadn't smile for a long time.
At least not since he was gone.
Occupied the whole time by his thoughts, he hadn't noticed the ventilator hung to the boy's wheelchair.
When Hoshi was out of sight, Woozi's breathing becomes steadier. Clenching at his shirt, where his heart was, he tried to keep his focus on his respiration, squinting his eyes in pain.
It hurt. It hurt so much.
"Woozi! Why did you take your mask off?!" A nurse hurried to his side. She had left to get his files. The latter struggled to smile, pink dusting his pale cheeks:
"I didn't want him to see..." He said with a shy smile, lowering his gaze towards his mask that was lying on his lap. The nurse quickly moved to his side, grabbing it and gently placing it on his face before turning on the respiratory machine it was connected to.
"Woozi..." She sighed, voice still full of care," you know if you don't keep it on, you will..."
"I know..." He cut mumbling inaudibly under his mask. "I know..."
Unconsciously, he brought his hand to his scar, right where the unknown boy had touched him. He could still feel the same tingles on his epiderm he had felt when Hoshi caressed it. He hated it. He hated it so much. But it was a part of him he couldn't erase.
I just wanted to be normal, for a mere sec.