C-17
"Y/n, come here!" Mum shouts from downstairs.
"Mum, I'm doing my homework!"
"It's about Jisung!"
"I'm coming!"
I wear my fluffy slippers and go to the kitchen where my mother is. When I entered, I saw her putting two food containers with strawberries, watermelon, and other fruits inside a paper bag.
"What's that for?" I ask her.
"It's for Jisung," she says and gives me the paper bag.
"Why these?" I ask her, confused.
"Those will help him rehydrate. Bring it to him because his parents can't come home until later and he needs to eat so he can recover faster."
"Really?"
"Yes, that poor boy. His mum just messaged me that she's working overtime to make up for her sick leave."
I pout as I thought of Jisung being alone in his current condition. I'm not sure if he can take care of himself right now.
"Uhm... Can I stay over for a while? I'm worried if he'll be fine on his own."
A smile grows on my mum's face as she caress my shoulders. "Alright, but try not to catch his fever."
"I won't. Oh, do we have cheesecake? That'll work better than medicine in his case."
"I already put it there." She chuckles. "You really know him, huh? You must like him a lot."
"Of course, mum. Who wouldn't? Everyone in this family likes him."
"How are you so clueless, my dear daughter?" She shakes her head amusedly. "Open your eyes."
"Huh?"
"Nothing, go now," she says and pushes me out of the door before I could reply.
I was about to walk off when the door opens and I saw my mother walk out with a little boy beside her. My eyes widen and I almost squeal in happiness.
"Jeongin!"
I immediately put the paper bag down and lift the little boy in my arms.
"I mishyu, noona!" He kisses my cheeks and smiles cutely, showing his adorable dimples and missing tooth.
"I missed you too, little boy." I say and squeeze his chubby cheeks.
"I'm not a boy, I'm a dinosaur! Grrr!" he says as he shows off his pink dinosaur onesie.
"Alright then, tiny dinosaur!" I giggle at him as he clings on my neck. I look at my mum and she just shrugs.
"Jeongin just got out of bed so he's a bit hyper. He says he wants to go with you," she says.
"When did he get here?"
"This morning when you went to school. The Yangs dropped him off and he'll stay here for a few days."
"All of a sudden?"
"His dad says Jeongin had a nightmare of a daddy long-legs taking you from him and he keeps crying about wanting to see you. They said he refuses to go to school so they made a deal on letting him stay here for a while. Apparently, his classmate brought a spider in class and he got so spooked." She smiles and ruffles Jeongin's hair. "You should go now, take care of Jisung." After saying that, she goes back inside and closes the door.
My attention go back to the baby in my arms and he looks at me with innocent eyes.
"Was that true?" I ask him.
"Innie will protect noona! I won't let the spidey take you!"
"Thank you, my little hero." I smile at him and pat his head. "It's very good to protect me, but not very good to skip school. Okay?"
"Are you angy?" He pouts.
"Noona is not mad." I pinch his cheeks. "Do you want to go somewhere with me?"
"Yes!" he says and we walk towards Jisung's house.
Yang Jeongin is my five-year-old cousin. We met last summer vacation because the Yang family from Busan stayed with us for three weeks. We got close because I never went out of the house when the others did so he's stuck with me 24/7. He slept in my room the whole time and I always read him bedtime stories. During the day, we'd both watch cartoons and children's movies. I guess that's why he became attached to me.
We reached the door and I contemplate on whether to knock or just go in when I hear someone groaning from inside.
"A zombie?" Jeongin asks as he clings on me tighter.
"No, that's probably Jisung."
"A Jisung?" he asks me.
I open the door and see Jisung struggling to walk up the stairs. He turns around when I call him and he looks like he got caught stealing with his wide eyes, puffed cheeks, and a half eaten bread in his mouth.
"Oh, a squirrel," Jeongin says.
I put him down and go to Jisung. I anchor his left arm on my shoulder and scold him.
"Didn't I tell you to ask for help when you need it?"
"I-I'm okay though, I just got hungry," he lies through his pale lips.
"I won't believe you when you can't even walk properly. Let's go."
"Where to?" he asks me.
"To your room! I'm going to take care of everything and I'll make you feel good."
"Feel g-good?" he asks me and his cheeks suddenly turn pink.
I nod and smile. "My mum told me that your parents will be home late so I'll take care of you for the meantime."
"Oh, I thought- never mind." He clears his throat. "My r-room is that door."
He points to the second door that's slightly opened and we head there. I almost had a heart attack when I saw a kid jumping up and down the bed. I got Jisung settled first before capturing Jeongin in my arms.
"When did you get here?" I ask him.
He just giggles and I sigh.
"Sorry, he just woke up. This is Jeongin from summer," I tell Han.
"Yeah, noona. I remember him." He smiles.
"I'm not Jeongin, I'm a dinosaur! Grrr!"
"Hello, dinosaur! I'm Jisung," he says and waves.
"No, you're a squirrel!" Innie says and huffs. "My teacher said their cheeks turn like yours when eating. Why you lying?"
"You're cute."
"No, I'm Jeongin. Hmp!"
"Innie, behave. Jisung-hyung is sick."
"Haha, it's fine." Jisung shakes his head.
I just smile and ruffle Jeongin's hair.
"Oh, I brought you food that mum prepared." I take out everything and arrange it on his bedside table.
"Thank you, noona. You didn't have to, I'm still full from the bread."
"Are you sure? I guess I'll just eat the cheesecake-" I was about to take a bite when he grabs the fork from me.
Where did he get that energy?
"I'm suddenly hungry." He grins and starts devouring the cheesecake like there's no tomorrow. I laugh at his reaction and proceed to prepare the fruits.
Jeongin is sitting on the floor the whole time, playing something on my phone that he magically opened. After a bit, I felt him slip the phone back into my pocket and rests his head on my lap. I guess he got bored because I deleted the games he used to play last summer.
"Do you want some?" I offer him some strawberries.
"I just want some milk." He rubs his eyes with his tiny hands.
"We'll get that later when we get home, okay?"
"Okie!"
I pinch his fluffy cheeks and turn my attention back to Jisung. I got startled when I saw him staring at me with a silly smile.
"Do I have something on my face?" I ask him and he immediately looks away with flushed cheeks.
"N-Nothing."
"How can that be nothing when you're smiling so widely?"
"Fine..." Jisung sighs and looks at me. "It's just so cute when you were talking to Jeongin like that."
"I know! He's so adorable, right?"
He suddenly laughs. "I was talking about you."
"Me?"
"Yes, you. You're, uh, cute." He averts his gaze.
"Thank you, but you're cuter."
"Really?" Jisung bites his lower lip as he stares at my face.
"Huh?" I feel my cheeks heat up. "Uh, are you feeling okay now?" I try to change the subject.
I wasn't supposed to say that!
He shakes his head as a smile grows on his face. "Yes, I think I'll be fine by tomorrow. Aren't we going to resume the project?"
"Yes, but you're not coming."
"Why?" He looks at me confusedly.
"Because you still need to rest. Don't force your body."
"Okay, but will you be fine?"
"Of course, Minho and I will do it!" I beam.
His smile fell at my reply.
"Just the two of you?" Jisung asks and I nod excitedly.
"Don't worry, we'll fill you in once you've recovered."
He smiles skeptically and turns the other way. "Can't you just postpone it?"
"We already scheduled it though, we're covering the place you suggested. What was that place with anime-themed rooms-"
"NO! Not the motel- I mean, don't go there!" He shakes his head profusely and waves his hands dismissively. "I was just kidding, that place is ugly! Don't ever go there with just the two of you!"
"Oh, that's too bad." I pout. "I spent hours doing the outline for tomorrow and it'll just go to waste."
"I'm sorry..." He scratch his nape sheepishly. "Hey, do you remember the cafe I told you about last time? Just go there."
"Is it pretty?"
"Well, there'll be other people so yeah... I mean, it's pretty. Very pretty!"
"Okay then, I'll go now."
"Already?" He frowns.
"I'll inform Minho on the adjustments. I hope he'll be fine with it."
"Oh." His lips pressed into a thin line.
"Get well soon, Han!" I say and stand up, carrying the sleeping Jeongin in my arms.
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Jisung's POV
I sigh when I hear my bedroom door closes. I lay on my back and stare up the ceiling.
Y/n, what are you doing to me?
Earlier when she mentioned Minho, my mood suddenly changed. Just the thought of them being alone together irks me. They've been hanging out a lot ever since Minho got transferred into our class. I hate to admit it but I'm kind of... jealous.
I'm her first friend so it's totally normal, right?
I like hanging out with her. She's just so calm and chill and soft. She's like a breath of fresh air unlike my friends who always drain my energy whenever we hangout.
When they moved here, I've always thought of her as the girl next door who needs my help because she's just too innocent but as time passed, things changed and I started acknowledging her as someone more than that. Why is she suddenly so cute?
It's so weird, I don't know what to do...
What's happening to me?