C-17
"Y/n, come here!" My mum shouts from downstairs.
"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 enter, I see her putting two food containers with strawberries, watermelon, and other fruits inside a bag.
"Are we going on a picnic?"
"It's for Jisung." She hands me the bag. "He must be deficient in vitamins to get sick like that. Bring it to him so he can snack on something healthy because his mother's coming home late."
"Oh no..."
"Yes, that poor boy. Mrs. Han is taking overtime for her sick leave."
I pout as I thought of Jisung being alone in his current condition. "Um... Can I stay over for a bit? I'm worried if he'll be fine on his own."
A smile grows on my mum's face as she caresses my shoulder. "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 can reply.
My parents are strict with boys since I'm an only daughter, so it's a little funny how much they like Jisung. They must've really wanted a son.
I'm about to open the gates when the door opens and I see my mother walking out with a little boy beside her. I almost squeal in happiness.
"Jeongin!" I 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 squeeze his chubby cheeks.
"I'm not a boy, I'm a dinosaur! Grrr!" he says as he shows off his pink dinosaur onesie.
"Alrighty, 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, walking back inside. "You should go now, take care of Jisung."
My attention goes to the baby in my arms who's looking at me with innocent eyes. "Was that true?"
"Innie will protect noona! I won't let spidey take you!"
"Thank you, my little hero." I 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 as we walk towards Jisung's house.
Yang Jeongin is my other cousin who is almost five, but I consider him as my own little brother. We met last summer vacation because the Yang family from Busan stayed with us for three weeks. 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 reach the door and I contemplate on whether to knock or just go in when I hear someone groaning from inside.
"A zombie?" Jeongin clings on me tighter.
"No, that's probably Jisung."
"A Jisung?" He tilts his head confusedly.
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 with a headshake.
"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?"
"To your room! I'm going to take care of everything and make you feel good."
"Feel g-good?" he asks me as his cheeks suddenly turn pink.
I nod and smile. "My mum told me that Mrs. Han will come home late so I'll take care of you for the meantime."
"Oh, I thought-- never mind." He clears his throat. "My room is that door."
Jisung 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, but he just giggles. I smile at Jisung sheepishly. "Sorry, he just woke up. This is Jeongin from last summer."
"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!" Jeongin 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.
"Oh, I brought you some snacks." 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'm about to take a bite when he grabs the fork so fast.
Where did he get that energy from?
"I'm suddenly hungry." He grins and starts devouring the cheesecake like there's no tomorrow. I can't help but laugh at his reaction and start peeling the fruits instead.
Jeongin is sitting on the floor the whole time, playing something on my phone that he magically opened. After a few minutes, I feel 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, but he's already looking 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're talking to Jeongin like that."
"I know! He's so adorable, right?"
He chuckles. "I was talking about you."
"Me?"
"Yes, you. You're, uh, cute."
"Thank you, but you're cuter."
"Really?" Jisung bites his lower lip as he stares at my face.
"Huh? I-I... Uh, are you feeling okay now?" I try to change the subject as I feel my cheeks heating up so fast.
I wasn't supposed to say that aloud!
He shakes his head as a smile grows on his face. "I think I'll be fine by tomorrow. Are 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!"
His smile falls at my reply. "Just the two of you?"
I nod excitedly. "Don't worry, we'll fill you in once you've recovered."
He turns the other way. "Can't you just postpone it?"
"But we already scheduled it and we're covering the place you suggested. What was that place with anime-themed rooms--"
"NO! Not the love hotel-- I mean, don't go there!" He shakes his head profusely. "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. "Good thing I haven't started the outline yet. Where else to go though?"
"I'm sorry..." He scratches his nape. "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 press 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 as my bedroom door closes. I lay on my back and stare up the ceiling.
Y/n, what are you doing to me?
When she mentioned Minho, I don't know why, but my mood suddenly changed and not for the better. 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 knew her first so it's totally normal, right?
I like hanging out with her. She's so nice and she makes me feel so calm. She's like a breath of fresh air unlike my friends who always drain my energy whenever we hang out.
When they moved here, I've always thought of her as the innocent girl next door who needs my help adjusting at school. As time passes, things change and I start seeing her as someone more than that. Why does her attention make me happy? Why don't I like it when she talks to others? Hell, I even told my friends to stay away from her.
Why is she suddenly so freaking cute?!
It's so weird... I don't know what to do.
What's happening to me?