Tinkle

Chapter Seven

I flinched, startled because of the sudden thud.  Mom immediately opened the door of my room.

"What was that?", she asked. She looked so pale, probably because of my effect on her after the time pause.

Like I said before, after I used the time pause, to her, I was like her kryptonite.

Her question answered when David walked out of my walk-in closet, with a familiar friend I have never seen for a while.

Mom sighed in relief after she got that it was them.

"I'll be fine, mom. You take a rest, too.", I said. She just nodded and closed the door.

I sat up and smiled at the friend I've never seen after almost a year.

He smiled at me and greeted me with his warm hug. Even just the sight of him makes me feel a little better.

"How are you?", he said as he cupped my cheeks in between his palms. I pouted but then he just smiled and pinched my cheeks slightly. It was his way of making me feel a little bit better. Like, drinking honey tea.

The other boys coughed, it must have looked too mushy and affectionate in front of them. But it wasn’t.

"Oh, these are my friends. This is Albert--", I was cut to introduce them.

He nodded and proudly said, "Oh, I know all of them.", he said and crossed his arms.

"You do?", I asked.

He nodded and walked towards Albert and pointed at him, "I remember when you injured your foot few months ago. You're such a clumsy guy back then. Well, it’s actually normal since you are b-boying.", he said.

Albert furrowed his eyebrows, "Do I know you?", he asked.

"You don't know me, but I know you.", Jack shrugged. "I actually know all of you.", he chuckled.

"Ah, he's the son of the healing deity.", I informed them.

"He can heal for a short time sometimes, sometimes the healing takes longer since there's a competitive son of the destruction deity, who prevents him from healing them fast. That mysterious guy is such a brat, as we all know.", I explained.

Jack nodded in approval.

"The destruction deity kept his son in secret. He's still anonymous.", Jack said as he nodded in agreement to his own words.

"Anyways, are we allowed to tell this to them?", Jack asked and eyed them.

"Actually, no. But they're my friends, anyways. I trust them.", I smiled at him.

He rolled his eyes and cry out with an exaggerated sigh, "There you go again with you trusting human that easily."

"I'm still a human, you know.", I fired back at him.

"Let me remind you where your trust to people brought you--", I cut him by smacking his arm. The thing he hated the most.

He just glared at me.

I looked at the boys and they just watched Jack and I converse. They're probably awkward with seeing a new face.

Even the talkative Steve was quiet.

"Hyung, I didn't call you here to talk about Seoji's trust issues.", David rolled his eyes.

"Why did you come out of the walk-in closet, by the way?", I asked.

"Blame this hyung. I am concentrating on where should we drop, but he kept bothering me so we fell inside the walk-in closet.", David said with a hint of complaint in his voice.

I laughed slightly at his cuteness.

Jack suddenly walked towards Evan who was reading one of my book from my study table.

"Have I seen you somewhere? I think we met before.", Jack asked. Evan closed the book and looked at him from head to toe.

"Nah, I don't remember you.", He said before crossing his arms and now staring back at the curious Jack.

I'm quite surprised at his attitude these days. Maybe because I haven't known him that well. We just met a week ago, anyways.

"Hey, Jack. Don't make my friend feel uncomfortable.", I said and threw him a pillow, which bounced on his back and fell down on the floor. The term friend actually gave me a weird feeling. Well, he’s my friend, wasn’t he? At least I could treat him like my own friend.

Kurt, being a genuinely cute and good kid, he picked up the pillow and brought it back to me.

Jack tilted his head when he was walking back towards me.

"I think I saw him somewhere.", he said, humming a bit.

"Of course you did! You said earlier that you know all of them, right?", I asked.

He nodded but still confused. He just shrugged. I rolled my eyes at him.

"Should I heal you now?", Jack asked.

I shrugged, "I don't know. I feel better now anyways.", I said.

Jack sighed, "Seoji, it's because I am here. If I went back and ;eave this very room, you'll feel sick again.", he said.

"But I owe you a lot already. I’m already deeply indebted to you.", I said.

"Seoji, it's my responsibility to heal.", he said. "Remember last time you almost die because you didn't seek for my help?", he crossed his arms.

I nodded in defeat.

"Uh, should we step out for a bit?", Ben spoke.

I smiled and nodded. I felt sorry that they feel out of place when they are my friends. I'll make it up to them later.

Steve ran up to me and gave me a hug suddenly.

"It's not like I am going somewhere.", I said and patted his back

He smiled and shrugged, "I don't know what process will he do to heal you, but I just felt the need to hug you.", he said and shrugged.

I nodded and chuckled before he smiled and left.

Ruben and Albert ruffled my hair, while Jorge, Ben and Kurt gave me a fist pump as support.

David and Evan stepped out of the room without saying or doing anything. They just coolly exited the room.

Jack locked the room and sat beside me, as I hug my knees up towards my chest.

Jack started warming up his voice, when he started humming.

It was a soft, soothing hum I never heard from someone else but only his. With the effect of that, I felt my eyes become droopy, so I closed my eyes.

He held his hand on the back of my head and slowly and gently laid my head on my pillow, and I went to a short slumber.

---

I woke up when I felt soft pats on my arm.

I stretched my body while still lying on bed and asked, "Is it done already?", I asked.

I opened my eyes and sat up.

I jumped off my bed and stretched up again. I've never felt this better before.

"Seoji,", Jack called as he watch me stretch up. I raised my eyebrow at him and hummed.

"You know, that Evan guy.", he started.

"Why? What about him?", I asked and grunted while having squats.

He sighed and hesitated but he still said, "I don't think you should befriend him.", he said which made me stop from stretching, my eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"You shouldn't trust him."

to be continued...