Paper Lilies | Jeong Yunho

06

"I checked your bedroom earlier the day and the cage wasn't there."

My aunt stares at me across the table. I scratch my arm and stabled my expression.

"I threw it away, just like you wanted to."

San and Jongho looks at me from their plates, giving me questioning looks. My aunt raises an eyebrow, still looking at me.

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Well then, that's good."

She breaks the contact and continues to eat her food. I subtly sigh in relief as I also continued to eat.

- time skip -

I place my dirty plate on the sink and wash my hand as the housemaid waits for me to finished to wash the plates. I glance at her and saw that she looks quite tired with some of her hair strands standing out of her bun. I look at the sink full of dirty cutlery and started to wash them. She widens her eyes at me while trying to stop me.

"Ms. Choi, you aren't supposed to-"

"It's fine."

I tell her to wipe the table instead while I wash the dishes. She obeys and leaves me alone in the kitchen.

I subconsciously wash a knife as I stare at the gushing water on the tap.

"You're gonna get yourself a wound if you don't stop staring at the water."

I avert my eyes from the tap and glanced to San who was beside me, leaning on the kitchen counter.

"Huh?"

"You're holding a knife, Ri."

I look at my hand and just like San said, I'm holding a knife. He cross his arms and raises an eyebrow at me.

"Oh."

"Why aren't you using the washing gloves? You could've gotten hurt if I didn't come here."

I sigh, cleaning the knife with water before putting it on the drying tray. I dry my hands with a towel before looking back at the worry maniac.

"San, I can take care myself, okay? Stop worrying over such trivial things."

He stares at my eyes, trying to find something that could break out my lies. Of course, I was good at keeping my expressions stable so he sighs and lets the topic go.

"Okay, fine. Jongho said he wants the three of us to binge watch a movie as an apology for yesterday."

"What? I thought I told him that it's fine."

San shrugs his shoulders, dropping his arms to the side and placing one arm to the small of my back.

"Maybe he just wants us to hang out together. It's been quite a long time anyway," he pouts at me which made me giggle.

"Yeah, let's go."

- time skip -

The three of us binge watch "The Umbrella Academy" at Jongho's room since his room is bigger than mine and San. We sat at the dark blue sofa while our eyes are stuck to the flat screen TV. I cover my mouth and nose before sneezing out loud that it startled the two brothers.

"Are you okay, Ri?"

I grab a tissue on the glass table before wiping it on my nose.

"Yeah, must've been dust."

I stand up from my seat feeling a bit dizzy and walked to the small trash can by the door of the bathroom. I throw the tissue and went back to the sofa, scratching my arm.

"Doesn't seem like dust to me."

"San, what do you m-"

San pulls my arm before pushing my hoodie sleeve up.

Big red spots were everywhere that someone could mistaken it as my actual skin. The brothers widen their eyes and gave me a worried look.

"Nari, did you go to the backyard?" San says sternly that I got shivers. I slowly nod my head as he sighs at me.

"Jongho, go get an antihistamine and a glass of water."

"Yes, sir."

After Jongho left, San turns off the TV and faces me.

"Nari, I told you not to-"

"The key was there," I say looking down while fiddling at the end of my hoodie, "I had to get it."

"How did you- alright, I get it, you're smart, but you could've just told me so I can get it for you instead."

"Sorry."

A few minutes later, Jongho comes back with a capsule and a glass of water. He gives me the drug, I chuck it on my mouth and drank the glass of water. I placed the empty glass on the table before leaning on the sofa. I close my eyes and rub my temples.

"So, where's the cat now?" San ask.

"Under my bed."

I hear someone clasp their hands before a gasp erupts.

"I knew you wouldn't throw the poor kitty!"

"Be quiet Jongho, our dear auntie might hear you," I mumble under my breath, not sure if he heard it or not.

"Oh right, sorry."

We stayed there in silence for a few more minutes before I opened my eyes and was met with the two brothers staring at me.

"What now?"

San places the back of his hand on my forehead before sighing, "I think you should skip class tomorrow, you're hot."

I gasp, looking at San as if he's grown horns on his head.

"Are you telling me, Choi Nari, to skip class?"

"But Noona, if you're sick, who's gonna take care of you at school?" Jongho asks me with a frown.

"I can take care of myself, Jongie. I've always had."

"Nari-"

I stood up from the sofa and stomped out of Jongho's room. I went inside my room and closed the door. I sat down hugging my knees while leaning on the door. Feeling dizzy, I rub my temples before sighing.

San's POV

"Nari-"

Before I could finish my sentence, Nari stands up and storms out of the room. I sigh, planting my face on both of my palms.

"Ugh, that girl will be the cause of my white hairs."

Jongho opens a space on my hair before snorting.

"I think you already have, grandpa."

"Shut up, baby."

"I'm not baby."

"Yes you are."

I remove my hands from my face and pull out my phone on my pocket, ignoring a glaring Jongho. I open my contacts and scrolled down before clicking a specific person. It rings for a few seconds before I hear someone speak on the other side.

"Hello?"

"Hey, I have a favour."