You Make Me | Lee Eunhyuk

11

Eun stated, leaning on a post with her brother, "Jiwon is acting strange."

"Yeah, she's been confusing m— "Eunhyuk started, just to be interrupted by the person of discussion.

"Hyuk!" Jiwon approached the two and shouted. She had taken off the hairband, allowing her hair to fall loosely across her shoulders but neatly behind her ears.

Inferring that she had just come from observing the infected boy who had dropped from the stairwell, Eunhyuk knitted his brows.

"He's healing," Eunhyuk said as Jiwon stood alongside him, arms crossed.

The two were in the shadowy room where they had kept the infected boy and had entered to check on him daily. The boy appeared lethargic on the improvised bed despite the good news. Since the group had come downstairs three days prior, the boy had not moved at all. The group discovered the "golden hour" during that time, which clarified how the boy survived such a severe fall.

"Really?" With a tone of relief in her voice, Jiwon replied.

"Yeah, he should be waking up soon. Then we can vote to make him leave or stay"

Jiwon murmured, "Oh."

The boy said, "I'm going to go check on the cameras, do you want to come?"

The girl replied, grinning up to Eunhyuk, "No, I'm just going to stay here for a little. I'll meet up with you later, okay?"

Eunhyuk nodded in agreement and stood up to exit the gloomy room, adding, "Okay."

He left as soon as Jiwon sat down on a nearby plastic chair. He couldn't help but turn to glance at Jiwon as he shut the door to the room. He observed her seated with her head in her hands through the narrow window. Eunhyuk's brows furrowed in concern. He was unable to comprehend the girl's distress over the guy given that, to Eunhyuk's understanding, she hardly knew him. It confused him and, to be honest, irritated him.

Before turning to gaze at Jiwon once more, Eunhyuk saw his sister had snuck away as he turned to glance over beside him.

"Yeah?" he responded.

"Come with me!" She exclaimed looking slightly upset. She slung her arm over Eunhyuk's shoulder and drew him along with her.

The boy followed and took hold of the hand that was resting on his shoulder. He had no idea where they were going, but the girl was moving quickly, so his concerns were settled. She pulled her arm away from his shoulder as she dragged him inside the security office and pushed him onto a chair.

"I'll be right back!" Jiwon exclaimed and immediately left the office.

Eunhyuk sat perplexed, shifting his gaze to the black-and-white flickering security cameras. Despite the occasional monster wandering in front of the cameras, the view hardly changes.

The girl reappeared after a brief interval.

"Okay! Here," Jiwon remarked as she walked back into the room and sat in the chair in front of him.

She placed the items she was holding on the boy's lap.

She reprimanded, "I got you some food since you haven't eaten in an entire day."

He mumbled, referring to the length of time the girl spent keeping watch over the sleeping guy, "How would you know?"

"What?"

Looking at the Yakult, chocolate, water bottle, and two kimbaps in his lap, Eunhyuk amended himself, "I don't trust that guy's food.""

"Me either," Jiwon said, reclining as though at last at ease. "But I inspected the packing, and nothing was opened. So, eat."

After giving up, Eunhyuk opened the kimbap and nibbled into it. He was genuinely starving but kept forgetting to grab any food. He gave his attention to his food for a bit before looking up, anticipating that Jiwon would be concentrating on the security cameras. Instead, she was holding her legs to her chest and smiling slightly as she looked at him.

The boy raised his brow and said, "What is it?"

"Nothing," she whispered. "Even though this is a terrible situation, I'm happy you're here with me.

"I'm happy you're here too," Eunhyuk said while slightly laughing at the cheesiness.

This was the underlying cause Eunhyuk was confused. She had been speaking to him in this manner and behaving extra kind and protective of him for days. He couldn't comprehend why she would. She should be angry with him for sending Yikyung to the parking garage despite Jiwon's clear concerns that doing so was cruel. He had stopped thinking about it early on in their friendship, so why was he questioning it again? It was almost as if she cared about him in the same way he cared about her.

The two of them sat silently, Jiwon simply pleased that her best friend was all right while the boy resumed his mental contemplation. Suddenly, a tenant entered the manager's office and announced that the boy had awoken.

Before hastily standing up and walking over to the boy's room, the two exchanged stressed glances. Due of the darkness outside, the room was nearly completely black as the two entered there to find Eun standing next to the boy.

Eunhyuk signalled for her to depart by saying, "Eunyu."

Jiwon smiled and smirked at the younger girl, which caused Eun to open her jaw in shock given how the situation appeared.

Jiwon and Eunhyuk approached the boy together.

When Hyunsoo recognized the girl who had been in his group before, he stated, "You're okay—." He appeared relieved yet bewildered.

Eunhyuk abruptly ended the boy's sentence, catching his attention, and said, "You're fine, even though you fell from the ninth floor. Guess you were spared by the golden hour.

When Eunhyuk spoke with Hyunsoo, his demeanour drastically changed; he was now cold and bordering on passive-aggressive, which made Jiwon stare at him in disbelief. She quickly collected herself and turned her focus to Hyunsoo.

"How do you feel?" Jiwon questioned placing a hand of the boy shoulder, hoping it will defuse the tension.

After briefly glancing at the girl, Hyunsoo trailed his hand behind his head. His hand came back covered in blood.

Hesitantly, Hyunsoo said, "I guess I'm okay."

"That's great!" said Jiwon.

"It's going to be difficult from now on," Eunhyuk added coldly.

[author's note]

Hello! Sorry this chapter took so long, academic workload has been crazy recently, but I'll try to update often! Hope all of you are doing well!

- anise :)