Leaf Me Alone // minsung

「⸙ ch.21 ⸙」

JISUNG

True to my word, I did rest the entire day, not allowing myself to worry about the classes I was missing. Instead, I chose - well, more like my mind forced me - to replay the events of yesterday night and this morning over and over again. I felt slightly ill every time I remembered the moment I opened my eyes to find Minho beside me. Maybe I was coming down with something. I mean, why else would my stomach churn every time I drew up the image of the morning light outlining his body in a halo of light? Why else would my face heat up when I thought of his hair spilling out onto his pillow - the one we were sharing - and framing his sleeping face? What other reason would there be for the feeling that someone was blowing up my lungs like a balloon every time I thought of his arm resting across my stomach.

I shrank in on myself at the thought. I was repulsed by his touch, disgusted at the very notion of his skin touching mine. That's why I felt so strongly about it.

A soft tapping on the door had me peaking my head out of the blankets I was swaddled in. Groaning at the thought of getting out of bed, I called towards the person outside.

"Lix, the door's unlocked, just come in. Whatever you do, don't make me get out of bed, I'm injured."

There was a moment of hesitation before handle turned and the door opened. Stretching, I closed my eyes again, sinking into my blankets again.

"Sunshine, did you bring any f-"

"Sorry to disappoint, squirrel, but I'm not your roommate."

My eyes flew open. Really? Seriously? Is this entire universe intent on playing jokes on me until the end of time?

The person standing by the door was definitely not Felix.

"Uh... Minho?"

My voice came out higher than anticipated.

He didn't make any more to step into the room, opting to stand at the door with a stack of notes in one hand and a plastic bag dangling in the other.

"Hey, squirrel. Feeling better?"

Pause.

I was vaguely aware that I was staring at him like he had spawned a second head. The room lasped into awkward silence as we stood on the opposite ends of my dorm, having a very strange staring contest with nothing to say to each other.

Clearing his throat, he moved into the room, shutting the door with his foot and walking over to my bed. His movements, usually so smooth and confident, now seem stunted, unsure. Some part of me found that quite funny, actually. Minho, the talented, I'm-good-at-everything-and-therefore-better-than-you dancer not knowing what to do faced with a bedridden me.

Kneeling beside my bed, he placed the plastic bag down on the floor before waving the notes in my face. Smacking his hand away, I scowled at him, intent on ignoring the way my skin tingled when he raked his eyes over me. It was hatred that pooled in my stomach, it must be.

"Well, you must be on the road to recovery if you're able to smack me that hard, huh?"

I rolled my eyes. "And who made it your business to check up on me? You don't need to. I'm fine on my own. At least, I'm fine without you."

Something in his galaxy eyes dimmed; his smile was still there, teasing, proud, but somehow not reaching his eyes anymore. I felt bad - just slightly - and maybe I wanted to take it back, swallow the shards stuck in my throat that came out as knives in the form of words.

But the words had been spat out now, and there was no taking them back. I retreated back into my blankets.

"But you're not fine without your notes, and unfortunately for you I'm the one who has them." Placing the pile of paper on the desk beside my bed, he continued, "There's ones from Chan that I asked him to make when Felix told me you were going to take a day off, there's ones from Seungmin, and finally ones from me, also known as your soon-to-be favourite notes and the best ones that you will ever lay your eyes on."