unfair play // jjk

13 // missing

I sat at my desk and fidgeted with the pencil between my fingers.

"Mr. Jeon?" a voice called me.

I jerked up to see not only my teacher but all my classmates staring at me.

I blinked hard, trying to remember what my ears had blocked themselves from hearing.

"Are you with us?" My teacher spoke again.

"Yes, ma'am. I'm sorry." I bowed my head quietly before she continued speaking.

When class ended, the teacher called me to see her.
I walked to her desk slowly and she rushed the others out before shutting the door and taking her seat.

I cleared my throat gently. "Yes, ma'am?"

She put her pen down and folded her hands on the desk.

"You seemed out of it today," she said, making eye contact. "what's going on?"

Hyemi flashed through my mind. "Nothing ma'am. I'm sorry."

"Do you happen to know where Hyemi is?" she asked, sitting back in her chair.

I swallowed nothing but dryness. "Excuse me?"

She smiled slightly. "Don't think I didn't notice you staring at the empty seat all day."

I sighed and looked at my feet. "If you're wondering where she is, we're on the same page. I don't know."

She sighed and sat straight up again. "Have you spoken to her lately?"

I clenched my fists hard. "A few days ago... she's my neighbour."

The teacher eyed me with confusion. "Neighbour?"

I nodded slowly. Although she was my neighbour, I still had zero ideas of her whereabouts.

"Could you knock on her door tonight and check on her? She never misses a day." the teacher stood from her chair and met my height.

I bowed to her politely. "Yes, ma'am."

I stood back up to see her smile. "Thank you. You're dismissed."

I bowed my head before leaving and shutting the door behind me. I practically ran out of the school to catch the bus and luckily made it on just in time.
I sat in my usual spot, 2 rows behind Hyemi, but this time Hyemi wasn't in her spot. It felt empty.
I sighed, staring at the empty seat and winced.
When the brakes squeaked to a stop, I grabbed my bag from at my feet and threw it over my shoulder, walking down the aisle quickly to get off. I walked as fast as I could, sometimes hitting bursts of running until I reached my apartment building in a record-breaking 2 minutes and 32 seconds.
I hit the elevator button repeatedly.
When the elevator took a few years to reach the ground floor again, I jumped in as soon as the doors open and clicked on the fifth floor.
Don't think about it. This isn't something you want to do, it's something you have to do.
I stopped jumping up and down lightly. My anxiousness stopped and I realized I couldn't show my worry to Hyemi's face.
When the elevator doors opened again, instead of running off, I exited like normal, trying to get myself together before appearing at Hyemi's door.
I turned the same corner and counted 2 doors on my left, where I reached her door again.
You don't want this.
I raised my hand and knocked gently, attempting to show calm.
When nobody answered, I knocked slightly louder.
I heard no footsteps, nor the TV, nor a single peep coming from her apartment.
I tried the doorknob and it turned effortlessly.
Shit.
I flung the door open and tried not to panic.
"Hyemi?" I said rather quietly, trying not to make a ruckus.
I searched the kitchen and the living room to find nothing but a mess.
I ran into her room to find her laying on the floor.
"Hyemi?!" I dropped my bag by her room door and kneeled at her side.
"Hyemi, can you hear me?" I checked her pulse.
She's breathing.
I sighed and sat back, shifting my weight onto my heels tucked underneath me.
"She probably didn't sleep all night." I sighed and shook her slightly.
"Hyemi-ah, get up."
She didn't move. She was breathing and had colour and warmth, but she wasn't ready to wake up.
I shook my head and laughed. "Jesus, Hyemi. Always playing games with me ah?"
I stood up and grabbed my bag before grabbing the doorknob to shut the door behind me.

"Jungkook-ah."

I whipped my head around to see Hyemi's eyes still shut, but her mouth open.

I turned around and laughed. "Christ, Hyemi, why weren't you at school?"

She struggled to sit up. I wanted to help her sit herself up but I couldn't get myself to do it.

"Sorry," she said, wincing in pain. "I had a long night."

I laughed and looked up at the ceiling. "That's no reason to miss class this close to exams."

She scowled. "Yeah, whatever."

I pulled out pages of homework the teacher had given me to give Hyemi.

"Finish them. Due tomorrow." I slid the papers onto her desk and turned on her lamp.

She scratched her head. "Okay."

"Thanks for scaring me like that, you brat. It's awfully selfish." I rolled my eyes.

"Why did you come in when I didn't answer?" Hyemi stood slowly, using the desk to help her up.

"Oh I don't know, you don't show up, then you don't answer your door, what am I supposed to think? I thought you'd been murdered."

She laughed and pulled her rolling chair out to sit on. "Cute."

"Cute? Ew." I snarled.

"You can go now. I have homework." She looked at me with glaring eyes and I backed up with my hands in the air.

"Oh trust me, I do too, and I'd rather be doing that than standing here. Don't have to ask me twice." I grabbed the door handle and pulled the door shut behind me as I left.
I pulled the main door shut behind me too. I stopped for a minute and laughed.
What a brat.