Mellifluous | JJK

Chapter 7

Tease

"Yah! Park Jae! Get your flat ass down here!" I yelled cradling Eurim's small body against my chest, dropping messy kisses against her plush baby cheeks.

I ignored the grittiness and the way my eyes stung every time I shut them. They're probably really red, maybe even as red as mom's when she comes back from a night out, completely hammered.

I stayed up most of the night before, anxiety biting into my brain. I was moving into the dorm today and the thought of what could happen to these kids with me gone honestly scared the shit outta me. What are they going to eat? Will they sleep on time? Will they wake up on time? What if Jae gets a girl pregnant?

Jae's heavy stomps brought me out of my fit of worrying. Blinking hard I smiled at Jae's grouchy face, which consisted of an exaggerated pout, scrunched up nose, and a prominent wrinkle between his thick eyebrows. I chuckled at his expression warmth swelling up inside my body, an imperceptible smile permanently staining my face.

"Do you have to go? I can't be mean to anyone else. Chul throws shoes at me, Jisoo just cries, and Soobin always says she'd tell my girlfriend how mean I am." I stuck my tongue out at him and his implication the that the only reason he didn't want me to leave was that he wanted someone to be mean to. Jae was taking the fact that I was leaving the hardest, from being extra touchy-feely to glaring at me every time I didn't pay attention to him.

"Whatever, you big baby. Go help Chul put my stuff in the moving van," I rolled my eyes at nudged my head in the direction of the moving van my new company sent. Jae fake gagged, a habit he developed from me, and sauntered over to boxes Chul's skinny frame was trying to move. He lifted them up with ease, and as if bragging pretended to be lifting them like they were weights.

Chul promptly smacked him with his shoe, another habit that was picked up from me. I was really going to miss them. I was going to miss the constant ruckus, the habits each of their own personalities bore, the curve of their lips and eyes when they smiled. The colors around me started to smear together, my breaths hitching slightly. I tilted my head back a painful lump forming in my throat from trying to keep my tears at bay, eventually failing.

"No cry." Eurim's chubby fingers brushed against my wet cheeks, her tiny mouth puckered into a frown. She poked at my eye, drawing a wince from me, followed by a laugh. She giggled at my own watery laugh, her big eyes curving downwards and her lips exposing the emptiness where her front tooth should be.

I set her down when she began squirming, she stayed still for too long a time and the ball of energy couldn't take that. She charged forward, almost banging against the wall, but Jisoo deftly picked her up with a small tittering laugh.

"Noona! I did it," Chul called, dusting off his shoulders like he was some male lead in a drama.

"What do you mean you did it. You lifted like the smallest box with those spaghetti arms of yours!" Jae laughed, playfully smacking the back of Chul's head.

Chul gave a dramatic gasp, eyelashes fluttering rapidly in horror.

"Noona, did you see that! Jae just hit me. Well, I am absolutely appalled by this disrespect," the hypocrite announced as if he hadn't done the same thing just moments before.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Just get your gay ass over here, I wanna talk to you guys." I rolled my eyes, ignoring my whitened knuckles and the apprehension engulfing me.

I stared at them, pinpricks of tears dotting across my vision.

"So, I have to leave soon," I started, trying to keep my voice calm and even.