[Neo Zone] Population: 23 Kids

A Bad Feeling

Jungwoo had an off feeling about the day as soon as he woke up. He shrugged it off as because he was almost caught by the landlord who decided to get up early, but it didn't go away. 

The entire day he waited for something bad to happen. He thought it was because he forgot to do the back page of a homework assignment and had to fill it in while the teacher was collecting it, or because he was almost forgotten at the playground again. 

Then he thought maybe it was because Haechan was feeling extra clingy and wanted his sunglasses to hide how tired he was. Courtesy of his younger brother screaming half the night because he wanted a band aid for a cut that wasn't there.

Nothing seemed to shake off his bad feeling about the day, but he finally knew what was causing it when he noticed someone missing from the basement after school.

"Where's WinWin?"

Talking was a rarity, but interrupting a conversation, especially one about what their ancestors would've played with since they didn't know dinosaurs existed, was a never.

"He got called down to the office before lunch. I haven't seen him today." Lucas reported, Jeno nodding to confirm.

"Why? What's up, Woo?" Johnny asked when the younger got up from his crate.

"I'm gonna go find him."

The older kids shared a skeptical glance, so Yuta got up to go with him.

"Good luck!" Chenle called out after them. He wasn't completely sure what was going on, but it looked like they were going on an expedition.

Jungwoo wasn't sure where to head first to try and find his friend, so he went to the park he used to be able to find WinWin at. Yuta just followed him from behind, occasionally having to grab his arm so he wouldn't run into a pole or step out into traffic.

"He's probably fine. It's not the first time he hasn't shown up after school."

"Never without telling someone why."

"Maybe he forgot."

Jungwoo groaned when he saw the empty bench, immediately turning around and walking out of the park.

"I just have a bad feeling."

So Yuta shut up. If it was this serious to Jungwoo for him to both be talking and taking action, he'd stop questioning. At least verbally questioning him.

They started walking in the direction they thought WinWin lived in, not completely sure. There were too many of them to properly know exactly where they all lived, so they just hoped they had the right street.

"WinWin!"

Jungwoo ran towards the balled up figure on the sidewalk. He had recognized his hoodie more than anything with WinWin's face covered by his hood and hands.

Yuta and Jungwoo sat down on either side of him, refraining from grabbing his hands or pulling down his hood. The last thing they wanted was to add salt to the wound. If there even was one.

"WinWin? What's wrong?"

"He hugged me." His voice was so low and hoarse they couldn't understand him.

"What?"

"He hugged me."

"Who did?" Yuta was going to share a concerned look with Jungwoo, but he was too busy looking at WinWin.

"My dad. The doctor thought he was going to die so they called my mom and I to the hospital. As soon as he saw me he hugged me." WinWin finally lifted his head up, revealing his smile and teary eyes.

"Is he okay?" Yuta wasn't sure how to respond to any of this anymore.

"Yeah, false alarm. They think he's all good now. Mom wants me back home too now. It's just... he hugged me. And it's not my birthday and no one sanitized. He hugged me."

He sniffled and wiped his eyes, laughing. "I don't know why I find this funny."

"You wanna come back with us or stay here?" Jungwoo offered in a whisper, back to not wanting to make much noise now that he knew his friend was fine.

"I think I'm just going to stay here. Thanks for checking on me."

So Yuta and Jungwoo got up from the sidewalk and headed back to the cafe, thinking he probably wanted some space.

"I'm tired now." Jungwoo yawned, not feeling the weight of his bad feeling anymore. Which was a relief, but now he didn't have the constant adrenaline keeping him awake.

"Mark~" Both of them called out as they opened the basement door.

"Jungwoo~ Yuta~" He called back, and the two pouted when they saw Haechan was already clinging onto him. Even if he was being pushed away occasionally.

"Did you find him?" Doyoung asked, kicking a bag out of the way so they could walk.

"Yeah, he's alright." Yuta answered for them both, kicking off his shoes and opting for no cuddles.

Jungwoo was still feeling sleepy, so as soon as Taeil opened his arms and beckoned him, he was curled right up into his side and taking a nap.

Guess who set up his Dad's death but then last minute decided not to?