I Like You || kyy || completed ||

Chapter 22

"Anora." I blinked lazily at the distant sound of my name being called, and mustered all the energy I could to turn my head in the direction of the soft voice. A voice that trembled with worry. I met Mama Tuan's gaze -the brown pools of her eyes glossy with unshed tears- before I looked away. "Have you eaten today?"

"Yes." A swift lie that felt bitter on my tongue and left a heavy feeling in my chest. However, it was a lie I had adapted over the course of the lonesome months. If someone asked how many months had passed since Yugyeom had left, I wouldn't be able to tell him. The days blended together and along with that, I had no appetite. I had no energy to even shift from one side of the couch to the other.

But Mark's sweet and gentle mother didn't need to know that.

Mama Tuan swallowed audibly, before I heard her house shoes scuff against the hard wood flooring, her small frame entering my field of vision. "I haven't seen you move since yesterday." Her voice wavered but there was an edge to it, an accusatory tone that made my fingers twitch against the fabric of the couch.

I lifted my gaze from the black television screen, to Mama Tuan's dark brown eyes. Sadness swam within the depths, but there was also anger and frustration, all which was understandable.

I shrugged slowly, my body facing an invisible resistance. "I haven't felt the need to." I relented the information, shifting so my feet were tucked underneath my body. I tugged the thick comforter tighter around my body, shivering despite the heat that filled the cozy home.

"Anora." Her tone lost it's warmth and became reprimanding. I flinched backwards at the sound of it, my hands gripping the blanket tighter. "You're going to eat something and you're going to get it yourself." She let out a frustrated breath and left in a flurry of scuffling sounds as she departed to her own room. Probably to debate over ways to get me moving again or moving out.

I let my eyes trail after Mama Tuan's departing back, her slim shoulders hunched, before I turned my gaze to the hardwood floor. My stomach growled, but I attempted to silence the sounds with a quick gulp of water that sat at the couch side table.

I had no appetite and I wish she would understand. The only thing I yearned for was Yugyeom and at this particular moment he was inaccessible to me.

I hadn't heard from him in weeks if I was remembering correctly. It could have been well over a month since we sent simple and bland text messages back and fourth.

Idle and unconsciously, my fingers danced over the glads screen of my phone, before I lifted it to my face.

I pressed the home screen gently, my chest tightening as a notification for Kakao blinked onto the screen.

Wang Dumpling: Yugyeom is able to...

The rest of the message was hidden, and I couldn't stop the involuntary gasp that slipped past my lips. My fingers trembled as I rushed to unlock my phone, clicking the Kakao icon hurriedly.

Wang Dumpling: Yugyeom is able to talk for a few minutes. I'll give him my phone so send a meme whenever you're ready to talk.

I felt the edges of my lips quirk up in a smile but my vision blurred at the edges with tears I thought I had dried up, seeing as I spent the first week or two with Yugyeom gone crying into my pillows.

I sent Jackson a meme of Ebichu crying. The 1 next to the message disappeared and my fingers started a constant tremble. The shaking worsened when my phone started buzzing in my hands.

I answered the call quickly, pressing my phone against my ear. "Hello?" I cleared my throat, trying to hide the shaky tone.

"Anora.." Yugyeom's voice wavered just as much as mine, if not more. I was briefly reminded that he was the crybaby of the group.

I swallowed the sob that built in my throat and clenched my eyes shut, fisting the comforter tightly in my fist.

"I," I struggled to gather my thoughts and put the words together to form coherent sentences, "I miss you a lot."

There was loud clattering on the other end, the boys' laughter ringing out into my ear. Yugyeom's voice didn't filter over the sound, the laughter the only indication that he had yet to hang up the phone.

"I miss you." I could hear the tears clog his throat, hear his constant sniffling as he walked away from his members so they wouldn't embarrass him again like they had during that one episode of Real Got7.

I broke at the sound of his tears, my own sob breaking the silence that had built on my end of the line. I bit into the comforter but my tears flowed freely, soaking quickly into the fabric that I held against my face.

"Have you been eating?"

"No." My honesty surprised me and I let out a slow breath. "What about you Yuggy?"

I heard the soft whine slip from Yugyeom's end of the fun and I smiled sadly, my lips quivering.

"I have to or I'll pass out on stage or something." He laughed dryly, his voice soothing the tension that had developed in the middle of my chest since he had left. "Promise me you'll start eating."

I released the fabric of the comforter to run a finger up and down the side of the couch, willing the tears that still trickled down my face to slow. "Maybe."

"Yah. I said promise." I didn't notice that our conversation had been in Korean until he spoke in English, and I let myself laugh softly.

"Okay. I promise."

"Okay good." His voice still wavered but now I could imagine the smile tugging at his pretty lips, his white teeth visable to whoever was in the room with him. I felt a pang of jealousy and I blamed that jealousy for the words that slipped from my lips for the first time. 

"I love you Yugyeom."

A/N: this chapter sucked and it's so short oh god but i was stuck but it's been months since the last update im sorry you guys ily