Artificial Love || Minho

28 || Reciprocate

«—————— « ⋅∘◦ ❈ ◦∘⋅ » ——————»

"Minahhhhh..." Jisung whines from the door. "Do you want a cookie?"

Shaking my head from under the blankets, I pout. "Sungie, I don't wanna eat."

I hear him sigh. "Suit yourself, I suppose," His footsteps echo in the hallway for just a moment, before suddenly rushing back to my door. "But I'll be back in half an hour to check again!"

"With your patients, probably three minutes." I let out a tiny laugh.

"I appreciate the check ups though, they've been nice."

"And that would be assuming I haven't eaten all the cookies yet," He audibly bites into one. "Speaking of, is one box of cookies really enough to last you even a week? You should be stocking up like me, you know."

I let out a weak smile. "No matter what I do, you're the one eating them in the end."

There's a short silence, before I feel him thump onto my bed. I peak my head out from my blanket fort, confused. "Jisu-"

Without any more of a warning, I feel his arms suddenly wrap around me, in a tight hug.

"Sungie..?" I softly peep out, confused.

"Shh, I'm trying to make you feel better." He hugs me close, pulling me into a cuddling position. "Don't be sad, pwease?"

I smile. "Thanks, Sungie. Without you, I don't know where I'd be right now."

"Aww, stop it." He pulls away, and I see him smiling, too. "Without me you'd still be in uni, scared out of your mind at everything."

"Hey, I graduated early for a reason." I pout, now grumbling.

"That doesn't change the fact that you're still as sensitive as a bunny." He says, squishing my face.

He's trying to cheer me up.

I giggle. "It's why I have you~ That is, when you're not swamped by a massive amount of girls."

He smiles, satisfactorily. "So, you're in the mood for a cookie now, right?" He whips one out from the box laying behind him. "Ta-daaa! Your favourite, right? Double stuffed Oreos!" He places it in my hands without waiting for an answer. And before I knew it, the bag was open, with a cookie popping straight in my mouth,

"Hemph, Jithung-" I say, trying my best to chew down the biscuit.

"Hehe." He turns to me, smiling once again. A smile that can make everyone happy. "So, I wanted to talk to you about something."

My shoulders tense up, throat followed up by a hesitant gulp. "... yeah?"

"Chill, Minah," He laughs. "I was just wondering when you were going to go back to work. It's been, like, a week."

I feel myself pause, the cotton below crinkling in the clench of my hands.

"I don't want to go back yet.. I don't feel ready."

I've been doing all my work at home these past few days, taking some time off from work to myself, and to... you.

I don't know how to face you.

What do I even say? Goodbye? That we'll never see each other again?

Jisung sighs, and nods. "I know. Take as much time as you need." He falters for a moment, but quickly rights himself once more. "But I miss seeing you now. It feels like we don't really talk much, you know?"