The Mannequin - Minsung

twenty-nine

Hyunjin spends more and more hours with Minho all week. He takes breaks from work and hopes that seeing him often...

Could help him get some sanity back.

Hasn't the guy been stuck at home a lot?

He's been saying he's working...

It is true. Yes. Minho does that often. He takes a few days just being home. Getting work done. But not for too long.

Minho's a person who easily gets lonely. Gets blue.

Hyunjin has contacted their mutual friends. And he heard they haven't been seeing Minho as much either. It's been less and less...

All since... Hyunjin dropped off that mannequin...

Hyunjin's known Minho for years. He's seen him go through so much. He lost his parents. Struggled through school. Dropped out twice from college. He was too lonely. Depressed.

Hyunjin has seem him grow. Seen him keep trying. Again and again. He's watched him become independent. Determined. Succeed. Minho worked hard. Kept a positive outlook.

Hyunjin's always felt like taking care of him. He's known Minho experienced sadness and pain. But he always stayed kind.

It is deeply saddening. To think behind his adorable laughs... smiles... childish jokes... this talented skillful artist... was slowly going mad?

Hyunjin thinks he's failed as a friend...

- - -

- - - - - -

Little Kkami's very curious. He's about to be fussy in his bag. They haven't even reached the door yet.

Today, Hyunjin's taking him to his parents' house because... he can't take Kkami with him to see Minho...

Hyunjin has taken Kkami to Minho's place. He knows Minho. Is used to Minho. And Minho likes the cute little dog too.

So Hyunjin didn't think it would be a problem...

But it was a problem. No, a disaster. Yesterday and the day before. Because of that... mannequin. Minho calls it Jisung.

Kkami is normally unfriendly around strangers. He's shy. He barks at people he's not used to. He doesn't do that towards things. Unmoving objects. Especially those bigger than him. He just doesn't go near them.

But he acted like that with the mannequin the past two days. He barked nonstop. Jumped. Ran around the thing. Climbed it. Pulled at the mannequin's clothes with bites.

So... Minho started crying! He tried to get Kkami to stop. To calm down. He was worried about the mannequin. 

"You're scaring him, Kkami, please... he's not used to dogs... please don't scare him... he'll be too scared to turn back..."

Hyunjin sighs at the memory. He speeds up. Heads to his parents' house. Strokes the little dog's head.

"Kkami... I'll leave you with mom for a couple hours, okay?"