The Mannequin - Minsung

ninety-six

"Minho, you could at least stay longer! Help me put the kids to bed!"

"You do it all the time, Felix. You don't need help. And this is your job."

"They want to spend more time with you!"

"I knooow, but I can't, I really can't— I'd love to, but I can't."

Minho's gathering his stuff. It's a bit difficult to be quicker. He has to carefully move his right leg. Because a kid's holding onto it.

Hyunjin replied to him a couple of minutes ago. Apparently, Jisung is okay. Except: "He's kinda silently staring at the wall now? He probably just misses you. Or he's tired because of Kkami."

Minho was planning to leave anyway. Around this time. He just lost track for a bit. He was playing with the kids in Felix's daycare.

"Uncle Minho! Your books!" Hana's heard running around.

"Wait," Minho tries to call.

The five-year-old has already fetched the books. She holds them up to him. "Here you go, uncle!"

"No, Hana, these are for you. They're with the crayons. See, this one's a coloring book— you've already colored in it. It's all yours."

Hana pulls up the one underneath it. "Okay. Here."

"Oh, this is yours too!"

She stares at the cover. Then blinks at it.

"Trust me, okay? They'll be useful! All the kids want them too." Minho pats her head. "Actually, my Jisung has one just like this."

"The dictionary?" Hana's eyes widen. "Why?"

"Because it helps him learn!"

"Oh... for school...?"

"Uh, for... uh, just for what things are. Look, it tells you the names for everything." Minho opens the book at random. "This is a helicopter. Did you know what a helicopter was?"

She nods. "Yeah. But Jisung... doesn't know helicopters?"

Felix has come up behind her now. He laughs at her question.

Minho just smiles. Because... he doesn't know... if Jisung knows. He might not. Helicopters haven't come up in their area. So he's not sure.

"Say thank you..." Felix says. "She'll read it and learn from it. Right?"

Hana's quiet. She doesn't seem excited.

Felix is trying not to laugh. He crouches beside her. "Right, baby?"

"Yeah," Hana sighs. "Thank you, Uncle Minho."

Felix burst out laughing. "Yeah... thanks, uncle."

"You're welcome," Minho says. Chuckles. "But I get it, I'll bring you something to play with next time, Hana."

Felix laughs. Hana's eyes have sparkled. She hops on her feet. Clutches the books tightly. "Really? What will you— what will you bring?"

"Um." Minho looks at his brother. He doesn't help. "It'll be a surprise."

"Okay! When? When will you bring me a surprise?"

"Yeah, when?" Felix says. Stands. Crosses his arms.

"Whenever I... find the time to visit again?"

Felix purses his lips. "Mmm..."

"Look, I promise I will try my best to come as often as I can," Minho says again. "And I'll bring you as many fun things as I can."

Hana's eyes are so hopeful. Ren's still stuck to Minho's leg. Clueless.

"And you'll let us meet Jisung as you promised ages ago?"

"Ages? Felix, it was just a few months ago and as I explained, many times, he was..." Minho lowers his voice. Mouths, "Not well."

"Was. And now he doesn't want to meet us."

"What— no! He didn't say that! He's... not ready..."

His brother steps closer. Pats his shoulder. Smiles.

"I'm kidding, Minho. I understand." His voice becomes softer. He hugs his brother. "It's obvious how important he is to you... so I just want to see for myself if everything's okay..."

Minho returns his embrace. "Everything's okay," he reassures. "He's better and I would tell you more. It's just... as I said, maybe he should tell you himself, when the time's right and if he wants to. Don't worry, Felix, I'm doing great— much better than ever before. Truly."

Felix is smiling widely. "I can see that, actually."

Minho smiles back at him. Then heaves a sigh. Looks down at Ren— the three-year-old. His little arm is around Minho's leg.

"So... I'm taking this one with me?" Minho asks.

"Oh no, you want him?" Felix says. He looks down at Hana. "What do you say? Should we let him take Ren?"

"Noo..." Hana says. Hurries around. Glares up at Minho.

"Too bad," Minho says. He quickly picks up Ren. Throws him in the air. Catches him. Tries to pretend to run for the door.

Hana yells. Ren giggles. Felix holds the back of his shirt.

"Get your own babies!" He says.

"Yeah!" Hana says. "Get your... get your own!"

Minho kisses Ren's cheeks. Then passes the happy baby over.

Felix holds him to his chest protectively. Ren's immediately looking over his arm. His big adorable eyes find Minho.

"Alright, I really have to go now," Minho says sadly. He bends down. Holds out his arms for Hana. "Can I get a hug?"

"Can I go to your house?" Hana says.

"Sorry, I can't take you there. It's all books. You'd hate it."

"You don't... you don't have..." Hana comes into his arms. Minho waits. For her to get her words together. Hana looks up. "You don't have toys?"

"Not really, but maybe next time I can bring some toys for you and your friends here," Minho says. He's glad to see her smiling afterward.

"Come for longer next time," Felix says. "There are more kids you haven't met yet, and I'm sure they'd be glad to meet you too."

"I'll do better. And you should move closer— bye!"

He slips out the door. Closes it on Felix's retort.

To be continued...

Sorry for the lack of updates. I am really busy and I've been so upset with the recent news about Moonbin... I didn't feel like publishing this part even though this has been sitting in my drafts for days now...