Nicholas

After texting Euijoo earlier, he came over twenty minutes later looking better than he had. I don’t know what happened between him and Sungho—it's not my business to ask, but I couldn’t stand seeing him like that.

I watched him cheerfully eat with the kids, laughing with his whole body. No matter what his mood is, Euijoo is easy to read. When he’s mad at you, he shuts down, but when he’s happy, he lights up, incomparable to anyone else.

When he’s done eating, he starts cleaning up the table.

“So how did I do on the kids’ healthy snack?” I ask.

“Letting them help make little mini pizzas was a good idea," he smiles at me. “You did good," he says, giving me a thumbs up.

I can’t help it; the praise makes me smile, and I hate that I care so much.

He turns and goes to the sink with a little bounce to his step. Then I can’t help it. I laugh out loud.

“What are you so happy for?” I ask.

“I don’t know. I guess I just missed this...babysitting.” He looks over at me. “It’s been awhile. You probably didn’t miss me being here though.

I shrug. “It didn’t bother me. You being here, I mean."

When he wasn’t here, everything felt off. Like a family member was missing.

I realized I’d grown far too attached to him when he drew on my hand. Before then it was just me thinking I needed to care for him because he needed it.

It feels different now. Being apart and not being able to fill that need made it stronger...the attachment.

Now he’s here again, and I find myself trying to stop myself from being too clingy. Too needy for his presence.

When he looks at me again, his gaze is too much—too personal. I need a distraction. When I see North walk behind Euijoo at the sink, I get his attention. When he comes over to me, I whisper in his ear.

North walks back behind Euijoo, looking at me for a second before he slowly raises his hands out and pokes Euijoo on both sides of his waist, giving Euijoo a startle. He shrieks, dropping dishes back into the soapy sink.

Looking around for the source, he finds North running away laughing.

When he catches sight of me, his face goes into a confused state, knowing I’m the source but not being able to prove it.