fifty-nine

"Jisung? Is that really my name?"

"Yes," Minho answers. He takes the plate from him. Wipes his lips. Smiles at how he blushes afterward.

"It... it feels like it's true. How do you know that?"

"You told me," Minho says. He puts the plate in the sink.

It's the second night. Minho prioritizes feeding him.

After all... Jisung needs everything. The love. The care. The time. The learning. Relating. Remembering.

And Minho needs patience. Understanding.

"Minho..." Jisung says behind him. To himself. "Minho..."

"Does it feel familiar? Sound familiar?"

"I don't know," Jisung says. "M-Maybe... a little?"

Minho turns to see him pouting. His heart skips.

He has missed Jisung and his cuteness.

Jisung touches his own chest. "It makes something happen here. Why?"

Minho takes his hand. "I guess it's your heart. Baby, can I get you a different shirt, before you turn mannequin?"

He didn't get the chance yesterday.

"Baby..." Jisung says. His eyes have widened.

"Oh, sorry. I used to call you that. Come here."

He leads Jisung to his room. To his closet.

He hears Jisung murmuring baby to himself.

"You can take whatever you like," Minho says.

"Oh." Jisung glances at the clothes. Then at his own. He sees the long rip on his shirt. "Do you know how this happened?"

Minho shakes his head. "No, I'm sorry."

"Are these your clothes, Minho?"

"They're mine and yours."

Jisung looks at him. His eyes are wide again. But with wonder. Curiosity. A deep emotion. "Mhm..."

Minho pulls out a warm shirt. There's not a lot of time.

"Here. Maybe you can wear this."

"Okay..." Jisung says. He lets Minho help him put it on.

"Great, that's better," Minho says. He brushes his hair. Smiles.

"It feels nice," Jisung says. Touches the material of the shirt. Its long sleeves. They cover half of his fingers. "I... I think I must go now."

"I understand. I'll see you again tomorrow, okay?"

Jisung nods. Smiles a little. "Okay. Goodbye."

Minho's heart aches. He steps closer. Gently hugs him.

He can't help his tears. Or himself.

He places a soft kiss on Jisung's cheek.

"I love you, Jisung..." He whispers.

He suddenly finds Jisung's fingers on his face. Then on his eyelids. They trace the tears on his cheeks.

"Don't do that..." Jisung says. His voice trembles. His lip too. He holds a hand to his chest again. "W-Why?"

Minho quickly takes his hands. Kisses each.

Oh no. He has made Jisung cry too.

"I'm sorry, Jisung. It's okay... it's just..."

Before he can think of what to say... Jisung's hands turn hard.

The tears in his eyes become like glass. And he's a mannequin now.

Minho lets Jisung go. Lets his tears go too. He sobs quietly.

"How is he now?" Felix asks him on the phone.

"He's getting better. Slowly. He needs time... but he'll get better."

Felix sounds relieved. "Oh, that's good. I can't wait to see him."

His Jisung is a little different. He's still... beautiful. Adorable. Sweet.

But there is confusion. Startlement. In some things Minho says. Or does.

It's unlike the first time they met.

Jisung's eyes would sparkle at Minho being kind to him.

Now it's... as if Jisung can't understand why Minho's being this way.

It does disappear quickly though. Jisung will beam cutely. Eat happily.

And carefully... Minho has noticed.

Yes. It is not like that... initially happily curious man.

Jisung would be asking... Innocently. Carelessly. Smiling so widely.

This Jisung has uncertainty. Cautiousness. There's something already troubling him. Even if he doesn't understand it.

"Do you think that's... a good thing?" Hyunjin asks.

"No? Or I d-don't know... is it wrong? Of me to treat him like before?"

Hyunjin stands from the bed. Minho was in his bedroom the whole day. Because Jisung reverted to a mannequin here again.

"I don't think it's wrong... you're not hurting him or using him. It's interesting... like, whatever his curse is. In a way, he's not really going to give anyone a chance to seriously hurt him or use him, right?"

Minho nods. Thinks of Jisung's torn shirt. That uneasiness on him. "But it does hurt him... whatever makes him do this to himself..."

"Hmmm... I wonder what exactly it is... this curse of his... it can't be just get life through love..."

"You think it's really a curse?" Minho is turned towards the corner of the room. He has placed Jisung there.

"I mean... he said he's cursed... didn't he?"

"He... mentioned it, yeah," Minho says. "But I think... maybe he was told that? It's like... someone put him somewhere... because they thought he was cursed... and it made him sad..."

His eyes sting. Why would they do that?

Jisung hasn't caused any hurt or harm. With Minho. With Hyunjin's grandmother. He just wants love. And he turns mannequin when he's afraid. Unwanted. Unloved.

"Being able to turn mannequin... It has protected him," Minho says. He just... keeps forgetting his pain..."

"Minho... what if this continues? Him forgetting everything each time he's hurt. What if this keeps happening? Again and again?"

Minho stands up. "I'm not sure... but it doesn't feel like that. Because before he remembered anything about your grandma, one time, he wouldn't turn alive because he thought I didn't want him around."

"But he didn't forget me. He didn't forget the time he spent with me. T-Then... that time when I accidentally pushed him away... he was hurt and couldn't change. But when he did, he remembered me. He remembered everything that happened."

"There's definitely something in his past," Hyunjin mutters. "It must be something big that hurt him. Maybe he remembered it this time..."

"Or he was just getting to it..." Before someone tried hurting him?

Minho breathes deeply. "I think... The time he's spent as a mannequin matters. The reason he reverted to a mannequin too."

"With your grandma, it was your father's death. Around thirty years of abandonment. So this now... must be about what he remembered... and then whatever happened that led him to become a mannequin."

"You're probably right... I suppose I should go then. I think I'll wait for you to tell him a little more... before he can meet me and my family..."

Minho nods. He doesn't want to overwhelm Jisung. What if he remembers too suddenly? It would hurt and shock him.

"I thought mom should see this..." Hyunjin says. "She believes it now, but I can tell she's just a little doubtful still. Mom's looking into things, by the way. I'll tell you when she tells me."

"Okay. Thank you. Oh, and before you go— Felix says hello."

Hyunjin smiles. "Ah, I miss your brother. Tell him I said hello too."

He turns to look at mannequin Jisung. Then sighs. Turns away. "Well... I'll see you tomorrow, Minho. Take care."

To be continued...

classes are starting again huhuhuhu...

so maybe there will be lesser updates