Chapter Text
Mk's blank phone screen stared back at him, Redson hadn't returned his messages or calls in weeks. He sighed, he felt frustrated, why wouldn't he just answer? "Mkkkkkk, earth to Mkk!" Mei's voice rung out, he looked up and was met by Mei's curious face, "You've been staring at your phone all day, what's buggin’ you so much?"
"Redson isn't answering my messages or calls, he's been doing it for weeks! Did I do something wrong? I thought we were on good terms". Mk started rambling, Mei sighed and put her hand over his mouth, "Mk, it's okay, I'm sure Redson's just busy". She removed her hand and placed it in her pocket. Mk crossed his arms and huffed, "Well he could at least have the decency to tell me that through a text message!" He was so frustrated, which wasn't like him at all. Well not when it came to people not answering him, usually it was Mk who was making up excuses for them.
***
Mei listened to Mk's complaining, it wasn't like him at all to be this frustrated. "I haven't even spotted him anywhere in town lately either! And he was a no-show for our sleepover last week", his voice changed from frustrated to disappointed. He was talking about how a few weeks ago she had finally been able to convince Redson to have a sleepover with them but a week before the sleepover he had messaged her.
Redboi🔥: "I can't come to the sleepover anymore."
Mei🐉: "WHAT!!1!1!?? Whyyyy??" :((
Redboi🔥: "I'm helping my parents with the food stand, it's still under construction."
Mei🐉: "Woahh!! I totally forgot about that! :0"
Mei🐉: "You have such a soft spot for your parents! :3"
Redboi🔥: "WHAT?! No I don't! I'm just doing my duty as a son."
Mei🐉: "If you say sooo😉"
Mei🐉: "Well anyways I'm gonna go tell Mk the sleepover is off"
Redboi🔥: "Wait, don't tell Mk about the food stand"
Mei🐉: "Why? :0"
Redboi🔥: "It's none of your business dragon horse girl."
Mei🐉: "So.. I should tell Mk about the food stand? :P"
Redboi🔥: "No!"
Mei🐉: "Then tell me whyyyyyy I can't"
Redboi🔥: "Fine! If you really need to know I want to surprise Mk."
Mei🐉: "Awh that's sweet🥹"
Mei🐉: "Wait, why?"
Redboi🔥: "Must you be so fond of my private business?"
Mei🐉: "Yes and especially this! Why would you want to surprise Mk? :0"
Redboi🔥: "It's none of your business, just leave it."
Mei🐉 : "Oh come onnnnn! I could always tell Mk about the food stand.. :3"
Redboi🔥: "Fine! I want to ask Mk out for dinner when the food stand is finished."
Redboi🔥: " As enemies ofc!"
Mei🐉 : "Mhm.. if you say so🤭"
Mei🐉 : "I won't tell Mk about the food stand :)"
Redboi🔥: "Thank you"
Mk paced back and forth, waving his hands in the air as he continued to ramble on about Redson. Meanwhile, a mischievous grin appeared on Mei's face as she knew exactly what Redson was up to. But she also knew she couldn't tell Mk, cause she didn't want to spoil the surprise and she had promised Redson she'd keep it a secret.
As Mk continued rambling and passing back and forth, Mei noticed something that made her stop smiling, Mk looked pale, like sickly pale. Mei hadn't noticed it at first but she could tell clear as day that something was definitely off with Mk. "Hey, are you okay Mk? She placed her hand on his shoulder as she looked at him with concern. Mk snapped out of his rambling and looked at Mei, "Yeah, I'm fine, I just have a light headache but that's normal" he smiled trying to reassure Mei. It kind of worked, she still looked worried but believed him, "If you say so Mk, but you tell me if you start feeling off, kay?" He nodded and she smiled.
"Let's go to the anti-gravity arcade!" Mei said trying to get Mk's mind off Redson and her worries. "Yeah!" He smiled brightly and grabbed her arm dragging her towards the arcade, it was their go-to hangout spot, the music, the games and don't forget the food! They both loved spending their time there, dancing and playing games.
The time flew by as they danced and played games. They had made their way back to the dance floor when Mei's phone suddenly rung, she stopped dancing and excused herself. She made her way off the dance floor and headed towards a quieter spot.
As she walked she answered the call, "Yes mother?" She stopped outside the bathrooms, Mei listened to her mother's demands, "Yes mother.." she hung up and sighed. Mei made her way back to the dance floor and approached Mk, "Mk I gotta go-"
She didn't get to finish her sentence before Mk cut her off, "What? Why-" Mei covered his mouth, "As I was saying, my mother called me and told me I need to housesit for them again." She noticed that glint in Mk's eyes, "And no sleepover this time, my father doesn't want a repeat of last time." She cleared her throat, remembering how devastated her father was when he saw his ping pong table.
***
Mk sighed as he and Mei parted ways outside the arcade. As Mei disappeared out of view he slouched, he was exhausted, more than usual. He brushed it off and started making his way home. As the noodle shop came into view he sighed a sigh of relief, it felt like he had been walking forever, his body felt heavy. As he approached the entrance to the shop his vision started to blur, he stopped and started rubbing his eyes and blinking, trying to get his eyes to focus. He gave up and entered the shop and as he did he could hear Tang and Pigsy talking, they're conversation made no sense. He started to approach them to say hi and tell them about his day but, before he even got the chance to say anything he felt himself falling forward and his vision turning black.
***
Pigsy was so focused on his conversation with Tang he didn't notice that Mk had come home. So once he noticed movement in the corner of his eyes, he turned his head to welcome him home, but before he could he was interrupted by a loud thud against the floor.
"Mk!" Tang dropped his noodles, the noodle soup spilled out on the floor the broken bowl with it, but both he and Pigsy were too focused on Mk to care about the mess. "Kid!" Pigsy shook Mk, Tang put his hand on his shoulder, "That won't help him." He protested, Pigsy stopped and put his wrist against his son's forehead, he was burning up. "He's got a fever" He looked at Tang. "Let's get him up to his room, we can't let him sleep on the floor now can we?" Tang smiled, trying to reassure Pigsy. It worked a little, he smiled back and picked Mk up, with help from Tang they got him upstairs to his room and laid him down on his bed.