Second Chances

Clarity

"Aish!" Wooyoung threw the balls at the targets with all his might, but only managed to hit five targets with two baskets of balls. He went up to the counter and approached the man, "One more round please!"

"Here! Thank you, lad." the man said, passing Wooyoung another basket and collecting the money Wooyoung had placed on the counter.

Wooyoung walked back to his position and he became absorbed in his thoughts. 'By not going, I did the correct thing right? Why do I feel as if I might regret this? Do I really want to give up after everything?'

As he continued throwing the balls at the targets, his mind was full of thoughts about Taeyeon. About when they first met, their memories they had together during elementary school, high school, all the way until now. The kiss they shared, the tears she shed because of him, her beautiful smiles and her ahjumma laughter. Taeyeon in her wedding dress - she was so beautiful that her beauty saddened him all the more because Taeyeon was not his bride on that day.

At this thought, he threw the ball he had in his hand hard, hitting the target numbered two. He was now left with the target in the middle which was labeled five. Wooyoung thought back to when Taeyeon admitted that she used to be in love with him. Her honesty and ability to talk about her feelings was unusual for Taeyeon and he knew it. 'Does that mean she has completely given up on me?'

Wooyoung now took up the last ball he had in the basket and looked at it. He aimed at the middle target and threw the last ball with all his might. He hit the target accurately, and the target fell with the impact of the ball.

As the target dropped to the floor, Wooyoung's tears fell. He sat down in the empty loft, and his tears flowed freely. The memories he had with Taeyeon, Yoona, Taecyeon and Junho were a big part of his life, and were too precious to be forgotten. He realized that forgetting Taeyeon would mean forgetting everything they have been through, and it was something he could not possibly be capable of. He missed all of them already; their laughter, their inside jokes, their company. Their bond was something even time cannot erase. It was clear to him now; forgetting Taeyeon would be impossible, because Taeyeon is someone he loves wholeheartedly.

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Once Wooyoung had let out his feelings, he felt less confused and less uncertain. Wooyoung went back to the counter to claim his prize, and it turned out to be a soft toy Wooyoung could not recognise.

"Excuse me, but what is this?"

"That, lad, is Nameko. It's a mushroom. It's not well known now right? But mark my words, more and more people will know about it in the future."

'If it will get famous, how would I not know of it? I'm from the future!' Wooyoung thought and gave a doubtful look but thanked the man anyway. Wooyoung then returned to the streets with the odd looking toy in his hand, and went his way home alone. As he climbed the stairs to his apartment and opened the door, the light suddenly came on and a loud pop was heard. He was suddenly covered in confetti and he was shocked to see Yoona, Junho, Taecyeon and Taeyeon in his apartment.

"Happy New Year, part two!!" The four said in unison, posing with peace signs and bright smiles on their faces.

"Yah, Wooyoung! You're so late!! We got really hungry waiting for you but there's no food at all! What kind of house is this?!" Taecyeon exclaimed.

"Stop acting cool and trying to be alone!" Junho teased.

"Yeah, stop acting all grown up!" Taeyeon said, and threw a party streamer at Wooyoung.

"You're totally wrong if you think you can be alone so easily!" Yoona said, throwing another party streamer at Wooyoung as well.

"Yah! Stop being so full of yourself! Stupid!" Taecyeon said as he smacked Wooyoung on the back and pulled him inside using a headlock. Wooyoung could not help but smile at the sight of the four friends he had missed.