Slice Of Pizza

39. A Childhood Dream

Should he just runaway? No.
Can he just runway? No. Especially since Jisoo is still stuck here.

He looked around for a second as the stranger started to speak. He saw Jisoo laughing with Oliver.

What happened?

"What is happening? Why is my heart pounding so loudly?"

"Is he awake?" He heard someone faintly say. Why does it feel faimiliar?

"Hey, are you alright?" The stranger shook Taehyung back to his senses.

"What?" Oh, yes. You were saying?" Taehyung looked at the man. The man smiled at him and inhaled sharply.

"He brought you here?" He pointed at Oliver. Taehyung nodded.

"He didn't even tell you why this party is happening then, I believe?" Taehyung nodded again, feeling a little guilty and uncomfortable.

"He didn't even introduce the birthday boy to you. Oh and nice to meet you, my name is Shin Jinwoo." The man introduced himself.

"Oh. Hello! My name is Kim Taehyung and nice to meet you too!" Taehyung shook hands with Jinwoo.

Jinwoo smiled at him expectantly. Taehyung looked at him processing every possible reply that he could give in that moment.

Taehyung's eyes widened in realisation, "Don't tell me- Is it your birthday party?" Jinwoo nodded and continued looking at him expectantly.

"Happy birthday Jinwoo-sshi." He smiled at him guiltily. "Oh thank you, and it's alright although it feels like I've forced you to wish me." Jinwoo chuckled lightly. Taehyung bowed his apologetically.

"It's fine. Really." Jinwoo smiled. Taehyung smiled back and looked at the bar counter where Jisoo was laughing heartily with Oliver. "Jisoo is so cute."

"Looks like Oliver's going to have a girlfriend soon." Jinwoo smirked. Taehyung's smiled dropped. He glared at Jinwoo and looked back at Jisoo and Oliver.

They looked pretty happy. Suddenly, Oliver looked at Taehyung and smiled while Jisoo didn't spare him a glance when he did. 'Why do I feel so uneasy?"

"Anyways." He looked at Jinwoo, "Wow, you look awfully familiar. Wait-" Jinwoo's face slowly felt clumsy and took a familiar face.

"What? Am I going crazy from lack of rest?" He looked on his palms hurriedly and looked back at Jinwoo. He suddenly looked younger. "I have to distract myself."

"Do you mind if I asked how old you turn this year?" Taehyung rubbed his eyes and looked at him again.

Jinwoo smiled, "Twenty-three? No, wait I'm seventeen now." Taehyung watched in horror as Jinwoo grew younger by the second.

"I'm five-years-old now." A Jinwoo, who turned into a child now, said.

"What the hell!" Taehyung slapped himself and looked at Jisoo and Oliver who were now kissing.

"What on Earth! Jisoo?" He walked towards them. "Oh, Taehyung! Did I introduce you to my boyfriend? Oliver, say hello." Jisoo pushed Oliver front.

"Chu, I thought we were in love!" Taehyung exclaimed. Jisoo's face changed, "You're right! Let's get out of here this instant." Jisoo laughed and dragged Taehyung out along with her.

They ran out onto the road in a very hurried manner. Taehyung was going out of his mind.

"Am I finally out of my mind? Jisoo? Oh my God please save me!" Taehyung yelled as he ran alongside Jisoo.

A truck appeared suddenly.

"Jisoo!" He yelled as she disappeared into thin air.

Crash.

"Kim Taehyung!" Jisoo appeared and held Taehyung as he was loosing his breathe.

"I love you." Taehyung was losing consciousness.

"Kim Taehyung! Don't die..." He heard loud wailing. He closed his eyes and tried to stay longer with all his leftover energy.

-

"Kim Taehyung! Are you dead?" He heard giggles and woke up with a jolt.

A small hand knocked his head, "Mom, Oppa is awake." A little Jennie giggled loudly and ran away from his bed.

"Kim Taehyung! You're not trying to skip school today, are you?" His mother, who looked like she aged twenty years backwards, glared at him.

"What?" He looked around. He jogged to the mirror, " I'm Seven again?" He exclaimed.

"You literally just turned seven. Did you hit your head while playing with Jinwoo again?" His mother examined his head.

"With who?" Taehyung looked at his mother in horror. "Jinwoo. Shin Jinwoo. Your friend at the park?" His mom looked at him worriedly.

His childhood flashed in his mind. And amongst the peace happiness and gradual fear of disappointing and horrific memories, he remembered his one good friend at the park near his home. Shin Jinwoo.

"So he is real." He whispered, "I have to check if this is reality."

"Mom can you hit me once?" He asked. His mom looked at him, worried even further.

"Alright, I guess." She slapped him tight across his face.

"Oww." He felt tears running down his cheeks. 'I'm an adult. Why am I crying for this?'

'Anyway, I can't believe that mom actually hit me. She's so mean.'

'Wait, what did I just think?'

He felt uneasy.

"Mom, I'm not feeling very well today. Can I stay home just for this one day?" He looked at his mother with big eyes.

"Fine. Sleep well and don't forget to come eat as soon as you wake up, Ok?" She ruffled his hair as she left.

Tired of his thoughts, Taehyung fell asleep the moment his body hit the bed.

-

"Jen! Check if your brother is awake!" He heard his mother yell to Jennie distantly.

He heard small footsteps hurriedly towards his room.

"I think he is awake." Five-year-old Jennie's yell echoed in his room.

"What The Hell!" He shrieked. Why did he still sound so young? He felt rested. Shouldn't he wake up in his current (or) adult room?

"I'm gon' tell mom that you said a bad word." Jennie smirked. Panicking, Taehyung said, "No! Don't tell mom." He fidgeted with his fingers.

"Give me one thousand won." She smiled happily.

"Wait a second." He walked towards his cupboard, pouting.

'If I'm right, my pocket money should be around here...Aha!' He happily ran back to Jennie with the money and he handed it to her. Jennie happily skipped out of his room.

'This feels to real to be a dream. And the whatever-happened-that-he-thinks-has-happened part is too good to be a dream. I even feel like a child. And I feel like crying because it's all confusing' He started crying.

After about fifteen minutes of crying, he started to forget most of the whatever-happened-that-he-thinks-has-happened part.

Ah, It must be a dream. Fortunately, he remembers everything with Jisoo and his friends, mostly.

"It's only a dream after all. That must be a sign that my future would be happy." He happily jogged out of his room to the dining room.

"Are you good now, Tae?" His mother asked. He nodded his head enthusiastically.

His father, who just came back after receiving a phone call, said, "Kids, I have something to announce and you're going to like it!" He smiled at his kids.

Heylo! How was your day?