"A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, ELMOANDSOMEPEAS..."
Jimin giggled, "No, baby Kookie, it's L, M, N, O, P."
"L, M, N, NOPEAS!" the baby sang happily as he clapped his little hands.
Jimin laughed again, "Good job, baby Kookie!"
Jimin dreamed of him again. The little boy with Bambi eyes and a bunny smile. The same eyes and smile as the boy he met at the festival. He was so familiar. Who was he? Why did he have such a hold on him?
_____
"Hello?"
"Hello, am I speaking to Mr. Jung Hoseok?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"Good morning, Mr. Jung, I'm calling from Ilsan University to inform you that you've been selected to head our new Dance department. Congratulations."
"Oh my gosh, thank you so much."
"No need to give thanks Mr. Jung, you got the job on your own, through hard work and talent."
Hoseok blushed at the woman's words, "Thank you, I'll try not to let you down."
"We have every faith in you, Mr. Jung, if we didn't, we wouldn't be offering you the position. Now, are you available to start the beginning of the new semester, the new dance studio will be completed by then."
"Yes, of course."
"Excellent. Oh, before I forget, we will be hiring for the position of assistant dance instructor, unless you have an assistant already in mind?"
Hoseok smiled, "Yes, I have someone in mind."
_____
September gave way to October, though it still felt like July in L.A with the temperature reaching no lower than 75 degrees. However, Jongshin wasn't here for the warm weather, he was here to find his damn son. And when he does, there'll be hell to pay.
_____
"La la lu, la la lu
Oh, my little star sweeper
I'll sweep the stardust for you
La la lu, la la lu
Little soft, fluffy sleeper
Here comes a pink cloud for you
La la lu, la la lu
Little wandering angel fold up your wings
Close your eyes
La la lu, la la lu
And may love be your keeper
La la lu, la la lu, la la lu
There now, little star sweeper
Dream on."
"Goodnight hyung," Jimin sleepily whispered as he hugged his baby brother closer to himself, his hyungs lullaby sending them both into the world of sweet dreams.
Jimin felt the kiss upon his forehead he and Kookie received every bedtime, "Goodnight Jiminie, hyung loves you and Kookie, so very much."
Jimin awoke with the night's dream still in his mind. He touched his fingers to his forehead, still able to feel the kiss placed upon it, before letting out a sigh. The dreams were all the same, yet different each time. Each a small moment in time.
He sat, recalling every dream he'd had over the course of the month. They seemed so real, so vivid. Were they dreams, or were they memories?
"Jimin, dear, breakfast is ready!"
"Coming!"
Jimin got out of bed at his mother's voice and headed to the bathroom to prepare for the day ahead, last night's dream still replaying in his mind.
"Jimin, dear, is everything alright?" Jimin looked at his mother, who wore a worried expression, "You appear to be troubled by something."
"Actually, there is something that's been bothering me for awhile now, and I'd like to talk to you and appa about it when he gets home."
"Of course, dear."
When Mr. Park came home that evening from a short business trip, he was surprised to be greeted by both his wife and son.
"Jimin, my son, what a pleasant surprise," he said as he hugged his son.
"Hi, appa."
"Jimin came home yesterday and will be staying for the weekend. Apparently, he has exciting news for us."
"Exciting news, huh," Mr. Park said with a raised brow, "You're not getting married, are you," then he gasped in fake shock, "don't tell me you're pregnant!"
Jimin just rolled his eyes as he shook his head, a small smile on his face.
At dinner, Jimin shared his news of getting a job at Ilsan University as Hoseoks assistant dance instructor. His parents were thrilled for him, they knew Jimin dreamed of being a dance teacher, and to not only get the opportunity to fulfill his dream, but to do so at such a prestigious school was quite an accomplishment, though they were sad he'd be moving to Ilsan and wouldn't see him as often, they were happy for him.
Dinner complete and dishes done, the family gathered in the living room, "Alright, Jimin sweetheart, appa's home, now, tell us what's been bothering you lately."
Mr. Park looked at his son, concerned by his wife's words, "Something bothering you son?"
Jimin took a deep breath before he began to tell his parents of the dreams he's been plagued with for the past month, how he kept seeing a little boy, who was no more than a toddler, with big Bambi eyes and bunny like smile, "I don't just see him," Jimin said, "I call him by name, 'baby Kookie '. I see us together, always together. The dreams, the little boy, they're so real, so vivid, as if they aren't dreams but memories, memories of a part of my childhood I don't remember. And lately, I've started dreaming of an older boy too. I can't see his face, but his voice sounds familiar, as the little boys face resembles that of the boy I met at the fall festival. In fact, it was after meeting him, I began to have these...dreams."
Jimin's parents looked at each other, eyes holding a sadness that Jimin didn't understand.
"Eomma, appa, please, am I dreaming, or...am I remembering?"
"Jimin, son, it's time your eomma and I told something, we should have told you years ago.
_____
"Is it all arranged?"
"Yes, grandma, I have your ticket for the train to Seoul. I've also rented the room you asked for."
"Good." Jongshin hung up the call as his red eye flight was called for boarding.
As the plane taxied down the runway, Jongshin pulled the picture of his 'dear son' from the purse he carried and stared at it for awhile before putting it back in the purse and closing it with a snap, before closing his eyes to sleep, leaving L.A and a dead body behind.
