𝐌𝐘 𝐒𝐖𝐄𝐄𝐓 𝐂𝐔𝐑𝐒𝐄

CHAPTER 8

"Walk faster, I have an appointment at the salon at 5:00pm and we still have three stores to visit before it. I must look perfect for my date."

Jin sighed as he struggled to keep up with his aunt's hurried pace through the bustling shopping mall. His lithe frame was burdened with multiple shopping bags, while his aunt walked ahead, chatting excitedly about her upcoming date.

It was moments like this that made him feel like a servant rather than a family member. Jin often wondered how his life would have been different if his father was still alive, but he had no choice but to accept the reality. In times of hardship and loneliness, he clung to the memories of his childhood, especially his best and only friend, Jungkook.

Apart from his father, Jungkook had been his confidant, playmate, and the one who could always bring a smile to his face. They were inseparable until circumstances forced them apart and they lost all contact. Over the years, he became a distant but cherished memory, buried deep in his heart.

As Jin navigated the crowded mall, lost in his thoughts, he accidentally collided with someone, causing their belongings to scatter across the floor. He looked up, his eyes meeting those of a young man with dark, tousled hair and warm, kind eyes. A strange sensation washed over him as if he knew him, but he couldn't place the feeling.

"I'm so sorry." Jin quickly apologized, his cheeks flushing with embarrassment as he started picking up the fallen items.

The young man smiled, his heart skipping a beat as he helped Jin gather the scattered belongings. It was Jungkook—the years had transformed him into a handsome and composed individual, but the essence of the boy he once knew still shone through.

"It's alright." he said, his voice sending a familiar shiver down Jin's spine. "Accidents happen."

For a moment, they both paused, their eyes locked in an intense gaze, as if searching for something deeper within each other's souls. The world around them seemed to fade away, leaving only the two of them standing there, connected by an invisible thread.

"You... you look strangely familiar." Jin stammered, trying to make sense of his emotions.

Jungkook nodded, a hint of recognition in his eyes. "I was thinking the same thing. Have we met before?"

Before they could delve deeper into their newfound connection, Jin's aunt's voice broke through the moment, pulling him back to the present.

"Jin, hurry up! We're going to be late for my date."

Reluctantly, Jin tore his gaze away from Jungkook, his heart pounding in his chest. "I have to go."

As he turned to leave, Jungkook's eyes fell on the delicate necklace he was wearing. A sudden rush of memories flooded his mind, and he reached out, about to call his name, but his friends interrupted, playfully tugging at his arm.

"Come on, Jungkook, we're going to miss the movie." one of them said, oblivious to the profound moment that had just transpired.

By the time he had managed to set himself free from his friends, Jin had vanished in the sea of people. Although he tried finding hard, in the end he reluctantly let him slip away, promising himself that he would find him again. In the days that followed, Jungkook couldn't get Jin out of his mind.

He searched for any clue that might lead him to his lost best friend, haunted by the memories of their past together. Little did he know that Jin, too, couldn't shake the feeling of familiarity and longing that Jungkook had ignited in his heart.

Unbeknownst to both of them, their paths were destined to cross again, and the threads of their past and present would begin to intertwine, unraveling the mystery of their forgotten connection. Little by little, the memories of their lost friendship would resurface, paving the way for a journey of rediscovery, love, and healing.