Limerence JC

F I F T E E N

In the quiet stillness of their modest home, Seungcheol, at the tender age of ten, unknowingly tiptoed into the room where a tragic tableau was unfolding. The air seemed to freeze as he saw his father, Hanseo, locked in a volatile confrontation with his mother, Eunji. The flickering lamplight cast ominous shadows on the walls as the atmosphere thickened with tension. Eunji's voice trembled, pleading for mercy, but Hanseo's rage drowned out her words. Seungcheol, wide-eyed and innocent, stood in the doorway, a silent witness to the unraveling tragedy. As the confrontation escalated, Hanseo's anger reached a chilling crescendo. The room became a stage for a nightmarish symphony, with each harsh word and desperate plea echoing like haunting notes in the symphony of despair. In the heart-wrenching moment, Seungcheol's world shattered. Suddenly, violence erupted, and Seungcheol watched in horror as his father's actions turned fatal. Eunji's desperate cries echoed, leaving an indelible imprint on Seungcheol's young mind. The room became a silent witness to a tragedy that would shape Seungcheol's life in ways he couldn't fathom at that tender age. The scene unfolded, leaving Seungcheol to carry the weight of a traumatic memory that would linger in the recesses of his consciousness, a specter haunting his every step as he navigated the tumultuous journey of growing up in the aftermath of unspeakable tragedy.

As Seungcheol stood frozen in the doorway, witnessing the horrifying scene unfold before his innocent eyes, a kaleidoscope of emotions churned within him. But amidst the chaos of the moment, there was a strange sense of detachment, a numbness that enveloped him as he watched his mother, Eunji, meet her tragic end. Growing up, Seungcheol had always longed for his mother's love, yearning for the affection that seemed reserved for his younger brother, Yeonjun. He had hoped that one day, he would be able to melt the icy walls of her heart and bask in the warmth of her embrace. But that day never came. Instead, Seungcheol found himself relegated to the sidelines, a mere spectator in the twisted dance of his family dynamics. The love he craved remained elusive, a distant dream that shattered like fragile glass with each passing day. So when the lifeless body of his mother lay before him, a victim of his father's violent outburst, Seungcheol felt a peculiar sense of detachment. It wasn't her death that pierced his heart like a dagger; it was the stark realization that her love had always been beyond his reach. The sight of the murder etched itself into Seungcheol's memory like a scar, a haunting reminder of the tumultuous relationship he shared with his mother. In that moment, as he stood in the aftermath of unspeakable tragedy, Seungcheol's heart remained a barren wasteland, devoid of the love he had so desperately craved.

                                         _

As Jeonghan rushed through the vibrant streets, the echoes of his hurried footsteps resonated with memories of his childhood crush, Coups. In a twist of fate, he collided with Seungcheol, setting the stage for a reunion filled with confusion.

"Watch where you're going, Jeonghan!"

Jeonghan was taken aback.

"Seungcheol? Wait, are you... Coups?"

"Jeonghan, always in a rush. Some things never change."

Jeonghan squined in disbelief.

"Wait a minute... Seungcheol? Are you Coups from our childhood?"

Seungcheol said with a smirk.

"Guilty as charged. You still as oblivious as ever, Jeonghan."

Jeonghan said a mix of surprise and nostalgia.

"I can't believe it! What are the odds of running into you like this? And your real name is Seungcheol, Coups?"

"Fate has a sense of humor, doesn't it?"