✓ With You • [ Yoonmin ]

Part 2 - Memories

I still remember when was the last time I saw the ocean, the sounds of waves, clashing with each other, the sun shining above, and the sand under my bare feet. All of my senses were actively enjoying the spring morning.

"Jimin! Let's go! We are going to be late!"

"Coming!"

The ride to Daegu was rough, it took us hours to be there. I hate to travel far but I don't have the power to control the job my father does and always get transfers.

"Come on, sweetie. It won't be that bad. You can make new friends there." My mother, the most precious human I have ever seen, tries to make things easy for me even though there's always a catch in the end.

"Son, we can go hiking after setting down. The mountains are great!" My father, won't win the Father of the Year but he tries his best to support us.

"But I like the beach and ocean..." My mother always caresses my head whenever I feel sad, like now, she's doing that. I can still feel her warm hand on my head, ruffling my hair as her smile warms my heart.

"We can go back to Busan in the holidays if you still miss the beach." My father said and I agreed.

The house we will live in is in a small, quiet neighborhood. Not many neighbors plus not many kids as well. Many of them didn't like new people who we were and they kind of ignored us. But we started to unpack until the neighbors next door came to us and happily talked.

They had a kid at my age as well, my very first friend in this place. That's how I met Taehyung, my best friend. He was an active kid, asking questions and everything but since I am a shy kid from birth, I took some time to develop around him.

Taehyung helped me a lot which I can't forget, he was the only friend who knew about me.

We went to the same elementary school, he introduced me to his friends who were like him as well.

But, on my first day, I got bullied. They said I looked too girlie than boyish. They told me my face is like a girl's and a lot of kids' stuff.

Taehyung helped me with that by complaining to the teachers and that's how we became friends.

As days passed, I and Taehyung became inseparable. From kids, we turned teens and many things changed.

We went to the same junior high and it was going great, I started to figure out myself that time because I had many admirers but I only found myself getting attached to guys.

But all good days have a limit, right? Mine was quite the same.

My mother was diagnosed with cancer in, the middle of the summer. I was devasted when I saw her, suffering from such an illness that she wasn't aware of. My father was worried and lost, he didn't know anyone besides my mother and she was on her last few days.

On the last day of summer, it was raining, heavily. I still remember, how my mother's head was tilted to the window, body numb and lifeless, eyes settled on the window, rain drops racing down, the pitter-patter sounds echoing in the white cabin room.

The funeral was okay, everyone came, gave their condolences to us, and left, but Taehyung and his family stayed with me. My father was devasted and lost to mind anyone.

Taehyung kept me sane because if I go crazy now, it will be a lot to handle.

Then it was just two of us; me and my father.

The next year, I entered high school. I also came out of the closet to be myself. Taehyung supported me the most. He also managed me some dates which was nice but not worth it.