Peaches & Cream: Somewhere Between Hello and Goodbye

Ch. 2: It Was All a Dream, I Promise

a/n: Writing that has been italicized represents past memories or dreams while writing that is italicized + bolded represents a letter.

Months have passed since I last saw Jungkook. From the day he was discharged till now, no one has heard from him or his family. No texts, no calls. Nothing. Even his academic advisor raised concern regarding his absence, and still, there was radio silence on the other side of the line. It's as if he never existed in the first place. He left with the cold winter and never came back to see the blooming of the spring cherry blossoms.

Naturally, the last three months have been nothing short of torture. Day after day, night after night, I prayed to God, prayed that he would bring Koo back to me. Every morning, I would call his number just to hear his voicemail greeting, the one we crafted together during our late-night run to 7/11.

"Hello, you've reached Jungkook's voicemail. Please don't leave a message unless you're Mira," Jungkook says confidently, scrunching his nose at the way my eyes widened from disbelief.

"Koo!? You have to take this seriously. What if an employer calls you?" I exclaim, gaze softened at the sight of his bunny teeth on full display.

"I'm sure they'll be able to tell if they're you or not," he grins, taking a sip of his strawberry milk before pulling my chair closer to him, placing a soft kiss on my forehead.

My eyes swell with tears reminiscing our memories. It pains me to think of the possibility that he might not even remember me. I'm not sure how long, if at all, I'd be able to last in a universe where Jungkook sees me as a stranger again. After all we've been through, man, that would hurt immensely. Nonetheless, I hold on to the hope that he is not alone. Surrounded by his loved ones, I hope Koo is resting in peace, at ease. This wish, however, has yet to overcome the aching feeling in my chest, my desire to hold him in my embrace. To be close to him once again. To tell him how much I love him.

"Mira? Miraya, honey, can you hear me?" my mom shouts through the phone. After all this time, she has yet to learn how to properly use Facetime.

"Mommy, I'm looking at your ear. You have to turn the camera towards you, remember?" I giggle, eyes tearing up from the mere sound of her voice. I've missed her. I've missed my family. I wasn't able to go back home for Thanksgiving or Christmas, so it's been ages since I last saw them. Nonetheless, after trial and error, mostly error, I could finally see my mother's beautiful face which was trying its hardest to hold back the built-up sadness.

"My love," she whispers, worried gaze searching my scattering eyes.

"Miraya, what's wrong?"

"Nothing, I just missed you guys so much," I say softly, pulling my knees to my chest as my body sits crouched on the cold kitchen floor.

"Just one more week, honey. Your dad is so excited, you don't even know. He has packed the fridge with your favorite food, and is holding it hostage till your arrival," she chuckles, shaking her head at my dad's behaviour.

"One more week," I repeat, looking up at the picture of Koo and me on the fridge. The photo booth snapshots we took at the dumpling restaurant near the Oceana beach. I wonder if he kept his word.

"Jungkook, what the heck?" I yelp, hitting his forearm. "I can't show these to anyone now," I point to the last photo, in which his face remained inches away from mine as my body froze behind his Iron Man hat. Compared to the previous three takes, this one clearly did not fit the friendly theme.

"Why not? Nothing happened," he grins, leaning his head back.

"Nothing happened my ass, it's obviously suggestive," I roll my eyes.