Mafia's Medicine (Soonwoo)

Chapter 10: A Clarity

(Still in the past)

As time went on, Wonwoo and Tiger spent many afternoons together in the hidden garden. One sunny day, Tiger showed up with an old camera slung around his neck. He grinned, holding it up for Wonwoo to see.

"Look what I found! It's my dad's old camera. Let's take some pictures," Tiger said, his excitement infectious.

Wonwoo's eyes widened with curiosity and delight. "I've never had my picture taken before," he admitted, his voice tinged with both apprehension and eagerness.

Tiger's smile grew even wider. "Well, today's the day! We'll take pictures of the garden, the kitten, and us. This way, we'll always have memories of this place."

They spent hours capturing the beauty of their secret sanctuary. Tiger clicked away, capturing the delicate petals of the flowers, the tiny paw prints of the kitten, and the dappled sunlight filtering through the leaves. Finally, he set up the camera on a makeshift tripod of stacked stones and branches, gesturing for Wonwoo to join him.

"Come on, Foxy, let's take a picture together," Tiger said, his eyes sparkling with joy.

Wonwoo hesitated for a moment before nodding, stepping into the frame. As they stood side by side, Tiger wrapped an arm around Wonwoo's shoulder, pulling him close. The camera clicked, freezing that moment of friendship and happiness forever.

"See? Now we'll always have this," Tiger said, showing Wonwoo the developing photo. "No matter what happens, we'll have proof that we were here, together."

Wonwoo smiled, feeling a warmth in his heart that he hadn't felt in a long time. "Thank you, Tiger. This means a lot to me."

As the seasons changed, so did the boys. They continued to meet in the garden, sharing their hopes, dreams, and fears. But as they grew older, life began to pull them in different directions. When they were around eleven years old, Tiger stopped coming to the garden.

Wonwoo waited day after day, hoping to see his friend again. He searched the woods, checked the hidden paths, and waited by the entrance to their secret sanctuary, but Tiger never appeared. With each passing day, Wonwoo's hope faded, replaced by a deep sense of loss and longing. 

(Present)

Now its been thirteen years since they both have seen each other. 

Wonwoo lay in his bed, staring at the ceiling as memories of Tiger flooded his mind. The night had been long, filled with dreams of the past and questions about the present. The sun pendant around Hoshi's neck had stirred something deep within him, awakening memories he had buried long ago.

As morning light filtered through the curtains, Wonwoo rose from his bed, feeling both weary and determined. He knew he had to find out more about Hoshi and the connection they seemed to share. He glanced at the moon pendant around his neck, a symbol of a friendship that had changed his life.

"Who are you, Hoshi?" Wonwoo whispered to himself as he got ready for the day. "And why do you have Tiger's pendant?"

On the other hand, Hoshi woke up to an unfamiliar yet lavish room, much simpler than his usual surroundings. As he blinked away the remnants of sleep, the events of the previous day slowly surfaced in his mind. So Young had broken up with him, and he had drowned his sorrows in alcohol, but the details of how he ended up here were hazy.

Sitting up, Hoshi took a moment to collect his thoughts before stepping out of the room. The hallway was quiet and elegantly decorated. As he walked, he tried to piece together whose mansion this could be. His thoughts were interrupted by a young maid, Min Jung, who addressed him respectfully.