My Lifeline - Jaywon Shortstories

Bonus chapter: The Locket Pt2

"Long time no see Wonie" the person said, with a smile that illuminated Jungwon from the inside.

"Jay?" he replied, almost choking on the name.

The man in front of him nodded, still smiling.

"Ho-how?" asked Jungwon, not really grasping what was going on in front of him.

Before Jay could answer anything, Jungkook appeared beside Jungwon.

"There it is!" he said, eyes on the locket, before acknowledging the man holding said locket. "Thank you sir, you have no idea how much this means to my student."

Jungwon's cheeks were becoming more red with each word his coach was saying. Jay, on the other hand, smiled even more.

"It's his lucky locket as he calls it, and he takes it with him to every single fight he has" continued Jungkook, unaware that Jungwon was melting from embarrassment.
"Is it now?" asked Jay, eyes still locked on Jungwon.
"Absolu-" started Jungkook.
"Thank you coach" Jungwon cut.

Jungkook stopped and looked at his student with surprise on his face. Never had he heard him speaking so bluntly before.

"Sorry" mumbled Jungwon. "It's just that.. Jay was the one who gifted me this locket, years ago."

Jungkook's eyes grew wide and he suddenly remembered he had something urgent to do.

"He seems nice" commented Jay, as the coach left them.
"He is, until he gets excited and blurs things he isn't supposed to" replied Jungwon.

A minute passed, the two young men looking at each other.

"I can't believe you still have it" said Jay with a soft voice.
"It's the only thing I have left of you.. of us" whispered Jungwon.

Light shone through Jay's eyes as he saw Jungwon's cheek get a little pink. The shade was extremely different from the red he had seen before.

"I can't believe you are here" added Jungwon, frowning his brows. "Weren't you in the United States?"
"I just got back" explained Jay. "Actually I was going to visit... never mind. Do you have time to grab a coffee or something?"

Jungwon nodded yes. He still couldn't believe Jay was there. THE Jay. His one and only... friend.
The young man blinked twice, trying to keep the tears from filling his eyes.

~

The coffee shop Jay chose turned out to be really cute and well decorated, but Jungwon wasn't really paying attention. If someone asked him, he wouldn't even know what color the table they were about to seat at was.

"So... hum.. are you okay?" asked Jay.

His voice was more nervous than it had been in the park. Perhaps the fact that they had walked to the coffee shop in silence had something to do with it.

Jungwon didn't answer. He was behind the seat the server had showed him, in the quieter corner of the coffee shop.

"I just.. can't believe you are here" said Jungwon. "Like for real. You are really he-"

He didn't get to finish his word. Jay had taken his hand with his and had brought it close to his chest, only stopping when he could feel Jungwon's palm on his heart.

"I'm really here" he simply whispered.

Jungwon could feel the heartbeats under his fingers. His eyes went from his hand, still held by Jay's, until his face.
He was right, he was really here.

Jungwon hadn't seen him in fourteen years and yet, he could have recognized this face a kilometer away. He had the same smile, the same nose, the same heart shaped birthmark on his neck. But mostly, it was the gaze.

Those eyes that pierced Jungwon soul at this moment, just like they did back then.

Before he could realize it, Jungwon's heart was beating in unison with Jay's. At this instant, he felt like nothing had ever separated them.

"I miss you" whispered Jungwon, eyes locked on Jay's. "So much."
"Not as much as I missed you" replied Jay, a soft smile spreading his lips.

Jungwon slowly slid his hand off Jay's chest, circling it as he walked closer to hug him.
Jay was a little taller, just enough for Jungwon to place his head on Jay's shoulder.
Just enough for Jungwon to feel like they were two pieces finally becoming one.

"Why did you have to go?" whispered Jungwon.

A useless question. Jay had left Korea when Jungwon was 12 years old. His father had been called to work abroad and his family had followed. Jungwon knew that and yet, he had asked himself this question every single day for the past 14 years.
The weight of being separated from his best friend, of growing apart, of being alone. All of that that haunted Jungwon all this time.

He had dreamed of Jay coming back to him, only to be terrified that they wouldn't fit anymore.. That they wouldn't understand each other anymore.. That it wouldn't be the same anymore..

Because even though he was young back then, Jungwon knew somehow that he wouldn't find someone else like Jay.
He had called him best friend out loud, but deep down, he did call him soulmate.

But Jay was 15 when he had left. A figteen years old boy out to discover the world, to attend the best schools, to become friends with whoever he wanted.
How would Jay remembered a 12 years old boy left in another country?

What did Jungwon mean to him?

These thoughts swirled around Jungwon, encapsulating him in his deepest fears, until Jay held him a little tighter.

"I know it's probably too late" Jay whispered back. "But I'm here now."

Jungwon pushed back a little, until he could see Jay's face.

"Too late?" he repeated, not understanding what Jay meant.

The latter took a hand off Jungwon and passed it under his shirt's neckline, only to reveal a necklace out a few seconds later.

Jungwon gasped as he recognized the locket in Jay's hand.

"Is that?" he asked, even though he knew the answer.
"I never took it out" whispered Jay, opening up the heart shaped locket.

Jungwon felt his heart stop as he saw the tiny picture of twelve years old him on one side, and a little note saying "your Wonie" on the other.

"I always kept mine too" replied Jungwon, suddenly remembering that his own locket was still with Jay.

The latter reached for his pocket and took Jungwon's locket out, handing it back to him.

Jungwon simply turned around, waiting for Jay to attach it around his neck. He tried to ignore the fire he felt when Jay's fingers lightly brushed against his skin before turning back once more. Jungwon opened the locket, revealing a little picture of Jay on one side, and a "your Jay" on the other. 

"Thank you for finding it" said Jungwon, getting lost in Jay's eyes once again. "I would have been lost without it."

Their faces were really close to each other again, and Jay slowly leaned in.

"For the first time in fourteen years, I don't feel lost anymore" he whispered before softly kissing Jungwon.