FATE REWRITTEN.....

6. Memories Revisited (Part-1)

      After finishing their meal, the two of them moved to the kitchen, quietly working together to clean up the dishes. The clinking of bowls and running water filled the silence, but it wasn't uncomfortable. If anything, it felt peaceful. Soobin watched Yeonjun out of the corner of his eye, noticing how much lighter he seemed after the nap and the warm meal.

As they finished cleaning, Yeonjun wiped his hands on a towel and headed toward the living room, collapsing onto the couch with a soft sigh. Soobin followed him, his gaze falling on a small box tucked under the table near the couch. He hadn't noticed it before, but something about it caught his attention.

"Hey, what's in that box?" Soobin asked curiously, pointing toward it.

Yeonjun looked at the box and smiled softly, though there was a hint of nostalgia in his eyes. "Oh, that's just some old stuff. Childhood memories... photos mostly."

Soobin's interest piqued. He grabbed the box and brought it over to the couch, placing it on the table in front of them. "Can I take a look?"

Yeonjun shrugged, though the idea of revisiting his past brought a warmth to his chest. "Sure."Soobin carefully opened the box, and as the lid came off, a flood of memories spilled out.

Inside were toys—small action figures Yeonjun used to play with as a kid. A scarf, faded but still vibrant with the love it carried, caught Soobin's eye. Yeonjun gently touched it, his fingers brushing over the fabric.

"My mom made this for me when I was five." Yeonjun said quietly. His voice was steady, but Soobin could hear the affection and pain that lingered in those words.

Soobin's gaze softened. "You must have really loved it."

Yeonjun nodded, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "I wore it everywhere. I thought it made me look cool." He chuckled at the memory, though there was a sadness in his eyes. Then, Soobin's hand found something else—a small, worn-out bag. He pulled it out, recognizing it immediately.

"This... this is the bag I gave you for your sixth birthday," Soobin said, the words catching in his throat as the memory resurfaced.

Yeonjun's eyes lit up, and a playful grin formed on his lips. "I can't believe you remember that! You were so proud of it back then. I used this every day for school."

Soobin chuckled, his fingers running over the fabric. "I picked it out myself. I remember thinking it was the coolest thing in the world."

"It was. It still is," Yeonjun replied softly, his voice filled with warmth. The nostalgia between them settled into something comforting. There was no need for many words—they both understood how much those small tokens meant.

Then Soobin's hand brushed against a photo album at the bottom of the box. He pulled it out, excitement flashing in his eyes. "Look at this! Let's see what's inside."

Yeonjun smiled as they opened the album together, the first page revealing a tiny photo of a newborn—Yeonjun, just one day old. His tiny hands were balled into fists, and his eyes barely open.

"Yeonjunniee is soooo cuteeeeeeee" Soobin cooed, unable to contain the teasing in his voice. "Look at your little face, it's adorable!"

Yeonjun blushed hard, his cheeks turning a deep shade of pink. "Shut up," he mumbled, though a shy smile tugged at the corners of his lips. "That was when I was just one day old. Mom used to say I cried the entire day."

They flipped to the next photo—a one-month-old Yeonjun wrapped in a small blanket, staring wide-eyed at the camera.

"This one... I was a month old," Yeonjun said, pointing at the photo with a small laugh.

But the next photo they turned to hit harder. The moment their eyes landed on it, their laughter faded. It was a picture of Yeonjun with his mother. She was lifting him high into the air, her face radiant with joy. Her long hair shimmered in the sunlight, and her eyes sparkled with love as she gazed at her baby. Yeonjun looked exactly like her, especially his eyes.

Soobin's throat tightened as he looked at Yeonjun's mother, and he turned to see Yeonjun silently wiping away tears.

"She was beautiful," Soobin said softly, his voice thick with emotion.

Yeonjun gave him a soft, tear-filled smile. "She really was." He wiped his tears again, trying to keep the emotion from overwhelming him. Soobin gently patted his shoulder, the unspoken comfort between them filling the space.

The next few photos were also of Yeonjun and his mother—each one a precious memory, each one a painful reminder of what was lost. With each photo, Yeonjun's sadness deepened. He realized that there wasn't a single picture of him with his father. Not one. There wasn't even a family picture. The absence of those photos weighed heavily on Yeonjun, a reminder of the love he had lost and the love he had never truly received.

Soobin noticed the change in Yeonjun's demeanor but didn't push him. Instead, they turned the page together. The next photo made them both stop in their tracks. It was a picture of Soobin and Yeonjun standing side by side, holding hands. Their small faces were filled with joy.

"This was when we first met!" they both said at the same time, and then burst into laughter. The tension broke, and for a moment, the heaviness lifted.

"I wish we could go back to those days," Soobin said, his voice soft, almost wistful."Me too," Yeonjun agreed, his eyes shining with nostalgia.

They flipped through the remaining pages, laughing at the photos of them playing in the park, eating ice cream, building sandcastles and laughing together. It was as if they had traveled back in time, reliving the innocence and happiness they shared as children.

But the next photo made Soobin freeze. It was a picture of him and Yeonjun with his grandparents. Soobin was sitting on his grandfather's lap, while Yeonjun was sitting with his grandmother, both of them laughing.

Yeonjun, unaware of Soobin's sudden shift in mood, took the photo from his hands, excitement in his voice. "This pic is from when my mom and I first visited your house. Grandma and Grandpa took such great care of me that day. I can still remember the taste of Grandma's food. I miss them.... Soobin, are they still in the U.S.? We should visit them during summer vacation! I'm excited to meet them again. Let's do a video call tomorrow."

Soobin remained silent, his eyes glued to the photo, tears welling up. The weight of loss hit him all at once. His grandparents weren't in the U.S. anymore—they were gone. And Yeonjun didn't know.

"Soobin?" Yeonjun asked softly, reaching out to tap his shoulder. "What's wrong?"Soobin finally turned, his face streaked with tears. He couldn't hold them back anymore. They fell, silent and unrelenting.

End of Chapter 6.1

14/10/2024

to be continued...