Ineffable 𓇢𓆸 || Jakehoon

🍃 Chapter 50🍃

The air is cooler now, the fire from earlier slowly dying out as we head back toward the others. The sound of footsteps crunching on the dry leaves is the only noise as we make our way through the darkened woods, the shadows stretching long under the moonlight. The trees seem endless, but there's a comfort in knowing we're not alone. We have each other.

As we approach the small clearing where the rest of the group is waiting, I spot a few of the younger children running toward us, their faces full of excitement. Their eyes are wide, as though they've been waiting all night to see us again.

Without a word, the kids reach us, giggling and holding out their small hands. One of the little girls runs straight to me, wrapping her arms around my waist before I even get a chance to react. I laugh softly, lifting her up into my arms. She hugs me tightly, and for a moment, everything else fades away-the war, the pain, the fear. It's just me and this small child, her innocent trust in me grounding me, reminding me what we're fighting for.

Jay, a few steps ahead of me, is already lifting up another child, his usual stern expression softening with the little girl's embrace. The others follow, the group of children circling around us, offering flowers.

"Look! We picked these for you!" One of the boys hands Jake a little bouquet of wildflowers, and Jake takes it with a smile, bending down to their level to thank them.

"They're beautiful," he says, his voice gentle, like he's holding something precious. "Thank you."

Jungwon smiles as he accepts the small bouquet too, while Sunoo and Eunhee laugh as the younger kids shyly place flower crowns on their heads, made from the same wildflowers they picked. It's such a simple gift, but it means more than anything right now. There's a raw purity in it, the kind of innocence that's untouched by the horrors around us.

The flowers, the laughter of the children, it makes everything feel... normal, if only for a moment.

The kids continue to give flowers to the rest of the group-Niki and Heeseung, who accept them with their own smiles-and then, just as quickly as they arrived, the children run back to their parents, their joyful chatter fading into the distance.

The world feels a little quieter after they leave. It's a bittersweet moment, full of love and longing, the kind of love that reminds us of what we could lose if we don't fight for it.

I glance at Jake, catching his eye for a moment. His expression is soft, but there's a faraway look in his eyes as if he's lost in his own thoughts.

As the group starts to settle back in, preparing for another night of rest, I sit beside Jake. We both stare into the fire for a while, neither of us saying anything.

Then, Jake finally speaks, his voice low, almost as if he's talking to himself. "When you asked everyone what their dream was," he says, his eyes still fixed on the flickering flames, "I didn't have a proper answer... not one that felt right. But now... I think I know."

I turn to look at him, his profile illuminated by the firelight. He looks so calm, so peaceful, despite everything that's happening around us.

"I just want to go back to the garden," he says softly, almost like he's remembering something far off in the distance. "Back to the place where we first met. Where everything felt... simple. Before everything got so complicated. Before the world changed."

I feel my heart tighten in my chest, knowing exactly what he means.

"I'd go back there with you, Jake," I say, my voice barely above a whisper. "If it meant we could forget all this, just for a moment."

He turns to me, his gaze meeting mine, and there's a quiet understanding between us.

"Maybe one day we can," he says, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "When all of this is over, we can go back to that garden. And maybe-just maybe-it won't just be a memory. Maybe we'll find peace there again."

I nod slowly, even though I don't know if that's a promise we can keep. But in this moment, with the fire crackling beside us and the soft whispers of the forest in the background, it feels like it's possible.

We may not know what tomorrow will bring, but at least we have today. And that's enough.