The Echoes Of Autumn | Minseok

Chapter Fourteen

Minseok's POV - The Past

I felt the hard ground beneath me and I flung my arm out feeling the crunch of the leaves beneath me. I heard the faint sound of children giggling, my eyes fluttered open and I was blinded by the sunlight.

I was of course back in the alternative past again and I have a strong feeling that Sumi has been summoning me but I just didn't know why?

I sat up from the pile of leaves thinking back to the rather strange dreams that I had the night before. The first one being where three sketchbooks were merging together as one, now that I think about it. I feel as if I have seen those sketchbooks books before. However, I just couldn't seem to put my finger on where I had seen them.

The other dream or was it a dream at all. It was more a memory where I had said I love you to Sumi for the first time. Having this sudden memory come to mind really made my heart ache for it wasn't easy seeing someone you love have no memory of you at all.

Like you were a complete stranger to them where everything had to start from scratch, where I was left to recall all the memories we had together. she could not remember any, not even the amount of significance this park had held for both of us.

Sometimes, I wonder why I am here? Why I am still chasing after something that won't ever come back to me no matter how hard I try... But the first time you fall in love, it changes you forever and no matter how hard you try, that feeling never goes away...It stays there and lingers creating a home inside your body where it happens to stay for a long time.

Although I can't ignore the fact that ever since I have travelled back, I have been looking after myself more and find myself craving to have more minutes, hours and seconds in this alternative past...

Just seeing Oh Sumi alive and breathing was enough for me, even if she didn't know who I was or I was suddenly not able to come back to this past again it was enough to keep me at peace knowing that she was okay.

I sighed deeply at how long I had been lost in thought until I saw Jongdae in the distance practically running over to me. He came over, panting hard, trying to catch his breath. I stood up from the pile of leaves as he gasped out between breaths:

'Coffee.... Shop...Broken...Into....'

My eyes winded in shock upon hearing those words.

"When? How?" I asked.

Jongdae was still chasing after his breath and was about to speak again.

"You know what, never mind... We need to get there fast!"

I was already bolting out of the park towards the shop and Jongdae was slowly lagging behind me. I stopped when I saw the familiar coffee shop look like it had been wrecked to pieces. Jongdae bumped into my back causing me to stumble forward slightly as I looked at the shop outside. The door had come off its hinges and the glass window had been shattered. leaving large chunks of glass scattered on the floor.

I automatically moved forwards seeing the boss sit on the steps with his head buried in his hands.

"Sir, who did this? Did you check the CCTV cameras?" I asked timidly.

He abruptly looked at me where hints of stress and despair were visible on his face as he said:

"We don't know who did it because the CCTV camera never caught them.." He let out a deep sigh before putting his head in his hands again.

I looked over at Jongdae, who simply shrugged at me. I looked towards the boss again about to ask him another question when Jongdae tugged on my jacket pulling me away.