Voices in the Crease | A Yoonseok Story

Chapter Two

The clouds have consumed the city, allowing the taller buildings to surface. The rain started to pour harder with the harsh wind. People walked by the street clutching their raincoats tightly. People were running through the streets, hiding their bags from the rainwater. Children skipped through the roads, hopping into puddles, allowing themselves to be consumed in the amusement of the rain while giggling and exclaiming in delight.

Yoongi stared at his window, mindlessly observing the raindrops trickling down the glass as the city covered itself in the morning fog. Morning rain was always comforting to Yoongi. With the fog and the soft sound of rain against glass made the usually busy city seem to fade away as if it was just a fantasy.
Yoongi sat on the edge of his bed with an empty mug in his hand. A morning coffee as an attempt to wipe off his tiredness. He slowly rose from his bed and placed the mug on his study table as he stared at the pile of papers on his desk, reaching for his glasses.
He put them on and began to arrange his papers in chronological order, reading through them carefully.
Finally, he slipped the papers into the binder and read through them again.
He was happy with how his research project was turning out so far. He knew that he had done more than what the teacher would be expecting- which made hope for a better grade.
I just wanted her to be proud of me... after all that she has done for me
"Yoongi!" He heard his aunt calling out his name, interrupting Yoongi from his thoughts. She opened the door to his room and smiled.
"I'm off to work, call me if you need anything,"

"Wait," Yoongi says, standing up, "I'll come too, I need to meet Namjoon today. We have to work on a project,"

He added, slipping on a long, black coat. He ran his hand through his black hair and shoved his binder into his bag.
"You'll come with me on the train? It's only two stops after I leave," Yoongi nodded and picked up his shoes and slipped his phone into his pocket.
As he walked down the street with his umbrella in hand, he took in the smell of the early rain and admired how beautiful the streets looked with the rain pouring and the mist appearing due to the violent splash of raindrops. A sudden breeze swept across Yoongi, causing water to spray on his face. He just smiled widely, wiping the water off his glasses.

"I love when it rains," He said mostly to himself, receiving a hum of agreement from his aunt walking beside him.The two of them walked to the underground tubes, waiting amongst the crowd of people. Many of them looked irritated and impatient.It was evident that most people ran away from the rain and ended up here. People were trying to dry themselves up, pulling out napkins from their pockets. Some were shivering and sneezing, hugging their coat even tighter.

Yoongi adjusted his bag over his shoulder to reach into his pocket and pull out his phone. He aimlessly scrolled through his social media, refreshing several apps to pass his time waiting. A sudden voice from ahead of him made him briefly glance up. Surely enough, there was a young boy hastily picking himself from the ground, reaching for the book beside him, apologising frequently to the lady beside him in a small attempt at etiquette. A small smile tugged at Yoongi's lips on the familiar mannerisms that seemed to pull him into a vortex of the past in a bittersweet form. A feeling rather described as nostalgia.

The boy steadied himself and stood up straight with the book in his hand. Yoongi looked at his face, taking in his features and mannerisms before his stomach sank and eyes widened.
Is that really him? Would he really be here? Man, I can't remember. It was so long ago! Damnit, I don't know if it's really him...
Yoongi's eyes lowered, his mind racing with questions.

It couldn't be... He can't be the same person...

He looked up again, his eyes meeting the stranger's.

But he looks exactly like him...
He quickly turned away, staring as the train approached. It screeched to a stop in front of him, blocking the view to the familiar stranger.

________

An extract from an old diary:
I have to tell them today. I can't believe I signed up without them knowing. I don't know what they will think- I'm so scared. But, this was my first chance! I couldn't have missed it, for anything in the world.
But I know mum will hate it. They will think of me as an embarrassment. But I need to do this.
I just wish I had a friend to talk to... My only friend has already left.