Strawberry Milk

Strawberry Cakes (separate)

[Prologue] 

Jungkook had lost a year of his life. The memory of a year. 

The people around him tell him he had lived another year in his life, yet because of this memory loss, he'd returned to his 17 year old self, though now with an 18 year old body. There wasn't any big differences, but there were subtle changes. Like growing three centimetres taller, and having more muscles. He was surprised to see abs on his stomach too.

The most significant though, was his friend Chanho, who no longer spoke to him the way he did before. Although he seemed to be acting normal, Jungkook could tell there was something different about him, as if he was forcing himself to act normal.

Something must've happened between them. 

His intuition told him it was important. Perhaps an important event, an important goal, or, an important person. But no matter what, Jungkook couldn't remember.

And nobody would tell him.

They all pretend as if nothing's happened, and he doesn't understand why.

Today was supposed to be the day he went to work, distribute flyers in a bear costume. But his friends tell him he'd been fired, which was another thing Jungkook didn't remember. 

With nothing to do, Jungkook simply walked around, sauntering around the same mall he used to hand out flyers. Without even knowing himself, he ended up standing right in front of the shopping centre he used to stand every weekend. It was strangely familiar, which, shouldn't be strange at all, but there was something else. There seemed to be something else that was supposed to be here, but wasn't.

Jungkook saw the bench he would sit on after his shift. Without another thought, he headed towards it, sitting down himself. He looked at the spot next to him, wondering if there was supposed to be something here, if there was something missing.

Strawberry milk.

Jungkook's eyebrows creased in confusion. He wondered why 'strawberry milk' had suddenly popped into his head. He circled his eyes around the area, landing on a convenience store and noticing the different beverages displayed on the posters pasted on the windows. 

Jungkook stood up again, intending to head to the convenience store. Yet, he paused again, watching the corner between the convenience store and the flower shop, as if something was to appear.

He was waiting.

But for what? For who?

The day was nearing the afternoon when the crowd began to increase, while Jungkook had eventually bought the strawberry milk from the convenience store, still looking out for the area between the convenience store and the flower shop. He had no intention to leave without figuring at least something from his lost memory. 

There were barely anybody who'd exit out of the corner, and Jungkook was more than frustrated about the matter, reconsidering whether the person he was waiting for would reveal themselves at all. Moreover, it was gradually getting more difficult to see due to the growing crowd of people, as well as the increasing heat of the sun, shining brightly over his eyes.

Jungkook stood up, finally deciding there was no point in waiting where he was, and perhaps it was an error in his recall. 

He began joining in with the people current. 

And that was when he heard it, the one thing that he believed was the most important thing missing from his memory, the one thing that would no doubt bring back his entire year.

'Jingle'

He didn't think, he didn't even try. 

He didn't care about breaking the current of people, ignoring all the complaints as he constantly bumped into, shoving and pushing the crowd out of his way. He didn't even think to apologise. 

All he wanted was to follow the high, clear ringing of a sound. 

He desperately searched for the sound amongst the ocean of people. 

Desperately, for the bell.