X1 imagines

Unfamiliar

"Thank you sunbaenim!" A group of girls said in unison. I bowed down too, and they left the studio after. I started gathering my things and putting them inside my bag. I grab my laptop, earphones, and my phone.

I went to get my wallet on the nearby table when I saw it was opened and there's a picture in it. A polaroid photo of 11 people. I closed it and placed it in my pant pocket. I grabbed my jacket and wore it again.

I asked the staff to call a taxi for me. I will head out without manager hyung. It's not like I needed to be fetched just to go home. I said goodbye to the other staff and headed out of the building where my ride awaits. I greeted the driver and told him where to go.

This is one of those nights when I feel like going out instead of cooping in my room. I told ajussi to take me to Rodeo. The taxi took the main road going there. Although the road is surrounded by buildings, I can see Han river from here.

The streets I used to take with them, going to places together. It's been years since then, we all grow older and wiser. I remember this season years ago when I first met them. It was winter turning to spring back then. We are strangers in one place, we barely know each other.

Yet, as the cold winds and snow turned into flowers, we got closer to one another. I remember in Spring we used to walk hand in hand while introducing ourselves to people. I got a chance to be close to almost everyone back then.

The memory of that time flashes in my mind. It is warm and comfortable. I paid my bill and went out of the taxi. I took a walk on the busy streets. I remember one time during that spring, we had a time to go to school or to rest.

My school is near this place and they fetched me to hang out in this place. It was fun. I get to enjoy my time with them like a normal teenager with his friends. I walk around to buy the same food we used to enjoy together.

People are staring at me and seem to recognize who I am, but they did not bother to come at me for a photo or for a signature. I must've looked pitiful being alone which I really hated back then.

The air in these busy streets seems familiar yet there's a sense of unfamiliarity to it. I reached the place where we enjoyed our food. The old lady recognized me, and she immediately asked me how many I would order. She must've been used to seeing me with them as she was surprised, I only said one corn dog instead.

To be honest, it seemed hollow when I set foot in this place. It is weird that even though I am familiar with this place, it still felt like a stranger to me. The imo went to prepare my order. She placed down our usual food in this place.

She might've remembered how we ate a lot before and how we like these foods but, even this thing felt really strange now that I am alone. I remember every time we met up in this place, it was warm and vibrant but now, it is dull.

After the meal I continued walking through the streets and hailed another ride going home. Back then, we are happy and seem to be carefree. We are naive and young. It was a joyful memory I have in my youth.

We faced the change of season together with smiles and excitement. I can remember how my heart fluttered with them by my side. From spring to summer, we are working hard but together we didn't know how cruel this world we are living in. We laughed even though we are beyond exhausted.

From a summer together where we met a lot of people, enjoyed and celebrated new milestones in life, we excitedly moved to autumn full of positive energy to meet these people even though we never called to see us, are there to share other beautiful moments. We celebrated yet another milestone with each other, doing what we love together.

As the saying goes, every happiness has an equivalent pain. As the wind became colder and the season changed into winter, the unexpected storm came to our lives. It hurts not to be able to do what we love to do, together. It hurts not to see the people and that time where we unexpectedly went on our separate ways came.