Our Scented Garden (JoongNine AU)

Chapter 6

2 Years Ago

Nine

My hands were sweaty. I tried to wipe them dry to the side of my pants. I was standing in front of his door. My head was in jumble. What should I say first? Hi? Sorry? Just run to him? Hug first, then talk? I was too nervous.

I turned the knob and opened the door. It was dark. Too dark. The familiar scent of him was not there. Only a clean smell of something that was recently cleaned, filled my senses. I switched the light on. Everything was perfectly in place, arranged, cleaned up. The bed was covered with white cloth. The table where usually was full with books, was empty. I went to open the locker, only a row of hangers left, no trace of even a single clothe was there.

My hands started to shake. This emptiness suddenly felt suffocating to me. I started to breathe heavily while looking around. No sign of anything left behind, not even a piece of his clothe that I could take away and keep. I took out my phone and dialed his number. The number was not working anymore. Not in service. My legs gave out and I sat on the floor. My body curved in, holding myself that suddenly felt cold. Shivering. My lips were trembling. I could feel the lump in my throat, the start of a sniff, that no matter how hard I tried to hold in, suddenly broke into uncontrolled sobs.

Another person came into the room, no not just a person, both my parents came in and held me in their tight embrace. I could feel my mother's hands that kept stroking my back and wiping my tears. But still, it didn't comfort me even a little. I needed to feel another person's touch, I wanted to be held inside his embrace, I wanted to sleep while looking at his back, sitting at the desk, studying quietly in a limited light, just so I could sleep without being disturbed.

Was he angry with my what I'd said? Did he feel too hurt? I'll apologize, a thousand times if need be. I won't ask for any answer anymore. I'll be satisfied with just being together without any label. No, this must be temporary. I stopped crying and took a deep breath. I smiled at my parents and just said with voice full of positivity.

"We'll be okay, Ma, Pa. We have never been without each other for more than a month. He'll be here again. Yes, he'll definitely be here again. He knows that I need him by my side when it is hard to sleep. So, okay. I'm okay".

"Nai, Joong won't be back home anymore", Ma said slowly.

"No! No! You and Pa are rarely home. Both of you won't know whether he'll come back home or not. Mae..Por... I'll ask them, they'll know, yes, they'll know...", I said and stood up.

"They all had moved out, Nai. Please, listen to us. Mae, Por and Joong, everyone is not here anymore!", Pa cut me off curtly.

I shook my head. Headache, my head felt a major headache. I held my head and tried to clear my blurry vision. I saw my parents in double..and then, everything turned black.

*****

The Kornchids

"Ma, what are we going to do, now? I told you he was not ready yet. He just woke up, after 3 weeks, unconscious, at the hospital. We shouldn't bring him here too fast".

"What should I do, Pa?. The first thing he asked when he woke up was to see Joong. He almost ran away from the bed, if not subdued by the weakened muscles. I already asked the doctor, the test showed that everything else was normal. But you saw that right? His reaction, was almost the same as when he first knew it, back when he first found them gone".

"We were careless, Ma. We should have stopped him faster after he ran out of the house, driving in that messed up condition. He must be driving mindlessly. We are a fucked-up kind of parents. Because Nai has grown up, we thought that he'd manage his emotions better. We misjudged his attachment to the Aydins, to Joong. I especially fucked everything the most".

"Yes, we are that ignorant, Pa. But, things had happened. Starting from now, let's focus on healing our son, first. Later, we shall search for the Aydins again. I, especially want to ask for their forgiveness, for messing up their life, and my son's life too. If I was not blinded with hate on you, and let my own pride to have a descendant took over, this won't even happen. At least I could try to just be happy having Nine as my son".

"My stupidity had pushed you to do it. Thinking back, Nine's mother was just an ordinary person too, not from any established family. So, it was my prideful self, that wanted Nine to be with someone from a good family. I failed to see, good family doesn't only mean money alone, but also upbringing, regardless of their status".

The Kornchids just bowed their heads in regret, but for the first time, their talk was sincere, without angst or anger. Maybe, it was a good start, to build understanding, as what Joong had asked them to try.

Their son was sleeping a room away, lost in a dream of his childhood friend, his teenage crush and always, always, someone he loved the most. Tomorrow, he would be fine again, because time would restart itself in his world, where Joong was still here, waiting for him in his room, waiting for him to come...and make amend.