Fleeting Moments With You

006

Living alone lessened the pressure of being tidy but I tried to be organized as much as I could. However, the bag that I used on my trip to El Nido remained unpacked. Perhaps, it was the fear of the nostalgia that it would bring. Memories of Dahyun had already bugged me enough and perhaps, deep inside of me, I knew that touching that bag would just make the memories more vivid. However, I braved reliving the memories and told myself to let go after that.

"I should've done this earlier," I groaned as the clothes have already become too smelly.

My face was in an agony as I controlled my breathing, trying to prevent the smell from entering my nose. With difficulties and disgust, I threw the clothes in the laundry bin. I was then checking the pockets, removing the other miscellaneous items when my hand caught a paper. I was to instinctively crumple it as I thought that it was one of my tickets, but the paper was neatly folded, and the lines showed that it was torn from a notebook.

Curiosity filled me as I unravelled the content of the paper and inside was a letter with a familiar handwriting. A smile formed on my lips as I read it to myself audibly:

"Hey Park Jimin.

Has anybody told you that you're still cute even when you're sleeping? Once again, thank you for this wonderful trip. You've filled my heart with so much joy and I hope I had the same effect on you.

This might be too much to ask since I'm still a stranger but if you could grant me one wish, it'd be for you to continue pursuing your dreams. I bet you'd really look handsome with the white uniform on. Actually, please make those wishes two... and let the second one be for you to see your family and be with them again.

Please treasure the people you have left while you still can.

I might have been asking for too many so let's leave this letter at this. Please take care of yourself so that we could see each other again and by that time, remind me how awesome our adventures were.

Hugs and kisses,

Kim Dahyun."

A chuckle escaped my lips again. I could even imagine her telling these words to me and her letter gave the same special effect of hers which would make my heart feel warm and at ease. I was somehow used to her requests, but it made me giddy on how she wished for my own sake. She cared. She cared for me and that was an assurance enough that it was not only I who would unconsciously visit the memories we made in El Nido.

Then my mind wondered back to the requests she made, and I thought that maybe she knew that I couldn't do it for myself, so she doubled the pressure. I lay down on the floor with the thought of organizing things temporarily forgotten as I stared at the piece of paper in my hands.

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I've had chats with my mom, but never a call. I couldn't bring myself to lie while hearing her voice and our chats were also always short. She'd ask me how I was doing and I'd tell her stories: half of them true and half of them were made up. I'd ask her back and the conversation would automatically end when she says three words: I miss you. I'd always say bye after that because I knew that some more loving words from her would cause me to break down for overflowing emotions.

But tonight, I've decided to face the consequences of my lies.

"Hello?"

My heart was thumping loudly in my chest when I was waiting for her to pick-up the call and now that I've finally heard her voice after all those years, I was fighting every urge to cry. I almost forgot how her voice sounded like, but with just one word, I felt like I was home.

"Hi, Mom," I simply greeted.

"Jimin? Jimin, is this you, son? Oh, God. How are you?" she asked without pausing.

There was a long silence between the two of us as I was trying to find a way to use the courage that I have gathered for three long years.

"Hello? Jimin, are you still there?" her voice was now full of concern. I could imagine how her eyes would have glistened with worry when she said, "Is there something wrong?"

"I'm sorry," I said despite all the hesitation, "I'm sorry, Mom. I'm sorry I've been lying."

There was silence in the other line, but I knew that she was intently listening, so I told her. I told her every detail that she should have known. I told her what the truth behind all the lies was. The next thing I knew, I was already crying.

"I'm sorry," I said with my voice already croaking, "What... what can I do for you to forgive me?"

She sniffed, and that was only then that I came to realize that she had also been crying for me. Her voice was raspy as she answered, "Come back, home. Come back and I'd forgive you."

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AN: Any guesses on how they would meet again? ajshaj

Anyway, this is an official announcement that updates for this story would be posted every Tuesday and Saturday! This was supposed to be the Tuesday update. Hahahuhu