Half/Half Inspired by this list , also I go outside and watched people do mundane things yesterday.

This has been on my draft since last month, sorry I'm slow.

Thanks for the sub/view/comments, I hope the universe got your back :)

Sonder

The realization that each passerby has a life as vivid and complex as your own

//

Jiyong is a city boy who was on a field trip from his school, meet Seunghyun who helps his family selling things at Itaewon Antique Furniture Street.

Human's brain always finds negativity to be contagious, at least that's what Jiyong things. He is a worri-er kinda person. Youngbae scolded him a lot for that, he remembers Youngbae said something that nailed the most to his forgetful mind

"I am not saying your problem is not valid, but there is always people who are sadder, poorer, having harder time and also more tired. We should try to see life as something to be grateful about, don't you think?'

What Youngbae said nailed to Jiyong's mind for days, especially today. He needs to go on a field trip and what's worse more than a 2 days field trip ? Not having your bestfriend by your side. Their teacher make sure every close friends and every gang didn't get into the same group and same city.

For someone who came from Seoul, Jiyong is your usual city boy. He rides public bus to go anywhere, to school, to buy groceries, to visit his parents' workplace, etc His parents means a lot to him, they were everywhere and always make sure that Jiyong was protected and safe.

That's why he was really anxious when he knew that he needs to spend one night on the local villager's home and needs to help them with work the next morning, and he needs to do all that, without Dong Youngbae.

What is Kwon Jiyong without Dong Youngbae? Sure Jiyong sometimes braver than Youngbae, but he is honestly a shy kid, he just hopes that he can go along well with the family from the village. If Youngbae was with him, Jiyong wouldn't have to worry cos Youngbae is easy to get close to, he is an extrovert, he can talk and start conversation with everyone. He really needs Youngbae and to make it even more worse, there's gonna be no wifi, and he just hopes that his signal would be stable so at least if he can't sleep, at least he can call Youngbae or maybe his mom. Who knows maybe he might miss his cat and wanted to video call her.

He's been walking for awhile at Itaewon Antique Furniture Street and then he found it, the family owned antique shop, the one that he'd spend two days with, the shop says 'Snowflakes' in english, he doesn't understand why would the owner named it in english and also why is it snowflakes but then he tried to be brave and start stressing on how to make himself presentable after the trip from Seoul this early morning and how to announce himself.

"Excuse me, good morning."

"Good morning, hello?"

"Hi! You must be Jiyong?"

"Yes. Good morning Mrs. Choi ? I'm the student that will help you and stay with your family here until tomorrow."

"Hi, Jiyong. Come here I'll show you your room, you'll be sharing with my son. I hope you are okay with that, I think you guys are on the same age. How old are you now?"

"I'm 17, Mrs.Choi"

"Ah I see. My Seunghyun is one year older than you then. Hopefully you guys would get along well. He doesn't talk a lot, he's a quiet kid, sometimes people thinks he's arrogant, but he isn't. I hope you can be his friend, Jiyong."

"I will maam, hopefully." 

Then there he goes.

He saw a young man, the man that is around his age, but looks quite older than him.

Since then, Jiyong wonders. Seunghyun is tall, handsome, looks like a polite person. But Jiyong things this Seunghyun looks a bit sad. He wonders who took the light out of Seunghyun's eyes away? What happened with him?

"Hi, I'm Jiyong. You must be Seunghyun. I just talked to Mrs.Choi earlier."

"Yeah, Hi, Jiyong. I'm Seunghyun."

"Is there anything I can help you with?"

"Hmm, you can put your bag near the cashier desk there and then join me again back here, let's count the inventory stock."

"Okay."

Counting the stock turns out to be a hard work, you need to know and match the data from the shop's computer with the real thing physically. It's hard and Jiyong is starving. His head never been good with working administratively, especially when hunger strikes.

"Seunghyun, what is blue bracelet pot mean? I don't see any pot here."

Seunghyun then raise himself from his seat and reached said pot.

"Here"

"But there's no bracelet?"

"This thing right here, these dots is float to the surface, and if you touched it, these dots connects itself to each other and it makes a line that surrounds this pot, it looks like a bracelet that surrounds your wrist. That's why I called it blue bracelet pot."

"Ah, these dots! You're right it feels like the pot wearing bracelet. Does this pot sells well though?"

Seunghyun seems to be dejected all of sudden ans Jiyong needs to slapped his mouth later for keep asking the question.

"People seems to not like this pot, maybe because it's tiny and it can only pour one or two tiny cups of tea, also there are plenty of those tea pots that looks fancier with flowers and stuff. While this one looks so old fashion. I like this pot though, it reminds me of my dad's teapot, the one that he used to have to make coffee."

"I see, well hopefully there's someone who will buy it soon."

"Yeah."

"Is it your favourite item in the shop?"

"Yeah."

"May I ask why?"

"It looks like my dad's old teapot, it reminds me of the good times, but it also reminds me on how the past is in the past."

"I see."

"Are you hungry?"

"Starving."

"Sorry, let's go outside and eat with my mom."

Slow day turns into darkness. Jiyong is now tidying up his things, he was feeling awkward with Seunghyun the whole day, partly because he is not that good with small talk. But somehow after lunch they found their mutual things to talk about i.e food and thankfully Seunghyun can't stop talking about mandu and so does Jiyong with tteok. It was confusing, Jiyong wanted to say bubble tea as his fav but then he didn't want to appear too arrogant, didn't want Seunghyun to see him as someone who came from the Seoul city so then he said tteok instead, he does likes it, he thinks.

Seunghyum turns out to be someone that he can rely on, mostlikely because Seunghyun is the son of the owner. Snowflakes was opened during 1950s by Seunghyun's grandparents from his mother's side, and then it became his mother's and his to operate it ever since his grandparents passed away. His sister live in Jamsil with her family and Jiyong learnt that Seunghyun has one cutie nephew named Yeoungjun.. Jiyong likes that Seunghyun's eyes lit when he talked about that kid, he somehow find himself wanting to be the reason for that light. He learnt this fact from Seunghyun himself while having lunch, strangely Seunghyun never mentioned his dad. 

"I finished, you want to wash up?"

"Nah. I already used the bathroom downstairs."

"Okay."

"Seunghyun, is it really okay for me to sleep in your bedroom? I can sleep on the sofa downstairs, I don't want to make you uncomfortable."

"It's okay, really. It's nice to have friend, it's been awhile."

"Been awhile?"

"Yeah. All I do was work and I don't go out often, and all my friends are in Jamshil, my hometown. So I only talk with mom and few neighbors near here."

"Can I ask you something?"

"About what?"

"I don't want to jump into your territory but is there something bothering you? Are you okay?" 

Silence.

Seunghyun doesn't talk, doesn't answer Jiyong's question.

The only sound that they heard was the clock's tick and tock.

"You don't have to answer me, I'm sorry."

"It's hard, Jiyong. I'm tired, I'm just tired."

"You can tell me anything, Seunghyun. I will listen to you, I won't judge."

Seunghyun nods so they decided to lay down together, engulfed under the same blanket and Jiyong waits patiently until Seunghyun talked.

"I have insomnia, but I don't think it's the usual insomnia. When I try to sleep, when I close my eyes, I have, I saw flashback from bad memories. Flasback of my dad, Flashback of people who hurts me, things like that. I am tired. I don't want to see them anymore. Sometimes I imagine not being able to see , to think, or even to breathe at all. So that I can shut it off."

Jiyong doesn't know what to do, he just looked at Seunghyun's eyes and nods. As if to ask him to continue. 

"My head is a mess, I think bad things a lot, I am still here because my mother. I can't leave her alone, she needs me, we needs each other. Ever since dad leaves us, I am his shoulder to cry on. But I am tired. I really am tired. Sometimes I just want to lay down without thinking and remembering anything. It's tiring. But Yeongjun has helped me a lot, I'm happy if I see him and if I remember him."

"Do you miss him?"

"Yeah. My sis visited us two weeks ago but I planned to go see them at the end of this month, I need to see my nephew."

"Your dad. Do you miss your dad?"

"I don't know. I wish I can tell you, but I don't understand myself. Sometimes I'm angry, sometimes I'm sad, sometimes I wanted his company to be near us, I don't know most of times I'm just angry. All these thoughts makes me tired and makes my head cloudy."

"Do you want to be happy, Seunghyun?"

"What is happiness, Jiyong?"

"Happiness is when your heart, your mind, your body all in balance. Happiness is when you forgive and let go of the past. Happiness is when you cherish life just because life is a gift. I know it's strange for you to hear this but from the very first time I saw you, I want to wipe your burden away. I wanted to make you happy. I don't know why but I want you to be happy. There is always a light at the end of the tunnel, Seunghyun. Will you let me lit it?"

"I don't think I'm brave enough."

"That's why I am here, don't you think? So that we can lit it together."

"Okay."

"Okay."

"I'm feeling sleepy. Will you still be here when I wake up?" 

"Yes. I won't leave until tomorrow night."

Jiyong had it all noted. Youngbae was right. Everyone has their own ups and downs. Life is never easy for anyone. He makes sure to stop being whiney to his parents and to Youngbae too when he comes back tomorrow. How he wishes he can still be near Seunghyun. Even if it's just for sitting near him, listening to him, to count the stock with him, to clean the shop with him. Jiyong somehow wishes tomorrow never comes. But then the bus to Seoul and all his schoolmates would awaits him tomorrow. 

"Will you remember me?"

"Hmm?"

"Will you still remembers me?"

"I will, always. I am glad we met, Seunghyun."

"Me too, Jiyong. Me too."

"Let's sleep?"

"Yes. Good night, Jiyong."

"Good night, rest well Seunghyun."

Jiyong went to bed hand in hand with Seunghyun, at least the boy smiled and looks calm now. He is glad that he was the one that planted that smile. How he hopes that his days with Seunghyun would be more than just for this field trip. He then wrote his address and phone number, placed it under the sleeping Seunghyun's pillow. He also placed his own bracelet with a smiley face together with the letter, hopefully Seunghyun will go find him, someday. And he thinks if he talk to Youngbae about this, he needs to say to him that he got the lesson learned. Youngbae was right, everyone's life is complex and everyone is fighting their own battle.

Hi, Seunghyun.

Thank you for the warm and for your kindness.

It's my last day here, I am glad we turned from strangers to friends real fast.

I wish you brighter days and happier days ahead. Please know that I am here for you, you can always call or send me letter, if you wanted. I will definitely send you and Mrs. Choi some.  Please thank her for me. 

I hope you won't have trouble sleeping anymore.

I left my bracelet for you, it's not blue but hopefully when you see or wear it, it will reminds you of me.

Sad that I have to go home but I can't wait to see you again, Seunghyun.

Let's meet again, shall we?

From Kwon Jiyong

822-730128

Apartment 701 Number 01

Myeongdong, Seoul