I looked up from the floor, since I couldn’t get up properly, rubbing my eyes to find the boy who got beat up yesterday leaning against the bathroom door. He was wearing a hospital gown as well but he wore the same necklace that I saw last night over them. This time I got a proper look at it. 

It was definitely a red bunny.

“Yongguk?” I said cautiously, uncertain of his answer.

The boy nodded and spoke in a deep voice that I was not used to.

“Yep. That’s my name. What’s your name kid?”

I looked down. He didn’t remember me. Maybe it’s because we’re older... But then again, I remembered all of them. Well I’m used to it now. All five of them don’t remember. But what got me was the fact that he didn’t ask how I knew his name.

“Choi Junhong.” I said with a soft voice, looking at his face through the corner of my eye to see if my name rang a bell in his head. 

Seeing him in the light properly and not covered in blood and bruises was extremely different though; his hair was slightly messy, his muscles showed through the hospital gown and his body was covered with scars and bruises all over his body.

“Are you alright?” I said worried as I looked at his large scars, but to my surprise he started laughing at me.

“So you’re the one that got knocked out and you’re asking me if I’m alright?” he chuckled pointing to himself.

I smiled while he laughed. It was ironic. I was the one that got knocked out. But he seemed better today than he was yesterday.

Oh what do you know about him Zelo? You haven’t even seen him until yesterday and he was getting beaten up then as well. For all you know those guys could come back.

I slowly stood up from the cold hard floor and sat on the bed, holding onto the side of the bed for support since my stomach started to hurt.

“What was with those guys last night?” I asked out of curiosity.

Yongguk stopped laughing and gave me a serious look. “It’s nothing...” he said, waving his hand. “They just have problems with my parents.”

MY PARENTS!

My eyes widened. Yongguk walked to the couch and sat down as I panicked, limping around the room frantically as I tried to find my bag. I looked underneath the beds, inside the cupboards even inside the bathroom with only one thought stuck in my head: I had to call my parents.

Yongguk looked at me weirdly as I limped around. “What’s wrong kid?” he asked as he leaned forward.

My head was inside one of the cupboards, which was only filled with food, when I answered in a scared tone, “My parents don’t know I’m here. They’re going to kill me.”

I’ve never been out past my curfew before. They’d never believe me if I told them I met everyone again and then got beat up. They’d tell me off and probably ground me. Even though that’s never happened before... They would be worried either way.

“Oh. You don’t have to worry about them.” 

I turned around, tilted my head in confusion. He relaxed on the back of the couch and put his arms behind his head and added, “I already called them using your phone.”

“Oh... Okay...” I said softly. I limped over to my bed and sat down when I realised something important. My eyes widened as I screamed, “YOU USED MY PHONE?!”

Yongguk smiled and nodded his head, holding up my phone. “Yeah I did. Why? Was I not supposed to?”

“Last time I checked you were passed out,” he continued, leaning forward on the couch with a serious look in his face. “I bet your parents would’ve killed both you AND me if I went to your house with their unconscious son.”

Even though I hated the fact that he used my phone, he was right. He couldn’t have taken me home when I was unconscious. They’d probably ask him how it all happened and he’d probably say the truth.

I nodded and looked down as he threw my phone into my hands. I looked slightly to my right and saw that Yongguk laid back on the couch again and closed his eyes. 

The only thing that I was worried about was the fact that I attached my bunny to my phone.  Did he see it? Yongguk also said something about going to my house... Does that mean he remembers?

It’s been seven years since I’ve seen all five of them and now they all suddenly show up on the same day. Also, we’re all going to the same school. But no one, except me, remembers our friendship. 

At least I hope not.

“Hey Yongguk...” I started with a soft voice. He opened one eye and nodded his head, signaling that he was listening. “How long have you been in Kirin?”

Yongguk opened his other eye, leaned forward and rubbed his head. I didn’t really want to make our conversations awkward so I started with a small topic. But I really wanted to know what he did for seven years.

“I’ve only been here for a few days,” Yongguk answered while rubbing his head, “I’ve been moving around all over the place so it doesn’t feel new to me.”

Yongguk’s been moving? He hasn’t stayed in one place? Maybe that’s why he never replied or sent messages to us... He probably never received them in the first place.

“Where did you live?” I asked. If he was still living in Korea he should’ve been able to at least email us... But he did move overseas...

“I moved to Canada for a few years...” Yongguk started while looking at the ceiling. “Then I went to Australia...” He started counting on his fingers. “Then China, America, Malaysia, Italy, Japan and then back to Korea.”

My eyes widened as he finished his sentence. I thought he only moved to one place... not multiple places. He’s basically lived in one country for one year. Why would he do that?

“I had family troubles.” he continued as if he could read my mind, “People usually ask me that. You don’t have to worry.” 

He shook his hand in front of his face and smirked as he stood up, walking to the cupboard filled with food and playing with the red bunny on his necklace.

I had a feeling that the others didn’t know why they kept their bunnies. Jongup said he didn’t know why he kept it but whenever he wanted to throw it away something stopped him. Maybe, just maybe, in the back of their minds they all still remember.

“Yongguk?” I said softly as he grabbed a packet of food from the cupboard. He opened it and looked at me. “Um... Where did you get that bunny?”

Yongguk took a bite out of his food before answering my question. “This small thing?” he gestured to the bunny on his necklace before continuing “I’ve always been bullied by it everywhere I went.”

I was surprised by his answer. Yongguk must’ve worn the bunny in every country. Why did he do that if he got hurt by it? Then again I kind of do the same thing at school... But only for a reason. Does he remember then?

Yongguk looked at the bunny and smiled, “I only kept it because it was one of the only things I could take overseas that reminded me of my life in Korea...”

My eyes widened. Does he remember? If it reminded him of his life here... He should at least remember where he got it or even why.

“So... Do you know where you got it?” I asked curiously, secretly hoping that he’d say yes.

Yongguk raised an eyebrow, “I don’t remember. Why are you asking?”

I quickly tried to make an excuse but in the end I couldn’t think of anything. “Uh... I have a similar thing...”

So in the end, even Yongguk doesn’t remember. Well I don’t exactly know if Youngjae, Himchan and Daehyun remember, but the fact that they didn’t know who I was after telling them my name was enough evidence for me.

The room was filled with an awkward silence as Yongguk finished his food and sat back on the couch. I spotted another one of his scars on his body and remembered something.

“Hey Yongguk...” I asked, breaking the awkward atmosphere once again. “What actually happened last night?”