The Gathering
A New Beginning
“What the hell are you doing?” Cheondung came by. With a stern expression. Grabbed Jiyeon’s hand tightly. Gripping it with the strength he had, Jiyeon’s arm was slowly turning red. He glared at her angrily. Threw her hand aside, grabbed Jieun’s arm. And left.
The girls stood there. Bewildered at why the school’s couldn’t-be-bothered Cheondung had stood up for Jieun. They had never seen them speaking to each other. But they weren’t the only ones. Accompanied by Cheondung was none other then his group. Yongguk, Myungsoo, Himchan were all there. Too puzzled. It was the first time they’ve seen Cheondung stand up for someone. Or care about someone.
“Cheondung!!! What are you doing! They’ll find out!” Jieun said, struggling to break Cheondung’s grip on her arm.
Cheondung was fed up. He pushed Jieun to the wall. Placing his hand on the right side of the wall. He stared right into her eyes.
“you’re more important than those idiots” He said coldly with a tinge of rage in his words.
Jieun could see the anger in his eyes. But she understood him after the years, that those were eyes that were filled with concern.
She smiled at him, “Thank you Cheondung”
Cheondung felt his cheeks flush pink. He turned away. Coughing a few awkward coughs.
“Let’s just go back to the forest okay?” Jieun said, with her arm clinging to his.
Starting from thenon , Jieun and Cheondung didn’t bother to hide their friendship anyomore. It shocked the others at how they were so close at the start but after a while they thought that they looked good together. Some questioned whether they were more than friends, but they never held hands or anything. Slowly, no one bothered. Eventually graduation came.
The rays of sun fell upon on both of their pale white skin. Neither of them spoke a word. They got closer over the years. Of course, they were both already 17. Best friends. They thought nothing special were in between them, and neither did they think their happy days would be over.
“Um… I have to go now!” Jieun said cheerfully as she stood up from her spot. She had promised to meet Bora for lunch before the graduation.
“wait..” Cheondung stood up too, pulling her arm, not allowing her to take another step forward. He pulled her into a tight embrace. And his mouth slowly whispered the words he never wanted to say.
“I’m leaving.”
Those words shattered Jieun’s fragile heart. She knew it would come. But it came to soon. She wasn’t ready. She didn’t want him to go. She never would…
didn’t want him to go. She never would…
“When… ?” Jieun managed to mumble those words out. She didn’t want to break down. Not infront of him..
“Next Tuesday.”
5 more days. Jieun thought to herself. Five more days she could spend with him before he goes.
They spent everyday together like it was their last.
Spending it as bestfriends. By the time they found out it was something more than that, it was too late.
Cheondung’s time had come. And he had to go.
But they promised. Promised that they would meet again.
Kai and Suzy took happy joyful footsteps as they walked back to the shack Jieun was at. Even though they may have not been able to find the man Jieun talked about, they were happy that the incident had brought them closer than before.
The joked and giggled before reaching the doorstep of the shack once again.
Kai slowly reached his hand forward and turned the shimmering golden door knob. He swung the door open and took a few steps inside the house.
“Jieun? We’re back!” Kai shouted as he looked around the shack. He saw Jieun at the sofa sitting with a man with brown hair.
“You? … You??? What are you doing here!” His eyes widened with shock as he recalled the man to be the one that had struck the deal with him.
Taemin simply giggled as he looked to Jieun’s direction.
“Tell them before he starts bashing me up.” Taemin smiled a genuine smile to Jieun as he chuckled a little. Which was the complete opposite of the image Kai had experienced with Taemin before.
“Guy’s here’s Taemin. He’s the second station master.”
Taemin stood up, smiling like a 8 year old, he scratched the back of his head, embarrassed.
“Hehe… sorry about before. I’m Taemin.”
He reached out his hand, expecting a hand in return.
“What?!” Kai couldn’t believe what he was hearing.
“Kai what’s with you? … It’s nice to meet you Taemin” Suzy went forward and accepted Taemin’s handshake. It was the first time she met him, but he seemed like a kind fellow.
“But you.. you!” Kai stuttered. Still unable to comprehend the situation.
“I… I? Congratulations for passing my station guys.” He grinned a little as he reached his hand into his pocket and took out a bronze coloured object. It was the second quarter of the pendant.
He passed it to Suzy, before sitting back down on the sofa.
“We passed your station? Since when did we do it?” Suzy blankly stared at the second quarter of the pendant she had received.
“Kai did it, to be specific.”
“I..i did it?” Kai raised his eyebrow. Everything was a little confusing.
“Please excuse me for not being able to explain properly.
When Kai made his decision last night, he passed the test.”
“What was the test?”
“To be able to let go of the past, and move on.” Taemin replied calmly.
“Guys, now that you’re done we have to hurry along. We shouldn’t waste any time.” Jieun stood up with an expressionless and started packing her things.
“Now, now Jieun, with that face you’re going to scare them!” Taemin teased as he patted Jieun’s head.
Jieun nodded as she lightened up her face once more.
“Okay enough with that. Let’s go shall we?” Jieun smiled. A forced smile. But she tried anyway.
Kai and Suzy simply nodded. Getting ready to leave the shack once more.
“Taemin… I’ll see you soon” Jieun hugged Taemin briefly before turning around and leaving again.
"Hopefully Jieun... hopefully..."
Kai, Jieun and Suzy walked on for a few hours. The decided to set up camp around 3-ish for lunch before they head off to station 3.
“Urmm… Jieun… was Taemin banished like the rest?” Suzy managed to blurt out the words that stayed in her mind ever since she left the house. Like Jinyoung, Taemin didn’t seem like one who would do anything bad.
“Yeah he was. But what made him different, was that he didn’t do any wrong.” Jieun spoke those words carefully. With a tinge of grief in her words, recalling when Taemin first told her about the story.
Hi guys! Sorry i didn't manage to update for a while!
In Melbourne now! ;)
anyway! do comment and subscribe!~
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