The father takes one last glare at the boy and left the house. 

! Why am I in the wrong time? I can’t leave until three days. Sungmin thought in alarm.

He had his face covered with one hand as he thought of a plan B. For some reason he knew that the young boy would pass in front of him, sobbing. He followed the kid absentmindedly. The boy crossed the street without checking both ways and didn’t noticed a coming car.

“Hey kid!” Sungmin shouted and hurriedly jumped to save him.

The car honked loudly and stopped just inches from where the kid was standing. Sungmin rolled inches out of danger with the kid in his arms.

“Are you okay? Did you hurt yourself?” asked the driver worriedly who left his car to check on them.

“Um. We’re fine,” Sungmin replied with a nod, sitting at the side of the road.

“That’s good then,” said the driver in relief and excused himself.

“Are you alright kid?” Sungmin asked the boy though he already knew the answer.

The almost-accident happened near the kid’s house that his mother saw everything. His mother ran towards them and hugged the kid.

“Thank you sir!” she said with tearful eyes.

“It’s no problem. I’ll be on my way then,” replied Sungmin. Seeing his backpack, the mother suggested that he stay. Sungmin tried to reject the offer but the mother was persistent that he finally agreed to stay with them for the next three days.

                The father was not happy at all about the news, although it didn’t quite show in his features but his approach to Sungmin was cold and even colder to his son. Embarrassing him even in front of the guest. Sungmin was told to stay in the boy’s room since he has a double deck.

...

“Sorry ‘bout that and thank you,” said the boy meekly, finally, when they were in the room. He seated himself in front his table. Sungmin scanned the neat and orderly room. He had trophies and medals stacked on one area, books on the other, martial arts uniforms hanged in the closet and a few toys and some were his inventions.

“It was no problem. You should really watch where you’re going,” he said as he continued to scan.

“That’s not it,” the boy said flatly as he answered his math homework and Sungmin knew what it was about.

“My dad. He hates me, you’d laugh at me but that’s the truth. He blames me for the death of my mother, if I died the same way as she did then dad would be happy with my step-mom. But I can’t commit suicide, my step-mom would be sad. I love her like a real mom and she cares for me so…” explained the boy but didn’t finish his sentence and instead continued with his homework. Sungmin did not press on and just settled at the bottom bunk, collecting his thoughts.

Yes, dad had been like that ever since mom died. How could I forget that? I hated him for hating me that I wanted so badly to kill him and at that age I could. I was different from everyone; my mind thinks more advanced than any average kid has, after all I invented these toys and won this medals. 

He mused while looking at the things around him. 

And when he died from ESRD, I didn’t shed a single tear. And I progressed, I became who I am. Ugh! I hate this timeline and now I’m reliving it again. 

He covered his face with the pillow under his head and drifted off to sleep.

...

                Sungmin helped out with the chores whenever he can, he didn’t want to be a burden despite the fact that it has been a long time since he did these things. At least, this time he can help his step mom, make her smile, make her not worry about him, make her know that he is grateful for everything she did for him.

“Thank you for your help, Kira,” she said. Sungmin used a different name, a Japanese name, to hide his identity.

It was his final day, the Portal was already charged up. For a short while he was able to remember most of the things he forced himself to forget, those happy times he had with his step-mom and inventing at a young age. Even seeing his father was something refreshing but not something he liked. 

“It was nothing Mrs. Lee. Thank you for the accommodations,” he politely replied, he faced the young Sungmin and offered his hand. “Take care Sungmin,” he said, it sounded strange for those words to come out of his mouth, and shook hands with the younger him.

He leaned forward and whispered to the boy’s ear, “Don’t worry, it’ll be over soon. Keep on inventing. You’ll be out of here if you do.” He smiled at the confused face of his younger self, bid good bye one last time and started to leave.

...

He turned to a deserted alley and dialed the year to his next destination, to his REAL destination. When the swirling vortex appeared he walked into it, and passed through to a different time. But again, he was in the wrong timeline.

Now it’s when he was fifteen.

Sungmin raked his hair in frustration and began to assess the area surreptiously. Nothing has changed that much, well his inventions aren't in the market yet. He saw people at an alley ganging up on a high school kid. 

Help or not help? What if the kid knows me? Said Sungmin to himself, battling the pros and cons of being noticed at this time.

Fortunately, someone came to help the kid before he got himself beaten up.

“Hey you!” called the other high school boy. “Pick on someone your own size,” he said courageously.

The men faced him smirking and laughing. “Go mind your own business,” barked the largest, pushing the kid aside. The rescuer was afraid, Sungmin can tell, but he stood his ground and got himself hit. Instantly, the ganged up boy kicked and punched the men in front of him, flipping them, dodging their blows like a professional fighter. Frightened and embarrassed the men limped away.

“Woah, you’re good!” praised the supposedly rescuer as he accepted the offered hand and stood up. His right cheek was swollen but there wasn’t any other damage. 

Good thing I didn’t showed up, cause I’d be saving myself, said Sungmin to himself  in relief.

“Next time… don’t in if… you can’t fight.” Replied the boy coolly as he regained his breathing. The rescuer blushed from embarrassment and laughed at himself.

“Can’t help it, I thought –“ his sentence was cut off upon the arrival of a girl, running towards them.

“Kyuhyun, are you alright?” the girl asked, panting. She held Kyuhyun’s face in her hands and checked his injury.

“I’m fine Sunny.” Kyuhyun retorted.

Sunny punched him in the arm. “How many times must I tell you? Don’t be impulsive! That’ll be the death of you,” reprimanded his sister.

                Sunny!

Sungmin’s mind screamed out, his body was about to bolt towards her but his logic immediately took over. 

Yes. It had been this time, on the first day of high school that I met Kyuhyun and Sunny. I still stuttered that’s why I speak slowly or never speak at all. Sunny is so lovely even then, so vibrant. Sungmin thought and saw them leave for school. 

It started that day, that the three of us became best friends. 

Sungmin still had a few batteries left to jump to another time but decided to stay, he also had forgotten this moment, was he really busy that he even forgot something so valuable?

This was the first time he laughed and smiled, also two years after this, his dad was going to die. One year later his step mom follows. Sunny and Kyuhyun were there by his side. He didn’t shed a tear on his father’s death but he cried so much at his step mom’s death bed. 

Sunny was there. He remembered with a smile, he was drinking coffee at a coffee shop across the school.At least mom knew her before she left. He stood up slowly, walked away to a dark alley and the Portal, jumped inside and landed in a different time.

He was now in a hospital’s janitor’s closet, he can tell from the smell of disinfectants and sterilizers and the faint conversations of staff and patients.

...

He had jumped three years after his first year in high school; he knew that even without looking at the watch. He had that same feeling when his step mom was actually dying in front of him, his heart felt so heavy, his eyes were getting swollen and red, and his hands were trembling. He couldn’t quite calm himself no matter what he does. He found the young Kyuhyun outside the room, sitting, his head resting on his hands. Sunny was with his young self at this moment, comforting him. He waited for Kyuhyun to leave for the bathroom, to wash away the tears.

“Kyuhyun has always been there for me,” Sungmin said softly, smiling a little. “When Sunny and I had a petty fight, he becomes our mediator and to think I just used him as my punching bag or my butler. I should thank him when I get back,” he sauntered towards the room, leaning at the wall. Using one of his gadgets, he was able to listen on the conversation inside.

“Why do you have to follow that idiot?! It’s not fair! I still want to give you lots of things. I still want to let you feel the happiness and pleasures that man never gave you… I still want to thank you mother…” the young Sungmin said, almost incoherent. His voice was filled with sadness and pain, his tears falling down, he couldn’t hold them anymore and it took a lot of effort not to choke on his own voice.

His step mom, lying in her bed, weak and frail, lines and tubes connected to her body, a machine used to help her live, smiled at him. She reached over to his face with shaking hands.

“Sungmin…” she began, her voice soft and yet still full of affection, Sungmin’s tears streaking down her hands. “You’ve already done so much, accepting me as your mother is enough and knowing that you love me… you don’t know how much it makes me happy.” Then she faced Sunny, reaching out for her and Sunny offered her hand.

“Sunny, please take care of Sungmin. Don’t you know, ever since he met you my little Sungmin never once again stutter?” she said with a laugh, which had hurt .

Outside, Sungmin tuned off the gadget and left, he half concealed his face with his hand, his tears were as abundant as that of the eighteen year old Sungmin. He heard the door slid open and Kyuhyun went in. He knew what happened after. His step mother died with a smile on her face, her hand slipped away from his and he silently cried beside her with Sunny hugging him and Kyuhyun at his right.

...

Two days later, Sungmin saw Sunny at the park where they usually had their walk and approached her.

“Ice cream?” he offered with a friendly smile. “You seemed down, and well, everyone loves ice cream right?”

Sunny accepted the ice cream and thanked him.

“You look familiar.” She finally said after the silence. Sungmin laughed.

“Yes, it seems I have a very common face.”

Hopefully you won’t notice that it’s me but a few years older his mind said nervously.

“Well, it’s a handsome face.” She said with a smile. Sungmin smiled.

You don’t know how I longed to sit with you again Sunny. I wish I could tell you that I love you and I miss you. He thought feeling slight pain in the chest.

Sunny’s face brightened, she bolted up and pointed at him. With a wide, cheerful smile she said “I know now, you look like Sungmin! My Sungmin!” Sunny laughed aloud at her joke while Sungmin froze.

“Sungmin?” he asked innocently, hoping he sounded like one.

“Yeah, he’s my boyfriend. He’s really smart you know and quite enchanting,” narrated Sunny with animation. “But lately he lost his mother, I liked his mom and obviously she was a very important person to him. I wonder… if Sungmin would cry as much for me… if I were to die,” she said softly as if she was speaking to herself, watching at the falling leaves.

“Of course he will!” came Sungmin’s immediate answer.

Sunny directed her attention to him, curious.

“I mean, if a guy would act that way towards his mother how much more if it’s for his future wife. Besides you’re still young you’ll live long,” he explained. But not long enough for me Sungmin thought.

Sunny smiled again. “I guess you’re right mister,” she said. Sungmin offered her a hanky to wipe off the melted ice cream from her finger tips.

Before they parted ways Sunny hugged him. “Sorry ‘bout that. For some reason I had this urged to hug you. Thanks for listening to me older version of Sungmin,” she said jokingly, waved good bye and walked away. He waved back at her till even her silhouette was gone.

 That’s right, it was because of Sunny and Kyuhyun that I began to move on, began to forget everything and started J-min from scratch. Sungmin pushed the “warp” button and went to another time.