I am sorry! I didn't post last week! Work has been kicking my *cries*. Anyway, here is a double update!!!! XD

It was 10 at night and I could tell Jin was getting tired, but I had one surprise left for the night before we went home.  We had been walking for a few minutes before Jin asked where we were going. “To your doom,” I said half heartedly in a joking tone and he threw me a look. “You'll see.” He gave me a ‘whatever’ look, but kept walking none-the-less. We e last corner, walked through a small patch of woods, and there it lay. With its orange monkey bars and silver slides, this was the park Jin and I had always come to, especially in times of stress.

As soon as baby Jin saw the park, he ran to it, laughing happily as he climbed up the equipment. I put the bags of supplies we had on a nearby bench and joined Jin on the swings. “Have you ever been to this park, Jin,” I asked as we swung side by side. “No, I know have been to this part of town, but I have never even seen this park before. It is almost…” “As if it doesn't exist.  I know. It is hidden behind a grove of trees and there is a river over there,” I pointed North, “and woods all around there,” I pointed South and West. “There are private houses over there, so the only way to get through here is through this small patch of woods. The wooded area is small, but it goes a mile around the park, almost a full circle till it hits the river and the private houses there in the east.” I pointed to where the private houses were, and looked at Jin as he nodded in agreement.

There was a few moments of silence until he asked a question. “Who was that little girl? Back at the store?” “So that's what you were doing?” “Well, I was going to jump out and scare you, so I was following you around and I saw you help that little girl back to her family. Did you know her?” “No, but you are very observant. I was helping her find her mom and I found her sister instead. I don't know her personally, but something about her and her sister were familiar.” “What do you think was familiar about her?” “Ah, Jin, I don't know. Just something.”

He nodded at me and then their was another moment of silence. “You know, this is the park I came to when I wanted to be alone. Since no one knows this exists,  I could always be alone. Well, most of the time.” “What do you mean ‘most of the time,’” he put up air quotes with his fingers. “Well, actually, I wasn't the one who found this place.” “Who did then?” “Well, you.” I looked at him and he gave me the most confused look. “The Jin from my time, I guess. We grew up together. He, you, uh, my time Jin was really quiet and kind of mysterious when I first met him. I had just moved in the neighborhood and he only lived a few houses down and I didn’t know anyone. He was very weird and kind of mean and to this day I don’t know why he used to be so distant, but when he started to treat me a little nicer, I…,” I put my hand over my mouth to keep from laughing to hard. “What?” “I followed him around. I mean I was only six at the time and I had nothing better to do.” “You were weird.” “Yeah, he'd say that, too. Anyway, when I started following him more often, jeez, I sound like a stalker. I followed him here. I knew he had a knack for disappearing and then when I saw this place, I knew how.” “Did he ever catch you following him?” “Yes, often! He'd yell at me to go away and on bad days he'd call me names, but I knew he was different, misunderstood. He yelled at me every time he caught me, till I followed him here.” “Then what,” baby Jin asked, clearly interested in himself. “That’s a story for another day kid.” I ruffled his hair, getting off the swing and he huffed. “Minah!” “Come on. It's late. We should get home.” “Fine.” We grabbed the bags and walked back to the shop, Jin going to sleep as soon as the supplies were hidden away.

I finished setting up for the big day and turned to head to bed, when I came face-to-face with Gyeong. “He-Hello,” I stuttered. “You didn't make dinner.” “You finally came out of your room, sir,” I replied, having my confidence back. He looked as if could have smacked me, but growled instead, turning to go back to his room. “I need to get back to my own time, Gyeong. You may have given up but I haven't, and he needs to get back home.” I pointed to Jin's door. “Then send him home!” “You know I can't do that without finding the unknown and stopping them. I've been trying to find a way to get the machine to work, but it'd be easier if the person who created it helped me.” He looked at me furiously and yelled, “Who said this was your responsibility? Why did you have to be stupid and follow some time thief back here? Why couldn't you be selfish and blinded by greed like every other human being in this damned world?” “Because I help those who need it,” I replied quietly. Instead of replying, he turned and slammed his bedroom door behind him.

I ran a hand over my face and sighed. I tried to remember he had been through a lot, but it didn’t make him any less frustrating. I turned my head at the sound of Jin's door opening and saw him peep his head out. “What's wrong with him?” I huffed out a laugh and shook my head. “It's nothing, Jin. Go back to bed.” “Ok.” He jumped out and hugged me. “Goodnight then, Minah.” I hugged him back. “Goodnight Jin.”

The next morning I woke up early to start making the cake for tonight. I put in some clothes after taking a quick shower and went to the kitchen. When I got there, I was taken aback by all the cooking supplies out and the floor and egg that was spotted all around. In the middle of it all, covered in batter, was Jin. He looked at me, embarrassed,  and raised his hands in defense. “I was only trying to get us a head start.” I chuckled at his innocence and wiped some of the batter off the ball of his nose with my finger, tasting it. “It needs a little vanilla.” He laughed, giving me a grossed out look. “You're lucky I showered this morning.” I nodded in agreement.

We had finished the cake before Gyeong woke and finished with breakfast and most of the supplies, putting them back in thier hiding spots. By the time five came around, Jin and I decided it was time to set up and we needed a distraction. We decided that Jin would stay at the shop to set up while I took Gyeong out to ‘get supplies’ for the machine, which I still haven't actually seen yet.  For all I knew, it was destroyed when he travelled back. “Gyeong.” I knocked on his door and opened it when he confirmed he was in there. “I need some supplies for the machine.” He took out a few thousand won and handed towards me. “Correction. I need you to come with me so I know what to get.” He sighed heavily, but did but argue back. “They need me to do all these things, and on my birthday, too,” he mumbled as he got up. “Excuse me, sir?” “Nothing, let's go,” he grumbled and we headed to the door.  “Jin! Lock the door and don't open it for anyone, ok,” I yelled to him and he came over. “Ne, Omma,” he said sarcastically and I grimaced as he snickered, locking the door behind us.

********

“What the hell is a wrench going to do,” Gyeong argued with me as we browsed a local Home Depot store. “Tighten loose screws! You could use one to loosen the ones in your head.” I mumbled the last part. “First off, they tighten bolts. Secondly, what makes you think I built it with this stuff?” He threw back the wrench and started grabbed the tools he needed. I stared at him as he looked at the different nuts and bolts and a thought occurred. “If you've only been here 10 years, how come you look so old?” He froze. Then, before I knew it, he turned around and raised his hand. I closed my eyes and waited for the impact,  but it didn't come. I looked at him to see his hand still raised, but his eyes averted down. He sighed, dropping his hand before he spoke. “I don't know. I travelled back 30 years, but somehow, the machine and I aged 30 years, too. Technically, I am only 32.” He looked at me and tried to blink away the tears that were forming.

“So you're only 11 years older! Wait, you were 22 in 2020. So, technically I'm older than you, sir.” I said jokingly, trying to lighten up the mood. He smiled slightly, before grimacing again. “Hey. I'll do anything it takes to get you back there! Even if we have to completely remake a time machine.” I smiled, picking up the wrench again. He looked surprised, but smiled back happily. “Oh, we don't have to make another machine. We just have to fix one.” He gave me a knowing look and smiled rejoicing when I got it.

After getting the supplies we needed, Gyeong and I headed back to the shop, ready to work. We got back and Gyeong,  used his keys to get in. Tools in hand, he headed straight for the basement door and went to the locked room on the left. Taking out his set of master keys, he unlocked the door and the chains on the door and opened it. Dust flew everywhere, causing me to step back and cough. When the dust cleared, I looked into the room to see the machine. Old and rusted as it was, it was still magnificent.  It was five feet high, golden in color where rust hadn't taken over. It had two hollow tubes running around the outside of it and it was hollowed out in the middle of it. I assumed that is where the person should stand. There were a few colored buttons on the right middle side, on the front of the machine, but on the left side, all there was, was a golden and silver panel with a little hole in the middle of it. For as old and rusted as it looked, it was still really cool. “What's going on….Whoa,” said as he came down the stairs and I nodded in agreement.

Jin went back upstairs to finish setting up while Gyeong and I worked on the machine. “It looks really old,” I commented as I tried to get some of the rust off. “So do I.” I laughed in response and he smiled. We stepped back from the machine one we had cleaned it off a bit. “Let's get started, shall we?” I looked at him and nodded once in encouragement.

After three hours of work, I suggested we take a break. He was hesitant at first, but agreed and we went up stairs. He went to  wash up in the bathroom and I told him to join us in the kitchen for dinner when he was done. I ran to Jin's room and knocked on his door. He opened the door,  book in hand, when I told him it was time. He put the book on his bed and ran out of the room, following after me. We took out the chocolate, vanilla ice cream cake, with strawberry frosting and put the numbers 3 & 2 on it, after washing my hands, of course. We lit the candles and put it on the dining table, which was in the middle of lots of decorations and party supplies. I high fived Jin for all his hard work and we quickly turned off the lights and hid.

Gyeong walked into the room and stopped not to far past the doorway.  “Hello?” He the lights and hesitantly walked toward the table. When he saw what it was, we jumped out from our hiding spots and yelled, “HAPPY BIRTHDAY!” “AHHHH! DON'T YOU KNOW BETTER THAN TO SCARE AN OLD MAN?!” We laughed at him and encouraged him to blow out the candles. Phooof.  We clapped, before Jin realized, “Wait,  you're only 32!?” Now it was Gyeong's turn to burst out laughing and I joined along after a moment of realization. “What,” he asked, smiling. “I'll tell you then we'll have cake,” Gyeong replied happily. The night was spent while laughing and having fun, all worries were pushed aside for the night as it felt as if time were standing still.