The future
influences
the present
just as much
the past.

/7/ With Her
[ Y E R I N ]

The two young ladies already left. But I'm still here, shocked at what I've learned. Because why not? It's Jung Eunbi! I saw Jung Eunbi in person! The hell is going on. I want to scream! Who would have thought that I would see her here? 

"Hey, are you okay?" Sojung looks like she's about to throw me off. I grinned wider, I shook hands with Jung Eunbi!

"Tell me, I really saw Jung Eunbi, right? I shake hands with her, right?" I asked her with excitement. 

"Yeah, why?" Sojung answered nonchalantly. Oh my god! Sojung's so lucky. But of course, she'll just realize it when she sees the present time. I opened my bag and looked for the magazine. I knew I shoved it on my bag before I left the house.

"Sojung, look at this!" I showed the magazine with Eunbi's face on the cover page.

"Oh? Who's that? She's pretty." I gave her the magazine so she could look at it closer.

"She's Jung Eunbi. One of the supermodels of our time." Sojung's eyes widened as she looked at the pictures on the magazine. Maybe she can't believe that the girl she's ignoring a while ago is one of the prominent people in our time. 

"Really? That shortie will be a supermodel? Wow! How about me? Am I going to be a well-known illustrator in the future?" Oh. Illustrator? An artist? Eh? I'm not interested in the arts so I don't really know. Maybe?

"Ah," I scratched my cheek. "Actually, I don't know. I only saw illustrations in newspapers." I panicked when I saw her frowning. 

"But maybe yes! I mean, you're friends with Jung Eunbi and all..." I grabbed the magazine on her hand and put it inside my bag again. Maybe Sojung will be successful too, either by talent or connections.

"Yeah... I think so." Sojung agreed eventually. We walked into her apartment and she let me sit near the kitchen counter. She insisted on making sandwiches before we call it a day.

Sojung's apartment is clean and organized. Just like her personality. I roamed my eyes and saw several paintings hanging on the wall. Did she paint it? Wow.

"Yerin," She called me as she poured cold water into the glasses in front of me. "Why do you want to see your parents? Did something bad happen? Did they break up?"

I blinked, I never knew that she's nosy too. She stands in front of me and looks right through me. I should be shocked by her question but that's not the case here. She's too close and I can't help but stare at her face. She's really beautiful.

"Oh, it's okay if you don't wanna talk about it. I'm sorry." 

"N-no!" I yelp, "I mean no, they didn't break up or something. They... died when I was younger..." I felt a lump on my throat as I finished the words. Well, I always become emotional when it comes to my parents. Sojung deserves to know my story, I owe her. 

"Here. Eat." Sojung put a plate in front of me. I have a feeling that I'll get fat while I'm here. We just ate and now she's asking me to eat again. Wow. But I don't want to be rude so I took the sandwich on my hand and took a bite.

"Thank you." I said as I munched the food. She nodded and took the seat in front of me.

"Don't you have a picture of them?"

She's looking at me like she's trying to understand a math problem. Is she always like this? It's cute tho. I gulped and answered her question. 

"I have one... but seeing them in motion is a different thing. Don't you think so? What more if I can hug them..." I blinked my sadness away and got another sandwich on the plate. "I want to see them in person." 

I dreamed of that a thousand times. When I was younger, I slept with two pillows on my side, fooling myself that I'm with my parents. I'm jealous of my friends too whenever they talk about their moms and dads. But what can I do? I'm just a child. Besides, who am I to complain? It's not like I'm completely alone or homeless. I still have my aunt to take care of me.

"Do you have an address? A clue on where they are? How can we find them?"

"We?" I paused and looked at her with hopeful eyes. "You will help me?!"

"Hey, don't get me wrong. I just want you to leave my place as soon as possible." She pokes my forehead and pushes it lightly.

"Mean!"

She scoffed, "Answer me Jung Yerin, do you know how?"

I think for a second. Do I know? "There's a place I know but I'm not sure if it exists at this time. Maybe the name of the place is different."

"Right, just make sure that we'll finish it quickly."

I'm getting excited. Even if I'm not sure how I can find my parents, I still have hope that I will succeed with Sojung on my side. This giraffe has a heart too. I smiled, it's alright even if I'll just see my parents. Even just a glimpse, I will be happy. 

I looked at Sojung who's already eating her sandwiches. I'm really lucky to meet her. I don't know what will happen to me if it's not with her. She raised an eyebrow when she caught me staring at her, so I mustered an awkward smile.

I'm really in the past with this cold but kind-hearted giraffe. This is real. I can see my parents! But wait... Can I do everything here? What if I fail? Will I stay here with Sojung? What if I save my parents before the accident happens? Can I live with them when I go back to the present time? Hella crazy but can I really change the past?​​​​