Just A Higher Place
Running Man Story House
Memories are timeless treasures of the Heart...
Sechan has been curious as to why his Jongkook hyeong was always been cold to everybody besides the owner of Running House. He has been living with everyone in that along with Jeon Somin, but he couldn't talk to Jongkook casualy like Jaeseok and Seokjin can. It seemed to Sechan that Jongkook doesn't like to be too close to anybody.
"Hyeong," Sechan started as he was lying in the bunk bed while Jaeseok and Seokjin are playing cards under him, "why is Jongkook hyeong feels so insignificant towards me and Somin-i? Since the day we have been here he hasn't talk to us casualy. We are here almost a year now."
Seokjin sighs, "Sechan-a, Jongkook is not someone you can please easily. Just like how his body looks, his personality is the same. But if you get to know him, you will see how soft he is. Just hang in there."
"That's right, Sechan-a." Jaeseok agreed, "Jongkook-i isn't someone you should be wary about. Just stay the same and befriend him. You will understand him one way or another."
Sechan cannot understand Jongkook even if he always be with him in many things. The older brother always goes on the backyard and the to the woods alone. Because of this, Sechan then directly asked the house owner, Mr. Choi.
"Ajussi," Sechan said politely, "when did Jongkook hyeong came here?"
"Ah, Jongkook-i? I think he have been here more than 4 years ago?" Mr. Choi answered while fixing his tool box.
"Is he like that since he came here? Or something happened to him?"
"What do you mean? Ahh, him being cranky?" Sechan nodded and Mr. Choi chuckled, "Jongkook-i is a very sweet man. He is capable of doing many things and he loves helping people too. When he came here, he smiles a lot, but as you already know that smile is nowhere to be found now."
"So, something really did happened."
Mr. Choi nods.
"What happened, ajussi?"
Mr. Choi looked at Sechan and remembered how he met Kim Jongkook.
Jongkook came in the morning of winter years ago. He was wearing a gray coat and with a small backpack with black cap. His face was red and obviously with high fever. Mr. Choi was not in the counter that time and only Sooyeon was there to accomodate him. The very moment Jongkook saw Sooyeon he collapsed. Helplessly Sooyeon called for help. Of course, she can't handle a big man by herself.
Mr. Choi and Sooyeon put Jongkook in a bedroom and get him bundle up to nurse him to health. Sooyeon was the one who nursed him all night. She prepared everything he will need once he woke up. In the middle of the night Jongkook woke up surprised because a woman was sleeping beside him.
"Oh," Sooyeon slowly sat up while scratching her eyes, "you're awake now. How are you feeling?"
"Who, who are you?" Jongkook looked around him.
"You came here early this morning and you are burning up with fever. How are you feeling now? You haven't eat anything and I couldn't give you any medicine too because you are sleeping all day. I, I can't wake you up. Ah! Wait," she quickly comes down the bed and ran out of the bedroom.
"Uh, wait- I," but she was gone when he was about to ask her something.
Sooyeon came back with a tray of food and water. She set it on the table beside the bed. Jongkook wore a shirt on top of his tank top. He put down his feet from the bed and faced Sooyeon who was sitting on the chair beside his bed.
"You should eat this soup. Ajussi heated it." Sooyeon said.
Jongkook looked at Sooyeon who was smiling at him. He slowly took the soup and have a spoonful of it. Its warm and perfect for the winter night. He then started eating and Sooyeon was obviously satisifed on how Jongkook accepted her kindness.
"What do you think? Is it good?"
He nodded, "Yes, it is good. Uh, thank you."
"You can have more if you want."
"No, I'm already full. By the way, where am I?"
"Oh, you didn't know this place? I thought you came here for this house."
"Huh?"
"Most of our visitors come here because they want to stay here. This place is known by many mountaineers. But often not found."
"Do you mean, this is the famous Running House?"
"Yes! This is the Running House owned by Mr. Choi."
"I heard that people come here or found this place when their heart needs it the most."
Sooyeon looked at him and smiled, "Maybe your heart have a wish. Something it desires for all your life."
Jongkook evaded her eyes and sighed, "Its no use even if I found this place. I am not with the one who wanted this place."
The morning came and Jongkook have recovered quickly. All thanks to Sooyeon's care. He went out to see the sun and found Mr. Choi carefully cutting firewoods. He then offered to do it which the old man didn't deny.
Sooyeon took care of Jongkook even while he was just helping out in the house. For days, Mr. Choi haven't ask Jongkook about his rent or anything.
"Hm, ajussi," Jongkook said, "aren't you going to ask me for payment for my stay here?"
"Are you leaving now?"
"Uh, no. No, I don't think I can leave yet. Ajussi, can I stay here for now?"
Mr. Choi looked around him and said, "You can stay here as long as you want."
"By the way, ajussi, Sooyeon-i, is she your daughter?"
"No." Mr. Choi chuckled, "She was just like you. She was staying here because she was also losing herself."
"She seemed fine to me?"
"She might be smiling and happy, but Sooyeon is broken."
As the two men were talking, they were watching Sooyeon sitting by the chair and cutting fruits for them.
After dinner, Jongkook decided to stay in the kitchen with Sooyeon. He was really curious about the woman's objective for staying in the house.
"Sooyeon, can I ask why do you choose to stay in here?" Jongkook asked directly.
"Hm? Me? Ahh, because I can't find peace in the city." Sooyeon directly replied with a smile on her face.
"How about your job? Your family?"
"I have been working since I graduated from college; non-stop. Do you know how long it has been? I have been working almost 24 hours a day because I am afraid I wouldn't be able to get a roof on my head and food on my plate the next day. I grew tired of it."
"Why are you workin so hard?"
"Because I am afraid that I would die if I don't work. That's my way of feeling I am still alive. But it also tire me out."
"You haven't answered my other question. Where is your family?"
"I'm an orphan. I ran away from the institution after middle school. I tried every kind of work while looking for my parents just to find out that they were both married to different people and that they abandoned me because they both wanted to have a fresh start." Sooyeon smiled big suddenly, "Did you know how I learned about this? I worked for my mother's restaursnt and without her knowing who I am she started talking to me about her past."
Suddenly, Jongkook felt embarassed and sympathy enveloped his body.
"Don't."
"Huh?"
"Don't feel sorry for me. I don't need your sympathy."
"Did I made you feel bad? I'm sorry."
"You're a weird one. Why are you suddenly apologizing because of that?"
Jongkook just looked at Sooyeon.
"It's okay. I'm just fine. You should be too. By the way, you heard my story. What about yours? What brought you here?"
"There was someone I want to bring in here. She always wanted to find this place because she believes that this place would grant her wish."
"A woman? Wishes?" Sooyeon chuckled, "Hearing it makes me feel we are the same person."
"Hm?"
"I came here because I heard wishes come true here. I guess it somewhat in some way."
"You also had a wish when you came here?"
"Yes. I want to rest. I want my peace of mind that I have been deprived since I was young. And I found it here."
"Would I be able to get my wish too?"
"Just believe and have faith. You will get it one day."
A/N: Anything goes in here
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