e l e v e n ;

Joonmyun tries so hard to ignore the nagging feeling inside of him. But as he sits at the same table as his parents, eating breakfast together and watching their happy expressions – he can’t help thinking that behind those smiles, they are hiding something from him.

He drops his spoon down on the plate, making a loud clattering noise which causes his parents to stop their conversation abruptly.

“Joonmyun?” his mother calls tentatively. “Is everything okay?”

He sighs, debating for a moment if he should tell them that he had been sneaking around in the attic.

“Is there something you’re not telling me?” he finally asks, meeting their eyes for the first time. “Are you...are you hiding something?”

The two of them exchanged knowing looks, before his mother averts her gaze away and his father just look at him through regretful eyes.

“Joonmyun, it’s not – “

“Who is this?” he throws a couple of old photographs on the table, which he had found amongst some other things. He doesn’t know why, but his body is trembling so badly. “Who is she?”

He hears his mother letting out a small gasp, before she excuses herself and leave the dining area. Joonmyun just watch her go, feeling more betrayed than ever.

“What have you been doing up in the attic, son?” his father asks in a resigned tone. “I thought we told you – “

“Yeah. So you can keep on lying to my face?” Joonmyun isn’t the type to be rude to his elders, but right at that moment, he just feels so mentally challenged. “That’s me, in the picture. Isn’t it? When I was, what? 7? 8 years old? Who is that girl beside me?”

“Joonmyun, you should know – when we first moved here, you simply pushed us out of your lives and –“

“Because of her? It has something to do with this girl, right?”

The older man let out another small sigh. “We just didn’t want you to be hurting anymore.”

Joonmyun stands up abruptly, pushing back his chair and making a loud screeching noise.

“Thanks Dad. Just thanks.”

~

I throw my gaze across the deep, calm sea. The gust of gentle breeze blows past me, causing me to rub my arms instinctively. A soft sigh escape my lips subconsciously.

I still remember how Suho and I used to run along the beach, taking turns catching and then splashing water all over each other. I was always the one who ended up soaking from head to toe, while Suho’s hair just glistened beautifully under the sunlight.

Thinking back, I was the one who wore the pants in our friendship.

I smile at the memory. Those were the times.

Those were the times when I still had Suho by my side. Those were the times when my best friend still remembered me.

As I walk down the beach, with my feet making deep footprints in the sand, I couldn’t help thinking – what if I hadn’t lost the locket?

What if I had been wearing it when I bumped into Suho that day? What if that was the only thing that could make him recognises me?

What if I had lost my greatest possession forever?