It’s now 6:30 PM. It’s still too early for me, and well, I didn’t want to go home, yet. I mean, who would want to just go home this early only to be greeted by an abnormal kid messing up your room again. Add your mother, as well, who would always order you to do this and that like you’re a robot that could do everything she orders without getting exhausted.

So, I decided to take a visit on that old mini-playground for kids nearby. After all, there wouldn’t be any kids at this time, right? Well, I needed some time alone. A breath of fresh air, if that’s what you call it, and I guess the playground is a perfect place. But before that, I sneaked a cone of Strawberry ice cream before officially flipping the used to be “We’re open!” sign to “Sorry, we’re closed!” sign. I shouted my ‘good bye’ to Sehun who was changing in the bathroom, and immediately went out of the shop (you know, to avoid being caught of sneaking ice creams every end of the shift).

***

I arrived in the playground after a minute or so. No one was around, not even a single vendor or a night watchman. I ran and sat in one of the two swings present, and was just about to happily my ice cream when suddenly, I saw the man.

He still had his curly brown hair. He still wore the same clothes—white shirt, and simple jeans. Tonight, he seems to be glowing, literally. And still, he stood across me; staring at me with a blank expression.

Awkwardly, I took a big bite of my ice cream (yes, I bit it) and eventually ended up spewing the ice cream since it was too cold for me to handle. My teeth felt numb, and I immediately drank water.

I looked to where he was again, but he was gone. I sort of, uh, celebrated? Uh, maybe I just sighed in relief. But when I looked around, specifically to my right, I screamed out of fright because he was there—sitting calmly and looking forward as if no one just shouted and shocked him.

Cautiously, I slightly took a bow and mumbled a soft ‘Sorry, sir’ before taking my seat again. For a minute or so, we just stayed quiet. Yes, it was awkward, but what can I do? Talk to him? Yuck. That would be unlikely me.

I peeked at him, only to see him staring at the slide a few meters away from us and slowly turning his attention towards me. His eyes twitched, and he still had a poker face on. I immediately looked away out of embarrassment, and was just about to leave when he caught my arm.

***

“There's 104 days of summer vacation, and school comes along just to end it. So the annual problem for our generation is finding a good way to spend it~~”

I heard the music play in a nearby house. Curiously, I walked towards the house and stayed outside (not beyond their gate, of course). I watched a boy silently watch that show named ‘Phineas and Ferb’.

“Sweetie~ Chanyeol! Mommy’s home” A pretty lady called out as she opened their gate of their home. Relieved to see someone around, I ran towards her and took this chance to ask her where I was.

“Excuse me? Do you know where I am, and how do I get back to Seoul?” I asked respectfully. And good Lord, I got no response from her. She closed their gate and I was just about to follow her when I tripped and went pass through the gate. Yes, through their gate.

My eyes bulged, and I immediately stood up. “Did I just… a-am I dead? Am I in the purgatory?” I softly asked myself.

I looked around, and shoot. If the lady has heard me, she would have laughed at me. I hadn’t realized that I am in Seoul. The old Seoul. If I’m not mistaken, this was Seoul around 10 years ago.

“Sweetie, here… eat this.” The lady said to what I have assumed her son.

Curiously, I peeked in their window and saw a familiar-looking guy. I took 3 big steps forward and eventually reached their living room directly.

“E-Excuse me?” I asked, louder this time. But still, I got no response.

“EXCUSE ME?!” I asked once more, shouting this time. Still no one responded.

“Do you still want more?” The lady asked her son. The boy just nodded, and played with his toys silently.

I went closer to the boy, and actually planned to shake, slap, or even pinch him. But eventually, my hand just went pass through him. I groaned in frustration and sat on the floor—just beside the boy. I buried my face in my hands for a little while before finally deciding to peek at the boy playing.

This time, I got a closer look at this boy. His eyes twitched every now and then, he has such cute brown eyes, and his hair is slightly curly, and brown.

My eyes bulged and my mouth formed an ‘o’ before finally shouting, “Y-You’re the man outside the shop! The…the one that I also saw in the park!”

He looked at me (uh, let’s say he looked towards my direction since he can’t really see me) with coldness In his eyes as if he heard me shout and I just disturbed him. I froze for a moment, and eventually had an “eye contact” with him for a while. Luckily, he looked away and continued doing stuff with his toys.

I breathed out, relieved that he looked away. Then it dawned on me, he’s younger here which means that this is his past. So, this also means that I am seeing this man’s past, right?

“Oh, so your name is Chanyeol? Ahh, w-wait… why am I even dreaming of this? Aish! I should wake up already.”

I closed my eyes and concentrated. I counted up to five before slowly opening my eyes again. But unluckily, nothing happened. Oh, scratch that. Something happened, actually. The older version of the kid beside me appeared in front of me.

I backed away in shock which surprisingly made him crack a small smile. I, on the other hand, watched him amusingly as I sighed in annoyance. Eventually, I looked up and saw him shake his head sideways, like he was disapproving something, before offering me his hand. Half-heartedly, I took his hand and he, surprisingly, helped me get up.

I stared at him with a confused-look, and maybe somehow with a trail of annoyance.  Without any word, he just nodded and walked towards the stairs going to what I assume to be their balcony.

I took a last glimpse of the kid before following Chanyeol (I mean, the older Chanyeol).

∞

Author’s note: There goes chapter 2. How was it? Uh, by the way, thank you for reading this far.

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