October 4th 2009

Fourteen year old Kata was awake in her bed this time, when she felt the pulling feeling from behind her belly button that she was able to recognize from her last time travelling trip. A quick glance to the clock showed the girl it was 2am. She memorized the time when she was again in a strange place in a blink of an eye.

Kata didn’t panic but started to walk around without a destination. She didn’t even wince when she passed the store and noticed the date in a newspaper was October 4^th 2005. Kata did wonder why she had come to the same date in another year than last time but she didn’t let the thought bother her walking.

Her walk ended up in the park that she recognized obscurely as the same park that she had been in one year earlier with Ilhoon. A small smile arose on her lips as she was reminiscing the day. Her reminiscing was interrupted by a noise from a fight that came from bit further. Kata directed her steps toward the noise and soon she saw three big boys that were hitting a smaller boy. Even though Kata was just fourteen year old little girl she knew self defence and she was quick, so she decided to help the boy being teased. She inhaled deep until she shouted “YO! You big boys who bully smaller. You’re such wussies to bully little ones. Go bully your own size. And if you don’t, I’ll call the police!” The three of them looked at her for a while as if to evaluate if she would carry out her threat, until they quickly got away leaving the beaten boy on the ground.

Kata rushed to the boy and immediately recognized him. “Jung Ilhoon. Why do you let others bully you on your birthday? And why did they beat you? And why didn’t you defence?” Before Ilhoon had time to reply, Kata realized her last question had been stupid and she said “Okay stupid question, why didn’t you defence, when three bigger boys attacked you…” Ilhoon looked at the girl and replied with shaking voice “Noona. They are bigger than me. And it was because I couldn’t invite them for my birthday party. Mom and dad are working again. Noona… How come you’re here? I tried to look for you last time for such a long time, but I didn’t find you.” Kata helped Ilhoon stand up, and while helping him to walk she replied “Sorry. Noona will tell you a secret after we’ve patched you. Okay?” Ilhoon nodded and the twosome walked to Ilhoon’s home. At the door Kata hesitated a bit, until the younger one said “There’s nobody home. Really.” She nodded and followed Ilhoon inside. Indoors Ilhoon told her where to find the first aid kit and Kata cleaned the other one’s wounds.

After a while, when Ilhoon’s wounds had been cleaned and plastered, he asked excited. “What secret will noona tell me?” Kata laughed a bit and answered. “Noona is really younger than you. I was born in 1995 and I’m really from the year 2009. I’m kinda like a time traveller.” Ilhoon frowned for a moment, until he ended up believing her words and said excitedly: “Cool. Is that why you disappeared a year ago?” Kata nodded and asked. “What would the birthday hero like to do today?” Ilhoon’s smile widened and he answered: “Photos. And to the park again.” She nodded and started to follow the younger one again, out of the house.

After taking the photos from the machine, the twosome walked to the park and started to chat while sitting on swings. They talked about their families, school, their friends and everything they could think of. As his hobby Ilhoon stated “I started dance in autumn. I mean, not ballet or couple dancing but we dance mostly hip hop and so. It’s really cool. And I’ve made a few friends there. There are ten guys in our group, and the oldest are Eukwang hyung and Minhyuk hyung, who are fifteen year old. Changsub hyung is fourteen, Hyunsik hyung is thirteen, Peniel hyung is twelve and Sungjae is ten. Sungjae is our maknae. Then there are others in our group too, but I don’t like them as much…” Ilhoon explained his new hobby for a long while more.

While sitting on swings Kata asked the younger one. “By the way, why both times I’ve seen you, you haven’t been celebrating your birthday with your family?” Ilhoon sighed and answered. “My family is busy. We do celebrate my birthday but always a week late. I dunno why.” Kata kept nodding slowly and said. “Well, most important that you do celebrate it at least some time.”

As the day was turning into dawn, Kata felt a little tweak from behind her belly button and she said “I feel like I’ll have to go soon…” Ilhoon pouted and asked. “Already? We’ll meet again, won’t we?” She smiled wistfully and answered. “Unfortunately. And, I really wish this will continue and we’ll meet after a year. I’ll try and have Korean money with me and if I could even buy you a gift. But hey. If you’ll miss me badly, you have our photos, so look at them.” Ilhoon nodded and asked quietly. “Noona. Can I hug you? I’ll miss you.” Kata laughed a bit and said. “Sure you can hug me. And remember in the future, you can always hug me as much as you like. I won’t mind.” Ilhoon got up from the swing to hug Kata, and she hugged back. Soon Kata felt the pulling from behind her belly button again and said. “It’s time for me to go. Bye bye.”

In less than a second Kata was back to her own room and after noticing that, she glanced her phone, seeing she was back in her own time and it was 6am.