I was feeding the birds in the newly built park they had built in Bucheon when a teenager, probably only 17 or 18, strode up to me with his bike next to him. He was wearing a school uniform of the nearby high school but I didn't see any name tag. I noticed that he is an extremely handsome youth, with large doe eyes and a pretty smile. He has a skinny but fit frame and he was quite tall, probably only an 2-3 centimeters shorter than me.

     He seemed to hesitate, just a little bit before he said, “Hi. Sorry to bother you but you aren’t allowed to feed the animals in this park. It makes them too friendly with humans and people doesn’t want any animal attacks,”

     “Oh, I apologize. I had no idea."

     “It’s okay,” he said as he took a seat next to me. Why of all the seats in the park did he sit next to me? Ha! I sound pretty damn anti-social.

      “A lot of people don’t know that rule," the kid said, a little laughter in his voice, "They really should make signs.”

      Though I don't know who he is, he was extremely friendly and he seemed familiar. I don't konw why though. I don't know any kids his age since I'm pretending to be 24 right now. I don't like kids in general, especially teenagers. Which reminds me, I should probably fake my death soon. People will notice I don't age, even now my classmates in grad school think it's odd that I look so young.

      We sat in silence for a few moments until all the bird flew away, realizing that I wasn't giving out more food. That peace was broken when I saw a bee fly right into my face and I flinched. As I turned my head, the attractive kid and I made eye contact. I nervously chuckled at myself a little. Goddamn, he was watching the whole time and this is embarrassing.

      “I had this terrible experience with bees once and I’ve never been fond of them since,” I explained. I don't know why I felt like I had to explain this to him, it was a strange impulse, but to get off topic, I introduced myself.

      "By the way, my name is Park Chanyeol." I stuck out my hand with a smile - my million won fake smile - and he shook my hand firmly. His hand was warm and surprising very rough. For a kid his age, his hands should be as soft as a baby's bottom. It looked like he worked with his hands a lot.

      “Nice to meet you, Park Chanyeol-ssi. My name is Kim Jongin.”

      Without even thinking, I blurted out, “Jongin? ‘Jong’ as in 'follower' and ‘In’ as in 'person'?” The kid, Jongin, smiled at me. He had a pretty interesting name. Actually, it's a pretty cheesy name. He probably grew up Christian or Catholic or something.

      “Quite correct. I grew up Catholic, though I'm not particularly religious" he said and I mentally high fived myself. I could only imagine that devout parents of Christ would name their child Jongin. Too bad the kid isn't much of a follower, despite his name.

      "My name is fitting for a follower of Christ. Don't you think?”

      "Ah, I see. That makes sense,” I said, internally grinning at my perceptiveness but it was also quite interesting. I'm not one for religion, after all I've been through, but I also take comfort in prayer. I guess you could say I'm agnostic. I believe there is a higher power out there, besides the blasted diety, I just don't know what. Maybe it's God, maybe not, but I'd like to believe that there is a higher power out there hearing me out.

      Another moment of silence passed between us but stragely enough, it wasn’t all that awkward. The kid seemed really relaxed and again, strangely familiar. He didn't particularly strike me as the type of person I needed to avoid... I just felt like I could just let my guard down.

      “The forsythias are lovely this year, aren’t they?” he asked me suddenly, breaking the silence. I blinked at him, a little surprised with his rather random comment but I nodded.

      Before I knew it, a phrase seemed to jump out of my mouth. It wasn't something I would usually say. It wasn't sarcastic or nearly cynical enough.

      “I don’t know why but they remind me of all the good things in life,” was the phrase. I honestly do not know what caused me to say something like that because I sure as hell wasn't thinking it. Man, I am really starting to lose it today. This kid is all kinds of weird and I don't know if I like this.

      “They do,” he answered back, “Looking at forsythias kind of makes me feel immortal.”

       He quirked his lips into a knowing smirk but what he had said surprised me. I hid my expression as quickly as I could and I don't think he noticed it. Jongin was weird and it was honestly freaking me out a bit. He doesn't quite feel like a stranger but I'm sure this is the first time we've met. During the 5-10 minutes we have been sitting here, he has said one surprising thing after another.

       Before I could get my thoughts in order to ask him something, Jongin jumps up from his seat. “Park Chanyeol-ssi,” he said and got up on his bike. “I just wanted to inform you that not only are you not allowed to feed the bird but as of today, your curse is broken. You are no longer immortal and you will be seeing me more often.”

       I could feel my eyes grow wide and if they got any wider, my eyeballs will fall out. I looked around the park, looking for the damned diety, because she has to be playing a trick on me. Who the hell is this kid? But I couldn't let her win if she was joking around. I composed myself, fighting the urge to ask more question.

       “I have no idea what you’re talking about,” I said flatly.

       He blatantly ignored that. “I’m not sick anymore so I’m going to make you fall in love with me,” he said with a sinister smile, reminscent of the diety. My eyebrows rose. What the hell?

      “What?! Love?” I asked, “Is this a joke?”

      “I’ll see you around!”

      The kid was like Sonic the Hedgehog on his bike. Either that or my brain was too slow and by the time I was done freaking out and being in shock, he was gone. I stood up, unsure of what to do. There is a kid out there who knows about the gift, well I guess he called it a curse. But he said it was broken? I don't know why but I kind of believe him. Why do I believe him?

      I looked around and I saw a small business card stuck to the bench. It wasn't there before Jongin sat down so it must be his. I picked it up. It said, "Saint Sebastian's Orphanage for Boys" written on it and I stared at the word "Orphanage" for awhile.

      Something just clicked in my mind and the shear revelation was astounding. Man, I am so perceptive today.

      The kid said he grew up Catholic and clearly this orphanage had some kind of Catholic ties. You don't name a non-Catholic organization Saint Sebastian. Jongin had rough hands and can only assume that he works. He works because he's an orphan and he needs to make money as it is governmental policy for children who turn 19 to move out of an orphanage (for they are adults). If he's about 18 years old, he probably can't stay at the orphanage for long. I could feel my heart ache for this kid but it was weird. I don't know him so why should I even feel empathetic towards him?

      And if it was some kind of devine event, I could feel my feet walking towards the orphanage. I'm not particularly familiar with the area but I remember walking past an orphanage in the direction Jongin was going after my regular check ups at the hospital.

      There is a doctor here who I have been visiting for the past 8 months and he is a  famous diagnositian. Of course, I knew he wasn't going to be able to tell me why I couldn't remember anything from my past.

      He told me that head traumas are unpredictable and sometimes memories just don't come back. I wasn't satisfied with that answer, considering I have lived the past 18 years feeling like something HUGE was missing from my life. Nothing seemed to fill the void, no matter how hard I tried. At this point, I probably would have quit seeing Dr. Byun Jaehyun but something about him makes me want to stay.

      He was a good man and I can't blame him for not knowing why I can't retrieve my memories. I'm immortal after all, and I don't think they teach you how to diagnose illnesses for immortals in med school. I should know, I was a hemotologist at one point and I went to med school, just like him...

      Before I knew it, I was standing in front of the orphanage, a white fence and gate spanning the entire complex. There was a small church, a swingset, two soccer nets, and a bright yellow bike on the premises. Jongin's bike. It was against a forsythia tree and the whole image was very breathtaking. The orphanage was surprising beautiful and well kept.

      "Hello, may I help you?" a woman's voice asked me. She was wearing nun's robes and I could see she was probably around her early 50s. She had a very gentle and soothing voice, as well as incredibly kind eyes.

      "Yes, hello," I said. I suddenly felt nervous. "Is there a boy named Jongin here?" I asked.

      "Oh, are you another baseball recruiter? You look a little young to be one," she said eyeing me, "I should let you know that Jongin has chosen to go to Daejeon University but he isn't sure if he wants to continue playing baseball."

      I rose an eyebrow. So the kid was good at baseball, enough so that he was getting recruited to universities. No wonder his body was lanky and fit and his hands are rough. I can see him being some sort of in-fielder or maybe even a pitcher.

      "I understand. But could I still speak with him? I have something else to ask him." I said vaguely. I didn't corroborate or deny her theory of me but let her imagination think whatever it wanted. The nun smiled sweetly and said it was fine. She gracefully walked into the church and Jongin came outside a few minutes later, a young boy glued to his torso.

     He looked genuinely surprised to see me so I guess he didn't leave that card on the bench on purpose. He let the little monkey on his torso crawl down. The child was no more than 8 and he happily ran back inside, into the arms of a younger nun. She eyed me before carrying the young boy further into the church.

      "So you're a baseball recruiter? What university?" Jongin asked, humor in his voice.

      "Kid, I'm not here to play around. What the hell were you talking about in the park. Do you... Do you know what I am? Have we met before?"

      Jongin looked at me measuredly, something in his expression made me feel like I was in Deja Vu. Maybe it wasn't just his expressions, maybe it was the way he spoke and the way he held himself up. He just seemed oddly familiar, almost like a reoccuring dream. This is driving me insane.

     "Yes and no," Jongin answered, "I know who you are, I know how long you've lived, but we've never met before. At least not in this lifetime."

     "What? What are you talking about? So you know what I am?"

     "Do I know that you used to be immortal? Yes, I do. I guess you could say that I was too, in a way."

     "No, I am immortal. Not used to be. And what do you mean you're immortal too, in a way? How old are you?"

     "I turned 18 in January and you're 230 years old but you're wrong about being immortal. That gift is gone and so is the curse," Jongin said. My eyes grew wide. He knew how old I was but the rest of what he was saying didn't make any sense.

     "Curse? What curse?"

     "I'm not ill anymore."

     "Congratulations? But what does that even have to do with anything?! You don't make any sense. Are you telling me you're a new immortal. Who gave you immortality? It was that damned Diety of Fate, right? Kid, you don't want immortality, trust me."

     "You don't remember it but me not being sick is actually very significant. I said, I'm immortal, in a way - so I'm not actually immortal. I have reincarnated... Though I won't be able to again after this lifetime. And you're going to die with me."

     "You reincarnate?" I repeated. "That sounds even crazier than immortality. Kid, I've tried dying, many times, and I can't die. I don't think you understand what you're saying."

     "No, you don't understand what's going on," Jongin answered back with absolute certainty. His voice was flat and icy and it rang with truth. It sent a chill down my spine. I couldn't help but think that maybe it was true. Maybe I wasn't immortal anymore. I haven't attempted suicide in a long time, after all.

     "Chanyeol," Jongin said, his voice barely a whisper. "Did you get into an accident 18 years ago? Have you forgotten some things - important things - and you can't seem to grasp what they were even though so many years have passed?" Jongin asked. His questions were more like statements than actual questions. He already knew the answers and I was lost, yet again.

     I stayed silent. What was I supposed to say to something like that? But more importantly, how did Jongin know that? Jongin said himself that we had only just met today and yet he knew everything about me.

     "Have you been following me around? Are you stalking me?"

     A tear rolled down his cheek and I was honestly surprised. Not beacause Jongin was crying but because my heart ached for him.

     "You don't remember me? Not even in the slightest?" he asked. Despite the tears, his voice was stable and strong. He wasn't asking questions, he knew the answer already. I couldn't help but want to believe everything he says because of that. I nodded in answer. It's not like we could have this kind of discussion and lie.

     "The vase," he said suddenly, his expression inquisitive. "Do you have a vase with scraps of paper in it? Do you know what that is?" he asked me and my voice caught. How did he know about that vase?

     "You still have The Pony parked at your house in Jinhae, right? I bet it still purs" he said with a chuckle underlying his breath. I simply just nodded.

     "Do you know why forsythias remind you of all the good things in life even though you don't even remember those good things?" he asked. I could feel my face muscles strain from trying not to look too shocked. I honestly felt like crying because even though nothing made sense, there was relief washing over me.

     "How do you know all that?" I asked him, voice just as quiet as his.

     "It would take to long to explain. You might not even believe me," he said, wiping his eyes. There was a smile on his face and I suddenly felt happy to see it. This kid was playing me like a fiddle and I don't even give a damn. I want to hear what he has to say. I want Jongin to be the person that I had been waiting for these past 18 years to explain to me why my world feels so much more bleak than before my accident.

     "Try me," I said.

---

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     "The newly transferred shortstop from the Daejeon Sharks played against his former team while wearing the XO Planets' jersey. It was an incredible game and the XO Planets won my 4 runs," the sportscaster said on the radio.

     "Attaboy," I said as I sat through rush hour traffic. I have been sitting for almost an hour and there was probably an accident. It was inhumanely hot despite it being nighttime and I could only wish I was at the baseball stadium. And like the speak of the devil, I heard my cell ring.

     "Hello," I answered.

     "Did you watch the game?"

     "I heard it on the radio. I'm stuck in traffic but I wish I was there."

     "Well, it was a great game and the entire country will be talking about it. You'll hear about it for days, actually, so don't worry about it," he laughed.

     "You're full of yourself Kim Jongin," I said, "Congratulations on winning your first game as shortstop for the XO Planets. I'm sorry I had to go on a business trip."

     "It's okay. You're gonna go to all my other ones, right?" I could practically hear the smile in his voice. He was probably still in his dirtied baseball uniform, face flush from running around the infield."

     "Yes Junmyun, I'm going to your other games. Though, professional baseball tickets are way more expensive than college baseball games."

     "Junmyun? You just called me Junmyun!" he exclaimed.

     "...I did? I thought I said Jongin."

     "Are you remembering anything?" he asked, excitement clearly in his voice. I didn't want to get his hopes up but every time I tried remember, my mind drew huge blanks. Sometimes names or pictures will flash into my mind and words will slip out of my mouth but it wasn't because I was necessarily remembering anything.

      However, everything Jongin has told me about our past made sense. I knew everything he said was true but I couldn't remember my end of it. I was disappointed in myself but Jongin wasn't too bothered by it. He was happy that I was even just trying.

      It was because he was supportive that the void in my heart and mind, seemed to fill up day by day. Jongin's words, his presense, his unconditional love was everything and half the time, I didn't want to remember. All I needed was him.

     "I don't know. I just remember the name Junmyun but... I don't remember him. But you know, those memories, sometimes I think I don't want them. I just want to make memories with you," I said. That's the most honest I've been these past couple weeks while I was in Singapore making business deals as a public relations officer for XO Electronics.

      XO Electronics, or XO for short, also happens to own Jongin's professional baseball team, the Planets. I get to see him a lot since he's the new superstar that transferred into the team and I manage all PR for XO, particularly for their televisions and baseball team.

     I heard him chuckle. "You never change, Chanyeol, even after 237 years. You know you said those same words to me when I was Junmyun? You said nothing mattered to you but me and that the only thing you wanted was to stay and make memories with me."

     "Excuse you, I'm actually 26. I'm not longer immortal remember? I age now. But I've always been a romantic," I said, purposely trying to sound sappy and pretentious.

     "Shut up, please, you're so shameless," Jongin laughed. I missed that laugh a lot while I was out of the country and he was busy practicing for this upcoming game.

     "I missed you, Jongin. I love you."

     And without missing a single hesitation, "I missed you too, Chanyeol. I love you."

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I wrote this awhile ago but it didn't end up in the last chapter. I just thought I'd put it out here anyways. It's just a little view into their futures :) Thanks for reading!!!