writetomyheart | [team three] memories locked away

Managed to squeeze out some Tomorrow fic!

Through years of friendship Jaesoo and Junwoong have stuck together. It’s hard to hear about the pain Jaesoo suffered while Junwoong was gone. “I wish I could have been there for you.”

“Don’t be stupid,” says Jaesoo, biting into another piece of fried chicken. “You were in a coma! You weren’t exactly having a good time either.” That’s true, although Junwoong had the benefit of not feeling anything during that time, and waking up as though no time had passed at all. For Jaesoo, it must have been much more painful. “Anyway, I did miss you a lot at that time, but some very strange people were kind to me and helped me through it. This one old man made me fried chicken that tasted so terrible I cried. Reminded me of you somehow.” He grins widely.

“Hey!” Junwoong protests indignantly. “It tasted good when I tried it!”

Wait. What?

Jaesoo furrows his brows. “When did you make fried chicken and not share with me?”

“I—” I don’t know. “I think one time when I was getting my cooking certificate?” What did I just say? His insides suddenly feel weird, like something is trying to burst out. What a strange thing to say — he can barely remember ever making it so why would he react like that?

Jaesoo laughs and pats Junwoong’s cheek. “Next time make me some too!” I think you may not like it. What? “Anyway, I actually felt better afterwards. Like I was crying about something else than what was going on in my mind.”

“That’s good,” Junwoong says, staring at his plate. For a brief moment, he remembers the process of making the food. Wearing a chicken costume. Riding a bike with—

A flash of pink.

“You guys didn’t do anything weird to me while I was in a coma, right?” Driving through an old-fashioned town. Meeting a man at the end of his rope.

“Like what?” says Jaesoo. “Why would we do anything weird? It was awful. I wasn’t going to mess with you, much less your mom or sister.”

“I just feel like something weird happened. I can’t explain it. It feels blurry, like it happened while I was out of it.” In his mind he sees Jaesoo, miserable in his apartment, refusing to let him in. I was a stranger to him. Why? Jaesoo sobbing into a box of terrible fried chicken. I was sure it would help him, and I guess it kind of did, if not in the way I imagined.

I’m so confused. “I guess I’m still waking up a little.” He chuckles awkwardly when he realizes Jaesoo is watching him with concern in his eyes.

Later, when they’re walking home in the cool night air, Jaesoo says, “I’m glad you’re back.”

Something about it, combined with the strange feeling he got from their earlier conversation, fills Junwoong with overwhelming emotion, tears threatening to pour out. He pulls Jaesoo into a tight hug. “Calm down,” Jaesoo complains jokingly, but accepts it.

“I’m glad you’re here,” says Junwoong quietly. He almost lost his best friend. He hugs him tighter. “I’m really glad you’re here.”

avantnuit you're up!