♬ Those were such happy times
And not so long ago
How I wondered where they'd gone
But they're back again
Just like a long lost friend ♬

- "Yesterday Once More," Carpenters

1965
Somewhere in a Hospital in South Korea

The seemingly silent walls of white started showing their true colors when a moving object started rushing in. The black haired boy was startled that he had accidentally thrown himself in the coldness of the bench that apparently wasn't sat on by any person for hours. For the people inside this establishment had believed, or they had hoped there won't be patients for today. The boy woke up with the presence of people in white uniform, that's when he recalled that he was inside a hospital.

"It's an emergency, please clear the way! Call Doctor Choi immediately," said a man in glasses as he pushed the stretcher inside the emergency room. It is an scary job, the boy guesses, because until know he can't believe what he saw. There must have been an accident for the person lying in the stretcher was extremely bleeding. It is a job that you would be proud of doing because you are saving other people's lives, but definitely it isn't for me, the boy thought again. The color of blood scares him.

"Taehyung! I thought you've gone somewhere far! Thank God you're just here," a woman embraced him in her arms and tried to carry him. The boy insisted to walk instead but his mother had scolded him already. "What did I tell you? You shouldn't be wandering around! It's dangerous for kids like you! You might acquire communicable diseases in here, let's come back to your nanny's room."

"Your father will be mad at you. You are the one who insisted you'll be going with me and then you want me to take you home now?" Taehyung's mother, Celeste, said to him. He sat at the chair and pouted. He watched as his mother approached a woman in white clothes. "Aren't there any available VIP rooms yet? I want my mother to be in a comfortable room. The intensive care unit is crowded," he heard her spoke, he didn't understand what the woman replied as drowsy feeling had invaded his system. A few more minutes and he finally fell asleep.

He woke up later when he heard weeping noises inside the room. His mother was nowhere to be found and the room would be quiet if those cries weren't there. Suddenly, the door opened and revealed the person he was looking for. Celeste smiled at her son who just woke up. "Here's your strawberry milk. Are you alright?" his mother asked him. Taehyung looked towards the direction where the cries were heard.

He took the strawberry milk his mother was offering him and headed to the person behind the curtain of another patient's bed. There he saw a cute boy crying over an unconscious woman lying in the bed. Taehyung hesitated at first but then he tapped the other kid's back. "Stop crying. She will be alright like my nanny. Here, take deep breaths," Taehyung sounded mature at that although his voice was a little husky because he just woke up.

The flustered other boy looked at Taehyung with gleaming eyes. He wiped his tears once and for all and locked his eyes with Taehyung. "Do you want this?" Taehyung showed him the drink. The other boy nodded without hesitation. Taehyung chuckled at that. "Here take it. Do not cry anymore, okay?" he said. The boy nodded while he sipped through the straw of his beverage.

Celeste couldn't be more proud of her son with his actions. Taehyung indeed possessed a good heart although he could be naughty at times. "Come on, let's buy you a new one," Celeste said to her son and Taehyung just followed. Before they went out, he once again looked at the other boy. He smiled at him before the door closes.

The next day, when Taehyung and his mom just arrived to the hospital, an empty room had faced them and Celeste started to get worried to what is happening. The kid that they met yesterday was still there, only he was sleeping besides the woman in the patient's bed. Only a few seconds later, a woman in white arrived holding a table of probably patients' medical information.

"Miss, where is the bed of my mother, Park Heeyeol? I thought there are no rooms available and so she was here since yesterday," Celeste asked with his serene voice. Taehyung saw that the kid was awake, only he was puzzled as to what is happening and why is he hearing voices of someone.

"Are you Mr. Kim's wife? We assisted and informed him that your mother can now be transferred to a VIP room since one of the patients yesterday was discharged. She's in VIP Room 12 now, head east to the second floor and you'll see," The doctor had informed her. Celeste nodded to that and held Taehyung's arm.

"Thank you," she said and then the doctor proceeded to look after the woman besides that strawberry milk kid yesterday. She patted the kid's head and smiled at him before she checked the patient's vitals. Taehyung and Celeste went out of the room and went to Taehyung's nanny's room.

When they arrived, Mr. Kim was there, silently just staring at the unconscious old woman on the more comfortable bed, distracted in a very deep thought. "You didn't tell me you'll be going today, honey." Celeste said and Mr. Kim was a little taken back, stood and kissed his wife's cheek.

"It was a sudden decision to visit. I went here to clear my thoughts. The company is not doing well on sales and I need a place to arrange my thoughts," Mr. Kim spoke, sat again at the sofa with his hand supporting his chin.

"Ah," Mrs. Kim, Celeste, reacted. Taehyung hid behind of his mother. It looked like he was scared of his father. "I'll let you take your time, then." Celeste said Mr. Kim didn't utter a word, just nodded his head to dismiss his wife. He didn't even take a one look on his son. Or did he even notice he was there?

They both decided to just go out of there and get some fresh air. Good thing there was a picnic park nearby so they just went there to relax. Taehyung played around the children's playground and his mother just smiled whilst watching his son have fun.

"My wife is at the hospital. Don't you think now is not the right time to call when she's in the verge of dying? I can handle that after I made sure she's alright, just don't mess things out. Tell Secretary Min everything and do not disturb me," Celeste can't help to not eavesdrop when a man suddenly appeared and he was talking to someone over the phone in the booth nearby. That kid she and Taehyung saw earlier was waiting outside the booth, it seemed like he doesn't even know what was going on.

The man went out and held the kid's hand so he would seat in the bench. "Jeongguk, do not go anywhere. Father needs to buy something to calm himself down, alright? Just sit here and I'll take you home when I come back. Hm?" The man said and the kid just nodded. He messed Jeongguk's hair and handed him a bag. "Here, have some of these. I'll be right back. Stay put, kiddo."

Jeongguk took out the thing inside the bag. He then started munching the treats. Someone approached him that's why he slowly turned his head up. "Hi. It's me! I was the one who gave you the strawberry milk yesterday. Why are you here alone?" Taehyung asked him. Jeongguk didn't answer him, probably he was shy that's why he just bowed his head.

"Come on, I'm not a bad person. I'm Kim Taehyung. You can call me 'Tae' if you want. My mom calls me 'Tata bear'? Isn't it cute? How about you? Can you speak or something? I don't know your name yet. We met a few times already," Taehyung looked so exhausted while saying those that's why he decided to seat besides him.

"M-My m-mom told me to n-not speak to s-strangers," Jeongguk replied and Taehyung couldn't help to laugh at that.

"I gave you my drink yesterday and you didn't even hesitated. C'mon now, don't be shy. I can be a friend," Taehyung said to him. He could be a friend, he said? But Jeongguk didn't have any of that since he was a kid. He's a lone boy. His life revolved around their castle-like house. He sat too far from his classmates because everyone thinks he's an outcast. Jeongguk wasn't financially lacking, in fact their family has a well-known company. That couldn't be the reason why sometimes he's being laughed at but the fact that he was treated like a newborn who can't speak was the reason why he hated being around a lot of people.

"Y-You want my name? H-Here, take it," Jeongguk handed him a piece of cookie.

"Cookie? That's your name? Sounds dorky to me," Taehyung chuckled at him. Jeongguk just laughed a little at him.

"You can say that," Jeongguk replied and tried to stare at Taehyung's eyes. The way they sparkled like stars in the night sky was something. He immediately took them away when Taehyung started to calm down. He lowkey watched Taehyung eat the cookie he gave.

"You two seem to get along well. Come on, I'll take your picture. I remember I brought my camera with me," Celeste said when she finally had the chance to go near the two kids. Taehyung did a pose while Jeongguk just stared at the camera with his cheeks burning of shyness.

"Jeongguk," a stern voice of a man called. He immediately close the lid of the box of cookies and then placed them inside the bag. The man stared at Celeste with his brow sligthly furrowed and then took the kid away from them.

Jeongguk coughed when he accidentally sniffed the smoke coming from his father's tobacco. He turned his head when he heard someone screamed his name or he thought so. "Goodbye, Cookie! I'll see you again later!" Taehyung screamed and even waved his hand at him. Jeongguk turned his head to the front now with his flushed face.

If only he could run back to that bench and converse more with Taehyung. Too bad his father had dragged him away to the very first person he considered being friends with. That day, he felt like he finally existed in someone's world even if it was for a short period of time.

━━━

18th of June 1978
Kims' Mansion

Taehyung stood and walked again towards the direction of the phonograph. He took out the vinyl and started playing it. He lifted the tonearm to change the song to the track he wanted to play. Can't Help Falling in Love started playing. He returned to Jeongguk and stretched his arm to him. "Can I have this dance?" he asked him. Jeongguk shyly took his hand and nodded.

♬ Wise men say
Only fools rush in
But I can't help falling in love
With you ♬

Taehyung placed Jeongguk's hand on his shoulder and he held his tiny waist in the same direction with his. "Let's just say we're practicing for the ball," Taehyung whispered in Jeongguk's left ear. That sent shivers down the younger's spine.

♬ Shall I stay?
Would it be a sin?
If I can't help falling in love
With you?

Jeongguk gulped and tried staring at Taehyung's bright eyes of galaxies. They swayed along with the soft melody music. Taehyung even hummed along the music when he learned the flow of it.

♬ Like a river flows
Surely to the sea
Darling so it goes
Some things are meant to be ♬

Jeongguk's heart was beating crazily. He never imagined being placed in a situation like this. Taehyung was a dream come true for him. Meeting Kim Taehyung in this lifetime was a blessing.

♬ Take my hand
Take my whole life too
For I can't help falling in love
With you ♬

Taehyung was the star that fell down from the sky that the vocal duo, Carpenters, sang about. Taehyung is Jeongguk's "apple of the eye" and he will forever stay in his heart.

♬ Like a river flows
Surely to the sea
Darling so it goes
Some things are meant to be ♬

"You repainted it?" Jeongguk asked when he saw Taehyung's treasure chest that contained his childhood memories. Taehyung slowly let go of Jeongguk's waist and nodded. He led him to the direction of the box. Taehyung took the key from his cabinet and gave it to Jeongguk. "This is where my surprise lies," Taehyung told him.

♬ Take my hand
Take my whole life too
For I can't help falling in love
With you ♬

"What is it?" Jeongguk curiously tilted his head to Taehyung. The older did not respond instead he opened the chest himself and took out a bunny stuff toy. "That's cute! Who made it? Did you?" Jeongguk continously asked Taehyung.

"Well, ask 'Cookie.' He gave me this despite saying he doesn't talk to strangers," Taehyung said and then he took out a photograph. Behind the image, Cookie and Tata, 1965 was written. Jeongguk then stared back at Taehyung with his eyes questioning the older.

♬ For I can't help
Falling in love with you ♬