︶꒦꒷∞꒷꒦︶

Time Skip:

It's been just a little while from when we properly talked about it.

It's been just a little while from when we finally accepted that we needed to start healing.
That we needed to accept what happened.
That it was okay to miss him, to say his name, talk about him.

It's been 3 months since then.

We even celebrated both our birthday's too. For the first time in 6 years.
I would be lying if we were happy the entire time, we cried too.
We thought about how Jeongin would pout knowing that both of us turned 19 before him.
He would whine that we still treated him like a kid.

We somehow cautiously approached Jeongin's parents to come to the birthdays.
They came to both of ours. 
Seemed like they found their own path of healing too.

They kept more contact with our parents, they dint bury it all again.

Because we knew, doing all this dint mean we forgot about him.
We could never. 
He'd always be with us.

Seungmin was doing so much better. I was doing so much better.
Though he needed more support, i was there for him every time he needed me.

He was now strong enough to comfort me even when he was facing his own emotions.

We cleared our CSAT's and Seungmin got past the second singing audition. 
I even got a seat in a college for law school. Although i wanted to go abroad, it was okay that I dint go to some fancy college because I don't think I'd be able to move alone.
And I'd still be close to Seungmin. I'd still be able to see him more often that i would have if i moved abroad, because both me and Seungmin would have to move Seoul.

There was still a lot of time for all those major changes to take action.

We celebrated New Year's eve at the local festival together, the first festival we spent outside our homes after Jeongin's death.

Soon it was January, and before we knew it, it was February.

Just week away from when it happened.

February 8.

Seungmin and I were quiet most of the time that week, just hung out in each other's company. We dint talk much or do anything.

It was 2 days before Jeongin's birthday, we were in my room when someone rang the bell.

I looked up to Seungmin as he asked softly,

"Expecting someone today?"

"That's weird. No, actually."

We waited a few minutes before seungmin spoke up

"Wanna go check?"

"You speak my mind."

We both nodded ours head getting up and going up to the door, wondering who it could be 

As we climbed down the staircase, we saw my mom greeting someone.

We went further into the the living room to find both Jeongin's and Seungmin's mother.
It wasn't unusual or Aunty Kim to be here but Aunty Yang came by only once or twice apart from our birthdays.

"Aunty Yang?"

"Mom?"

"Oh Seungmin and Minji, I was just talking about you two to Youngie and Aera." 
she said referring to our moms

"Give us a few minutes, she wants to talk to me before she talks to you" My mom said to us

"What's the big secret" Seungmin asked, acting his silly self.

I nudged him as he said that and pulled him away as i nodded to my mom

"Don't act silly"

"What? I just wanted to know."

"They'll tell us, so be quiet and go over here"
 I said pushing him into the kitchen

"Want a drink?"

He said no as he pouted because he was mad i pushed him inside.

"I'm not going to ask again, do you want one or no?"

Still no answer.

"Fine." 

I said opening the refrigerator again to keep it back, but he snatched it from me before i could 

"Don't take advantage of you height"

"That's what you get for pushing me"

"What are you? 5 years old?"

"Kids! Come here"

I hear my mom calling us

I stuck my tongue out at Seungmin and said 

"Hah, i win."

"Now who's acting like a 5 year old?"

We made our way out there, squabbling with each other, but when we made it to the living room, we sensed a sad aura. There were tears in both our moms and Jeongin's moms eyes and they were holding her hand. Just how me and Seungmin did when we comforted each other.

"Is something wrong?"
Seungmin asked cautiously

"No nothing- nothing's wrong."
Seungmin's mom said.

"Bora just wants to talk to you about something"
My mom said.

We looked at them tilting our heads in confusion, but quickly nodded that they had our attention.

 "I-I don't know... how to tell you this. It's going to take a while. Take a seat."

We did as she asked us to do and sat next to each other, waiting for her to continue.

"You both are our doing really well now, and we're proud of for coming so far, alone. But i think its time to talk about this, I don't want to come off to strong, because I know whatever happened 7 years ago still hurts us, and we're still healing. You two know it as well I do." 
Aunty Yang replied.

"Talk? Is there more to talk about?"
Seungmin asked

"You know its his birthday soon right?"

"Yeah, we remember. Its in 2 days."

"Me and Jeongin's dad haven't visited him for a while. we're going... on his birthday."

"For the his 7th year?"
I asked sadly.

"Yes, we've been visting him often and every year on his birthday, but we weren't able to in the past few months. We also wanted to take you with us, but we remembered how hard it was for you two at the burial when he passed away, so we never asked you kids if you wanted to. But your mothers say you're doing much better now."

Seungmin winced when he heard "passed away".
I moved closer to him, kneading his hands to comfort him.

I sniffled and asked her,

"Are you possibly asking us if we wanted to visit him?"

She nodded

"There's no pressure. But we thought it would be appropriate now. Since you both are doing much better, you could at least consider. I'm sure Jeongin would be happy either way. You have to take care of yourself first."

I shuddered and left Seungmin's hand, as i placed it on my face, crying in my palms.

Seungmin rubbed my arms in a comforting manner and whispered
"Hey, we're in it together right? Stay strong. It's okay."

I looked up from my palm at him, my face covered in tears. I tried to make a sentence, but it just came out in random words.

"Shush, shhh, calm down first. Catch your breath, i cant understand what you're babbling"
He said even though he was crying himself.

I wiped my tears out of my face and said,

"I... want to go.. But i can't go alone."

Jeongin's mother hearing us cry, walked over to us, grabbing both our hands and stroking it, and said:

"I know it's a lot to process, i get it. But don't rush into it."

"No, It's okay. We want to go. I want to go."
Seungmin said, suddenly.

i looked up at him and asked

"Are you sure?"

"Never been more confident."

I flashed him a weak smile and said to Jeongin's mom.

"We'll visit Jeongin with you."

She immediately engulfed in a warm hug, where all three of us cried but she said,

"You two are brave, and strong for coming so far alone. Jeongin would be so proud of you two"

"I bet he'd be happy if he knows we're finally coming to see him." 
I said.

"Thanks aunty, for trusting us that we can finally see him."
Seungmin said.

︶꒦꒷∞꒷꒦︶