Wait for me

Chapter 2 - We are in a parallel world

Yes, yesterday was the same, strange and odd. And today, everything is exactly the same.

It looks like I have a day off from university today, so I'll be helping out in the cafeteria all day.

I stopped asking questions when I didn't find the answers I was looking for.

I'm scared, my mind is a mess, I can't think of a logical explanation. Of course, I should think of the most illogical thing. Like what? Oh, I know, maybe it's a dream that's so real and so long. No, what about... that's it, those movies about parallel worlds when they travel through time, except I didn't travel through time, it's the same year, so, is the only thing that changed the whole world? I sound crazy, but it's the only thing I've come up with. Illogical, yes, but at least now I have something.

I vigorously clean the bar while continuing to give free rein to my thoughts.

"Hyung," someone says in front of me. "I'm so glad I found you. Please tell me you know who I am, because I looked for Donghyuk and he only recognized me as an actor and not as his friend and fellow member of iKON."

I look up, I heard right, didn't I? Chanwoo has appeared to give me the sign that things aren't as bad as I thought.

-Yes, I recognize you, you're Chanwoo, the Maknae of iKON, and the one who acted drunk just to play a prank on me along with the other members- I reply gratefully.

"Thank you," he says, regardless of the bar, and hugs me back without hesitation. I guess we don't feel so lost anymore.

"Come on, let's take a seat," I say, patting him on the back. We walk to a table and sit facing each other in the metal chairs.

"What's going on? It took me a while to realize that all this was happening," she says sadly and confusedly.

-Me too, I couldn't believe it

-Did you reach a conclusion, Hyung?

I sit slowly.

"I think we're in a parallel world," I tell him, saying it out loud makes me sound crazier.

"Parallel? Like Back to the Future?" he asks, frowning.

-Yes, like in movie 2, if this is true, then...

-Then maybe none of them will recognize us and they could also be doing something else, like Donghyuk who is a solo artist, and me who is a drama actor and you, who works in this cafe.

-Actually, I'm also in college

"Oh, that's good, but what will we do? How are we going to solve this?" he asks anxiously.

"First, we need to know the origin of the problem," he replied confidently.

Wouldn't it be better to have the support of the members?

"Do you think they'll believe us?" I ask. Something tells me no, but something is screaming at me to have hope.

"Hyung, we're a team, a family, we're iKON," Chanwoo reminds me. "We can't do it without them, should we look for Hanbin first?"

Something tells me it will be difficult to convince him, and it will also be difficult to find him; there's no trace of him or Bobby on the internet.

The same thing happened to me. Apparently, I have several actor and singer friends, and I asked them if they knew them, and they said no, so I guess they're not famous.

-That makes it more complicated, I found a cooking channel by Yunhyeong- I say and show it to him from my cell phone.

"Great, Hyung is doing well. I remembered that June likes poetry and dreams of writing a book, so before coming here, I went to a bookstore and found this"—he pulls a paperback book from his suit bag. I take it in my hands, read the title, and then the author: Koo Junhoe.

Chanwoo and I looked at each other; we have the clue to find June and Yunghyeong.

"Why didn't this book appear on the Internet?" I ask, examining it closely. I open it and read the first lines of the first poem.

"It must be because it's not that famous. It took me too long to find it, just like the librarian, and... well, I found it because I tripped over it. It had fallen off the shelf or someone had thrown it away, I don't know. I think it was the last one; it's very worn."

-How is this possible? His poems are very good, it's not fair

-Yes, I read them. I guess sometimes it's hard to make people like something.

-You're right

-I'm so relieved to have found you, it's good that this cafe still exists in this parallel world- he looks around.

-Yes, even so, several things have changed. My mother still works at the university, and I think my father is taking over this business. And you? What has changed in your life?

"I'm performing more often, they say I'm very good at it, and... I think I have a girlfriend," he says the last part, unable to believe it.

-That's good

-Yes, we couldn't have partners while we were in the group, but even so, I'd trade all of this to go back to how things were before, Hyung

-Me too, I don't know what caused all this mess, but we have to resolve it, we can't just stay like this, it's as if our dreams and the efforts we put into making Team B iKON have been stolen from us

We will go to Seoul to pick up Junhoe.

I read the short biography in the mini-book.

-He only says he lives in Seoul, but we don't know the exact address.

"Search the internet for him using the nickname Ju-ne, maybe we can find him using his full name," I say thoughtfully, watching Chanwoo take out his cell phone and type something on it.

"Look, Hyung, try searching with the full name and then just as Koo," he says enthusiastically, showing me the screen and I see a YouTube channel called Koo31.

I swipe down the screen with my finger; it has videos. I select one, and it plays. And we hear his voice, reading a poem. I smile involuntarily, and a tear escapes my eye.

-Hyung...

-I'm scared, Chanwoo, very scared

-Let's write a comment on the video

-And what should we put on it?

-Something like...My name is Jung Chanwoo, I'm an actor, and I'd be interested in meeting you. I'd like you to sign one of your books, and I'd like to help you publish another one.

-Sounds good, Chanwoo, you're good at this lying thing.

"I know," he grins like a devil.

I'll leave the comment just as Chanwoo said.

Let's wait for him to answer.

"Meanwhile, we should go to Seoul," he reminds me.

I turn to look at the bar where my father is sitting.

-I'll have to leave without saying anything to them

-Yes, if you tell them it could get more complicated.

"It's for the greater good," I tell myself, sighing, and then I hear a notification coming from Chanwoo's cell phone. It's on the table; he quickly picks it up and checks it.

"How about this? He says he saw me perform, and he agreed to the meeting," he smiles happily. "Well then, we should go now. I'll tell him to meet me at a restaurant in Seoul tonight?"

"Yes, tonight, wait here," I tell him, getting up from the chair and walking to where my father is.

-Dad, I'm going out for a moment with my friend

"That boy? I feel like I've seen him before," he says thoughtfully, looking at him. "Probably in some drama."

"Well, maybe you saw it with me once," I shrug.

-Maybe, go on, go- he agrees, I look at him for several seconds, I don't know when I'll see him again.

"Goodbye, Dad," I say, hugging him tightly. I smile and turn to leave, signaling Chanwoo to follow me. "Do you have money to travel? Because I don't," I mutter uncomfortably.

"Don't worry, I understand the situation, I have enough," she nods, and pats me on the back. Then, we leave the cafeteria.