Wait for me

Chapter 6 - The tranquility of a kiss

Narrated by Jinhwan

I woke up with a great longing to feel that tranquility again from yesterday, the one that June's kiss had given me. I have tried to think about something else but it is very difficult for me to forget what happened.

I realize it's still very early when I check my phone's clock: 5:00 am. I haven't stopped receiving calls and messages from my parents. One of them was from my sister, asking why I had run away, who I was with, and what for. I had to ignore them. Maybe I shouldn't have, but what explanation could I give them? And now it's too late to say anything.

I get up, still a little clumsy. I'll make myself some tea; maybe that will clear my head. I go to the kitchen and see June in the living room, which is opposite. He's sitting in the armchair, leaning slightly forward, with his hands on his head.

One last time, just one more time. I approach him and stop a few centimeters away; he raises his head towards my face.

I gather my courage, place my hands on his shoulders and lean in to give him a kiss, hoping it will bring me the peace I so desperately need.

The kiss doesn't last as long as the previous one; he pulls away roughly and stands up, his mouth and eyes wide open.

"Jinhwan!" he exclaims breathlessly. "What... Why did you do that? It can't be... What was that? Why? Is it a dare or something?" He laughs nervously, looking around. "A prank? Is there a hidden camera? A test to see if I'm gay?"

"No, what are you talking about? You told me yesterday that we could have fun and nobody would find out, I was thinking about it and I thought I could accept but only for today," I admit, looking at the ground, too embarrassed.

"What?" he asks and bursts out laughing. "I never said that, oh wait, maybe it was when I was drunk, but you shouldn't listen to me, you know how I get, I say weird things, I can't believe I said that to you, don't go thinking I'm gay, but you, you kissed me, what should I think of you?"

"No, you weren't drunk when you said that. You looked fine. I don't mean you're attractive—well, maybe, maybe not—but I mean you seemed normal when you said it. What, what should you think? You were the first one to kiss me. I kissed you back, and then again today, but it's your fault. You started this, not me," I exclaimed, lowering my voice little by little. I'm so angry and ashamed at the same time.

"Wow, what are you doing up so early?" Yunhyeong asks, coming out of the other bedroom. "Anyway, good morning, how did you sleep? Did you sleep well, June? Did your back hurt from sleeping on the couch? I told you that you could sleep with me, that it was okay if you weren't the June I know, but I know you, I trust you even if you're not the same June. Maybe you're just uncomfortable because you barely know us, but we're good people." He keeps talking while preparing breakfast. I look at June and he laughs.

"What do you mean I'm not the same June? When did we move apartments? And why did I sleep on the sofa and not in my bedroom?" he asks, looking at both of us.

"Wait a minute, you recovered your memories! Right?" exclaims the chef, quite excited upon discovering this, and claps a couple of times.

"Are you serious?" I start to get excited, but then I realize, "Ahhh, that's why...oh my god," I murmur, moving away from June as quickly as possible and entering Chanwoo's room. I lock the door and collapse to the floor.

"What's wrong, Hyung?" Chanwoo asked, sitting up in bed. He yawned and rubbed his eyes. "Your face is really red, are you sick?"

-No, it's just that I did something wrong.

-What thing?

-No, forget it

"Come on, Hyung, you can tell me," he insists, getting off the bed and offering me his hand to help me stand up, and I do.

"Don't tell anyone else, yesterday June...kissed me," I confess, immediately closing my eyes to avoid seeing her reaction. But laughter isn't visible, is it? It's audible.

"What?" he asks after laughing.

"Anyway, that's not the important thing," I say seriously. "He recovered his memories."

-June? Are you serious? That means we could all be together again, the seven of us, right? There's hope! - she nods with a big smile.

(...)

-Okay, so first it was Jinhwan, then Chanwoo, then me, and then June. There's no order, I'd say it's by age but no, the first two were the oldest and the youngest.

"That's it," June points out. "The oldest and the youngest. After Jinhwan, you're the oldest, and after Chanwoo, I'm the youngest." He shrugs. "That makes sense, right?" he asks, waiting for approval.

"Actually, yes," Chanwoo replies. "Why didn't we ever see that? Then the next one would be..."

"Donghyuk or Bobby?" Yunhyeong replies. "Do you have any idea where they might be?"

-Say, Donghyuk is an SM

"Really? Wow, and is he a singer?" he asks, intrigued.

"Yes, and someone very famous, he's a solo artist, I find it strange that you didn't notice, don't you watch TV? Jinhwan noticed immediately," Chanwoo says, and everyone turns to look at me.

"Yes, I saw one of your ads by coincidence," I said. June and I exchanged glances, then awkwardly looked away.

"What's wrong with you two? You've looked strange ever since I found you this morning," Yunhyeong said, analyzing us.

Chanwoo starts to laugh discreetly.

"Is something wrong that I don't know about? Tell me," the other insists.

"Nothing's wrong," I reply curtly.

-Oh, sorry- he mocks.

"Let's focus on what's important, shall we?" June asks.

-Thank you- she whispered.

"You're welcome," she replies, smiling at me.

-So after Bobby it would be Donghyuk next and finally Hanbin- adds Chanwoo, we all think, we will be without a leader for a while longer, it's not like we've had him since we were born but it will feel strange not having him here.

"How will we find them?" Yunhyeong asked, his voice filled with sadness.

After a while of silence, the apartment doorbell rings.

"Were you expecting someone?" she asks Chanwoo, who immediately shakes his head. Then he stands up and heads to the door, and when he opens it, he's quite surprised.

"What...what are you doing here?" he asks the person outside the apartment.