1996 | Y.Jw

| 2.14 |

For a change I had woken up before Jungwon for once. I don't know if I was the one who woke up earlier than usual or if it was Jungwon who slept longer than usual. Nonetheless I was awake before him.

When I had woken up I had initially thought it still was dark outside, but I was quite quick to realize it was simply Jungwon's shirt I had stared straight at. Our arms and legs had been tangled with one another enough for me to doubt if I even could get a bit free from him without waking him up.

Yet, I still had managed to sit up beside him, while he still held tightly onto my waist. I had grabbed my sketchbook from the nightstand, glancing down at Jungwon, who tightened his grip around me slightly and nuzzled his head into my side before deeply exhaling.

I flipped up on a blank page in my sketchbook before quietly beginning to outline, glancing down at Jungwon every once in a while just to check on him.

I had thought he initially would wake up shortly after me, but he just kept sleeping. Meanwhile, I had managed to get quite a good sketch of his sleeping figure. 

"Ji," a small whisper came and I hummed, tearing my eyes away from my sketch and down to Jungwon, whose hair I raked my hand through with care.

"What is it?" I whispered quietly in return.

I didn't get an answer he only nuzzled his face even more into my waist while hugging it tightly. I couldn't help but let out a small laugh before burrying my hand in his hair and rubbing his scalp softly.

"Ji," he whispered again, but it seemed more like a croak, making me immediately frown down at him. By now I wasn't even sure he was awake.

"Won?" I questioned, not earning any answer,instead he called for me once again.

Slowly I placed my sketchbook and pencil to the side before carefully sliding down the wall and into a laying position beside him. Once I came face to face with him, I could see the furrowing skin between his eyebrows, while his lips moved in small motions.

"Jiyeon," he murmured making me frown in confusion as he tried to both pull me closer and snuggle his head into the crook of my neck. Both being quite unsuccesful both because of how we laid and because he already had pulled me as close as I possibly could get.

"Jungwon," I attempted once again, only getting his frown to deepen.

I tried caressing his cheek softly as well, no other reaction but a shaky breath getting released from him. Once another small whimper escaped him I sighed before just softly kissing his lips. I didn't remove my lips before I could feel some sort of reaction from him.

So it was first when I felt one of his hands move from my back and over to squeeze my waist softly that I slowly pulled away and raised my eyebrows at him, watching as his eyes widened gradually. Much more than what I would've been able to during the mornings.

"I am alive?" he whispered quietly and I frowned in amusement.

"Of course you are," I chuckled softly at him, "why wouldn't you be?"

"But I died... my dad shot me," he immediately rambled making me let out a laugh.

"Jungwon... your dad is Soomin's dad, and I'm pretty sure he's incapable of shooting you," I pointed out as he abruptly sat up and looked around himself.

"No, no. Not Soomin's dad, my dad," he insisted as he glanced around himself and I just laid and watched him, "my actual dad."

"Jungwon our parents are dead," I reminded him and he looked over at me in confusion.

"Oh thank god, because my dad is an asshole," he muttered and rubbed his forehead softly.

"Is this what all of this is about?" I questioned quietly, "why you want to come into the lab as well? You keep dreaming about you being killed?"

"No... but it... it started weirdly," he frowned to himself, "like it was in the start of the century or even before... like... it has been multiple lives playing out in my dreams."

"Tell me about them," I insisted and propped my head up on my hand, "no matter how weird."

"Well... it started with me... I was a prince and you, we were friends once but then you became my maid or so," he frowned, "we were gonna get married and all, but my dad didn't want so... Then there was this whole curse about us being destined to meet in every life but always getting seperated. Then... it's as if we've lived different lives at different points and all around the world."

"Come on... tell me," I urged him softly and nudged his side with my hand.

"Well... then there was. Around the 1950's, I was kind of... I played the guitar, and in a band... the others were there too, Lin and Emi... Sunoo, Riki... even Heeseung, Jake, Jay and Sunghoon were there. I wrote so many songs for you because you were like a salvation for me. Then, we didn't get that old, I don't think we ever really turned more than 20, there was an accident. I don't remember who of us died first, but someone died on the spot and the other survived a few days in the hospital."

"But Jungwon, this is all in the past," I pointed out and he hummed quietly.

"But then... there was another one where I did music, but you were in the group as well," he frowned slightly, "all the boys were there, Emi and Lin wasn't there at all. I think it's in the future because of so many advanced technologies, it was crazy. But then... we were all happy and thriving for years, but you got sick so easily. We even had a small family by then, but you got sick again and eventually died because of complications with it," he continued to ramble on, "then I think... it seemed like we were in some sort of street gang, and then I was so cold and closed off towards you, but then someone hurt you and it clicked for me. I didn't dream that one to the end because I woke up beforehand, but you were hurt. But then the other night we were in these hallways, and people were chasing us in some sick tag game and you were so injured and you died before we got out and the police thought I killed you and-"

"Jungwon, as heartbreaking as these sound, they sound highly unlikely," I tried to comfort and he immediately shook his head.

 "And then tonight it was so weird and so unhinged. Like there were zombies and all, but you were so strong and kept on fighting them and in reality you didn't really need me to be there, but we ended up fighting against it all together. We went through a lot in this one, but then when I tried to keep you safe so you could escape, my dad shot me," he whispered quietly while staring at his bed sheets with widened eyes, "and I think... if I'm not with you in the lab I can't do anything to stop the possibility of you dying in there. We would get seperated again and then that curse wil-"

"Jungwon," I exclaimed with a small laugh as I sat up beside him and he immediately snapped his head to look at me, "from the sounds of it... it's your turn to die in this story then," I chuckled and he immediately frowned at me, clearly confused as to why I found it amusing, "and you of all people should know, I'm not really gonna let that happen."

"I need to go with you in the lab, if that is what you're talking about," he quickly shook his head in denial, "I need to Ji."

"And we'll let you," I nodded in assurance, "but I honestly just think these are small dreams. But if it would make you feel anymore assured, I will agree for us to being by each other's sides in the lab so you can see, none of us are gonna die. And we're gonna turn out old, like really old, seriously old. All wrinkly and raisin like."

"It's just... the dreams started the day before you girls came back," he whispered quietly and I simply nodded at him, "and then you showed up and... yeah..."

"But then that means we already were seperated once in this life, then we can't possibly be seperated again," I pointed out with a small smile, "if that puts you more at ease."

"It... kind of does," he whispered with a small nod and I quickly leaned up and pecked his cheek.

"Now... how about we ignore these weird dreams and you try to remember I'm not leaving you again?" I questioned softly and brushed his bangs to sit properly and not so that they pointed out and about in the room, "can we make that a deal?"

"Yeah... deal," he nodded quietly, sending me a tired and soft smile.

"Good," I hummed with a small nod.