Bittersweet Memories (A Stray Kids Short Story Collection)

Magic XI

     SEPTEMBER 3RD, 2017.

      The day is too beautiful.

     Minho doesn't find it fair at all. It's ridiculous how after today, his world will turn dark yet outside, it's as bright as ever, because everyone is so happy and nobody understands that someone special is leaving this world. Minho wants rain. He wants lighting, thunder, blizzards, floods, anything to show that the world is also mourning and he's not the only one who will be destroyed after today.

     When Minho wakes up at 6am, the first thing he does is unwrap his hand to see the number that has been ticking down this entire year.

     0.

     For a moment, Minho's terrified that it's already too late. That the stars started working at the crack of dawn and now their damage is done. Frantically, Minho calls Jisung's number.

     "I hate you, I hate you, I hate youuuuu!"

     "Jisung, hi!" Minho almost faints from relief.

     "No, don't 'hi' me! Why are you calling me this early!?"

     "Wanna go to an amusement park?"

     "This early!?"

     "Good parking."

     "Okay, I slightly forgive you for ruining my beauty sleep."

     So by 8am, the two are at the park closest to town, but Minho still feels like it's too late.

     "So what do you want to do?" Jisung says, his sentence almost incomprehensible with how much he's yawning in between.

     "Everything."

     "Wait, really-"

     "Everything."

     "So you'll even go on the scary rides with me?"

     "When I say everything, I mean everything."

      Jisung whoops in joy. "If this is some 'final day until you're a college student' type of buzz, I'm lovin it!"

     School begins in a few days. But Minho has to leave earlier, so he can get settled in his dorm and choose his courses. He's supposed to already be packed by now to leave tomorrow, but he hasn't bothered. He's going to be given a few weeks break from school anyways to mourn. Minho doesn't understand what good those weeks will do when he's already been mourning the entire year, but he refuses to do anything else right now except stay by Jisung's side.

     Minho feels like throwing up several times during the day, mostly due to the heavy roller coaster drops, but Jisung is having the time of his life. There's a nagging voice in Minho's head, pushing him more and more until he's barely holding on.

     Tell him.

     He has to know.

     Tell him now.

     But 'now' is never a good time. Minho can't wipe the smile off Jisung's face yet. He needs to make it last. He needs to keep it there until it is erased forever.

      So Minho keeps his mouth shut.

     But something else is bothering Minho and he blurts it out when the two are eating a greasy pizza lunch after several rides.

     "Did you find this entire year worth it?"

     Jisung doesn't respond right away, chewing his food like a squirrel and taking forever to swallow. Finally, he raises a brow. "What d'ya mean?"