Hope, In a Photo (Yoonseok)

Part 2

Now edited by my wonderful  and lovely friend,  @PsychoLillyLuv

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Click.

Yoongi struggled to move his eyes away from the camera lens, away from the boy who was trapped in the frame, beaming at him with the force of all the stars in the sky.

A wave; the boy waved towards Yoongi before his attention was overtaken by the herd of children that surrounded him. Yoongi finally breathed, not noticing how his own lips turned upward in the faintest of smiles at the interaction.

He quickly shook it off though, he didn't even know this boy. All he knew was his warm presence somehow found Yoongi hiding behind the camera. He virtually knew nothing about him.

Deciding to push the thoughts out of his mind he allowed himself to watch the boy's warmth wrap around the children, leaving nothing but giggles and smiles in its path. It was... well, it was hopeful, Yoongi thought.

Sliding down from the roof he didn't want to overstay his welcome, now that the sun had finally set and candle light had begun to illuminate the town. Walking into the house, the older lady was sitting by the window, watching Ji Eun and the boy who shined amongst the stars.

"Ahjumma, the roof is all patched up. If I can, I'll be back in the future to help." The older lady nodded with gratitude before Yoongi continued, bringing out a small pad of paper and pencil, "Um, if you don't mind, could you tell me your story? See, I'm a journalist and if you tell me your story, I can write about it and maybe even help your situation." Yoongi finished with a kind smile.

A sparkle began to gleam in the olders eyes as she spoke, Yoongi wrote down everything as she told him that she lived in Incheon near Seoul all her life, but because of the war a few years ago she had to move down to Daegu. Her family was small to begin with, only her daughter, his wife and their two daughters, Ji Eun and Ji Woo. She told Yoongi about how she had begged them all to come to Daegu with her, but they were too attached to their land. After an attack from the north, she decided it was time to leave, to take the children and live in Daegu where it was safe.

But Ji Eun was the only one that wanted to follow her, and after a year, the letters in Incheon stopped coming.

Yoongi wrote everything down, his heart growing heavier with each word she spoke, "You really...you two were both very brave." He said in a soft tone, verging on a tremble as he continued, "You won't have to live like this for long. Your family will be reunited, I promise."

The smile that beamed towards Yoongi was a hopeful one.

Click.

Just as Yoongi put the notebook back in his jacket Ji Eun came rushing in, jumping excitedly by his leg, "Oppa!! Are you staying with us?" causing Yoongi to smile.

"I wish I could, but I need to get back home." The realization dawned on him that he didn't think his plan through; the military trucks he'd come on had probably already left. "I think I should start heading back now actually, if you don't mind, but I will be back!" he spoke, giving the older lady a nod and a pouting Ji Eun a pat on the head before walking towards the door.

However, before he left their little house he turned around, and before he could even stop himself, "Ji Eun, who was that boy you and the other kids were playing with earlier?"

The little girls face immediately lit up. "Oppa! Oppa always comes to play with us! You should play with us too!"

Yoongi smiled. Oppa wasn't necessarily the name he was looking for, but why did he even ask in the first place, he thought to himself.