Chapter Text
"…Huh."
My eyes snapped open as if I had just woken from a dead faint. A plush bed, the sound of people talking outside the window… Wait, are they speaking… English?
"Eunyu, aren't you eating breakfast?"
"…Dad?"
"Yeah, it's Dad. What's wrong? Did you have a nightmare?"
"Honey! Is she still not up yet?"
"Your mom's going to get angry waiting for you. Hurry up, change, and come out. You're eating, right?"
"No, more importantly, wait a second. What year is it?"
"Today's date? June 12th, uh, '23. Sweetie, what's gotten into you?"
"…It’s really true."
The time travel was over. That short yet long journey that changed my life.
***
"Sweetie, you're not saying you want to go to Korea today?"
"Pardon?"
What? How did he know exactly what I wanted to shout? Eunyu, who had been moving her spoon mechanically, looked up. His tone was somewhat teasing.
"I mean, you were so happy to come stay with your mom for the break, but as soon as you got here, you were making a fuss every day about missing Eungyeol…"
"Eungyeol? Ha Eungyeol? Dad, how do you know him?"
"…Eunyu, are you feeling okay? You've been acting strange since earlier. Well, how could a father-in-law not know his future son-in-law?"
"Leave her be, honey. It's not the first time Eunyu's said weird things in the morning."
Future… what? Son-in-law?
I couldn't even taste the proper breakfast I was having for the first time in a while. That was how confused I was. After barely finishing the meal, Eunyu leaned against her bedroom door.
"…I guess I was damn happy, though."
At least the hard work paid off. Even though this was likely a room she only used when visiting the U.S., traces of herself were everywhere. Most notable were the photos hanging in clusters on the wall next to the desk. Seeing them meticulously arranged in order from childhood, her mood felt…
"……Ugh, what the."
The moment her eyes landed on the third photo—clearly taken with a boy who, based on the earlier conversation, must be Eungyeol—her head throbbed. Through the brief, sharp pain, a blurry memory flickered past.
"Who are you going to marry when you grow up?"
"…*Cough*, wha-what?"
"I asked who you're going to marry."
"We're still in middle school…"
"Forget that, just tell me."
"……What about you?"
"You."
Pfft. A laugh escaped her, making her forget the brief pain. My past self, weren't you being a bit too forward? You should've played hard to get. Though, seeing the young Eungyeol whose ears turned red at her blunt answer, it seemed unnecessary.
"Ah, I miss him."
She wasn't sure if it was the Eungyeol who had been her childhood friend since birth, or the Eungyeol who had traveled through that surreal time with her. But she figured if she left it alone, the two would eventually become one anyway… For now, she just wanted to see that handsome face. Very much so.
"Are you really going? You know Mom's concert schedule is starting soon. You won't even get to see her much."
"I'm sorry. But I really have to go. The semester hasn't started yet. I'll come back as soon as things are settled… or maybe not right away."
No matter how much she thought about it, she didn't have the confidence to be away from Eungyeol for the time being. After all, it had been 28 years. As she let out an awkward laugh, Sekyeong gave her a slight look before opening her arms. It was a gesture for a hug. It felt quite awkward. Right, I'll get used to it soon. Someday…
***
"…!"
Am I back? Did I make it?
Eungyeol hurriedly checked his surroundings. It felt strangely familiar, but where is this… Jinsung Instruments? Right, it looked like the annex where he stayed after the lightning accident, which now felt like a lifetime ago. But why is my guitar over there…?
"Did I really come back?"
- How can I help you?
"Whoa…! You scared me. …Is this for real?"
A place with an AI speaker couldn't possibly be 1995, right. Still, it wasn't a development that was easy to believe.
"What year is it today?"
- It is the year 2023.
…That's quite firm. It felt like it was finally sinking in. He just felt dazed because everything was going so smoothly. Eungyeol cautiously stepped out of bed. The soft rug touched the soles of his feet. Yeah, it didn't seem like a dream.
"Why am I at the Jinsung residence…?"
The question he muttered under his breath was answered as soon as he stepped out of the room. A large family portrait of five well-dressed people occupied the wall. Mom, Dad, Hyung… the Chairman, no, Grandpa.
"There are people waiting for you. …And me, too."
And… Eunyu. Right, did you make it back safely?
Almost instinctively, Eungyeol pulled out the phone from his pocket and pressed 1 on the keypad. 'On Eunyu,' those three round characters appeared on the screen. It was a device that wouldn't have had service in 1995 anyway, but it was a number he had saved just in case. …And yet.
- The number you have dialed is not in service.
For a moment, his heart felt like it dropped to his toes, but since his own history had changed this much, there was no rule saying it wouldn't be the same for Eunyu. He nodded, forcing himself to reach a calm conclusion. The house, let's try that. A phone number can easily change. Just as he was about to whirl around, a hand touched his shoulder.
"Hyung? ...Hyung!"
[What's up with you? They said to eat breakfast. Grandpa and Dad made it themselves. It's a weekend special. You know it's your turn next week, right?]
"I've… never once thought of you as a burden, Hyung."
[Is that so? I've thought of you as a burden plenty of times. Especially at times like this. Get your head straight and come eat. Wash your face first. You need some cold water, Ha Eungyeol.]
Eunho, acting like the athlete he was, quickly blocked Eungyeol from lunging into a hug and shook his head with an exasperated look. Not that Eungyeol seemed to care. He was obediently pushed toward the bathroom as told. First, eat breakfast… Huh?
"...Eunyu? It's definitely her, but this is, me…"
Several small frames on the cabinet below the large family portrait exerted a presence twice their size. It was strange that he had missed them just moments ago. In the photos of the young Eunyu he knew, and the two of them who were clearly still together, there was the passage of time.
"…Ugh."
A sharp headache shot through his forehead. Memories flickered as if someone had pressed play on a video. They were youthful memories.
"……On Eunyu, seriously."
That kid really has a way with words. It was just like her, though. A chuckle escaped him, feeling ticklish. You and I, we… we spent even more time together this time. He wanted to know those moments inside and out. He was sure he would soon enough.
"I miss you, On Eunyu."
***
"Is Eungyeol here?"
"Thanks for the meal."
[You should've come sooner. It's not as good when it's cold.]
[What are you talking about? Your dad's food is delicious even when it's cold.]
[Hah, exactly. What have you thought of my cooking all this time?]
Yichan, turning around while wearing an apron, and the Chairman… Grandpa. It was certainly an unfamiliar sight, but at the same time, it was surprisingly familiar. Cheongah, nodding with a serious face, was firmly on Yichan's side just as she had been in the past. In a space where voices and hand gestures naturally coexisted, Eungyeol smiled. Finally, he was home. Home.
"Who is it?"
"This can't be, I… do you happen to know where the people who used to live here moved to-"
"What? I built this house and moved in five years ago. There couldn't have been a previous owner."
Eungyeol stared blankly at the door that closed heartlessly, then turned away. Not at the original house, no phone number… but there are photos. They were definitely close, yet those memories. After sitting on a bench and racking his brain for a long time, Eungyeol suddenly stood up.
"Why didn't I think of that?"
With a click, the bedroom door closed, and Eungyeol sat before a laptop with all sorts of music files open. His phone was useless, perhaps because he had brought it with him, but he hoped some other means of contact might remain.
By the way, there are a lot of original composition files. It seemed clear that his current self still wanted to do music. Seeing that they were all in the trash bin, it didn't seem to be going smoothly, though. First, I need to find Eunyu…
It was that pain again. This time it lasted a bit longer. Eungyeol lifted his hand from the mouse and pressed it to his forehead. It felt like something was pouring in all at once, and he was trying to catch it all with his head. It wasn't a bad feeling, though.
[If you act like this, Mom will-]
"Don't use Mom as an excuse. You're the one who's afraid, Dad. You're afraid of losing this lifestyle, of going back to those old days, and that's why you're doing this."
[You... what are you talking about?]
"I know everything. About how you grew up in hardship under your great-grandmother. And then that accident happened-"
[Ha Eungyeol! Do you even know what you're saying right now?]
"I do! I know. I know you feel indebted to Mom, and that's why you feel you have to repay her even more. Why do you think I don't know anything?"
[No, you don't know.]
How far did the future I changed reach? The harmonious scene he had witnessed just a moment ago flickered through his mind and vanished. Perhaps I couldn't even change the worries that my future self in this altered timeline would have. Eungyeol's fingertips trembled as he held his head. It was a moment when he desperately needed someone who would be thinking the same thing.
***
- Ladies and gentlemen, we will be taking off soon. Please check your seat belt once more.
Actually, I ran away.
It had been a long time since I'd seen Mom and Dad, too. It was true that I missed Eungyeol, but at the same time, I didn't have the confidence to act composed in front of people who shared a time I didn't know. I needed time. Time to reclaim the missing memories, and time to accept them.
The cello that had been in a corner of the room appeared before her closed eyes and then vanished. Deeply etched memories couldn't quite erase their traces. Eunyu lowered the cover of the round airplane window.
"Wow, the air of '23."
It had been 2023 for a while, but somehow it felt like it was only now sinking in. As Eunyu flicked her finger, the phone screen moved along. First, I have to find Eungyeol. And… I don't really know what's next. One goal is enough, I guess.
"Excuse me… aren't you Choi Sekyeong's daughter? Oh my, oh my. I think I'm right. I told you it was her!"
Eunyu nodded with a bewildered look. Someone who knows me? But their reaction is like they've seen a celebrity.
"Do you know me?"
"How could I not! Oh, seeing you in person, you really look just like your mother. It reminds me of when I used to go see her performances. Man, she was incredible."
Only then did the puzzle pieces seem to fit together. A fan of her mother. Probably. Sekyeong hadn't quit the cello anymore, and it seemed she had become quite famous. It was a good thing. At least she wouldn't be drinking and reminiscing about the past every time. But… it was a change she had certainly wished for. The figure in front of her blurred for a moment. The flood of memories was overwhelming.
"They say that's her. Choi Sekyeong's daughter."
"That cellist Choi Sekyeong? Really?"
"Look, she looks exactly like her. I'm telling you, she's the spitting image of her mom when she was young."
"I wonder if she's as good at the cello. Man, that's gotta be tough."
Her younger self standing alone in a glamorous space, whispering voices, the cello.
"You can do it, right? Mom believes in our Eunyu."
…And, Mom. Choi Sekyeong.
"Because you're my daughter. Right?"
No. Don't believe in me.
That one sentence her past self couldn't utter echoed in her head. That look of unwavering belief, expectations so full that there was no room for even a hint of disappointment. It's suffocating. Things definitely changed. I thought I'd become happy. If I'm the only one who has to accept you again this time, then…
"Are you okay? Are you feeling sick?"
"I'm so-sorry. I have to… go somewhere right now."
You know, Eungyeol. I need a prescription right now. It hurts.
***
"Found it."
Right, his laptop didn't just have discarded composition files. Eungyeol stared intently at a social media profile page. Eunyu. Metaphor On. Even in this drastically changed reality, having the same social media ID was just like Eunyu.
If anything was a surprise, it was that his own account existed too. It was likely Eunyu's influence, he guessed. Seeing how they had openly written each other in their bios… were they in a public relationship? Ahem. Feeling strangely ticklish, he hurriedly clicked the messenger window. There weren't many conversations left, perhaps because they usually used calls or other apps.
- Did you make it back okay?
After sending the short message, he felt even more restless. Are you looking for me too? And do you also remember our changed history?
"I hope so."
It would be a shame to keep it all to myself. Just because of it.
***
"Yo, Ha Eungyeol."
"Oh, yeah?"
A male student casually wearing a navy school blazer tapped Eungyeol on the shoulder.
"I guess there are no issues on the love life?"
What was he talking about all of a sudden? Even as his hands were solving problems in a workbook, his mind was on his still-unread message, so he couldn't quite understand-
"…Oh."
It changed. Read. Right, the meaning of those characters was clear. But why is there no reply?
"Hey, are you even listening? Why did you suddenly zone out? Your girlfriend is here, so hurry up and run. I'm telling you, guys are already crowding around to get her number! Hey!"
…It's Eunyu. Right, it could only be you. It must be you. Eungyeol forgot to even reply and ran out of the classroom. He didn't care about the surprised looks from the other students. It was lucky it was lunchtime; even if it wasn't, there was no way he could have stayed in his seat.
"Excuse me, your number…"
"I'm sorry. I'm here to see my boyfriend."
"Hey! You don't know Ha Eungyeol? She's Eungyeol's girlfriend!"
"Crazy, really? Damn, no wonder. She's gorgeous."
"You're the crazy one, you nutcase."
As he slowed his rapid pace, he caught glimpses of black hair among the gathered students. Whether it was from running from the classroom to the gate or for some other reason, the sound of his pounding heart echoed in his ears. Recognizing Eungyeol, who was catching his breath, the students whispered and made way for him. A familiar back filled his vision.
"…On Eunyu."
"Ha Eungyeol, long time no-"
As soon as Eunyu turned around, she was met by Eungyeol pulling her into his arms. He hugged her so tightly she could barely lift her head, so Eunyu gave him a poke in the ribs.
"Anyone would think I was running away."
"I thought you couldn't make it back."
"Well, I almost didn't."
Eunyu whispered, "But I'm here now, aren't I?" and gave a smile. Eungyeol's expression looked momentarily resentful, but soon the joy of seeing her seemed to outweigh the worry. Instead, he laid bare his honest feelings.
"I missed you."
Instead of adding "Me too this time," Eunyu held out her hand. It was a gesture telling him to take it.
"Want to run away with me?"
Eungyeol laughed. As you know, it's quite difficult not to smile back when you see a smile like that.
"I'm faster this time, too."
Eunyu began to run, led by the hand that held her firmly. The early summer’s sunlight was pouring down on them.