Chapter Text
7 October 2020.
It happens so quickly.
One moment Wonpil was sipping hot chocolate at a café with his friend and the next he is following someone who he thought was only a figment of his imagination.
It’s been years since he has last seen the tall, fair skin and blond headed boy whom he has tried to forget after years of waiting to see him again. Now, he’s walking with a map in his hands, tall as always, round thin-framed glasses perched on his nose but his hair in a dark brown colour.
Wonpil is terrified to greet Jae because he’s scared that if he goes up to him, Jae wouldn’t recognize him. After all, they have only met two times in this lifetime and it’s been 2 years since the last time. What if this is someone who looks like Jae but not the real Jae?
He doesn’t realise that he’s been walking too closely behind Jae that he bumps onto Jae’s back and almost lost his balance if it isn’t for Jae’s strong arm holding his back for him to stay steady on his feet.
“Watch where you’re going.” He chuckles.
Wonpil looks up and sees the familiar face of Jae. It’s really him. The sound of his chuckle echoes in Wonpil’s ears, bringing him back to the first time he heard it.
“Hey, you’re okay?” Jae asks softly, his hand still firmly on Wonpil’s back.
He could only nod in reply. Why doesn’t Jae recognise him like he is now?
Jae studies Wonpil’s features with a frown, “Have we met?”
There. Did it finally click for him?
Wonpil takes a breath, separates himself from Jae’s touch, “Actually, we have.”
“Do you by any chance, know someone named Wonpil?” Jae asks, making Wonpil’s heart jump at the mention of his name, “Wait, you are him, right?”
“Yes, I’m Wonpil.” He nods, “Don’t you remember?”
Truthfully, it hurts Wonpil to know that Jae doesn’t remember him. But he doesn’t let himself feel too hurt by it because what matters now is that Jae is here, on the streets of Incheon, talking to him like he once did.
Jae puts the map back into his pocket as his hand searches for something else, “I . . . I don’t know. I finally got to Incheon in hopes of finding whatever this letter means. Honestly, I thought it was just a load of rubbish but I guess it’s true now that I have met you.” He produces an envelope to Wonpil to support his statement.
Wonpil takes the envelope, “May I?” He asks Jae, to which he receives a nod before he proceeds to open the envelope. He sees the folded papers with scrawled handwriting and also the Polaroid picture they once had taken.
“You want to tell me if this is all real?”
“Yeah,” Wonpil says, his eyes now fixed on the Polaroid picture, “It’s real. You’re real.”
“Have I not always been real?”
“You’re real now, that’s all that matters to me.”
“Should we go someplace so we can talk?” Jae offers, “I need some clarification on whatever that has been happening but I couldn’t remember at all.”
Wonpil smiles, “Sure.”
At the back of his head, he thinks this as a date. Just let him live for once, he’s been waiting for the moment where he doesn’t have to say goodbye to Jae.
-
6 January 2021.
Hi Jae.
I have found Wonpil, the person who you wanted me to meet.
First off, I’m sorry for the overdue reply but you should understand the scare you’ve given me when I received this letter from my future self. I thought time travelling and all that stuff is just a myth but apparently, it’s not as rare as it is in your universe. I’m also curious as to how you could send the letter in the first place and I’m not even sure if this will reach to you but I’m hoping it will when I follow all the steps you’ve told me in your letter.
You said that you lost your time turner but tried your best to search up and remember anything about time travelling until you resorted to contacting your past self in this universe. To that, I say bravo. You did well.
I have met Wonpil about four months ago just like you asked me to. Heck, I had to save up so I could leave California and go to Incheon just so I could fulfil your wishes. Honestly, this is all really bizarre and your plan could have failed but I guess it’s nice to know that even my future self has faith in me.
Thank you for telling me to meet with Wonpil because he’s now one of my favourite people in this universe. I know I could not feel what you have felt during those times you’ve met him but trust me, I feel butterflies in my stomach whenever I see him smile. It feels even crazier when I’m the reason for that smile because it feels as though I’m on top of the world.
Thank you for taking a chance on me. Thank you for giving your other self some happiness in this universe.
I know sometimes Wonpil wishes he could meet the Jae he has met before but he always tells me that he is just happy that he gets to know me better than before. I hope you’ll get to meet the Wonpil in your universe and have the same happy ending as I do.
As I’m writing this, I’m waiting to be landed in Incheon to visit Wonpil because long distance relationship sucks, but so far it’s been worth it for me. I never thought I’d meet someone who treats me nicely and loves me for who I am but there is Kim Wonpil.
Maybe we all need Kim Wonpil in our lives.
Thank you for telling me your time travelling adventures and sending me that Polaroid picture which I hope you’ve made a copy for yourself.
P.S. Wonpil gave me the other Polaroid picture that you both took and I made a copy to give it to you. It’s only fair that you have it too.
Good luck,
Jae.
