One week later Jihoon's pov:
As I sat in my room playing my game mom barged in so chummy, "Great news Bonnie!" She cheered. "Stop it with that nickname!" I said my focus still on my game.
"Guess what?!"
Mom's enthusiasm was unrelenting, and her cheerfulness pierced through my gaming focus. "What now?" I asked, trying to sound disinterested while my eyes remained glued to the screen.
She ignored my lack of enthusiasm and continued with a big smile. "Since You and Hyeon's Birthday is in 5 days, you're dad and I have decided to spend it in Canada."
I looked up from my game, my attention finally caught. "Canada? For our birthday?" My voice had a mix of surprise and curiosity.
Mom nodded enthusiastically. "Yes! We figured it'd be a great way to celebrate your birthdays and spend some quality time with Lola and Fefe. They've been asking to see you guys, and it's been ages since we've all been together."
I leaned back, trying to process the news. "That sounds…unexpected. Are we going to be there for long?"
"Just a week," Mom said. "We'll spend your birthday there, have some fun, and then come back. It'll be a nice break for everyone."
"Okay, I'll start packing later." I replied.
"Great, start soon because we're leaving first thing tomorrow morning." She added.
"First thing tomorrow morning?" I repeated, slightly taken aback. "That's pretty soon."
Mom nodded, clearly pleased with the plan. "I know it's short notice, but it's going to be a quick and exciting trip. You and Hyeon will love it. I've already arranged everything."
I sighed, realizing there wasn't much I could do to change the timing now. "Alright, I'll get my stuff together tonight."
"Perfect," Mom said, giving me a warm smile. "I'll help with the packing if you need it. Just make sure you've got everything you need."
As she left the room, I turned back to my game, but not even two minutes later my phone buzzed.
I grabbed it to see who it was, and it was a unsaved number. The number didn't look familiar but the area code was from Canada.
Unknown: hey Jihoon, how have you been?
I looked at the number trying to figure out who it was but nothing was hitting, I decided to ignore the person. But before I could turn off my phone they texted again.
Unknown: so you're just going to ignore me?
Jihoon: who is this?
Unknown: wow, so you don't have my number saved.
Jihoon: just answer my question.
Unknown: call me and you will find out.
I hesitated for a moment, weighing whether I should call or just ignore the messages. Curiosity got the better of me, and I found myself FaceTiming him.
The phone rang a few times before the person appeared with a smile, then it suddenly hit me.
"You really don't remember me Hoon?" He asked with a smile.
I leaned back in my chair chuckling, "Sorry Jamie, I forgot that I had your number." I said.
"I'm actually hurt by this Hoon, how can you not save my number." He teased.
"Fine, let me save it now." I said grabbing my phone and saved his number.
Jamie and I never really got along since freshman year of highschool, we always butted heads until Junior year.
We were at a party, we got drunk and one thing led to another. So after that day we had a casual fling, but when we moved to Korea I forgot he ever existed.
Jamie's smile remained, but there was a glimmer of nostalgia in his eyes. "So, what's been going on with you? It's been a while."
I shrugged, trying to play it cool. "Just the usual. Moved to Korea, started school here, and now I'm coming back to Canada for a bit. How about you?"
Jamie leaned back, his expression thoughtful. "I've been keeping busy with school and work. You know how it is. But it's funny how we end up reconnecting just before your trip."
"Yeah, what are the odds?" I said, half-smiling. "I didn't expect to hear from you, especially not now."
Jamie's smile widened. "Well, it's a pleasant surprise, don't you think? If you're free while you're here, maybe we can catch up. It's been too long."
I considered it, thinking about the familiar face in a new place. "Sure, that sounds good. I'd like that. Just let me know when you're free."
"Absolutely," Jamie agreed.
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I woke up early, my mind buzzing with a mix of excitement about the trip back to Canada. The house was quiet, and the early morning light barely filtered through the curtains. I took a deep breath and began preparing for the journey.
As I packed my final items, I double-checked my list to make sure I had everything. My phone buzzed with a new message from Jamie, confirming plans to meet up. It was a small comfort to know that I'd have at least one familiar face waiting for me when I arrived.
I made my way downstairs, where Mom, dad and Hyeon were already up, bustling about and getting the last-minute details sorted. The excitement in the air was palpable.
"Ready for the trip?" Mom asked as she saw me heading to the kitchen.
"Yeah, just about," I replied, grabbing a quick breakfast. "This is the best gift you could give me, I thought I had to spend my 18th birthday here."
"Same here." Hyeon agreed.
"What's wrong with here, you have your harabeoji and halmonie." Mom stated.
"I love them, but I don't like being here." I replied.
She shook here had, "just eat your food."
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13 hours later:
As we stepped out the private Jet, I felt so happy. I was finally back! Our driver was already there waiting to take us to the house I knew as home.
The crisp Canadian air hit me as we stepped out of the private jet. The familiar scent of cold air and pine trees was a welcome change from the humidity of Korea. My spirits lifted even higher as I saw the driver waiting for us, ready to take us to our family home.
We piled into the car, the journey to the house filled with the excitement of returning to familiar places. Hyeon and I chatted animatedly about our plans, and Mom and Dad looked relieved to have us back to the place we loved.
As we approached the house, I couldn't help but feel a surge of nostalgia. The sight of the house, the driveway, and the well-known landscape brought back so many memories. It was as if no time had passed at all.
When we finally arrived, I practically leaped out of the car and hurried up the steps to the front door and straight into the house.
The clean fresh air of the house hit my face and I felt right at home, I looked at the grand staircase leading up to the second Floor and I ran up to my room.
I burst into my room, a wave of relief and joy washing over me as I took in the familiar surroundings. The room looked just as I remembered it—my old bed, the posters on the walls, and the window that overlooked the backyard.
I threw open the closet and started unpacking, excited to put everything back in its place. As I unpacked, I found myself smiling at the memories each item brought back—the posters of bands I used to listen to, the books I'd left behind, and the little knick-knacks that had been collected over the years.
That evening as I sat in the living room room with Hyeon and Chris watching tv, I got a text from Jamie replying to my recent text.
Jihoon: I just landed, let's meet up.
Jamie: sure, where?
Jihoon: my house, tomorrow afternoon my parents won't be home.
I replied.
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The next afternoon, I was lounging in the living room when I heard a knock on the door. I knew who it was before I even got up—Jamie was always punctual.
I opened the door, and there he was, grinning at me like no time had passed. "Well, look who finally decided to show up," Jamie teased as he stepped inside.
"Yeah, yeah," I replied, shutting the door behind him. "Come on, let's head to my room."
We walked upstairs, the familiar sound of Jamie's footsteps behind me stirring up memories of our high school days. When we reached my room, I motioned for him to sit down while I grabbed a couple of drinks from the mini fridge.
"So," Jamie started, leaning back on my bed. "How's life been treating you in Korea?"
I handed him a drink and shrugged. "Same old, you know. School, family, the usual. You?"
Jamie took a sip, his eyes fixed on me. "Nothing too exciting. Been busy with work, hanging out with friends. But it's good to see you again, Hoon. It's been a while."
"Yeah," I agreed, feeling a bit of tension in the air. We had history, and although things were casual between us, there was always something unspoken lingering in the background.
We spent the next hour catching up, sharing stories about what we'd been up to. But I could sense Jamie was itching to bring up something more, and sure enough, after a while, he leaned in a little closer, his voice dropping to a more serious tone.
"So, what's the real reason you wanted to meet up?" he asked, his gaze piercing through me.
I smirked, feeling the familiar pull. "What do you think?"
Jamie raised an eyebrow, his smirk mirroring mine. "You always did like to keep things interesting, Hoon." He set his drink down, leaning forward slightly. "So, what now? You want to pick up where we left off?"
I chuckled, leaning back in my chair.
"Depends. You still down for it?"
He shrugged, trying to play it cool, but I could tell by the way his eyes lingered on me that he was interested. "Maybe. Depends on what you've got in mind."
I stood up, walking over to him, and leaned down just enough so our faces were inches apart. "Same as before. No strings. Just fun." My voice was low, almost a whisper, but I knew it hit the mark.
Jamie's lips curled into a grin. "You haven't changed one bit, have you?"
"Why would I?" I replied, my tone confident. "It works for me."
For a second, there was silence. Just the two of us staring at each other, the tension thick between us. Jamie looked like he was going to say something, but instead, he reached out and grabbed my wrist, pulling me down onto the bed with him.
"Fine," he said, his voice dropping. "But don't think I'm going to let you run this game, Hoon. I've learned a few things since junior year."
I laughed, more amused than anything. "Let's see if you can keep up."
TBC