◃◃ New Memory #3 pt. 2 ▹▹

Park Jisung

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"H-Hyung...?"

I felt someone gently shaking me and whispering my name, making me wake up in my dark room.

I turned on the light, and it was Jisung?

"What's wrong Ji...??"

I yawned.

"I'm sorry I woke you hyung... B-But, I had another nightmare..."

"Was it that nightmare??"

He only nodded.

I made sure Suko was still asleep, before I carefully got out of bed, and walked with Jisung to the elevator.

After a silent elevator ride, we made it to the kitchen. Just like when we were kids, I got us both a glass of ice water and I sat down with him, ready to hear him out.

"So, in the nightmare, you were drowning again?"

He nodded.

"I don't know why, but every time I have that nightmare, I can't swim back up. No matter how hard I try, I just end up drowning every time..."

He quietly sipped his water.

"I read up things about different dreams and nightmares sometimes. Ones like those are usually related to emotions that you've been ignoring or repressing. In most cases, it's growing depression, anger, or feelings of guilt that are being brushed off or ignored. Have you been feeling any of those feelings at all??"

I asked and he thought about it for a second.

"Back then, when I first showed up on Taeyong-hyung's doorstep, I was confused. My life had began so fast, and I was already given to a new family without an explanation. Back then, I thought dad didn't really want me, and I felt guilty. I thought that I was just causing trouble for the rest of you with my presence..."

Jisung confessed, staring at the ice floating inside of his water.

"Ji... You never caused trouble for anyone... I know you already know this by now, but Posiedon had no choice but to entrust you to a new family. As an Olympian god, he's forbidden from making contact with his offspring, and he can't be around any of us for too long for that matter. He'll just end up becoming one of us and lose his powers in the process. He wanted to bring you into the world out of the love in his heart, but as a price, he couldn't raise you. But, seeing how well you've grown has made him very proud of you, and you both get to see each other as much as you want now. From start to finish, you were never a bother, to any of us, and we all love you dearly, especially Poseidon"

"..."

I explained, and he only nodded.

"Wait. Are you still feeling guilty now, but about something else...?"

He nodded again.

"Back when we were fighting Seifer, I mean, Seiki, I couldn't even put up a decent fight. I wanted to prove that I could protect everyone, especially Geno. But I couldn't even do that..."

He sadly laid his head on the table top.

All this time since that fight, he's been carrying all of that guilt on his back. But what he doesn't know, is that he's been feeling guilty for nothing.

"Jisung. You may not have realized it, but you protected all of us that were fighting Seiki. You informed our other teammates on what was happening in our fight. Because of that, you made it possible for them to find us in time. Additionally, when Johnny-hyung and Jaehyun-hyung couldn't keep Seiki trapped in place, you took it upon yourself to help them. Because of that, we were able to keep him in place to deliver the final blow, and you made sure that Johnny-hyung didn't fall under the pressure after he overworked himself. And when Mark-hyung, Donghyuck, and I were about to lose balance from how much power we used together, you used your power to hold us steady. Because of that, you made it possible for us to successfully save Seiki"

I made him sit up so that he would look me in my eyes.

"And because you put Hyuck before yourself, you saved him from Seiki's incoming attack. It's because you sacrificed yourself to protect him, that he didn't get severely injured or killed again. You protected us all of those times, and that in turn allowed us to live to fight another battle. In the end, you proved that you can indeed protect everyone, especially Geno, even without fighting"

Jisung looked surprised, but he soon became happy.

I'm just so glad that he finally realizes everything he's done for our team. Without him, we most likely wouldn't be here today.

"Hyung...... Thank you so much...~"

He suddenly hugged me and snuggled his head into my shoulder.

He may be taller than us now, but in the end, he's still our big baby~.

"Anytime Jisung~"

-

🐭🌊

'...'

'......'

'.........'

'Hyung...'

'I'm sorry I bothered you again...'

'I was just...'

'Too nervous to wake up Geno...'

'I knew you wouldn't mind, but still...'

'I was scared that I was disturbing you and Suko...'

'I didn't want to disturb anyone, but...'

'...'

'I was drowning again...'

'It might've been the same dream, but it still felt so scary...'

'I didn't know what to do...'

'But...'

'You helped me helped me again'

'You made me feel safe again'

'And you stayed with me again after I got my water'

'And once again'

'I felt safe and happy'

'I felt secure and protected with you'

'And...'

'You helped me realize everything that I've done...'

'For our team, our family'

'......'

'And...'

'You helped me realize just how much I protected everyone'

'I was so lost in my guilt'

'But now...'

'I'm free from that guilt'

'...'

'......'

'You freed me from that guilt'

'I see the truth now'

'It's always been right there in front of me'

'I just needed help in order to see it'

'So, hyung...'

'Thank you'

'For helping me see the truth, and for bringing me out of my dark place'

'...'

'......'

'I'll repay you'

'By doing my main duty'

'I'll continue to protect everyone'