Nostalgia Central

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❝Where are all these good looking men coming from?❞

—Haneul

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Haneul

"So then, do you remember me?" a tall man asked, his full lips curved up into a charming smile.

He wasn't in the least bit dressed for the office. If anything, I'd say he was probably in the wrong building.

The man wore a leather jacket, stonewashed jeans and black leather boots. A piercing glimmered on his bottom lip with a matching brow piercing peaking out from under his fringe. There was something dangerously attractive about him.

And yet, at the same time, he seemed so tender and caring.

His voice sounded melodious, like a balm to my soul. I could listen to him speak to me like this forever.

I wonder if he can sing? I thought as I surveyed him.

Jimin narrowed his eyes at the man then wrapped an arm protectively around my waist, discreetly pulling me closer to him.

"Shouldn't you be on leave, Jeon? What are you doing here?" he asked, his voice sounded a little on edge.

"Come on Park, let me speak to the pretty girl, too!" the man, Jeon, grumbled.

"I can't believe they let you into the building dressed like that!" Jimin scowled. "Besides, didn't you say you were sick?"

"Nevermind my problems. Do you always have to knit-pick others? Live a little, Park!"

The man narrowed his espresso coloured eyes at Jimin for a moment, then, they both burst out laughing. Jimin gently let go of me, and embraced the other man, patting him on the back with the energy of a long lost friend found once again.

They're friends! I should have guessed! Why am I so slow today?!

Just as soon as they'd celebrated their reunion, they pulled apart. Jimin cleared his throat and looked at me.

"Haneul, this is-"

"Hi sweetheart! I'm Jeon Jungkook," the biker guy reached out, gently taking my hand in his and placed a light kiss on my knuckles. "It's a pleasure to meet you!"

Something about this act sent shivers down my spine. I felt the lip piercing graze my skin, almost like he was teasing me.

Jungkook held on to my hand for a few beats more.

"H- hi," I smiled at him, trying to control the urge to touch his lip ring with my fingers.

Jungkook hastily let go of me, probably realising that Jimin still was watching him.

As he let go of my hand, I spied a few tattoos on the fingers of his right hand. They looked like a mixture of letters and random symbols. More seemed to snake up under the sleeve of his jacket. Although, from what I could see, those looked more intriguing.

Is that a snake curling up his wrist?

My cheeks heated up, and that pit in my stomach had now become a bonfire.

"Hyung! You didn't tell me we're meeting Haneul today!" Jungkook whispered loudly.

"Uhm, I can hear you. And I was actually here to see my Appa," I studied him.

Something about his loud personality was actually reassuring.

"So, do you remember me?" he asked again.

I blinked at him before replying. "Nope. But, I'm sure if you stick around, I will, Carrots."

Of course I recalled seeing him in memory before. But I don't know why I called him Carrots. It seemed like it was impulsive. But somewhere deep down I knew it was a habit.

Jimin chuckled at the expression on Jungkook's face. "Oh, how I missed this!"

"So, you remember that stupid name, but not me?" he grumbled, rolling his eyes skywards. "Great."

I shrugged apologetically, "I don't make the rules, dude. I just remembered the name."

"We were just heading out to get something to eat. Do you want to join us?" Jimin offered him.

Jungkook looked from Jimin, to me, his smile growing wider.

"Sure. I'd love to hear if there's anything else our little Barbie girl remembers!" he pinched my nose, then scooted back before I made a grab for him.

"Hey, don't call me that, Carrots! I don't have blonde hair!"
"We can arrange that!" Jungkook shot back with a wide grin.
"No! It doesn't suit me!" I grumbled.
"Yeah, but you still remind me of her!" he smiled like it was his birthday instead.

"No, I don't!"
"Yes, you do!"

"Will you two behave? This isn't kindergarten!" Jimin rolled his eyes.

The lift doors dinged open for us, as if agreeing with him.

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‎

Jungkook

Haneul is sitting next to me!

She's actually sitting next to me, sharing her peppermint tart with me. I can't believe my eyes!

My Haneul, my Barbie girl is back!

We were in the same class from our first year of high school, until we graduated. If you name every clichéd thing a boy would do to get the attention of the girl he loves, I will tell you that I've done it all!

Except perhaps making her jealous of another girl. Because I would never hurt my girl like that.

It's too shallow.

I glanced at Jimin hyung as he talked with Haneul. He looks much happier now that she is with us.

We decided to have pizza. It's easy to eat and Haneul loves it.

Although, nothing prepared me for the way she lovingly handed me the first slice of her chicken pizza-before she demolished half of my calzone.

Jimin and I have been looking for her these past few months. But recently, Mr. Park had stopped us, saying that it wouldn't do her-or us- any good if she didn't remember anything.

Never mind our gut feeling-and forget about the emotional bond we shared with her. Not that it had mattered to anyone else for the last five years, anyway.

But something had shifted in the last year, spurring us into action. That's why we were looking for her.

Jimin's uncle had a better solution. One Haneul's had doctor approved of.

So for the last two weeks, I've been on edge. I couldn't see her, but I've been tormented by dreams of her.

If you can call those dreams.

I tried to keep busy. Yet, most of my clients were quiet and my graduation ceremony was a month ago, so I didn't even have any preparations to keep me busy. Jimin and the other hyung's didn't need help and Mr. Park asked me to help with admin work around the office.

I was suffering—emotionally. But there isn't much anyone can do to heal a broken heart.

And it's not like I could drop by Seojin's café!

We were advised by Dr. Min not to enter Café de Bleu. Only Mr. Park could check on Haneul, since she actively remembers him.

Of course we knew where she worked. We watched over her from distance.

But now that's she's right in front of me, taking to me, it is so difficult holding back on kissing her cheek or just hugging her. We used to hug a lot back then-before that horrible day.

Even when our—

No, I should think happier thoughts. Especially since it's October.

"So, today's your birthday and in two days it'll be Jimin's!" I turned to face Jimin with a raised eyebrow.

Dude you better ask her out on a date by then! I coaxed. He acknowledged my silent message with a brief nod. We'll see what happens.

"Really?! Wow!" Haneul was excited by this, she didn't seem to notice the exchange between me and hyung. "Maybe then I can take you out!" she bumped his shoulder with hers.

"You don't have to, but I won't say no to spending more time with you," Jimin's face turned a shade of pink.

"You guys are so cute!" I teased.

"You're behaving as if you didn't spend the entire five years of highschool pretend like she was your girlfriend!" Jimin smirked.

"Did we date?" Haneul innocently asked me.

I shook my head. "Nope. Our families said we had to wait until we were both eighteen."

"Hmmm... Well I'm twenty-three today," she shrugged nonchalantly.

"Me too!" I winked at her.

"So, when's your birthday?" she shot back at me.

It's like getting to know each other from scratch. But the only problem here is that it's painful for me to watch as she's re-experiencing everything!

"September first," I replied in a low tone as a memory resurfaced.

I blinked it away. I can't think about that now.

"Hogwarts day!" Haneul's smile brightened.

"Yeah, he opened the Chamber of Secrets fifty years ago. You should steer clear of him," Jimin made a show of whispering to her.

She giggled, her laughter washed over me like sunlight.

I missed this.

I missed her.

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Haneul

I never expected to have a good time with two guys I had just met.

But then again, I remember them-just a little. It's weird how you can forget the people who you care about so much.

As I sat with them at the restaurant, more and more memories came flooding back.

But this time they didn't hurt.

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"Pick something you like," Jungkook insisted.

"Uhm, but I already have a handbag, Jungkook."

"Just pick one! Or I'll get you that pink Barbie doll bag over there!" he grinned evilly at me.

"Play nicely, Jungkook," Jimin muttered in his ear. "We just got her back. Don't overwhelm her."

"Fine," he grumbled.

I pretended not to overhear that exchange. For some reason, these two seemed to walk around on eggshells with me.

I may have lost my memories. But not everything was gone. Especially since I found them today.

Sometimes I remembered random faces and random conversations. Other times the memories are recognisable.

I missed these two so much.

But how do I tell them that I missed them, when I barely remembered them at all for the last few years? Sure, there were random moments, but things get jumbled up in my head.

My doctor advised that I keep a low profile, staying away from people, until the medication settles in. But that was four years ago.

And by then, I'd forgotten these two. Their voices, their names.

The little things they did to make me laugh.

It hurt me to see the pain in their eyes.

"Hey, Carrots?" I playfully nudged his shoulder with mine.

"Yeah, Barbie?"

"Why don't we take a walk instead?" I grabbed his arm and led him out of the store without waiting for his reply.

I turned to find Jimin. "Come on Mochi, I want both of you to see this."

Jimin smiled, "Okay."

"Is this the part where you kill us and take our hearts?" Jungkook gasped as he followed me through a quiet passageway.

"Pssht. No silly! This is a shortcut! See!" I pointed at the fire drill signs.

"It's an emergency escape route. All the more reason to be suspicious," he grinned, taking the stairs with me.

"Are you scared, Jeon?" Jimin teased.

"No, not at all."

Within minutes, we emerged two floors below, right next to my favourite store in the entire mall.

"Bargain Books?!" Jungkook exclaimed. "Oh yeah! You love reading!"

"Yes, but not horror. That creeps me out!" I pulled the two men towards the store with me.

At the threshold, however, I paused giving them my disclaimer.

"Fair warning-I might never come out. Your job is to remind me of the world outside!" And then I wandered off, hoping they'd keep up.

I found the shelves that were dedicated to all my favourite classics: Sherlock Holmes, Journey to the Center of the Earth and Shakespeare. Then I wandered a bit further towards the back of the store, where they kept the Young Adult and Dystopian books.

"Matched, Crossed and Reached?" Jimin whispered in awe, looking at the trilogy by Alley Condie.

"Yep, but I already have those. It's one of my favourite dystopian series!" I hummed, reached out to caress a cover.

"And what about this one?" Jungkook asked, holding out a copy of Divergent.

"Wow, they have a new edition! The cover is beautiful!" I studied the details. "But I preferred the original covers."

"So, she's read these already," he said to Jimin pouting a little, his lip ring catching the light in the store.

That definitely distracted me a little more than my favourite books.

"Aha, try to keep up Carrots! Oh, look! It's The One!" I gasped dramatically.

Both of them tensed a little, glancing at each other.

"I've been looking for this book everywhere!" I cooed, suppressing a laugh when they relaxed.

"Finally something Barbie hasn't read!" Jungkook sighed, prying the book from my grasp.

I glared at him, pulling it back. "Oh, I've read it alright. I just don't own a copy."

"Did you read the entire series?" Jimin's warm tone melted my irritation away.

Jungkook always liked getting under my skin. Even when we were in high school he'd take a dig at me for silly things.

"Yes," I felt blush creep up my cheeks. "I just don't have the books at home."

Jimin reached up, grabbing a box set off a higher shelf. "Now you do."

"Hyung, let me pay! It was my idea!"

"No, I'll pay for it," I made a grab at the books.

The air stilled as a silent agreement passed between the two. Then, Jimin grabbed the set back and Jungkook lifted me up, carrying me off to another aisle.

"Let's have a look at these!" he innocently gestured to a book that I didn't need to buy.

"Riding his Broomst—," Jungkook stopped mid sentence, sputtering with embarrassment.

His face had turned a shade of crimson. "Sorry," he muttered and dropped the novel back on the shelf.

"Between me and you Carrots," I leaned in close. "I already read that one, too."

The man blinked rapidly as if flushing something out of his system. Then he discreetly ushered me away from the shelves.

"Come on, I know just the thing for you, baby girl."

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