.•° ✿ °•.
— 8:25 AM —

. . .
🌤 Pls vote & comment for this finale! 🌤
(Play audio!)

Suran came over pretty early to help pack Gumball's things, but instead of helping, I'm sat on the piano bench biting my fingernails and reading over the text on Suran's phone for what feels like the 100th time...

'I'll wait at train station to see my son 9:00'... Her Korean isn't even correct...

"...I don't know if this is a good idea."

"Yoongi..."

"Give me one good reason why we should trust them? She was irresponsible enough to go an entire week without her son... What if she was abusive and Gumball was trying to get away from her? Or she neglected him altogether and that's why he gets anxiety in crowds? Because he's afraid of being abandoned or lost?"

"Yoongi, everything's going to be fine." Suran holds my shoulder. "Do you think I'd agree to meet up with somebody if I didn't have faith in them? From what she described, she could be legit. Let's have a little hope... Kids go missing more than you may think. It's only the lucky ones who get to find their families and return home. I'm sure whatever caused him to get lost was an accident."

Not fully convinced, I stare glumly at my own feet.

"I know you really care about him..." She smiles faintly, "But you've also got to remember... You're an idol. How much time can you realistically devote to this child if you're going to constantly be filming and touring? Gumball deserves somebody who can keep an eye on him, so you being in the spotlight with all those cameras and fans... That might not be a world he's ready for."

The memory of Gumball's reaction to the mob at LegoLand runs thick in my mind. The way he grew teary and ran away with paced breaths, cornered behind that photo booth where he comforted himself...

It wouldn't be fair for him to deal with that daily.

"You're right. But at the same time it's like, I don't want him in anyone else's hands, you know? Yeah it's selfish because he's not mine, but he feels like it..."

"That's that fatherly instinct kicking in." Suran smiles, patting my shoulder before going to retrieve Gumball's blue mini suitcase.

"Alright, I've packed his bag. You should probably wake him up so we head to the station..."

I look back at the open door of my bedroom where Gumball lies sleep and sound. I've been dreading this part... But I guess it's time to tell him.

So with a reluctant sigh, I enter the room and lightly shake his shoulder.

"Gum."

His eyelids part ever so softly, fingers curling and mouth stretched to air a silent yawn. I can't help but chuckle.

"We have to get you dressed and to the train station. Your mother's waiting for you there."

He just stares at me wordlessly, making me sit on the bed still facing him.

"It's sudden as hell, I know. But as safe as it feels knowing you're with me, I don't wanna be the thing standing between you and your real mom. We've packed your coloring book, stories, clothes, and toys. You're all set to return to your family."

Suran carefully enters behind me with a gentle smile to greet the infant. Gumball looks at us both before sitting up and innocently rubbing his eyes.

"But I promise, if you don't recognize her and she seems sketchy, I won't let you go anywhere. I'll keep you here and find a way for us to work." I let my eyes wander and head nod. "Schedule changes... A babysitter... Whatever. Just know that Suran and I aren't going to let you go off with anyone who'll harm you... Okay?"

I hold out my hand while Gumball just stares into my eyes... Before taking it and letting me pull him from the bed.

"Come on, I'll make you one last PB&J before we go."

∘₊✧  ° ⛅️ °  ✧₊∘
— 8:45 AM —

Being the early hours of a Sunday, the streets are empty and the sky is lilac dusk, with milky pink clouds that melt lava yellow the more it nears the sun. I hold onto Gumball's hand while he, Suran and I walk to the station, his other hand hooked around his Legoland backpack as he innocently follows my lead.

But my gaze follows his when I catch him staring across the road at the Gumball machine that all of a sudden holds so much nostalgia. It's then that I realize we're walking past the cafe Hobi brought me to on Monday.

This is where we met...

"Brings back memories, hm?"

Gumball looks up at me before reaching deep into his pocket and pulling out the familiar small pouch containing the Gumballs.

"Wait, you still have those?" My eyes widen.

"That's so cute..." Suran beams behind her hand, "He held onto them."

Hm... It is pretty cute.

Five minutes later, the three of us finally arrive at our local overground station where we spot a woman's head amongst the grey crowd of passengers exiting the platform. She holds down her hat and lets her dress blow in the wind as she looks around, but suddenly freezes when she spots us before approaching with wide eyes...

"...Hisashi? 久志! 私はどこでもあなたを探してきました!"

Her footsteps fasten and eyes tear up as she skips towards us with open arms, but Gumball clings to my leg with a pout, not untangling his fingers from mine. I instantly frown and pull him closer.

You can see the immediate heartbreak in the woman's expression by the way her smile fades. She looks like Gumball... Slim build, fair skin, small eyes and long dark hair... Everything matches, but it's going to take more than looks.

"Why should he hug you?" I scowl defensively. "If you're really his mother, why should he hug you when you're leaving the country without him? Why did you abandon him these last 7 days?"

"What? Y-you don't understand... I did not abandon my son!" She takes offense, her teeth gritting and eyes now filling with tears. It's apparent that Korean isn't her first language.

"Then start explaining, because until you explain yourself, he's not going with you."

The lady looks back at the large station clock that reads 8:53 before looking down and playing with her fingers.

"I am single Japanese mother with four Japanese children. But Hisashi's father is Korean man... I move here for work because I need money but I did not get this job. We were in a crowd but when I turn around, Hisashi was gone. I look for him but he wanders off... I should have look harder, I know... But it was accident. I love my son, I never want to lose him again... Hisashi, I so so sorry..."

The woman begins to sob through her words with fists clutched at her chest. I have the urge to interrogate her further, but decide to press back a frown and let her say whatever she needs to get out.

"I promise I will be better protector to you... I will hold your hand and this time never let go..."

She reveals the heart-shaped locket around her neck that had been tucked under her sundress, opening it to show us what's inside...

...It's a picture of her and Gumball.

"I have been holding this and praying every night... I have never stopped looking for him." She shakes her head whilst sniffing heavily. "This is my son... This is him, I know it... Hisashi, I so sorry... ママ本当に申し訳ありません..."

I look down to see tears in Gumball's eyes as he and his mother stare at each other longingly. Suran also grows misty-sighted before I turn to her. She smiles back at me and gently nods her head.

I glance back down at Gumball and one by one, unhook my fingers from his while motioning him forward...

Eventually, I let go.

"久志!" The woman swings her arms around her son for dear life. Her nails claw at his clothes while the other hand pushes his little head into her neck as she cries tears of joy. She then pulls away and holds him by the arms.

"I am so sorry baby... Mommy so sorry... I will never lose you again. I love you more than anything in the world. Please forgive me..."

Gumball's eyes continue to tear as she runs her hands down his hair and kisses his cheeks rapidly. Eventually, he tugs a small smile that has Suran wiping her eye dry.

"あなたは家に帰る準備ができていますか?" She cups his cheeks. Gumball presses back a chubby-cheeked smile before nodding once.

His mother stands up and bows.

"Thank you. Thank you for not giving up on my son and returning him to me. How can I ever repay you?"

"Just don't lose him this time. Seriously."

"It will never happen again." She delivers Gumball a beam. "Would you like to say goodbye to him?"

Gumball looks up at his mother before she softly drops his hand. Gumball turns to me and walks forward, making me crouch on one knee to meet his height.

The way he stares at me with such big doe eyes and pouty lips... It reminds me of the day met. That moment I pulled him back from crossing that road feels like so long ago when it's only been a mere week. We continue to stare at each other as the seconds pass...

...I'm going to miss him.

"I'll always be here in Seoul, okay?"

Gumball just stares blankly when I hold out my hand for him to shake, but to my surprise, he swings his little arms around my neck and hugs me for dear life. I jump slightly but then easily wrap my arms around him tightly while Suran beams from behind.

He made a week feel like a year without having to utter a word. It's like letting go of a silent angel.

After some seconds, I softly pull away and savor every feature of his face while his mother steps forward to take his hand.

"Are you ready to go?"

Gumball looks at me a little longer before peering up at his mother who finalizes the meeting by bowing once more, to which we return.

And with that, the pair begin walking to their train platform... Gumball holding his gaze on me for as long as he can over his shoulder before finally, disappearing behind the station wall...

We continue to stand in silence while the clock of the overground station loudly strikes 9. It's then that we're met with the dings of a bell before the windy, clunky sounds of a train leaving the station above us.

As much as I try to fight it, my fist and teeth clenching to form a hardened ball as my eyes begin to water. Suran rests a hand on my shoulder.

"...Are you okay?"

I proceed to stare at the spot where Gumball disappeared until the loud train whizzing above us finally passes. Once it does, I lick my lips and sniff before showing Suran a faint smile.

"Come on. Let's go home."

Sparing one last look around the brown terminal, I walk away from the train station with Suran following behind me...

∘₊✧  ° 🐥 °  ✧₊∘
— 3 MONTHS LATER —

"10 seconds people!"

"Get him on the couch!"

The process of setting up the stage is loud and hectic as usual. With my hair and makeup fully done, I lay back against the white couch in a fitted burgundy suit with one knee up and a microphone in my left hand.

"Alright, hoist him up!"

The higher the couch elevates, the louder the screams of ARMY blare throughout the stadium that blinks with purple lights, turning the dark pit into its own galaxy. As the music starts and spotlights shine on me, I then bring the microphone to my lips...

"Shijageun mwo jeulgeowosseotne... Oreuraknaerirak geu jachero..."

Happy screams follow with every lyric I sing, though I can't help but channel the pain behind every word...

It's crazy to think nobody even knows what happened. Nobody got to see the gummy smile he pulled when he swung on that seesaw... As my fame explodes and the memories begin to fade, I find myself questioning if he was even real. If he was really here with me or just some silent guardian I made up. If this fame is making me once again lose myself.

"All right, banbokdwen shisogeim. Ijeseoya kkeucheul naeboryeo hae." The spotlights darken the audience to an abyss while I dance to the choreography.

It would be a lie if I said I wasn't looking out for him at every concert, just hoping to see him and his mother somewhere in the front row.

Just once...

∘₊✧  ° 🐳 °  ✧₊∘

"ARMY!" Hobi lifts his arm. The entire stadium screams.

"Our Yoongi... He's been such a softie lately."

Ugh, can he shut up.

"That's right, he's been more social too. It's like he was touched by an angel." Jimin laughs.

The stadium awes at me while I force a fake smile, making Jungkook clench his fists cutely and waddle to me, singing;

"Hey little Gumball~ Sweet little Gumball~"

His angelic voice sends the entire stadium into awe as they scream and wave their bombs. I pull a cheesed smile when the members all start circling around me and singing along to the tune to cheer me up.

🌼🐥🌼
— 6 MONTHS LATER —

...It's been said that ever since 9 months ago, I've become more of an affectionate person.

I don't know exactly when the change happened, but if it's making those around me happy, I won't complain. Just yesterday the members had a BBQ and we spent the entire evening together eating and joking like the times of our rookie days. No staff, no girlfriends... Just us.

The day before that, I visited my family back in Daegu with expensive gifts. It was really refreshing to see my parents and brother... As was the feeling of hugging my grandma while she smiled and told me how proud of me she was.

Fast forward to now.

I'm sat on the piano bench of my tidy apartment. No coloring books... No toys laying around... Just me sat down as I swipe through the memories on my camera roll.

"Walk... And walk... And walk... And stop! Now strike a pose! Oh you're a natural darling. We'll name you... World wide cutie guy."

I scoff a chuckle at the video Jungkook took of Jin and Gumball strutting through the dressing room in matching shades and fluffy scarfs, his little form drowned by my clothes.

I swipe to the second video that Tae took in the park when Jimin put him on his back and the two pretended to be airplanes. You can hear Tae's deep, dorky laughter behind the camera as Jimin whirls around and makes Gumball smile.

Finally, I unclasp the case from my phone and pull out the strip I keep inside. It's the printout that Gumball and I took at Legoland...

Hopefully he noticed that I put the second copy in his bag.

"Alright, I'm ready." Suran leans against the door for balance as she straps on her wedges. She wears a midi red polka sundress and matching red lipstick, still keeping up her cute, ethereal spring look.

"Yoongi?"

"Hm?"

She giggles, "Are you ready to go on our picnic Honey?"

I continue to stare at the photo-strip for a moment with my finger softly brushing against it. With a small smile, I put it back in place, turn around and stand.

"Yeah. Let's go."

Suran holds out her hand for me to take as I approach her and open the door, her hand slipping around my waist as I peck her on the lips and we exit the apartment.

— THE END —