8—back to the past...

---.ᴥ︎ᴥ︎ᴥ︎ᴥ︎.---

The man gets out of the black BMW to enter the Supermarket, in order to buy the monthly listed goods required for the household.

He isn't very old, but age has started to show up on his face. Yet, he stands tall, as he had in his younger days.

He sighs, then mutters to himself,
"I wish you were here, my dear."

-

Jungguk, his hand tightly holding Mirae's wrist, runs as fast as he could, with her, through the alleyways.

A few days earlier, they had discovered this new route through which, they could easily reach the city.

As they were leisurely strolling through the quiet alleyway that ran through the gaps between the tall jungle of buildings, their misfortune had lead them to the place where some of the criminals, they had encountered before, were having some sort of meeting.

As a result, they were spotted and are now, trying not to be hunted down by them.

They run and run, not really knowing where this way would lead them.

As they run, Jungguk spots an empty damaged tank at the turn.

They quickly get into it and hide themselves until they are sure that the criminals have left.

They finally hop out of it, 15 minutes later. Jungguk check the surrounding areas, for any signs of the criminals waiting for them to come out of their hiding place.

Fortunately, there was no such sign.

All this time while, hiding in that dusty tank, Mirae pondered over one thing.
Why couldn't she teleport them? What had happened at that moment? Does it have something to do with her energy? Or was it entirely for a different reason?

"Are you okay?" asks Jungguk, concerned.

"Yeah, you?"

Jungguk nods.

They start to walk again, but soon reach the mouth of the alley.

It opens into a bustling road.

The city.

As they move out of the alley towards the road, they spot a car, a huge, shiny, expensive, black one, not far away, parked on the side.

Not having seen cars much in their lives, they are fascinated by it and walk towards it to have a better look at it.

Just as Jungguk puts his hand out to touch the bonnet of it, a deep voice speaks,
"What are you doing?"

Both, Mirae and Jungguk, snap their heads towards the voice and are met with the kind, gentle eyes of an old man.

The man, a bag of groceries in his hand, takes notice of both of their clothing.

His eyes then find their way to their faces, now covered in dust due to hiding in the rusty tank.

As he looks at Jungguk, he can't help but empathize with their condition.

It wasn't hard to make out they were orphans. Young and lost.

After all, he had lost his child too.

"It's cold outside kids, what are you doing here?" he questions.

"I-I'm sorry but we don't know where we are." Jungguk whispers, rather to himself.

"And what's it with your clothes?"

"We don't have any more." Mirae states, a but embarrassed, looking down at the now rags-like clothing covering both of them.

The old man sighs,
"It's okay. Come with me."

-

As the huge gates of the manor open, Jungguk and Mirae can't help but gasp at the size of it.

Not able to control her excitement, she squeezes Jungguk's hand in her own, to which the latter reacts by flushing heavily, even though they were quite physical now a days.

They are escorted inside by the man.

They are taken inside a huge living room, and settled near the fireplace, so that they can warm themselves up.

Mirae, finding the warmth confortable, rubs her hands together, and leans into Jungkook, who wraps one if his arms around her shoulders, as they both sit on the couch, waiting for the old man to return from his bathroom tour, and with a change of their clothes.

Something suddenly catches the boy's eyes. He stands up and moves towards the photo that sits atop the fireplace-surface head. He squints his eyes, as if trying to comprehend something.

This must be their son.

In the photo is a young beautiful boy, of 6-7 years, smiling widely while holding a stuffed toy to his chest.

Watching the scene play from her seat, Mirae's eyes suddenly widen as realisation hits her.

After these many years...

----.ᴥ︎ᴥ︎ᴥ︎ᴥ︎ᴥ︎ᴥ︎ᴥ︎ᴥ︎ᴥ︎ᴥ︎.----

746 words.