Hoseok: 12 May Year 22

I opened the emergency door and ran down the stairs. My heart was beating so fast that it felt like it could explode at any moment. The face that brushed past me in the hospital hallway was surely my mom’s. The moment I turned around, the elevator doors opened and people came pushing out. While I was instinctively pushing people to move forward, I saw my mom go through the emergency door. I took two stairs at a time as I ran downstairs with a nervous heart. I didn’t rest and went down several floors. 

 

“Mom!” My mom stopped and stood. I took another step forward. Mom turned around. I went down another step. I started to see my mom’s face. It was then. The heel of my foot slipped on the edge of the stair, and my body weight fell forward. I closed my eyes tight, prepared to fall right on my face. Someone grabbed my arm. Thanks to that, I barely got my balance back. When I turned around, Jimin was looking at me with a surprised expression. There was no time to say thank you. I turned my head back around. 

 

I saw a woman. She was surprised. Next to her was a small boy staring at me with shocked eyes. She wasn’t my mom. I didn’t say anything and stared at her from the steps above. 

 

I don’t remember what words were said to resolve the situation. I didn’t ask how Jimin got there. I was curious about many details, and my brain was confused trying to figure it all out. That woman wasn’t my mom. I wasn’t sure if I knew that fact all along. It had been 10 years since she left me at the amusement park. My mom would be older and might look different from my memory. I might not recognize her even if I met her. No, I barely even remember my mom’s face now. 

 

I looked back. Jimin had been following me without saying anything. He told me that he had spent his time in the hospital since I last saw him here in high school. When I asked him if he wanted to leave, he looked like he didn’t even know how to. Was Jimin tied up in memories and unable to do anything about it, essentially trapped in place, like I was? I faced Jimin and took a step towards him. 

 

“Jimin. Let’s get out of here.”

 

@shootinghearts_