Part 1 – “The Reunion”
WOOZI and the rest of the group received an invitation for their friend’s wedding. He was also asked to sing for their wedding along with the vocal team members Seokmin, Jeonghan, Joshua and Seungkwan.
The groom was Mingyu’s bestfriend Lee Dong Min. To which became friends with the other 97-line Minghao and Seokmin as well and eventually the whole Seventeen.
Today is the last day of the rehearsal as the wedding day will be next week. They don’t really have to come as only Mingyu was part of the wedding entourage. However, since this will be Min’s last week as a bachelor as well, they are planning to have a stag party.
As they arrived at the venue, they immediately looked for the groom. They spotted him talking to a lady wearing a light Pink dress.
Come to think of it, they have not met his girlfriend yet – well except for Gyu, Hao and Seok. This will be the first time Woozi will be meeting the bride-to-be.
They started walking to Min’s direction. Woozi can’t really see the girl’s face as her back was facing them. As they near to where Min was, he suddenly felt weird. Like he feel – nervous? About what? He can now hear them but can’t really make out what they were talking about. The girl laughed at something that Min said.
Wait… that laugh sounds familiar.
As they are a few steps behind the girl, Min saw them and waved.
I can smell her perfume. A hint of vanilla… That’s familiar too. Reminds me of someone I knew back home…
When Min waved, the girl maybe realizing someone was behind her started to turn around.
As if in the movies, everything seems to be in slow motion as Woozi waited to confirm his hunch.
As she turned around her eyes scanned them and when it landed to him her eyes opened wide in surprise and recognition.
“Jiji-aaahhh!!!”, she called as she smiled brightly.
Everyone was surprised. No one calls me with that nickname. No one… Except for that one person.
The noona I’ve grown up with back in Busan.
The noona who has always been so kind to me since I was in middle school showing her support in everything I do – be it a piano recitation or just a simple baseball practice game.
The noona who inspired me to become who I am now.
The noona that I have been looking for since I have debuted as an idol.
The noona who was my inspiration with most of the lyrics of our group’s love songs.
The noona who I have fell in love with.
The noona that I have imagined my future with.
But I guess she will have her own future… but not with me. She will have her future… with Dong Min.
I was brought back to the present when I felt Soonyoung’s elbow nudging me.
“Ji, are you okay? Do you know her?”, Soonyoung whispered.
I blinked and realized I was staring at Y/N noona’s face like an idiot. I slowly looked at Soonyoung then I noticed that everyone’s eyes was on me. They are all waiting for my reaction. Probably because of how she addressed me? Or because they never knew any girl who is close to me.
“Jiji, do you still remember me?”, she looked at me with her sad eyes.
I smiled at her. “Of course! Y/N noona! How could I forget you?!” – yeah, how can I forget you and just accept the fact that you will be getting married next week. But not with me.
“Whew! I though for a second there that you won’t recognize. I almost did not recognize you! You are so grown-up now! If not for that cute little dimples I won’t know it is you!”
Ahhhh… some things never change. You are still that ray of sunshine who can easily brighten anyone’s day. You still talk animatedly as if everything you say is super interesting.
I was staring at you fondly as I felt again that familiar feeling as if I was back in my teens again.
“Whoa! What a small world Woozi! I didn’t know that you and Y/N knew each other!”
I was brought back to reality with Dong Min’s comment. The sad reality that your future and the future that I have imagined didn’t line up.
“Yeah! We have the same hometown. We knew each other back when I was still in middle school.”
“Ooooh! Hence the nickname?”, said Seungcheol with a playful tone.
“HAHA” Y/N laughed. “He really hates it when I call him with that nickname.”
Yeah, the nickname that I used to hate but eventually learned to love in time. The nickname I’ve been dying to hear again all these years.
As if nothing happened, I went along with the flow our conversation. Trying to convince myself that this is all a dream. That when I close my eyes and open them again… I will wake up and realize this is not true.
We continued talking while waiting for the coordinator’s signal. We – Me and… you, who will never be part of my future anymore.