Ever missed someone you haven't met? Ever pushed back a task to the back of your list for so long and felt utterly devastated when you lost your chance? Jaemin here goes through something like that. He wanted to do something but before he could reac...
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On the kitchen table, there stood a glass of milk that was once scalding. The woman entered the kitchen and took the neglected glass. She heats it up in silence, looking out the window and enjoying the tranquillity of the night. A few hours ago she was already in bed fast asleep but for some reason, she woke up and here she is in the kitchen, heating up milk. 2 AM seems like an odd hour to be doing this.
Once the milk was heated, she took it upstairs. Soft feathery light steps while gripping onto the glass firmly. Her half awake self wouldn't appreciate the extra cleaning if she happened to misstep. Standing in front of his door, she turned the door-knob and the loud squeak that followed felt haunting. Her eyes scanned the entire room but didn't see what she was looking for.
"Jaemin," she called out but no one answered. She places the glass of milk on the table that's next to the bed. The bed looks the same as it was this morning. The pillows, bed-sheets and blankets were all kept neatly. Only one thing was missing, the bed's owner with his most beloved white rabbit plushie.
Sound of running water can be heard. The lights in the bathroom are turned on. Must be Jaemin, she thought. "Nana," she called out softly. Again she receives no reply. She decided to sit down and wait for the boy, maybe he's just taking a shower she thought. The boy likes to do certain tasks at nightly hours like today.
10 minutes later..
"Mom." A voice called out to her. Bloodshot eyes, dark eye-bags, a puffy pale face and hoarse voice. She does not question anything and just hands him a glass of milk that she heated up earlier. "You forgot your milk." she said. The frail boy took the glass and drank it immediately. "Sorry, mom, I forgot about it." He apologised with a smile. She nodded her head and took the glass, placing it back on the table.
Jaemin laid down on his bed. His mother pulled the blanket up and tucked him in. A forehead kiss and a greeting then she made her way downstairs. Downstairs, to the room where she kept her old piano.
It's a pretty old piano, you could see that dust has collected everywhere around it, from years of neglecting. She took a seat and placed her fingers on the familiar keys. A wave of nostalgia washes over her as she did so. "It's been a while," she said dryly.
Upstairs, someone is still feeling wide awake. The bath was relaxing. It felt nice when he bawled his eyes out and let all build up stress out but right when he laid down, he felt the drowsiness evaporate into thin air. A deep long sigh leaves his mouth, as he stares at the white ceiling.
One month has passed by in a flash. Police stopped looking into the case, reporters stopped interviewing kids, neighbours stopped whispering, people went back to their old routines again and the tall boy who often is found talking to himself was forgotten again. It took them so little time to move on but Jaemin felt differently.
"I'm sorry mom, I don't want to be like this too." He felt his eyes sting and he started tearing up again. As he was having another mental breakdown, something caught his attention. It's a sound, the sound of the piano. "Mother's playing the piano." He says to himself. She's playing Night walk -Gavin Luke.
The music instantly reminded him of childhood.
"Jaeminine mommy's playing the piano!" young Jaemin's round eyes would sparkle with delight at the mention of a piano. He wriggled around on his chair, "uh oh, finish your milk first," Jaemin looks at the tall glass and pinches his nose. His father tells me he can't move from his place unless the glass is empty. His first intention was to throw it out when his father wasn't looking.
He had tried it a couple of times, but unfortunately this trick has an expiration date and he got caught. "I'm watching you, you can't throw it away." his dad would warn him. I swear dad has hawk eyes he thinks to himself while gulping down the distasteful warm liquid.
Once the glass was empty, he waddled to his mother's music room. Jaemin would say it's his favourite room out of all the rooms in the house. Music fascinates him and the sound of it always seems to calm him. That would be why his parents found him asleep within minutes of them playing any instruments. Today Jaemin wanted to stay awake.
He asks his father to play the piano instead so he could dance all night with his mother. "Mommy, dance with me!" he'd say taking her hand and waddling around the room until he gets tired and his mother with pick him up, lulling him to sleep while still slow-dancing around the room.
Life was much simpler and pleasant back then. He felt so loved that time. Jaemin's tears have now ceased and his breathing is steady again. Reminiscing about the past had brought back a small smile to his face. Probably won't last long but it felt nice.
Downstairs the music finally comes to a halt when the woman's fingers are no longer in contact with the black and white keys. She closes her eyes, giving them a little chance to rest. "I never liked playing the piano," she confessed. "I'd always remember my mother who'd force me to learn it for no particular reason." Her leg starts to move up and down and she sighs. "All day I was forced to sit on this chair and press the keys, creating a melody seemed pleasing to others but to me they were just torture." Her leg stops any sign of movement and she moves onto burying her head in her palms. "I hated everything about it, the piano teacher who'd point out each and every flaw then give me a harsh punishment instead of actually correcting me, my mom who would join her and those kids who would crowd around her while I played were also annoying, honestly the list can go on."
Then she smiles, "but it wasn't that bad because I found a way to love it." She wasn't lying when she said that. She really started loving the piano when she saw her little baby boy fall asleep to it with a smile on his face, he loved the piano more than anyone else it seems. His little boba-like eyes would sparkle every time she would perform. He'd clap his hands like a seal and a fit of the most adorable giggles would come out of his mouth. Her husband loved it. They'd play together every evening, and once Jaemin fell asleep, they'd sit down with a glass of wine and talk about their days. Well that doesn't happen anymore. People do change.
Jaemin grew up and their time spent together was cut short, his father would spend more time at his job, he became more sensitive now, the topics they discussed at the dinner table became boring and strict. Both Jaemin and her felt like walking on eggshells. The atmosphere around the house took a drastic turn and she doesn't know what to think about it.
Sighing, she says, "I hope this gave some sort of comfort to my baby boy today." "Hope you fell asleep my angel." "Goodnight baby."
Upstairs a white bunny is held close to his chest and light snoring leaves his mouth. Jaemin falls asleep feeling like a kid again, falling asleep on the couch in his beloved music room. Sleep comes late to him so he cherishes it with all his heart.
