Before (After) Our Kids

Chapter 56

Vanechka didn't feel like hanging out tonight, but she promised Hwan. Over the past couple of months this became regular. She neglected their friendship after finding that book. The book.

It wasn't something she meant to do. The opportunities that book opened for her weren't simple, they were special. The more she studied it, the more it engulfed her mind. She couldn't help but fantasize about what she could do with the information she uncovered.

At first her ideas were innovative. Plans that involved humanity and problems people had yet to find a solution for. On the other side of the door she opened accomplishments and new possibilities awaited. She spent day and night thinking and researching, wondering what could be done.

But then her ideas became more selfish, more personal. She thought about the bad things that her father had to go through because of her. About the things Hwan's mother did to his family. How Hui and her sisters barely got to know their mother before they lost her. That's when she started to get lost in her head.

She started to think about how she could actually make this work. Whether the book was written as a misleading joke, or if anyone had even tested the theory. Her fantasies started to morph into reality, and she got addicted to it.

Hwan kept trying to reach out to her, but she was far too gone. Nothing seemed to matter. This was bigger than either of them. Still, she didn't want it to be like this.

She was making Hwan sad. They used to hang out all the time, talk together, walk together, study together. But now he had to beg her to spend time with him, and the wall of promises started to build itsself.

Now she was headed to their designated hang out spot, Hotel Seoul. The hotel was an abandoned building from an older part of the city. Just a decade ago it was still a running establishment, but now it was the two friends's favourite spot.

Originally Hwan wanted V to come hang out with him, Yuna and Hui before Hui left on a trip with her family. As there was still some time for that she asked him so that it's just the two of them. Hui was her best friend, but nowdays she felt like she was under a microscope next to her.

Hwan was waiting in the hall for her. He gave a small smile as he saw her. "Hi."

"Hi." She tried to smile back. "How come we didn't come together?"

"Oh, I was busy." They headed towards tbe staircase. "I took up basketball recently. Had to practise."

"Wait really?" She was schocked to stay the least. Hwan never even mentioned liking basketball, and she never saw him play it. "So you're like, on the team?"

"No, not yet. But I'm trying, I think today went really well." He didn't want to talk about "basketball". Quickly he came up with another subject. "Did you hear that Kwang is going to the Winter Ball with Seung?"

"Are you kidding?"

"No!" He laughed. "I have no idea why! Everyone is getting so weird these days.."

"What do you mean?"

As they talked time flew by and before they knew it they were up on the rooftop. V had to admit, she missed this. She really had the time of her life with Hwan, even if it was something simple like this.

The view was beautiful. The city lights shined even brighter in winter, when the nights were darker. Only a few stars were visible on the sky.

"Wow, it's really cold." She shivered.

"Yeah, I forgot that this won't be like in the summer." He admitted.

"Do you want to come over instead?" V didn't know where she got her confidence from. These days she was nervous around him, with how much pain she has been causing him. It felt like walking on ice. But in the moment she felt a new found energy. "To stay over. I know it's a school night, but maybe we could go to school tomorrow together?"