Until the Days of Spring || NamJin [✔]

Chapter 2 - Small Cut

⊱ ────── {☽.⋅✿⋅.☽} ────── ⊰

Namjoon woke up with glimpses of water and drowning still haunting his consciousness. He scrunched up his face, threw an arm across his closed eyes in an attempt to shoo away the flashbacks. After a minute or two his breathing slowed down and Namjoon was much more awake.

He sat up slowly. Sunlight filtered from the curtains of his room, its rays basking the bed sheets. Dust specks danced under the warm glow. He sighed.

That dream again.

Namjoon sauntered, half drowsy, to the living room that connects to the terrace. He stretched and rubbed his eyes before his sight landed on Jin, sitting on the edge of the wooden terrace, gazing off to the garden.

"Good morning," he greeted.

Jin twirled to face him with a warm smile. "Good morning, Namjoon. Thank you for letting me stay for the night."

"Don't mention it." Namjoon walked over to sit beside Jin. The latter seemed perfectly content there, humming to himself as his bare feet swung back and forth above the gravel covered ground. Everything about him seemed so carefree and relaxed. It made Namjoon feel peaceful as well, somehow. For a moment that lasted longer than it probably should, the two of them just sat there, enjoying the new day. Namjoon couldn't believe it.

All of this still felt...strange. Namjoon didn't think it was possible to become familiar with someone so quickly, especially since that someone might have a serious case of memory loss. But somehow, it had happened.

The calm was broken by Jin, who pointed towards the various pots strewn across the garden, each of them placed on stone pedestals.

"Namjoon, can I ask? What are those?"

"The...bonsai?" he asked as he followed the end of Jin's fingers.

"Yes, those little trees."

Namjoon thought it was weird for anyone to not know about what bonsai trees are. Jin seemed genuinely curious though, so Namjoon launched into an explanation about how bonsai is the art of cultivating trees to fit a small shape and space while mimicking the form of a full grown tree. His grandfather used to practice the craft, both as a hobby and a source of income.

"Fascinating," he heard Jin say under his breath.

Namjoon continued. "I'm thinking of taking up bonsai too, to take care of the ones grandpa left behind. It'd be a shame if all his work would go to waste. He took such great care of the garden, I think he'd appreciate it. I mean, I'd definitely have to look up how to grow and take care of bonsai trees. Grandpa used to teach me how, but that was a long time ago. I think he has some books lying around and- oh." Namjoon winced bashfully. "Sorry, I'm rambling."

"No! It's alright," Jin said quickly. "It's wonderful. I don't mind if you keep going."

"Oh, I- uh, yeah, okay," Namjoon stammered, his train of thought suddenly derailing as Jin looked up at him. He rubbed the back of his neck. "You know what? How about less talking about me and more about you. I mean, from our conversation yesterday, you really don't remember anything? Anything at all?"

Jin's content face fell, and a frown twitched at the end of his lips. "I can remember glimpses. Flickers of scattered memories in my head, but I can't make out any of them. Like they've been locked away somewhere far."

Namjoon clicked his tongue. "So, maybe you haven't completely lost your memories, you just can't remember them."

"Yup," Jin said easily, then tilted his head to gaze up at the sky. "Though, I think I remember falling down and bumping my head on something, two weeks ago. That was probably why."