In-Su glanced at Ha-Joon, who was sleeping peacefully beside him, his chest rising and falling gently under the blanket.
A deep sigh escaped him as he silently got up from his spot on the bed.
He moved quietly to the window, glancing up at the stars, his mind swirling with unspoken feelings.
He ran a hand through his messy hair, the soft glow of the moon illuminating his red eyes, which shimmered with a faint sheen of tears he refused to wipe away.
His voice was a mere whisper as he thought to himself, If I stayed as Sora, nothing would separate us.
He looked back at Ha-Joon's peaceful face, his heart aching.
The memories of the past, of a time when everything was simpler, cluttered his mind. His hand trembled slightly as he clenched it into a fist, then slowly released.
With a heavy breath, In-Su muttered to himself, "I will make you remember today No matter what."
Without hesitation, he crept closer to Ha-Joon, who was still lost in sleep.
In-Su gently reached out, placing a trembling hand and brushing a strand of hair of Ha-Joon's forehead and pressed his lips softly against Ha-Joon's forehead.
Slowly, he leaned in and whispered softly, almost desperately, "Sora Ha-Joon do you remember Sora your Sora...."
Ha-Joon's eyes fluttered open, confused.
His lips parted to speak, but before he could, In-Su pressed a finger gently against his lips, his face filled with a mixture of longing and pain.
"Remember her," In-Su whispered, voice thick with emotion. "Remember Sora"
''Sora... Sora...'' Ha-Joon whispered eyes shaking.
Suddenly, In-Su's hand moved to Ha-Joon's chest, pressing down firmly, as if trying to anchor him to the past. In-Su eyes glowed as he looked down at Ha-Joon.
Ha-Joon stirred, panic flickering across his face as he tried to sit up, but In-Su pushed him back with surprising strength, pinning him gently but insistently.
"Listen," In-Su's voice cracked, trembling. "You have to remember. If you remember her you will remember who you are."
Ha-Joon's eyes widened in shock and fear. "What are you doing In-Su? Let me go," he gasped, struggling beneath him.
In-Su's eyes shone with tears he desperately tried to hide.
"I'm doing this because I love you Ha-Joon," he whispered, voice trembling. "And I can't bear being with you if you don't remember anything."
Ha-Joon, overwhelmed by the sudden force and emotion, could only whisper her name softly, unbidden, "Sora..."
In-Su's grip faltered for a moment, tears spilling over as he stared into Ha-Joon's confused, vulnerable face.
"That's it," he said softly, voice choked. "Remember her. Remember everything."
And as the night stretched on, In-Su held onto Ha-Joon.
Suddenly, without warning, Ha-Joon shot up from the bed with a jolt.
His eyes widened in shock, and he pushed In-Su away with incredible force, clutching his head as if trying to hold onto something slipping away.
His face contorted in pain, and he let out a loud, desperate cry—"Ahh!"
In-Su, caught off guard, stumbled back in disbelief, watching as Ha-Joon staggered.
The rest of the family, hearing the commotion, hurriedly rushed into the room, their faces filled with concern.
"Ha-Joon, what's wrong?!" Min-Ju exclaimed, eyes wide with worry.
Mrs. Kim hurried forward, her voice trembling slightly. "In-Su, what's happening? Why is he shouting?"
In-Su looked at them with a faint, knowing smile, almost gentle. "He's trying to remember," he said softly, eyes fixed on Ha-Joon.
Ha-Joon suddenly paused, trembling, and wiped the tears streaming down his face. His breathing was ragged, but a spark of clarity flickered in his eyes.
"I remember," he whispered hoarsely, voice trembling with emotion. "I'm Bolt… I remember. I'm Bolt." he shouted.
His voice cracked, but determination shone through his tear-streaked face.
In-Su, seeing the breakthrough, stepped closer, and with a warm, reassuring smile, he wrapped his arms around Ha-Joon in a gentle hug.
The rest of the family, sensing the significance of the moment, joined in—Mrs. Kim, Min-Ju, and Ji-Woo all gathered around, each pulling Ha-Joon into a comforting group hug.
Mrs. Kim softly whispered, "It's okay, sweetheart. You're safe now."
Min-Ju and Ji-Woo nodded, their eyes shining with understanding and support.
Ha-Joon, still trembling, leaned into the embrace, tears finally slowing as relief washed over him.
For the first time in what felt like forever, he felt grounded—like he had regained a piece of himself that had been lost in the fog of forgetfulness.
In-Su kept his arms around him, smiling gently, a sense of quiet victory in his eyes.
--------
After the family settled down on the couch and chairs, In-Su took a deep breath, his eyes dark with memories.
He looked at Ha-Joon, who was still trembling but now with a flicker of clarity.
"Ha-Joon," In-Su began softly, "there's something I need to tell you. Something about me, about Sora, and about everything that's happened."
Ha-Joon looked at him, curiosity and sadness in his eyes.
"I was first asked to dress as a girl," In-Su said slowly, voice thick with emotion. In-Su took a deep breath, his voice trembling but firm.
"When I was told to pretend to be Sora, I hated it at first. I hated feeling like I was losing myself. But I also… I loved her. I loved her so much that it hurt to stop acting like her. I cried sometimes when no one was looking, wishing I could just be myself, be Zekar again."
He looked directly at Ha-Joon, eyes filled with vulnerability.
"That's why I understand how much it hurts to lose your memories, to forget who you are. Because I've been there. I've lived it. I've felt the pain of losing myself, of pretending to be someone I wasn't. But now that you remember… we can fight back. We can do this together."
Ha-Joon's voice broke as he spoke,
"All this time, you were suffering… hiding your true self, pretending to be someone else. And I didn't even know. I thought I'd lost everything… but you were fighting in silence."
In-Su nodded, tears slipping down his cheeks.
"Yes. But now, we have a chance to make things right. To stop the Nightmire from destroying everything. We can't let fear or pain hold us back anymore."
Mrs. Kim, voice trembling with emotion, reached out and gently touched Ha-Joon's shoulder.
"You're not alone anymore. We're all here for you. You've gone through so much, but you're stronger than you think."
Min-Ju added softly, "We believe in you, Ha-Joon. Together, we can face whatever comes. You're not just fighting for yourself—you're fighting for all of us."
In-Su or should I refer him with Zekar looked directly at Ha-Joon, his voice filled with a mix of hope and urgency.
"When I was Sora, I liked you so much. I would cry when they told me to stop acting like her. Because… I liked you not even like love you, Ha-Joon. More than I should have. More than I could admit."
Ha-Joon's eyes widened in shock, and his face flushed. "You… liked me?"
In-Su gave a small, bittersweet smile.
"Yes. And I still do. That's why we have to fight—because it's not just about saving the world. It's about saving ourselves, and the feelings we've hidden for so long."
Ha-Joon looked around at his family, then back at In-Su, his eyes shining with renewed determination.
"If I've remembered everything… then I won't run anymore. I won't hide. We have to stand up and fight. For everyone, for the future."
In-Su smiled through his tears. "That's right. And I'll be right here with you—Zekar, Sora, or whatever name I carry—because I believe in us. We're stronger together."