Farewell, Neverland (Choi Yeonjun x Reader)

Chapter 22: My Other Family

IM Y/N

Yeonjun and I took our seats inside Yurim's office. On the wall was a whiteboard with scribbles, formulas, and notes. There were also regional maps.

Kiyoung took his spot beside Yurim as she began to speak. "My older brother and your father, Park Jihoon, was the person who created the idea of compounds since the Mars Migration ten years ago. Jihoon was the one who guided the Seoul Compound. He was a strong leader and wasn't afraid to take risks. He helped the compound and others in many ways."

"But sadly, Jihoon's lungs grew weak due to Earth's pollution. It was bothering him ever since you were born, Y/n."

"No matter how many we forced or suggested, Jihoon refused to get treatment. He said saving Earth was more important than saving his health."

"Jihoon's sickness won the battle; he died last Wednesday."

It was like time had frozen. My breath caught in my throat. It felt like my heart stopped beating.

"So my dad is dead?" I asked.

"Yes, Y/n. I'm so sorry.

Yurim paused before continuing. "Before Jihoon died, he told me that you, Im Y/n, would finish his job for him. Jihoon worked hard to have you remember your true purpose for coming back to Earth."

"To have me remember? Wait, are you talking about the plant?" I took the plastic bag out of my pocket.

Yurim gasped. "Yes. May I see it?"

I nodded and handed the plastic bag to my aunt. She moved it around her hands, studying the plant. Then Yurim reached down, opened a drawer, and pulled out a jar of light green powder.

"Jihoon invented this when you were going to leave Earth," Yurim explained, presenting the item to me. "This powder is called Forget Me Not. Jihoon used his memories of Earth to make this. Watch this."

Yurim opened the jar and grabbed a pinch of Forget Me Not. She opened the plastic bag and sprinkled the powder onto the plant. Despite the powder and plant being different colors, the powder blended with the leaves.

Yeonjun's eyes grew wide, and he leaned closer. "How did it disappear onto the plant?"

Yurim chuckled. "Jihoon made Forget Me Not like this to lessen suspicion, just in case it ended up in the wrong hands. Forget Me Not works when the user's heart wants to remember something but can't recall it in their brain."

Listening to Yurim's explanation had everything make sense. I thought I was going crazy when I heard the voice inside. I had no clue what Earth was. But when I touched the plant, all my memories of Earth returned. It was because of my heart. I then realized the voice in my head was my dad's; he's the one who invented Forget Me Not. Even though we were far away, Dad was still with me.

I smiled. "Yurim, if I may ask, is my dad's office around here?"

"Of course, it is, Y/n," said Yurim. "Kiyoung? Can you take them, please? I have to go check on Jihyun."

"Will do," said Kiyoung.

Yeonjun and I followed my uncle out of Yurim's office. We stopped at a door at the end of the hall. A sign that said "Park Jihoon, Chief of Seoul Compound" hung with rope on a nail. Kiyoung took a ring of keys out of his pocket and unlocked the door with one of the keys. Kiyoung pushed the door and flipped on the light switch.

The office was just as I recalled when I was younger: scattered papers, taped posters falling from the walls, a whiteboard filled with formulas, and a window with white curtains pushed aside to show the outdoors.