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ׂ╰┈➤ Chapter 33 | Memory Box
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It was a quiet afternoon, the kind where the sun lazily filtered through the windows, casting soft, golden light across Jiwon's room. She sat cross-legged on her bed, her gaze fixed on a small wooden box she’d just retrieved from the back of her closet. The memory box
Jiwon hadn’t opened it in years. It was a tradition she and her mom had started when she was little—every year, they would place a few items inside, mementos from that year. But as she got older, life got busier, and the box had been left untouched
But today, something had drawn her to it, a desire to reconnect with pieces of herself she had almost forgotten. She ran her fingers over the box's smooth surface, tracing the carved patterns on the lid before slowly lifting it open
Inside, the first thing that caught her eye was a stack of old Polaroids, their edges worn and slightly yellowed with age. She picked up the top one, a photo of her and Eunji from their middle school days. They were grinning widely, arms slung around each other, their faces full of youthful excitement. Jiwon chuckled softly, remembering the day they’d taken that photo—Eunji had dared her to jump into the school fountain, and Jiwon, never one to back down from a challenge, had done it without hesitation
“Good times,”
she muttered to herself, a fond smile playing on her lips
Digging deeper, she found a small, frayed piece of ribbon—the same ribbon she had worn in her hair for her first ballet recital. The memories of that day flooded back to her: the nervous excitement, the butterflies in her stomach, the way her heart had raced as she stepped onto the stage. She could almost hear the music, feel the soft thud of her ballet slippers on the wooden floor
Next came a keychain with a tiny volleyball attached, a gift from Yeonjun after their team won a local tournament. She twirled it in her fingers, a mixture of pride and nostalgia washing over her. They had been unstoppable that day, and she remembered the look of determination in Yeonjun’s eyes as they’d celebrated their victory
Beneath the keychain was a folded piece of paper, its edges crumpled and worn. Jiwon unfolded it carefully, revealing a handwritten letter from her late grandmother. The words were a bit faded, but she could still make out the delicate handwriting
“Dear Jiwon, never forget to chase your dreams, no matter how big or small. Life is full of surprises, but with a strong heart and a clear mind, you’ll navigate through them all.”
Jiwon’s vision blurred as tears welled up in her eyes. Her grandmother had always been her biggest supporter, and reading those words again felt like a warm hug from the past. She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, taking a deep breath to steady herself
Just then, her phone buzzed beside her, jolting her out of her thoughts. She glanced at the screen—Yeonjun had sent her a text
"Hey, what are you up to?"
She smiled, her fingers hovering over the keyboard before typing out a quick response
"Just going through some old memories. Wanna come over?"
Within minutes, he replied
"On my way"
As she waited for Yeonjun to arrive, Jiwon carefully placed the items back into the memory box, closing the lid with a soft click. These memories, these pieces of her past, were a part of her, and she wasn’t ready to put them away just yet
When Yeonjun arrived, they sat together on her bed, the memory box between them. As they sifted through the memories, sharing stories and laughter, Jiwon realized that no matter how much time passed, some memories were worth holding onto forever
