“No one knew they were making memories.
They were just trying to have a good day.”
The amusement park gates had just opened.
Colorful balloons floated through the air.
Children ran past holding their parents’ hands.
Music echoed from every corner.
For a moment…
Everyone simply stood there.
Heosok spread his arms dramatically.
“Welcome…”
“…to the greatest day of your lives!”
Jisoo looked at him.
“You’ve been here for three seconds.”
“And I’ve already improved the atmosphere.”
“You’ve improved the noise.”
Jiwoo laughed.
“I missed this place.”
Zaizai smiled beside her.
“I know.”
Heosok rubbed his hands together.
“First ride!”
Jiwoo immediately pointed toward the biggest roller coaster.
“That one!”
Yongi looked up.
“…It goes upside down.”
Jiwoo grinned.
“Exactly!”
“…I don’t think that’s a good thing.”
“It is today.”
Before Yongi could quietly disappear…
Zaizai noticed a familiar book peeking out of his bag.
She gently tapped his shoulder.
He turned.
She looked at the book…
Then back at him.
“…Can I ask you something?”
“Of course.”
She smiled.
“…Could you enjoy today…”
“…without reading?”
Yongi blinked.
“…Why?”
Zaizai looked around.
Jiwoo was already dragging Heosok toward the entrance.
Jisoo was pretending not to know them.
Jeheon stood quietly, taking everything in.
She looked back at Yongi.
Her voice was soft.
“Because some memories deserve your full attention.”
Yongi looked at the book.
Then…
Slowly…
He placed it back into his backpack.
“…Alright.”
Zaizai’s smile grew just a little.
“…Thank you.”
Before either of them could say another word…
Heosok appeared out of nowhere.
“There you are!”
Without warning…
He grabbed Yongi’s backpack.
“What are you doing?”
“Protecting your social life.”
He handed the backpack to Jeheon.
“Guard this.”
Jeheon nodded seriously.
“I’ll protect it.”
Yongi sighed.
“…I’ve lost control of my day.”
“You never had it.”
Jisoo replied.
Everyone laughed.
“Come on!”
Jiwoo grabbed Zaizai’s hand.
Heosok grabbed Yongi’s wrist.
Then, just before they reached the ride…
Heosok reached back and caught Jeheon’s hand too.
“No escaping.”
The seven of them ran together.
For the first time…
Jeheon wasn’t trying to keep up.
He was running with them.
Ten minutes later…
The roller coaster climbed higher…
And higher…
And higher…
Click.
Click.
Click.
Jiwoo raised both hands.
“This is going to be amazing!”
Yongi quietly closed his eyes.
“I’ve made several poor decisions today.”
Zaizai laughed.
“It’ll be over in a minute.”
“I sincerely hope so.”
Then—
The ride dropped.
Heosok screamed that birds could hear.
I….
AM…
GONNAA DIE.
Jiwoo screamed even louder.
AHHHHHHHHHHH..
Jisoo shouted,
“I TOLD YOU THIS WAS A BAD IDEA!”
Yongi forgot every intelligent thought he’d ever had.
Jeheon…
Laughed.
Not a quiet chuckle.
Not a small smile.
A real laugh.
Free.
Carefree.
The kind that echoed above the wind.
For a second…
Everyone forgot to scream.
They looked at him instead.
Jiwoo smiled.
There it was.
The laugh they’d never heard before.
When the ride finally stopped…
Heosok stumbled out.
“My soul…”
“…left my body.”
Jisoo burst into laughter.
“It finally got tired of you.”
Everyone laughed,pointed on yongi.
“His hairs.”
Yongi fixed his messy hair.
“…I believe I understand amusement parks now.”
Jiwoo smiled.
“And?”
“I won’t admit you were right.”
“So I was right.”
Jiwoo suddenly froze.
Her eyes sparkled.
“Wait…”
She pointed excitedly across the room.
“A claw machine!”
Heosok looked over.
“…You’re kidding.”
Jiwoo was already halfway there.
“Nope!”
“I’m winning that bunny.”
Jisoo folded her arms.
“You said that last time.”
“And?”
“You went home with nothing.”
“I went home with experience.”
“You donated your money.”
Jiwoo ignored her.
She grabbed the joystick.
“Watch and learn.”
The claw slowly moved.
Everyone leaned forward.
It grabbed the stuffed bunny…
Lifted it…
For one glorious second…
Then dropped it.
Jiwoo stared silently.
“…It betrayed me.”
Heosok burst into laughter.
“The bunny rejected you.”
“It did not.”
“It definitely did.”
Jiwoo pouted.
“Your turn.”
Heosok confidently stepped forward.
“Stand back.”
“This requires skill.”
Jisoo smirked.
“No.”
“It requires luck.”
“It requires talent.”
He pressed the button.
The claw completely missed the prize.
Silence.
Jisoo couldn’t hold it anymore.
She laughed so hard she had to lean against Zaizai.
“…Talent?”
Heosok cleared his throat.
“I was studying the machine.”
“Of course you were.”
Jisoo replied.
Yongi quietly looked at the prizes.
“…They’re designed to be difficult.”
Jiwoo sighed dramatically.
“So you’re saying…”
“…I’m not bad?”
“The machine is.”
Jiwoo smiled proudly.
“I knew it.”
Zaizai reached into her pocket.
She held out a coin.
“…One more try.”
Jiwoo blinked.
“For me?”
Zaizai nodded.
“You’ve wanted that bunny since we got here.”
Jiwoo smiled so brightly that even strangers nearby glanced over.
“This one will work.”
She carefully lined up the claw.
The machine moved.
Lower.
Lower.
It grabbed the bunny.
Everyone held their breath.
Slowly…
It reached the prize chute.
Clunk.
The bunny dropped inside.
Jiwoo gasped.
“I GOT IT!”
She hugged the stuffed bunny tightly.
Then, without thinking…
She hugged Zaizai too.
“You bring me good luck!”
Zaizai laughed softly.
“Maybe.”
Jeheon quietly watched them.
He wasn’t looking at the prize.
He was watching how happy everyone looked over something so small.
He smiled to himself.
Maybe…
The best part of today…
Was never the rides.
It was seeing people laugh like this.
The rest of the afternoon disappeared in a blur.
They played games.
Argued over prizes.
Shared snacks.
Heosok and Jisoo argued over snacks.
“Hey that’s mine”.
“You already eaten five packet of chips”
“No I didn’t even eat five packets I actually eat ten packets.”
“See you didn’t even count.”
“Ohh you just eat more than I thinks”
Zaizai came and handed him her packet.
“you can eat mine I don’t wanted to eat.”
“See how much she care’s for me.”
Then Eveybody says.
“you said to her every morning.”
“because she is my everytime favourite person.”
“Ohhhh!!
Jiwoo suddenly looked at Jeheon.
“You’re getting funnier.”
Jeheon blinked.
“I am?”
“Yes.”
Heosok nodded seriously.
YEAH!!!
“He’s improving.”
Jisoo crossed her arms.
“Slowly.”
Jeheon looked confused.
“…Was I that boring before?”
Everyone went silent…
Heosok slowly raised his hand.
“…Can I answer honestly?”
Jeheon stared at him.
“No.”
Heosok lowered his hand.
“…Fair.”
Lost at games they thought they’d win.
And laughed until their stomachs hurt.
None of them noticed how quickly the sun was beginning to set.
As the sun slowly began to set…
The seven friends stood near the park entrance.
Jiwoo suddenly stopped.
“Wait!”
Everyone looked at her.
“We’re leaving without taking a picture?”
Heosok gasped dramatically.
“She’s right!”
“Our future selves will never forgive us.”
Jisoo sighed.
“For once…”
“…I actually agree.”
A park employee smiled as Jiwoo handed over her phone.
“Could you take one for us?”
“Of course.”
The seven quickly gathered together.
At first…
Nobody knew where to stand.
Jiwoo looked around.
Then naturally walked over and rested her hand on Jeheon’s shoulder.
“There.”
“Now nobody’s hiding.”
Jeheon looked at her for a second.
Then smiled.
Heosok suddenly crossed his eyes and made the weirdest face he possibly could.
Jisoo noticed.
“…Seriously?”
She immediately made an even stranger face.
Heosok pointed at her.
“You’re copying me.”
“I’m improving your idea.”
“You wish.”
Jiwoo laughed so hard she almost forgot the picture.
Meanwhile…
Yongi stood perfectly straight.
Expressionless.
Zaizai stepped beside him.
She looked at his serious face.
Then smiled.
“…You know…”
“…you don’t have to smile perfectly.”
Yongi looked at her.
“…I don’t know how.”
She pointed toward the others.
Jeheon was smiling.
Jiwoo couldn’t stop laughing.
Heosok and Jisoo were still arguing.
“…Then…”
She smiled warmly.
“…Just smile because you’re here.”
For a moment…
Yongi simply looked at everyone.
Then…
Without realizing it…
He smiled.
A real smile.
Not because someone told him to.
Because he wanted to.
Zaizai smiled too.
The employee raised the phone.
“Ready?”
“Three…”
“Two…”
“One…”
Click.
Jiwoo immediately ran over.
“Let me see!”
The employee handed her the phone.
Her eyes lit up.
“Oh…”
“It’s perfect.”
She turned the screen toward everyone.
Heosok laughed.
“I look ridiculous.”
Jisoo smiled.
“You always do.”
“…Rude.”
“But accurate.”
Everyone laughed again.
Jeheon quietly looked at the picture.
No one noticed…
But he couldn’t stop smiling.
Some memories don’t become special because they’re extraordinary.
They become special because of the people standing beside you.
None of them knew it then…
Would they realize…
Some of the happiest moments in life happen only once…
Yet somehow…
Stay with you forever.