Jong Kook quickly notified Ji Hyo’s family about her condition. By the time her parents and sister arrived, she was having CT scan to check on her brain. They were standing outside of the lab, looking at her in worry, hoping the damage wouldn’t be too serious. After the CT scan, she went through a psychology evaluation with the doctor for more than an hour. As the session done, the doctor left her with the nurses to check her physical condition and ordered a private conversation with her family including Jong Kook.

“What happened to her doctor? Did she really lose her memory?” – Her father worriedly asked

“If you look at the CT scan right here” – The doctor pointed at the CT scan on the screen. “It seems like her head was injured as she felt down the stairs on the day of the incident. It caused damage on her hippocampus which led to post-traumatic amnesia. It means she lost the ability to remember what happened before the accident. This kind of amnesia often occurs after a traumatic brain injury as her case but her case was rare. It seemed like she only lost the part of memory after she turned 16 until the day of the incident.”

“Why is it just that part of her memory doctor?” – Her mother forwardly asked.

“Does she have any unpleasant memory that she doesn’t want to remember after she turned 16? Sometime amnesia was the way of her brain protecting her from painful memory.”

“Wasn’t it before unnie met Dong Wook oppa?” – Shin Hye looked at her parents in surprise.

“You are right. She met Dong Wook right after her 16 birthday. It was indeed a painful memory for her. No wonder…” – Her mother sighed.

All of them including Jong Kook got quiet for a while.

“Is it possible for her to regain her memory doctor?” – Asked Jong Kook.

“Well, post-traumatic amnesia can be short term or long term. In most case, the patients will eventually regain their memory in a few weeks or a few months. However, there are cases that the patient lost their memory permanently.”

“Is it the way that can help to regain her memory?” – Jong Kook asked

“It will be helpful to talk to her often about her pre-injury life, especially the part that she forgot but don’t give her too much information at one time, it can cause pressure and trauma to her. One little part of the time is recommended. Surround her with familiar environment. It’s good to let her stay in the place that she stayed before the incidence. Let’s her come back to work if possible. The rehabilitation was proven to be much more effective when patients came back to their regular daily routine. The memory could also be stimulated to regain if she is surrounded by familiar objects, like pictures. It’s good to put family picture or dating picture of she and Jong Kook – ssi around her. One important thing is you all need to be patient to her because post-traumatic amnesia patient often experience anger, depression or paranoia. We can’t blame her because just think if you just woke up and lost 19 years of your life, you probably feel frustrated too.”

“We understand.” – They said but their eyes were sad, especially Jong Kook.

He was facing the fact that his woman had no memory whatsoever about their relationship. And the fact that she might or might not ever remember their past wasn’t help neither. He didn’t even know when to start. But at least she woke up, it was a good start – he tried to comfort himself.

After the consultation with the doctor, the four of them came back to Ji Hyo’s room.

“Appa, omma.” – Ji Hyo brightly greeted as she saw her parents walking to the room.

“oh my poor daughter. I’m so glad you woke up” – Her mother hugged her in tears.

“Omma, why are you crying? And what with you make up anyway? You look too old omma. You should change your make up.” – She looked at her mother with the big naive eyes and said.

 Her words were so innocent but it saddened her mother so much with the fact that the mother image in her brain was 19 years ago. Her mother was choked in tears and couldn’t even say anything else.

 “And who is the unnie over here?” – She asked her mother, pointing at Shin Hye.

“Unnie, don’t you remember me? I’m Shin Hye, your younger sister.” – Shin Hye walked to Ji Hyo and held her hand

“Shin Hye? please don’t play with me. My Shin Hye is only 13 years old. You are too old unnie” – Ji Hyo laughed.

“Seong Im ah, this is really Shin Hye, your sister.” – Her father looked in her eyes and stated.

“What are you saying appa. This is no way she is my sister.” – She looked at her father in confusion

“Seong Im ah, calm down and listen carefully to appa ok?” – Her father gently said, holding her shoulders straight. – “You were in a tragic accident and your brain got damage. A part of your memory was forgotten but you are now 34 years old and you are living in the year of 2015.”

Ji Hyo looked at her father. Her eyes were frightened in disbelief. She then looked at her mother. Her mother nodded as she telling her what her father said was the truth. She tried to think hard, tried to confirm the fact but she couldn’t remember anything.

There was no way this is the year of 2015. No, she was living in the year of 1996. She is 15 years old. There was no way what her father said was true.

She was confused and panic, her head started hurting as she tried to think hard. She grabbed her hair tightly, trying to ease the headache, but it hurt, hurt so much, almost unbearable.

 She screamed “Argggg”.

Jong Kook hastily ran to her. He hugged her tightly, pulled her hands off her hair.

“Calm down Ji Hyo, calm down. It’s ok.” – He gently whispered on her ears.

She looked at him, her eyes already filled with frustration.

“And what about you oppa? Why are you still here? Who are you to me?” – She screamed

He looked at her, sighed then used all his encouragement and said

“I’m your fiancé”

She stared at him, eyes couldn’t open any bigger.

“What are you saying? There is no way you are my fiancé. I’m only 15 years old. I never even met you before” – She said, trying to push Jong Kook away. “I’m not engaging to him right appa, omma” – She looked at her parents, her eyes filled with obstruction.

They looked at her, eyes full of worried. “He is indeed your fiancé, Cheon Im ah” – Her father said.

“No, No way. I don’t remember anything about that.” – She screamed, flouncing hard.

Jong Kook still held on her tightly.

“Ji Hyo ah, listen to oppa. Your memory is lost right now. That’s why you can’t recognize oppa, but it’s ok. Oppa understand. I will stay by your side until you remember oppa. Even if you never remember oppa, it’s ok too. I will still stay by your side as long as you let me.” – He said. His words were soft and tender. For some reason, it melted her frustration down.

She stopped moving and looked at him, still couldn’t pull out a single memory that she had about him but she felt sad looking at him. He looked very devastated. Her chest hurt seeing him like that.

Unconsciously, she pulled her hand up to his cheek. She looked at him, deep in his sad single lid eyes. “I’m sorry” -  She whispered. She didn’t know why she said sorry to him neither. Just that she felt bad, about something that she couldn’t even point out. Just looking at his sad face, she felt apologetic…

“It’s ok” – He held her hand, gently smiled at her.

“Am I really 34 years old?” – She looked at every body and asked. Her eyes were sad and confused.

They all just nodded, couldn’t handle looking at her sad innocent face.

“So you are saying that I just lost 19 years of my life?” – Her eyes started tearing up

Again, they all could just nod.

“An-de, it can’t be true, I can’t lose 20 years of my life. I have to get it back. Please bring it back to me.” – She devastated screamed in tears.

Jong Kook tightened his arms around Ji Hyo again. He caressed her hair. – “Shhhh, Calm down Ji Hyo, calm down. Thing will be ok. Doctor said it is possible to regain your memory. It just takes time.”

“What if I cannot remember anything? What if I never do?” – She cried.

He was quiet, keep hugging her. That was the question that he afraid of most. What if she would never remember anything? What if she would never remember him, remember the precious memory that they had together? What if he would be the only one remember their past? What if she would never fall in love with him again?

Too many what if questions. It hurt his head as well as his heart. He was tired and frustrated too but he asked himself to stay strong for her. Doctor said he had to be patient and that what he was going to do. Being patient. Staying by her side. Patiently waiting for her memory to come back. Patiently … loving her.