The sea is where it all started. I was sprawled between the sea and the sand unable to move my body. It was midnight or it’s just something I presume it was. But regardless, it was a night full of stars, where the moon’s light was enough to shine the whole island I was in. The stars where aligned in a straight manner, forming a road to which many refers to as the Milky Way. I was lost in its beauty and even thought of the probability that I was in heaven. My whole body hurts and I wasn’t able to lift a finger. Soon, I began to question where I was, when did I get here and most shocking of all, who I was.

 I see. I’ve lost my memories. I shut my eyes knowing that my time is near. I didn’t even bother of thinking much about my identity. Will it matter for a dying person? I prepared myself and thank heavens that I was at least under the scattered glowing sands above. It was a beauty, together with the shining moon.

The next day I woke up, not with the sand under me but with a soft fabric covering me from the cold. I squinted, when the light of the moon from last night was replaced by the gleaming sun. I tried to get up but my weak body failed me.

“Where am I?” I spoke to no one, but was surprise when a voice talked back.

“You’re at my house,” a soft voice answered. I turned to its direction and found a girl in a wheelchair holding a bowl of soup about to approach me.

“I saw you lying unconscious on the sea shore so I brought you home,” the girl said and place the warm soup of which I think is made of shrimp to the table beside me.

“What’s your name?” she asked

I was stunned from her question remembering the fact that I myself don’t even know.

“I don’t know,” I answered truthfully.

She must’ve understood my situation and nodded her head in consideration.

“Then is it alright if I call you Bomi?” she asked. I didn’t know where she got that name but I nodded in affirmation since it doesn’t really matter in whatever name I have.

“Can you sit?” she asked again. She must be wondering why I wasn’t standing up. I shook my head in response and she immediately helped me to sit up. I leaned my weight on her and although it took quite an effort I was able to sit properly. She took the soup from the table and began feeding me after blowing cold air to the spoon to remove the heat. I blush embarrassingly with the thought that I was fed by someone I don’t even know, thus, leading me to ask her name.

“Chorong,” she answered as she continued feeding me so gently. I took note of her name and repeated it twice in my mind for me not to forget.

“I hope you didn’t mind but I changed your clothes last night since they were wet and full of blood.” Only then that I realized that my body was neatly bandage; I was half but bandages where enough to cover my upper body. I was also wearing new pants different from what I remember I had last night and the scent of medicine was strong coming from my body.

“Thank you,” I uttered and she nodded her head in response.

“Are you alone?” I asked when she returned to the kitchen to place the empty bowl of soup.

“I am,” she answered and returned with a glass of water on her hold. Although she was disabled, she can swiftly make her way throughout the house.

“In this whole island,” she added as soon as I took the water from her. I gave her a frown and it was obvious that I wanted to know farther so she began explaining.

“We used to have a community in here but I was left alone to survive when pirates attacked our village. If you go outside of this house you will see hundreds of tombstone at the backyard,” she said and I didn’t fail to notice the way she clench the blanket covering her legs.

She must have been so lonely that she also wanted to die. Maybe it was also that time that her legs gave up on her. If it was me, I would’ve joined my family in the afterlife knowing that I’m all alone in this world.

“I’m sorry,” I muttered. I know there was nothing to be sorry for but I felt guilty just hearing a sad story from her.

“Its fine,” she said and gave me a warm smile. I was caught off-guard with that sudden smile and I didn’t notice I also gave one.

“You can stay here until your wounds heal. You don’t have to worry about anything so make yourself at home,” the girl named Chorong said and began rolling her wheels to somewhere.  She washed the dishes, cleaned the house, watered some plants; feed some chickens and other various activities possible in the island. Meanwhile, all I did was to stare at her as she did all the work which includes taking care of me. I felt bad feeling how useless I was at my current state. I tried one time to stand but my legs collapse feeling the lack of energy from my body. Chorong scolded me and I went back to my bed dejectedly after. At that time, I promise myself, once I regain back my strength; I’ll definitely take care of her.

Days, weeks, and months passed and I was finally back at my tracks. Just like what I’ve promise, I help Chorong with her house works, I fetched some water, gathered some woods and hunted for food which are hard for her because of her condition. Everything went fine and Chorong and I became closer, not until one day, when an unknown stranger came to join us.

“Who are you!?”  I yelled when I found someone who was not Chorong inside the house. I just came back from fishing and brought a lot of fish for Chorong and me. I already imagined her delighted expression once she sees what I brought for her but I was alarmed to see a different person inside the house. I saw the girl’s frightened expression and I immediately felt guilty from my outburst.

“What’s wrong!?” Chorong immediately went back to the house upon hearing my voice. Like I was, she was also shock to see someone aside from us inside the house.

“M-my name is N-Naeun. I-I was just trying t-to look for food,” the girl admitted and began shaking, noticing the scary expression we have.

I heaved a sigh of relief knowing that she was not a threat. I glance at Chorong and she nodded in full understanding what I was trying to ask. We gave Naeun some food and watch in amazement at how she devoured all of it in just a few minutes. She must’ve been starving for days that she inhaled three days worth of food.

“Where did you come from?” I asked right after she finished eating. I have stayed in that island for months and I’m pretty sure that there was no one beside Chorong and me in that island. Just like what Chorong said, all of the people living in that island were all buried in the back yard.

“I’m a pirate,” Naeun said and it immediately caused my ears and Chorongs’ to perk up.

“Are you one of them?” Chorong asked and narrowed her eyes to Naeun’s direction. The tone of hate is mark on her voice and I was the one who felt scared for some unknown reason.

“Yes,” Naeun answered knowing what Chorong was talking about. I began to panic at what she said and without notice; Chorong suddenly grabbed a knife from the table. She raised it; ready to plunge to the girl in front, but I was quick enough to hold her, restraining her to proceed from what she tried to do. Chorong began to berserk and for the first time, I saw her lose control. She was always gentle and kind and for the first time, she lost it, she cried. It took me quite a while to calm her down while Naeun remained at her seat, her head lowered, as if accepting her defeat.

“I didn’t kill anybody,” Naeun suddenly said when Chorong had calm down. I had my arms wrapped around Chorong to prevent her from attacking the girl but also to comfort her.

“They took me in while I was still a kid. And I was raised knowing the pirate’s way. But I didn’t kill anyone. I was against it if you will believe me. I have nowhere to go so I just turned a blind eye on what they were doing,” Naeun began to explain, her eyes started to brim with tears.

“Why are you here then? You know that it’s one of the place they’ve had attacked right?” I asked in a calm manner.

“I know. But I have lost something in here. I have yet to find it so I can’t return. I’ve been looking at you two for three days and I have no food that’s why,” she didn’t continue her explanation as the gist of it was already obvious.

Chorong suddenly broke my hug hearing everything from Naeun and turned her wheelchair to the door; she pushed the wheels with great force and was out of sight in a matter of seconds. I gave Naeun a looked as if telling her to not move from where she was seated as I immediately followed Chorong outside.

I searched for the whole island when I couldn’t find her around the house. I’ve been searching for her for quite a while but found nothing. I decided to take a breather but notice a familiar hair riding the wind in a nearby cliff on where I haven’t step into. I took my steps up on the elevated ground and found myself sweating when I reached the girl seating on a wheelchair. She has her back facing me and I took my steps closer to her.

“You’ve got some strong arms for you to climb up here,” I started and took more steps closer to her but she yelled, causing me to halt.

“Don’t come near me!” she screamed but I can hear the shaking of her voice. She turned and I saw fresh tears flowing down freely from her eyes. I was hurt just seeing those tears. It’s like the pain she bears was transmitted to me and I also found myself crying at the same time.

“Turn back,” she ordered and found myself like an obedient puppy obeying her orders.

I heard the sound of wheelchair approaching and I know she was coming to me. But what I didn’t expect was a pair of hands wrapping on my body.

“I love you,” Chorong confessed.

 My eyes widen and I turned frozen from what she said. I was shock and felt agitated at what to say. Her hands were tightly gripping my clothes and the fear she had is evident on her shaking hands. Suddenly she started screaming.

“She’ll kill you like what they did to my loved ones! I will be alone again! Don’t leave! Please don’t leave me!” she burst out as her tears starts to damp my clothes. I held on her shivering hands, gripping her it tightly as if bearing an assurance.

“I won’t leave you. I promise. You saved my life and I’ll be willing to stay with you forever. My life belongs to you and you can order me whatever you want. I’ll be your slave so please don’t cry,” I coaxed and she immediately stopped crying.

“T-Then, stay with m