[CONTENTID1] ch 2: the new secretary  [/CONTENTID1]

[CONTENTID2]

Tzuyu opened her eyes and took in the overwhelming white space that surrounded her. Deja vu, she thought to herself. Where am I…? And why do my thoughts seem… strange?

“Where… am I?”

Mina blinked, “You’re… speaking Taiwanese.” She spoke as if a Taiwanese-born citizen speaking her own language was unexpected. At least, in her case, it was because Mina mistook her as Korean despite her seemingly Taiwanese features.

“...I am. Just the fact that I’m speaking confuses me. Who am I? Why am I here?” Tzuyu questioned ceaselessly and scanned her surroundings, feeling paranoid because of the silence engulfing her slowly.

“I… don’t know, miss. What I do know from what the doctor has provided me with, is that you’re a survivor who landed upon the coast of Baishawan Beach and were sent here…” Mina took a small strand of Tzuyu's hair and shook her head, “...pretty burnt. You also slept for an entire year in a coma... That reminds me, I think we should get you a haircut soon, don’t you think so?”

Without knowing anything, her world appearing like the world to a newborn baby, Tzuyu found herself smiling at the proximity between her and the beautiful nurse, who was observing her dried hair.

“I… guess so,” Tzuyu responded, her cheeks turning a shade of pink.

~~~

Mina took her into a wheelchair, not trusting the twenty-something to walk on her own. “Here, stay here for now. I’ll get you a cup of soup to eat. I’m sure you’re starving after a year of basically being dead. And then, we can get you a haircut.” She spoke to her like a mother promising her daughter a piece of dessert after she eats her vegetables.

“Okay...” Tzuyu simply responded, “...Don’t be gone for long."

Mina smiled and left her in the cafeteria, heading to the small canteen. As she waited in line, a particular news story caught her attention on TV.

“Today would mark the daughter of a Korean Congressman, Chou Tzuyu’s anniversary of being declared missing. Ms. Chou was declared missing after a fatal plane crash between the helicopter she was in and another plane heading towards Japan. Ms. Chou would be 22 this year. Her wife, Chou Sana has seen begging for people to find her on live TV for three times in the past year.

Chou Sana speaking: “Please, please… I’m sure she’s still living. If anyone knows where she is or recognizes her from this picture…” (Sana holds the picture up to show to the camera recording her) “... please, I will pay any amount. Money can’t buy her, but I’m sure this is the only way she can find her way back. I am offering 50 million won to start. Please, I beg of you…” (Sana cries).

As Sana shows the picture of Tzuyu on the screen, Mina almost falls back onto the counter behind the waiting line. She gasps in silence and shakes her head, “Is this real…? That woman can’t be her. That… that can’t be-”

“Nurse, help!”

Mina whipped her head in the direction of where the voice came from and saw someone harassing her patient on the spot. Her eyes met Tzuyu’s and the voice in her head repeated, “It can’t be her…”

Nonetheless, ignoring the voice, she rushed to help Tzuyu and ran with her might, “Let her go!” She shouted at a man who was invading her personal space.

The man suddenly grabbed Tzuyu’s wrist, “You are her! You look exactly like that woman I saw on the TV news an hour ago!”

Mina strongly yanked his arm backward, enough to make him groan in pain, “Ah, let go of me, who are you?!” He yelled furiously.

“I’m her nurse, and if you don’t leave, I can call the security guards and complain that you’ve harassed my patient.” She sternly replied, with a piercing gaze that remained on his face. Meanwhile, the said patient anxiously rubbed her wrist and leaned back in fear. She stared at Mina and her heartbeat began to speed up. She saved me.

The man immediately nodded as he pleaded for her to let go, promising this and that, and eventually left in surrender. Mina cupped Tzuyu’s face and as she stared into the younger girl’s eyes, she forgot everything she saw on TV a few minutes ago. “Are you okay? Did he touch you inappropriately? Why did he approach you? I can still tell the guards-”

Tzuyu held her hands, which were cupped around her face, and smiled in gratitude, “Thank you. I’m okay. He just touched my wrist and seemed to circle around me before he did. He then confronted me after wondering if I was the person he accused me of being… Chou Tzuyu.”

Upon hearing the name, Mina felt a sharp pierce of guilt in her stomach.Tzuyu’s her name. I should tell her, but why… can’t I?

She nodded slowly and removed her hands, “That’s fortunate that he didn’t do anything else… I’ll buy your soup quickly and we’ll go to your room.”

As her nurse was about to leave again, Tzuyu suddenly grabbed her wrist, “Do… you think I look like her?”

Mina hesitated, “You do... but I don’t think you’re her.”

As she returned to the canteen, she saw a phone number flash on the same TV station.

“There have been a few callers who have claimed to find her, but none have been successful in identifying the real Chou Tzuyu. If you know or recogniz