CHAPTER 8

Nina’s POV

Dongwoon is the guy I trust when it comes to fashion. He never fails to get me my favorite things. This simple pink dress is really cute.

I walked out right after I fixed myself. I turned to the corner but stopped in my tracks. Dongwoon and Joon were talking.

And they’re talking about me. I was out of sight, and so I moved closer just to hear their conversation.

“…the heck are you talking about?”

“I’m talking about Rina. Why is she using her sister’s name?”

My mouth fell open. Rina… Who is Rina? Why does that name sound so familiar? Just by hearing the name my head started to hurt. A stabbing feeling went through my brain. It ripped through thousands of images of memories from childhood until now.

~FLASHBACK~

“Twin sister! Nina! Look at what I got.” Rina came dancing to me.

I smiled at her. “Don’t tell me… it’s from that boy again.”

She frowned. “What do you mean ‘that boy’? That boy has a name and it’s Le-“

“Right. And you used my name again.” I stared at my sister.

She nodded. “Mianhe, Nin-unnie. I just really hate my name. And besides, he likes yours.”

I eventually gave up. She held up this really nice necklace. It was a small camera necklace.

“This one’s yours. He bought this for you.”

She tossed it to me like the way she would throw a piece of trash.

“Thanks.”

~END OF FLASHBACK~

I can’t believe what just happened. A river flowered out from my eyes. I leaned on the wall and slid off, my hands covering my face.

I didn’t care whether people stared and whispered.

The fact that I have a sister was shocking enough. The fact that I couldn’t… no, more like can’t remember anything from the past. I don’t even know what to feel now! What emotion should I show? How should I act?

“Nina! What happened?” I heard Seungho-oppa’s voice. I looked up a little bit and saw him walking over me and bent down on a knee.

I sniffed and was quite embarrassed. I tried to wipe the tears away but Seungho-oppa beat me to it. He dried them using his handkerchief. To tell you the truth, it actually smelled nice.

“Thanks. I think I’m fine now.” I gave him a wry smile, which hopefully convinced him.

He wasn’t. By the look on his face. “No, you’re not.”

My make-up was smudged and he tried to take it off. While he did, he touched my jaw line smoothly. I cringed a little to his touch. His hand was cold. But it didn’t matter.

“Here.” He offered his hand. “Let me help you up. You need to fix your make-up. The show is almost starting.” And he winked.

I shook my head sarcastically, but I let him take my hand. Seungho definitely is a nice guy.

“Oppa, don’t tell anybody about what happened.” I pleaded to him.

He smiled and that let me knew I could trust him. He walked me back to the dressing room and asked one of the make-up artists to fix me. They asked what happened.

“Accident on the drinking fountain.” Seungho lied.

He then turned to me and whispered. “Are you gonna be alright? I need to go now.”

I nodded and playfully pushed him out the door. Right after I sat down and the hairstylists fixing my hair, I took out my phone and dialed someone’s number. I waited patiently for the other person to pick up. I heard a click.

“Hello?” the person on the end of the line asked.

I breathed deeply and finally said what I’ve been longing to ask.

“Mom, what happened to Rina?”

Silence followed throughout the phone call.

My own mother didn’t say anything. She was taken aback from what I just asked her. I could hear her in shock, and crying on the other end.

“Dear… are you alright? What happened? How did you remember?” she asked. She was slowly calming her breathing.

“I don’t know, mom. I heard Dongwoon talking to this guy, who in fact was my childhood friend. Mom, what happened to Rina? How come I forgot about her?” I asked her, and I patiently waited for her to answer. Then, I switched it to headset so that the stylist could fix my hair.

There was a sigh at the end of the line, and it was heavy. “Nina… she’s you sister and Rina… she… she… she passed away several years ago. Truthfully, we don’t know for sure. I think it was murder.

Murder. When I heard that word, cold tingling went through my skin.

“Mom… I have a show to attend to and it’s almost starting. I will call you as soon as possible. Tell me then the whole truth.” I told her. Before I hung up, I told her I love her.

The second the stylist finished everything, I thanked them and rushed out. I turned to a corner and found Joon leaning on the wall, heads down, hands in his pocket. I walked quickly.

“I’m not gonna talk to you…” I told him in a whisper.

When I got to the hallway, there were many idols and celebrities, some were also models.

“Nina!” Dongwoon called for me. “I’ve been looking all over for you.” He took my hand and put his arm around my waist, and we both entered the conference hall where the awarding is being held. There were the media people taking pictures of every possible move and documenting the event.

How did I even end up here?All my energy from today was drained, but I tried my best not to look dull and embarrass Dongwoon. The idol groups performed, and seeing Joon on stage was uneasy for me.

“Are you okay? You look uncomfortable.” Dongwoon asked in a whispered voice. I told him I was fine, but I wasn’t.

An hour passed and the awarding was still ongoing. It was a live event. For every break, some idol groups that I already met came over to our table. We talked for a bit. I met SHINee, and B2st. What should I do? As for Dongwoon, he didn’t even say a single word about being in B2ST. He kept it as a secret, and all this time that he was in South Korea, was for this. Since he travels a lot, MBLAQ doesn’t really know him.

“Dongwoon-ah, I’m going to freshen up a bit.” I whispered to him. I excused myself and went out.

The reason I wanted to go out was I saw Joon go out. I looked for him. I found him in his dressing room. His face so still. I looked around before I quietly went it.

“You should really quit sneaking around like that.” Joon said in a low voice.

“I doubt it, Joon.” I told him. We were silent in a while.

“You should sit down. Come sit here beside me.” He tapped the chair next to him. I walked and sat.

I was supposed to be angry at him. I couldn’t believe he was that Changsun boy from way back. I remember now. Rina played with him a lot. I just look at them from the side, but I was always with them. I never aksed him for anything, but he always buy something extra when they go out.

“Haha. We’re like secretly dating. Meeting in places like this.” I laughed and took my necklace off. “Should we do something?”

He got flustered. “Wh-what? Yah! Why are you so bold?”

“Joonie! Chill! I’m not gonna do anything. I’m not that kind of a girl. You’re the unfair one. You happily kissed other girls.” I told him. I stood up and went in front of the mirror.

I heard him sign and said, “Hey, Nina. It was only an act, it was from a movie. I had no choice.”

I smiled at him from the mirror. “Don’t worry, don’t get flustered. I was messing with you.” And I heard him sigh. I looked at myself, without saying anything.

I thought about my sister and everyone. Should I tell Joon about it?

“Joon!” I blurted out. Oops. There wasn’t any turning back now. “Do you know me?”

“What do you mean?” he asked.

“Did you know that I lost all my memories?” I asked in reply.

I continued. “I came here to find my memories and to remember everything. Dongwoon, my best friend, knows everything about me. He knows everything, from my past up to now. He knows my reason of coming here. And he knows that…” I paused, turned around and looked at him straight in the eye. “that I have a sister named Rina. And she died in kidnapping incident years ago.”

I felt hot tears on my cheeks. Joon was shocked, and he stood up and walked to me. I moved away.

“A-a-are you saying that you’re the real Nina? Nina Sui?”

“Yes, Changsun. I am Nina. The real Nina. Rina planned it all. She begged me to switch names with her every time she meets you. I don’t know why. You mean, you never noticed it? You never noticed how I twitched every single time she calls me Rina?”

He was still in shock. His jaw dropped and he stuttered when he tried to talk.

“Nina, I’m so sorry. I never knew anything. And what? Rina is already… dead?” He slumped back on a chair and was devastated by the truth. I empathized with him.

I walked over to him and bent down to hug him.

“Joon… she was my sister. I feel so terrible that I forgot about my own twin sister. I should be the one crying. You don’t know how messed up I was earlier when I overheard you and Dongwoon talking. My heart was in pain. And I just had my make-up done. It’s your entire fault.”

The second I said that, he crossed his arms around me and pulled me in a tight hug.

“No… I’m saying sorry to you. Forgive me for not noticing anything, for acting like I didn’t know you. And for saying that you weren’t Nina, for doubting you.” He squished me tighter.

“Uhh… Joon, my dress…” I mumbled.

“Oh… sorry.” And he slowly let go of me.

“Wanna get out of this place?” he asked.

“Sure… but you don’t have a car, don’t you?”

He looked away.

“Wanna use my car?”

“You already have a car? You’ve been here for a week!”

“Let’s go.”

•   -      -

I let Joon go first to the basement parking lot. I went back to the awarding and took my purse. Dongwoon grabbed my arm.

“Where are you going?” he whispered.

“I’ll call you when it’s on break.”

On my way there, I called him.

“I’m going to Uncle Han’s place with Joon.”

“Don’t worry, I know everything… yes, I remembered everything.”

“He knows as well… yes, we talked.”

“Thanks so much, Woonie… oh wait… I’ll call you back later.”

I pressed cancel on my phone and the door slid open to the parking lot. Good thing nobody was there. I walked towards my car.

“Aish… why did I ever park it far away from the door?”

“Ouch!” A girl with huge glasses on bumped into me.

She bowed and asked for an apology. “It’s okay. No worries, my dear.” And she smiled.

“Nina! Let’s go…” Joon called out.

I got in my car and Joon did as well. I started the engine and drove out of the parking lot, and into the city.

“Where are we going?”

I thought about it, and truthfully, I don’t know any place.

“How about SHU-IN Bistro?” I grinned. “You know, I’m in love with Uncle Han’s restaurant. It’s an amazing place!”

“I know… but I liked the small one better. And he makes the food by himself.” He laughed and I did too.

We were in an intersection. I patiently waited for the green light as we talked and laughed. I glanced on the rear-view mirror and smiled. The image of a girl I bumped into earlier popped in my mind. The odd thing was that…

She had the same smile as I.

Haven't proofread this chapter yet!

And pardon me for my mistakes... I hurriedly typed this and it's late at night.

But still.. hope you enjoy! ^^

-luvphiil