I opened my eyes slowly. My vision was not clear and the things that I saw were fuzzy. My eyes took some time to focus on my surroundings. I looked around and noticed that it was not a familiar place. As I took in the medical equipments in the room, I realised that I was in a hospital. Why was I in a hospital? From what I could remember, I didn't get into any serious accident which would require me to be hospitalised but my face hurt slightly. Why would my face hurt? I didn't get into a fight did I? I heard silent footsteps coming from my right. I turned my head to see grandma coming towards me. She was looking at the ground, watching her steps.
"Grand....ma" I called out to her softly. My voice was hoarse.
Grandma shot her head up immediately upon hearing my voice. She quickened her steps to be by my side.
"Hyo-Jin ah! You're finally awake! Wait, i will go call for the doctor." Grandma my cheek and then headed for the door.
My lips curled into a small smile. Moments later, a tall, male doctor, wearing a long white coat together with a nurse in a sky blue uniform with bobbed hair came into the room. The doctor went over to me and put the earpieces of the stethoscope into his ears. He held the other end of the stethoscope and put it above my chest lightly. Grandma stood on the other side of me and held onto my hand tightly, holding back the tears which were gathering in her eyes. I breathed in and out as I always did whenever a doctor used the stethoscope on me. Somehow, I found my breathing unnatural whenever I did so.
"Hyo-Jin, your body is healing well. You're fine. Madam, you don't have to worry too much." The male doctor stated glancing from me to grandma, smiling as he did so.
I turned to grandma and her eyes softened at the doctor's statement. "Thank you doctor. Thank you so much for ensuring that she's well."
Grandma tightened her grip on my hand and looked at me heartwarmingly.
"I'll leave you two to chat. It has been a long time hasn't it?" The doctor announced. I raised my eyebrows. "Long time"? How long have I been unconscious?
"If you need anything, you can call on me. My name's Eunjung." The nurse smiled. My heart warmed at that. She had such a friendly smile.
The nurse, Eunjung took her leave together with the doctor. Once they closed the door behind them, I faced grandma again.
"Hyo-Jin. Thank you for being strong and surviving the ordeal. It has been hard on you." The tears she held back dropped from her eyes, streaming down in crooked lines down her cheeks. I could see more wrinkles formed next to her eyes. I noticed how troubled she must have been. I smiled. But my smile soon disappeared as i got confused by her words – what was it that happened to me?
"Grandma, can I ask you something? What happened? How did I end up here? How long have I been....unconscious?" I spoke out my doubts.
Her smile turned into a frown. "Do you mean you don't remember what happened?"
I gave a small nod. She went out without replying and left me clueless. I tried getting up. It was hard. It felt as if my body was not used to moving around. I sat up putting my weight on my forearms. I moved back to lean on the bed frame. I heard the door being opened. The doctor came in again with grandma following behind him. It seems that the check-up was not done yet.
"Hyo-Jin, can you remember who these people are?" The doctor asked, holding up a few pieces of photographs to me. Those faces seemed unfamiliar to me. They were pictures of two men.
I looked closely but they didn't ring a bell. I thought deeply but instead my head hurt. It was throbbing. "Arghhh! My... head... hurts" I held my head with my hands, kicking about slightly.
"Calm down Hyo-Jin. Stop trying to remember them." The doctor held onto my shoulders.
I tried breathing in and out slowly, closing my eyes. The throbbing pain subsided and i opened my eyes again. This is weird. Why would my head hurt without a reason? Even when I thought hard, my head would not hurt this much. Why would it now?
"Lets start with the people you're most comfortable and familiar with." The doctor said.
"Do you have other family members other than your grandma?" He asked.
"I have an elder sister, Yu Bin." I answered confidently.
"How about your good friends? Boyfriends?" He questioned again.
"Yoon-Ji's my best friend. MinHee is a good friend from volleyball. Boyfriend?" I paused, there was something which I can't seem to remember. Something. "I-I... don't... know."
I looked down on my restless hands. I couldn't remember some things and it bothered me so much. A frown appeared.
The door knob was turned and the first thing I saw was the leg of the person. Afterwards the person's face appeared. I never saw him before. At least that was what i thought but at the back of my mind, he seems to be familiar somehow.
"Do you recognise him?" The doctor pointed to the man who had just entered, breaking me away from my thoughts.
"N...No" I stuttered. The man looked surprised. Do I know him? Otherwise why would he look so surprised? And why was he here? Urghh! I have too many questions unanswered and it bothers me a lot!
"A-Are you sure you don't know me?" The man asked, moving up to me.
I shook my head, looking sympathetic. The man nodded in knowledge and looked down at the ground. I felt a slight anger in myself as I failed to recognise him, or so i thought.
"Madam, can i have a word with you? Alone." The doctor asked grandma. He gestured towards the door.
Grandma nodded while looking at me. She was biting her nails. It was really rare to see her do that. She was usually composed. She put her hand down and turned to the door.
"I rushed here as soon as i heard you woke up. It has been two months." The man said, gazing affectionately at me.
I met his gaze, looking into his brown orbs. "I-I'm sorry. I don't remember who you are but i feel that i know you."
My heart was beating abnormally as I looked at him. It was unusual. I had never felt that way before. I felt safe just being near him. Who was he?
"Its ok. I understand. You were beaten up really bad. Let me introduce myself then, I'm AJ." He said holding out his hand to me for a handshake.
I giggled and reached out for his hand. "I'm sure you know my name right."
He nodded and smiled. I could see the dimples forming on his face as he smiled. It was mesmerising.
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AJ was disappointed when he found out that Hyo-Jin could not remember him. All the things he longed to do with her, it must be put on hold. For now, his priority was to help her regain her memory. He left the ward and saw Hyo-Jin's grandma standing outside talking to the doctor. He stood near them and eavesdropped on their conversation.
"So, she has lost her memory of the event? Of the kidnapping? And it seems that she can't remember about whoever who were involved in the kidnapping? Including AJ?" Grandma asked, bewildered.
" Yes it seems so. What you can do to help her regain her memory is to bring her to significant places to her...." AJ had gone off without hearing all that the doctor had to say.
His guess was right. She had indeed lost her memory but only of Changjo and him. He felt bitter knowing the memory of him was too painful for Hyo-Jin that she wanted to shut him out of her thoughts. He deeply regretted for rejecting her. He had these thoughts over and over again but he could not atone for his regrets until she remembered him. What use would it be if he said sorry but she doesn't know what the "sorry" was for.
AJ was deep in thought that he was oblivious to his surroundings. He had walked pass Eunjung without looking at her. She had waved at him happily but she was completely ignored. She wondered why his face was grief-stricken. Seeing he was sad, she felt sad too. She couldn't console him even when she wanted to. She had no couraage to do so. Looking at his back, she turned away and met the doctor she always made her rounds with.
"Dr. Jung. Do you know why he left looking sad?" Eunjung pointed to AJ who was walking ever so slowly.
"The patient, Hyo-Jin lost her memory of him and the men who kidnapped her." The doctor, Dr. Jung replied.
"Ohhh...I see" Eunjung's voice trailed off. Now she knew why he was sad. The person he loved had forgotten him. She understood how painful it must have been for him.
This is just a short chapter and it just shows certain feelings. Mostly sad. I really don't like it when I end up with a short chapter. I just don't feel that sense of accomplishment. Well, besides that, thanks for reading my story!
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