It was a coffee shop. A nice, small business owned by a family who knew my mother. There was a boy in the third seat on the bar counter. I immediately noticed him because of the large scar that ran from his right eye down across his left cheek diagonally down to the middle of his neck. He turned to me and I saw that the eye with the scar down it was a lighter shade of brown than the other eye. When he noticed me he simply smiled.

                “Would you like to sit next to me?” He said softly and I nodded, sitting down beside him. I ordered my coffee and tried not to stare at his scar. I knew it would offend him.

                “Umma says Appa’s car flipped and I got hurt bad.” He mumbled, taking a sip of the cup in front of him. “But I don’t remember.”

                I nodded, grabbing my cup when the worker passed it to me. “Does it hurt? Your scar?” I asked and he shrugged.

                “Not unless I hit it.” He smiled, swaying side to side slightly. “What’s your name?” He asked.

                “Bang Yongguk.” I held out my hand to him and he happily took it.

                I noticed he flipped over his other hand, which had a name, address, phone number, age, and birthday on it. “I’m Moon Jongup.” He said uncertainly, then looked back and smiled at me.

                “Is that all your information on your hand, Jongup-ssi?” I asked, curiously grabbing his hand.

                “Umma writes it on my hand for me every morning. I think it’s my name but I don’t remember. Umma does call me Jonguppie when I wake up.” He nodded. “When I wake up, I don’t know what anything is, and she tells me I’ll never remember.” He sighed.

                “So if I come back here tomorrow, you’ll have forgotten me?” I asked, furrowing my eyebrows.

                “That’s what she says.” He pouted. “But you’ve got an unforgettable face.”

                I smiled, “As do you.”

                “Well I’ve got a scar, of course I do.” He finally let go of my hand to hold onto his cup. “Anyways. In ten minutes, Umma’s coming to get me.” He downed his coffee and turned to face me. “Will you stay with me until then, hyungnim?” He asked, his eyes practically glowing.

                “Sure thing.” I smiled.

We talked about Jongup’s condition more. About how he remembers who he is, what he likes to do, how to talk, move. He just doesn’t remember what his name is, any data about himself, or what he’s done in his life. I listened intently, reminding myself to come back tomorrow to check up on this strange boy. His brown hair bounced when he stood, a beautiful, slender woman coming in and grabbing his hand.

“Let’s go, Jonguppie.” She smiled at him then looked at me. She took him out to the car and came back inside, sitting next to me. “Did you talk to my son?” She asked softly.

“I did.” I said cautiously. “Is that bad?”

“He won’t remember you if you speak to him again, or anything you’ve spoken about.” She sighed. “He was in an accident—”

“I don’t mind. I’ll just reintroduce myself tomorrow.” I nodded, and she smiled.

“Maybe if he speaks to you enough he’ll begin to remember you like he is with me.” She smiled, tearing up slightly. “He’s slowly getting better.”

I smiled softly, patting her shoulder. “If there’s anything I can do to help, let me know. I’m Bang Yongguk.”

“I’m Moon Yeejin.” She smiled and bowed her head. “I’ll see you tomorrow?”

I nodded, watching her walk out. I finished my coffee and headed for work, ready to see Jongup tomorrow.

I walked in the coffee shop, seeing Jongup sitting in the same seat. “Wow, you must be a mind reader! You knew exactly what I wanted!” He giggled, grabbing a cup from the worker. I walked over to him and he waved.

                I waved back, hoping he remembered me. He giggled more when I did, so I thought I was in luck. But his words made me realize the truth. “You can sit next to me if you want, sir.”

                I nodded, sitting next to him. “Accident?” I asked and he nodded, his eyebrows furrowed.

                “Yeah, car accident.” He nodded.

                “It flipped, right?”

                He pouted, putting a hand over his head. “Everyone must be reading my mind today.”

                I smiled and shook my head. “You talked with me yesterday.”

                He bit his lip and looked down at the floor. “I-I’m sorry. I don’t remember.”

                “I know. We talked about your condition, Jongup-ssi.” I patted his shoulder and he looked at his hand. I noticed it was a different color marker than yesterday’s, but the same girly handwriting.

                “Wait…” He looked at me and just stared for a moment. “Y…Y-Yon…” He began to tear up and I just watched him. “I can’t…” He started crying and I just opened my arms for an embrace, sighing when he ran into them, hugging me tightly.

                “It’s all right. I’ll just keep reminding you until you remember.” I smiled. “It’s Yongguk.”

                He smacked himself in the forehead and sniffled. “That’s right. Yongguk-hyungnim.” He sighed. “Bang Yongguk.”

                “Yeah you remembered.” I smiled and he blushed lightly, wiping his eyes.

                “If I think about something a whole lot, I remember it easier.” He stepped away from me and sat back in his seat, grabbing his cup. “Sorry for crying like a baby.”

                “It’s absolutely fine.” I sat down next to him and ordered a coffee.

                We played a few games like Would You Rather and 20 Questions. His mother came at the same time she did yesterday, and she came inside and grabbed his hand. “Did you have a good time with Yongguk-ssi today?” She asked and he nodded quickly. She waved to me and the two were almost out the door but he stopped and turned around to face me.

                “I’m going to remember you one of these days.” He said confidently. “I promise.”

                I smiled, “Don’t stress yourself out trying.”

                I went by the coffee shop every morning. The same thing would happen. He wouldn’t recognize me at first, but then he’d slowly start to remember me. He could not remember my name, though. He’d get the first few letters, but then he’d forget.

                It wasn’t until the 3^rd week that he remembered. When I came in the coffee shop he had called my name clear as day. “Yongguk-hyung!” He was crying when he did, but he was smiling. “Yongguk…” He repeated, running over to me and hugging me. “Bang Yongguk.”

                “You remembered.” I whispered, hugging him back gently.

                “It’s because I thought about you all day and all night and I even dreamt of you because I didn’t want to forget.” He hiccupped from crying, gripping onto my shirt. “I never want to forget you.”

                “I got you something.” I reached in my bag and pulled out the small book.

                “What’s this?” He asked, taking it and wiping his eyes.

                “It’s a journal, so you can write down what happens each day and read over it so you don’t forget.” I explained and he gasped, jumping up and down.

                “Do you have a picture? Of yourself?” He asked, clutching the journal to his chest, his face flushing lightly. “I’d like to put it in here.”

                I chuckled and pulled out the old polaroid camera that I had been planning to sell to someone at work. I handed it to him. “When you take a picture, it’ll come out at the bottom of the camera. It’s an old camera so the quality won’t be as good, but you’ll have instant memories that you can just stick to the pages then.” I smiled and he quickly took a picture of me.

                He gasped as the photo came out of the camera. He held the photo in his hand and smiled brightly. “This is perfect. Both of my gifts.” He bowed formally. “Thank you so much hyung.”

                “Of course.” I smiled, ruffling his hair. “I just want you to have your memory back.”

                The next day, I went into the coffee shop and he wasn’t there. I furrowed my eyebrows and the clerk waved me over. “Bang Yongguk, right?” He asked, and I nodded. “The boy who sits here with you, he wanted me to give you this.” He held out a piece of paper folded into a heart. I smiled and opened it, seeing jagged handwriting in a red pen:

                Yonggukkie-hyung, Umma said I’ve caught a cold so I’m at home resting. She says you can visit me if you want. I wrote down everything in the journal, and now I remember! <3 You’re the best, hyung.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                Jongup

                I smiled, looking at the attached address, telling myself I’d head there after work.

                I walked up the stairs to the front porch, knocking gently. I knew it was late, but I wanted to be able to stay a while with him, so I couldn’t go before work. A man opened the door, taller than Jongup with darker hair. He smiled and stepped aside.

                “You must be Yongguk-ssi.” He motioned for me to come inside.

                “And you are?” I asked and he smiled.

                “I’m his brother. Jongyun.” He nodded.               

                “Nice to meet you.” I bowed my head slightly, following him as he lead me up some stairs. I heard coughing and I pouted slightly, hoping it wasn’t Jongup. I was lead into a room and I saw Jongup curled up on a bed, a rag on his forehead, a thermometer sticking out of his mouth. His mother was there, pouring medicine into a cup.

                “Hyung!” Jongup spat out he thermometer and was about to get up, but I rushed to him and pushed him back down.

                “Relax, Jonguppie.” I sighed. “You don’t want to get worse.” He nodded, taking the medicine from his Umma before cringing and laying back down. “How’d he get a cold in a day?” I asked, chuckling slightly.

                “He’s been coming down with it for a few days, been complaining of congestion. It hit him full force today.” Yeejin explained.

                I nodded, laying down on the bed next to him. He smiled and layed his head on my chest. “I’m so glad you came, Yonggukkie-hyung.” He giggled softly. He reached over to the side table and grabbed the polaroid camera, holding it up to take a picture of both of us. “Say cheese!” I chuckled as he took the picture, grabbing it as it came out the bottom.

                I came by his house every day after work, as we both figured it was better than going to the coffee shop. I could play games with him, eat with his family, it was like they just adopted me in. They cared a whole lot more than my own family, so I was very appreciative. I never went home on an empty stomach, never went home with a frown on my face.

                My life was slowly getting better. I even got a girlfriend. Song Jieun, one of my co-workers. I took her over with me to Jongup’s house about a week after we started going out. Jongup answered the door excitedly, but his smile turned to a frown when he saw her.

                “Who’s this?” He asked, and I noticed Jieun looked disgusted by his scar.

                “My girlfriend. Jieun.” I smiled as I introduced her.

                I saw Jongup look down for a second before looking back up. “Now’s not a really good time, hyung.” He looked over at Jieun and I saw his eyes start to water.

                “Okay, I’ll come back later.” I said quickly, only to gasp as he slammed the door.

                The next day I was off from work. I got over to Jongup’s house as soon as I could, only to see Yeejin on the porch crying. “What’s wrong?” I asked, rushing over to her.

                “Jongup’s gone.” She said in between sobs. “Just…gone.”

                “Did he say anything?” I asked.

                “Only that you were busy with your girlfriend and couldn’t come over yesterday. He seemed fine, but I went to get him for breakfast this morning and he was missing.”

                I turned, only to see him coming up the stairs.

                “Jonguppie!” She gasped.

                “Hey Umma.” He mumbled. “I was at the coffee shop. Why didn’t you come get me?”

                She stood, looking up at me. “Because you said you didn’t want to go there anymore, since Yonggukkie could just come over.”

                “Who’s that?” Jongup furrowed his eyebrows and looked at me. “And who are you?”

                I felt my heart shatter.

                “Where’s your journal?” Yeejin grabbed his shoulders. “Your photos?”

                “What are you talking about?” He said softly. “Umma you know I don’t remember things.””

                She broke down, turning and running in the house. I just sighed, heading towards my car. I drove home, having to pull over when I felt myself breaking down. I just didn’t understand. Jongup had been remembering everything for the past weeks.

                Why did he suddenly forget?

                Unless he didn’t.

                He didn’t seem as hurt that he didn’t remember as he did before. He didn’t seem worried about the fact he couldn’t remember.  I turned around and instantly drove back, running inside. I saw Jongup sitting at the table, with Yeejin beside him.

                “What’s going on?” I asked after making sure I had cleared my face of signs of tears.

                “He ripped them.” Yeejin sighed. “Ripped apart the journal, broke the camera.”

                “W-Why?” I asked.

                “He didn’t want to remember you.” She looked up at me. “But now he can’t forget.”

                “Jonguppie…”

                He looked down, and I saw wet drops form on the table. I heard his voice crack as he spoke, “I-I didn’t know what else to do.”

                I walked over and pulled him into an embrace. “Why did you want to forget me?” I whispered. “What did I do?”

                “You let me fall for you.”

                I froze, feeling him shaking.

                “You let me fall for you and then you dared to come to my house with a woman who is disgusted when she looks at my face.” He gripped onto my shirt, sobbing quietly. “Look at my face!” He screamed, looking up at me. “Look at what I’ve been through!” Tears were streaming down his face, and all I could do was look, not able to speak. “Yet, throughout the bits of my life I’m starting to remember, falling for you has been the most painful experience.”

                I couldn’t even respond, and Yeejin couldn’t either. We were both too shocked to even move.

                “Get out.” He shook his head and looked down.

                I could hardly process what he said, and when I didn’t move, he pushed me, so hard I nearly fell over.

                “I said get out!”

                “Jonguppie…” Yeejin whispered.

                “I don’t want to see you ever again!” He sobbed violently, falling back into the chair. “I don’t want to hurt anymore! I don’t want to spend my nights thinking about you anymore! You don’t love me!”

                “I-I…” I tried to say something, I really tried, but I couldn’t. I just watched as his brother came from the kitchen, pulling Jongup close. He shook his head at me, pointing to the door. I gulped, scrambling to my feet.

                “Just leave, Yongguk.” Jongyun said softly. “Just leave this house.”

                I didn’t go to work, I didn’t call Jieun, I didn’t even move from the bed for weeks. All I could do was look at the ceiling. I helped a boy with amnesia. I helped him regain the ability to remember things. I gave him happiness. And then I took it all away.

                I didn’t know how to live with myself.

                The only thing on my mind was Jongup. How he laughed, how he smiled, how he curled up in my lap when he’d fall asleep before the movie was over…

                And the more I thought about him, the more I missed him. The more I missed him, the more I realized…

                He wasn’t alone.

                I had fallen for him too.

                It didn’t matter that he wasn’t a girl, or that he had a deep scar on his face.

                I loved him, and I hated that I didn’t realize it before.

                I drove to Jongup’s house, knowing I wasn’t wanted, but I didn’t care. I marched up to the front door and knocked, only to see Yeejin answer.

                “Dear god, Yonggukkie, I was so worried about you.” She whispered. “Are you all right?”

                “I need to see Jongup. Please.” I whispered and she nodded, stepping aside.

                I walked inside quickly, heading up the stairs. I walked in Jongup’s room, and immediately grew silent. He was holding the journal in his hands, taping the book back together. He was smiling, and I noticed the camera was next to him, held together by duct tape.

                “I miss you.” He whispered, and I noticed a tear fell from his eye. “I can’t let you go…” He held the journal to his chest. “

                “You don’t have to.”

                He jumped when I spoke, leaping from his bed and running to me, wrapping his arms around me. “Yongguk…” He gripped onto my shirt.

                “I’m so sorry.” I leaned my forehead in his hair. “I was so stupid, I didn’t see it…”

                “See what?” He asked, reaching up and caressing my cheek, his face burying in my neck. I just grabbed his hand gently and kissed the back of it.

                “See that I loved you back.” I whispered.

                He gasped, looking up at me. His eyes filled with water and he pulled me down and our lips clashed in the most amazing kiss I’d ever experienced.

                We pulled away only when we needed air. He was smiling so wide I thought his scar would burst open. I ran my fingers through his hair, smiling back at him.

                “I’m sorry, Jongup-”

                “Don’t worry about it, hyung.”

                I heard my cell phone make a noise and I picked it up, seeing a new text messaged.

                Jieun: We’re over, oppa.

                I laughed out loud, pulling Jongup closer to me. I just responded with one word,

                Thanks.

                Because I had something so much better now.

THE END.