Denial

Remembering Myself

"I told you not to go with him..." Zelo gently chided as he handed Junri another tissue.

"I don't even know why I'm crying..." Junri laughed a little, but tears just flowed down her cheeks. "I don't understand at all. What I said to him earlier... I don't know what I meant. I didn't even know I had feelings for him!"

Zelo sighed. "It's why mom and dad arranged the marriage in the first place. They knew you loved him. So they wanted the best for you. They thought Henry hyung felt the same way, because that's what he claimed..." He explained. "But look at the bright side, noona... You remembered a piece of you. Shouldn't you be happy?" He smiled at her and handed her another tissue to blow on.

She took the tissue, but she went silent. "Should I be happy?" Zelo made a confused look. "Why would I forget myself, Junhong?" She asked.

Zelo shook his head. "Neither you and I nor even experts can answer that, noona. Don't dwell on it. I'm sure you'll remember everything soon. I'm sure." He repeated the last part and patted her head. "Get some sleep, noona. Goodnight. I still have to go to the ball. And don't worry. There are no classes for the rest of the week so you can sleep in." He reminded.

"Night..." Junri replied as he left her room. She fell back on her bed and stared at her ceiling.

*How does this even happen? Am I going crazy?* She asked herself. She didn't tell Zelo, but she heard what he and the doctor talked about. *I... Do I hate myself? Why? What's wrong with me?* She kept flooding her mind with her own questions.

It just didn't make sense to her.

They were right.

How was it possible to not remember herself? She already tires herself by forcing herself to remember. Even her birthday would be nice to remember... But every time she tried, she would see someone else. She would remember a random memory.

But she wasn't in it.

Like a picture she was photo-shopped out of or a video clip she was cut out from.

Nothing.

And everytime she tries to do things everyone says she used to do, she couldn't feel even a slight tinge of familiarity.

Even the piano, who Zelo claimed was her home, was so foreign to her.

*What's wrong with me...?* A lone tear slid down from her eye, being a physical form of her sadness.

 

"Where are you? Why did you and Junri noona disappear?" Jongup asked through the phone.

"It's hard to explain." Zelo dismissed as he was driven back to the Ball. "Are you guys still there?"

"Yup. This lasts for another 2 hours. I'm sure we'd stay until then."

"Good." Zelo sighed. "The guy earlier. The one noona last danced and talked to. Is he still there?"

Jongup looked at Henry. He was staring right at him from across their table. "Yup. He's here."

"Okay. Be there in a few."

"Bye." Jongup ended the call and looked back at Henry. "Does he know?"

Henry already explained what they talked about earlier to them. Firstly, because they forced him to, and second because he needed them to talk to her for him. "No. He refuses to listen to me."

Youngjae was still not buying his explanation, though. "Did you tell Junri? That the girl died?"

Henry shook his head again. "She ran off before I could. And I couldn't tell her who the girl was either..." He sighed. "See? There are a lot of things she nor Junhong doesn't know. That's the problem. They won't listen to me."

"Wait." Himchan held a hand out. "Let me get this straight again," He cleared his throat. "You apparently used your fiancé status to get a girl in college," Henry nodded. "But this girl, she was already dying. And it was a dying wish. You knew her because she was your neighbor." Henry nodded again. "You didn't tell Junri, because you knew she wouldn't agree because her feelings for you would get in the way." Henry nodded. Again. "So you used her feelings, to fulfill a death wish." He finished, and with a sigh, Henry nodded. "From the way I see it, everything you did really was wrong. How can you expect either of them to forgive you?"

Henry looked at him right in the eye, and for a second, Himchan saw how determined he really was.

"You don't understand. This girl... she was someone special. But I can't tell you." Henry said. "She was someone special to them."

"If we don't know who she is and why she is important, we can't help you." Yongguk stated. "You have to tell us."

"You won't understand..." Henry mumbled again. "Trust me. You really won't. Only they can understand."

"I told you, Henry ssi." Yongguk sighed. "We can't help you if we, ourselves, don't understand what's going on between the three of you. And what's more, the first thing that would really be a problem here is that you used her. You used Junri."

"Please... Just take them to the place I told you tomorrow. I swear, you will understand then." Henry pleaded. "I can't wait for Junhong. And I'm sure if he knows I am the one who asked you to take him and Junri there, he would never agree. Please?" He pleaded again.

The boys looked at each other.

Daehyun sighed. "I... I honestly don't know. Our friendship is at stake here..." *I'm sure Zelo would be beyond pissed at us for being in cahoots with you.* He mentally added.

Henry looked at his watch. "Then tell him that someone important is waiting for him. I have to go. I really really have to go." He said and stood up from the table. "Just tell him that. I'm sure he'll understand." He said and sprinted to the exit.

Youngjae looked at the other members. "We have to weigh our options." He said, while the others nodded. "If we don't agree, we risk Junri and Zelo always bearing a might be empty grudge against Henry forever. Though we don't know anything for sure about that. And not only that, Henry said this might help Junri remember something. But again, we are not sure." He said. "If we DO agree... we risk Zelo being mad at us possibly forever for betraying him and also Junri could hate us too. But this also might give them the opportunity for closure. And who knows? Henry said the girl was someone special... she could be a close friend."

Both choices had heavy cons. And only light pros. Which should they choose?

....................................

Henry's Point of View

 

"You took us to HIM?" Zelo stared at me. I was sitting at a chair in the coffee shop I told his friends to meet me at. Not even half a minute when he saw me, and he already knew I had something to do with this. I didn't think his friends would ever agree... they looked really reluctant last night at the ball.

"No. Not to me. To someone else. I'm just here to take you to her." I said and stood up. I walked past them, and I could see Junri hiding behind Zelo. "Follow me."

"Why?" Zelo asked. I stopped and my heels. "Why should I follow you?"

"Didn't they say it was someone important?" I raised an eyebrow at him. He looked away. "If it's someone important, you shouldn't keep them waiting."

"I don't know who you're talking about. How would they be important to me?" He asked.

"Just follow me." I sighed. "You'll understand. I promise." I said. I glanced at him and his friends again.

They took Luhan and Lay with them.

I exited the cafe, and judging from the shuffling I was hearing, they were following behind me.

Good.

"Where are we going?" Luhan walked beside me.

"Last time I checked, you weren't invited." I grinned at him in an attempt to joke, but he just stared at me. "Fine." I sighed. "I can't tell. You'll just have to wait till we get there."

 

"Here we are." I stopped in front of the all too familiar arch of the Cemetery.

"A... Cemetery." Junri whispered. "Why? Who's here?"

"Why, the girl you sent to college, of course." I answered and walked inside. There were only a few buried here. This place isn't really new, but some people get the idea that only Chinese people should be buried here. It must be the chinese name of the cemetery.

I stopped in front of the marble plaque and kneeled before it. I visit here so often that the flowers get replaced before they even wrinkle.

"Junhong? I'm sure you know who she is." I said. Though my back was facing them, I could already feel how he tensed up. "I'm sure you know even when you can't see the name on this plaque right here. And I'm sure that you would understand by now why I did what I did."

"Y-you're wrong..." He weakly denied. "I-I don't know! I don't know who or what you're talking about!"

I sighed and stood up. I turned to them, and I could see the mix of emotions each of them had.

Zelo was on the verge of tears, Junri was stiff and pale. Luhan was comforting her, but I could tell he couldn't understand anything. Just like the rest of them. But Lay... he was staring at me with an unreadable expression.

"You know her. Don't deny. You know very well who is buried right here." I gestured to the grave.

"Who is she?" Lay asked. He seems to be the only one unfazed.

I sadly smiled. "Zelo's first love."

"JUNHONG STOP!"

I rubbed my jaw as they tried to hold Zelo back. I never thought he would punch me.

"Don't talk nonsense." He sneered at me.

"It's true. Why would you deny it?" I asked him, though my jaw was stinging. "I couldn't tell you, Junri." I sighed and looked at her, but she was looking away. "If I did, Zelo would find out. You know why Dahee wanted so badly to get in that Media Art school?" I turned to Junri. She remembers, Dahee. I just know it. From the way she was staring at the grave behind me, I could see it. "She wanted to impress YOU." I looked at Zelo. He stopped struggling and stared at me. "She was diagnosed with incurable cancer. But even so, she wanted to try dancing again. Even when her body was weak. She was a good dancer, right? But with her disease, she would have never gotten accepted in that school. It was all for you..." I sadly smiled at Zelo. Himchan, Yongguk and Daehyun let him go, allowing him to drop on the floor. His crest-fallen expression was heartbreaking to even look at.

"But... she... she told me that..." He looked at me.

"That she loved me? And not you?" I continued for him. "She said that so you would move on. Because she didn't want to hold you back. She was dying, Zelo. If she told you, she knew you'd force a way for her to be cured. But she would never be... She was just waiting for death. She didn't want you to have to torture yourself by loving a person on her death bed."

"She was sick! Why did you let her go to that school?!" He chocked out and stood up, glaring at me.

"It was a last wish, Junhong. It was the least I could do for a friend." I stated. "And she just wanted her name on the list of passers... She wanted you to see. But she still didn't get in through the auditions. She was too weak to do her talents. Her voice was already gone and she was bed-ridden." I watched as Zelo numbly walked to the plaque. He fell on his knees and touched the engraved name on the marble. "She couldn't sing nor dance anymore..."

"Why? Why would you tell us only now?" I turned to Junri. Her eyes were leaking a few tears, but she wiped them away. "Why would you tell us 3 years after it happened?"

I sighed. "She said... I should only tell you when fate allows me. That I should never try to find you. Ever. And I guess I partly broke that because I came here. To South Korea. All because of my selfish need to get rid of this secret. But I guess fate hated me so much, because you couldn't remember me at all when we met again." I shortly grinned and closed my eyes when I heard Zelo sobbing. "I'm sorry... I'll understand if you will never forgive me."

I walked away from them, back to the entrance of the cemetery and left.

I should be happy, right? They finally know. The heavy secret that haunted me for years is finally over and done for... but why do I feel more empty than ever? I did it, Dahee. I fulfilled your wish. How come is it that I became your personal genie? I smiled and shook my head. I miss her, really. She was my childhood friend and I introduced her to Junri and Zelo when were 10. Ever since then, every summer, she and Zelo would always be together while Junri and I was.

If I had known Dahee and Zelo had formed feelings for each other earlier, maybe before she got diagnosed, I could have done something. Like ask Zelo to treat her, even if that did sound selfish. But I would have done it anyway. Dahee and I were born into a poor family. My family owned a small farm while hers were owners of a small shop at the market in our village.

I don't think I can face Zelo or Junri again... After all, if I acted faster and knew about her cancer sooner, she might still be here.

“Don't blame yourself, Mochi. It's not your fault.”

Her voice echoed in my mind.

Oh Dahee... If you loved me the way I loved you, you would understand what it feels like. Even watching some other man weep on your grave shatters my heart. Because he is the man you love while I am the man who was always willing to give you to him as long as you were happy... I hope you are in peace, Dahee.

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BangtansWifey
I finally figured this story out! :DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD

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weinfinitizeyou
#1
Chapter 36: The ending doeeeeee the angstttttttt urghhhhhhhh
Zoraxx #2
Chapter 36: Weeeeelll.. nice story, i don't like the ending though. I think it doesnt really fit, sorry. But I enjoyed reading!
isiss1994
#3
Chapter 36: I am broken! Why! Poor Lay...I hate that he had to let go and be sad. I didn't see this ending coming :( Is there going to be a part 2? I would love to read it!
Koala_Ray
#4
Chapter 30: Ah..zelo is such a great brother~he's right Junri..learn to hang on..
stephani_bap #5
Chapter 18: ㅠ_ㅠ i feel pity for Zelo....
stephani_bap #6
Chapter 17: zelo, being a over-protective dongsaeng ㅎ ㅎ ㅎ ㅎ
sushi_sykes
#7
Chapter 16: nope shipping her with youngjae because I love that fluff ball.
stephani_bap #8
Chapter 15: nice job author! you make her get amnesia twice, but now she knows people that she hates ☜
SilentDay #9
Chapter 13: I like that song! 'Why did I fall in love with you'! :D