DanBi went to visit SungMi at her home. She hadn’t been able to see her best friend for days. Even after SungMi was discharged from the hospital, DanBi didn’t have the chance to meet her. SungMi was also not in school for two weeks, and according to her brothers, their mother just wanted to make sure that SungMi had recovered fully before she can go back to school.

DanBi found this excuse to be rather odd. It wasn’t as if SungMi was suffering a serious injury, in fact she just regained her memories back. Her condition was not that serious at all for her not to be able to go to school for two weeks.

DanBi heard from the boys that DaeHyun had been to SungMi’s house from time to time to try to meet her but so far, he didn’t succeed. DanBi’s heart went out to the poor boy. No words can express how sad DaeHyun had been at school every single day to be parted with his sister again, after looking for her for so long.

He got skinnier, and even lost his appetite. He barely concentrated in class, and was always in his own world each time they got together. Long story short, DaeHyun wasn’t being himself at all for the past couple of weeks. His eyes were swollen and all of them figured that he even barely slept as well. He was like a walking dead.

DanBi was scared to come and visit at first, as she was afraid that she was not allowed to meet SungMi as well. However, she pressed the doorbell nonetheless, and waited for the door to be opened. In her heart, she prayed that SungMi’s family will give her a chance to meet her. DanBi missed her so much, and really wanted to see how she was doing. DanBi couldn’t text or call her, as SungMi’s mother had taken away the phone. Only her brothers were kind enough to tell her how SungMi was from time to time.

To her delight, SungMi’s brother, SungHyun, opened the door and threw her a warm and welcoming smile. From his face, DanBi could see that the elder looked fatigued and worn out. His hair was quite a mess and if memory served her right, SungHyun too had lost weight. He didn’t look like he just woke up. Instead, he really looked like he had been going through a difficult time. Based on what she observed, DanBi figured that things in this house weren’t going well too.

“Hi, DanBi.” SungHyun greeted and opened the door wider for her to enter. DanBi greeted him back and prevented herself from asking why SungHyun had grown thinner as well. Without another word, SungHyun led DanBi to SungMi’s room and while she followed him, DanBi could feel that the atmosphere in the house was gloomy and tensed. It was different from the last time she came.

It was as if someone had just died and took away all the happiness in the house with him.

DanBi thanked SungHyun once they arrived at SungMi’s room and SungHyun only nodded, before entering the room next to SungMi. DanBi knocked on the door and pushed the door open after she heard SungMi’s voice from the inside, telling her to come in.

DanBi pushed the door and slowly stepped inside the room, only to be greeted by SungMi who was beyond excited to see her. “DanBi !” SungMi cheered, before enveloping DanBi into a hug. DanBi chuckled and hugged her tighter, as she could no longer contain the longing she felt. She was not used to not seeing SungMi for too long. And it made DanBi feel better again after finally being able to see SungMi again.

And what made her happy the most was that SungMi still remembered who she was even after getting back her memories. “You remember me?” DanBi’s voice cracked, her arms still around SungMi and refused to let her go, afraid that if she did, she would come to realize that it was all just a dream.

SungMi laughed at her question and said, “Of course I do! Why wouldn’t I remember you?” They let go of each other and SungMi laughed again at DanBi who was just about to cry. “Yah, don’t you dare cry! Of course I remember you! I can never forget my best friend. Even if I do, I know that it will always gnaw at me that you are my best friend.” SungMi added, making DanBi feel more touched than ever.

SungMi took DanBi’s hand and both of them sat on SungMi’s bed, as SungMi began telling her how satisfied she felt now knowing that finally the dream and the song made sense. “It feels so good when everything has finally fallen into place. It’s like my brain is now cleared with the questions and everything is just so clear. I don’t have to wonder about the song anymore. I still remember how crazy I got for knowing nothing about the song at first.”

DanBi nodded in agreement. She mentioned that the boys missed her badly and ‘scolded’ SungMi for skipping school for too long. “You have to get back to school pronto.” DanBi said in a faked stern. “If you don’t, you’re going to fail all your subjects. You’ve missed a lot too and you have to keep up very quickly.”

SungMi smiled sheepishly and replied, “Well, I shall not worry about that. I have you and JunHong, my two awesome and smart best friends. You guys can teach me what I missed.  Besides, it isn’t that I want to skip school for so long. It’s my mom.” She mumbled the last sentence as her expression fell a little.

DanBi sighed and patted her hand encouragingly. She knew, that SungMi’s mother was the one who refused to allow her to go to school for the time being. But DanBi was worried for SungMi’s studies too.

Silence came and for a moment, no one said a word. DanBi wanted to ask her the question she had wanted to ask but she wasn’t sure whether it was the right time. Still, she knew that she had to ask her somehow.

Taking a deep breath, DanBi looked at SungMi lovingly before grabbing both her hands. With a small smile, DanBi said in a low tone, “SungMi ah, your brother misses you and feels very guilty right now.” In her heart, DanBi was hoping that that could mean something to SungMi. She wanted to tell her so badly, just how miserable DaeHyun had been throughout this while.

SungMi avoided DanBi’s eyes and pulled her hands back. “Well, he should be.” SungMi said. “He left me because he didn’t want to have me as a burden anymore. If he cared for me so much, he wouldn’t have let me go. It’s okay. I understand his reasons. In fact, he shouldn’t feel guilty at all. Why should he?” She said coldly.

She was still angry with her brother. She was angry with him for simply letting her go as he didn’t want to get stuck with her anymore, after he promised her that he won’t leave her alone. She was angry with him for pretending not to know her when she lost her memories. And she was angry with him for being guilty now after she remembered everything. Why? Why did he have to feel guilty? He left her, didn’t he?

DanBi sighed again and bit her lip. SungMi had gotten the whole idea wrong. She had completely misunderstood everything. If only she knew how DaeHyun was, after he let her go. If only she knew how worried he was after she left him. If only she knew how long it had been for DaeHyun to look for her, miss her and hoping that she was still alive.

DanBi wanted to tell her all these, but the door opened then and revealed Mrs. Lee’s figure. She looked kind of shocked to see DanBi there, but didn’t say anything. She looked around the room briefly, and then sighed in relief. DanBi figured that maybe she thought the others were there too. Luckily, she came alone.

DanBi stood up and bowed before greeting Mrs. Lee. She tried to appear as casual as ever though this woman caused a lot of emotions to stir in DanBi’s chest. She even offered Mrs. Lee a friendly smile though to be honest she was faking it and forced herself to smile.

This woman. She was responsible for DaeHyun’s predicament. She was responsible for DaeHyun and JiHyun’s separation. She was responsible for changing JiHyun’s name to SungMi. She was responsible for not telling SungMi about her past when she lost her memories. She was responsible for SungMi not being able to know who she was. She was responsible for all of SungMi’s confusions. She was responsible to be the one who told SungMi all the lies about DaeHyun. And last but not least, she was also the one who was responsible to make SungMi hate her own brother.

SungMi wouldn’t have that kind of thoughts about her brother if it weren’t for Mrs. Lee. When SungMi opened her eyes at the hospital, DanBi knew she wasted no time in telling the entire untruth about DaeHyun, until the girl had a completely wrong impression about her brother.

Well, SungMi had just remembered. What was she to do ? She was a little girl herself, when she was taken away from her brother. She was sick. And she spent a couple of years in a foreign country without her brother, before losing her memory. And now that she remembered, of course she would’ve believed what Mrs. Lee had said, since that woman was like her another mother.

“How do you do, Mrs. Lee ?” DanBi asked politely. In Mrs. Lee’s eyes, she knew that their feelings towards each other were mutual. They didn’t say it verbally, but DanBi knew that they disliked each other, especially now that SungMi had now remembered and that DanBi was known to be close to DaeHyun. The elder woman’s face was full of confidence and DanBi could see right away that she was definitely a person full of pride.

DanBi knew that it was wrong to think like that but she can’t help it. She just disliked this woman because of what she did. DanBi was certain that Mrs. Lee must’ve had reasons of her own, like what HimChan said, but she couldn’t help but to think that whatever the reason was, she should’ve known that what she was doing was definitely wrong.

Mrs. Lee nodded and answered with the same piece of mocked smile, “I’m fine, thank you. It’s so nice of you to visit SungMi, love. You are all she’s been talking about for days.”

DanBi could sense in her tone that she was forcing herself to be civil. She knew that they were only being nice to each other because SungMi was present. Had it be that SungMi was not there, DanBi would’ve wanted to give the elder woman a piece of her mind.

Call her rude but she thought this woman could hardly receive any respect from anyone. It took every ounce of her energy to fake a smile, try to look like a good girl, instead of someone who wanted to rip Mrs. Lee’s head off.

DanBi went home after being in the house for an hour and a half. SungMi invited DanBi for dinner but DanBi politely turned it down. She said she had to be home because she had to go somewhere with her mother. It wasn’t at all true but DanBi could hardly stand being in the house with the woman who was full of lies. She had been keeping an eye on the both of them and DanBi knew that Mrs. Lee was watching out whether DanBi was going to say something she shouldn’t.

Dinner at SungMi’s house was quiet as usual. She was sitting in between SungHyun and HyunSik, facing their mother and their eldest brother, HyunWoo. SungMi liked the idea of sitting in between her two favorite brothers. She felt safe. She found that SungHyun always sat next to her now, ever since she remembered. Usually SungHyun will seat opposite her, and HyunSik will always seat beside her.

Now, both of them took the seats on both her sides.

SungMi ate silently and glanced at her parents once in a while. She knew that the table had always been quiet, but somehow she felt that there was something more that night. She didn’t know why but she felt that something must’ve happened between her father and mother.

Both of them didn’t speak to one another, and hardly acknowledged each other’s presence. SungMi figured that they must’ve had a fight or something. She wanted to ask them what was wrong but decided not to. It wasn’t any of her business and it was best if she just stayed away from it. She looked at her brothers, but both of them were deep in their own thoughts too.

HyunSik noticed her looking then and gave her a smile. SungMi returned it and for a quick moment, she felt grateful that HyunSik still loved her just the same even after she got back her memories. And she was the same too.

After dinner, everyone occupied themselves with their own activities. HyunWoo, as usu