Sehun woke up to an empty spot next to him, his head was pounding because of the lack of sleep. He reached for a towel he used yesterday and proceed to choose his outfit. He found another grey sweatpants and a t-shirt, a v-neck light blue not white.

He heard sounds of boiling water and smell of chicken soup when he climbed down the stairs. His eyes met the pair of hazel ones. She had her apron on, hair tied to a ponytail.

“Morning honey, wait up. Breakfast is almost ready.”

“Morning, I’ll wait” he bit his tongue not knowing what to do. His mind told him to go and sit down but his feet won’t move. Somehow, he ended up walking to her side.

Areum is pleased by that, she turned around, hands went up to his nape. “Where is my morning kiss? You missed the goodnight.”

Breathe. Sehun told himself, she got her eyes on his lips, following his instinct, he leaned in and connected their lips. It was an innocent one till Areum decided to joke around a little bit and deepened the kiss scaring the life out of Sehun.

“You’re startled” she giggled, flipping the egg she’s frying with a swift move of hand. Sehun found it like he’s watching something extraordinary.

“I can cook now you see, surprise surprise”

She didn’t know how to cook before? New information he told himself, keep in mind. He stood beside her like mannequin, studying the person in front of him. “Can I ask you something?”

“Sure, what is it?” she’s busy moving around the kitchen, scooping out some rice into a bowl, setting the table.

“Is all my clothes still in the wardrobe? I mean all I have is sweatpants, shorts and tons of white shirts other than suits and ties.”

Areum gave him the puzzled look. “Yes, that’s all you have unless you still have some at your parents’. You love them those white shirts, you said it’s cool and see through. Have you stopped preferring white?”

He shrugged, trying to act natural. Areum watched as Sehun didn’t take his usual seat but sat at the corner, which he never did. Odd, just when she’s trying to convince herself that he’s just trying to be all confused. She saw how he struggled with his chopsticks and ended up using spoon to take the side dishes.

“Sehun, is your fingers ok? Why can’t you hold the chopsticks?”

He awkwardly smiles, the doctor told him about some muscles problem as he hurt some part of his brain when he fell hard but nothing serious. He needs physiotherapy and regular check-ups which Luhan is arranging for him at the moment.

“I umm.. used my fingers a lot for sketching so it has gone numb. Can’t really hold the sticks well, no worries. I’ll gradually get well.”

“Tell me if you need anything.”

“Sure.”

After breakfast, Luhan came to pick Sehun up. They said something about meetings and stuffs. Areum waited for his usual goodbye routine only to end up being disappointed as he left without a hug and a kiss. Sehun used to be all clingy and cheesy but not since the day he came back.

Amber invited Areum for Lunch with her at their usual. Kris couldn’t make it as he’s busy studying for mid sem. Amber noticed her step-sister’s emotional change, she’s staring blankly at the  table, playing with her spoon, twisting and turning it.

“Mind telling why you’re unhappy even when I’m paying for lunch?”

She did it, Areum smiled to the joke. She let out a heavy sigh, sipping her tea. “I don’t know how to say it but Sehun is being weird.”

“Maybe the jet-lag, you know? Or the side effect of being 8 months away from his wife.”

Areum shook her head, thinking to herself, is she the one being overly dramatic? Amber’s right, he has been away for quite a long time. He must have find it hard to do the things just like he did before.

“He questioned me about his usuals, he sat at a different spot on the dining table and most of all, he’s not being all clingy like he used to. He’s avoiding me if I may say. It’s like his there but not there. Maybe just his body, but not his soul.”

Areum didn’t feel like eating anymore, she has all kind of possibilities going in her mind. Including

“Amber, do you think that he’s cheating on me?”

Amber choked on her food, if there’s a man who she can say the best candidate for being extremely loyal, that would be Sehun. But after listening to Areum’s complains, anything is possible. But still, Amber wouldn’t want Areum to have bad ideas about her brother-in-law.

“You know what, maybe it’s because he’s leaving soon. The contract says 2 years and it hasn’t been a year even. He’s not trying to give you hopes and let you cry again when he leaves, you know how much he loves you.”

Areum touched her wedding band, finally getting some of her questions answered. “Maybe you’re right.”

“Hyung, she knows something is wrong with me.”

“Are you an idiot? Of course she knows. You are her husband, and I don’t agree with you avoiding her if you really want to continue the lies.” Luhan never agree with the younger from the first place. He knew well that the lies should have never happened.

Sehun couldn’t argue with his secretary. He’s the one who’s at fault here. He felt guilty for coming back in this broken form. At least Areum haven’t seen his ugly scar yet. But how long can he hide it?

“One more thing, remember to exercise. You lose your muscle mass on the hospital bed, move a lot. And please do gain your memories back, at least try, don’t run away from it.”

Sehun couldn’t remember his passcode. ‘Stupid’ he told himself. Now how can he get in? Ring the bell, act drunk? But he smells too good for being drunk. He kept on walking back and forth when the door opened revealing his wife holding a trash bag.

“You’re home. I’m throwing this out.”

“Just got here, I need to wash up.”

‘Thank God’ , he’s saved. He walked in and climbed up straight to his room. He ed his dress shirt, touching the scar that went all the way from his waist to his shoulders. Luckily it has gone unnoticed when the burning red color wears off.

He’s relieved not to see Areum in the room so he gets to pretend that he has gone to sleep. But then, the door swung open. Areum walked straight to the bed, watching him.

“I met Amber today”

Ok, who the heck is Amber? Act normal.

“What did you do with her?” He hung the towel, busying himself with combing his hair, collecting his clothes from the floor.

“We had lunch and we talked.”

“Good for you to be out there rather than staying home alone. Omma told me that everyone is so busy and you’re always alone.”

She’s happy to hear than he’s concern about her. Sehun believed that he scored some points because her lips curled up. But he just got himself into a difficult situation when she reached for his hand, pulling him down to sit next to her.

“I miss you”

The scary part of it all, he may be a man with needs but then, how can he do it when he couldn’t even remember her. That’s just like sleeping with a random woman. He respects this woman, his wife, the person he vowed to live forever with.

“I miss you too” His emotions took over his mind again.

Areum traced her fingers from his jaw to his lips. “Can you say it again?”

Not anymore, don’t drag her further, he `told himself. He watched her eyes looking deep in his. Those hazel round orbs makes his head gone dizzy. She pushed his chin up to face her, arms circling around his neck.

Their lips was only an inch apart when Sehun managed to get back to reality. He turned his face away from her, hands grabbing her slender arms, pulling it downwards.

“I can’t do this, I’m sorry.” He shook his head, looking over to her. She got her head down, his gaze fell on the duvet that has round spots of tears on it. His heart clenched , why is he hurting when she’s the one in pain?

“I thought I was wrong… Are you…cheating on me?” She stood up, looking over at his lost face, he was taken aback by the sudden attack. Cheating? He barely even remember any woman other than his mother.

“Well then… I don’t blame you. The loser is me.” She wiped away her tears before leaving the room, Sehun took a few minutes before bracing himself to check up on her.

He knocked on the room next to theirs, the one with a bed. He saw lights coming out from the space under the door. “Can I come in?”

No answer, but he heard her sobbing behind the barrier between them. He twisted the door knob, making his way inside. She’s curled up on the bed, covering her face with a pillow. He took a seat next to her.

His hand rested on her shoulder, trying to make her face him. “I didn’t cheat on you, and just so you know, there’s nothing wrong with you but me.”

“You don’t have to be so kind, you know how broken I am.”

“I don’t know…. I don’t know you, myself and where I’m stuck at.” He scratched the back of his neck, he finally fail to keep the lies. It’s too much for him and hard on her.

Areum pushed the pillow of her face. “What are you talking about?”

“I have amnesia, and here I am lost in time caught in a moment. I can’t even know my own age and to your disappointment. I have no memories of you.” Sehun sighed when the figure in front of him woke up to check on him.

“W-What happened?”

He played with the hem of his shirt. “I almost died in a fire and… to prove it to you” he lifted his shirt up, revealing red burnt marks from his abdomen up to his chest, she saw how the pattern continued to his back as well. “These ugly scars won’t fade though.”

He thought she was all emotionless when she pull him into her embrace.

“It must have been hard on you.” Her voice cracked. “I’m so sorry.”

“Why should you be sorry? It’s not your fault.”

Even if he couldn’t remember her, she’s still the person he chose to spend forever with. He tried to explain about everything he knew, she listened to hom without questions, eyes never leaving his.

It may be awkward, but he managed to calm her down with a goodnight kiss and arms around her petite form. She slept with tears on her face.

“Why is this happening to you poor lady?” he whispered, her hair. His mind couldn’t stop thinking on how to face her the next morning. Things will be different and she has to accept that her husband is no longer

there.

_______

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Mademoisellekris- you'll see more to come hehehe

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KissMeFanny- no worries, granted your wish

sweetdreamz- be ready for next chap, thi is angst anyway ^^

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