Part 1: I died that day

It was a beautiful day with sunlight coming through the windows and birds chirping. Since it was still spring, there was also a slight breeze coming through as well. It’s not like I have some kind of illness that’s incurable. I just have a weak body. I always have. As always, I just looked through the hospital window. Angling the bed upwards so I could see the outside since I can’t pull myself up.

I don’t know how but I just know todays my last day.

Ever since, I was little, I always had a weak body. I was always hospitalized or at home. So I don’t really know anything about the outside world. Well, I know some things I guess. But just from windows. I only know the outside world from the window of our car or the hospital room. I also know a little from my older sister, Hanako-chan. She’s my role model. I’m glad that she’s healthy and strong and not like me. Even a mere cold can be life threatening for me. I’m glad that no one else in my family had to go through what I went through.

As I became weaker by day, my parents tried every doctor and hospital in Japan. I told them to stop but they wouldn’t listen. It’s no use since I just have a weak body. There’s nothing that can be done.

“My…life was…long but…shorter than….expected….”

I managed to breathe out my last words.

I wonder what will be the cause of my death. I hope my family will be ok. As I wonder about trivial things like that, I felt my eyelids starting to close heavily and slowly. I wish I could have seen the world just once. That small but big dream I had seems like it would never happen.

I, Hirai Momoko, at the age of 19 passed away in Japan in 1996.

My short-lived life is now over. Swiftly like the curtains closing after a performance.

Not that Momo knew any of that. She’s only heard stories from her sister. Her parents never told her about the outside world because they thought it would hurt her. But it was the opposite. Even though she couldn’t see it, she at least wanted to know about it.

***

I felt a strong light envelop around me. It was soft and warm. At least that’s what I thought. My heavy eyelids wouldn’t open and I still felt unconscious. My senses were still numb.

“I shall give you another chance, another life to live.” The soft voice I heard. I wonder who was telling me this.

Soon after, I saw a bright light and my eyelid’s that were never supposed to open again, opened slowly.

***

A bright light, people talking, and machine noises were heard. I also smelled food, the faint smell of sweat and a very sweet smell right next to me that’s very soothing and calm. It smells floral but I couldn’t pinpoint what it was. I also feel something really soft and warm on my left hand.

I opened my eyes slowly.

My eyes were still adjusting to the light so I couldn’t see clearly but there was someone’s face right above me when I opened my eyes. With my blurry eyesight, I was able to figure out that she was the reason for the warmth on my left hand. She seemed to be holding tightly onto it. With my blurred vision all I was able to make out was that she had shoulder length dark hair with triangle shaped lips. As I propped my elbows up to sit up my vision started to clear up. I froze when I saw the view in front of me.

“Eh?”

I was in complete shock. In front of me was a view I’ve never seen before. There was the one girl in front of me and 7 other girls and some other adults in the room. All doing something different. They were wearing bright colorful costumes that I’ve never seen before. It looked like clothes my sister would describe that idols would be wearing in what was called TV. As I was spacing out staring at them, the girl who was looking at me when I woke up spoke.

“Momorin? Are you alright?! We were all worried when you fainted…”

Momorin? Who is that? I wondered and just stared back. Now everyone’s stare was on me. I tried to speak but nothing came out.

“Maybe she should go to a hospital?” Another girl with short gray hair spoke up but Momo did not understand anything at all.

“Where… am…I?” Momo was finally able to muster out in her native tongue.

“In our waiting room. You fainted during the rehearsal of our concert, Momorin.” The girl still holding her hand said softly in Japanese.

“Concert? Rehearsal? Who am I?” Momo now finally fully awake spoke up.

“Silly, you’re Hirai Momo, a member of TWICE. Are you still not awake Momo?” another girl spoke in Japanese asked. She also had dark hair but it was long.

Momo then saw a mirror on the table beside the sofa she was laying on and grabbed it. I saw my own face. Although my hair color was different and I wasn’t as pale and bony like before it was still me. Then I looked at my hands and arms that also had muscle and my abs that can be seen from the clothes I was wearing. Everything looked healthy and I was even able to move them. The most important thing to me right now was that I was able to breathe. Not through a machine. On my own. I was so dazed and overwhelmed from this freedom I didn’t notice everyone’s stares.

“Momorin?” the pretty girl sitting next to me asked again. Now that my eyes were not blurry and were well adjusted to the light, I was able to see how pretty she was. She was like an angel welcoming me as I woke up. The other 8 girls were really pretty as well. Although not as pretty as the girl in front of me I thought. I felt my cheeks reddening at the thought and because of the intense stare she was giving me.

“Umm… I’m really sorry but I don’t know why I am here. I know I am Hirai Momo but that’s seriously the only knowledge I have right now. Who are you?” I asked her. When I did her and the other girl who also spoke Japanese earlier gasped. I sort of regretted it since now the girl in front of me had tears in her eyes.

“Momorin, do you seriously not know who we are?” The girl asked, now tears dropping. I could see the other girl crying as well.

I shook my head.

“We need to go to the hospital.” She told me. I stopped her. Since, well the people there are not going to find anything wrong with me. They can only say it’s something like amnesia. Which isn’t even the case. I’m a different Hirai Momo from a different world or dimension or time. I don’t even know myself. I should probably ask what day it is first.

“Momorin. You probably hit your head and now you have amnesia. We need to go. I’ll explain to everyone so we can take you.”

“Ok. Only on one condition though.”

“What is it?”

“Can you tell me what day it is, tell me what exactly happened to me and introduce everyone to me? I want to at least know their names.”

The girl in front of me took a deep breath before starting. Everyone was still looking at us silently probably not knowing what was happening.

“Today is 2/11/2017. 6 days before our first concert. We were all practicing when you fainted Momorin. Since you just fainted and we didn’t want the fans to worry, we brought you here to rest. But we should have taken you to the hospital instead. I-I’m Myoui Mina. One out of the three Japanese members of TWICE. You’re one of them and Sana over there is the other one. I’m also your…. Never mind. The one with short gray hair is Jeongyeon Unnie, your roommate. Next to her with the long black hair and bunny teeth is Nayeon Unnie. She’s the oldest out of all of us. The one next to Nayeon Unnie is Jihyo. She is our leader. Next to Jihyo with the short hair is Chaeyoung. Our rapper and second youngest. Next to Chaeyoung with the long red-ish hair is Dahyun. She’s also our rapper and third youngest. Finally next to Sana is Tzuyu, our youngest member. You don’t seem to remember any Korean so I’ll tell you. I call some of the members Unnie because they’re older than me. Since you’re the third oldest, you only call Nayeon Unnie, Unnie though.”

2017?! Momo froze. Last time she remembered, it was still 1996. Momo went through the names in her head. Mina, Nayeon, Jeongyeon, Sana, Jihyo, Chaeyoung, Dahyun, and Tzuyu. Mina, such a pretty name. Wait why am I thinking about that in the first place? Also I wonder why she stopped after I’m your? So I’m guessing I’m in Korea now. This is kind of cool since I’ve only heard about Korea in newspapers and it’s the first time I heard another language besides Japanese and English. Oh right, I should thank Mina.

“Thank you, Mina. For explaining things so nicely. Uhm my head isn’t fully clear yet so I probably will struggle so I hope you can help me. Also, how did I call you? Did I call you with a nickname like you call me?”

“You’re welcome. Of course I’ll help you. You called me Mii-tan.” She gave a soft smile.

“Mii-tan.” I repeated softly which made Mina smile again. Seeing that smile made my heart flutter for some reason. I wanted to see her smile more and not cry like she did earlier. Since my chest hurt when she did. I thought I was having trouble breathing again but that wasn’t the case. I wonder what this feeling is…

“Now let’s go to the hospital.” Mina said as she took my hand and slowly made me stand up. I couldn’t believe I was standing up. I don’t remember the last time I was on the ground with two feet. I was always on a wheelchair or in bed. She then started talking in what I assumed that was Korean. I heard the other girls and the adults in the room gasp. Some with tears in their eyes and it pained me. When suddenly, an image started forming in my head. I was in the middle of a stage crying, When Sana and Mina and a bunch of other girls came to me and started hugging and crying as well. I don’t know what was happening but as I saw the image, I felt sadness, anger and a feeling I couldn’t describe inside me. Somewhat between disappointed and vexing. The image soon ended.

Momo didn’t know what to do and froze there. She was dragged by Mina and was put into a car. She buckled her seat belt thinking. She then realized the real Hirai Momo living in this era is still inside her. That her conscious is somewhere within her still. Which is the reason why she feels emotions that she’s never felt and images that she never experienced suddenly popping. Because the other Hirai Momo was experiencing it, not her.

They soon arrived at the hospital. Since Momo didn’t quite understand Korean, Mina tried translating for her but for some reason, she now kind of understood what they were saying. Before, when she just woke up, her mind wasn’t clearing but now that her mind was clear she was able to understand somehow. Which surprised Mina but she said nothing and let Momo continue. Momo tried to speak but her words were heavily accented. Though luckily the doctor understood. The doctor then asked Momo to leave the room so she can talk to Mina. Momo then left the room, only to find Sana standing in front of her.

“Are you ok?” Sana asked in Japanese.

“I hope so.”

“Mina said it’s probably amnesia from hitting your head. Did the doctor say that too?”

“Yes. Sana-san?”

“Just call me Sana.”

“Sana. Can I ask you something?”

“Sure.”

“What is my relationship with Mina? Are we just teammates? Friends? I don’t know anything but somehow I feel she’s very special. Different from the other members. I can’t explain this feeling but ever since she came into my view, I felt a spark and whenever she speaks to me my heart beats fast.”

“Seems like your mind forgot but your body remembers. Don’t be surprised Momo. She’s your girlfriend. That’s why she was worried about you the most and was by your side the whole time.” Sana smiled at me.

Girlfriend? Girlfriend? My mind went completely blank. Not because of the shock that Mina was my girlfriend but more because I couldn’t handle the new emotions inside me after hearing she was my girlfriend. I was really happy for some reason and my heart felt really warm. Is this how it feels to be in love? I’ve never loved someone before so I didn’t know. I guess the heart beating and feelings of me thinking she was pretty earlier was by instinct of the other Momo. However when I woke up and first saw her I thought she was an angel so maybe not.

“Thank you for telling me Sana.” I smiled back.

“No problem. If you need help with things just ask me. I’m your best friend.”

“I will. Ah, Sana my Korean came back a little. I don’t remember anything but I guess my body remembers instinctively. I somehow can speak it and understand it as well.”

“That’s great! Since to be honest, it would be weird if you couldn’t speak at all during our concert. Singing we can handle somehow. We should check your dancing too. But first we need the Doctor’s permission if you can continue on with the concert or not.”

“I see. I’m grateful that you’re here. And everyone else as well.”

Mina then came out with her eyes red and puffy. It crushed my heart to see her like that since the reason for her crying is probably because of me. I don’t know what the doctor told her but I know for sure there’s no memory of her and me inside of my own mind right now. My body acted on its own again and I soon found myself hugging her.

“Mii-tan sorry I can’t remember anything but Sana told me about our relationship. I promise that I’ll try hard to remember.” I told her softly and kissed her forehead. It was the most I could do to comfort her.

She gave a soft smile before replying, “Even though you lost your memories, you’re still the same kind Momorin.” Mina then told me to go inside the doctor’s room.

I went in and closed the door. The doctor motioned me to sit down so I did when she suddenly spoke.

“How are you feeling?”

“Somehow good. I can understand you now. Although I can’t speak that much.”

“That’ll be fine. But it would be bad if you cannot dance. Let’s do some tests to see if you didn’t hurt yourself anywhere else.”

The doctor then led me to different rooms and I did several different tests. I knew some of them because I used to do them at the hospital when I was young. The other tests, I wasn’t quite sure of. There were many new machines I was unfamiliar with. Within the span of 20 years, so many new technology has been made and improved. As I was fascinated by all the new machines and technology, the doctor came back again with her clipboard.

“Ms. Hirai.”

“Y-yes.”

“Your body seems to be normal. It seems like you did hit your head but it was just a slight concussion and nothing else. So your amnesia may be from intense stress you were having from your tight schedules. Although I cannot say for sure. I’m sorry. You may continue with your practices and I think it is safe to say that you may take part in the concert. However, that is not my choice to decide I’m afraid. It all depends if your body remembers it or not.”

“I, I see. Did you tell Mina this as well? Is that why she was crying?”

“I did. But I don’t think it’s because of that. You’re lucky that your members care about you so much. With them by your side, I’m sure you’ll do fine. You’re young after all. Give it your all when you can.”

“Yes, thank you doctor.”

I then left the examination room. The doctors’ words hit me like a stone. It was the first time I heard something from the doctor that wasn’t unpromising. In that moment, I decided to do my best in whatever I can. Even if impossible obstacles come in the way. Since there may never be a chance like this. Where I can move freely with my own body. Where I can breathe properly and do whatever I want to. With no memories of the current Hirai Momo, I know it’s going to be hard but I’m pretty sure it’s not as hard as not being able to do anything by yourself. As I was so immersed in my thoughts, I didn’t notice Sana and Mina waiting for me at the side. So I kind of jumped and hit my elbow when they suddenly called my name.

“Momorin are you ok?!”

“I’m fine, Mii-tan. Thank you. Let’s go back.”

The 3 headed to the black van that was waiting for them outside. Once they got there, reporters that already heard that TWICE’s Hirai Momo went to the hospital surrounded them bombarding them with questions. Sana whispered in Momo’s ear to smile, nod and to avoid eye contact. With their manager’s help, the 3 were able to get in the van finally and head back to their dorm.

TBC…

AN:

I split the story into 2 because it might be kind of long and drabby if I kept it as one whole. Might be confusing with switching point of views. I’m sorry.