Chapter 2: Find what is lost

“Who’s he?” Kai asked Sehun who had brought with him another man in uniform. Kai squint his eyes to read the boy’s name plate. His vision was still good despite he kept a distance from the two visitors.

“B-Byun Baekhyeon…”

Baekhyun cleared his throat and explained himself, “Uh it’s not baek’hyeon’ it sounds like it though but it’s baek’hyun’ for you Kai.”

“How’d you know me?”

“I-Uh,” Baekhyun pointed Sehun. “It was because of him. I’m going to be your friend and buddy!” Baekhyun stated enthusiastically. “We’ll live in an apartment. Sappy but I’m pretty much contented with it.”

“Live with you?” Kai asked in disbelief. “I’m going away from here?”

“You’re going to get discharged today Kai.” Sehun says and gestured a nurse to check on him.

“He’s good to go doctor plus his scratched weren’t that fatal to him anymore. They dried up considering time.” The nurse stated as she check on his parched up scars on his jaw and arm.

“That’s good to know.” Sehun replied and crossed his arms. “Since you’ve got nothing aside from that hospital gown. I’m lending you a few Korean won and also, an outfit for today.”

“Tadah!” Baekhyun squealed and handed Kai a striped shirt and pants. Kai cleared his throat. “Why do I even live with you? Couldn’t I just live by myself?”

“You shouldn’t since you still need a few medications and someone to guide you.” Sehun answered and fixed his bangs.

“That’s right! And I won’t bite you…” Baekhyun’s voice trailed low. Kai gave him a small smile. Baekhyun seemed trustworthy though and he seemed like a good person. Sehun signaled him to change as the three of them wait for him to come out. And when he did, Kai felt something.

He felt reborn.

“You look like someone who’s not sick.” The nurse cheered up. Baekhyun clapped his hands and Sehun only smiled, turning to Baekhyun. “Remember what I told you.”

“Okay.” Baekhyun responded and asked the nurse for additional advices.

“Oh and Kai,” Sehun called out when he walked towards the door. He pointed the canvas, “Go and take it with you.”

“Doctor, is it really necessary for him to bring the canvas?” The nurse seemed to worry of Dr. Oh’s decision.

“Let him have it. It’ll help him remember.”

“Yeah! And it looked like a pretty art for the apartment. It’s well done.” Baekhyun commented and examined the whole portrait. He admired the delicate brush and shades that Kai did and secretly, it amazed him. He was kind of sad since Kai was someone suffering from amnesia. He knew that the younger may be struggling but at least, there’s a good reason why.

The nurse tried to soothe herself as she mumbled a “Follow me.” To Baekhyun and Kai to settle a few papers. Sehun stared at their backs before they took a left from the hallway and completely vanished from his sight.

--

The first day of having a loud roommate like Baekhyun wasn’t such a complete torture. Baekhyun made him remember how things used to work, updated him of what had happed and what have changed and also kept telling him funny stories at work to have him entertained. With Baekhyun he felt very comfortable and light. He was glad that he got out of the hospital to have him explore what he had lost and redeem memories.

Still, no one had claimed to know him or approached him rather than Baekhyun and Sehun but Kai accepted the things they are.

Maybe what he did in his past life weren’t that essential to be worth remembering.

At night, he stared at the canvas and at the image that he painted a week ago. He wondered what has been going on his head for him to paint such unnecessary things. He glanced at the eyes of the boy whom he had painted and tried to discover who it might be.

He wanted to know if that boy’s just a product of his imagination, maybe merely abstract or just someone who he really knew.

If he knew that boy, why didn’t that boy come to see him?

Was he forgotten?

It was clear to Kai that he might’ve forgotten the poor boy but as time passed, it made no sense.

What he only realized was not the boy’s importance to him but what he noticed was that boy’s smile. It was beautiful.

Who was that boy in the canvas that made him think so much?

Was he his family? Friend? Lover?

Kai tore his gaze and avoided looking at the boy after a day of realization. As much as he wanted to know who he was in the past, he needed to start a new life. Let someone from the past find him and recognize him. So far, he’s been doing well if he kept on bothering baekhyun and learning new things rather than sulking about his history and the torturing nostalgia.

The night had come and Kai immediately jumped from his seat when he heard someone knock. The knock snatched his attention from the television.

“Baekhyun!” He almost happily pounced on baek who was holding a bag.

“Whoa are those tteokbokki?” Kai asked excitedly and helped Baekhyun remove his shoes up to the way at the kitchen. “Yep. The aroma is good right? Eat it while it’s still hot.”

Kai doesn’t say a word and gobbled the fresh tteokbokki in a single bite.

“Whoa whoa hold your horses!” Baekhyun laughed and ate his share too.

After they finished eating, Kai’s attention was immediately returned at the television. Baekhyun washed the dishes and sat beside Kai who was holding a pop corn. From few Korean mvs, the show was switched to news that got Kai thinking of something he’s been realizing for the past few days.

“Baekhyun, can I go with you?”

“I don’t go anywhere.” Baekhyun deadpanned him and replaced the channel with a  good drama at KBS. “Aish, Arirang doesn’t have a single drama.”

Kai loved watching arirang because it was more on news and more about Korea. It felt like Kai was exploring with the help of it rather than watching a drama who would just give him headaches.

“I should follow your job.” Kai started again. “So I can wander outside and also gather myself. I can spend my own money too!”

“Aigoo, you don’t even know your age and you wanted a job?” Baekhyun teased.

“Well it’s…” Kai thought harder. “I think I’m a 93’rd liner! I think we’re at the same age!”

Baekhyun snorted and slapped his arm. “What 93^rd!? I am sure I am older than you!”

“Then you agree to be my hyung?”

“Hyung my !” Baekhyun responded and ignored Kai. Kai didn’t give up on Baekhyun, he kept pestering the older until he got what he wanted, the job. Baekhyun created a fake resume and submitted it to his employer. The boss takes a quick scan at Kai and sighed.

“Well, at least there’s someone to replace Jaebum.”

Happy of the result, Kai bowed down. “Thank you so much! I will work hard!”

“Yeah yeah whatever.” The boss waved his hand as a sign of annoyance. “Baekhyun, teach him our supermarket’s basics, the packaging and arrangement.”

“Aye sir!” Baekhyun salutes and watched the boss who was roaming around the supermarket. “Don’t tell Dr. Oh that I gave you a job okay?”

Kai wanted to bug Baekhyun why but chose not to. Instead he tried to memorize everything that Baekhyun will teach him for a few hours.

--

It was already six in the evening and the customers doubled up unlike before. The mart was huge and got lots of varieties in it. If you’re not flexible enough, it might be inconvenient especially for a new employee but Kim Kai was just too hardworking for that.

He wandered around and aligned products that were out of the line. He checked on the expiration dates and entertained questions of customers. What could possibly go wrong?

There was one though.

Kai finished putting all of the kimchi’s at the shelf when he noticed a little girl from afar. He put down the box that he’s holding and walked towards the girl. The kid was eating apples what was wrong is because she’s randomly picking up the apples from the table. It was not yet even paid. He gently approached her. “Hi there baby,” He greeted. “I’m so sorry but those apples are not yet paid. Do you want me to get your eomma for her to pay for you?”

The little girl turned her attention to Kai with an apple on her hand. It had a bite on it. Kai saw the kid’s face and he couldn’t help it but to be mesmerized. The little girl had scars running down her cheeks down to her neck and right arm. She looked petite too but her cheeks were puffy and she also had big eyes.

Big eyes.

Those eyes reminded him of someone so sudden.

“Why?” Her voice was even cuter. “Do you know my eomma?”

Kai shrugged and leveled the little girl. “No.”

“But why did you want me to call her?” The kid asked innocently that almost got Kai giggling.

“It’s because that’s bad.” Kai pointed the eaten apple. “You need to pay for it first to eat it.”

The little girl pouted. “B-But eomma said I can!” Her eyes were now pooling for a moment. Kai thought that the little girl must’ve been a senator’s daughter for she was a little bratty. “Eomma said yes to me!”

Kai didn’t know how to face the little girl anymore so he stood up. “Would you lead me to eomma?”

“But I don’t know you mister.” The kid pouted once more and returned the apple back.

“I won’t hurt you.” Kai gave her a reassuring smile. “I promise.”

The little seemed to have trusted the man’s smile. She looked down and suddenly held one of Kai’s hands. He flinched at the feeling. “Eomma!” She called out and brought Kai with her.

She still held on his big palm as she draw near her mother who was just standing in front of the cashier. “Eomma! This ajjushi said I can’t eat apples here!”

“Ajjushi.” Kai almost laughed.

Another boy stiffened from his position and his wallet fell on the counter being so bothered by that voice. He slowly turned his back and faced his daughter and the salesman.

“Eomma! You said I can eat apples at the market right?”

“Oh,” Kai started, still not tearing his gaze from the young girl. “Your kid ate a few apples back there. They weren’t paid yet and it’s against our protocol. I should wrap those for your daughter.” Then he finally glimpsed at the young girl’s mother.

He looked familiar.

Even though their eyes didn’t meet, Kai could feel something weird and tingling like something’s making his heart to race.

“I’m so sorry about that.” The man answered and lowered down to level his daughter. “T-Taera, I told you that you could only do that when we’re at the market. We’re at the supermarket baby.”

“Oh.” Taera looked down and let go of his palm. “Mianheyo.” She bowed in front of Kai.

“A-Ah it’s okay.” He answered. “I must note it to all kids.” Then he gazed at the man once again but after a few observations…

“Can you pack me those apples please? You can bring them here.”

The man’s eyes were not looking straight at him but he was talking to him.

Was he blind? Or is he---

Kai ignored his thoughts and proceeded to the fruits section to do what he was asked. When he hastily gathered all the bitten apples and placed them inside the plastic bag. Contented of what he did, he  curved his head and ran---

“Yah!”

“Sorry hyung!”

Only to bump at Baekhyun.

Baekhyun scratched his nape and grabbed the bag that Kai’s holding. “Why are you in such hurry?”

“Me? You are in hurry!” Kai defended. Baekhyun was holding a lettuce. Kai pointed it, “What’s that?”

“Oh, someone ordered me to get the freshest stock. How about you?” He asked Kai and showed him the bag of apples.

“A-Ah, it’s---“

“Oh! Employee! Here!”

Both of them gazed at where the voice was coming from. It was a tall man wearing a white coat.

“Oh it’s for her.” Kai continued.

“Jinja? That must be his daughter.” Baekhyun whispered and walked towards the tall guy who had his arms embraced over the little girl.

“This is our freshest stock!” Baekhyun uttered and gave him the lettuce and the bag of apples. Chanyeol eyed him curiously. “Ah this, it’s for your daughter.”

Taera delightfully took the bag of apples and gave it to his mother.

“Ah baby, are those what Taera ate?” Chanyeol asked his wife before earning a confirmation from him. Chanyeol murmured a ‘thanks’ to Baekhyun then turned to his wife and the cashier.

“Kyungsoo-yah, are you okay? Why are you so pale?” Chanyeol asked his wife who was still stoned at his position.

Kyungsoo shrugged. “It’s nothing. Taera, you want to eat at Uncle Jongdae’s?”

Baekhyun lost their conversation as he walk back to Kai.

“Are you okay? You seem lost.” Baekhyun asked and followed Kai’s gaze. He was still intently staring at Chanyeol, Taera and Kyungsoo.

“Doesn’t he look familiar?”

“Who?” Baekhyun guessed. “Was it that doctor? I know him since he’s a very famous neurosurgeon. He was Sehun’s collegue, Med school buddies even though Sehun was a urologist.”

“Not him.” Kai wasn’t simply interested. When the couple finished paying, he noticed that Chanyeol gathered all of the groceries and Taera was guiding Kyungsoo. She muttered a few words to him as Kyungsoo tried to walk straight. Baekhyun stared at Kyungsoo seriously before he got the angle.

“Oh, that boy…he looked like the one you painted. He seriously does, I mean those lips and eyes…”

“Are you sure?” Kai asked, a bit worried. He wasn’t sure if it was really the man he painted because at first he thought it was just a product of his messed up mind but then…

“He looked kind of similar. I heard his name is Kyungsoo.”

He is kyungsoo?

“He is Dr. Park’s wife.” Baekhyun continued and crossed his arms.

“K-Kyungsoo.” Kai muttered and all of a sudden, his head started aching. He massaged his temple and tried to soothe the pain. Different scenes flashed against his mind. He was sweating and hearing things. He closed his eyes and called out for Baekhyun. “B-Baek….make the p-pain stop---“

Baekhyun called for help and worriedly kneeled in front of Kai. “Kai! Kai! Yah! Help us!” He tried to calm him but he was only making it worse. He became terrified since Kai was shouting non-stop. His veins almost popping out of his head.

“Jongin! Jongin!”

“Yah Kim Jongin! Shall we dance?”

“Stage name? Kai? Why is that when you’re just a funny painter.”

“I love you too so much Kim Jongin.”

“Jongin please stop! You’re hurting me!”

“Argh! Make the pain stop!” Kai whined as he slowly lay on the floor, creating a scene. Baekhyun called 119 with his eyes almost pooling.

“I-It hurts s-so much—“ Kai whispered before his vision became more blurry and therefore black.

---

this might sound cliche but i had my own share of twists ;)

i love the original pairings LMAO