CHAPTER 4:

 

 

- Are you awake?

Sunghoon stares blankly at Jiwon. He is still unfamiliar, so he does not have the intention to start talking. Sunghoon runs his eyes over the room and turns his body to look around. This house is not familiar to him, he sighs softly.

- Sunghoon, I’ll cut the fruit for you.

- ...

As soon as seeing the knife, Sunghoon suddenly becomes frightened. He moves back, shrivels whole his body up and shouts out loud:

- No! Don’t kill him!

Jiwon throws the knife away, sits down on the bed, then embraces Sunghoon in his arms. All over Sunghoon is trembling, the sweat gland secretes very strongly. Sunghoon reaches for his two legs, places his chin on the knees, huddles as much as possible and his face also begins to change. Jiwon so gets into a state of panic when he does not understand what is happening that he can only hug Sunghoon. He neither asking nor saying anything, just collects all the warmth from his body, then tries to switch to Sunghoon’s body which is getting cold.

- Please don’t...

- I don’t do anything. I only give you a little fruit. Sunghoon, don’t be afraid.

The tears that Jiwon cannot dominate flow down on his cheeks. Sunghoon slowly keeps calm and looks up at Jiwon. He starts at realizing the corner of Jiwon’s eyes are still full of tears then asks:

- Why do you cry?

- No... Nothing.

Sunghoon is silent and docile like a kitten. He does not know why, but when he is by Jiwon’s side, he can feel something very familiar, along with the sense of security by being protected. Sunghoon grabs Jiwon’s sleeve and snatches it then gives Jiwon a question:

- Who really are you?

- I’m... Eun Jiwon.

- Jiwon ... What’s the relationship between you and I? Why do you want Jiyong to let you take care of me?

The relationship... Jiwon does not know how to answer Sunghoon. What is their relationship? Friends, good brothers, each other’s lover? Everything is too vague, is not it?

- You don’t have to ask such things. You only need to know one thing.

- What is it? - Sunghoon wonders.

- All this life I will always love you, worry about you and protect you.

.

Jaeduk and Suwon are on the way to somewhere unknown. Actually Suwon only wants Jaeduk to take him around to relax his mind.

- Are you still angry with Jiwon-hyung?

- How about feeling angry? How about not? - Suwon boils over with suppressed anger.

- Why do you answer me with such attitude?

- I'm sorry *courts fondling* - But why didn’t you let me take Sunghoon away? Why did you keep dragging me home?

- Do you think you can get Sunghoon from Jiwon's hands?

- Why not? Do you think I don’t dare to hit him?

- Jang Suwon, he's our brother.

Suwon bears a grudge:

- You just wanna defend Jiwon-hyung.

- Nope. Do you know how much stronger Jiwon-hyung is? I only wanna protect you.

- Do you think I’m weak?

- Suwon ya~

- I’ll not say anything more.

Jaeduk also has nothing else to say. In friends’ group, Jiwon and Suwon are the best stubborn people, so no one can blame when two of them from time to time confront each other.

- Jaeduk-hyung…

- What are you going to say next?

- Nothing.

Jaeduk suddenly draws Suwon towards him, kiss loudly Suwon’s cheek, then bares his teeth in a grin and says:

- If you’re not obedient, I’ll leave you right in the middle of the road.

.

Jiwon quietly takes away all the knives in the kitchen, he worries that they will panic Sunghoon again.

"No! Don’t kill him!”

Who is “him”? Jiwon suddenly remembers the days when he tried to follow Sunghoon through every corner of the city to make sure Sunghoon was not going to face anything, then he witnessed that Sunghoon was injured in a fight due to a personal conflict between two heads of the underworld, Sunghoon’s arm certainly still have a scar now. That night, Jiwon could not do anything to help but rushing into the dogfight and took Sunghoon for a run. In the world of gangsters, it is normal to have a weapon that harms one another, even dispossesses their life mercilessly.

“Was the shock Sunghoon encountered related to the underworld?"

Jiwon thinks that he is right. Maybe during two wandering years, Sunghoon threw himself again in that evil and merciless world. Jiwon sighs, comes close Sunghoon at this moment is reviewing the Photobook that Jiwon gives to him – the last-10-years Photobook when the group playing together had been still enough six members, before Jiyong left silently. Jiwon whispers:

- Sunghoon, can you recognize anyone?

Sunghoon points his finger at Jiyong and says:

- This’s Jiyong. I can recognize him.

His slender finger slowly goes to the next face.

- And this is you, Eun Jiwon.

Jiwon rejoices greatly.

- You can recognize me?

- Is this really last-10-years photos?

- What happen?

- You haven’t changed.

Jiwon bursts out laughing and deny with a shake of the head. He always feels sensitive about compliments, but is that a compliment? Jiwon scratches his head and looks puzzled.

- It’s only that… your face looks more “plump” now.

“Hey…”

- Is this me?

- Yes, it’s you.

Sunghoon looks at himself in every photo, then unexpectedly smiles. He smiled. In Jiwon’s eyes, although Sunghoon’s smile went through how many years for the rise and fall, struggling with tiredness and hardship, it still never lost the sweet beauty that inherent in it. Today, Jiwon again could witness the angel in his eyes came back. Jiwon really wants to hug Sunghoon, comfort Sunghoon and tells him that just smile a lot when feeling glad and also cry a lot when feeling sad, because everything will be alright, Jiwon has been here. Being quiet and keeping sitting next to Sunghoon to silently follow every gesture on his face, Jiwon believes he is very happy.

- And… how about these three people?

- This is Jaeduk. This is Jaejin. And this Suwon, the youngest. You are older than Jiyong and Suwon a few months. Three of you have the same age.

Sunghoon stops the eyes a few seconds, then shake his head because of depression and says:

- I can’t remember. But they’re like you, I feel they’re very familiar.

- You will all remember. Don’t worry.

- Are you sure?

Sunghoon looks curiously at Jiwon. Jiwon’s heart has just missed a beat.

- Don’t you trust me?

Sunghoon is still discreet, but he realizes that Jiwon has cared for him, looked after him and also worried about him very much, those actions even start from Jiwon’s heart that he somehow can feel them. Sunghoon wonders himself whether he should believe in Jiwon.

Jiwon does not take his eyes off Sunghoon’s face pondering on the answer anxiously, because Jiwon is also waiting for it.

- If I trust you, will you help me look back on?

- You don’t trust me, it’s no matter, but you have to trust yourself.

- So I trust you.

The doorbell rings again. Hearing that it is unlocked, Jaeduk comes in. Sunghoon knits his brows and looks at Jaeduk, have a good look at Jaeduk’s appearance from head to toe, from nose to lips and every feature carefully.

- Are you Jaeduk?

Jiwon and Jaeduk both jump out of their skin because of Sunghoon’s question. Jaeduk smiles like having a good crop, walks quickly forward Sunghoon and wants to confirm what he has just heard one more time. Sunghoon opens his eyes widely and repeats the question making Jaeduk sighs with relief and replies:

- Yes, I am.

Jaeduk glances at Jiwon now cannot close his mouth since he is very happy. Honestly Jiwon will be the happiest person when Sunghoon’s memories are little by little well again.

- Wait a moment. I and Jaeduk-hyung’ll be back.

.

- What’s up hyung?

Jaeduk goes out with Jiwon. It seems that Jiwon is encountering a little bit stress and he cannot find out the way to show his problem. Jaeduk naturally also feels nervous.

- Is there anything serious?

- Nope, just… Jiwon hesitates a few seconds – I think that before being lost memories temporarily, the moral shock that Sunghoon had faced was related to the underworld. It’s maybe a murder right in front of him.

- What do you say? Why can you affirm like this?

- I don’t dare to affirm, but…

Jiwon tells Jaeduk the story happening at noon about the knife and the strange statement which was talked by Sunghoon when he was plunged into an awful panic.

- Jiwon hyung!

Jaeduk immediately interrupts after hearing the whole story.

- Jiyong said that Sunghoon had just lost his memories two weeks ago.

- That… That’s right – Jiwon can feel something not fine.

- Sunghoon will be in danger if they still find him.

- For what?

- Shutting him up.

.

Jiwon rather slow backs home. The words “shutting him up” just continuously resounds in his mind. If that problem was happening or it was going to happen, how can he estimate it to let Sunghoon always safe and sound? A mass of questions keeps sticking to Jiwon which makes he cannot focus on the present, unexpectedly clashes the corner of the table.

- Aishhh~~

- Jiwon-hyung, are you okay? – Sunghoon’s voice resounds from the kitchen.

- I’m okay. Sunghoon!

Jiwon runs into the kitchen and sees Sunghoon is making tea. Sunghoon pours tea into a medium glass, gives it to Jiwon and says happily:

- Drink it!

- Why do you suddenly…?

- What? Because I don’t want to sit still.

Jiwon suddenly remembers today he has to take Sunghoon to the hospital for the periodic checking as far as what Jiyong said. Jiwon takes light steps forward Sunghoon being engrossed in washing glasses now with the wet face because of water drops from the tap splashing all over. Jiwon bursts out laughing, turn off the tap, then turns Sunghoon on his side. Sunghoon starts, looks at Jiwon and does not wink his eyes. Jiwon hurriedly draws out a tissue on the dining-table, both wipes Sunghoon’s face covered in water and “blames”:

- I don’t ask you to do such things.

- But having lived in your house, I can’t let you do everything for me.

- Ba-bbo, I like it. Just relax, don’t do anything.

Jiwon reaches a comb near there, wipes it carefully, then slowly uses it to brush Sunghoon’s hair and says some sweet and cheesy statements:

- This comb, you had used it before and I’ve kept it until now. Forget it! You see, your hair is wet and also tangled.

- Let me do it myself. *wave hand to take the comb*

- Sunghoon…

Jiwon stops doing and looks attentively at Sunghoon who at this moment is still cannot pause getting bewilder.

- Stand still, will you?

Sunghoon is docile like a kid at once. Jiwon’s attitude is just both composed and fearful, but it is also still warm to Sunghoon, Sunghoon does not know how to react, only can resign himself to be obedient.

“Eun Jiwon may not a bad person?”

- In a short while, we’ll go to the hospital for checking, ok?

Hearing the word “hospital”, Sunghoon is frightened out of his senses. The drug smell in hospital has come up to Sunghoon many times that makes him always uncomfortable and obsess every time he left there. Sunghoon never wants to back to the hospital. He shakes his head very firmly and leaves for the living-room.

- Come on Sunghoon, only this time, ok…?

- Jiyong also talked to me like that, always! *pouts*

- Go there just a moment. What you want, I’ll pamper you all.

Sunghoon thinks about it thoughtfully. Jiwon was whether indeliberate or not that Sunghoon does not know clear, but he caught Sunghoon’s innermost soul. Actually, it is because Jiwon understands Sunghoon. That day, if Sunghoon had to do something he dislike, he will force Jiwon to exchange one condition. Sunghoon sits quietly more a little bit, then his eyes are suddenly bright. He replies to Jiwon:

- Stroll the streets, ok?

Jiwon is frozen, as if there was a cold wind blowing quickly through his body. Does it coincide like that? Jiwon hesitates. He does not know how to describe what dangerous can happen because everything is still a supposition from Jaeduk. Furthermore, if he refused to go for a walk, what would be the most convincing reason for Sunghoon?

“You need to take a rest? I’m busy? Both obsolete reasons.”

Sunghoon is very sensitive. Jiwon is afraid that Sunghoon will know he tells lies. Finally, Jiwon is reluctant to agree, just because he is concerned about Sunghoon’s safety but does not want to let Sunghoon’s spirit affected.

- It's a deal!

Sunghoon closes his eyes and smiles in happiness, forage for clothes in the wardrobe and takes out the most satisfied one. Actually, it is Jiwon’s clothes, because the day Jiyong saw Sunghoon unconscious, Sunghoon had nothing with him.

- Can I borrow it?

- Alright. All my things are yours.

- Huh? Really?

"It’s you saying that.”

Jiwon quickly clears some stuff disordered on the floor, then drives his car to in front of the garage. It is only a preparation in advance since Jiwon does not know clear that he will have to wait for Sunghoon until when.

Later thirty minutes…

- I’m coming.

- Still so long for you to prepare.

- I must look at myself in mirror and brush my hair carefully.

Jiwon bursts out laughing (again) and rub Sunghoon’s head that makes Sunghoon screams out loud, both the sky, the ground, the trees and birds are like shake violently.

- You ruffled my hair!

- You’re still pretty. Let’s go.

Two people start going to the hospital. They have completely felt comfortable to wait for a good result.