Author's note:

now...it's time for some backstory :)

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Minhyun was twenty-three years old when he first stepped foot into the Sigmund Corp building.

It was a cold winter day in the beginning of January. The snow continued to fall mercilessly from the sky, and he was sure that he’d lost the feeling in his feet the minute that he had exited the bus. As he walked the streets that would lead him to his new potential job, he blew into his hands, trying to warm them.

The city was bustling with activities at this time as office workers and pedestrians, heading over to restaurants and convenience stores for lunch, attempted to fight the cold. Minhyun himself was trying his best to not let the cold bother him in the least.

He turned a corner and there it was— the huge three-story building that was Sigmund Corp. It loomed wide and high, and Minhyun recalled his friend telling him that it had vast underground floors as well. With tinted windows and the wall’s simple white color, the building appeared mysterious and blended well with the snowy surroundings. A tall metal fence encircled the building, giving it a sense of being isolated off from the rest of the world. The company’s name could be seen easily from afar— the capitalized letters large and bold.

Sigmund Corp being in the heart of the city, Minhyun had passed it many times. Perhaps when he was going to a destination nearby, or perhaps just passing by on a bus.

But today would be the first time he went inside the building itself.

The snow crunching under his feet, he finally reached the gate. The security guard asked for his identification card and documents, which he quickly complied.

“New recruit?” the guard asked.

Minhyun nodded.

The guard looked through the papers, voice gruff as he said, “Good luck, kid. I see a lot of people coming and going these days. The selections are brutal, I hear.”

How encouraging, Minhyun thought with a forced smile. “I’ll do my best.”

“Some people even run out while sobbing their eyes out.”

“I’ll try my best not to be one of them.”

“Alrighty.” The guard handed back the card and documents. He then tipped his hat. “See ya, kid.”

“Have a lovely day, sir.”

Minhyun continued to walk. By then he noticed the crowd of people that were also making their way towards the building. He saw a few people in front of him, and the noise of crunching snow coming from behind signaled that there were also people at the rear.

But he kept his eyes fixed on the double doors of Sigmund Corp, wondering how much his life would change after this day.

It was quite a walk. The gates were reasonably far from the building itself. A couple of company cars passed by on the snowy road that led to the parking lot.

His thoughts began to wander.

Minhyun remembered how long it took for him to actually consider working at Sigmund Corp. It was an old company, dating back years and years ago. But it was only after he had graduated one year ago that he began to wonder if he should give it a chance. With a degree in psychology, he had worked at a previous firm as part of the human resources department. It was a great job with also a good pay— his rented apartment being proof of the job’s more than sufficient wage.

But then the name of Sigmund Corp began to rise. It seemed that even though it was an old company, the public just began voicing their opinions about it. There were relatives of deceased loved ones that told stories to the world— stories of the Sigmund Corp services.

Of how before passing away, the patient would smile. A smile that showed that their wish had come true, right before death.

With the Sigmund Corp technology, past regrets could be erased. Long-forgotten hopes would be rekindled and fulfilled. And a life that the patient never had— they would experience that and even more.

Minhyun wanted to be a part of all that.

Not only did he have a large desire to help people, he was also interested in the technology itself. He wondered how exactly it functioned to be able to produce such vivid memories— memories so vivid that patients believed in them without a doubt.

He had a friend who knew exactly what he wanted to know about the mechanisms of the Sigmund Corp machines— the same friend who had told him of the company’s many underground floors. Because that certain friend worked in them himself.

But information about Sigmund Corp’s technology was classified to outsiders. And Minhyun’s friend was a responsible and loyal man, not telling him anything more than the fact that the underground floors housed the company’s science and tech department— with its many labs and machinery.

So with a desire to help people, a natural curiosity, and also his friends’ encouragements (two of his friends were currently working there, and another was even interning), Minhyun finally decided to apply as a doctor candidate at Sigmund Corp.

And now here he was, with the building and its entrance plainly in view.

It was eerily silent. All he could hear was the sound of car tires on pavement and snow crunching underneath the footsteps of dozens of people.

But then something pierced though the silence. Not in a surprising and unpleasant way. Quite the opposite.

It was singing. Someone was singing.

 

 

Black dust in orbit

Cascades down like a parachute

 

 

Minhyun’s ears perked up. It was a pleasant and gentle voice. A male voice, somewhere far behind him.

 

 

Bricks on my shoulders

This gravity hurts when you know the truth

 

 

Not a very uplifting or bright song, Minhyun thought. But despite the song’s lyrics, the man sang softly and with tender care— in a somewhat calming way.

And Minhyun did feel calm, allowing himself to listen to the singing as he continued to walk. He recognized the song. It was Gallant’s Weight in Gold. After the first chorus, Minhyun wondered if the man would sing until the end.

But then the voice stopped, and he found himself feeling a little disappointed.

Silence fell again. But only for a few seconds. Soon it was filled with the sound of running footsteps— getting faster and faster and closer.

And then someone ran past Minhyun, and the latter managed to steal a quick glance.

It was only a split second— but Minhyun saw a young man with brown hair and round cheeks, running past with a bright smile on his face.

A split second later and all Minhyun could see was the man’s back and messy hair, and the bag that hung over his shoulders. Minhyun continued to watch until the brown-haired man entered through the company’s automatic doors, disappearing from sight.

Minhyun glanced over his shoulder, eyes landing on a crowd of men and women walking at a steady pace. He wondered if the singing had originated from one of the men, or perhaps from the boy that had run past him a few seconds ago.

Oh well, he thought. Turning back to the building, his gaze became more serious. Here we go.

 

 

 

 

 

The inside of Sigmund Corp was as big as he thought it would be, and he only saw the ground floor.

Upon entering, a large elevator greeted him immediately. He wondered how many floors it led to, and even wanted to steal a glance at how many buttons it had. But sadly, he had been ushered to the interview rooms the second that he stepped through the automatic doors.

The interview went fairly well. Minhyun answered honestly and as smartly as possible. The interviewers pored over his documents, giving a few nods of approval here and there, asking him about this and that. By the time it was all over, an hour had passed.

“You look highly qualified,” one of the interviewers said, also telling him that he’d be informed if he passed the initial selections. Minhyun bowed and exited the room, his mind running all over the place.

Pulling out his phone, he sent a message to one of his closest friends, informing the other that he had finished the interview.

His phone rung a minute later. Smiling, Minhyun answered.

“Hey, Jonghyun. You’re on break now?”

His friend answered with enthusiasm.

“Minhyunnie! Yeah, I just got on break five minutes ago. How was the interview?”

“Great. They said I was qualified. But they’ll tell me if I made it a couple days from now.”

“Nah, you’ll definitely make it. So I guess this means we’ll be working at the same place now.”

Minhyun chuckled. “We’ll see. So we’re all gonna meet up at the cafeteria as planned?”

“Yup, I’m walking there right now with Nayoung.”

Another familiar voice came from the speakers.

“Minhyun, congratulations!”

Minhyun’s smile grew. “Nayoung, I’m not accepted yet.”

“You’ll get in. Trust me.”

“I hope so.” Suddenly, there was a crashing sound on the other end. Minhyun blinked, furrowing his brow. “What was that?”

“Um...” It was Jonghyun’s voice again. “There’s a pair of new interns and they’re kind of too excited to be interning. Kinda causing a little havoc here.”

“Is someone hurt?” Minhyun asked, concerned.

“No, they’re fine. But me and Nayoung are gonna try to fix up this mess for a bit. We’ll see you at the cafeteria.”

“Okay.”

“I think Kyulkyung’s at the cafeteria right now, though. She went there a few minutes ago.” There was another crashing sound.

“I hope those interns are okay,” Minhyun said.

Jonghyun let out a sigh. “I hope so too.”

And the line went dead.

Minhyun looked around, seeing men and women in white lab coats. Some other people— other recruits possibly— were walking about in their usual civilian clothes. Closed doors could be seen across the hallways and Minhyun knew that he was prohibited to go into any of them.

Recruits had clearance to explore at least a portion of the ground floor, including the small cafeteria. And that was where he went.

It really was a small cafeteria. Perhaps the employees preferred to look for food in the nearby restaurants or maybe the convenience store. He was buying lunch when someone clasped him on the back.

“Minhyun-oppa!”

Minhyun glanced over his shoulder, seeing a familiar face smiling up at him. He smiled back. “Hey, Kyulkyung. How’s your interning so far?”

Joo Kyulkyung looked bright and full of energy as usual. Over a white dress shirt, she wore the intern ID card on a necklace. “It’s fun. I think I might end up working here after I graduate.”

“We might as well drag Dongho, Minki, and Aron-hyung here too.”

With a light laugh, Kyulkyung nodded. “The old gang back together, eh?”

Minhyun smiled. “Yeah.”

They took their seats at a nearby table while the room quickly filled up with both employees and recruits. Jonghyun and Nayoung joined them shortly after.

The room was alive with chattering by then. Minhyun was vaguely filled with a sense of nostalgia. It felt like they were back at campus, discussing random things at one of the many cafeterias. Or stressing out over piles of assignment.

Jonghyun held up a glass of water as he said, “Today is the day we celebrate Minhyun’s first day as a Sigmund Corp doctor.”

Minhyun let his friends do their cheers, even though of course, he had yet to receive news on whether he even passed the first selections— let alone being a doctor.

The lunch break only lasted an hour. They used the time they had to catch up with each other.

“So how’s life as head of the science department?” Kyulkyung asked, nudging Jonghyun who sat by her side.

“We just had a breakthrough,” Jonghyun said, a satisfied smile making its way to his face. “We’re fixing up a couple of major glitches and developing some new things too.”

“More details please!”

Jonghyun laughed. “You know the rules, Kyulkyung. It’s classified.” And they watched as the youngest of the four pouted.

It was admirable, really, how Kim Jonghyun rose high up in the ranks with his hard work and determination.  Minhyun wasn’t surprised, though. Jonghyun had shown his leadership skills throughout his life.

Kyulkyung then focused her eyes on Nayoung. “Congrats on your promotion too, unnie!”

Nayoung smiled. “I think this is the eleventh time you congratulated me.”

Another not-surprise was Im Nayoung rising as head of the investigation team at Sigmund Corp. Just like Jonghyun, Nayoung was a natural born leader. Minhyun remembered how their group of friends would comment that if Jonghyun and Nayoung were to get together, they would be an absolute power couple. (“So powerful to take over the whole world!” Choi Minki had said, flailing his arms for effect).

Unlike Minhyun, both Nayoung and Jonghyun applied to work at Sigmund Corp right after graduating. They easily made it through the company’s selections, afterwards rising high in the ranks of their respective departments.

It was a strange feeling. Minhyun remembered when they all wore their graduation gowns and caps together— one long year ago. And now here they were, with Jonghyun and Nayoung wearing the signature white lab coats of Sigmund Corp, and Minhyun in his usual attire— though slightly more formal for the sake of the interview.

Time really did fly by fast.

Minhyun smiled. “Everything okay in your department?” he asked.

Nayoung nodded. “It’s an old case, but we’re working on putting an end to it.”

“Is it the same one you told me about before?”

Another nod. “We’re getting to the roots of it.”

It was an old case indeed, dating back years ago. A group of Sigmund Corp employees had decided to leave the company, bringing along both data and knowledge about its technology. They began exploiting and modifying that technology for their own purposes, and even starting an illegal business. It worried Minhyun to imagine his friend investigating something so shady.

“Be careful,” he said, hearing the concern in his own voice. “Don’t do anything dangerous.”

“Don’t worry,” Nayoung replied. “I make sure to take as many precautions as possible, for the safety of the team. But really, we’ve got a couple of new leads as well and I feel that we’re getting closer and closer.” She paused. “We’ll catch them. I’m sure of it.”

Although she spoke with a somewhat firm yet flat tone (Stone Nayoung was her title, indeed), Minhyun knew her well enough to sense the determination in her voice, and the fire in her eyes. Nayoung had her mind set on the problem at hand, and Minhyun knew that she would get to the bottom of the case soon.

“But you really should be careful, Nayoung,” Jonghyun said quietly.

“Don’t worry. The team and I will be fine.”

Minhyun noted the concerned look on Jonghyun’s face. With a knowing smile, he took a sip of water before turning to his youngest friend. “So. Kyulkyung. Do tell us about your intern life at Sigmund Corp.”

“Like I said, it’s really really fun so far.” Kyulkyung clasped her hands. “I’ve been sorting through a lot of documents, and it’s really interesting to hear all kinds of stories from the employees. The doctors go through a lot of peculiar things during their jobs.” She then stifled a laugh, as if remembering something funny. “Also, there’s a pair of new interns and they’re great.”

Minhyun cocked an eyebrow. “How so?”

“Hmm... Where to begin. First off, they’re—”

Just then, a high-pitched loud cackle echoed around the room, followed by other laughter that was not quite as crazy as the first (but still particularly loud). Minhyun nearly jumped in his seat at the sound.

Kyulkyung grinned. “Well, speak of the devil.”

As the laughter continued, Minhyun whirled around in his seat, facing the direction of the noise. What he saw made him do a double-take.

It was the boy that he had seen outside the Sigmund Corp building— the boy with the brown hair and round cheeks. Now that Minhyun had a clear view, he could see the other person’s face. Eyes closed in the shape of crescents due to laughing so hard, the boy was bent over and giggling into his hand. He was seated at a crowded table on the other side of the room. Filled with laughter and chatter, the table was loud indeed.

“Who’s that?” Minhyun asked. “The one laughing really loudly.”

Kyulkyung was also glancing in the same direction. “The one with the red hair? That’s Park Woojin, the intern.”

“No, I mean the one with the brown hair.”

“That’s the other intern, Park Jihoon.”

“No no, I mean the one sitting between Park Woojin and Park Jihoon.”

“Ohhh. Hang on.” Kyulkyung paused for a bit. “I was sorting through the recruitment documents. His face was on one of them. He’s a new recruit like you, oppa.”

With a nod, Minhyun asked, “What’s his name?”

“Jaehwan. Kim Jaehwan.”

Minhyun watched as Jaehwan asked Woojin a question. Woojin replied with expressive hand gestures, with Jihoon adding in a few things here and there. Minhyun couldn’t hear what they were saying, but it must have been funny because Jaehwan was sent into another hysterical laughing fit. Both Woojin and Jihoon then began laughing as well.

“Ah,” Jonghyun then said. “Those are the two interns that caused a bit of a mess just a few minutes ago.”

“The one you were talking about on the phone?” Minhyun asked, his eyes still on the loud table.

“Yup. The two Parks.”

“What happened?”

“Let’s just say that they saw something interesting and accidentally dropped it.”

Minhyun blinked. “...I see.”

“They’re like a pair of mischievous twins.”

“Or mischievous boyfriends,” Kyulkyung suggested.

“Possibly,” Jonghyun said with a shrug. “As long as mischievous is in the description.”

“They’re really fun, though,” Kyulkyung said. “I talked to them for a bit and they’re really great.”

With a final glance at the brown-haired boy and his growingly obnoxious laugh, Minhyun turned back to his friends. He rested his chin on his hand, muttering, “I guess life at Sigmund Corp will be interesting with all of us here.”

 

 

 

---

 

 

 

Life at Sigmund Corp was, indeed, extremely interesting.

Just like his friends had predicted, Minhyun passed the first interview. He then returned to the Sigmund Corp building for subsequent interviews and psychological tests, along with health checks and various paperwork.

A week later and the official training started. In a way, it was kind of like going to college all over again. He would wake up, go to Sigmund Corp for a few lessons about the technology and how everything worked, he would write down notes and ask and answer questions, and then he would go home. For the first few days it was like that— every day of the week. The place where the lessons took place even resembled a classroom.

What he noticed on the first class was a familiar person sitting next to him. Minhyun remembered his name well.

Kim Jaehwan was seated at the desk right next to him. The young man had a serious look on his face as he listened to the instructor, jotting down a few notes, sometimes biting his bottom lip in concentration.

Minhyun glanced a few times at the shorter man, but didn’t think too much of it. Jaehwan was, after all, just someone who ran past him on the way to the building, and someone who had a very very annoying laugh. They had never even spoken to each other yet. Jaehwan had given him a polite smile when they first entered the room, but the lesson started soon after that, giving no time for small chit chat.

Writing down on his notebook as well, Minhyun listened intently to the instructor’s words.

"During the procedure— or operation, some would say— a patient relives their memories. They slip into the image of their young selves—the young selves that you as doctors would meet and interact with.” The female instructor paused and looked at the room full of potential doctors. She then continued. “They feel what happens in the memories, including emotions and everything as they happen, and they will act accordingly to how they truly feel as well. The patient experiences things just like the doctors do. So to you all, please be nice to your patients. Don't be rude."

There were a couple of nods from the doctor candidates.

The instructor then pointed to the screen located at the front of the room. On it was the image of a man with a metallic helmet covering his head. “The duration of a memory alternation procedure varies. Some procedures are short and only last for a couple hours. It could be finished in a single night. But some procedures could last for days, weeks, even a whole month.”

Murmurs were spreading across the room as the candidates looked both confused and a little shocked. Minhyun heard somebody whisper, “Being in the machine for a whole month?”

Holding up a hand for silence, the instructor continued. “Of course, doctors need to eat and do other things a normal human being needs to do. Because of the long duration of the procedure, doctors would need to resurface to the real world quite often. The food that doctors may consume in the memories aren’t real food, after all. They’re just sensations for a doctor to feel, but not actual substance. Your real bodies would still get hungry. Hungry and tired. Although it may appear that doctors are fast asleep with the helmets on their head, they’re not sleeping at all.” She pointed at the screen again. “Their minds are still working hard and actively. You could say that they’re still conscious... conscious in the memories. So for long procedures— the ones lasting for days and even weeks— doctors would need to constantly resurface to also get some real rest.”

Everyone was silent as they listened intently.

“Doctors can’t get hurt in memories. Your real bodies won’t get affected by what happens in the memories. But, I warn you, it is important to finish the procedure as soon as possible. If a patient dies while the doctors are still connected— that is, they haven’t resurfaced yet— it could send a shock to the doctors. A real, physical shock. Now that would be dangerous.”

The lesson continued on for the next hour. By the end of it, Minhyun had already filled ten pages of his notebook. His wrist also hurt from all the writing.

After the instructor left, Minhyun turned to look at Jaehwan. The shorter man was staring at the front of the room, in a daze.

Minhyun couldn’t help but chuckle. Jaehwan had that look of a student who had received an extremely long and difficult lesson, and was trying to process as much information as possible.

People were already standing up from their chairs and exiting the room. Jaehwan continued to stare blankly.

Still smiling, Minhyun decided to talk to him. “You okay there?”

Jaehwan jumped in his seat, as if remembering where he was and what he was doing. He then turned to Minhyun, blinking a couple times before answering. “Y-Yeah, I’m fine.”

“Lots of information to take in, huh?” Minhyun said. He noticed how Jaehwan had a really nice voice.

Jaehwan nodded. “I didn’t expect the first day to be this hectic.”

“It’s alright. My head’s spinning too with all the new info.”

At Minhyun’s words, Jaehwan grinned. “Then I guess we’re on the same boat then.”

After a short moment of thought, Minhyun held out his hand. “I’m Minhyun. Hwang Minhyun.”

Jaehwan’s smile grew as he took the other’s hand, giving it a firm and enthusiastic shake. “I’m Jaehwan! Let’s work hard on becoming doctors!”

Minhyun smiled back. “Let’s.”

He had expected candidates to be competitive and a little wary of each other. The selections to be a Sigmund Corp doctor was, after all, extremely brutal (as he had heard from a certain security guard and also from various anecdotes). But here was Jaehwan, spreading his positive energy and encouragement.

Suddenly, two voices joined them.

“Jaehwan-hyung!”

“Hyung!”

Minhyun looked up to see Park Woojin and Park Jihoon standing in the doorway. The room was already empty of other candidates.

Woojin waved from afar. “Hyung, are we gonna get dinner or what?”

“Hyung, I’m hungry!” Jihoon said, clutching his stomach.

Jaehwan laughed. “Yeah, yeah! Wait!”

“Your friends?” Minhyun asked.

“Yeah. After the first interview, I met them on the way to the cafeteria. They’re great.”

“Well, I wouldn’t want to keep them waiting,” Minhyun said, slipping his notebook into his bag. Wow, he really did feel like a college kid all over again.

“You wanna join us?”

The sudden offer took Minhyun by surprise, for just a bit. “No, it’s fine. My head’s hurting a little so I think I should get some rest.” He had tried to ignore the headache that had started in the middle of the lesson. Maybe he didn’t get enough sleep last night.

“Aw, okay. Hope you feel better tomorrow.”

“Hyuuuuung!”

“Jihoon’s gonna turn into the Hulk if he doesn’t get food soon, hyung!”

Jaehwan stood up, slinging his bag over his shoulder. “Alright, alright!” He gave Minhyun another wave as he made his way to the front of the room. “It was nice meeting you!”

“It was nice meeting you too, Jaehwan.”

Minhyun watched as Jaehwan slung his arms over both Woojin and Jihoon’s shoulders, leading them out into the hall. He could hear their voices echo across the room.

“Alright, you two rascals, where do you wanna eat?”

“I’m in the mood for extra spicy ramyeon.”

“Jihoon, do not.”

Glancing at his watch, Minhyun saw that it was already well past six in the evening. He stood up, already eager for his bed and hours of well-deserved sleep.

 

 

 

---

 

 

 

Weeks passed. And then months. Minhyun learned more and more about the company and the lives of a Sigmund Corp doctor. Soon, the doctor candidates would go through their first simulations— which would also be the test that determined whether they were capable enough to continue or would be cut from any further selections.

Minhyun met Jaehwan often during those months of training, but not often enough to actually know him that well. From the schedule that Sigmund Corp had given them, there were few moments where they were at the same place at the same time. There were, after all, hundreds of doctor candidates.

But from the short time and brief conversations that he had with Jaehwan, he learned a couple things about him.

Jaehwan was a year younger, was also a psychology graduate (from a different university), and was a very very loud person.

Kim Jaehwan was the owner of what must have been one of the world’s most hysterical laughs. Back at the cafeteria, Minhyun had already thought it was loud from all the way across the room. Having Jaehwan laugh right next to your ear, on the other hand, was something entirely different.

To be frank, Minhyun felt that his eardrums were going to explode at that moment.

It wasn’t just that. Jaehwan had certain tendencies when he was feeling excited. Sometimes he would speak really fast. Sometimes he would trip over his own feet. (Minhyun never thought that it was actually possible. But the second that he saw Jaehwan’s left foot stepping over the right foot, causing the young candidate to actually stumble, Minhyun was proved wrong.)

And Jaehwan was messy. It was something that Minhyun had discovered on the third month of training, just a couple weeks before the first simulations.

And it wasn’t the only discovery of that night.

That certain and momentous night, Minhyun was bent over his laptop, eyes glued to the screen as he typed. Most of the Sigmund Corp employees had returned by then, only leaving behind a few people who were determined to finish up their work before heading home.

It was ten minutes past nine when Minhyun finally finished up his report. It was mandatory for doctor candidates to submit a report of their progress by the end of each week, and Minhyun felt that he worked faster when in the Sigmund Corp building itself.

He packed up his laptop, rubbed his eyes, and began making his way to the elevator. Most of the little work station rooms were already empty, including the one had been working in for hours. He passed a couple of them before reaching the elevator.

He pressed the elevator button that would take him downstairs, yawning a little while he waited.

And then he heard the singing.

 

 

I think I’m drowning

Asphyxiated

 

 

The voice wafted through the empty halls, echoing and ringing in his ears. He recognized the voice. During the hectic weeks of training, he had tucked it somewhere in the back of his mind. But now that he heard it again, he was brought back to the first day he walked towards the Sigmund Corp building— where a soft singing voice calmed down his nerves and uneasiness.

It was the same voice. He was absolutely sure of it.

 

 

I want to break the spell

That you’ve created

 

 

The elevator had reached his floor by then, accompanied by a small ding. He ignored it, instead choosing to whirl around and chase the direction of the voice. All sleepiness was gone by then.

 

 

You’re something beautiful

A contradiction

I want to play the game

I want the friction

 

 

He had reached the other end of the hall, coming upon a dimly lit room filled with cubicles. A couple of people were still seated there, typing away furiously at their laptops.

And in front of him, Minhyun saw the back of the man who sang, seated a couple of meters from where he stood. The owner of the voice he had been quietly curious about.

It was dark. The lights were barely on and Minhyun had trouble adjusting his eyes to the darkness. He could barely even make out the person that was in front of him. All he saw was a silhouette against the bright yet soft light of a laptop.

But it was okay. Minhyun leaned against the doorway, listening to the young man sing. It seemed that the other occupants of the room didn’t mind the singing either, some even tapping their fingers to the slow beat of the song.

 

 

You will be

The death of me

Yeah, you will be

The death of me

 

 

Minhyun couldn’t hold back anymore. With a smile, he spoke.

“That’s quite a voice you got there.”

The man jumped in his seat, ending the song abruptly. Then he turned around to face Minhyun.

What Minhyun saw made his jaw drop. He suddenly felt like turning on his heels and running in the opposite direction, far far away from there.

“Kim Jaehwan?”

Jaehwan had a huge grin on his face, giving a little wave. “Minhyun-hyung! You’re here too?”

“You were singing,” Minhyun said, as if it wasn’t obvious. He was still trying to wrap his mind around the fact.

“Yup. I really like that song. Muse is my muse.”

“I— Um. You—” Minhyun was trying to form proper words. He wasn’t usually like this. Finally, he blurted, “You’re really good at singing.”

The grin on Jaehwan’s face grew, his eyes crinkling into crescents. “Thanks!”

In a way, Minhyun wondered why he didn’t realize it before. Maybe because he only heard Jaehwan sing for an extremely brief time during their first day at Sigmund Corp, or maybe because he was too focused on Jaehwan being loud and noisy— that it overshadowed the fact that Jaehwan had a really soft voice that sounded just like the soft voice that sang Weight in Gold.

Whatever the reason, now he knew who the owner of the voice was. It was Jaehwan. Kim Jaehwan, who was now smiling happily right in front of him.

Minhyun was then aware that he hadn’t spoken for seconds. He cleared his throat. “You’re not going home yet?”

Jaehwan shook his head. “No, not yet. I wanna finish this up first.” He pushed himself back on his wheeled chair, gesturing to the laptop on the desk.

But what Minhyun focused on wasn’t the laptop. He was focused on anything but the laptop.

Jaehwan’s desk was a total mess. There were at least two empty cups of coffee with the lids off, and they were both lying on the sides. Minhyun even saw some leftover coffee that had spilled onto the wood below. It wasn’t just that. There were papers scattered everywhere, some piled on top of each other, some crumpled up and lying at random spots on the desk. Various writing utensils also accompanied the already messy sight— pencils, pens, and erasers spread out.

And it wasn’t just the desk. Minhyun also saw Jaehwan’s backpack lying by his feet, its contents spilling out through the ped opening. Some stray papers— that probably fell from the desk— also surrounded the backpack.

It was all a horrifying sight for Hwang Minhyun. He just could not— simply could not— tolerate such a sight. It sent shivers down his spine, caused his fingers to twitch. He wanted to dive in there and tidy everything up until it was all nice and organized and not all over the place and—

“I found that singing helps me when I’m writing,” Jaehwan was saying, slightly cutting through Minhyun’s thoughts.

Minhyun nodded stiffly, forcing on a smile. How in the world did Jaehwan even manage to work in that disaster? “Yeah. Working hard on your report, I see.”

“You finished yours, hyung?”

Even though it hurts, I smile, Minhyun was internally screaming. “Yeah. I just finished a couple minutes ago.”

Jaehwan hummed. “Must be nice.”

“You still have a lot to write?”

“Nah, just about another two pages then I’m done.”

“That’s great. You should go home soon. It’s getting really late.”

And clean up that mess, quickly.

“Yeah, hyung. I will.”

Minhyun couldn’t stand seeing the clutter anymore. But he held himself back. He wasn’t that close to Jaehwan to actually be touching and organizing his belongings. He didn’t want to come off as rude.

So he just continued to smile and quickly said, “Well, I guess I’ll get going. Good luck on your report, Jaehwan.”

“Thanks, hyung!”

“Oh, and...” Minhyun had located the light switch on the wall next to him. Although he was itching to leave quickly, he was still concerned with the fact that Jaehwan and the room’s occupants were bent over bright laptop screens in the dark. “I’ll turn on the lights, okay? You guys are gonna hurt your eyes if you continue working like this.”

Jaehwan looked around. “Ah. We were all in here since the evening. I guess none of us realized how dark the room got. Or even saw the sun setting.”

Minhyun sighed. “This is really unhealthy. I’m turning on the lights.”

“Hyung, wait—”

Minhyun flipped the switch, and bright light filled every nook and cranny of the room. Jaehwan shielded his eyes, and Minhyun could hear some other people screaming “My eyes!” and “I’m blind!” and “Aargh!”. He even heard someone hissing.

Jaehwan, squinting his eyes and letting them adjust, whispered, “I think we’ve all become vampires.”

“Don’t work in the dark,” Minhyun simply said. “Good night, Jaehwan.”

 

 

 

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The first simulations were in two days. The doctor candidates were skittish, wondering who their assigned partner would be.

To perform a memory procedure, the efforts of two doctors would be combined. It was impossible to do alone. The instructors had informed the candidates that experts at Sigmund Corp were in the delicate process of pairing up doctors to be temporary partners for the simulations. Partners that would be compatible with each other, that would fit with each other well.

It was only temporary partners. It wasn’t as if they were going to stay with the same person forever. If things didn’t work out, they would even be able to find another partner.

That is, if they made it through the simulations in the first place.

Minhyun had voiced his concerns to his friends one day, at a café shop near Sigmund Corp. He needed a change of atmosphere, so here they were.

“The experts would pair me up with someone similar to me, right?” Minhyun asked, taking a long sip of water. He and the others were seated at the corner of the room, with a round table heaped with donuts in front of them.

Jonghyun and Nayoung glanced at each other, as if wondering whether to answer honestly or not.

They settled on Jonghyun vaguely saying, “They’d pair you up with someone that’s suitable.”

Minhyun sighed. He wasn’t really expecting a clear answer.

Kyulkyung chewed on a donut. “Are you hoping for a Minhyun 2.0 or something?”

“Not exactly,” Minhyun said, absentmindedly playing with the straw of his drink. “Just... It’s easier to work with someone who’s not so different from you, right?”

“Hmm...” Kyulkyung continued to chew.

Nayoung then spoke up. “The pairs are decided through careful consideration of your previous interviews, psychological tests, weekly reports, and other components. Whoever your partner will be...” A pause. “He or she should be able to work with you.”

Another vague explanation. Minhyun nodded nonetheless. It was still comforting to be with his friends, at least. “Thanks, guys.”

“Good luck, Minhyun.”

“We wish you the best, Minhyun.”

“Minhyun-oppa! Introduce me to your partner after you meet him or her!”

 

 

 

 

 

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Authors end notes:

- I think we can all guess who Minhyun’s “temporary” partner is :)

- More minhwan backstory in the next chapter, but we'll be going back to Daniel's memories too

- Pledis family is love, Pledis family is life

- You can expect a 2park To the Moon AU spin-off ;)

- Jaehwan really did sing Gallant’s Weight in Gold and Muse’s Time is Running Out asdfghjkl you guys should check out his covers if you haven’t yet ㅠㅠ