One Year Later 

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I was finally getting discharged after a year. It took a year. I pretended the whole time that I was over Min-ji, but I wasn't. I never will be. As for my overall health I'm recovering well I guess. My face and arm looks like it's back to normal with the skin grafts. Physical therapy after the healing of my leg along with the healing of my ribs was hard, but I succeeded and am now walking with a cane. The doctors and physical therapists said if I keep up, I could lose the cane within a few months. 

I've been waiting for this day, I can finally see my Min-ji, they said that I am able to go home with her. "Ready?" Nurse Yi asks. She's been a saint from the beginning. "I can't wait to see her." Her smile went away. "What's wrong?" "You're not going home with Min-ji." I tilt my head confused. "Then where am I going?" Before she could respond an older female version of me came barging into the room. "Oh, Jong-in!" I was taken aback by the hug. I knew this woman the instant I saw her: my mother. But something in me tells me we don't get along. She cups my face and looks at me. Tears I could tell were false fills her eyes. "You're okay! I was told that you were dead! Thank God  Min-ji told Jennie what really happened to you."

I wanted to die. Min-ji told Jennie? "Who's Jennie?" "You're fianceé of course! Jennie come in here." A petite girl with way too much makeup and designer clothes with sky high high heels comes into the room. She didn't look up from her phone. To be honest I don't think I've seen anyone text as fast as she does. "Jennie?" My mother calls. Jennie looks up from her phone and gasps. It was more of a gasp of disgust then a shocked you-are-okay gasp. She quickly put on a concerned look knowing that my mother was watching. "Oh, baby!" She tosses her phone in her designer bag. She runs over and throws her arms around my neck I wince a little because I was still in a little pain. "I'm so glad you're okay, all I thought about was you." I highly doubt that. 

I pushed her off of me and my mother gasps. "From what I could remember I was forced into a relationship with you. I wanted to tell my best friend how I felt about her but you, my so-called mother told me I couldn't talk to her anymore!" I didn't mean to raise my voice but I was hurt. "Don't be daft!" My mother scolds me. "To be honest I'm shocked you even remember they said you had selective amnesia." "Well things are slowly coming back. But it doesn't matter I'm in love with someone else. Though she says that we were friends in the past and she's told me stories, stories of our past. Her name is Min-ji." Jennie rolls her eyes. "You really are an idiot. Min-ji is your best friend. She's telling you these stories because you two were friends." 

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It was first grade and Jong-in couldn't find anyone to sit with. Everyone either ignored him or was just comfortable with their own friends that they didn't want to invite anyone new. There was one table with a little girl sitting by herself, pigtails in her hair, in the girl version of the school uniform. Though for six years old he was mesmerized by her, it was what she was reading that caught his attention. He walks up to the girl and says, "Rollpanna is my favorite." The girl looks up from her book and smiles. "You like Anpanman?" Jong-in smiles. "One of my all time favorites!" "Have a seat." The girl invites and Jong-in sits across from her. "I'm Min-ji." She says introducing herself. Jong-in smiles. "I'm Jong-in." "Well, Jong-in I can tell we're going to be the best of friends." He smiles. "Me, too."

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"Where is she? Where's Min-ji?" I demand. I need to tell her that I remember. I remember us. I also remember that my mother was the one who snatched her away from me. "Does it matter, she left you." "The only reason she did it was because she thought it was for the best. She would never intentionally do this. So, I'm going to ask again. Where. Is. She?" "I don't know and I honestly don't care. You're going to go home with Jennie and we're going to move on with the wedding plans." 

I remember the reason why she wanted me to marry Jennie. Her family was very wealthy and our business was going under. "No. Not happening. I would rather be homeless than to live with either one of you. I'll find Min-ji on my own." I was so upset that I stormed out of the room, not needing my cane. The only thing I carried with me was my bear, the bear that would bring us back together again.

But I just realized something. I don't know where she is. I also don't have my phone. I don't have any money so I have to walk five miles to the nearest internet cafe. But when I get there I log onto the computer and search her name where she might be located, but I got nothing. It's like she never existed. I begin to cry. Did this situation hurt her that much that she decided to wipe herself out of the world completely? I mean I know she wanted what's best for me, but this is too much; I need her. "Where are you, Min-ji?"