“Chaeyeon?”

A sweet voice calls, yet it feels unfamiliar to her.

Who’s Chaeyeon?

She opens her eyes in an attempt to see the voice calling. Successfully opening her eyes and felt blinded by a soft, dim light. Taking quite a few seconds for her eyes to adjust once she finally did, in front of her is a girl crying, even though she’s still crying the girl remains beautiful.

Where am I?

“Can you hear me? Chaeyeon-ah?” the girl asks her desperately waiting for an answer.

That must be her name. Chaeyeon.

Confused, with the situation and the unfamiliar place around her. ‘Chaeyeon’ felt dry and rough.

Water. She needs water. The thought of water relieving her parched throat made her try to speak, though unsuccessful. 

“Do-don’t push yourself, I’ll call the doctor,” she said before running off, leaving her alone in a rather warm-looking room.

With great effort she tries to move her head, failing miserably. Only to feel the medical apparatus that are hooked in her body and to hear the beeping sound of the machine beside her.

It only could mean something, herself got into an accident and it was rather serious.

In an attempt to remember the reason why she is here in the first place, was only met with her mind in a painful throb. No after image flashed before her mind, not even a single memory. By the looks of it, she has gotten amnesia.

Great.

The girl earlier who ran might be her family member or even worse someone dear to her.

‘Chaeyeon’ curses the fact she’s lying here helplessly. Capable of nothing, she couldn’t even remember anything about herself. She already feels exhausted.

Hearing the nearing footsteps outside. She immediately faked on sleeping, she doesn’t know but it was an automatic mechanism of her.

“Hyewon, are you sure she’s awake? She’s still on her sleeping state,” the ‘doctor’ said in a rather worried tone.

Hyewon. That girl’s name must be Hyewon.

“I was sure she was awake earlier. She even tried to speak to me! Ch-Chaeyeon was awake I’m sure of it.”

Now she feels bad for the girl named ‘Hyewon’, should she stop pretending sleeping? It feels like she’s on the verge of breaking down.

“I know it must be hard for you… but please sleep also its been nine months you’ve been like this and this is already the seventh time you said she was awake.”

Nine months? That’s a long period. Chaeyeon is quite sure Hyewon is a family member. No one would take care of someone bedridden for nine months as a lover.

The doctor took her leave, sighing heavily as she closes the door.

And that all it took for the girl to cry. Chaeyeon couldn’t feel but guilty tries to speak up once again, even though feels like a scorching desert.

“Hy-hyewon,” she croaked.

That took better than she thought, at least better than her mummering some incoherent words like earlier. The girl turns around, a surprised look on her face. Hyewon is utterly shocked by how she’s awake. She didn’t hesitate to open the door to call once again the doctor but stopped as Chaeyeon calls her out.

“Don’t… doctor.”

Those two words all it took for Hyewon to stop, hesitant on whether calling the doctor or not.

Chaeyeon feels stupid with her decision, maybe it's due to the fact she’s scared. Scared of knowing what’s happening with her. Her heart palpitated as all the possibilities rushed through her mind, rather imaginative.

Hyewon went closer to her and held her hand, still sobbing.

“I thought you’ll never wake up… Chaeyeon,” the girl sounded fragile to her, broken with her state.

Chaeyeon shakes her head weakly, but it took most of her energy.

“You just thought of that… ahaha” Chaeyeon responded in a joking manner, it felt for a second that she must make the girl in front of her smile. It was an unusual feeling, maybe she feels guilty for earlier or it might have to do with her memories. Either way, it was for this Hyewon girl.

Hyewon frowned immediately. Chaeyeon stopped laughing.

That was a stupid decision for her. She’s making light of the state she’s in and just by looking Hyewon’s outer appearance, she looked tired. She could even tell that Hyewon wasn’t sleeping nor eating well… just because of her.

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine… it just reminded me of the past.”

Chaeyeon remained quiet. She couldn’t bring up about the past Hyewon is talking about, know she doesn’t know any of it.

Hyewon smiles warily. It was enough for Chaeyeon to see she has doubts if she should let her do want she wants or more logically call the doctor. Oddly, Hyewon chose the latter and stayed by her side. As if with small gestures she could identify what she truly wants.

“Get some sleep. When you wake up, I’ll call the doctor,” Hyewon gives her one last warm smile before she sleeps kneeling beside Chaeyeon, holding her hand, tightly as if she was scared that she will be gone by the next time.

“Hyewon?”        

Hyewon never responded. Maybe due to her lack of sleep, she’s knocked out. 

With an unidentifiable emotion in her heart swelling, Chaeyeon sleeps right after the girl. Still weak from her nine months of sleep.