Everyone is connected.
One's life is affected by one.
The past of one is attached to one's future.

/4/ Back to the past
[ Y E R I N ]

I look at the watch Lulu gave me. It's just an ordinary watch. Can I really afford to travel time with this? There's nothing to lose if I'll try, right?

My only wish ever since childhood was to see my parents. So if I am given the chance to go back in the past, maybe this is the time I should go back.

I wanna go back to the days where my parents still exist. I want to see and meet them. Even just a glimpse. So I clicked the buttons that Lulu told me to click to go back in time.

DATE SET TO APRIL 1996, 6:00 PM

"What now? This is too silly. I shouldn't have believed in Lulu. 30 minutes had passed away! It's late, nothing's going on! Tsk." I decided to go home. Sister Mary is probably looking out for me. I'm a fool for believing that a watch would take me back to the past. Ha! What a shame.

I was on my way home after buying a cup of coffee when I bumped into a man. I looked at him, about to apologise but he gently pats my shoulders and smiled at me. I zoned out for a moment. What was that?

I followed him with my eyes. He's wearing white blazers, wait– he's actually wearing white from head to toe. I blinked and he's gone from my sight. Huff. I shrugged it off, he's just a stranger. I don't have time for him. And I'm still in a bad mood about the watch.

I continued to walk as I sip my coffee. It was nice to walk in the evening, not too crowded and not too hot. The road is quiet but not scary. It's like the night skies are assuring you that everything will be alright, that nothing's gonna hurt you.

BEEP!!!

Suddenly, I heard a deafening sound, then there's a car sharpening through me. The scene in my eyes went like lightning. It was too fast. I just saw my coffee had drifted off. The darkness spread and I was hit by the car. I closed my eyes. Something went wrong. The heavens and night went astray.

"My back!" I cried out in pain. 

When I opened my eyes, the car was gone, my coffee was gone. All I saw was two woman standing as they stared down at me. They seemed to be talking seriously and I wasted their moment. The other girl suddenly runs. The taller girl was still looking at me. Suddenly, she straightened up and ran away too. What? They will just leave me here? Hello! Someone needs first aid!

"Hey, miss! Wait... help me!" I hysterically shout at her. Is this the first time they saw a girl get hit by a car?

The girl stopped and approached me. "Miss, are you okay? You look weird." I know. I'm not okay, because I'm in pain! But how could she tell me I'm weird?

"Of course!" I replied with sarcasm. The girl raised her eyebrows. She seemed to be hesitant about whether to help or what.

"What hurts?" She crouched down and met my eyes.

"My back ... my foot. I can't stand. Can you help me go to the hospital?" I asked softly. I could still feel the taste of my coffee as I tried to get up.

I'm trying to see the girl's face, but it's blurry. The girl picked me up and took me to the hospital. I feel so weak. My eyes shut down.

I stir up for a minute and analyse my surroundings. I knew we were in the hospital. The aura is different. The smell of medicine, the smell of pain, the smell of death is everywhere.

"Excuse me, Miss. Fill up this patient information sheet." The nurse approached with a paper. Information sheet? Ha! Toxic rules. When you're about to die, but they will not start the treatment if it is not addressed. Tsk.

"Nurse, I don't know her. I just helped her." The girl who helped me was standing by my side, she looked confused. I'm feeling dizzy but I could see that she's tall, she has long jet black hair and she's wearing a shirt that is tucked in on her faded jeans. The fashion looks old, but it looks good on her. Wait. What the heck, Yerin? You're checking out on a girl when you're about to die?

"Is that so? Can you ask the patient for me? I still have patients to tend to. Just write it here." The nurse checked me as she talked to the girl. She nodded and sat on the chair on my side.

The girl looked at me gently. She's not as bad as I thought. I feel like I can trust her.

She started asking questions about me. Some I understand, others don't. I just want to close my eyes and rest. But she suddenly raised her voice which caused me to yelp and come back to my senses.

"What's your name? Age?" 

"Huh?"

"You need to answer for the information sheet."

"Yerin Jung. 18."

She chuckled which I find amusing, she said that's because she's just one year older than me. She said I looked younger than she expected. Well, my friends always told me I have a babyface.

Now that I can see her closely, I stared at her. She was really tall, even when she's sitting. I thought she was about 20. Her smiles are warm and it makes me feel safe. And in fairness, she is nice. Maybe she was shocked and all. She thought that I was making a prank but she still helped me through.

"Your birthday," she asked again.

"April 20, 1996." The expression on her face changed.

I feel like I'm about to pass out. I'm too tired, I guess. Her face and voice are fading, but her sudden cry of words ring in my ears.

"Nurse! Please check that girl! I think she has a head injury." I heard the girl called a nurse. What is it? I have a head injury?! I have brain damage?! This girl is a fool. I just closed my eyes and let myself drift off to sleep.

_

When I woke up, it was already morning. Last night was terrible. I looked at my surroundings and saw the girl. She's still here, sleeping in a chair. Her hair is a bit messy but she looks hot. Wait. What are you thinking, Jung Yerin?

She suddenly stirs up from her sleep. Yah! She's awake! I want to close my eyes and pretend that I'm still sleeping, but I don't want to be a fool. And why would I do that?

"Oh." That's all she said. She simply checked me by her eyes and cleared .

"Good morning..." I smiled at her awkwardly. She just nods. What a shame. I'm just trying to be nice here?

"I'm going to call the doctor. " She went out of the room. I heaved a sigh when she left me alone.

I suddenly thought of my aunt. I can tell Sister Mary what happened when I get home. I'm sure that's okay. But how can I go home in the first place?

"How are you feeling?" I was surprised when someone suddenly spoke. Welp. Just the doctor. He was with the girl who helped me and she was holding some papers as she looked back at me.

"I feel better," I replied as I squeezed my leg just to check if I'm really ready to go.

"Do you remember what happened to you last night?" The doctor asked as he wrote on the clipboard.

"I got hit by a car but it's not as strong as I expected. I feel fine now." He stopped writing and looked at the girl who had taken me to the hospital.

They apologized and excused themselves for a moment. What now? Is this some kind of movie or drama when the doctor found out something he can't tell to the patient?

"Doc, I am sure she's not hit by a car!" I heard the loud scream of the tall girl, her voice lingers with wonder and concern. "Can you check her again? Maybe something is wrong."

"According to the tests administered, she is perfectly fine."

"I saw her... she fell down out of nowhere, not hit by a car. I don't know if she was in a tree or what, but I'm sure she fell." The girl shouted again but weakly, like a whisper. I could still hear them talking. What's with the tall girl? Does she have a problem with me? I'm sure I got hit by a car. That's why I'm here at the hospital.

I heard footsteps coming to the room again. "The doctor said you can be discharged now. I'll go down first to get your release order ready." She looks at me for a moment and takes a deep breath.

"Alright, thank you," I respond even though I know the meaning of her stares. I washed my face and fixed my hair. I also checked the items in my bag, nothing is missing. When I was done, I walked out of the room and saw her sitting on the row of chairs. She probably paid my bills. I owe her my life and now I literally have a debt.

"Let's go." She said then turned her back and started walking. 

We went out of the hospital. The place was a bit familiar but I didn't remember the hospital. I saw the garden where we always practised or did group work in the school. It looks like the hospital where she brought me is near.

"Hey. Yerin, right? Don't you have any guardians? Does anyone care about you? You're in the hospital all night." I suddenly remembered Sister Mary. She must be worried. I pulled out my phone to call.

"There's no signal?" I muttered to myself. "Hey, I know I owe you a lot, but can I borrow your cell phone? Mine is not working." I put my phone in the air to get a network connection but there's really none.

"Phone? What is that?" I looked at her, full of wonder.

"Huh? Don't you have any? It's like this." I put the android phone in her face. She was shocked by what she saw. Does she live in a faraway mountain? Why doesn't she know what phone is?

"Why is your face in this thing? This is the first time I saw something like this." She grabbed my cell phone and marvellously turned around as she wondered why I had my face on the screen. She looked like a kid who saw a toy. I grabbed my phone and raised it again to pick up the signal.

"You know, you're weird. First, you fell down out of nowhere. Then last night, nurses made fun of you because you said you were born 1996. Then now you showed me a ce .. what is that .. a cell phone." She laughed at her own joke. What's so weird about what I said?

"Well, I was really born on April 20, 1996."

She shook her head as she laughed. Her smiles are beautiful and her eyes are full of sparkle. My god! I don't know why I'm checking her out in this situation.

I ignored her and just looked for a network connection to call Sister Mary. Or maybe find a taxi so I can get home right away. I don't wanna be with a girl who doesn't know a cell phone and makes fun of my birthday.

"Seriously, Miss! You're so funny. You're so advanced. You are 18 years old, but you were born in 1996? Aren't you good at math? You were supposed to be born in 1978. ” She insulted me while laughing. This giraffe!

"1978?! You're the one who's not good in math!" I yelled at her as I hesitated to throw my phone at her.

"That's right! 1996 minus 1978 equals 18. And oh you said you were only 18 years old, right?"

Something has struck me. What? 1996? 1996? 1996? Am I right? Did she say 1996? Something was running through my mind, but I didn't want to believe it. Lulu. The watch. It's true? The time-travelling? As in now? I don't want to believe this, I'm not ready. Let me breathe!

"A - what? What 1996?" I asked her, a mixture of surprise and wonder lingers in my voice. Maybe she's just kidding? Deep inside, I prayed that she was just joking around.

"Yes. That's the year now. Today is April 2, 1996."

Shoot. It's really true. How did that happen? The girl looked at me with confused eyes. I avoided her stares and closed my eyes. I suddenly remembered Lulu's watch. I'm still wearing the watch! Right. I set the date in April 1996 and it's now April 2, 1996. So that means... I travelled back yesterday? Is this true? Lulu is not fooling me. I'm really back in the past.

I time travelled.