Jongkook takes up Sechan’s advice and decides to make small talk with Jihyo — anything just to get rid of the lingering tension in the house.

It’s only been a week or so, but Somin has already become much closer to Jihyo, more than he ever expected, and he becomes the odd one out. It’s a welcoming sight, considering Somin’s been struggling with hate on a show with big shoes to fill. In an interesting turn of events, perhaps Jihyo’s appearance might do the younger woman good as well. 

Unfortunately, he hadn’t thought this far when he decided to offer Jihyo a place to stay, but how do you make conversation with the woman who can’t recognize you?

“You know, I can lend you my old phone.” Jongkook says, watching Jihyo read one of Somin’s books. He’s itching to make a comment about how she would never be caught dead with a book in the past, but holds back so things won’t get complicated. “It won’t have Internet, but it’s easier if Somin wants to call you.”

“It’s fine, I don’t want to impose.” Jihyo shakes her head, bowing politely. “I don’t think I need one.” 

“You’re welcome to use anything here. We could watch a movie or catch up on some shows.” The television is off, but he could use Netflix so they won’t run into the problem of seeing him or Somin by accident.

“Thank you for your offer.” Jihyo glances down at her lap, aware of the thick tension between them. “But I’m not good at pop culture. I wouldn’t be able to enjoy it very well.”

She’s exactly the same as before, even if she hasn’t had the chance to watch anything while being in the hospital. Jongkook has to swallow his words a second time — this is getting difficult. He has to keep up his lie or risk getting called out, but everything she does is too familiar, it’s like he’s talking to the old Jihyo.

“Then...” Jongkook racks his brain for an activity they could both do together without it being weird. “Do you like dessert? I know a place that sells great strawberry cheesecake bingsu.”

Her face lights up, eyes brightening with a happy bliss — he was counting on her love for food to interest her. But she doesn’t wish to burden the poor man, not when she’s asking so much of him by staying at his house. “I shouldn’t...”

“It’s no worry.” He waves it off, standing. “Come on, it’s only a ten minute drive from here.”

“But—“

“I insist.” Jongkook smiles. “Please? Consider it a condition for staying here, you’ll have to accompany me to get dessert.”

Jihyo laughs at the absurdness of it all — this man was being very generous and kind to try and get to know her better. Seongmoon must be a big customer in the gym of his if even the owner’s daughter was willing to keep it a secret. 

“Okay then.” She matches his grin, standing to follow him. “But only because you asked so nicely.”

He chuckles, getting ready to leave, “My pleasure, Jihyo.”

“Is Somin being very chatty?”

They are in the cafe near his place now, having driven quickly. The strawberry cheesecake bingsu arrives with two spoons and complimentary strawberries as a topping, just because the owner thought Jihyo looked a little skinny. 

Jongkook worries that someone will recognize him (or even worse, Jihyo), but he’s been coming for for ages and nobody has said a word. They were just warm and friendly here, making it a great place to frequent. 

“No, she‘s very nice.” Jihyo says truthfully, filled with the delicious creamy texture of the ice and cheesecake. “She told me about her family. They seem like nice people. Does she have a lot of brothers?”

“Only one.” 

“Really? She mentioned something about how it’s always noisy when they are together...”

Jongkook wonders if Somin told her about the members, twisting it into a story about her family. He curses himself for not properly following through with her and almost contradicting her story. “She probably means my colleagues.” He lies quickly, spinning up a tale. “She’s almost like our little sister, that one.”

“Oh... I only assumed they were her brothers because she spoke of them so fondly.” Jihyo explains, embarrassed to have gotten it wrong. “Do a lot of you work together?”

“Yes. You’d like them all.” Jongkook smiles, thinking about the old days. “You’ve met Somin. She’s the only girl in our group, so I think she’s more excited that she can finally chat to another girl. I hope she didn’t scare you off; she’s just very cheery and talkative, but sometimes it can get overwhelming.”

“No, it’s fine. I like her.” Jihyo smiles. “Will I get to meet the rest too?”

“Maybe some other time.” He answers gently. He feels like for hiding this from them, but it’s the better option. 

”What about that man? Donghoon ssi?” She presses, remembering his strange behaviour. 

“What about him?”

“I don’t know... He seemed pretty angry when we met.” 

Jongkook doesn’t really know what to say.    Ha Ha’s barely speaking to him — he doesn’t know if it will continue into filming next Monday where the hyungs (or Kwangsoo) might pick up on. He’s been dreading the time when Jihyo asks him about Donghoon’s strange behaviour.

“He’s always like that.” Jongkook sighs, opting for another lie. “He was just mad I forgot about our meeting, that’s all.” 

She could ask him why Donghoon called her Song Jihyo. Instead, she finds herself trusting him even more. 

They sit in silence, sharing the shaved ice. It’s weird, sitting here in another cafe and eating more food, all paid out of his money. Jihyo doesn’t think she should be so quiet if he’s taking the effort to get to know her. “Don’t you have questions for me?”

“Huh?”

“I don’t know, aren’t you curious to ask what happened to me?” They all are, usually. Jihyo chews thoughtfully, wondering if Kim Jongkook doesn’t want to intrude because she’s so quiet at home. “Or did Seongmoon tell you everything?”

Jongkook sits up straight, wondering if he should at least act like he doesn’t know her at all. It’s more believable, isn’t it? “Tell me more about yourself then.”

“I can’t remember anything.” 

“Nothing?” 

“Not the past twenty years.” She shakes her head, avoiding his eyes.

Jihyo doesn’t want to appear weak in front of him, but she has a feeling he might already pity her. After all, he so kindly offered his home up to her. For some inexplicable reason, she feels like she can share more, so she does. 

“They told me I was born in 81. My name is Jihyo, but you already know that... For some reason, my brother still calls me Seong Im. I woke up four years ago in the hospital and he’s the only real constant in my life.“

“No visitors?” Jongkook asks, as if he doesn’t know the answer.

“None.” She stares blankly at her spoon, indifferent. “My parents are dead.”

“Is that what Seongmoon told you?”

A funny response to such a somber revelation. Jihyo thinks nothing of it, nodding instead. 

Jongkook bites on his lower lip, his suspicions rising again. Seongmoon shouldn’t have lied about her family, it’s the least he could have done. The younger man had a funny way of protecting his sister and parents if it meant hiding the truth from both of them. 

Are we no better than Seongmoon if we keep this from Jihyo unnie herself?

Suddenly, Somin’s words flash in his mind; he has no right to judge Seongmoon when he’s practically doing the same thing. But he has reason to do so, something to hide. What on earth does Seongmoon have that cannot be uncovered by his own sister? 

“What did you do everyday then?” He asks, only because he needs to clear his mind. He is not here to be wary of her brother, he is here for her. 

“I’ve probably read hundreds of books to pass the time...”

So that’s why she’s been so welcoming to Somin’s books. He tucks that piece of information in his head, making a mental note to remember this new hobby of Jihyo’s.

“There’s a little garden on the rooftop and they let me go up everyday to get some air.” She continues. “It’s not very big, so I usually sneak out at night when the nurses don’t come in to check up on me.” 

To Jihyo, her life sounds boring. She doesn’t want to look up at his face and spot the pity in them, because that’s what she’s been getting from the nurses and doctors who help her. 

“What if you get bored?”

“I’ll take a nap?” 

At least that part of her is still the same. 

“It must be lonely.” He notes, feeling sad. A bubble of anger rises up to his chest; he doesn’t know whether to be mad at Seongmoon, or himself. She sounds like she’s been dragging this daily routine of hers reluctantly for years, with no outcome in sight.  

“Sometimes, I feel like I’m a prisoner with no escape to reality.” It comes out as a whisper, her voice barely loud enough between them. “I wish I could wake up one day and remember everything.”

Before she can lose her nerve and look up at him, she bites down on her spoon, ignoring the freezing sensation shooting up to her brain. He probably regrets offering a place to stay now. What kind of sick psycho woman doesn’t remember her own memories? He must be judging her, if not feeling sorry for someone as messed up as herself. 

“Favourite colour?”

This time, Jihyo looks up at him, confused. She just told him some pretty dark stuff, and all he wants to know is her favourite colour? 

“Um... Purple, I think.” She muses. “Actually, I don’t know. I’ve never thought of that.”

“You should.” Jongkook smiles gently. He doesn’t want to know the details about the last four years anymore. He wants to get to know her again, maybe understand more about the person he has missed so dearly. There are sides to her that seem so familiar— like being out of touch with culture and resorting to naps— but also new ones that he would never have thought to uncover. 

“Mine is black.” He adds as an afterthought.

“Black?”

“Yeah, it’s classy and goes well with everything.” He explains, not missing a beat and moving on to his next question. “Favourite food?”

“... Chicken?”

“Really?” 

“That’s all I can think of now.” 

“How about your favourite time of the year?” He asks again, skipping his answer.

It’s all very bizarre to her. Kim Jongkook brings her out for dessert and asks her a series of random questions. Anyone else would have liked to ask her the juicer gossip, like her past and how she got into this state. She doesn’t even know, but he could have been nosy to ask. 

He doesn’t. 

And that baffles her, on top of all the confusion she has about how comfortable she feels when he’s around.