12 | The Past

***

In a small pop-up bar on the side of the street, Jessica finds herself enjoying a warm broth of beef. She sniffles as she smiles bitterly, remembering herself, enjoying the same food from the same store. When a few tears are dropping from her eyes, she stopped and wipe her tears off. It's amazing how she remembers the place and so as the old neighborhood, she used to live with her parents. 

"Miss, are you okay?" A guy from the next table asks in concern.

She looked at him and chuckle. "I'm fine." Assuring him. The latter gives her a tissue. "Thanks." She casually received it. While wiping the remaining tears, she heard a familiar voice which made her look up immediately. Her eyes couldn't believe it, her Aunt still looked the same but definitely older than the last time she remembers. 

"Enjoy your meal." The latter smiled when she noticed she was staring at her.

"Yes." She shyly smiled briefly as she returned to her bowl. She felt suddenly so happy inside. Although she doesn't seem to recognize her or even remember, she feels like a child at the moment, she saw her favorite Aunt, who always feeds her warm and comforting food while she waits for her parents to return from work. It feels like she returned from the past and she's silently living with it.

Sniffling, she finished her bowl in a minute and took her purse out of her pocket before she headed to the cashier. Her Aunt look at her and smile warmly as she took her bill.

"You're not from here, aren't you?" 

"I... used to live here." She answered as she took her change. "Your cook is so good, Ahjumma." She couldn't help and say it.

"Oh, thanks, sweetheart." 

"They're like rainbows whenever I feel the warmth in my stomach." She unconsciously added.

Her Aunt pauses and blinks a few times. "Haven't heard that for a long time."

"Yes?" 

"I have this niece that told me that before." Her Aunt shared with a brief smile. "She used to live in this neighborhood too... until their family moved overseas. Aigoo, you're making me miss that child." She chuckled embarrassingly.

'Oh, Auntie Kim.' Jessica wanted to hug her so badly but she is holding back. She can't even introduce herself how much more hugging her. She might find her weird. "She must be so big now." she randomly said.

"Absolutely. And probably a professional nurse or any medical field related." 

"Well." She got a little saddened after hearing it. "Anyway, thanks for the dinner, Ahjumma." She bowed her head a little and casually leaves the store. A big sigh escaped her lips yet couldn't help and turn her head back with a smile. "I wish you well, Auntie."

Turning back, she started walking back to the bus stop with joy in her heart. Getting back some of her memories is making her the happiest alive. She may haven't got the rest but she feels like from this on, it will come back to her slowly but surely. She can't wait for that to happen, she will definitely tell everything to her friends when that day comes.

Just before she can reach the bus stop, she noticed a man walking ahead of her, wearing a sweater and pants, keeps checking his left and right and back. Jessica look ahead of the man and realized there was a woman talking on her phone. The latter turned to the right alley and he follows instantly.

She stopped in her tracks as she ponders whether she will follow them to make sure the woman is safe or not. Especially since it's her old neighborhood, it has a special place in her heart.

After a minute, she decided to follow. She wasn't that late yet thankfully and she can still see them. 

'He's obviously following the poor woman.' She thought while keeping a low profile as she hides, follow, and hides again whenever the man turn his head.

Moments later the woman in her 30's finally reached home. But before she could unlock the gate, the man rushed to her side stabbing her on her back.

Jessica widened her eyes and hastily runs forward to grab the man's arm, stopping him from stabbing the woman again. She punches his face and took the knife from him. The man attempted to hit her but she beat him by kicking his legs and when he dropped on his knees, she kicked his face before the latter fell on the ground completely.

"Are you okay, Miss?" She hastily rushed to the woman who is gasping for air.

"Thanks." The latter smiled weakly.

"I'm calling an ambulance." Jessica announced as she took her phone from her pocket and hastily dialed the hotline. The man get up but before he could take his revenge, they heard police sirens. He eventually runs away which she didn't care to follow. "Please save someone right now. I'm at Itaewon street, block 232." Instead, she talked to the person on the next line.

"The man, he went that way." He immediately told the police when the car stopped before them. 

The woman couldn't hold it and she sits on the ground. "Please... don't leave me." she begs for her.

"Don't worry. I'm here." She couldn't decline it and hold the latter's hands. Especially since her home looked like doesn't have anyone inside. "Where's your family? I can call them for you." She offered.

"No." The woman shakes her head. "I don't want to worry them. And they're outside the city... I... can't... let them come here to see my situation." she breathlessly says. "I'm... I'm Choi S-Sooyoung... thank you for your help."

"What are you talking about? The ambulance hasn't even come. Thank me when they arrived." Jessica look from left to right, hoping the ambulance could get in time before the woman passed out. "Please don't talk anymore and save your strength." she suggested.

Sooyoung complied while keeping herself awake. Moments later, the ambulance came and she was taken by them before she finally passed out. Jessica offered to be the guardian as she comes with them to the hospital.

***

"Oh! Her phone is finally !" Seohyun couldn't control herself and yelled in excitement when Jessica's phone turned green on her laptop. She and Tiffany had been searching around for the past hours while she was monitoring her friend's phone she was tracking. "She's at..."

"What?" Tiffany yelled as she glanced at the younger in the passenger seat.

"She's at Hansol University Hospital. Near Itaewon." Seohyun confirmed.

"Damn, don't know the road there. Get me some map." Tiffany instantly instructed and the younger used the car's map to give her the guide. "Tsk, that's 40 minutes of drive. But can you call her so we could confirm she's fine?" 

"I'm ringing it now." Said Seohyun while keeping her eyes on the monitor and her right hand holding the phone near her ear. After a minute, she was diverted to leave a message. "Ugh." She ended the call instead. "She's not answering."

"Tsk, whatever is happening to that girl? Tsk."

"She's fine. I'm positive about it." 

"Text Yuri by the way. So he doesn't have to keep looking." Tiffany remembered him. "He must be still out there."

"Oh yeah, right away." Opening her messaging app, Seohyun sent the young chairman the news about their friend, and the latter responded instantly.

Yuri Oppa: Thank you, Jennifer-ssi. I'll follow there.

She can't help and laugh.

"Wae?" Tiffany got confused.

"It's still funny and weird for me whenever I read Jennifer. I mean, it's just cute." She explained with a giggle. 

"Silly." The older smiles in amusement while she's focused on the road.

***

Stepping out of the car, Yuri hastily rushed to the hospital's front desk and ask about his friend but the nurses couldn't answer him. Instead, he went to the ER and look for Jessica. He stopped halfway when he found her sitting on the bed with her friends, talking. He feels like a huge lump was taken off from his throat upon noticing she looks fine. He can't even see any bandages on her body and that's a relief.

"Oh, that's her, Sir." Mr. Baek spotted her too.

He smiles and nodded slowly. "Yeah, and looked like she's fine."

"Aren't you going to approach her?"

He looked at his driver and pause to ponder. "No." Then he shake his head with a smile as he returned his attention to her. "Just send food to them. Looks like they will have a long night to catch up."

"Noted Sir." Mr. Baek excused himself so he could order online.

'At least this night ends on a good note.' Yuri softly says as he keeps his eyes on them for a couple of minutes. Then when his driver confirmed the food delivery, he turns and leaves with him. He didn't miss placing the bag at the nurse's station and asked one of the nurses to give it to the woman nearby.

-

"Excuse me, who is Rose Park here?"

Jessica, Seohyun, and Tiffany all turn their heads to the source of the voice and find a delivery guy.

"Um, Me." Jessica raises her hand with an awkward smile.

"Oh, someone asks me to give this you, Ma'am." The guy handed the two boxes of pizza and drinks to them. "Enjoy it while it's still warm." He said and bowed.

"Wait, who sent this?" Jessica asked the moment the guy turn his body around.

"He doesn't want to be known, I'm afraid. Maybe your friend, Ma'am." 

Seohyun and Tiffany raised their eyebrows as they found each other's eyes. Both have the same person in mind, especially that the nurse give their friend's bag earlier.

"Thanks, Ahjussi." Jessica bowed back before the latter left them.

"I'm sure of it, it's Kwon Yuri." Tiffany immediately shares her thoughts as she opens one of the boxes.

"Beats me." Seohyun mumbles as she picks one of the slices.

"Aigoo, I should really call him." Jessica took her phone from her pocket but pause when her friends reacted.

"It's better you talk to him in person tomorrow. It's more respectful to say your thanks." Tiffany suggested while enjoying their pizza.

"Fine." Sighs Jessica as she returned her phone back to the pocket of her jacket. "Aigoo, when will the surgery end? It's been four hours..."

"The stab was probably so deep, Unnie." Seohyun says in between her chew.

"Well at least there's only one, right?" Tiffany shrugged her shoulders as she took her phone to the side. "How about we take a group picture and send it to Yuri, rather?" 

"Oh, that's better." Jessica brightens when she heard it and she's instantly excited.

"I'll take the photo, Unnie." Seohyun offers as she took the phone. She stood up while the two older girls are sitting on the bed. "Took one slice." she instructed them and both complied as they even hold the box of pizza up and pose for the camera. "Say cheese!"

"Cheeeeese!" Jessica and Tiffany chorused smiling widely.

"What should I tell her?" ask Seohyun. 

"Just thank him." said Tiffany, handing Jessica a can of cola as they resumed their food.

"Okay." Seohyun didn't think twice and sent the photo with the caption: Yuri Oppa, we received the pizza. Thank you so much~

She didn't wait for his response as she tossed the phone to the side and join her friends with their midnight snack. Their catch-up continues as Jessica shared what she has gained memories.

***

[The Next Day...]

Sighing for the nth time in the day, Yuri closed the book and put it aside. He checks the time as he gets up and walks back inside his villa to get his phone from the sofa. He flopped and scrolled down his contacts. He stopped at Yoona's name and pressed the call button.

[I'm sorry hyung but I'm in the middle of a meeting.] Unfortunately, the doe-eyed is busy.

"What the, I haven't even greeted him." He couldn't believe it yet he understands. So he called Taeyeon rather.

[What? Oh, I got it. Two banana cake place... blah... blah...]

He ends up ending the call when he heard his voice not even paying attention to the phone. "Aish. Is this how they're going to treat me after I give them a deserving rest last week? Tsk." He tossed his phone on the coffee table and exhaled so loud as he stares at the ceiling in a daze. He felt so bored not doing anything. And his rest hasn't ended yet. He is so eager to go back to work.

But when his mind shifted to Jessica, he sighs once again. "Is this the feeling of not seeing her for hours now since I left the hospital?" Mumbled him weakly. "Aish." He shrugged it off as he sits up. "Why isn't she even calling me now? I mean, she's working under me? What the heck is she doing right now and she isn't coming?" 

"Mr. Chairman... are you by chance talking about Ms. Park?" Mr. Cha asked him while he was making is way downstairs.

He scoffed and once again flopped on the sofa. "Who else hasn't reported his job apparently, Mr. Cha?" He mumbled, reaching for the remote and turning it on. 

"She hasn't called since last night?"

"Yeah, and I'm annoyed." He lazily replied.

Mr. Cha chuckled as he sits down next to him. "I thought you know there's someone in the hospital they're looking after?" It is aware after one of the nurses in the hospital shared such info last night.

"Yes, but... at least send me a message just like what her friend did, right? I mean, she should explain-"

"She will, I'm sure of that. But that would be when she returns." Mr. Cha interrupted earning a side-eye from the young chairman. "Anyway, your doctor called by the way and told you to be the one getting the result tomorrow."

Yuri sighs when he remembers it. "Looks like I'm getting it alone."

"I'm here either way, Mr. Chairman. No worries." Mr. Cha smiled genuinely.

"I don't know with you." He mumbled and sighs once again as his eyes returned to the tv screen as if he understands what was going on.

"Why don't you go out, Sir? Just like the other day?"

"Alone? No way!"

"It's better with Ms. Park indeed." Mr. Cha chuckled in amusement. He can see how much the young chairman is only missing the presence of his favorite maid. 

Yuri sits up and raises his eyebrows at the tv. Apparently, it's showing dogs, promoting the adoption of dogs to someone who is alone. 

"Are you... interested of..."

"Should I adopt one?" He grinned childishly. 

"Well, if that will make you feel better today then why not?" Mr. Cha brightly responded. And before he could suggest a breed, Yuri sprinted upstairs. "He's absolutely bored but just missing Ms. Park." Mumbled him as he get up and headed outside to ask the driver to prepare the car.

-

While choosing what to wear, Yuri heard his phone beep from the bed. He casually just picked it up and realized it was from is the father. "Yeah, he finally remembers me." muttered him before opening the message, only to see a selfie of his father in New York Time Square. He scoffed and chuckled. He was about to type a response when his father sent a message.

Father: How was it? Do I look like a New Yorker now, son?

"Silly." He said and sent the same word to his father.

Another photo was shared by his father and he is confused. 

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