‘ChangMin.. ChangJun assisted your umma to the doctor.. She is wearing a hearing aid now. You should see her face! She is so surprised at the sounds she can hear now.. I just wish you could see her..’
I took ChangMin’s hand between mine.
‘ChangMin, I feel so sorry.. Don’t leave me.. I-I need you..’ I whisper-cried.
Tears were falling down my cheeks now, wetting his hand.
I used my sleeves to wipe them away.
Then I looked at ChangMin’s face.
My eyes grew wide as I saw that his eyelashes were wet too and a single tear was rolling down.
I wiped it gently and started to sob on his chest.
‘I knew that I would lose you once.. I just can’t let you go.. because I got attached..’

Suddenly I felt ChangMin’s hand squeeze my hand a little.
I looked up from his chest.
There was no further reaction..
Had I imagined it?
Had I wanted it too much that I started to notice things that weren’t there?
A nurse came in..
‘We’re sorry, but it is time for the patient to get some rest.. Although he is in coma, he might actually hear you, so he needs some time to rest too..’ The nurse smiled while she spoke.
It’s just a trick, as long as they look caring and gently, they can get you to do anything "in favor of the patient".

That’s how I ended up walking the streets again..
Thinking about everything that had happened to me in the past two months, I noticed my life had changed so much that I felt like I had two lives.
I decided I wanted to see my brothel noona.

The brothel seemed so familiar, yet I felt like it was part of me or my life any more.
I went straight to the kitchen.
‘Noona!’ I said as I saw her smoking a cigarette in the kitchen..
What had happened to her?!
She never used to smoke when I lived here..
.. and in the kitchen?!
As soon as she saw me her eyes grew wide and she threw the cigarette in the sink.
Then she waved nervously and smiled a little.
‘Noona.. why did you start smoking?’ I asked worried.
She shook her head and started crying.
I hugged her to comfort her.
I knew exactly what it was that made her smoke.. I felt it too when I lived here..
It’s the despair, the frights and the stress..
Life in a brothel is similar to life in jail.
The same criminals, the same bad manners, the same bad environment..

Then my noona did something I never thought she would.
‘I-I can actually.. speak.’ She said as she looked down.
I could not bring out any words to say so I just stared at her in surprise.
‘My umma told me to act like I was mute, so I would have a better chance to keep myself out of the rooms, if you know what I mean.. but when last week my umma died, I cried out loud and so I betrayed myself..’ She continued..
Her umma has died around the same time mine has died?
‘Your umma.. is actually mine too..’ She said and then smiled a little.
My eyes grew even wider than they already were..
‘We.. we are siblings?’ I stammered.
She nodded. ‘Well, not full-blood, your appa is not mine..’
That did explain why she has always felt like my biological noona..
‘Do you.. have a name?’ I asked, a little embarrassed that I had to ask because I had never known.
‘I do.. *giggle* it’s JaeYoung.’
‘Nice meeting you JaeYoung, I’m JaeJoong!’ I said jokingly, wondering if she hadn’t known my name either..
‘I know..’ She said, laughing.
Then she turned dead serious..
‘I actually have to sleep now..’ She said, looking away from me.
‘WHAT?!’ I let out, knowing I shouldn’t speak so loud at this time of day.
‘I have no choice, JaeJoong.. I can’t survive on the streets as you do..’ She exclaimed.
I saw her logic, but I felt so unfair for her..
I knew there was one spare room left in ChangMin’s house, she could sleep there.
..but I couldn’t really invite other people into ChangMin’s house, could I?
At last I made a decision.. ChangMin, please be alright with it..
‘JaeYoung, come with me.. I don’t live on the streets..’ I said as I took her arm.

After packing her most important and valuable things, we walked to ChangMin’s house.
During the walk JaeYoung and I were both silent.
JaeYoung looked at me with curiosity..
Probably questioning herself where I lived now and how I had found a home that quick after leaving the brothel.

I was holding two bags and I didn’t feel like putting one of them on the ground, since it had snowed a lot this morning.
That’s why, instead of trying to get my key out of my pocket with great difficulty, I just rung the door bell.
Mel opened the door and stared at my face briefly before dragging me inside.
Just as I was going to explain who the girl was I brought with me, Mel interrupted me.
‘JAEJOONG!! WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?! CHANGMIN IS OUT OF HIS COMA! .. Who’s she?’
Mel shifted her gaze from my face to JaeYoung’s.
I was now really anxious to get to the hospital..
‘Mel, thisisJaeYoung, myhalf-sister, sheneedsaplacetostay.. Takecareofher, please?’ I said, rushing for the door.

I ran all the way to the hospital, to ChangMin’s room.
When I got to his door, I panted and took a deep breath before entering.
‘ChangMin!’ I said as soon as I walk to the bed.
I saw him blink once, twice as I waited for a reaction.
‘Hi.. I’m sorry, but.. who are you?’ ChangMin asked politely.
‘You.. you don’t remember me, your own boyfriend?!’ I said, while I felt like the life, that had just become mine, was falling apart in a thousand pieces..
ChangMin shook his head. ‘Sorry, I can’t remember..’ He apologized.

Out of ChangMin’s room I approached a doctor immediately.
‘Doctor! Why can’t he remember me?!’
Desperately I grabbed the doctor’s arm.
‘Shim ChangMin has temporary amnesia. In a few days, he’ll be fine! Please do not stress him into remembering you, because the chances that he’ll remember you get smaller because of stress.. It’s actually better if you follow his memory and in that sense encourage him to remember more.’
I nodded, letting the information sink in.
I had a new goal.. to follow his memory and act upon it..
First, I was going back to ChangMin’s room.
‘Mr. Shim?’ I opened the door and bowed politely.
‘I’m Kim JaeJoong, and I will help you gain back the memories you might have lost.’ I acted out.
ChangMin looked at me, as if to say "Go on, I’m listening".
I looked back at him and fought the urge to kiss him.
‘Mr. Kim, what is the last memory you have?’ I looked at him expectantly.
His eyes were staring blankly ahead as he had started to dig into his thoughts.
‘..JaEun.. She’s married to a bad guy.. I remember leaving the wedding.. Wait, the best man is someone I did business with.. Where’s JaEun? Do you know if she’s happy now?’ ChangMin said, looking at me with worry in his eyes.
The phone note flashed again before my eyes..
JaEun, JaEun.. Lee JaEun? Married to Kim JunSu?
It was true that JunSu was a bad guy..

I made a plan..
I was going to give JaEun a call, to ask her to help ChangMin remember..

~ ChangMin’s POV.

Something about this memory doctor seems so familiar.
For one, he doesn’t look like a doctor, but I also keep thinking that I should remember something that I don’t ..
I wonder what it is.

~ End of ChangMin’s POV.

________~END OF CHAPTER 24~________

Sorry, I had to throw in that oh so cliché amnesia! X3
Don't kill me! LOL