“Hey, did you hear?”

“Hear what?”

“Naeul’s back here in Korea.”

“Really? Since when?”

“Two days ago, I think.”

“That’s great! We should probably go meet her and say hi.”

Ricky nodded, agreeing to what his friend, Changjo, said.

“Say hi to who?”

They both turned their heads to their friend, CAP, who joined them on the couch.

“Naeul. She’s back from America.” Changjo explained.

The older lad raised an eyebrow. “Really? Maybe I should come with. I really miss her.”

“Maybe we should all go.” Ricky suggested.

“Except for L.Joe hyung though,” Changjo said. “And don’t tell him.”

The three of them turned their gazes to the man sitting lazily on a bean bag across the room, limbs sprawled out and his right hand holding a rubix cube. His eyes were fixated on the toy, as if he was mentally solving it. But everyone knows he was actually thinking of something else.

“Hmm Korea… everything looks so foreign yet I feel so at home.”

She watched two kids chase each other and laughed to herself.

“If only I could—“

“Yo Naeul!”

She looked up to see who interrupted her train of thought. Her eyebrows knitted as she saw five figures walk towards her.

“Wow, you actually look the same, noona!”

“Yeah, except your hair grew longer. And what’s with the full bangs?”

“What are you talking about? I think it suits her.”

Naeul looked at the boys who were talking about her as if she wasn’t there. “Um—“

“Well I happen to like her short do more.”

“Who cares about what you like?”

Ricky was given a smack to the head by his hyung, Niel, for ridiculing his strongly expressed opinion. CAP tried to break the little fight of the two while at the same time, scolding Changjo and Chunji for encouraging them to continue.

Naeul found them funny; the way they messed around as if she wasn’t there; as if they didn’t have a care at what others would think or say about them. She liked how carefree they sounded; without a worry at all.

Unknowingly, a giggle escaped from her lips and the five boys looked at her at once. CAP coughed and pushed Niel and Ricky away from each other. “Enough bickering.”

“Well it’s not my fault. Niel hyung is just so—“

CAP threw him a sharp gaze and that made him shut up. He then turned to Naeul and flashed a grin. “Hey Naeul, sorry about that.”

“Ah, no… it’s okay…” She replied then mumbled, “I guess.”

“So you’re really back huh,” Chunji said looking at her from head to toe. “Wow. Although you really didn’t change much.”

“I expect you’d grow at least a little bit fatter.” Ricky added. “You promised me you’d gain some weight.”

“And you said you’d buy us something while you’re there!” Niel said. “Well, where is it noona?”

They looked at her and blinked, as she was taking some time to reply. She had a puzzled look on her face as she stared back at them with the same puzzled look they had on their faces.

“Noona…?”

“Yes… I was sick. That’s why I left for America in the first place; to get treatment.” She explained. “Or at least that’s what they said.”

The five boys had a surprised look on their faces as they listened to Naeul’s explanation. They were all at loss for words.

“They also said the operation or whatever thingamajig they did to me didn’t go quite well,” She added. “That’s why I lost my memories. Or rather, some of my memories.”

“So you still remember a few?” Niel asked. “Like what, exactly?”

Naeul blinked. “Well I know how to read and write and speak and eat and all those basic stuff.”

The boys groaned at her shallow answer. Chunji shook his head. “Of course, of course.”

“So you don’t remember any of us at all?!” Ricky exclaimed.

Changjo whacked him on the head. “Dude, don’t you know what Amnesia means?”

Naeul chuckled. “I’m sorry but I don’t remember anything at all.”

“Well, this is CAP hyung, Chunji hyung, Changjo and Ricky. We’re your closest guy friends.” Niel explained. “And I’m Niel. You love me the most.”

Naeul nodded slowly, remembering their names. Chunji laughed at what Niel said. “Oh please, we all know who she loves the most among us.”

“There you are! I’ve been looking all over for you guys!” The boys froze upon hearing the voice. They turned around and saw L.Joe standing there, looking pissed and agitated. He glared at them. “I woke up and saw you guys were gone. You didn’t even leave a note! Seriously is that how you should—“

His heart stopped beating. His mind stopped functioning. Time stopped moving. Everything stopped for L.Joe the minute he laid eyes on the girl standing in the middle of his friends, looking lost and confused but still as pretty as he ever. She still had the hair color he loved, the rosy blush on her cheeks, the innocent look on her eyes. She was still the same as he remembered.

“—treat… your… friend.” His sentences were finished ruggedly as his friends looked at each other, giving signals as to what they should do. They were all silent. Even L.Joe was at loss for words. He was waiting for a reaction from the girl; a sarcastic comment, a slap, a hateful statement. But none came.

Naeul looked at them looking even more confused than she did before. “I suppose he’s my friend too…?”

L.Joe’s eyes widened as realization dawned on him. That’s why she didn’t do anything when she saw him. She doesn’t know who he is.

“Are you kidding? He’s—“

“Yeah.”

His friends were weirded out by him. They were all surprised with what he said earlier.

“Hyung! Why didn’t you tell her the truth?” Niel asked, finally breaking the silence. “It was your chance!”

“Chance? Of what? Messing everything up all over again?” L.Joe answered. “No, I won’t do that again. It’s time for me to set things right. To start all over again.”

“L.Joe. What are you planning?” CAP asked in his stern tone, a little bit worried that L.Joe was being rash about his decisions again.

“I’m going to win her over again, hyung.” He answered. “I’m going to take her back.”