More Nightmares

“Speak.” Hyesung hissed with a low tone of voice. “Of course she’s with us you bastard! Where are you right now? Aren’t you supposed to come here?” his direct hit of harsh words with a dreadful tone shocked me. His face is still as beautiful as the irony of his conversation with the person over the phone.

“No, why would I tell her that. You’re not my best-friend either. Stop making lies.” He shouted on the phone’s speaker and put it back again properly right beside his ear.

Minwoo listened giggling. “You take care of your own (bleep)! I’m hanging up.” He pressed the touch screen’s end call button so hard that blood seemed to rush towards his thumb as it changed its complexion from light flesh to red.

 “Hyesung, stay cool. Why are you always having a love quarrel with him? Don’t push him like that, you know he is shy.” Minwoo pressed some more and Hyesung said with such disgust in his face “It’s not that I hate him but I am really sick of him being such a loach.”

“Aigoo. Hyesungie.” Minwoo tapped his shoulder to somehow ease his sudden mood swing cause by that surprise phone call.

“Oh, Kris I’m sorry. I become another person when he provokes me.”Hyesung apologized earnestly about his sudden character shift and I am willing to understand where he is coming from. Who exactly is that person who gets someone like Hyesung act this way?  Are we going to click as well like the others or am I going to list his name on the blocked list?

“Kris, stop imagining things. Hahaha. He is not a bad person. He is just hmm.. Let me put it this way, Andy normally describes their relationship as oil and water. HAHAHAHA” and Minwoo’s laughter echoed loudly as he tries to jump over Hyesung’s resting shoulders.

I finished my meal and remembered to count in 2 points for Hyesung. He knew about my preferred coffee and my favourite food. I’m wondering what more to come other than these.

They both decided to abandon their jobs for a while to take me home. We rode in Hyesung’s white Volkswagen and he politely opened the front sit for me to give me more space. I was surprised with the swift scent of floral and citrus hints that escaped from his jacket as he puts it on before starting the car. It smelled more like baby cologne, so fresh and gentle.

 It’s so funny to hear them hum playfully with each other as if they were musicians in their past life. Their voices complimented naturally but our road journey is so short and it ended right away when he parked his car in front of a white house with a bronze gate bracing its front yard which has well designed landscape of plants on it.

“This is my house. I just live near the Villa Kris. You can visit me anytime too.” and he smiled warmly right after pointing it to me. “We will walk from here so that you’ll have a clue where to go when you are bored.”

He is right and it is a good thing to know. We went out of his car while Minwoo is still carrying the paper bag for me. I only have my backpack hanging on my left shoulder as we started walking on the silent path towards our Villa. Pine trees where sticking out of the ground and there where lot of pebbles everywhere with different sizes and colours.  

Hyesung received another text message from that person. I can tell the way he stopped with a frowning face while reading the message.

“Kris, you don’t have a phone right?” he asked still scrolling up and down on the screen of his phone.

“Uhm. Yes. Nana took it away from me. Why?” I am puzzled and anxious at the same time. I felt like he is going to ask me my number because the last person might be asking for it.

“This loach told me to hurry up because Junjin is waiting at the Villa with a phone for you.” and he pressed the power button of his phone so hard that it died and slid it inside his pocket. “This is a violation! Nana will get mad if she will know about this.” He said with such despise in his voice matched with a worried expression.

“Chill Hyesungie... I think his idea is brilliant! We will have the chance to check on her in case of emergencies right?” Minwoo pointed out with a smile. “Right Kris?” asking for my agreement.

“Well, it’s not a bad idea too. I think, it’ll be fine as long as I only use it to communicate with you guys” there, I’ve said it. I was also thinking about the same thing too. It is such a grace that someone volunteered to go against the rule for me.

 Hyesung let out a deep sigh from his gritted teeth and openly said “Okay, I’m in. It’s been a long time since the last time we broke rules”. He puckered his lips and expressed an excited laughter brought by this idea. He covered his mouth shyly because of his sudden act of interest over such thing and cleared his throat awkwardly.

Minwoo continued shifting positions while walking. From the time that we left the car he will be always in the middle of our course and will always find the chance to slide on Hyesung’s side to bring our distance closer to each other but all I can feel is a strange unwanted situation as he tries to pull Minwoo back to where he should be – and that is clearly in the middle, a human wall.

We saw Junjin from afar sitting comfortably on his sleeping motorbike while chimes from the keys around his finger can be heard with the humming of his husky voice. He kept on rolling them around and around and catches it as soon as he saw us and waved at with a very thoughtful smile.

“Kris! How have you been? Are these two men taking a good care of you?” he asked me like a kid with my baby-sitters.

I tried to pull a smile to return him the kindness, “Yes, they even prepared treats for me too.” He’s even better looking with shades on and right now, he is no longer wearing pyjamas. Junjin looks more like a sheriff now with his denim pants partnered with a black turtle-neck shirt. His grey trench-coat   with patches of leather on its elbow well compromised ankle length boots. He looked more like a fashion model compared to the other day clumsy fashion criminal the other day.

“At last you listened to me.” Minwoo pat his shoulder with a sudden grab and I think I knew exactly what cause the sudden change of appearance.

“The loach told me that you’ve got something for Kris.” Hyesung approached him and Junjin went to his bike to get a white paper bag hanging on its right side mirror and gave it to him right away.

Hyesung opened the small black box in it and there was the phone that he was talking about. He went to some menu and I saw him scrolling up and down the screen multiple times. He then typed in something on it and ended the inspection pressing the back option and locked the phone. Hyesung returned it to its box and slid it right back inside the paper bag.

“Here Kris, take it. All our numbers are there and it’s all updated.” He handed it to me as he whispered something to Junjin.

“You may go in now, we will go back to work as well.” Minwoo said while he is giving me my paper bag which is full of his welcoming presents.

Hyesung waved his hand shyly as they went off and Junjin even shouted “Call me in case of emergencies!” and his voice vanish at the roaring sound of his bike.

I lazily went pass through the gate after watching them leave. My playmates are gone.

Now I think I’ll transform into a couch potato for the coming days. Sine it’s March I would still have 29 days to go. My system without a planned schedule is ironically overwhelmed with too much procrastination. Every day here in Sylfaen is bed weather.

I’ve reached the entrance without even wanting to go inside. My head is still swimming with so many questions. I am still lost how to start solving this puzzle. Will it help me if I meet the sixth? I twisted the door knob and allowed my forehead to kiss the door’s face since I knew it was locked. Not removing my forehead on its place, I tried to knock again a couple of times.

And the door blew open without any warning.

I almost fell on the hard tiled granite floor when Laura unlocked it to my surprise. It’s a good thing that she was quick to rescue me and was able to grab me. Her grip was so tight that she was able to save my face from hitting the rigid surface. I had a mini heart attack and got up with a flash with Laura’s help.

“Oh my, thank you for that Aunt Laura. You saved me.” I told her with my voice still trembling from shock but her reaction did not reflected with my gratitude. I was confused.

She showed her hand to me, the one that she used for grabbing me; and saw stain of blood on it.

“I thought I did but I guess I did something wrong.” With apologetic eyes she pointed slowly at my elbow. I think it also served as a queue for the pain to step in.

The sting hit my nerves as soon as I shifted my eye-glass to its right position. It was my elbow that she accidentally grabbed, with my newly stitched wound from yesterday’s shameful incident. I can feel the blood rush as I try to hold it with my hand, some stitches might have snapped.

“I’m sorry dear. I didn’t know.” Were the only words that she was able to say as I try to endure the pain and do my best to put up a – “DON’T WORRY. I’M OKAY.” kind of face.

“It’s okay. It’s not your fault. You don’t have to be sorry too because if you didn’t do that, I may also have a broken nose right now.” I tried to speak with a normal tone. “I will be glad if you can hand me your first-aid kit in this house if you have one.” I continued with a consistent self-hypnotize ignoring the throbbing feeling.

I went to my room while Laura searches for it in one of the house’s room. My items are lucky not to get damaged too. I carefully put them on my round table near my room’s window and sat on the bed. I am too lazy and partially disabled because of my elbow. I removed my shoes with my toes sliding from its back to another.

Laura came with the first aid kit and helped me pull off my jacket. I swallowed all the agony as I hide my face in the middle of removing my hoodie. It hurt more than the first time. I didn’t look at it while she wrapped it with gauze.

“Kris, I think you would need to go to the hospital to fix this.” She said to me with so much concern in her voice. Maybe she can see my suffering too. I looked at her with much appreciation for worrying about me but I think I will skip it for now.

I’m too drowsy to go now. With the lack of sleep from last night combined with my other short extra-curricular activities and the huge amount of carb that I had in the café I don’t think caffeine can even fight off my sleepy cells.

“I think if I get some rest it will be bearable. It’s just a few strands that came off. It is okay.” now my elbow’s getting numb as my body signals me for hibernation.

Laura held my cheek briefly with her warm hand, while her eyes are full of sincerity and left without further nagging. I like it when she does that and I went to dreamland as soon as I closed my eyes.

It was dark. It was hot. I’m screaming at the top of my lungs.

 I can’t breathe and no one can hear me. I tried to scream again but it was no good. I can’t see anything. I can’t breathe. I am hyperventilating as I tried to twist my body from side to side. NO – I’m stuck.

My voice is fading with its own echo inside my head and I am hopeless. I tried to gather my energy and attempted another blow to fight off the pressure that’s squeezing me and it hurt.

I woke up feeling the pain on my bleeding elbow. My bed sheet looked messy with its odd irregular blood stains. The pain is excruciating to its extent but I’m glad it woke me up. It’s already dark too in my room and the light coming from the mini-lamps outside pierced through my windows’ curtain and gave me the chance to look for the switch. I put my glasses on and grabbed my watch near my lampside.

I looked at it and discovered that I overslept. I am still aware of the fact that I need to go to the hospital but how can I do that when it’s in the town proper and it’s already past midnight? I’m too shy to ask Laura about it but this kind of disaster cannot wait. I am not going to go back to sleep again and suffer.

I can be selfish sometimes and I think she will understand me. I washed up first since I’ve been wearing my clothes for the whole day and even wore it to sleep. My t-shirt has a weird design right now, almost covered with random stripes of blood on it. I slid in to one of my oversized white shirt and chose from one of Minwoo’s items. It’s still as cold as last night, so I included Andy’s scarf too.

My backpack swayed along my left shoulder. I forgot that I am a foreigner here. I am not sure where to find Laura in this huge house. I felt so miserable and decided that I don’t have any other choice but to call her at the top of my voice. I’ll do my best not to sound so disturbing even if I know that I am already committing an obvious crime.

It is a good thing that the chandelier hanging in the living room was left lit. I think she knew this would happen.

“Auntie Laura” I screamed silently, again and again. I think it was my third attempt that woke her up. I heard a door opening somewhere at some part of the house and heard her reply to me with a deep almost hoarse voice “Yes Kris?” and I sighed with relief.

I replied to her with my urgent need. I’m so unreasonable, acting all brave a while ago that I can handle the crisis but here I am right now trying shamelessly waking someone in the middle of the night because I finally realized I cannot keep up with it.

Laura walked towards my direction and I was so grateful to see her. She paused briefly for a moment of thought. She looked so admirable with her long pink linen night gown, with her wavy hair on a half braid she reminded me of Nana’s style at home. Well maybe, I think I wished Nana was here.

Laura then snapped her fingers. I think she was able to think of something and told me “I know who can take you there.” Her voice sounded so determined about it and I can’t help but hide my curiosity. Who can be that person?

 

The Professor

Laura went back to her room to grab her cardigan and wore her sandals as she went out of the Villa’s gate. She told me to just stay there and wait for her to comeback. Looking at her in a hurry made me helpless. She does not even want me to move a single muscle from where I am standing.

I tried to sit on the cold stair case while I wait for her. The night is deep and the moon is hiding beneath the feathery fast moving clouds. I shivered as I watch its light form a magnificent halo from its perimeter making it as a centre.

I hugged my backpack in front of me while it lifelessly lay on my lap. A familiar sound made me jump off my feet. I stood up in an instant as I heard a loud bark from a distance. Laura’s shadow was with a man holding a dog’s leash halting it to maintain his pace with him.

It’s Yaku!

His happy face took an early glance when it reached the lights spatial beam. Laura looked relieved as she ushered a tall slowly walking man behind her.

He kept on looking down while he purposely used Laura’s figure as a shield for possible exposure. I stood still and squinted my eyes trying to have a better look on his appearance. She suddenly turned to look at him that caught him by surprise.

His perfectly chiselled bone structure was revealed with looks of the usual Greek statues. He is a walking master piece with his undeniable perfect lines; his bone structure is so refined. His eyebrows were thick and well aligned complimenting his double-eyelid puppy eyes along with his pointed nose of an actor. He bit his lower lip as he pulled his dog closer to him holding the strap with his long manly hands. He was wearing a snap-back but it cannot hide his distinctive natural exotic charisma.

“You don’t need to introduce her to me. I already know her.” He said politely to Laura with a low calm voice as he tried to steal a glance from my direction and go back again on his business being busy taming his dog.

Laura then asked for the dog’s leash and gave me the signal to come closer to them. He lifted his head and looked at me like he was looking for something. I stood awkwardly while I also try to figure it out.

With a passive voice he asked me, “I asked Jinnie to give you a phone this afternoon. I also called Hyesung when you were with him too to make sure all of our numbers are saved there. Did you receive it?” I looked at him with such surprise. I was not able to answer right away.

The sixth person, the last one – the person whom they call a loach was Yaku’s owner?

“I’m sorry. I forgot all about it since I got tired the whole day and went straight off to sleep.” I tried to reason out towards his serious face corresponding with his piercing gaze pinning on me with his brows sticking close to one another for a reason that I am not aware of.

“Don’t say sorry. It’s okay. People forget. Laura told me that you need to go to the hospital? I think we need to get going.” while he shifted his eye level to my elbow.

“Oh yes.” I almost forgot. I am too busy figuring him out.

As soon as we went outside, I saw a black mini-cooper parked on the opposite side of the Villa’s entrance. He pressed on his car keys and it responded unlocking the doors open.

He opened the door for me and rushed to the other side in a hurry. He got my bag off my lap and put it behind our seats as he fastened my seatbelt around me carefully not touching any part of my damaged elbow. His long fingers twisted the car key and engine of the car started to wake up.

He is driving carefully and silently beside me. The atmosphere is so awkward and uneasy. I cannot even think of anything to discuss with him, maybe the pain has overtaken all of my concentration and nothing comprehensive comes to my mind right now. I tried clear my dry throat and steal a glance on his elegant face.

He shifted his cap backwards and it just displayed a more detailed outline of his undeniably striking side profile starting from his forehead down to his chin. I almost thought that I am riding with a celebrity.

His nose bridge had those heavy marks of eyeglasses and he has this habit of scratching it with the back of his folded index finger. He will adjust the neckline of his red hoodie from time to time as it slides backwards while sitting, it chokes his Adam’s apple every time he tries to look on his side mirrors meticulously. His wearing black thick jogging pants yet it does not affect the overflowing masculinity that he possess.

He cleared his throat and suddenly said “Yaku’s been a regular visitor at the Villa. I hope he does not annoy you. You’re not originally a dog lover yet you even wanted to have a jellyfish as a pet. Please take time to appreciate my pet. I think you will learn to be fond of him.”

At last, he broke the bubble. Now all I need to do is simply blend in and go with the flow.

“Technically I just saw him once and that was yesterday. He looks playful.” I said trying to compliment his pet’s friendly attitude.

“You will see Yaku every day from now on because he will always find a way to be there.” he smirked.

 “Yaku is a very intelligent dog. The only reason why I can put him on his leash is because he likes it as well. How did you get hurt by the way?” he asked pointing on my elbow briefly and grabbed the steering wheel right away.

“Oh this.” I felt ashamed to admit that it was a result of my stupidity but I don’t have any other choice. “I slipped when I went off the bus on my first day here.” He just nodded with a mischievous smile on his face. It looks like he is well aware of my clumsiness too.

“Eric.” He said plainly. “I can’t even imagine to this extent that you erased my name from your memories too. Doesn’t this Oppa look familiar at all?” he said finally with an ease of tension blended with cuteness in the tone of his voice. He sounded so comfortable and less stiff now.

I felt awkward. I just stared at him. This kind of face, I think I would not want to forget it if I saw it before. He noticed the way I watched him and he flushed red. He blinked multiple times and it looked like he regretted what he just said.

I tried to reason out, “I can’t really remember anyone. It’s not just you so you shouldn’t get sad about it. I am also puzzled how all of you came to know me even if it’s the first time that I met you.”

He took a deep breath and bit his lower lip. There is a heavy feeling from his deep sigh that I cannot explain. If his eyes can talk I bet I’ll be hearing a sad story soon but he withdraws from opening his mouth and just drive with coldness springing from his tight gestures as his hands squeezed controls of the car.

“We’re almost there.” he said with a calm voice and shot a short smile at me. I am not aware of the magnitude of his warmth until he flashed his perfectly aligned teeth in that short moment. I hope he does it more. It will be such a waste if he keeps it hidden just like now.

“Don’t over think for now. You’ll be able to face everything in the end. It’s better than you watching the movie alone. This time you have us.” He assured me and it gave me a light comfort. I hate watching movies alone. He knows I can’t survive dealing with the by myself. I’d really want to figure it out with them.

We were already approaching the entrance of the hospital when I saw someone walking back and forth in front of the glass doors. He seemed to be waiting for us, restlessly. Eric blinked the headlights of his car and the person noticed. He stepped closer and waved steadily on his mark.

“Hey! Faster!” he shouted. This familiar ringing voice, I can’t believe he knew we were coming, it’s the doctor. He ran towards our direction as soon as he lost his patience while Eric is still finding a spot to park the car. I looked at his name tag while he came knocking at my window, it read “Dr. Kim”.

He opened the door once Eric turned off the engine and unbuckled my seat belt to make it faster for me to move out. Something fell from my seat when I stood up and the doctor picked it up what looked like a pen and just threw it right back inside the car. It was like mine, the one that Nana gave me so I took a second look where it landed but, the engraved name was not mine. Maybe it’s the professor’s.

“Kris, how did you snap the stitches? Since when did you upgrade your clumsiness?” he asked me full of worry in his voice and directed me to the same room where he first sealed it I tried to look back and saw Eric still aligning the car properly.

Dr. Kim opened the door for me and I naturally sat near the operating table and rested my right arm on it. He quickly wore a mask and even before his friend reaches the door, he was already done wiping off all the stains of blood on my skin and fixing the ruined stitches that caused me pain. He is such an amazing doctor.

“Please let’s meet each other soon somewhere else, not here in the hospital and without any casualties involved okay? You need to take extra care my dear, gravity is your enemy.” he said after he gave a gentle pinch on my chin and rushed towards his desk to get some additional medicine. I hope he gets pain relievers.

“Here are some pain relievers Kris.” he handed me a bunch, together with instructions written nicely on a piece of yellow notepad. It seems like he prepared everything already.

“How did you..” my sentence got interrupted by Eric’s explanation – “I called him right away after Laura came knocking on my door to ask for help. It’s a good thing that he’s the 24/7 kind of doctor.” and both of them exchanged wink to each other.

I just remembered. I needed something else.

“Would you be able to prescribe me any sleeping pill too?” I asked. I will not be able to survive with all those nightmares visiting me during my resting period. My body’s giving up on me already. I need a proper sleep.

Dr. Kim’s eye-brows raised and his gaze bounced to Eric whose face matched with his. They looked both petrified hearing me asking for sleeping pills. The doctor lifted his open palm to grab the back of his own neck and looked up trying to figure out something. He lowered his head and looked at me with a serious face.

“Kris, I can’t.” he said directly. “It is obvious now that the heart remembers what the head erased. If I get it right, you had them ever since you arrived?” he asked. I cannot understand how he knew about it but I acknowledged it as I nodded.

“Nana’s game is harsh but you need to overcome this too. This is part of the package.” he pat my shoulder and gave me an encouraging smile.

“Can we go now?” Eric asked gloomily.

“Yes. Please let me know when you’re home.” He replied and handed me another apple flavoured lollipop from his pocket. He squeezed it right in between our hands and I felt his very warm soft palm against mine. “Be brave Kris.” he whispered gently as he let go.

“I will send you a message when we get home Dongwan.” Eric said while holding his phone up in the air.

He walked with me silently. We maintained a fair distance as we matched pace with each other. I don’t know why we kept this awkward space but it’s really annoying.

“It’s a good thing that you’re still up. If it was not for you, I won’t be able to go here.” I tried to be friendly.

“Oh.” He said with a surprised expression on his naïve looking face and suddenly I thought the he just got back to our world. He seemed to be spacing out a lot. It’s his occupational hobby to be precise.

He smiled shyly and replied cringing his nose “Uhm. Yeah. I’m still playing a game on my computer. I usually do that a lot at home during midnights since I am busy during day time.” He just confirmed that he is an owl too.

“Busy in the morning sounds like having a busy job.” I sighted.

“Yes. I work at the town’s university – as a history professor.” he said quickly and followed it with a brief smile.

“I just don’t look like one when I’m at home.” He laughed and it roared with an echo along the empty hallway.

I loved the sound. I missed it and at some point, a part of me was moved.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shortly Taller

He drove me home safely. It was amazing that movies became a bridge for both of us to start getting close. It seems like he loves watching movies too just the way as I am. Eric is one interesting person. The way I listened to his random perspectives, I realized that no one else would ever see things the way he does.

“Thank you for the good talk Professor.” I as he removed my seatbelt for me.

“Anytime! Let’s catch up soon.” He said as the engine of the car dies off.

Yaku’s waiting patiently on the staircase as it wagged its tail wildly at the sight of his master. Laura’s beaming to see me. She rushed by my side and asked Eric a bunch of questions about what happened in the hospital and how the trip was and he politely explained every detail.

“Kris, I’ll be going from here. I think I still need an exam to prepare for tomorrow.” Eric pulled the strings of his hoodie as he told me.

“Oh, okay. Alright. Thank you too.” I can’t even give him a proper return of gratitude.

He untied Yaku’s leash and started walking towards the Villa’s gate when he stopped and turned back running to me and handed me a metallic black mp3 player.

“About the nightmares, it will help a little if you listen to music as you sleep.” And he run away just like that, disappearing like a ninja or maybe I am too tired to figure out. Laura was kind enough to get my bag from me and I went straight to my room to charge up.

I didn’t bother to open the lights anymore, since the lights from the garden shines through the curtains well enough. I detached my earphones from my own mp3 player and plugged it to what Eric lent me. I laid my right elbow on a pillow as I sank on my bed and pushed the power on.

It was the sound of the clarinet served as the main instrument playing each track which was accompanied by what sounded minus-one background audios. It felt so relaxing that my head swung easily, calming my heart naturally like a lullaby.

I woke up with a loud knocking sound on my door and voices arguing outside my room.

“Sshhhh! Don’t wake her up! Let’s wait until she gets up on her own!” a tight whispering scream said.

“What makes her sleep until two o’clock in the afternoon? Is that even normal? She hasn’t taken any lunch yet! I asked Laura about it and she needs to take her medicine now!” nagged another voice.

Then the knocking continued. I’m sure that the other one is Dongwan and the gentle one sounded more like another familiar person. I just can’t seem to think of his name yet. I noticed that the afternoon sun light is touching my face through the open patterns of the curtain and I needed to get up.

As I got down from my bed and tried to pull myself together, I really tried my best to fight back with my laziness. With a slouched back and eyes almost half opened, I tried my best to walk towards the door when all of a sudden I jumped by surprise when I accidentally stepped on something squishy. It was Minwoo’s baby panda stuffed toy! It might have fallen last night when I grabbed clothes from the paper bag. It spoke as soon as I hit a trigger inside.

“Hello my princess!” said the stuffed toy with Minwoo’s voice clearly recorded on it. I picked it and rested it on one of my pillows.

“She’s up! Did you hear that? I heard my voice! She played my message via the pandaaa!” Minwoo sounded so happy outside.

I didn’t even bother to look on the mirror when I opened the door. Both of them seemed to be not so surprised with my bare face but they cannot help but to laugh loud as soon as they see me. They looked like two happy kids with those teasing faces. They are even shortly taller than I expected. I tried to remember why I always see them that way when they are entirely taller than me, and I suddenly realized that maybe it’s because their pals are all standing giants except for Andy who stands in the middle when it comes to the height bracket.

“HAHA! Kris, you’re bare-face is the best! Let’s have brunch now! I asked Laura to cook something good for us!” Minwoo said and he grabbed my left hand and led me to the dining area like a mannequin being dragged by a designer.

Dongwan followed us carrying a bag on his hand and kept on saying, “Don’t be like that! Be careful! Be careful!” while covering every corner of the house with his body as we pass by. He looked like a human shield as he tries to save my elbow for possible contact with any pointed stuff at home.

Laura seems to have left me with these two since the only thing that I can see waiting for us in the dining area are the food that she prepared. I felt the hunger creeping on every inch of my muscles; hunger took me by surprise when I started to realize that my tongue is already swimming with saliva.

Minwoo smiled at me with his fascinated eyes and pulled one of the chairs of the table to give me a seat. Dongwan sat opposite to us and pulled a taper wear out of his bag. It smelled melted butter as he opened the lead and took out freshly cooked bread.

“I baked them. I know it’s nothing much but, I also like to cook too.” Dongwan said altering his voice which sounded a little bit thicker than the usual; I’m sure it mimicked a comedian’s voice but cannot think of anyone. I noticed it gave him a very funny sense when he did that. I am not sure about his motive but it is obvious that he is trying to pull off a nice joke.

I smiled at him with my blurry sight still trying to adjust as I squinted my eyes towards his direction. I am an obvious blind person without my contacts. I think I misplaced them the other night but I know I brought my glasses. No problem, I will just wear them after entertaining these two thoughtful gentlemen.

Their warmth made me feel so comfortable. Minwoo took my spoon and loaded my plate with lots of rice and put creamer on my coffee. I saw him put lots of sugar in it too. I’m wondering why.

“I like sweet stuff. Tell me if it’s too sweet I’ll prepare another one. Hahaha! ” Minwoo said while laughing and added newly cooked chicken sausages at the side of my rice.

I’m staring at Minwoo when Dongwan suddenly snatched my fork from my steady hands. I diverted my attention to him and saw this Doctor stabbed a sausage for me and gave it back to me as he gestured for me to eat it.

“Kris, go on eat now. We will not be staying for long. We just want to make sure that you are taking your medicine properly. This should be your vacation with us! You know? Catching up with your Oppadeul.” and he sighed as he blinked slowly at me nodding with a worried heart.

I tried my best to shake off the spontaneous blow of nostalgia from any of them. They started eating as soon as I bit the sausage on my fork. I enjoyed the spam as well that Laura prepared for me and the mixed rice was nicely cooked with bacon bits on it and some other seasonings. I personally think that homes really have the best food for breakfast, even if it’s past morning time. The bread which Dongwan brought also tasted surreal.

How can a Doctor’s hands be so skilful both in stitching wounds and healing yet become a master in baking too? The texture of the bread was so soft and the inside was well cooked. It was covered with a generous amount of white whip cream at the top and diagonally patterned caramel syrup with matching grinded cheese for toppings.

“Kris! Don’t be silent!” Dongwan softly screamed at me with both of his hands in front of his mouth looking like his shouting from another mountain.

“Ow, wow. Sorry, I didn’t mean to do that. The food is good.” As I liked my upper lip since a cream got stuck on it.

“She’s always like that, she treats you like an enemy when it’s meal time. It’s cold war for her, especially when she has her favourite on the table. She acted just the same way when we had lunch at Hyesung’s café. Hahahah!” Minwoo said while sipping from his cup of coffee smiling like he having a good time watching us eat.

I finished my dish in an instant. Dongwan immediately reached for his bag under the table and took something from it. He read the label twice before giving it to me. I was more surprised when what landed to my hand is not a tablet but an – inhaler for asthma.

I blinked so many times, taking this possibility to a higher extent. No. How did he know?

“Hey, I know that you’re having a hard time to breathe especially in the morning. Don’t act so surprise about it. Life in the city and your busy schedule might have fooled your body to ignore your asthma but not here at Sylfaen. You will be in trouble if one time you wake and get up instantly, it will trigger for sure.” Dongwan’s eyes were fixed at me when he’s saying these words.

I was caught off guard on how straightforward he speaks. His words will always echo glints of mature advices – Dongwan’s bluntness will seize to amaze anyone with his random insights from one thing to another. His gentle face matched with his sincere remarks will make someone stop for a moment and take time on what he just said. It was his fourth point.

I gripped it tightly. I trembled briefly and I spoke with emotions overwhelmingly taking the best of me.

“I think I haven’t thanked you enough for all the assistance that you did to me for my stay here.” I tried to open up.

“To tell you the truth, the moment Nana asked me to play this game with her, I thought of rejecting her. On the day when I took the bus, I’m guilty about the truth that I think everything is a mistake but now, I think I am getting her point.” I prefer not to look at them who are listening to me attentively. It makes my heart skip few beats as if I am undergoing a recovery, as if I’ve wanted to speak to them as personal as this for a very long time ago.

“The SIX of you, you’ve been waiting for me but on my end this is the first time that I met you. I cannot even return all of my gratitude to you properly. I think I am lacking in so many ways that I myself, can’t even explain. For the past 25 years of my life, I believed at my skills. I am confident and competitive enough in my career yet when I came here, I had this feeling that I lost something big, a part of me that is yours too, something that we had in common and suddenly disappeared in thin air. ” now I finally admitted it to myself.

“I have dealt with so many strangers regardless if it was for business or for acquaintance purposes but you were all different from being just a stranger. It’s like as if, I can trust you to the point that you would catch a bullet for me if things like that might happen.” I choked as I said the last words and I sighed.

Minwoo stood from his chair and tapped my shoulder. He whispered gently, “Darling, take it easy. We’re always here for you. You will never be alone.” and lightly put a glass of water on my hand.

“Don’t be a cry baby” Dongwan followed. “I brought some stuff that will help you. You are a bright kid ever since I can remember.” And he took a thick orange photo book outside his leather bag. He lightly put it on the table and looked at it with a graceful smile on his face.

“I took all the shots. I hope you gain something from it. I’ll let you borrow this.” he said while pushing it in front of me. My eyes contained a curious glance over the random item that he brought with him. My left hand was ready to open it when Minwoo’s warm palm touched mine.

“Not until we’re out.” As he shifted his view a little bit higher than usual allowing his chinky childlike eyes to peek over the frame of his glasses. Dongwan stood up after hearing him said that and Minwoo called Laura from the opened kitchen door.

I hugged the photo book with my left arm and secured it tightly near my heart as I watched them depart from the villa. Minwoo playfully walked at Dongwan’s side while he dodges the doctor’s attempt to slap him with his bag. I really wonder why they looked so happy after their visit when it only caused me more piercing questions.

Minwoo looked back as he did a final spin and made aheart sign with both of his arms spread out meeting at the top of his head and was even scream out loud “Get well soon! Please use your phone!”

His prompt reminder gave me a shock. I forgot about it! The phone!

I briskly walked in a hyper speed way towards my room still clinging securely on the photo book that Dongwan lent me.

I stood still gasping for a huge amount of air in front of my room’s door as I try to recollect my memory on where I could have placed the phone, I can remember it was still inside the white paper bag. I tried to walk slowly towards my bed and saw nothing there except for my disorganized blankets and half pillows. I rested the photo book on my lamp table first and started looking around. The room is dim already.

The afternoon is slowly being eaten by the evening’s darkness and I opened the lights for more convenience. I know it’s with I had that together with Minwoo’s items. I rushed towards the disfigured black container which is lying on the ground right now. I’ve been in a hurry these past few days and everything that I own became too unorganized.

I lifted the unfolded hoodies and a black box and its white paper carrier dropped on the floor separately. I found it!

I opened it as soon as I grabbed it is already lifeless. It is still brand new. It was a rectangular handy phone which corners are curved for smooth angles. Its size fitted exactly on my small hands unlike the oversized tablet like phones these days. It is thin and light too. I can see it’s of touch screen material and the back plate was covered with leather like texture, black and slick as I preferred.  I immediately pulled out the charger from its box set and plugged it in. I turned it on and didn’t wait for the welcoming screen to finish up.

I put it down on the table and picked the baby panda stuffed toy from my bed and placed it beside the charging phone. I went to my crib to take a look on what Dongwan wanted to show me earlier.

I flipped the cover and saw the first page with a hand-written title,

“My Personal Time Capsule”

I smiled as I imagined him writing this; being as sentimental as this but for the record, I didn’t expect the first page to drill a hole in my heart.

There was this faded picture of them with Nana. They were all wearing high school uniforms as they sat on the floor with all their right arms stretched forward towards camera as if they were doing an epic pose while Nana’s sitting on a chair behind them full of happiness. The background, it is undeniably identical with our Villa’s main door minus all the scrapped paints on the wall.

Their faces did not change a lot except for the fact that they became more manly and mature now. I can still identify who’s who because it seemed like they already had those strong character impressions on them long before I came here, it reflected well in their expressions. They aged splendidly.

I turned the next page and saw something that did not make any sense.

A picture of a familiar looking girl riding a mini-bicycle with supporters on its side was smiling directly to the camera, waving with a tall young teenage Junjin following her from the back.

No. This can’t be.

The picture next too it was of the same girl, drawing on a paper with all crayons spread on the floor and there’s Dongwan pointing at her using his thumb, taking a picture of them both. My eyes twitched and whispered quietly to myself – “No.”

I’m starting to get goose bumps when I glanced to the next page and saw a baby faced Andy cooking beside Nana wearing an apron splattered with which seem mustard and ketchup together with the young girl holding a plate beside him. My eyes widened with so much surprise and supressed myself with another “NO” trying to tilt my head from left to right.

The succeeding page was containing Minwoo’s picture, with her again – both of them looking happily in front of the mirror while she pulls the strings of her black hoodie and him gesturing a two thumbs up sign that obviously did not change until now. I covered my mouth with a hush for the word – NO; my word fully now covered with a huge disbelief.

My head whirled with so much adrenaline when I saw the little prince like version of Hyesung blowing a cup of coffee together with the little girl whose eyes were full of anticipation in the picture as he held the teaspoon on his other hand. My eyes are slowly getting blurry as tears brim on my eyes. I can’t even take a gulp of my anxiety with all these.

My fingers run trembling to the next page and saw the young image of that professor, Eric carrying her at his back while she fell asleep on his broad shoulder. I bit my lower lip. I wanted it to bleed. I wanted to wake up. I desperately need to convince myself that all of these are part of a dream.

I closed my eyes. I shut them so hard that it hurt; my heart is beating so fast. I know for a fact that, the young girl and me – are irrevocably the same person. That was me when I was 8 but how come that I don’t remember them? Why did everything, every memory disappeared from my head like a bubble? Who exactly are they? How long have I been like this? Why now? I can’t breathe. I closed the photo book.

My free hand rushed at my bedside table for the medicines. I grabbed the inhaler that Dongwan gave me. I hyperventilated with extreme emotions and it saved me from the doom of my asthma. My head felt so heavy to take all this rush of stress over everything that I saw.

I pushed the photo book aside. I lay on my bed and tears started rolling down on my temples, I cannot accept any of it.

I wiped them as fast as I can; I tried to hold in my soundless sobs and grabbed my chest as if it was in pain. For the few days that I spent here at Sylfaen, I am at the most clueless part of my life. This whole debt thing is not as easy as I imagined.

I curl in a fetus-like-position with no plans of getting up. I don’t know what to do next. I am completely lost with all these from the very beginning and now, evidences make it forceful to sink in. I closed my eyes. Hoping Nana will come and explain to me everything I saw today.

 

 

The Birds

I was screaming for her.

Nana, she won’t come. She can’t hear me. But I cried my lungs out as I shouted louder. It was getting hot and no one’s answering my plea, until I tried to call them. All the six of them one by one – I can’t breathe anymore. I know I’ll suffocate and I will end up stuck here.

I tried to struggle again one more time and I woke up.

The phone is ringing madly and it is vibrating unceasingly on the table. The call woke me from the nightmare. It rang exactly 2 more times the moment I opened my eyes and died. I checked the time and it was already 7 in the evening according to the wall clock near my comfort room’s door. The phone rang again and it forced me to get up and answer it.

It died again even before I can reach the table. I looked on the screen and squinted my eyes as hold it nearer my face, there were 36 missed calls displayed on its screen and the 37^th call just came in when I was about to look who’s been calling.

The caller’s name read – “Jinnie Oppa”.

I swiped the answer tab the soonest.

“Hey! Kris! Hello? Are you there? Hello?” Junjin’s voice sounded very cool and husky even over the phone, right now his tone is with a mixture of worry and sudden excitement.

“Hello..” I paused and tried swallow emptily to recover my voice. It sounded more of a guy’s voice with its low tone. “Sorry I just woke up.” I explained.

“Oh! Sorry, I might have disturbed you. I called you just in case you haven’t seen our message yet about tomorrow’s schedule with Hyesung and me?” he sounded more apologetic than excited now.

“Huh? Sorry, I just opened the phone today and I honestly haven’t seen anything yet too.” I tried to catch my thoughts.

Junjin understood it right away and explained everything about it.

“Hyesung would want us to go somewhere tomorrow, just the three of us. I’m not sure with the activities yet but we will pick you up at 8 in the morning tomorrow.” I can hear his smile from his voice. He is excited but I am thorn with lots of thoughts.

“Okay. I’ll go with you. I still don’t have any plans for tomorrow.” I decided. I thought to myself that spending more time with them might led me to the answers that I am looking for.

“That’s great! I will call Hyesung in a while and let him know about it. He is quite nervous that you won’t come! Oh this will be awesome! Have a good night Kris! Rest well and pack more energy for tomorrow! Sweet dreams!” and he hanged up.

I gripped the phone tightly before I let out a deep breath and looked in to it again. I saw the logs of the missed calls and was surprised to find out that the 36 missed calls were not all from Junjin but randomly from every one of them. It all started since the day I received it.

My inbox is also full of unread messages too. I decided not to read it right away. I needed to reassess my progress with this complicated challenge of Nana.

I started to pick my back pack and get my black journal from it. I needed to list down some items that will remind me, those important details that will keep me on track, who’s who. I wrote their names arranged depending on the order I’ve met them:

Junjin who knew that I cannot ride bikes and I have no sense of direction with two points, Dongwan is already leading with four points since he knows that I am not a cry baby, loved apple flavoured lollipop, pointed out that gravity is my enemy and about my asthma, Andy had 3 points telling me my allergies, the food that I don’t eat and my favourite cake. Minwoo had 3 points already with my favourite color, clothing inclination and my habit of not fitting them in shops, Hyesung had 2 points when he gave me my favourite coffee, and favourite food and the last one Eric with 2 points as well who told me the fact that I am not a dog lover and that I cannot watch movies alone.

Can it be really Dongwan? But, why do I feel like it was not him? I think I needed to know what the other people had to say too. Until I get the fifth fact, I will decide.

I got exhausted thinking for possibilities until I gave up. I needed to prepare for tomorrow and decided to go back to sleep but now, I ended up getting Eric’s mp3 player again for a more suitable lullaby. I set the alarm on the phone and put it on my lamp table and adjusted it to its loudest ringing sound.

I went back to sleep easier this time and the moment I woke up, it’s because of a combination of consistent knocking on the door that goes with the ringing of my alarm clock that disrupted the serene sound of the clarinet.

I reached for my phone and turned off the alarm and heard Laura’s voice.

“Kris? Are you up? Kris?” Laura called outside. She never did this before, I mean waking me up but why all of a sudden?

I somehow managed to answer back properly and she told me about my alarm that went on and off as it snoozed from time to time. I might have gotten her worried about it. I think I got too immersed listening to the lullaby.

I checked the time and it was a good thing that I put the alarm advanced than the usual. Now, I still have time to prepare. My messed up body clock is taking a huge toll on me. I am not even fully aware how the time flies here at Sylfaen and now that I remembered what happened yesterday, I think I’ll be dealing an enormous torment later on, but I have to face it if I would really like to come back to the company.

I washed off slowly trying to take my time as I try to avoid putting pressure on my right arm. I become a lot sluggish with my dysfunctional right elbow but I still succeeded to save a few more minutes while waiting for them.

I grabbed my backpack and added another item – the inhaler that Dongwan gave me the other day. I carried my phone in my right hand while I sling my bag on my left shoulder carelessly. I took a seat on our comfortable sofa and decided to read the messages from yesterday’s discovery.

Almost all of it are from Minwoo asking me what I had for my meals, the others are from Dongwan telling me about the time for my medicines and there are a bunch of text messages too from Hyesung and Junjin with the same topic – about today’s activity. I noticed two singled out names in my inbox – Eric and Andy.

Andy’s only message said, “Hi Kris! I hope you get this message. Let me know when you are free so that we can cook together. I hope you’re doing well! Take care ~ ^^” he did not forgot about his promise.

Just then I saw Eric’s message which is surprisingly BLANK.

What kind of sorcery? Did he really sent this one or he accidentally pushed the send button? But why are there no follow up messages for the mistake? Of all the messages I received, this one – made me so curious so I replied. I sent him a blank message too.

It did not take long before my phone vibrated for a newly received message and it was from him. I checked it and with all my heart I seriously wanted to throw off the phone somewhere when I opened the message and received something like: “^.^”

WHAT ON EARTH DOES HE MEAN BY SENDING ME SOMETHING LIKE THIS?!

He is having fun. I am being annoyed and it does not matter because I am glad that someone finally wanted to annoy me on childish rate and this made me thought about how exactly older are they compared to me. If I were 8 on the mysterious pictures that Dongwan showed me, they are probably twice as old as I am? If I can only ask them it will be less nerve-wracking. Sigh.

Right before I lose my mind with all the swirling possibilities in my head, I heard Junjin’s voice shouting outside the gate of the Villa.

“Kris! We’re here! Let’s GOOOOO! Kris!!!” and I just saw half of his body right outside Hyesung’s car window waving madly to get my attention. How did he fit on that? It might have been hard for him but he looks like he is enjoying it. He is wearing rectangular shades now and his hair’s pulled back revealing his smooth forehead. He is wearing sleeveless yellow shirt and his biceps are well fixed on his strong arms too, now it made me feel it’s really summer.

I jumped off the couch and walked as quickly as I can to reach his car without stumbling with shame and I am glad that I made it.  Hyesung was wearing a fedora hat and it looked like they spoke to each other about what to wear since he topped his white t-shirt with a thin knitted yellow cardigan and it well matched their almost the same knee length denim shorts.

“Jinnie, get inside now. You might catch cold if you continue what you’re doing.” Hyesung suggested.

Junjin followed him right away and took his shades off to hang them on his shirt’s neck line.

“We are going to the beach Kris!” he said full of excitement. “Don’t worry; it’s on a lower location. It’s the only place in Sylfaen where summer is really summer. We will NOT go swimming too so you may relax a bit. I know that you cannot swim.”

By saying that, Junjin earned his 3^rd point.

“Oh, that’s good to know. Thank you for thinking about me and inviting me too.” I really feel grateful towards them, on how easily they decide upon spending their time with me without thinking twice and planning it like this, as thoughtful as this.

“Don’t mention all of these. I bet the others also prepared in their own way but me and Junjin, we are the Birds of the group and we decided it will be easier if we handle things like this together. Haha” Hyesung said comfortably. It felt like the awkwardness is lesser visible when he is with Junjin. I cannot explain why but they seem to be very close to each other.

“Hyesung, is more like a mother to me already. He always takes care of me. Yes, just like a mother bird takes care of a baby bird before it can fly.” Junjin elaborated with a very serious poker face but it just made the scene more humorous, I was not able take back my laughter when I caught his smirk on his last word.

“By the way, Dongwan and Minwoo visited me yesterday. They also left a photobook for me to view but I was not able to see all of it yet.” I told them honestly and both of them paused with an awkward silence from all the laughter.

“If that’s the case, I think I am in charged to do the briefing now.” Hyesung said as he adjusted his fedora hat deliberately while driving. Junjin just sat quietly at the back to listen.

“We were already graduating students when Nana introduced you to us. I, Minwoo, Dongwan and Eric were already 18 by that time while Andy and Jinnie were a year younger than us. We’ve been with Nana for a very long time so she trusted us to be your companions while your parents are busy with your business in the city. It was also around this season of the year when you came to us. That was March 1998 as long as I can remember.” Hyesung’s voice was full of reminiscing tone and I can tell that he is thinking deeply on how to tell every word to me directly as he can.

“During your vacation, you spent it with us happily. It was not just a month but almost half a year. That is how we knew you. You are very transparent on how you feel and you did not hesitate to share your vulnerability with us because we were already like your older brothers from another set of family.” He paused and smiled at Junjin.

“I can still remember the time when you were with me and you’re almost out of your temper waiting for Nana’s class to finish when I lent you my walk-man and you suddenly got a grip of yourself and calmly listened to music instead.” I was not sure how to react. Hearing it straight from him, a fact that “music is my therapy” and knowing how it all started with a memory that both of us shared with each other – 17 years ago felt so hard to comprehend but so obvious to equate with all the revelations around me.

Hyesung stopped talking and inhaled deeply before saying, “ You can’t even remember when is the first time you started treating music as your therapy do you?” and sadness shadowed my heart without any warnings at all. This kind of thing, it was like a dream but it’s too real to fix it as a fiction.

“Me too, I’m quite frustrated that you can’t still ride a bike because we stopped our tutorial! Oh! So frustrating! Now we are going back from the start! I’ve taught you a lot already Kris!” Junjin’s sudden explosion of his absurd frustration about the biking lessons made the mood lighter as a feather.

With all his effective tactics of breaking sudden heavy situations he is the best. I should commend him for that. It made us laugh and from the back of the car he forced himself right between our chairs to play a song. It did not take long before the music started and the rhythm poured a good feel because it is a happy beach song and they sang along as soon as it started.

They told me they used to play this with me on our same trip and I loved this too back then. I read the flashing title on the screen of the player and the song was “Eusha! Eusha!” I promised myself to take a note on that.

We arrived at exactly lunch time on the beach side. Both of them helped each other set up our picnic spot and spread a blanket on the beach’s white sand under a plumeria tree slightly protruding from the edge of the sea side sharing its thick leafy branches giving us a cool shade. Hyesung went off to get something from his car while Junjin arranged the food diligently. 

There were no other people but only us, the place is something to treasure. I took out the phone that I got from the professor to take pictures when I noticed a message waiting in my inbox and opened it right away. It was from him – Eric, he sent a rabbit figure made up of symbols like this:  ／(･ × ･)＼ and it seemed like he is amused sending me this sort of things. I replied with a smiley instead.

While I am taking pictures of the gentle waves of the clear water kissing the soles of my feet Junjin called out and I saw Hyesung who just got back with a guitar in his hands. They were both waving at me to come and eat.

Kimbap is the main course for our outing and I can already tell who made it since the abundant amount of sesame seeds on it is so obvious. Hyesung even kept on asking if it’s good and honestly, it tasted odd from the start but the taste is somewhat new and savoury.

“You want to know what Kris, we used to go to the town’s public swimming pool before and I will always spend my time with you in the kiddie pool because I cannot swim too. My hyungs (older brothers) will always tease me about it but you enjoyed it the most.” Junjin started while he pours iced tea on my paper cup.

“Oh yeah, I remember that! Hahaha.. I thought you’re just teaching her how to swim back then!” Hyesung said with a surprised tone of voice.

 “Kris and I kept it a secret from you guys but it really hurt my pride so I asked Eric if he can teach me. He is the best swimmer among us.” Junjin emphasized while looking at my reaction and continued.

“We even went here to practice but I don’t know why he ended trying to catch a jellyfish instead. I stood here watching him swim from afar while holding a bucket full of sea water on my hands. I thought he’s just fooling around with me but he took serious dives on the water but not able to get one. I wonder why.” Junjin’s eyes stared at Hyesung with a puzzled face.

Hyesung just shrugged his shoulders giving an “I don’t know too” kind of gesture towards him but I think – I clearly know why he did that. I just smiled and looked at his rabbit message again. He’s such a thoughtful person but it looked like he loves to deliver his affection with sudden surprises.

After having lunch, Junjin started playing the guitar skilfully while Hyesung started to sing songs along with him. I can’t even believe that both of their voices were as good as professional singers. I am awestruck and humbled by the café owner’s heavenly voice as he sang ballad songs together with the sheriff’s exceptional ability to deliver emotions through his singing melody.

I didn’t want this moment to end but that will be impossible. I still don’t know how my memory got messed up or if any of what’s happening made sense but I’d like to keep this moment remembered, saved forever. I took out the phone again and took a video of them as they smiled and played more. They wanted to keep this too, they smiled and waved back as they performed comfortably as I try to steady my trembling hands.

We were enjoying so much that I failed to notice my phone’s power capacity. The screen blinked multiple times with battery warning.

“Noooooo!!!” is the only word that I was able to say when it popped up a message about automatically shutting down – and I got anxious on what button to press. They both jumped beside me and there was Hyesung’s hand snatching the phone from my hand and he pressed “SAVE” right away.

The clip got saved right after the phone drained its battery life and died on its own. I almost had a mini heart attack.

“Let’s do this again.” I asked them almost pleading. “I think I still have more time to spare.” Now that I think of it, I am already enjoying my vacation with them without even putting much effort on it, they made me feel so welcomed and loved.

“Sure!” Junjin answered. “But next time, we will need to arrange it with the rest, we have different schedules so they were not able to come today.” He added.

Hyesung’s phone rang and he answered it right away. He covered his mouth and lowered his voice to almost a whisper while speaking to the other person on the line. I can’t almost hear anything. I didn’t think it was Eric, his reaction is much lighter and his chinky eyes are smiling while being lifted beautifully by his cute eye bags. Right after he hanged up, he approached us and told us what the call was about.

“Kris, I think you need to go home. Andy’s at the Villa right now and he’s been waiting for an hour already. I told him that we will be just here for lunch but it seemed that it took us longer than expected.” Hyesung tried to relay with an apologetic tone.

“Oh my.. I didn’t know that he is coming.” I told him regretfully.

“He was actually supposed to surprise you but we ended up ruining his time frame.” Junjin explained while scratching his head.

“I think we should go back here and stay overnight to do star gazing. You’ll love it won’t you? If Andy didn’t tell me that he will visit you we could have stayed longer.” Hyesung suddenly gave another fact about me and everything on my list of probabilities got so messed up, that was his 4^th point.

We hurried up tidying things up and got back to the car right away. I didn’t have enough time to think about the rankings now. We were playing random music in the car that made me feel almost refreshed and distracted from all of what happened yesterday until we reached the Villa’s gate.

I bid them goodbye and slowly walked towards the house. The gloomy feeling rushed back in again. My heart felt heavy with the burden of what could have happened. I am almost positively close of assuming it was Dongwan when Hyesung suddenly spoke about star gazing today. I didn’t know how to decide anymore. My discretion was partially damaged from all these spontaneous revelations. I stopped walking as I think over and over again, re-analysing the facts asking my heart many times. Who could it be?

 

 

The Youngest

“Hey!” his voice sounded like a rescue in the middle of my mental breakdown. I looked up straight towards that house entrance and I saw Andy smiling back at me wearing a moss green wind breaker jacket with its zipper slightly pulled down revealing his white shirt inside while his jogging pants are rolled up to his knees.

He was holding something cupped in his hands. He went down our mini-stair case and asked me to open my hand towards him and he rested an orange paper crane on my open palm. I looked at it and his face glow with amusement on my frowning expression.

“Cute isn’t it? I made a smaller one for you. I hope you liked it.” He said with his well-modulated speaking voice.

I can’t still get a grip of what he is talking about when he pointed inside the house. He directed me to come with him nearer and as we reached the entrance, he looked at the ceiling and I just realized that it was the same with the colourful origami hanging alternately on the top of our heads.

“All of these. You made them.” And I looked at him with awe.

Andy nodded his head. “Yes, all 204 of them. I promised you that I’ll be hanging a crane every month until you come back. Every single one contained my messages to you all throughout those 17 years that you were gone. They are basically unsent letters that are floating above you right now.”

I wanted to cry upon hearing it. I wanted to give Andy a hug but my body’s resisting to do so. He stood beside me looking up at his letters and I can’t even remember a single thing about our friendship. He then caught me staring at him teary eyed and controlling my overwhelming emotions when I noticed a tear rolling down his baby cheeks as well.

He wrapped his right arm over my shoulder and squeezed my arms saying “Thank you for coming back. I always believed you’ll appreciate them even if you will never remember.” He wiped his tears in an instant and faced me looking at the paper crane on my hand.

“Thank you Andy for all of these.” I told him with my emotionally inflicted voice and continued – “I’m not sure yet what to think about all these or how I deserved all of your hard work but something inside me tells me that all of you have been always there for me all along. I wanted to know what really happened here between all of us but the agony of my lost memories tortures me the most.”

“You shouldn’t feel upset about it. It was never your fault in the first place.” He said trying to comfort me but I am indeed hopeless with the blind side of the unknown twist of this mission.

“Kris, I’m sure you’re getting confused right now with all the facts misplaced from one person to another. Come on, take a seat. I came here to let you know.” He sat on the sofa with me and took a deep breath while gathering his thoughts.

He knew something about it. All this messed up equation. I thought it was just me but having him beside me and taking his time delivering this message to me is something that I really need. He just came at the right time when everything’s falling apart inside my head. Nana told me that the rest of the five people will only have 3 things to hold and the one who has the most will tell me five things.

I slowly get to understand what’s going on when Andy started to speak, “Dongwan didn’t really know that you have asthma. Someone told him to bring you medicine for it because he’s the one who knew about it. If Dongwan already knew about it first-hand, he must have given the inhaler to you since day 1.”

What Andy said made sense.

“About the star-gazing activity, Hyesung tried toad it to your itinerary today. The original plan was for you guys to only have a picnic that’s why my surprise visit didn’t work as what we spoke about.” He added.

“Originally, he also asked me to give you a false expectation but I decided to turn the tables since I know that he deserves to get recognized.” He paused with a smirk in his lips. “This hyung (older brother) is very close to me. I knew him even before we met the rest in our detentions. I can understand why he is acting that way and that is because he does not want to get the spot light.” He explained.

“He asked me to tell you about how you feared house lizards so much that I put those paper cranes up in your Villa’s ceiling. I didn’t want my letters to be overpowered with that lame excuse. My promise to you remains the same as time passed.” And he gave a wink as he admitted being an almost probable accessory to a conspiracy.

“I’m sure that there’s only one left on your list who had a lesser account than expected after we showed you all our hidden cards.” He said playfully as he shifted on his seat to lay his back on our soft couch. He closed his eyes trying to pretend he is trying to sleep while he waits for my answer to the obvious riddle.

My blood rushed with facts collecting them thoroughly inside my memory for the past few days. I got my black journal from my bag and started to right down everything again on the list. Andy watched me joyfully as he smiled brightly to the nearing of this mission.

It was the professor! It was Eric!

The one who only showed up once and never did again. He was the person who decides to just appear when nobody else is there to help up. He was the shy guy and always thoughtful. He was successfully concealed with his weird behaviour that only lurks and observes from afar.

I can’t still believe that I was able to discover all of it, thanks to Andy. I raised my head to look at him but I caught him staring at my journal as if something surprised him.

“Andy?” I tried to get his attention but he continued looking down, staring at something on my hands. I finally noticed it was not my journal but my pen.

“Kris, you..” he paused and thought for a while.

“Wait a minute, since when did you have that pen?” he asked while his eyes are still fixed on the thing.

“Nana gave this to me together with this journal.” I told him honestly but the trace of confusion is still visible on his face that made me think that it could have been a clue too.

“The day the accident happened. Eric rushed riding in his bike to give that as memento for you. He chased your car on that rainy day ignoring our words to just send it by mail. It was the same accident that caused your parents death.” Andy’s voice broke at the end of his sentence.

He looked up at me as I felt numb while listening to his words. This was the first time I’m going to hear a more detailed version of that tragic accident that was never told by Nana.

“Your parents picked you up that day to bring you back to the city but you cried so hard when they forced you to get inside the car. We knew about it all along so all five of us came here to comfort you and say our goodbyes. You finally agreed to come with them with the condition that you’ll come back after 17 years after you are done studying abroad.” He shifted his head as he looked outside the door, his eyes reflecting through his gaze what he felt years ago.

“Eric came late for some reason and didn’t have any choice but to do his best to catch up with your distance. He saw everything happened with a blink of an eye when your car a sharp curve and lost its control on the slippery road. It flipped on the side of the road and he drove faster to reach you as soon as possible.” He paused and looked at me.

“You were unconscious with a bleeding forehead while your parents were barely talking and asked him to take you out first and make sure your safe. It was just a short moment after he was able to get you out of the car when the gasoline leak blew your vehicle into an explosion together with your parents. He watched you speechless as you lay on the grass and glanced helplessly on your burning car.” He closed his eyes and reached out to hold my trembling hands.

“Your seatbelt is indeed a saving grace because it avoided you from getting serious injuries but the trauma got the best of you when you woke up. When Nana told you about your parent’s death, you ended up blaming yourself about it. You kept on asking Eric why he had to save you first before them. He does not know what to tell you, even us – we were all excruciatingly thinking of a way to comfort you but nothing worked out.” He shook his head slowly as he brushed my hair with his free hand.

“Being the youngest among us, I saw how my hyungs (older brothers) tried to brain storm on what to do to make you feel better since Nana decided to keep you here for the time being. Your smile was gone. You don’t eat either. Nightmares always visit you at night and it looked like the accident destroyed your inner strength. You never played outside and didn’t come out of your room even if we came to visit you. We will always desperately listen to you crying by yourself, so Nana decided to take the risk on undergoing extreme medications and therapies for you to recover.” He grabbed the pen from my hand and faced it to me upside down, and I understood what he meant when he said Eric gave it to me – it was an ambigram of our name all along. He wiped my tears his hands and joined me as I faced my painful past.

Andy, he will never be just a skilful chef but a person that I will treasure forever just like now – when he decided to face this inevitable truth with me without holding himself back from the pain of the memories, helping me to accept this huge blow of reality for my personal growth.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Unknown Debt

“Thank you for letting me know Andy. I think I can understand better now. I really appreciate all of your support and yes – your time to visit me.” I sincerely told him.

“It’s my pleasure.” He said and he smiled to me just the way he did the first time that I saw him in the hospital. Now I can relate better the way they treated me. Now, the gap is comprehendible and I thought to myself that I owe a lot from this people.

It was then when I remembered, THE DEBT! What could it be? I don’t have any tangible material to think of. Is it this pen that I am using or anything else that we shared together in the middle of my lost memories? I will put a note on it first.

A lot of things happened today that made me feel so exhausted. Everything went so fast and I don’t know if it better or not. At this rate, I cannot even think of my company duties. My mind is occupied with all the information that I received and I am not even satisfied with all of it yet. I am emotionally fatigued but it turns out that it is more of a healing process than torture that I am going through right now.

“By the way Kris, I asked Laura if she can buy some ingredients for dinner. I decided to cook a meal for us. I also invited Minwoo if you don’t mind.” He said while showing me the screen of his phone displaying a message sent to the designer to come over for dinner.

“Of course that’ll be good.” Imagining Minwoo’s smiling face made me feel a lot better. He’s a very cheerful guy and his presence makes me feel that everything will be okay. I really hope I get to know them more. Like what Andy and the birds did today, I am also rooting for the fact that the remaining three people will start to uncover certain memories about us that I’ve lost unintentionally 17 years ago.

Laura came in just in time while Andy is teaching me how to fold the paper to create a crane origami like what he did every month. He was so patient in explaining every detail of it, and his gentle voice is so clear that I’d wanted to hear him speak more than he should.

He left me practicing on the kitchen’s dining table and immediately proceeded in preparing the ingredients for his recipe. Andy was very swift and precise on what he is doing and from a distance I can already tell that I’ll be pigging out soon because of the mouth-watering scent of his dish.

Minwoo just popped on the kitchen’s door holding a cake’s box on his hands.

“Dessert?” he smiled like a kid and put it inside the refrigerator. The pictures reflected the way they moved around the Villa treating it like their own home. Andy knew exactly where to find the condiments that he needs and Minwoo casually seats on the chair like he is already part of the household.

“So how did it go with the birds? Hehehe.. Hyesung stopped by at my boutique to deliver excess Kimbap for lunch before he went here.” Minwoo asked while showing me a picture on his phone. It was identical to the food that we ate on the beach.

“The seashore was beautiful! It was like a paradise actually. I never thought there is a place like that here at Sylfaen.” And while saying that, I remembered my phone.

I haven’t charged it yet! I stood up and quickly ran to get it from my bag which was still on the couch. Of course its blank display is still as it is the last time it died.

Minwoo followed me to my room and watched me plugged it to its charger.

“I took a video of them. I’ll show it to you later when it comes back to life.” I said with an almost excited voice.

He nodded his head in agreement. He roamed inside my room to look around. There is nothing much to see but he still find it fascinating in a way. He even nagged me to transfer all my clothes inside the closet instead of letting them rest inside my luggage. He said it will make me feel more like on a vacation than just a part time tourist in Sylfaen.

He sat on my bed and held Dongwan’s photo book on his hand and said, “Wannie really put a lot of effort on this. I didn’t even know that he had these photos with him until yesterday when he showed it to me. Are you done checking all of it?”

“Nope. Not yet. I stopped after a few pages.” I answered honestly.

 “What was the last picture that you saw?” he asked with an interested tone.

“I think, the last one that I saw was with – Eric, the one where he is carrying me on his back.” I paused and let out a deep sigh and just gave him a desperate look.

“I already know it was him. Andy blew off his cover a while ago.” I tried to put a smile on my face dreadfully now that I am about to enter another challenge, identifying my debt.

“Andy is really smart to call me out here.” Minwoo laughed after hearing that. It made me think that he was not one of the people whom I got confused with. Maybe that’s why?

“You see Kris. It is very easy to point out what you owe from that person.” He said casually which sounded like it was a piece-of-cake to identify.

“All the five of us have something in common that he does not. Base from what I know you met him the night he brought you to the hospital. Dongwan told me about it. He drove you to the hospital himself.” He is still supressing his laughter. “He is awkward too like Hyesungie but a different kind of feel is in his vibe.” Minwoo pointed out.

“That’s right. I find his walls seriously tough to break. I can’t even come up with a good topic to begin with. I had a hard time figuring him out.” I walked towards Minwoo who’s already opening the photo book himself. I sat beside him as he flipped the first pages that I viewed yesterday.

In every page that he spread, he will always point his finger on Eric’s face. Something looked different from the professor that I have met. Most of his pictures had that kind of mischievous smile on it. He will be seen with goofy poses from many pictures and there is something that Minwoo would like me to notice by myself.

I tried to remember the first time I met him; it is when Laura asked for his help. He possessed that cold stare with tormenting eyes unlike them who greeted me warmly like an old friend. He had a gloomy mood and a straight to the point kind of attitude even when we were at the hospital. But I remember seeing him smiling, almost laughing at random stuff but those moments were quickly snatched away by his consistency in terms of silence.

“Happiness.” Minwoo said slowly. “You took away his happiness with you when you left Sylfaen for your therapy. He kept it to himself all along and we got really bothered about it. How he bottled it up all by himself and never shared it with us. It is already given that we were able to tell what’s wrong with him since we were brothers. His actions speak louder than words.” And he continued switching from one page to another.

“Eric, that guy always takes responsibility of everything. When he saw you like that at the hospital and observed how lonely you became when you came back here at the Villa, he will always stay here late at night just to personally know if you are sleeping peacefully. He will play his clarinet outside your room until he sees you asleep. He told us that it helps the nightmares go away.” He looked at me with a comforting smile.

Now I realized why he lent me his mp3 and I finally get the chance to know what I should return him. Indeed it is something that cannot be reimbursed by money.

I need to think harder, try better ways to restore his happiness. I felt guilty for making him that way. His smiles on the pictures were so genuine that I’d like to see him with a cheerful face again.

 “Minwoo Hyung, Kris! Dinner is ready!” Andy called out form the kitchen and both of us walked in a hurry towards the dining table inside the kitchen.

A savoury pasta with white sauce together with a tenderized beef steak waited for us on the dining table while Andy puts grape juice on our glasses. I sat beside Minwoo and Andy took the chair opposite us.

“Bone appetite!” Andy said with such a huge delight on his master piece.

He never failed my expectation. He is a chef by profession and I can say that having him here at the Villa everyday will surely make me chunky in just a span of a week. He’s really good in mixing flavours and at the same time applying heat to his dish to get the right texture that you will fall for.

I unconsciously gave him two thumbs up to praise our dinner. He saw me and laughed happily.

“That’s how you did it years ago! Hahaha! You haven’t changed at all!” Andy said while wiping his lips with a napkin. “You inspired me to be a chef do you know that? You will always bring me a cooking book whenever I am having my lessons with Nana in this same kitchen and ask me to cook random food for your hungry tummy. Hahaha” it seemed so nostalgic for Andy and it added up to the many things that I still needed to know about us.

“I’m so glad to be part of your motivation Andy. By the way, I’m a little curious about the professor. He lent me an mp3 the other night and I would like to return it to him.”  or probably I can return something else to him even if I’m still not aware how to give it back.

Andy pause his laughter. Both of them fell silent for a while and I looked at them blankly still not able to understand what I said wrong to make them so passive.

“He’s not home now. He normally goes fishing by himself during this time.” Minwoo confessed.

Fishing? At night? I almost thought I didn’t hear him correctly but Andy confirmed it by making a gesture of someone throwing fish bait attached to an invisible fishing rod.

“Yes, he does that to release his stress.” the designer added as he put a big chunk of meat in his mouth and chewed it deliciously like a child.

“Okay.. that’s somehow.. weird in a way..” I tried to think about what I am going to say next but what’s the use of hiding it?

“Because all day long he’s been sending me random messages.” and the emoticons popped inside my head.

Andy frowned upon hearing it and I looked at Minwoo only to discover that he is also with a bewildered expression.

“What kind of messages?” Andy asked directly.

“At first it was just a blank message, so I replied a blank message too. Then it was followed with a smiley icon and I replied just the same thing. The last one that I received from him is a rabbit emoticon though. You can check my phone if you like. I am just charging it in my room right now.” I explained to them.

Both of them looked at each other and got their smart phones in front of me and typed crazily on their screens. I can’t even relate to what’s happening.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Erased Portion

“Excuse me?” I tried to burst their bubble.

They were still suppressing their obvious laughter when Minwoo’s phone rang when he was about to answer my question.

“Hello? Nana?! He’s back! He’s finally back!” Minwoo screamed at the top of his voice bouncing up and down of his seat.

“Hey! Let me speak to her too! Hand me the phone!” Andy snatched Minwoo’s phone and spoke too on the speaker loudly and clearly. “Kris made it! Kris made it!”

I looked at them still lost at the moment. What exactly is happening? And all of a sudden, Minwoo gave me the phone and asked me to spoke freely. I heard Nana’s voice on the other line, loud and clear.

“Hello Kris? My child, are you there?” Nana asked steadily when two of them were on celebration mode already.

“Yes? Hello? Nana? What’s happening? I can’t understand. Everything is chaotic here with Andy and Minwoo jumping all over the place. They look like they were celebrating.” I almost shouted on the phone because they were giggling around me loudly.

“You did it my dear. You paid back the debt even before you knew it.” Her words didn’t match my logic at all. I didn’t comprehend the possibility when I just found out about everything today.

“Look here, I’ll be there tomorrow. See you soon.” And she hanged up over the phone leaving me not even able to react properly. I stared at Minwoo’s phone to double check if she really did and the line died exactly the way it would when somebody puts down a call on the other end.

What have I done that I am not aware of? I still have so many questions to ask. Does this mean that my vacation ends now? This can’t be. I cannot go back yet. Now, that I am finally getting a grip of my lost memories. I still need to figure out how I lost them but how?

I rested my fork on my plate while having an extreme blast of probabilities when I noticed Andy’s hands waving in front of my blank eyes. I’m almost spacing out.

“Kris, are you okay? Kris?” Andy finally noticed my mental breakdown and he started to explain.

“You said that he sent you random emoticon messages right?” Andy reconfirmed.

“Yes.” I answered briefly.

“Eric only sends those stuff when he’s in the mood to play like a cutie pie. He used to do that long ago too with you but both of you used notepads instead. You will stick it wherever you like and reply randomly as well. He also does that to us but stopped doing it when you left. It goes with the same reason why he’d like to give you a pen for a remembrance. It’s because he would love to receive letters from you even if you’re far away from us.” Andy finally explained.

“I think he’s at home now not fishing as how we predicted. We didn’t have a clue that he resurrected already but it’ll be best for you to rest first since it’s already late.  Nana will be coming here tomorrow too to give you a reward for sure. So let’s finish our meals now. We still have to catch up with the loach. HAHAHA!” Minwoo sounded fairly more excited than I am.

I decided to follow their advice and I am looking forward on what Nana has to offer me for a prize out of this surprisingly unusual vacation that she gave me. This is something that I never imagined in my whole life of existence. My world suddenly turned upside down with all the revelations that have been concealed from me since I was a kid.

Minwoo got the cake from the refrigerator as soon as he saw our empty plates and began to give us slices of it. He called out to Laura and stuck his head outside the kitchen’s door while she was busy opening the mini lamps on the path way and even told her to have a slice as well if she wants to. She just waved her hand to him and resume on what she’s doing.

It’s an oreo cheesecake and the mini label on its box was with a “Healthy Grounds Café” logo. Minwoo enjoyed every piece of the cake while Andy just finished half of it and it went the same for me. It’s too sweet to endure.

“Kris, I know there are plenty of things that you’d like to ask us and even Nana right now. I’m sorry for all these sudden tsunami of information but one way or another, you will know about this later on and you’ll never wish any other process of knowing about it than this.” Andy comforted me randomly. He is such a sensitive guy. I appreciate that.

“Thank you Andy.” I meant it.

Both of them left right after Minwoo finished washing the dishes. I told him not to but he just continued doing it anyway. He said he’d like to do something since Andy cooked for dinner. They were so caring to each other. I wondered if I was the same towards them before.

They asked me to just rest right away and they will manage to go home without too much fuss of walking them out of the Villa’s gate. I obeyed politely and proceeded to my room to wash up.

It was refreshing. I haven’t done so many things for a long time. I haven’t been to the beach and be sun-kissed naturally. I am guilty of pushing back my tears when I’m having a hard time and most of all, caring for other people became my lowest priority in life. I valued time so much that I was not able to appreciate life more than I should. I valued it so much that I forgot its essence.

With my sleeping suit I’m all set for a good sleep when I decided to watch the video that I took earlier with the Birds, the phone’s resolution made justice to their perfect looks and the receiver recorded their voices the closest as it can be. I tried to check the phone’s memory and was surprised to find out that it has 128 GB of capacity. What am I supposed to do with that for a short stay in this town? On a second thought, maybe Eric anticipated for all of these to happen, all of the activities to be recorded securely for additional purposes.

I lay on my bed and got the clarinet playlist ready for my lullaby; I wrapped myself with my fluffy comforter and submerged under my pillows.

I woke up with the shouting alarm tone of my cell phone on the lamp table. I forgot to turn it off last night and I don’t have any other choice but to do my best reaching for its location in the midst of my adjusting senses.

I turned it off and checked how many times it snoozed and saw that it’s just 7:30 in the morning. There were new messages from them. I tried to read it one by one while my eyes were still blurry and can only read at a close distance. I started from the bottom and got surprised to see Eric’s name registered on it.

Eric: I saw you went out with Hyesung and Jinnie at the beach! You didn’t even invite me! o(T﹏T)o

Andy: You home?

Eric: ／(･ × ･)＼ if I ask you to play hide and seek with me will you that be fine?

Eric: ／(･ × ･)＼ or would you like to ride a swing instead? I’m here at the school now. Bored.

Eric: ／(･ × ･)＼

Eric: ／(･ × ･)＼

Eric: ／(･ × ･)＼

Dongwan: Kris! Don’t forget your meds! ~ ^^

Hyesung: Hello ~ I hope you enjoyed a while ago~~~

Junjin: I’ll teach you how to ride a bike next time :D

Minwoo: I’m going there at the Villa! ^^ what cake would you like to have? Hmmmm..

Eric: V○ᴥ○V good night ~ from Yaku

Dongwan: Good morning sweetie ~~~ Let’s see each other later! It’s my day off today! Yeah!

 

Their messages are totally not related to each other but it appeared that someone is a loner. I smiled as I think of him. I wonder what he is up to right now.  While thinking about it, I reviewed the doctor’s message. My brain repeated his words multiple times and it just sank right now.

HE IS COMING!!!    HE IS COMING!!!    HE IS COMING!!!    HE IS COMING!!!

I rushed to the comfort room to wash my face and brush my teeth just then I heard someone knocking on my door.

“Just a minute!!!” I almost shouted with bubbles erupting from my mouth like a lava and suddenly heard Nana’s voice calling out “Kris, it’s me! What are you doing?”

It just dawned to me. She told me that she was coming too but I didn’t realize it until now. There were too many things that happened yesterday and everything felt like my life suddenly went on a fast forward set up.

I gargled hurriedly and tried not to trip as I reached the door knob.

Nana’s face happily greeted with morning elegance while mine was something that cannot be compared to her. My thick hair were with varying curls designed by my bed when I slept last night, it was still damped and I got too lazy to dry it. I put it on a tight messy bun while Nana entered slowly in my room wearing a turtle neck beige pull over with a brown smooth shawl around her.

She sat on my bed comfortably and I sat beside her idly and put my arms around her to give her a tight hug. She responded by holding my wrist right beside her shoulder and pressed it with her warm motherly hands.

“You’ve been through a lot my child.” She whispered softly.

“It’s all worth it Nana.” I responded.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Compromise

I closed my eyes as I rested my head on her lap. She naturally run her gentle hands on my messy tied hair and removed the rubber band to lessen than tangles which were clear products of my absolute weariness the other night.

“Tell me all bout it Nana. I would like to hear it from you too.” I asked her politely and my tears started to brim in my eyes. It was a gloomy story to begin with but I will bear with it. The six of them suffered enough and endured those years remembering me while I on the other hand, leisurely erased them unintentionally – somehow.

“The accident, it brought you too much pain. I tried to convince myself that time to give you a chance to handle it on an early age but you were too young to deal with it. The six of them tried to do their best to comfort you but you both ended up bearing the agony of not being able to meet half way. It was tragic.” She started.

“I felt that grief will drain the best of you so I decided to take the risk of putting you under hypnotherapy. It was the only possible way that you will be able to recover lightly from the wounds that you carried in your heart. The experts told me that it will be the finest to hide your memories starting from when you began to root here until your parents’ death because those are what lingered to you the most.” Nana’s voice reflected her heavy heart during that time. I can tell that she’s doing her best to keep her pace with the story and not get too emotional.

“It was an extensive memory warp. It almost deleted a yearlong memory in your life that you cherished the most and the other half was when you mourned the most –both extremities were removed and you got back to the normal you. I regret to tell you that, those memories that you had with them can no longer be recovered.” And a warm drop of tear fell on my forehead.

“I’m so sorry. I didn’t have any other way to rescue you but only through this. I felt sorry too towards them, mostly to Eric who bear all the guilt of your unfortunate situation.” I sat to wipe Nana’s tears with my own hands and hugged her tightly.

“Nana, it wasn’t your fault. It was no one’s fault to begin with. Everything happened for a reason and you did a good job bringing us together again. My memories may never come back but everything else stayed in our hearts, specially that warm feeling for friendship.”

She stood up and held my hand as she led me to the staircase. She pointed on the engraved writings on the rough cement which are almost unreadable: don’t forget, after 17 years. I never looked back on that since the first time I tried deciphering what it was on my first night.

“You recklessly scratched that with a stone before your parents took you away. The five of them gave you a pinky-swear to remember you always because you’ll do your best to come back after 17 years, and since Eric was the one closest to you, you scraped it on hard concrete for him to see it when he arrives. Andy told you about what happened right?” she faced me with teary eyes and a light smile on her face.

I nodded to her. “After you left, he never smiled again. Dongwan will send me pictures of him and the rest but I never saw that poor kid’s cheerful face. He used to poll all kinds of pranks on them before and will always laugh but his expression was replaced with a poker look hiding himself from everyone, keeping his burdened heart all alone.  So I decided to remind you your promise to them and fulfil it since you are already strong and capable too. ” she held my left cheek while giving me a proud smiling face.

“You did a good job my dear. You were even able to finish it sooner than I expected.”

I admired Nana more than ever. She knew what’s best for me and I really appreciate every little thing that she did for me to be able to get here and encounter all of them – every single one of them. I am so grateful of what she did and gave her a long tight hug.

 “Nana, can I still stay here and spend my whole month with them even if I’m done with my mission already? I would like to know more about us.” I requested.

“I knew you will think that way after finding out about everything.” She said while laughing.

I looked at her with my eyes full of excitement and when I was about to ask her to have breakfast with me, a man’s voice shouted from the entrance of the Villa and I saw Dongwan hurriedly opening the gate running towards us to give us both a hug.

“I told Nana that you already did your mission Kris! I’m the one who reported to her! Thank me! Thank me! Hahahaha” Dongwan said while clinging on Nana’s arms while giggling.

I looked at Nana with confusion and she smiled at me saying, “Let’s talk about that over breakfast.”

Laura prepared plenty of good food to eat. There were scrambled eggs, bacon, spam and mixed rice on a bowl. Dongwan put a basket on the corner of the table and opened it to take out freshly baked breads of different kinds.

“I made all of this for you Nana!” he flashed his sparkling white shiny teeth and looked at me dreamily.

“It’s just like the old times.” Dongwan said as he sat down beside me and placed an oblique-shaped bread covered with floss in front of me.

 “Dongwan told me about witnessing Eric’s return.” Nana opened up all of a sudden and I was taken off guard because I have missed it.

“It was when he brought you to the hospital Kris. I decided to watch you two walk outside. Both of you were on the hall and before I can even go out, I heard a familiar roaring laughter that I haven’t heard for ages. I tried to take a better look and saw him laughing with you. I almost lost my mind when he even looked like he’s pulling a joke.” He told me while sticking his fork on one of the spams.

I remembered. It was something that I thought he normally did because it looked so genuinely expressed. I thought he’s just one awkward shy guy but, it meant a lot for Dongwan and Nana already.

“I hope you stay here for the whole month Kris. I was even hesitant telling Nana about that but she should know right?” he said with a concerned look on his face, it was the same face expression he used to make me take my medicines.

I smiled at him and put scrambled egg on his plate. “I already told Nana about that and I think we should arrange our schedules from now on.”

His face beamed with pure joy and started eating happily while Nana watched us with a satisfied look on her face.

“I became a doctor because of you Kris. If it’s worth to mention, due to your clumsiness I decided to put my expertise on doing surgeries.” Dongwan shared randomly.

“We used to play hide and seek in the school where Eric is teaching now. The university is big enough for you but I don’t understand how you will always stumble on flat surfaces and scratch yourself like a hobby. You don’t even quit playing with me even if you are already bleeding.” He continued while spreading a huge amount of mayonnaise on his bread.

I listened to his random stories about the rest of them; he was more like the group’s open diary.

He told me why he thought Junjin became a sheriff. It was one of the many nights when both of them were talking over the phone and he discussed that being a town officer will be efficient for my return in Sylfaen since he will be knowledgeable about all the directions and rules. I just remembered Junjin was the same person who knew my glitch when it comes to that specific field. It made me happy to know that I am one of the reasons why he decided to serve and protect this place.

Dongwan even knew why Hyesung picked establishing his own coffee shop.  I loved coffee from the very start but I hated drinking instant coffee mix. He will always experiment on different coffee flavours in the Villa’s kitchen when he used to me while waiting for Nana to finish her classes at school. He even commended him as one of the best baby sitters since Hyesung discovered the key to handle my short temper.

Eric’s case is the only one that was left untold when Dongwan confessed that it has been a rocket science kind of theory for all of them why he decided to become a teacher.

We both looked at Nana for some possibilities and she just smirked at us.

 

Unbroken

 “Why don’t you visit him in the university and ask him personally? The game is over and you are allowed to ask questions now Kris.” Nana wouldn’t let go of the information easily.

Dongwan laughed at my disappointed reaction and offered coolly, “I can bring you there if you like! I have a lot of spare time today and I needed to borrow some herbal books from the school’s library too.”

I stood up right away and brought my cup of coffee with me in my room. I quickly looked for something decent to wear and washed up in the fastest way possible. After I dried up my hair, I tied it on a neat pony tail and grabbed one of my M designed hoodie, I wore leggings under my black knitted pull over and went outside right away. Dongwan’s almost done with his meal and I’m just wiping my eye glasses for my final touch. My sling bag is smaller and more manageable than my back pack.

 “Your outfit is a good match for our ide. Hahaha! We will surely look an oppa and dongsaeng having a tour there.”  he looked so eager to bring me at the school.

“Nana, I’ll leave my basket here with rest of the bread. Please finish them all! Hahaha” and he held Nana’s hand tightly and let go gently like a very sweet son.

We walked pass our mini ornamental garden and Dongwan picked a daisy and gave it to me casually. “Let’s have fun today! Shall we?” and he led me to a silver bicycle parked outside our gate. It has a cushion on its back for an extra passenger and I looked at him again. Since I can ask questions now, I should.

“Do you perhaps have someone who’s supposed to sit there every time you use your bike? Like a girlfriend or someone as close as that?” I tried to deliver my question politely.

“Oh that.” He looked at the back sit and answered right away. “Yes, I’ve always been with my bread basket for a very long time now.” And he burst into crazy laughter.

It was a lame joke but it felt good to know that no one will be jealous just in case.

“You’re still as meticulous as before. For your information my dongsaeng, all of us don’t have anyone like that and are not planning to have one yet since your approval is precious to us.” He hopped on his bike as soon as he finished his sentence.

“Okay, sit comfortably and hold on to me tightly. I will act as if I don’t know you if you fall. Hahaha! I’m not joking.” He tries his best to keep the mood up.  I held on him tightly just like how Junjin taught me when I rode with him.

The scent of isopropyl alcohol was gone but right now, the doctor’s smell was replaced with a manly shower fresh kind of fragrance. I even felt his rock hard abs as I wrapped my arms on his slim waist.

His amazing stamina was so evident on our whole trip. His legs were fast and never changed its pace. He took great care as we bounced off humps and faced some sharp turns going to the town proper. He knew were the shortcuts are and he was very precise with his distance calculation. He is one skilful doctor indeed; I can see this as a huge benefit when there are emergencies.

We reached the university’s gate and he showed his alumni ID and told the guard that I am “Miss Minah’s grand-daughter” and the guard welcomed me with warm regards for Nana.

Dongwan parked his bike on the open area for bicycles and we started walking in the hallways. I looked around and the bulletin boards looked like what I saw on televisions. I didn’t have this kind of experience since I was home schooled.

My companion halted to my surprise as he stared on one of the displayed materials.  I looked on it curiously and he pointed at their old picture, stuck on the plain black back drop with orange glitters shimmering on its border.

I looked closer and saw myself posing with them with a familiar gesture, just like the one that I saw on his photobook, stretching my hands forward on a steady manner holding an orange balloon. He smiled like he remembered something awesome about it and continued walking to the school library.

I can already see Eric from a distance. His slick figure stands out of the crowd as he sat motionless on one of the tables while reading. Unlike the first time I saw him, his aura is completely different here. His hair was groomed well, mildly lifted upwards showing his forehead and wearing a white coat over a black and gray horizontally striped shirt – he looked so radiant even on smart casual attire.

I walked behind Dongwan purposely to hide from him and he spilled out my presence before we can even get near his friend.

“Hey! Kris came with me!” he screamed silently.

“SShhhh!” Eric replied with a sharp look at Dongwan and stood up to check if what he said was true.

He saw me right away and supressed a smile by biting his lower lip. He signalled Dongwan to go out and he grabbed the pile of books beside him and followed us as we went to exit.

“Here are your books!” and he shoved it all to Dongwans waiting arms. The doctor looked happy with a mocking expression on his face.

Eric scratched his nose multiple times while thinking of what to say and just smiled at me for his loss of words while hiding what seem like a manga of One Piece on his left hand.

“I won’t stay long Eric. She has something to ask you and I need to leave now.”  Dongwan said as if he’s doing it on purpose and laughed when his friend stared blankly at him. He didn’t care much and left marching quickly down the corridor like his escaping in a hurry.

We watched him disappear from our sight and awkwardly looked at each other.

“My classes finished a while ago and I was just waiting for Dongwan to get the books he reserved for his research.” Eric volunteered to start talking.

“Oh yeah.  Urhm.. So you don’t have anything to do now?” I asked right away.

“None at all, do you want to grab an ice cream?” he smiled upon suggesting.

I nodded with a beam. Our conversation went easier now compared before. He seemed to be more light spirited and welcoming today. He started walking and I just followed his lead.

“I sent you lots of messages the other day but you didn’t reply. Don’t you like the rabbits I sent you?” he asked with a concerned voice.

“The phone’s battery was totally drained yesterday and I just found out about your messages today. I didn’t hate the rabbits though, they were actually cute.” I told him the truth.

He smiled when he heard the word cute and pointed towards a near play ground in front of the cafeteria. There were swings hanging from the tree branches and he asked me to wait there while he gets the ice cream for us.

I sat on the right side of the swing and somebody called me from a distance. I looked back and it was not Eric, an old man is approaching slowly and I recognized his kind face. He was the nice passenger who lent me a snap back on my way here.

“Young lady, we meet again.” He said with a smile. He looked like a different person from before, seeing him wearing a suit with a tie made me feel like he is a VIP. His black classic shoes magnified excellence on the way he stands.

“Oh yes, I’m glad to see you here. I haven’t returned your snapback. Sorry.” I apologized right away. Junjin was able to know that I was left in the bus because this caring old man looked for it.

“Don’t bother to return it. It originally belonged to my only son and base from what I can see, you’re the person that he calls a special dongsaeng. I’m Haru, call me Uncle Haru.” and he looked towards the cafeteria’s direction.

“Thanks to you he became a professor like me. He personally chose HISTORY as his major since you are mostly interested with myths when you were just a kid. Eric will always ravage our house library looking for a new story to tell you when he visits the Villa. I can see that he’s smiling again as bright as before. You may come and visit me too anytime. Kindly send my regards to Nana – we were best of friends.” he pats my shoulder gently as he left me standing full of admiration of what he said.

Eric returned holding two ice creams on both of his hands and looked surprised to realize that his father just spoke to me randomly.

“What did he tell you?” he asked me while giving me one of the ice-creams and took a seat on the other hanging swing.

“He gave me your LA snapback.” I said to him with a mischievous smile and he returned a bewildered expression at me.

 

THE END

 

(Leave comments for the Author; Artist on tumblr at miclargeone.tumblr.com and shinshinhye.tumblr.com)