What Happened to us?

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8:26 A.M.

"May 3 to Aug 3. I was in a 3-month coma. And it's been 4 days since waking up." She looked at the calendar on the shelf, just beside her reach. "It's Aug 7, 2024. If my calculations are right, I've been here 96 days. And..." She opened the drawer to take out a pen and encircle the— "Aug 10, 2024. It's my discharge day," she murmured, relieved. A small smile broke on her face, which only got wider when she remembered the late conversation she had with Minji yesterday. They talked from around 8 PM to 12 AM straight, about everything she could ask.

"Around 2016, we met. Dec 3, 2017. That's our anniversary."

"We met at school, in our year 12. You were a transferee student after managing to get into the scholarship."

"We were literally enemies and rivals—rivals in academics and the theater club. And you hated me because I'm gay."

Hanni chuckled lowly.

"I remember, of course, the important dates."

Hanni reached for Hyein's phone, which she had asked to borrow, and replayed the song again: "Get You," by Daniel Caesar.

"In 2021, we graduated from college. During your first year of work, you were planning your bookstore, which took about a year of construction, and by 2023, it was finally done. Then, on April 15, 2024, you opened a restaurant with Dani. Just a month later, on May 3, 2024, you got into an accident. And then, on August 3, 2024, you woke up."

Her grin slowly faded, feeling saddened about how, after building a restaurant with Danielle, the accident happened. She wondered how painful it could be for her, managing what was supposed to be their restaurant on her own. Although she felt relieved that Haerin was helping Danielle, she still felt like she betrayed the girl by leaving her so suddenly.

She sighed in defeat. There's nothing she can do now; what is done is done. But that doesn't mean she won't make up for it.

She just stared at her space; it was quite big—scratch that, it's really big, enough to be a dorm. But then again, she's in a VIP room—what did she expect? Then suddenly she scoffed in bewilderment when a flashback she had yesterday with Minji played in her head. She's the damn president of her father's company! It almost took her 10 minutes to process it.

Damn, I still can't believe it! I don't even need to win the lottery because, girl...

Hanni just shook her head in disbelief, drowning her thoughts in the soft music surrounding her. Her eyes landed on the walls, admiring the combination of beige, soft gray, and white, complementing each other. Then she stared at the paintings hanging in the corner, the huge sofa, the glass table, the mini fridge, the large TV, and the private bathroom.

Geez, I could live here. I just need a kitchen, and I'll be fine.

She just shook her head to sigh before her eyes closed, feeling the serenity of her room as the song bounced in every corner. She subconsciously imagined what Minji would look like singing in front of the crowd, which resulted in her sudden jerk in place when an electric shiver ran down her body. She suddenly slapped her face. "What the heck! What do you think you're thinking, Hanni-ah!?"

Hanni huffed to herself before she realized the sting it brought on her cheeks. "Aw..." she caressed it. No wonder she's closed to discharging, her strengths even grow taller than she could from all the sleeping.

You did not just criticize my height.

(Pfft.)

"Hanni, sweetheart." Her parents burst through the door.

"Mom, Dad! Hey!" She smiled giddily. Although she didn't remember what happened before, she was already sure that they had made up long ago.

"Your parents, you reconciled with them after a month of being with me. I even convinced you."

Minji's voice echoed in her head. Despite her sister already having explained everything to her, she still wanted to hear their side of the story. She beamed at them.

Her father sat on the chair after putting down the plastic bag filled with food, while her mother sat beside her. She held Hanni's hands. "How are you, my daughter?"

"I'm doing fine, Mom."

"You're about to be discharged, right?" Her mom's hand rose to softly caress her head. Like a child deprived of a mother's touch, Hanni leaned into it, closing her eyes with a contented smile. Technically, she was. She didn’t remember the time she had spent with her when they reconciled, only the painful moments.

Hanni replied, "Ah, yes. I'm actually kind of happy and sad at the same time about it."

Her mother's hand now went up to her arm, soothing her. "Hm. Is it because you still haven't remembered anything?"

She shook her head with a pout. "I think I'd always be sad about that fact. But it's not that. I'm leaving Grandma behind..."

Her father heaved. "Oh, sweetheart, we'll take care of her, don't worry. And Hyein will also visit her. You could too, with Minji."

"Ah, yes..." Her voice went low. Just by the mention of Minji's name, her mind replayed the moments she had shared with her during their four-hour-long talk. She fought the urge to smile.

Her mother's hand returned to hers, taking her attention away. "Honey, you know you'll be living with Minji, right?" Hanni suddenly flinched back, her mouth opening to shoot her mother a surprised look.

"What? L-living with her!?" Her voice high pitched.

Her parents could only offer a smile. "Honey, of course. You've been living together since graduating from high school."

Panicking, her eyes darted between them repeatedly. She squeaked, "Uhh—w-wait, Mom, I—I'm—"

"Sweetheart, it's alright. If you're not comfortable yet or ready, we understand. You can stay with us." The touch of her father's hand on hers pulled her back to calm. She quickly settled down with a nervous laugh.

Well, it's not that I'm uncomfortable. It's more of a... I'm nervous...

She sighed in relief, thinking she'd just decide to stay with them, so she nodded. Until her father continued: "But if you want your memories to come back as early as possible, then you must stay with the person you spent most of your time with. And sweetheart, that's Minji. Ever since you got together, you've been with her..."

Oh well...

Shit

Her shoulders slumped; her mouth slightly parted, and a defeated expression spread across her face. Her nervous system was literally in overdrive as she felt her palms sweating. Her heart is not helping too.

Her parents chuckled at her reaction. Her father continued, "Hanni, we trust Minji more than anyone else to stay with you. And you may not remember, but you probably trust her more than us. She wouldn't do anything you wouldn't want. She's a woman anyone could ask for. Because, Hanni-ah, nothing is beautiful if it's forced. And she knows that. She's the woman you love."

Ah... yes...

Love...

"I guess Minji hasn't told you that." Her mom spoke.

"A-ah, yes. She probably forgot. Since I kind of asked her a lot of questions."

I don't hate the idea of living with her...

It's more of a... I'm nervous around her...

And now spending my whole day with her?

God, I just can't.

"That's good, that's good. So how was it? How was the talk with her?"

"It went fine. No—it went perfectly well! I found out we went to the same school, the same college, and lived together. We've been together for seven years! She invested in my bookstore! We hated each other's guts before we started dating!" She laughed to herself before continuing, her hands moving animatedly as she shared her story. "When she started to court me, I immediately said no! She was persistent even though I kept rejecting her, saying that I'm not into girls—well, look at me now, Hanni—anyway, then she suddenly gave up, and I started looking for her!? Ridiculous, isn't it?" Her parents could only stare at her with endearment and soft smiles, witnessing their daughter speaking so excitedly that they could see the twinkle in her eyes as if she had just shared the most amazing thing.

And Hanni wasn't done yet. "Then, I lashed out at her, getting mad for giving up or so, and then we started dating! It was close to graduation when I finally said yes. She even showed me our graduation pic! Hyein was there, Dani, Haerin, and even Grandma too! You guys weren’t there because we hadn't reconciled at that time. Anyway, so after graduation, we started to look for an apartment, and a year later, we got ourselves a dog and a cat! Oh, Mom, you should've seen them, they're so cute! Oh wait, you've probably seen them, right?"

Her mom chuckled and nodded. "Yes, we have, my daughter, many times."

"Yes, and—"

"You look beautiful." Her mother cut her off. To which she tilted her head, brows furrowing. "Huh?"

"When you're in love."

Hanni's eyes widened, taken aback. "What!? Mom! I'm not!!!" She exclaimed, her head shaking rapidly. The state of her heart suddenly went haywire again.

Her dad could only chuckle before adding, "Not yet."

"No! Argh, Dad! No!" Hanni grunted, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment as she covered her face. She couldn't even look her parents in the eyes when they stared at her with teasing looks.

Seconds after their laughter died down, Hanni slowly put her hands away, still avoiding their gaze. Her father smiled—a kind, understanding smile.

"It's not impossible, my daughter. The mind may forget, but the heart never will. You know, emotions don't always follow logic. So, if you ever feel it, don't be scared to embrace it, okay?" His voice was low and breathy, but Hanni could feel the sincerity in his tone. She could even feel the hair on her body standing up.

She bowed her head, not knowing what to say or how to respond. Suddenly, she felt pressured—scared of the idea of falling in love and scared of disappointing them.

"Do you really feel nothing towards her, Honey?" her mom asked, her voice gentle and sweet, with a careful tone to ensure Hanni didn't feel pushed.

She went quiet. Somehow, she couldn't answer that question. In the back of her mind, she could just say yes, but deep down, she also didn’t want to disappoint her parents. She hesitated, "I—"

"Don't answer that. Take your time," her mom cut her off again. Hanni raised her chin, staring at her mother, who gazed at her tenderly.

"But haven't I lost enough time...?"

- - - - -

8:00 P.M.

She stands in front of the door, sighing. She looks at her feet, thinking of all the decisions she's made recently, doubting whether she's doing the right thing or not. She knows that once she opens this door, there's no backing out. No way to run—only to move forward.

To her...

Her shoulders slumped, the pressure weighing her down, as if pulling her to just give up. Her hands clenched around the plastic bag she was holding, stuck in a dilemma, her mind a mess. Should she stay? Or leave? Minji hesitates, wondering: What will happen if Hanni remembers? Will she—

"Oh!" Her head snaps up to meet the eyes of the person she had been thinking about. She looked surprised, taken aback, and stunned. Hanni had suddenly opened the door and walked straight ahead without even looking at who was behind it. Thankfully, she halted just before colliding with the woman, leaving a small space between them.

Minji opened her mouth to say anything, but something in the back of her throat gripped her to silence, urging her to just focus on the woman in front of her. And so she did. She was frozen, staring at her in a daze. She wasn’t bothered or startled by their close proximity—she was obviously used to it. They were so close that Hanni could smell the older woman's perfume.

She smells good...

Hanni was no better. Instead of moving or speaking, she stayed glued to her spot, looking slightly up to meet the dark ocean of Minji's eyes; drowning in the sight. Her heart thumped, almost as if it was beating from every corner in the room. It was all she could hear—as if nothing else mattered. As if she only mattered. And now that she was this close to her...

I didn’t expect she’d be this beautiful up close.

A second passed before Hanni suddenly jumped away, as if pulling herself out of a trance, her cheeks flushed. "S-sorry. Why were you just s-standing there anyway?" Her voice revealed her nervousness.

Minji blinked a couple of times before composing herself enough to construct a sentence. "I was just... just lost in my thoughts. And you? Where are you going?"

Hanni looked everywhere—everywhere but at Minji. Her voice was subtly shaky. "Uh, to Grandma. She wanted to talk to me—actually, both of us, but I thought you’d be late, so I... You know what? Let’s just go together."

Hanni’s hand pulled Minji’s forearm to lead her, but Minji stopped. "Wait." The shorter woman looked back.

"I—I need to bring this to your room first," Minji said, gesturing to the plastic bag in her right hand. Hanni immediately let go, as if burned. "O-okay. Of course." Then Minji gave a small smile before she went inside.

"What the fuck, Hanni? What was that?" she silently shouts in frustration, internally scolding herself. The hand that had held Minji went to her chest, feeling her heart still racing. She patted it desperately and repeatedly, as if trying to settle it down.

Calm down, calm down, calm down!

After a second, her palm stopped to rest above her heart as she looked up at the closed door Minji had just gone through.

What’s wrong with me?

———

"Nannyyy~" Hanni exclaimed as she excitedly wrapped her arms around the old woman lying in bed.

"Oh, my beautiful Hanni."

Hanni giggled before pulling back and sitting on her hospital bed. "How are you feeling, Grandma?" she asked, holding her hands.

"Much better, especially with Minji here."

A hearty smile spread across Minji's face before she approached her and gave her a kiss on the head. "I'm sorry I haven't been visiting. Work's hectic, Grandma."

The grandmother let out a throaty chuckle. "I understand, my Minji. I'm just happy that I finally get to see you both together. I thought I'd die before I could even see Hanni wake up."

"Grandma." Hanni scolded at her sentence, as if warning her for saying curse words.

The older woman only chuckled before continuing in a hoarse voice, "It’s true, Hanni. I only have a month left. Now, I must ask—when will the two of you get married?"

And that shut them up.

Hanni stiffened, and Minji froze in place. Neither of them broke the silence. The woman with gray hair could only glance back and forth between them, waiting for an answer.

"Well?" she pushed further.

"Uh—we—"

"Grandma—uhm—"

The woman lying down chuckled again. "One at a time, darling. You, Minji-ah."

Minji slightly jumped, nerves running high. She blinked repeatedly at her.

"Didn't you already ask for permission to marry her? What happened to that?"

Silence.

And a gulp.

That was all Minji could offer, too stunned to function. Her eyes were nervously glued to the woman and not to Hanni, who now looked up at her with a surprised and questioning expression.

Her heart quickened its pace, her palms started to sweat. She stuttered, "I—well... I was about to, but... the accident..."

Her voice sounded so small, but Hanni caught something—hesitation?

The grandmother nodded in understanding, but she wasn’t finished. "Now that she's awake, when will the wedding be?"

Both of their eyes widened once more, and Hanni’s head snapped toward her grandmother again. "G-Grandma, I—I think we still have to talk about that, and uh—it’s—it’s too fast—"

"Fast? Darling, it’s been almost a decade, and I’m not getting any younger. Instead, I’m getting die-er."

Hanni groaned and rolled her eyes. "Grandma, not cool. Is die-er even a word? And what do you mean a decade? It’s just been seven years!"

"Exactly. And I don’t have much time left for another year..."

Hanni exhaled, looking at their intertwined hands. Her heart sank at the visible difference in their skin.

She’s not getting younger, Hanni, and she’s definitely not getting better.

She shakily inhaled. "Grandma—"

But her grandmother intervened, "That’s my last wish, my Hanni. That’s my will. I want to see you, before I leave, marrying someone who will truly love you until the end—like Minji. I want to make sure you’re in the right hands."

After all, it was her grandmother who stayed with her when her parents didn’t. She couldn’t just say no, and she definitely couldn’t just tell the truth.

"G-Grandma, we—we’ll still have to—talk about it. Because Hanni doesn’t remembe—"

Hanni’s eyes shot up, adrenaline suddenly rushing through her. Interrupting her, she yelled:

"WE’LL GET MARRIED! We’ll do it… Grandma..."

And just like that Minji’s heart dropped and her jaw fell right to the floor.

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End of chapter 3.