Seo Moon Jo was wondering why he was in an asylum when he felt perfectly normal. He was as sane as they can be. Why can't they release him? And now, the doctor wants him to return to his room.
Yoon Jong Woo came to the hospital to pick up his brothe...
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Jong Woo could not even pretend that he understood. "Why?" He said it without considering the consequences, without even knowing what kind of answer he expected or wanted. He knew that, yet he kept going anyway. "You do not know me. We have no history. We have barely even spoken. Why would I mean anything to you?"
The clocked ticked too loudly and too slowly. Jong Woo's mouth went dry, and he could only continue to stare, though every reasonable part of him told him not to. He could not be sure if it was unnerving or comforting that Moon Jo kept smiling. "With some people, one can simply tell," said Moon Jo finally. "Do you know why I call you darling, dear?"
"No. I find it rather strange, actually." Jong Woo did not feel nearly as confident as he spoke. Feigning it was all he could think to do.
"In my hometown... it was quite cold." Moon Jo held eye contact like he was afraid to drop it. His eyes were such an unusual color that Jong Woo didn't think to look away. His dark raven hair brushed his brow when he tipped his head to the side. "The word darling is like a warm weather that signal the end of a long, frigid winter. When I saw you for the very first time—I felt warm, it enveloped my very being... it was the end of a very long, cold time."
Jong Woo suddenly felt a lot colder himself. He crossed his arms over his chest to hide the trembling of his hands. This was like living in an alternate reality. "That is a lot to say about someone you just met."
Moon Jo laughed lightly. "You keep saying that," he said. "If this bothers you, please allow me to get to know you."
Maybe Jong Woo really was going crazy; because his first thought was that he would not mind that at all. In spite of himself, he was utterly intrigued. "Alright." No matter how intrigued he was, his instincts were telling him to approach this with absolute care. He kept the details as basic as he could. "My full name is Yoon Jong Woo. I have a brother and he works here as a hospice nurse. I own a restaurant."
"That is lovely. I am sure it is a very nice restaurant." The way Moon Jo said it was not unnerving. If anything, he sounded genuinely interested. He sounded... normal. Slowly, Jong Woo uncrossed his arms, hesitantly hanging onto to each word. "I am Seo Moon Jo. I lived in a far away city. I have friends but I'm not sure why they are not visiting me. I hope they remember me..." He paused as if unsure if he should continue. "I also own a business."
Jong Woo could not say he wasn't surprised. He had never really considered that Moon Jo had a life before this. Of course he must have and Jong Woo had only just met him, but it had never crossed his mind. The realization that should have been obvious hit like a brick: Moon Jo was a person. He was just as human as anyone else. "What kind of business?"
