In Your Dreams (A DahMo Fanfic)

22: Beeping

Mrs. Kim and I sit across each other, occupying both sides of Dahyun. Neither of us are talking, just looking for any indication of movement from Dahyun's body.

"It's my fault," Mrs. Kim says, her eyes welling, as she brushes her daughter's cheek.

"No, imo-ssi. It's an accident. Please don't blame yourself." No one could have predicted that Dahyun would move herself.

A few minutes later, the doctor on duty steps in, and we both stand at attention. He smiles at us. "Good news: the wound on her head was a scratch caused by the stairs, as we didn't see any damage to her skull."

Mrs. Kim gasps as her grip on my wrist tightens. "Oh, thank God! Thank you, doctor," she exclaims.

This doctor really has one of the sweetest smiles, despite his rugged exterior; he must be really good with patients. "Please, take a rest. Let's just wait for her to wake up." We bow to each other before he takes his leave.

"Aigoo, thank goodness..." Mrs. Kim lets out a sigh, stretching her back. "Momo-ssi, I'll just get us something at the convenience store, okay?" Before I protest, she makes her exit as well.

"You hear that, yeobo? The doctor said you're going to be okay. Yes, you're a strong girl, aren't you?" I tell her, lightly pinching her soft cheek. I'd like to think that the monitor beeping beside us is her telling that she just wants to sleep. "You're the strongest girl I know." My tears make contact with her arm, and I just watch them trail down to her forearm before they finally land on her hospital gown.

***

As I return to the room with breakfast, I nearly drop our waffles. Dahyun's eyes are open. "Omo! You're awake!" My voice jolts Mrs. Kim awake.

"Yeobo? Where...are we?" Dahyun winces, putting her hand over her head.

"Y-you...recognize me?" My hand trembles as I hold hers. It's been days since she addressed me as her yeobo, so this could be considered as a cause of celebration for me. Dahyun nods, rubbing the gauze.

Dahyun looks over at her mother, who's already sobbing. "Umma, what happened? Why are you crying?"

Mrs. Kim is probably sharing my sentiments, as this is the most cohesive Dahyun's brain has been for days. "We were so scared because you fell down the stairs and hit your head," I answer in her mother's stead.

"Hmm, I don't remember falling down the stairs. Anyway, sorry for worrying you guys," Dahyun says with a chuckle. Her mother shakes her head and gives her a tight hug, kissing the top of her daughter's head.

As I watch the mother and daughter, a thought pops up: Could the accident have helped jog Dahyun's brain? Is this something similar to those cliché movies, wherein the amnesiac regains lost memories by a blunt force to the head?

***

"Yes, everything seems fine," I tell Dr. Soon over the phone. I look at Dahyun over the window, who's heartily eating her lunch. "She even remembers our friends from work. Do you think this is a recovery?"

He stays silent on the other side of the line. "Hello, you there?"

"Ms. Hirai, I don't think it's a recovery," he responds in a neutral tone. "There are instances wherein they could access recent memories, sure, but it'll only be temporary."

His words press my chest, just when I've begun sighing relief. "Are you sure? This is her most consistent ever since our check-up."

He lets out a sigh, obviously for me to hear how being stubborn I am. "Okay, look: if this consistency persists, you can bring her in for another scan."

I look at the woman I love from the restaurant's wide window, as she's smiling at me, holding her spoonful of kimchi, as if she wants to feed me. Why would I want to give up on seeing her like this? That's right—you're going to overcome this, yeobo. You're the strongest woman I know.