Madhouse || Park Jimin

40

I come back to reality, those memories still vivid in my mind.

I explain how I met ___, but without too many details, without too many emotions. I don't want to embarrass myself.

For the first time, the Red Princess shows a very clear expression on her face, her eyes growing big.

"It was you..." She pauses for a second. "Does ___ know?"

I shake my head. "She doesn't remember me."

She nods and lastly, points at Yoongi.

"And you, what do you want?" She eyes him and I look at Yoongi, warning him with my eyes that this isn't the time to play.

He just shrugs his shoulders. "I just think she's a very interesting mind to study and decipher."

The Red Princess narrows her eyes, so I intervene.

"Yoongi is an expert when it comes to minds, he can help stabilize ___ and keep her under control," I say.

She lets out a sigh and lowers the gun. "That means you can help ___ deal with everything she forgot, right?"

Yoongi nods.

"Good. Congratulations, no one will die today. The three of you can keep working together to help ___. I just have one request," she says.

"And what is it?" Yoongi asks.

"She needs to remember, she's not going to get over something she can't remember."

"She won't be able to manage the truth." He shakes his head.

The Red Princess smiles. "You have no idea how strong she is, don't underestimate her."

"I'll leave her at your care, then. But know that this has been my decision." She stands up and throws the gun on the couch. "If you ever hurt her, I will come back and kill all of you, starting with you, Yoongi. The three of you don't mean shit to me. Goodbye."

And she walks up the stairs, leaving us dumbfounded.

After a while, when she comes back downstairs and her eyes are everywhere but us, the embarrassment of what happened between us moments ago clear in her face. I know that ___ has returned, and that it's time to make her remember.

~~~~

"You're recreating the place and the moment as best as you can, and that can help her remember." Yoongi pauses, but quickly continues. "But if she does, she might also remember everything about her parents. Are you willing to destroy everything we've done so she doesn't have to deal with this?"

I nod. "Living in ignorance isn't living. She's not going to get over something she doesn't remember. And, she's stronger than you think, don't underestimate her."

I use the words of the Red Princess as I smile.

~~~a few days later~~~

I've had to wait a few days for ___ to finally be able to look at my face again, to speak to me without stuttering or running away after what happened.

"I need you to come with me," I say and ___ joins her eyebrows, seeing me offer her some ice cream.

"Ice cream?" she asks, confused.

"Just come," I say softly.

We walk further out of the backyard, I take her to some trees where I built a pair of swings in the past few days.

"What? Ice cream and swings? Aren't you too big for this?" She looks confused, licking her ice cream.

I smile widely. "Just sit down."