𝖠𝗅𝗅 𝖳𝗈𝗈 𝖶𝖾𝗅𝗅 | 𝖢𝗁𝗈𝗂 𝖡𝖾𝗈𝗆𝗀𝗒𝗎

𝗑𝗏𝗂. 𝖲𝗈𝗈𝗇 𝖸𝗈𝗎'𝗅𝗅 𝖦𝖾𝗍 𝖡𝖾𝗍𝗍𝖾𝗋

1st of September.

It had been a week since Beomgyu had found Y/N weak by the carousel. As cruel as fate went, she still struggled to remember who he was and how they used to be. Beomgyu tried to understand. He repeatedly told himself how Y/N never actually wanted to forget. It wasn't her fault she had to endure the unseen.

Beomgyu was forced to get back to work. Of course, he wasn't a very rich guy to begin with. He had to pay for Y/N's hospital bills. He had to provide for her medications. Without his job, he wouldn't have had any other ways to keep his bank account loaded. So as much as he didn't want to leave his girlfriend's side, he barges into Inks & Blotts every morning, only to rush out after sundown.

As for Y/N, she had been doing a lot better. Her small wounds gradually healed, she was slowly getting back to her usual shape, and thanks to Beomgyu, she had a chance to talk to a therapist to aid her anxiety and condition.

"I always feel lost," Y/N once told the doctor. "So lost. I don't know where to go. I don't know what to do. I'm just standing in the middle of nothingness."

She clamped her hands together, the pads of her fingers rubbing against her cold palms. She watched the doctor scribble something on his notepad. Sighing, Y/N continued.

"Everything doesn't make sense to me. Isn't that ridiculous? Yesterday, I broke down. I kept on spacing out every now and then. I don't even remember what I had for breakfast, I don't remember what I did, nothing."

Beomgyu did his best to remind her of multiple things. He brought in a box full of memorabilia such as Nana Mei's photobook, their Polaroids, his sister's hat, his red scarf, and Shithead. Y/N was eager to learn more about her past, hence she listened as Beomgyu sat beside her every night, flipping through the clear pages, showing her her childhood photos and the ones they took as a couple.

It didn't work as planned however. Y/N kept a vague memory of everything. Her mind remained hazy. Beomgyu didn't want to give up. He could see the determination in his girlfriend's eyes. Although she still doubted his presence and their relationship, Beomgyu guaranteed that she will soon remember. It didn't matter to him how much she'd recall. He just wanted her to love him the way she loved him before.

"The buttons of my coat were tangled in my hair. In doctor's-office-lighting, I didn't tell you I was scared."

"That was the first time we were there."

"Holy orange bottles, each night I pray to you. Desperate people find faith, so now I pray to Jesus too."

It was the first night of August. Beverly was back in its freezing state as summer threatened to bid its seasonal goodbye. Beomgyu found himself standing in front of the restroom mirror, staring at his disheveled reflection. He had arrived at the hospital a couple minutes ago, but instead of heading straight to Y/N's room, he locked himself in the toilet to contemplate.

His cold palms touched the white sink, breath shaky as his eyes welled with tears.

"And I say to you. Ooh-ah, soon you'll get better. Ooh-ah, soon you'll get better
Ooh-ah, you'll get better soon. 'Cause you have to."

Beside him was a bulging bag. Silently crying, he zipped it open and heaved out a familiar suit. Mr. Bear's costume draped limp on his arms. Beomgyu looked at it. A sudden urge to break down washed over him. As he put on the outfit, he couldn't help but to choke on his own tears. He never thought he'd rent Mr. Bear again, only for the sake of Y/N's recovery. He thought had stumble upon the character over happy and nostalgic reasons, yet there he was, weeping as he feared that she might not remember again.