𝗘𝗥𝗔𝗦𝗘𝗗 ✦ 𝑩𝒂𝒏𝒈 𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒏 𝒙 𝑹𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒆𝒓

EPISODE 1

 (LOCATION: SEOUL - TIME: 7:00PM - DATE: OCTOBER 1ST)

Your hands felt clammy and the overwhelming sounds of beeping machines engulfed your ears. Your heart thumped hastily. You loathed hospitals and doctors were impossible to trust. "TICK-TOCK TICK-TOCK'' the bloody clock ridiculed you, so much so that you would beat it till it ticked no more. The palpitations of your heart only intensified as the sliding doors opened, revealing the doctor. His expression was stone cold. Your legs felt unstable, and your hands trembled vigorously. Your anxiety had skyrocketed.

"We were able to stabilize him but.....Chan could have suffered serious injuries. He's truly lucky to be alive. He did surfer a hit to the head, a fractured leg. And deep cuts. His concussion is not too serious, but he lost a few of his memories." You could comprehend from the doctor's tone that he implied every word. Chan could have very much died tonight. You could have lost the most significant person in your life. Too much for one individual to acknowledge.

"So...so...you are saying he will not remember me or any of his family?" The doctor hesitated before replying to your question.

"No, not at first, but I'm sure once he starts seeing faces, he will start to remember bits and pieces. These things take time. You cannot rush this. The brain is not an exact science. Just slowly show him some things." The doctor took off, and a nurse instructed you to his room. When you entered, the initial element that captured your interest was the large windows overlooking the parking lot. The fourth floor is where he was assigned to. Your eyes could not accept in the scenery, you had merely stood here for a few minutes and you were already going mad. The room felt chilly and isolated. It would feel considerably nicer once Chan arrived. At least you hoped it would.

"They will bring him in shortly" the nurse smiled politely before heading out, abandoning you in the desolate gloaming room. The sun had already set, giving rise to the sky, dark and full of radiant orbs of fire. You were supposed to commemorate your anniversary, but you ended up at the hospital. Life had wholly incompatible agendas for you and Chan today. You stood by the window, your arms crossed as you chewed on your lip anticipating Chan's appearance. You had exclusively been to the hospital one time, you had your tonsils taken out a few months ago. You should have had them removed when you were a kid but your parents didn't prefer you to have a surgery at an adolescent age. Chan stayed with you the entire night, shoving you with buckets and buckets of ice cream.

The door opened, halting you from your thoughts. Two nurses proceeded assembling Chan to numerous devices. You stood back waiting for them to complete fixing him up. "I'm nurse Jia I will be your RN for the night, I'll be back in an hour to check on you, just press the call button if you need anything" one of the nurses notified the boy you had yet to greet. He uttered quietly before she nodded and headed out leaving you alone.

"You don't have to stand there, you can sit down" you shot your head up in his direction. You waited serene, too timid to speak. What should you say to a man you love that has amnesia? Is there an instruction manual for that?

"The doctor told me you're my girlfriend? I can't remember much except my name. Bang Chan. I have a sister named Hannah, a brother named Lucas, and a dog named Berry. I can only remember stuff I should know. Like my birthplace and the name of the first school I attended. But I can't remember what I did yesterday.'' You trudged closer until his face was in your line of vision. He had a bandage fastened around his head. The doctor concealed most of his profound scarring. Only tiny ones noticeable on his hands and some on his cheek. His fluffy white curls were droopy and tangled up. But his eyes held nothing. You stared directly into his beautiful eyes but you could not locate the glow or the twinkle he often had when he saw you.

"You're beautiful, very beautiful. Your name must be beautiful as well, I'm sorry I can't remember it. Can you please tell me what it is?, the doctor told me but I was half asleep. I want to hear you say it. Maybe it would help me remember if it came from you" you falsified a smile.

"Y/n" you scanned his face dreaming he'd recall but you were disillusioned. However of course, the fault pertained to you for expecting too much from him in the state he was.

"I'm truly sorry, I wish I could remember. I feel like yesterday before the crash I was on my way to do something very important. Too bad I can't remember. Do you know?"

"I—" before you could react, the door spurt open divulging a light pink-haired boy with striking freckles on his cheeks.

"Bang chan!" he trotted to hug him. You texted Felix, Chan's best friend, notifying him that Chan had been released from surgery and had been allowed a few visitors. But you yet to acquaint him that Chan had endured a concussion and lost his memory.

"Take it easy he just got out of surgery" the boy backed up acknowledging he might have just hurt him even further.

"And you are?....."

"This is Felix, your best friend. He works with you at the motorbike store you own." your hand held onto the sidebar of the bed. He stared at you with a troubled expression.

"I own a motorbike store? " you nodded and he enlarged his eyes even more.

"Wait what's going on? Can he not remember me?" Felix's eyes searched between you and Chan.

"No, he has a concussion and he lost his memories. He remembered the important ones though. He remembered his immediate family. But you and I, he can't recall us."

You paused for it to sink in. you watched as the wheels turned in Felix's eyes. Wondering where it all went wrong. Felix knew little of what Chan had planned before the fiasco. Just that he designed a surprise for you.

"What about the driver? Who hit him?" Felix cracked his knuckles, incapable to concentrate his perception.

"He got away. It was a hit and run...the police think it was meditated. But I can't think of anyone who would want to hurt Chan." Chan possessed a precious soul. He helped everyone he could. Why would somebody yearn to injure him? He didn't retain enemies. Or so you believed.

"Yeah....me neither" the way Felix's unsteady response sounded, made you guess he kept at least one name in his mind. But he wouldn't go as far as to condemn them straight away.

"Don't stress about this. Maybe it was an accident. And they didn't have insurance so they ran. It can be anything." Chan peeked at you with the weakest eyes. It was the most natural Chan response. Chan would never press chargers, he'd let it go.