Aelia came back to the house a lot earlier than she had planned. Most of the guys were out, but Jongho was there, being domestic.
«Hey,» he said when she came up the stairs. He was putting sheets in the washer in the laundry room.
«Hey, how are you?»
«I'm good. You?»
«Better,» Aelia shrugged.
«That's good. I'm going to have an americano after this. Want one?»
«Iced?»
«Duh.»
«Well, you never know with you guys.»
«Ah,» he said, a tiny smile on his face.
«I'll have an iced americano, yes, thank you.»
She never really had spoken much with Jongho, and certainly not alone. At this point, she was curious to find out more about him. He and Yeosang were in love, that much she knew.
By the time she got to the kitchen, Jongho had already started making the coffee. She helped him finish them and they brought them into the living room. They could see San through the window, he was working in the garden, sweating profusely.
«He works hard on whatever he does, am I right?»
«I'd say so,» Jongho agreed. «I have no idea where he gets all this energy from.»
«How long have you guys been in this house?»
«About two years, I think.»
«That's pretty long.»
«Yeah, it is,» he agreed. He didn't say anything about how they made sure to not speak much with neighbors, always kept to themselves, and let the hedges grow tall.
«So, Yeosang followed me today,» Aelia said, glancing over at Jongho to catch his reaction. She didn't plan on saying it, it just slipped out. Jongho didn't look shocked, though.
«Oh, I'm sorry about that. He's worried about you.»
«He's worried?»
«Yeah.»
«Why?»
Jongho kept looking out the window, and Aelia realized he wasn't going to answer. She just sighed.
«How long was your memory gone?» she asked, accepting a change of topic.
«Five weeks. I didn't even leave the slave house before it came back.»
«Really?»
«Yes, really,» he said. This time he looked at her. He was telling the truth.
«Were you scared before it came back?»
«Yes, I was scared about what I would remember. You know, maybe I was a serial killer or something...»
Aelia giggled.
«What, I just knew there were criminals who had chosen slavery over prison. I could have been one of them.»
Aelia paused.
«Relax,» Jongho said. «No way are you one of them.»
«Do you know that, or do you just think so?»
«I don't know, I just...»
«So I could be,» she said, finishing her drink. «Well, I hope it'll return soon before I have to pretend I have it back, just to please you guys.»
«There's no need to please us, Aelia.»
She didn't answer that. Instead, she thanked him for the coffee and left the living room.
A few hours later people were returning to the house, and Wooyoung started dinner. Aelia was a little nervous to go to the kitchen, but she still did.
«Can I help?» she asked, and Woo smiled at her.
«Yes, thank you. Will you make the salad?»
«Sure.»
For a while, they just worked in silence, until Aelia decided she had waited long enough.
«So, I've been thinking today,» she said, glancing at Woo. «About work and... that stuff.»
«Yeah?» He tried to play it cool.
«And I'm not sure what to pick, but... working with people sounds kind of right.»
«Working with people? That's kind of general.»
«Yeah, I know, sorry. Maybe something like taking care of people or... elderly or children, I don't know.»
Wooyoung nodded. «You do remember, don't you?»
«What?»
«You remember!»
«No, I really don't.»
«Then it's just a coincidence that you're leading us in the direction of medical care and hospitals?»
«I didn't even mention those things.»
«Aelia, stop it! Seriously! We know you went to medical school! We know you're a doctor.»
Aelia dropped the knife she was holding and took a step away from the counter. She stared at her hands for a second before leaving the kitchen. She didn't even hear what Wooyoung was saying to her.
«We know you're a doctor.»
The words kept ringing in her ears. Aelia had locked herself inside her room and was now sitting with her back against the door, hands over her ears.
No way was she a doctor. That was just not likely. Why would a doctor ever end up as a slave? What had she done to end up there? She could actually be a criminal, as Hyunjin had joked about. He probably knew a lot more than he had told her. But her being a doctor.... That was probably not true. San had said something about not trusting the files. The information there must be fake. Where the hell did that file come from anyway?
On a whim, she went and got her butterfly phone, and turned it on while hiding in her bathroom, without any sound on of course. She sent a text to Hyunjin.
«Am I a doctor?»
It only took a minute before he answered. «You remember more already?»
«So I am? Woo told me.»
«Woo?»
«One of the people working at the Safe House. Fuck, just tell me!»
«I'm not supposed to.»
«You kind of already did, Hyunjin.»
«Shut up.»
YOU ARE READING
Take Me Home // Ateez // Stray Kids
FanficAfter an unexpected escape from the Mansion, Aelia finds herself in a Safe House. Who is a friend and who has alternate motives? And what do the butterflies have to do with it? As a former slave, life looks empty. Aelia has to find her way in life...
