MICHAENG : THE STORY UNFOLDS WITH YOU

CHAPTER 41 - GIVE UP

The darkness causes Sana to almost stumble as she steps into her place. "Arghh, why can't you walk properly, idiot?" She whines to herself, frustrated by her own clumsiness. Her hands trail over the wall, searching for the lamp switch in the living room as she continues to nag.

As soon as she switches on the lamps, her heart almost jumps out of her chest. "Oh my goodness!! Yaa!!!" She holds her chest tightly, gripping the cold wall when she notices Chaeyoung sitting on the sofa.

"Arghh, idiot!! You almost gave me a heart attack," she mumbles as she approaches Chaeyoung. "What's brought you here, and out of everything, why are you sitting in the dark? I can never understand your weird behavior, Chaengi," she nags nonstop as she sits on the sofa across from Chaeyoung.

Suddenly wrinkles crease her forehead as her words hang in the air as Chaeyoung just keeps silent to her. "Chaeng!! Is that truly you? Why aren't you speaking?" Her voice trembles, her heart pounding at the sight of the unfamiliar Chaeyoung before her.

Chaeyoung's eyes suddenly blankly stare at her, causing Sana to pale as if all her blood has been drained from her body. Despite this, Chaeyoung shows no reaction to her.

"Chaeng, why are you looking at me like that?" Sana stutters, rising from her seat and slowly stepping back, her mind racing with the thought that this might not be Chaeyoung but a ghost.

Chaeyoung notices how Sana resembles a scaredy cat, more like a cute scaredy hamster with her widened eyes and surprised expression. He finally heaves a sigh, breaking the ice within him, though his face remains solemn.

"Why didn't you tell me anything about Mina? Why did you leave me clueless about her, Sana-yaa? You know how important she is to me, right?" His voice carries a tinge of coldness as he bombards Sana with everything that has been swirling in his mind since he regained his memories.

Sana's eyes widen even further. "Yaa, what are you talking about?" She slowly approaches Chaeyoung.

"Why didn't you bring me back to Mina earlier, Sana-yaa? Otherwise, she would never hate me like this now," his voice begins to crack.

"Chaeng... what happened? I don't really understand," Sana says, standing before him, her eyes studying Chaeyoung's sore face. "Chaeng... did you..." Sana's words trail off as Chaeyoung suddenly stands in front of her.

"I remember everything now... everyone, and Mina. She's the person I remember the most right now," he says, his breath hot and heavy, struggling to suppress any cries.

Sana's eyes well up with tears, and she swiftly hugs Chaeyoung. "C-Chaengi..." she mumbles as she embraces him. "Did you really remember everything now?? Is this truly you?" her tears roll down, soaking Chaeyoung's shirt. No words can describe how happy she is to see Chaeyoung, her old Chaeyoung, standing before her again.

Chaeyoung stands still, not reciprocating her hug nor reply to her questions, but his own tears unknowingly cascade down his cheeks. "Tell me, Sana-yaa,..Why you kept me away from Mina" his voice softens, sounding pleading.

As they pull away from the hug, Sana's eyes linger on him, filled with remorse. "I'm sorry... I've tried so many times to bring you back to her, but I failed because everyone resented us, Chaeyoung-aa..." Sana pulls Chaeyoung's hand and grips tighten with her, "But... I'm glad you remember everything now. Chaeng, Let's both of us face Mina again, ask her to come back to you like before. I'm sure she still loves you, Chaeng," Sana's voice is convincing despite her emotions now also stirring.

Chaeyoung gasps for heavy breaths. His eyes blink repeatedly, allowing his hot tears to burst forth. "It's too late now... Mina doesn't want me anymore... She lied to me because she hates and resents me now, and she's loving someone else..It's not that easy..I can't do anything now...It's hurting me, Sana-yaa. I love her, and I can't bear to see her with someone else, but the hate she gives me, it makes me feel lost, Sana-yaa. I've lost her. I've lost everything... Why didn't I just die five years ago so that none of us would face this pain?" His voice quivers, each word a fragile whisper trembling with the weight of unspoken grief, as if sadness had stolen the strength from his voice.