True Beauty - 2

19

Alina's POV -

So there I was, swimming like my life depended on it, which it probably did at that point. My arms and legs felt like lead, and the water seemed to be getting colder by the minute. Every stroke was a struggle, and I was starting to lose track of how long I'd been at it.

Just when I thought I couldn't go on, I spotted this big piece of driftwood. It was a lifesaver, literally, holding me up for a while before it decided to go all Titanic on me and start sinking. Back to swimming it was.

Days? Weeks? Who knows how long I'd been out here. Then, out of the blue, I saw land. I pushed myself to swim faster, but my body had other ideas. Everything went blurry, and I felt myself sinking down.

Minho's POV -

Man, I thought a trip to the beach would clear my head, but instead, I ended up overhearing my girlfriend spill some seriously hurtful stuff to her ex. She told him she wanted me only for the porsche and my bank account. Talk about a gut punch. I needed to get away, so I hit the water, hoping the waves would wash away the pain.

I let myself sink, not caring if I ever came back up. But then, I felt something brush against my hand. It was a woman, unconscious and probably in worse shape than I was feeling. Suddenly, my own drama didn't seem so important.

I dragged her to shore and started yelling for help. Thankfully, some Aussies came to the rescue, and we got her to the hospital. When the doc said she'd be okay, I breathed a sigh of relief.

I went to check on her, hoping she could fill in some blanks. "What's your name? Where are you from?" I asked, trying to be helpful.

But her answer stopped me cold. "I don't remember," she mumbled.

I mean, seriously? Talk about a plot twist.

"You don't remember?" I asked, eyebrows furrowing in concern. She nodded weakly, wincing as her hand grazed her head. "Hurts," she murmured.

Approaching her, I inspected the small cut on her head. "It's just a cut. Does it feel like it's burning?" I inquired gently.

Another nod from her confirmed my suspicion. "Okay, it's minor," I reassured her. Then, contemplating our situation, I tried to find some common ground. "So, uh, nameless girl, do you have any names I could call you? We might be hanging out for a bit here, and I'm not one to bail on people in need. You've got a Korean accent but look British, so I'm guessing you're not from around here, right?"

"I dunno," she replied, her voice soft and uncertain.

I sighed, racking my brain for a solution. "Well, what do I call you then? Let me think..." Just then, my phone rang, and it was Felix calling.

"Hey, Lix," I answered, trying to sound upbeat despite the heaviness in my heart.

"I miss Alina," he choked out, his pain palpable even through the phone. My heart ached for him. He'd fallen hard for her, only to realize she had eyes for someone else. Yet, he remained selfless, wanting her happiness above all else.

"I know," I murmured sympathetically, tears welling up in my own eyes. My friend deserved better, and so did Alina and Seojun caught in the middle of it all. "You've got to try and move on," I urged him before ending the call.

Turning back to the nameless girl, I couldn't help but wonder. "By any chance, are you Alina?"

She regarded me with a puzzled expression. "Alina? Is that my name?"

"I'm not sure, girl," I replied, furrowing my brow. "My friend was in Korea and he mentioned a girl named Alina who drowned a few days ago... and now, finding you out in the sea like this, I can't shake this feeling of doubt. What if you're her, but you've lost your memory because of a knock to the head or something?"