Authors pov.
Two days have passed, and tomorrow is the eclipse. A lot has happened, and when I say happened, it also means some things have been forgotten.
Chaeryeong's POV.
She forgot again—small or big pieces of the memories we shared since the day we arrived here, when she completely turned into Lucy. She slowly remembers her past but forgets her present, and I was part of that present she's slowly losing.
Flashback:
The day after we arrived at the old Hwang's house, we were all at the dining table at 7:00 a.m., eating breakfast. "Sam, could you pass the ketchup?" Yeji—or Lucy—asked. "Yeah, sure, unnie," Hyunjin replied, handing it to her. Chaeryeong, however, looked confused as she watched Yeji pour ketchup over her beef steak, knowing Yeji never liked ketchup. Yeji noticed her expression and asked, "Chaeryeong, what's wrong? Are you okay?" Chaeryeong just smiled and said she was fine, though she wasn't.
Hearing Yeji address her as "Chaeryeong" felt strange—Yeji never called her that. She always called her "Cherry." Sometimes she used her full name, but never with that polite tone, always with sweetness, with love. That day, Chaeryeong's face showed dismay as she realized that small, subtle things were different now.
End of Flashback:
Author's POV.
That night, Chaeryeong couldn't sleep. She got up from her bed and went outside for some fresh air. She gazed at the moon, knowing it would be full in a few days. But one thought scared her—if that day came and Yeji remembered everything, would she forget her? She knew how small details could change or be forgotten.
The next day arrived, and Chaeryeong hadn't slept at all, having watched the moon until it disappeared from the sky. "Chaeryeong, why are you here so early in the morning? Did you even sleep?" Minhyun asked, finding her on the balcony bench, staring into nothing. "Nope, I couldn't sleep," Chaeryeong replied with a smile that carried sadness and exhaustion.
Minhyun sat beside her, looking out at the garden below. "Sad because of Yeji?" he asked. Chaeryeong didn't look at him, just kept staring. "Yes," she answered simply. "You've noticed it too, right? The new things she does?" Chaeryeong slowly nodded. "Her tone, her smile, her approach—they've changed. Even her likes and dislikes, things I should know by heart, confuse me now," she said. "It's like she's slowly turning into someone I don't know," she added, frustration and sadness in her voice.
"Should we tell her or something?" Minhyun suggested, but Chaeryeong shook her head. "No, just let her be," she said, sadness visible in her eyes. "Why let her be? Do you want her to become someone you don't know?" he asked with concern. "No, but remember, Minhyun, if we stop her, something bad might happen to her. We can't interrupt the process, or she might be gone. I won't let that happen. I won't let her die," Chaeryeong said with certainty, though the sadness in her eyes remained.
Flashback:
In Seoul, when Chaeryeong met Dr. Kim alone, he said, "Chaeryeong, I must tell you the truth now, as Yeji's life is at stake. When you first brought her here, it was already her time—she was about to die that day. But when you cried in front of me, I couldn't ignore it, so I helped in the only way I knew. I didn't tell you the effect because my contract forbids me from interfering with the fate of others. But seeing you that day reminded me of my own child, whom I regret not helping because of that contract. Now, with my last breath, I want to help you as a way to atone for my mistake." His words left Chaeryeong speechless, but she still managed to ask,
"So you're telling me she's going to die during the eclipse?" Her eyes welled up at the thought of losing Yeji. "Yes, she may, but you can prevent it from happening," Dr. Kim replied. Filled with determination, she listened closely as he continued, "As you know, I put something in the tea you drank that day—a forgotten potion. It also affects the person who drinks the other potion, the awakening one, which I gave to Yeji. The one you drank has the power to grant life or a wish to the other, but you must pay the price—you will be forgotten by the one who drank the awakening potion, even as they receive the wish you wanted for them." Dr. Kim's explanation grew deeper, but Chaeryeong's mind was set—she wanted Yeji to live.
Chaeryeong's POV:
"Dr. Kim, thank you so much for your help. Now it's my turn to make sure your efforts succeed." On her way home, she called the Hwangs and explained what would happen to Yeji when the time came. They agreed to help, and together they planned to trigger Yeji's memories all at once, deciding to return to her old house, where all her memories remained.
As Dr. Kim explained, I need to restore all of her memories and let her forget me so the potion's effect will work. The awakening potion was the reason Yeji began recalling fragments of her past in the first place, as it also brings the person from the past back into their body once consumed. But because of its side effects, it's a risky thing to do.
You bring the person back to life, but the one you're bound to will forget you entirely. Every memory you shared will vanish as if nothing ever happened, like you never even existed in her life from the very start.
This is my only way to let Yeji live—by losing myself in her memories.
Goodbye, Yeddong~
YOU ARE READING
The Cat That I Love
FantasyIn your life, have you imagined what the cat that your mother left you well became something that's hard to believe, something that's so unreal?
