Kill Me Softly

Liar or Savior

When he woke, his head was swimming. He couldn't process what his brain was telling him. All Yoonbum wanted was to have Sangwoo storm into the room and hit him or threaten him. He was desperate for any sign that his memories weren't true. Because if they were true... he might be in love with Sangwoo. As he tried to make sense of everything, Sangwoo entered the room with a bowl filled with bandages and other items Yoonbum assumed were to treat his head. When Sangwoo saw that Yoonbum was awake, he stopped in his tracks. He continued to approach the bed and knelt down beside Yoonbum's head, holding up the bandages,
"Sit up, please."
Yoonbum tried, but instantly felt dizzy. Sangwoo caught him as he swayed and repositioned himself so Yoonbum's head was supported by his chest. Sangwoo began to unwrap the bandage around Yoonbum's head. Apparently the wound wasn't bad enough that Sangwoo felt the need to say something, so he instead began to talk,
"I know you're probably really confused and I know you might not trust me right now, but I swear I'll explain. No more secrets, okay?"
Yoonbum looked up at Sangwoo and knew he was waiting to be asked a question. There were so many questions flooding Yoonbum's brain, each one begging to be asked. He was just deciding which one he wanted to know most when one of them slipped out of his mouth;
"My head... did you do this?"
Sangwoo looked away, clearly ashamed, and Yoonbum got his answer.
"I-I had to, Bum. Believe me, it killed me to do it but you knew too much. I did it so you wouldn't have to remember. I thought I could make the bad memories go away."
"Ok... but... what about my uncle? Wasn't he... did you?"
Sangwoo's expression darkened. Yoonbum knew he had opened a dangerous subject, but somewhere deep in his mind, a small part of him was saying he could trust Sangwoo.
"I guess I can't really hide it anymore. You really want to know the truth, huh? Even if it hurts?"
Yoonbum contemplated this for a minute, then nodded confidently,
"Memories made me who I am. I don't want to lose them, even if they're painful."
Sangwoo sighed, repositioning Yoonbum's little body so it was almost as though he was cradling him. Then, not making eye contact, he started to tell the story:
"This wasn't always my house. This was the house your parents owned that your uncle took from you when they died, refusing to let you live here. Every week he would bring you here and take you down into the basement. I'm not sure exactly what he did, but I did see your scars. I can't imagine the physical and mental torture he put you through."
Yoonbum shivered, which made Sangwoo hold him closer. He was slowly regaining his memories with each word. The pieces were falling into place, and Yoonbum could already tell it would not be a pretty picture.
"We were just starting to become friends. I talked to you one time and after that it seemed like you were always there. We were always together at school, but when the last bell rang, we went our separate ways. As time passed, I realized I didn't just want to be friends with you. I realized I loved you. I wanted to go to your house and talk to you; I wanted to tell you how I felt. But you weren't there. I didn't want to go home without talking to you, so I called the number on the front of the apartment building, which turned out to be your landlady. She said if you weren't home you would be at your uncle's house or at the market. I asked and she gave me directions to the house, so I rode my bike over, thinking I was about to confess my love to you in front of your uncle. I felt stupid but I realized it didn't matter as long as I told you. But when I got here, I heard yelling inside. So... I let myself in and-"
Yoonbum's head throbbed in pain again as the memories came rushing back. The memories of that night, which had been just like so many others. The memories that were repressed not because of his amnesia, but because they hurt so much he had to stuff them down to stop the pain. He looked back up at Sangwoo, who looked worried, and finally spoke up.
"Sangwoo, I think I know what happens next, but my head... I can't be sure."
Sangwoo looked at him with a mixture of sadness and patience,
"Well, then? What do you remember?"
Yoonbum took a deep breath and threw his arms around Sangwoo's neck, burying his face in his chest. Sangwoo reflexively wrapped his arms around Yoonbum and stroked his hair with one hand. Then, in a voice stronger and more sure than he had expected of himself, Yoonbum spoke.