Letters from the Void // ASTRO ✔

Chapter 6

It was only day 2 of her working at the restaurant, but it felt so natural to her. She didn't mind the cold shoulder Jin Jin and Rocky were giving her, because the rest of the team, especially Moon Bin and Sanha were really friendly with her. Sometimes they would help her carry the trays, claiming that a 'lady like her shouldn't overwork herself' when she's only been carrying the first tray of the day. Eunwoo was busy at the kitchen; though Haeun tried to hide the fact that she was a little bit disappointed she couldn't see him often.

Somehow, the act of Eunwoo buying shoes for her made her feel different.

The shoes that Eunwoo bought were a perfect fit; it didn't come off when she walked and she didn't feel uncomfortable in it either. Whether it's just pure luck or Eunwoo actually knew her shoe size, she wouldn't know. She knew it would be better for her to find out about her past one by one, but she couldn't lie that she wished her memories would come back. Living like this; she wouldn't know how to act, just in case it contradicted with her character before. The best she could do was play along.

The name she saw yesterday on the screen was still etched in her mind; in fact she didn't think it would go away any time soon. Kim Taehyung. The name that felt so familiar but so distant at the same time. The face that she's seen before but couldn't find in her memory. If she wanted to move forward, she would need to connect herself to the web and find out more information about him. But if it would be so easy to find information on him, surely they would capture him already. So what was the problem when they couldn't get their hands on him?

Absent-mindedly, she put her right hand behind her neck, remembering the ID chip planted in her. A fake one. One that was not hers.

"Noona, what's wrong? Does your neck hurt?" Sanha tapped her shoulder lightly. Both of them were standing near the kitchen, waiting for any customers to call them. Moon Bin was busy helping a family to pick out their orders.

"It feels weird, isn't it?"

"What does?" Sanha stuck out his lower lip, not understanding her question.

"Having something planted inside of you."

"Planted? Oh, this," Sanha reached for the back of his neck, the same spot he would have his ID chip planted. "I got it planted since I was a baby, so I don't really feel like it's weird. It's a part of me anyway. Right, noona?"

Haeun nodded, not really agreeing to what he said. The ID chip inside her was not really hers, and it was planted... 2 weeks ago? She couldn't tell herself. Before she was able to talk again, Sanha was already scurrying to a table, carrying a cloth. He went on to wipe the table while bowing to the leaving customers. Haeun bit her lip, frustrated that she didn't have anyone to talk to. If only she could borrow someone else's commander...

"Oi, why don't you go and clean those tables?" Moon Bin gave her a cloth, and pointed towards tables number 8 and 10. "You seem so lost in your thoughts."

"I have a lot in my mind."

Moon Bin chuckled, "I'm sure you do."

From the kitchen, Rocky was staring at the two talking. He was chopping some onions but his eyes weren't directed at the chopping board. If he weren't trained, he would've cut his fingers. The speed of his cutting became slower and slower until he eventually stopped. Soon he was just staring at Moon Bin and Haeun. Eunwoo noticed that the chopping sounds came to a halt and realized that Rocky was no longer doing his task.

"Rocky." His first attempt to call him was unsuccessful.

"Rocky." He tried again, but Rocky was still in his own world.