According to researchers, it takes a man seven seconds to fall in love.
Sometimes, seven encounters work too.
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ER doctor Eugene Northwood meets a simple woman called Freya Wang. A series of unexpected encounters leads to our lonely main character w...
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"FREYA–"
"Eugene!"
Eugene shot his eyes open, sitting up. He was forced to rest on his back again due to the tubes infused in his arms, and the pain. People were around him, hugging each other and telling him that he made it. He made it.
Made wha - are they talking about the car crash?
"Good evening, Eugene. I'm Emilee Kim, I'll be tending to you today." A woman in her forties smiled, carrying a notepad. "Glad you woke up, man. You owed me, like, thirty dollars. Anyways, you were involved in a crash and went into a mild coma for two days. No significant damage, but the impact was enough to hurt your head. How are you feeling?"
His eyes scanned the crowd. They were familiar. He remembers a few, like Paul, Em, Stephen, Richie, his parents, Miranda, Tyrone, Griffin, Tessa – that nuisance, and–
Wait a minute..
"Where's Freya?" He managed to croak out due to his aching throat.
The crowd went from hyper to silent. They all casted unsure, confused glances and shook their heads. Emilee shook her head, too.
"May I know who is this Miss Freya, Eugene?" Emilee asked with a warm smile. "Your significant other that you haven't informed us?"
"My date, Freya." Eugene said, gripping the edges of his blanket. "Where is she? Is she alright?"
"Date?" Francis asked. "Eugene, you don't have a date. You told us, on your birthday last month, that you were too busy to have one."
Eugene's eyes widened, panic surging in his system. "What? No! Impossible! No, where is she? You all are joking, right?"
"Eugene...no, we're not, I'm sorry." Joanne said, sad and confused. "You're not in a relationship to anyone at the moment."
"No! Where is she? Where's Freya? She's not..dead, right?" Eugene pleaded to the people in the room, already on the verge of breaking down. "Griffin, where's your sister?"
"Sister? Wait wait, you got it messed up." He said. "My name is Griffin - I'm an intern here - but I don't have a sister."
"Eugene, you went into a coma for only two days," Richie said, "and now you're talking about people that don't even exist."
"Richie!"
"I'm just saying."
"You guys are pretending, right?" Eugene turned to Miranda. "I brought her to your wedding. She's Ty's boss, you know, head accountant."
"What? Eugene, Ty and I aren't married yet. We're getting married in six months." Miranda shakes her head. "And Tyrone's boss is a married man with a son. He works at an oiling company."
Eugene felt the world collapse around him. His vision was blurry as he felt tears run down his cheeks. He was surprised to see himself cry, but oh well. He glanced at his hand, which felt cold and clammy.
So, all of it was a lie?
"I'll give you time alone." Emilee said before exiting the room.
"Why, Eugene? Um..if you don't mind us asking." Tessa said softly. "Who is this Freya? A person in your dreams?"
"Yeah." He replied softly.
"Really?" Miranda placed a hand on her chin, eager to hear his story. "In what way?"
"I..I really don't want to talk about it."
Joanne rubs his back, smiling. "We understand. It's a lot to take in. Come on everyone, lets give him some alone time."
Everyone understood and exited the room, leaving him in his thoughts. Eugene's head was spinning hard. He rubbed his eyes, his palm coming back wet afterwards.
None of it was true.
Freya wasn't even real.
Guess he'll always be that hopeless, lonely man he has always been. With no hope of actually being content with someone. Unlike Miranda.
He got off the bed and went to the bathroom to wash his face. He had bags under his eyes. He definitely looked paler than he intended to look. Eugene Northwood has definitely seen better days.
Damn it.
Eugene got back to his bed. His stomach growled and the first thing he thought about was the soft croissant Freya gave him at that 24-hour cafe. Maybe he has to live like that now, imagining about his date. All was in vain. He felt her warmth, just seconds before he woke up. It felt so real.
He met her seven times, and he was already in love. He can't do anything about it.
Eugene misses her already, and he knew she didn't even exist. Even if he tries to move on, to find another, he will still come back to the woman he fell in love with after those seven meaningful encounters.
Which weren't real.
With the soft pit-pat-pit-pat of the rain against the window, Eugene lied back down and closed his eyes. Perhaps if he went back to sleep, perhaps if he keeps hoping, Freya Wang might appear.
