Remember Me

2021. 1. 2

"Babe, why are you out?" 

Eddy rushed to the front door as soon as the taxi dropped him off at the gate. Brett was sitting in the doorstep, shivering from a cold night air. 

"I was waiting for you," Brett muttered, burying his head in Eddy's embrace. "I missed you." 

Eddy gently touched Brett's cheek, checking him from head to toe. Even in the dark, he could smell the distinct odor of urine from Brett's pants. Brett has soiled himself while he was out. 

"You couldn't find the restroom again?" Eddy asked, his voice strained. 

Brett looked down at his toes, embarrassed. 

"Why didn't you tell Brandon that you needed to go?"

"He was sleeping," Brett whispered. 

"Did you eat dinner?" Eddy asked, his voice getting sterner. 

Before Brett could reply, Eddy stormed inside the house. He swiftly opened the fridge, finding his prepared meal still sitting there, untouched. In the living room, Brandon was sleeping on the sofa with a television on. 

"I'm hungry," Brett tugged Eddy's sleeves. 

Eddy closed his eyes, trying to contain his anger. He slowly put his violin case on the floor and closed the fridge silently. 

"I'll prepare dinner right away, babe. First, let's get you cleaned," Eddy led Brett to the bathroom, filling the tub with hot water. Brett obediently took off his clothes and stepped into the water, satisfied. 

"Wait here for a moment for me, will you?" Eddy smiled, kissing Brett briefly on the forehead. 

***

"Hey," Eddy roughly shook the sleeping caretaker on the sofa. 

Brandon opened his eyes, jolting awake. 

"Uh- Mr. Chen-"

"What happened?" Eddy crossed his arms. 

"Sorry, sir. I dozed off for a while," Brandon shook his head. 

"I see that you forgot to serve dinner."

"He said he wasn't hungry," Brandon replied sheepishly. 

"You should have at least tried to serve it, maybe?" 

Brandon didn't reply, shrugging his shoulder defensively. 

Eddy's voice was tense as he opened his mouth once more. 

"He wet himself."

"What?"

"He couldn't find the restroom while you were sleeping. He wet himself," Eddy's voice was calm but cold. 

"Sorry, sir. I had no idea."

"This is unacceptable. I'm reporting customer service to your company," Eddy clenched his fist tight. 

"What?"

"I asked you to take good care of him. I see that you haven't made that effort. I'm reporting this incident tomorrow," Eddy turned the TV off, throwing the remote to the sofa.

Brandon stood up from the sofa, glaring back at Eddy.

"Fine, report me or whatever," Brandon swung his bag to his shoulder and walked out to the front door. Before he could step out of the house, however, Eddy heard it - small but distinct -

"Stupid faggot." 

Eddy's face turned white. He rushed to the front door and grabbed Brandon's shoulder before he could turn the doorknob.

"What did you just say?" Eddy asked.

"I-"

Before Brandon could even reply, there was blood. And a short scream. A fall, a thud.

And a small laughter. 

***

Brett was sitting in the tub, humming the first few notes of Mendelssohn, the rest forgotten. Soon, he heard a crash outside the bathroom. Brett turned his head around, curious. 

What could it be?

Brett stood up from the tub, tiptoeing to the door. His eyes widened when he opened the restroom door slightly, discovering a trail of blood leading to the storage room. 

A memory flooded inside him, matching everything inside him once more. The crimson paint on the floor. The rose petals. His own screams echoing inside his head. Eddy, oh Eddy. 

Brett staggered to the back, instinctively locking the restroom door with trembling hands. For a whole minute, Brett just stood in the restroom, paralyzed in fear. 

"Brett?" 

Brett jumped when he heard Eddy's deep voice calling him from the storage room. Brett didn't reply as he frantically put on his clothes that were sprawled on the tiled floor. 

"Brett are you alright?" Eddy's voice was closer now. 

Brett hurriedly opened a small window at the side of the restroom wall, leading to the outside. The size was just enough to slide out. 

"Brett, Brett!!! Open the door!!" 

The locked door shook as Eddy tried to barge in. However, Brett has already jumped out of the window. Brett scrambled on the grass barefoot, running to the nearest police station. 

Every time, his nightmare will end right here. He will begin to forget. Memories will disappear out from his fingers like fine sand. Still, he needed to try. Brett ran in tears as he hummed Mendelssohn from start to finish, the whole song clear in his mind, at least for now. He couldn't let his mind slip again.

Brett, you are a classical violinist. Eddy is your soulmate, your lover, your family. He is your everything. You love him with all your heart.

Remember me.

-Eddy has done something terribly wrong, Brett. Something that needs to be stopped. You are the only one who can stop this. Save Eddy from this sin. Save him from destroying himself.

Remember me.

-Don't be blinded by this fake feeling of comfort and security. Run, Brett. Run and tell everyone what you have seen. You need to, you need to - 

Remember me.

***

-eykim28