Fleeting Moments With You

016

The both of us just sat in silence until Taehyung broke it and said, "You're probably very confused right now but how should I start explaining? Hmmm."

He then started talking with a very low voice, probably for Dahyun not to overhear and be disturbed with her immersion in reading her notebook. Taehyung's eyes met mine as he said, "The year after Dahyun lost her parents in a car accident, she started having memory problems. The first time it happened, I thought she was just joking. The second time, I still laughed but worry filled inside me. On the third time, I decided to take her to the doctor."

Taehyung took a deep breath before continuing, "Apparently, Dahyun was diagnosed with a rare type of anterograde amnesia triggered by her parents' death."

"Do you mean she's having trouble recalling the recent-past?" I asked with knitted eyebrows.

Taehyung pursed his lips into a thin line and slowly nodded. He then added, "But on her case, her memory resets every sixty. The first time she would wake up with her recent memories gone, she'd think she's a newly-college graduate. So every sixty days, I'd call her and tell her to read her notebook before anything else. Today got me rushing when she couldn't answer any of my calls, but I never thought that there'd be another person involved."

I took the time to process everything that Taehyung has told me.

So Dahyun not remembering me when she discovered me as her new neighbour wasn't pretence or a game. She's ill with a sickness that had no cure. It was a sickness that erases her memories – including every memory spent with me.

I didn't know what to feel, how to respond or even what to think.

But then, Taehyung spoke again, "As far as I know, you're her first boyfriend. I don't know how you would take this news but if you could stay, then I'd be happy for Dahyun. If you're planning to leave, then please do it after she loses all memories of you so that she wouldn't experience heartbreak. If you're planning to use her illness to do everything to her as you please, please note that I know your name now and I'm the best at remembering faces."

And his statement just made me more confused. I didn't know if he was discouraging or encouraging me. Perhaps, he was just giving me a warning but I didn't know if it was a protective or a possessive gesture. However, before my insecurities could get mix up with curiosities further, Dahyun suddenly interrupted our conversation. She walked towards us and threw the notebook at the table.

"How could I be sure that my handwriting isn't falsified?" she asked.

"Don't be ridiculous Dahyun. I'd not go to that extent for a prank," Taehyung seriously stated.

For a while, Dahyun just stared at Taehyung as he continued drinking coffee while I stared at her, noticing the sadness in her eyes.

As Taehyung finally met her gaze, Dahyun whispered, "You're married."

The corner of Taehyung's lips slowly lifted onto a smile and that was the only time that I noticed the silver ring that glistened on his finger.

He then said, "I'll be a father soon too."

Here I was, thinking of all the competition between Taehyung and me in winning Dahyun's heart only to learn that the other contestant had no interests to compete with in the first place because his heart had also been taken away from him by a woman other than Dahyun.

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After Dahyun finally understood and accepted her condition, Taehyung immediately left because he needed to attend to his pregnant wife. He made sure that Dahyun apologized to me before leaving too. He said he looked forward to meeting me again and reminded me not to forget about his reminders and warnings. I replied with a nod and a smile before bidding goodbye.

Dahyun, on the other hand, still seemed shock about everything but there was also more than surprise in Dahyun's eyes.

There was devastation.

When Taehyung's figure disappeared out of sight, we were about to proceed to our separate units but Dahyun suddenly broke down crying in front of her door.

I widened my eyes and called, "Hey."

"He's married," she managed to say between her sobs, "He's married."

Still quite scared after the police station incident, I didn't invite her to my apartment nor entered her apartment again with only the two of us to witness those scenes. Instead, I brought out a tissue box, a glass and a pitcher of water. However, my stock of tissue boxes wasn't enough for hours of crying, so I had to bring out toilet papers too. I sighed as I tore some toilet paper and handed it to her which she accepted wordlessly.

"Drink some water too," I gave her a glass of water.

She wiped her tears before sipping water from the glass. She gave out a long breath before she leaned her head on the wall and stared at the now, starry sky.

With a broken voice, she said, "I'm probably the worst woman you ever met. Turning you into the police station in the morning then having you as my crying shoulder at night. I don't remember being close to you, but I guess you do so let me be shameful for a moment."

I just let out a chuckle and I also heard her let out a little laugh before silence engulfed us once more. When I glanced at her, I found the glistening stars of the night in the tears that still formed in her eyes.

"This illness seriously sucks," she complained, "It's been years after he got married but years of trying to move on also vanish once my memory restarts. The wounds that should have healed long before still feel fresh as new because the last thing I could remember was me believing that we were already meant for each other."

She then hung her head low again as tears escaped from her eyes. The pain of hearing her love story with another man was already tearing me apart but I couldn't even tell her any of it because my feelings would be the least of her concerns right now. But the pain in me doubled as I see her so damaged with sorrow.

My feelings shall come in later; drying her tears was first and foremost. Besides, I wouldn't be able to enter her heart if it remains broken.

"I could help you," I told her.

She then wiped her tears and just stared at me in confusion.

"I'm a doctor," I added, "Well, more like a medicine student right now but I'd be a doctor in the future so you could trust me too. I could do an operation for you."

"What kind of operation?" she sniffed.

I mustered the brightest smile that I could give as I replied, "Operation: Mend Dahyun's broken heart."

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AN: Hello! I hope you like the twist? Haha. I am starting to get the regular hang of reviewing so that I can also accommodate writing. Please wish me luck!