Fleeting Moments With You

020

"I've been loving Avril Lavigne since I was in high school!" Dahyun exclaimed as we passed by an open area where we could hear the concert taking place in the nearby Seoul Olympic Stadium.

"But the tickets are sold out," I argued.

"But I could still hear her here. It would be fine," Dahyun tried to convince me with pleading eyes.

"It's raining, Dahyun," I answered as a matter-of-fact, not bothering to hide my 'caring doctor' side.

"Please," she begged but as I did nothing but stare at her, she knew that I was not buying it.

"Come on. Let's go home," I urged her and with a defeated sigh, Dahyun was ready to go.

Not until "What the Hell" started booming. The next thing I knew, Dahyun had ran towards the open area, leaving me alone under my umbrella. She started jumping and shouting in the cheer as if the ground was not wet with puddles and as if the rain was not wetting her clothes. She was dancing as if puddles were her stage and the raindrops, her crowd.

"Dahyun!" I called her in worry.

But Dahyun just flashed a smile at me, and sang loudly,

"But honestly
I just need to be a little crazy

All my life I've been good,
But now whoa, I'm thinking what the hell!"

I chuckled and now, it was my turn to sigh for the final verdict was my defeat and not Dahyun's.

Dahyun then swirled an imaginary rope, acting like a cowgirl that had caught me and then started pulling me to come. With a grin, I had turned off my umbrella and walked towards the girl. We just stared at each other at first, but then, Dahyun burst out laughing as I showed my own goofy moves.

I was amazed at how Dahyun knew all of Avril's songs; she sung passionately in her own world with the singer. However, all the hype and up-beat music had faded and was replaced by the soothing sound of the piano accompanied by the guitar.

Dahyun mumbled, "This one's unfamiliar. It must be one of her recent."

"No. It's not her song. She's doing a cover."

"Of whom?"

"Coldplay," I remarked, "They're one of my favorite bands."

Dahyun saw how my eyes glistened with excitement as I informed her, "She's going to sing 'Fix You'!"

"I've never heard that song," she confessed.

I then cleared my throat for it was my turn to sing along with Avril,

"When you try your best, but you don't succeed
When you get what you want, but not what you need
When you feel so tired, but you can't sleep
Stuck in reverse..."

Dahyun couldn't help but chortle as I even closed my eyes, feeling the music, but then my voice cracked. I laughed along with her but when Avril's voice filled the silence between us. We just stared and smiled at each other intently. I didn't waste the opportunity to take her hand, pulling her closer towards me. Not letting my gaze at her waver, I guided her hands to the back of my neck, and I took Dahyun's smile as an affirmation to frame her waist with my hands.

Then we started swaying under the rain. Dahyun smiled genuinely at me as I sing while we dance and held each other.

"Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you"

When the music had ended, our look at each other's eyes were still unfazed. Suddenly, I felt that Dahyun's hold onto the back of my neck was tightening. She tiptoed and the long pause that followed made me feel her hesitation. I was about to tell her that it was okay – that she need not to be swayed by the moment, but Dahyun hushed my uncertainties with her sweet smile.

She closed her eyes before tiptoeing further, kissing my lips.

---------

I took a deep breath. I had contacted Taehyung to know the whereabouts of Dahyun's doctor. He introduced the two of us to each other. Apparently, as Dahyun has difficulty of recalling recent memories, Taehyung also held the authority on the disclosure of her medical records. To my surprise, Taehyung had extended the authority to know Dahyun's medical condition to me.

"Has her sickness progressed?" Dr. Oh asked me, "Is she unable to do normal activities now?"

"No. She can still do daily activities," I denied then asked, "Is there a chance for her to get Alzheimer's?"

"There is but it's really small so you don't have to worry," the doctor assured me.

"Then," I proceeded on the question I held onto for long, "Is there a chance for her to recover from this illness?"

The doctor observed me silently. I could tell that he saw both the hope and desperation in my eyes as I waited for his answer. But with the saddest and most apologetic smile I had ever seen, Dr. Oh shook his head in disapproval.

My fist balled - I had sung her that I will try to fix her, but the world was crushing my optimism.

"The past had been traumatic for the girl. Her memories had brought her pain so forgetting had naturally become her defense mechanism," the doctor explained. His eyes glistened with sorrow as he added, "As long as Dahyun refuses to remember, there's no chance for her to recover."