Chapter 2: Can’t I Stay At Your House?

He didn’t even know how he got there.

He had just run. Run until he was out of breath.

By the time he came to his senses, he was in the emergency room.

“Hyunwoo. Chaea is out.”

“……!”

Chaea, having completed her diagnosis, was immediately transferred to a hospital room.

Watching her being wheeled away unconscious, Hyunwoo felt like his chest was being crushed.

If only he had confessed back there.

If only he had just given her the bouquet in front of her house, none of this would have happened.

‘Trying to set the mood like a fool and calling her to the playground for no reason…’

He knew it wasn’t really his fault.

But his heart kept sinking endlessly.

“How did this happen?”

“Well…”

Chaea’s father briefly explained the accident.

A car had failed to see Chaea as it turned a corner. Though the driver slammed the brakes, they couldn’t overcome the speed and ended up hitting her.

That was it.

The driver reported the accident himself and had been crying while apologizing to Chaea’s parents until he was taken to the police station just moments ago.

One thing seemed strange.

Chaea had been hit on a road that led in the opposite direction of the playground.

“The impact wasn’t severe, so fortunately, her life isn’t in danger.”

The doctor spoke in a dry tone.

Chaea’s mother let out a breath of relief and asked, “Then… is our Chaea going to be okay?”

“Yes. She has minor fractures in her ankle and arm, but she will recover quickly.”

It would have been better if the doctor had stopped there.

“However, there are signs that she hit her head. The fact that she lost consciousness suggests she sustained a mild concussion.”

“T-Then…?”

“It’s a minor injury, so surgery isn’t necessary. We’ve already administered treatment, and medication along with continuous monitoring should be enough.”

Without hesitation, the doctor continued,

“However, there is a possibility of memory loss.”

“Memory loss…?”

“Yes. It’s not common, but she may lose memories from right before or after the accident, or even some specific parts of her memory.”

“It’s just a possibility, right?”

Chaea’s father ran a hand over his face and asked, “She could wake up just fine, couldn’t she?”

“That’s right. I’m only telling you this so you won’t be caught off guard.”

“I see… Thank you, doctor.”

The doctor, still expressionless, left the room.

Chaea’s parents collapsed onto their chairs.

“Haa… What is even happening…”

“At least she’s alive.”

“Yes, thank goodness… That’s a huge relief…”

They wiped their tears while comforting each other.

“…Hoo.”

Beside them, Hyunwoo let out a deep sigh.

The suffocating tightness in his chest eased—just a little.

Though it still felt like a heavy stone was pressing down on him, at least all her injuries were treatable.

He just hoped she would wake up soon and explain why she hadn’t come straight to the playground.

The doctor’s diagnosis wasn’t wrong.

About three hours after Chaea had been moved to her hospital room—

“…Mm…”

Chaea’s eyelids fluttered open.

Hyunwoo, who had spent what felt like an eternity waiting, sprang to his feet.

“Yoo Chaea.”

“…Mm?”

Chaea gazed at Hyunwoo with hazy eyes.

“……”

That was when fear suddenly gripped him.

The doctor had said memory loss was possible.

‘What if she doesn’t remember me?’

He needed to call the doctor. No, before that, he should bring Chaea’s parents back first—

Just as his thoughts tangled, Chaea’s trembling fingers clutched his sleeve.

“Hyunwoo…”

“! Yoo Chaea, do you remember me?”

Hyunwoo leaned in closer so she could hear him clearly.

“Huh…? Of course, I do. You’re my childhood friend…”

Under normal circumstances, those words might have made his heart race.

But right now, the atmosphere wasn’t like that at all.

“Then… where are we? And why am I…?”

Chaea furrowed her brows and looked down at her cast.

Click.

The hospital room door quietly opened.

Seeing Chaea’s parents enter with a cup of water, Hyunwoo spoke with a trembling voice.

“Uncle, Auntie. Chaea is awake.”

“Really?!”

They hurriedly set the cup down and rushed to her bedside.

“Chaea, are you okay? Are you in pain anywhere?”

“Thank goodness you’re awake… Really, thank goodness…”

Chaea’s mother choked up with tears as her father patted her back to console her.

“?”

Chaea, with a puzzled expression, suddenly grabbed onto Hyunwoo’s sleeve tightly.

“What’s wrong?”

It was then that Hyunwoo realized something was off.

She was looking at her own parents as if they were strangers.

“…You’re not serious.”

A horrible thought crossed his mind.

No… Could that even be possible?

Doubt filled his mind.

“…Hyunwoo, who are these people?”

Chaea had turned her worst fears into reality.

A doctor was immediately called in for an examination.

“This is an extremely rare case.”

The doctor pressed his fingers against the bridge of his nose.

“So, apart from Hyunwoo here, you don’t remember anything?”

“Yes…”

“No memory of the accident? Your parents? Any other relationships?”

“Nothing at all.”

“Sigh…”

The doctor tilted his head, scribbled something on his notepad, and handed it to Chaea’s parents.

“It appears she has developed amnesia.”

“…But she remembers Hyunwoo, doesn’t she?”

It was a bizarre phenomenon.

She barely retained her own name and gender, yet she remembered Do Hyunwoo, her childhood friend, perfectly.

“Is that even possible?”

“I can’t say for sure, but we suspect that she must have had some special memories or emotions related to Hyunwoo before and after the accident.”

Ultimately, even the doctor didn’t have a definite answer.

‘Was it because she was planning to confess today?’

Hyunwoo had a suspicion.

Meanwhile, Chaea, still unable to grasp the situation fully, clutched his hand tightly, anxiety written all over her face.

“Since she hasn’t lost all her memories, there’s a good chance she can regain them.”

Pushing up his glasses, the doctor turned his gaze to Hyunwoo.

“That’s why we need your help.”

“…Me?”

“Chaea is likely feeling extremely lost right now. Since you’re the only person she finds familiar, you should stay by her side and help guide her back to her memories.”

“That’s the only way?”

“Yes. I’m sorry, but there’s nothing more we can do here.”

With that, the doctor gave his final diagnosis.

“I’ll prescribe some medication. Aside from a minor fracture, there are no serious injuries. Come back in a month to have the cast removed. For now, get plenty of rest before heading home.”

And with that, the doctor left to see another patient.

Silence thickened in the hospital room.

Amnesia—yet she could remember only one person?

“Uh… does your body feel okay?”

Since her parents were still in shock, Hyunwoo spoke up first.

“I don’t know. My arm hurts, my foot hurts, and my head feels dizzy… I don’t understand what’s happening…”

“Alright, alright. You don’t have to explain everything.”

Seeing Chaea’s breathing grow unsteady, Hyunwoo pulled her into a hug and gently patted her back.

He wanted to ask why she hadn’t come straight to the playground after waking up.

But in this condition, asking questions was the last thing she needed.

“Can you walk?”

“With your help.”

“Of course.”

Chaea had a cast on her left ankle and right arm, but the injuries weren’t severe enough to require hospitalization.

“Then let’s get going and let you rest at home.”

“Which home?”

“What?”

“Where am I going?”

“Obviously, your house…”

Hyunwoo trailed off mid-sentence.

He had assumed she’d go home to recover under her parents’ care.

But the doctor’s request for him to watch over her lingered in his mind.

“…Can I stay at your place instead?”

Chaea hesitated before asking, stealing a nervous glance at her parents.

Hyunwoo slowly turned toward them as well.

Receiving their son’s gaze, her parents remained silent for a moment.

“Would that be more comfortable for you?”

Locking eyes with Chaea, her mother forced a trembling smile.

“…Yes.”

Chaea averted her gaze slightly as she responded.

Her mother’s fragile smile nearly crumbled.

Chaea had never used formal speech with her parents before.

It meant she truly had forgotten everything.

“If that’s what our daughter finds comfortable, then so be it. You live right next door anyway, and we trust Hyunwoo…”

Chaea’s mother gently took Hyunwoo’s hand.

“Please take care of her, Hyunwoo.”

“Huh?”

“We’ll talk to Jiyeon and explain the situation.”

“Well, I figured my mom would agree…”

There was no reason for Hyunwoo’s mother to refuse.

It wasn’t like he was bringing home a random girl.

They had been childhood friends for ten years, and Chaea had just suffered an accident.

“Are you really okay with this?”

Hyunwoo wasn’t concerned about getting permission.

His mother was too busy with work abroad and wasn’t even in the country.

Which meant… if he took Chaea home, they’d be alone together.

Even if it was for her recovery, leaving a soon-to-be adult boy and girl alone in a house felt… questionable.

“We trust you, Hyunwoo. Besides, I think coming home in this state would be harder for Chaea.”

But her mother’s unwavering determination was solely for her daughter’s well-being.

Today was supposed to be the day he confessed his feelings and took the next step forward.

And yet, out of nowhere, this had happened…

“Alright. I’ll take care of her for now.”

Hyunwoo agreed, though he was just as bewildered as anyone.

Chaea’s mother’s pleading eyes were hard to refuse.

More than that—Chaea had been clutching his hand tightly, as if she had no intention of ever letting go.

And so, the day Chaea remembered only Hyunwoo, they ended up living together.