lyricist°l.jn [editing]

chapter thirty-five: back to the past

jinkyong's awake
she took a while bcs of the shock
and bcs of the shock, she's also experiencing some dissociative amnesia

She has amnesia??

not all, though
the doctor said it's localised amnesia
she only forgot a few specific events

What does that mean?

she remembers everything else
but not the time she spent with you
in short, she's back to before she came working
for you guys

  The news from Saekyong keeps circling Jeno's mind and it's the only thing he's able to think of. It's like he can't seem to comprehend it. Or he chooses not to.

  "Hyuㅡ" Jisung's stopped by Chenle who holds his arm.

  The older shakes his head and they both only looks sympathetically at Jeno who sits inert on the couch.

  His expression is still, nor do his eyes brim. He looks well- proper clothes, proper meals, proper 'service' and reactions.

  But by the end of the day, when there are no cameras, no nasty editors and judgemental 'fans,' he goes back to being human- retiring from the strings that held him to be a puppet.

  "Did something happen?" Haechan whispers to Renjun and the latter shrugs.

  "I heard from Saekyong that Jinkyong already woke up but the details after, I'm not sure," Renjun answers.

  Haechan furrows. "If she woke up, shouldn't he be glad then?"

  "I'm sure he is. But there must be something that's stopping him from being that way."

  "Jeno-yah, come and eat," Jaemin then, calls for his bestfriend from the dining table.

  Jeno looks at him, reluctant to move but unwilling to argue so he drags himself to the table. Receiving the chopsticks from Jaemin, he then, stares at the meal, stabbing it here and there while the others watch heavily as he tries his best to digest.

-

  "You can't expect me to do something like that!" Saekyong shouts at her dad. "Are you serious?? You're going to ruin her life again??"

  "Think about it, Saekyong. Do you think things will get better after she remembers? All she'll do is feel guilty and try to make amends, trying to fix back the relationship they had beforeㅡ"

  "Have, father. Have not had. They didn't break up," Saekyong argues and her dad only watches with dead eyes as she seethes with anger. "So what? There's a minor issue of her forgetting him then, we're supposed to help her remember. Not stop her and rip her off the truth."

  Jiha sighs and runs his hand down his face. "Listen to me. If it was that easy then, I would have nothing against it. But imagine what would happen when she remembers? She'll get an emotional shock, she'll rage all over again and things will turn for the worse.
  "And even though after that she may be able to go back with Jeno, how long do you think they'll last? This is the modern century, Saekyong. The medias are strong and there are cameras everywhere.
  "Sure, they may have gotten lucky for a while but it's no surprise if pictures of them have already been taken and kept confidential for the right moment to be released.
  "And continuing their relationship after this will make them more vulnerable, giving plenty of chances for the journalists to catch them in the act. If word gets out and people find out Jinkyong is dating Lee Jeno, an idol popular worldwide, do you think she'll be spared?"

  His older daughter scoffs, not the slightest bit persuaded by her father to delete and remove every trace of Jeno so Jinkyong wouldn't remember.
"Mom, please. Can't you back me up here?"

  She turns to her mother for help but realization and shock dawns onto her when she sees the other standing beside her husband with guilt.
"Mom... don't tell me that you agree with him?"

  Miya gulps before sighing, her gaze not lifting from the floor. "I'm sorry, Saekyong. But I agree with your dad. I fear that Jinkyong might get exposed and get hurt from it. Fans these days can be ruthless. I don't want any of my daughters to be caught in wat with them."

  "Mom!" Sae cries out in disbelief when a phone is passed towards her. Jinkyong's phone. She looks up at her father who remains stoic and she grits her teeth trembling with rage but is forced to take it.

  "I'll check once you're done. Make sure not to miss any picture, video and even recordings. Clean every single trace of him," Jiha says and turns away while Saekyong stomps away to her room before slamming the door.

  She tightly clenches the phone in her hand as her gleaming eyes shut in shame and remorse. Even if she refused to help, her father would've gotten someone else to do it or make up a story like, 'Jinkyong's phone broke when she fell so it had to be replaced, bla, bla, bla.'

  It's better if Saekyong did it herself. At least, maybe, she can make sure the materials won't be deleted permanently and can still be restored one day when Jinkyong remembers again.

  Hopefully.

  "I'm sorry, Jinkyong."