Faceless

IV. Not the same anymore

POV Rowoon

My head was pounding, and I felt numb all over. I slowly opened my eyes and was blinded by the light on the ceiling. Where was I? It looked like a hospital room. But why? The last thing I remembered was my visit to the art exhibition and a deafening noise. My head!! I tried to move my arm, but it felt like a ton of bricks. I heard the beeping of a monitor, and suddenly, a nurse entered.

"Are you awake? Wait, don't move; I'll call a doctor!"

She must have been speaking French, but my muddled brain struggled to understand. I identified the word "doctor." Another person came in, unplugged the beeping machine, and handed me an mp3 player with headphones. I didn't want to listen to music; I wanted someone to explain why I was here. She inserted the earphones into my ears without asking for my permission, and then I heard her voice:

"Hello, I'm starting this recording on Monday, December 8, after you arrived at the Emergency Department at Saint Luc Hospital in Brussels. You suffered a concussion and lost consciousness at the Royal Museum of Fine Arts after being hit by a piece of plaster that fell from the ceiling. I performed CPR and mouth-to-mouth resuscitation to revive you, then accompanied you to the hospital. The consulate has been notified.

Today is December 8th, almost midnight. The consulate has informed your family. They will be here by the end of the week. In the meantime, they will cover your hospital expenses. A scan was requested, and the result shows that you have not suffered a head injury. I am relieved.

Hello, it's December 9th. Today, I kept you company while studying for my exams. We listened to music, and you seemed to enjoy "Clair de Lune." You're starting to look better. They've prescribed physiotherapy sessions for you. Don't worry; I leave the room at those times.

Hello, it's December 10th, and I've decided to read to you a bit. I don't often read in Korean, let alone out loud. I hope you'll forgive me. Your beard is starting to grow a little. I wonder if that bothers you."

And it continued until the last message left me puzzled and somewhat melancholic:

"My dear friend, for this final message, I'll speak to you informally, and I hope you won't mind, even though I'm younger than you. I hope I didn't make too many mistakes in my recordings; my Korean is a bit rusty. I've had a unique week in your company, and I'll never forget it. You were my first real patient, after all. We might never see each other again, so let me tell you that I find you really handsome. Take care of yourself, recover fully, and thank you for being alive. Sincerely, Iana."

Iana, the young woman who had evidently saved my life and had spent her days at my bedside, was named Iana. I wanted to meet her.

As soon as I had this thought, the door burst open, and I saw my mother accompanied by her brother.

"My dear son, you're finally awake. There's not a minute to lose; the medical plane is waiting for you. We're going home as soon as possible so you can recover. How could you be so reckless? Why did you go to an area off-limits to the public? You could have died. And your hands, let me see your hands. Phew, they're intact! Your career as a pianist isn't compromised, is it?"

"Mom, please speak more slowly. My head hurts."

"Oh, sorry, your uncle will ask the nurses for some painkillers. When I think that you were alone all this time."

« I was never alone !

"He's right," my uncle affirmed. "The nurses explained that the young medical student who administered first aid to him on the scene kept him company every day. They tried to reach her, but they always got her voicemail. We should thank her properly."