Forget-me-not

Cynthia

The slushy snow was slick and the wind was freezing cold. Cynthia crossed her arms while she walked trying to stay warm. Her cotton t-shirt and pair of faded jeans wasn't providing much warmth. She walked along the sidewalk and received a few odd looks from strangers, but she ignored them. 

She kept glancing into the windows of businesses on both sides of the road. No matter where she looked, she couldn't find the jarring red hair that Flora had. She spotted a few people with red hair, but it was darker. Flora's hair jutted out against the muted snow and foggy gray skies. 

The sidewalk path only went straight, so Cynthia was sure she wouldn't get lost. As long as she turned around and went the other direction, she'd be able to get back to the building. One of the businesses across the street suddenly caught her attention. A colorful array of clothing filled the windows, so she couldn't see inside. 

She was about to attempt to cross the street when the sound of honks from above stopped her. Her attention went to the sky. A handful of large birds swooped up high and gracefully arched over her head and dipped down into a body of water across the way. Her mouth dropped open in shock and before she knew what she was doing, she began heading closer. 

She crossed the street when the cars on both sides stopped. Ignoring the cold air and her problem, she walked over to the water's edge to get a closer look at the birds. Their feet kicked and they swam in a line. 

Their hooked heads, long necks, and feathers were a multitude of neutral colors; soft gray, snow white, and earthy brown. Their narrowed beady eyes were equipped with a bright orange beak. Their matching knobby-kneed legs were hidden beneath the deep blue that they floated on. 

Her face lit up while she watched them swim around. They didn't seem to be bothered by the cold temperatures. One of them ducked its head beneath the water and started splashing itself. Cynthia laughed at its antics. 

"Aren't you a little cold out here dressed like this?" 

She instantly spun to the side at the sound of a man's voice. The stranger stood with a black hoodie and a baggy pair of jeans. His hands were tucked into his hoodie pocket. A matching blank baseball cap was tugged down hiding his forehead. The majority of his facial features were hidden beneath a face mask. 

"A little," Cynthia admitted as she shrugged. 

"What happened to your coat?" 

"I might have gotten a little lost." 

The man's dark siren eyes stared at her. She glanced away and went back to the geese in front of her. An awkward silence began to linger. Her stomach twisted in knots. She swallowed and tried not to let his presence bother her. 

He bent down, removed the baseball cap, and let it fall to the ground. His short dark hair hung down and he slipped off the hoodie. He picked up the hat and placed it back onto his head. "Here, you should take this before you freeze to death." He held the hoodie out to her. 

Cynthia stared at it for a moment and hesitated. The man was left in a maroon long sleeve shirt. "Go ahead," he shook the dangled hoodie. "I don't live too far from here anyway." 

She nodded and took the hoodie from him. Once it was on, he took a step forward. "Here, let me just-" He grabbed the back of the hood and pulled it up over her head. "Hopefully, your ears stay warm that way." 

"Thank you." 

"Do you live around here?" 

"Well..." Cynthia turned around to face the road she just came from. She opened her mouth and then paused. Confusion clouded the simple path back home. She thought she came straight, but what if she took a turn and couldn't remember it? She squeezed her eyes shut and let out a sigh. 

"Are you alright?" 

"This is embarrassing to admit, but I'm lost. I was in a car accident a while ago and now I suffer from amnesia. My apartment complex just had a fire drill this morning and I couldn't remember what building I lived in and," her eyes slipped shut, "I'm sorry. This is a lot and you probably don't want to hear about it." 

"It's alright. Come on, there's a convenience store this way." The man began walking down the cement pathway. "Let's get something warm in you." 

"I don't have any money." 

"Don't worry about that. I can't let you alone and freeze to death. It's not a big deal. We'll get food and then I'll help you find your way home. Do you know what the apartment complex is named?" 

"I have no idea." Cynthia reached up and began to play with the strands of her hair. "I live with a roommate, but she left me alone to go to work. I wasn't aware there was supposed to be a fire drill. I didn't even remember that fire alarms were a thing until afterwards." 

The man laughed and pulled out his phone. "Well, at least, you met me. I'll make sure you're taken care of." He pulled up a text thread stand and quickly sent a message. He put the phone on vibrate and slipped it into his back pocket. "What kind of ramen do you like?" 

"I don't know." 

"Let's start small then. Do you want something that tastes spicy? There's some out there that makes your nose run and makes your mouth feel like it's on fire." 

"That sounds like torture." 

"I'll take it that you don't like spicy food then. That's a good start. There's so many kinds, I'm sure we'll find one you like. Are you warming up a bit?" 

"Yeah." 

The man smiled beneath the face mask. "That's good. It'll be warmer when we get inside the store. We're only a few minutes away." 

What kind of friend would he be if he let his close friend's girlfriend freeze to death beside the Han River?