Slowly, I regained consciousness. My head throbbing and my thoughts muddled. The sterile scent of the hospital room filled my nostrils as I tried to make sense of my surroundings.
The doctor and nurse stood by my side, their faces etched with concern. "How are you feeling?" the doctor asked, his voice gentle.
Groggily, I attempted to sit up, but a wave of dizziness washed over me, causing me to sway unsteadily.
"Slowly," the nurse cautioned, placing a supportive hand on my shoulder to steady me. She helped me into a sitting position, her touch reassuringly gentle.
"Take your time," she advised, handing me a glass of water.
I took a sip, the cool liquid soothing my parched throat. The memories of the procedure flooded back, the emptiness and confusion still lingering.
"Is everything alright?" the doctor inquired, studying my expression closely.
I nodded, forcing a weak smile. "I'm okay, just a bit disoriented," I replied, my voice trembling slightly.
They exchanged a glance, their concern evident. "It's common to feel this way after the procedure," the doctor reassured me. "Give it some time, and you'll start to feel better."
"Why am I here?" I asked, my voice shaky and uncertain, the memories of the past few moments hazy and fragmented.
The nurse exchanged a glance with the doctor before turning back to me with a reassuring smile. "You underwent a memory procedure," she explained patiently. "You're here to recover and rest."
A wave of confusion washed over me as I struggled to process her words. "Memory procedure?" I repeated, the concept feels foreign and surreal.
The doctor stepped forward, his expression kind yet cautious. "Yes, you opted for a memory erasure," he clarified gently. "To help you move forward and find peace."
I furrowed my brow, trying to grasp the significance of what they were telling me. The nurse, sensing my distress, reached for a clipboard that lay on the bedside table.
"Here," she said gently, unfolding the form and showing it to me. "You filled this out earlier."
I squinted at the form, my eyes scanning the handwritten words and signatures. The details were familiar, yet distant, like echoes from a forgotten past.
"I... I don't remember filling this out," I murmured, my voice tinged with disbelief.
The nurse nodded sympathetically, her eyes filled with compassion. "It's not uncommon to feel disoriented after the procedure," she explained. "Your brain is still adjusting to the changes."
The doctor chimed in, his tone gentle yet firm. "Give it some time," he advised. "Your memory will gradually improve, and things will start to make sense again."
I stared at the form, the weight of my decision pressing down on me. Had I truly chosen to erase parts of my past in a desperate bid to find peace?
---
"Thank you," I murmured, offering a grateful smile to the nurse and doctor as I stepped out of the clinic. The cool breeze greeted me, the city streets bustling with life as I made my way down the walkway.
A few months later...
A few months had passed since the memory erasure procedure, and life had gradually begun to regain a sense of normalcy. I found myself visiting a friend at the hospital.
As I walked down the corridor, lost in thought, a sudden impact jolted me out of my reverie. Someone had collided with my shoulder, sending me stumbling backward. My phone slipped from my grasp, crashing to the floor with a resounding crack.
Before I could react, the woman who had collided with me rushed back, her face flushed with concern. "I'm really sorry!" she exclaimed, bending down to retrieve my phone from the floor.
As she picked up the shattered device, her eyes widened in horror, her gaze shifting from the broken screen to my face. "Oh no—" she whispered, her voice filled with disbelief.
I looked at her, puzzled by her reaction. "It's okay," I reassured her, trying to lighten the mood. "Accidents happen."
She handed me the broken phone, her hands trembling slightly. "I'm so sorry," she repeated, her eyes filled with guilt.
I smiled reassuringly, placing a hand on her arm. "It's just a phone," I said gently. "No harm done."
"Look—I really need to go, but here," she said hurriedly, handing me her business card. "Call me sometime. I swear I'll pay for the damage!"
Before I could respond, she was off again, her footsteps echoing down the corridor as she rushed off, leaving me standing there with her card in hand and a smile on my face.
A soft chuckle escaped my lips as I glanced down at the business card in my hand. The name printed on the card caught my eye.
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"Kim Minji.. so that's your name." Still smiling, I tucked the business card safely into my pocket. With one last glance at Minji's retreating figure, I turned around to continue on my way.
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