Remember Me

Chapter 10

I was glad there was a lock on the door, because a couple of Jimin's friends outside looked upset enough to burst in here right away.

Jimin looked stunned, so I approached him cautiously. He looked at me and waited for me to speak. I simply stared at him, my face trembling from holding in emotion.
"I almost died, huh?"
I nodded slowly.
"It's really... 2019...?"
I nodded again. I couldn't speak or I knew I would probably cry. A couple small sounds escaped me though, and he noticed, his expression softening.
"Hey, don't worry about me. I'll get better. You know me. It's just... a lot to process."
I sat in the chair by him. "I know."
"And besides, you'll help, won't you?"
I blinked back tears. "If you... want me to."
He held his hand out for me to take, with full confidence in his eyes and a smile on his face. I hesitated and reached out to take it, but pulled back at the last second.
"I'll help you now, since they won't let the others meet you yet. I don't think you'll want me helping you beyond that."
Jimin deepened his eyebrows. "What do you mean...?"

"Things aren't the way they used to be... between us." I smiled ruefully.
His expression shook and he pouted a little. "What do you mean?"
"I'm just saying— I mean, it's been five years. I don't want you to regret something you do or say now later."
He looked pitiful as he stared at me with his big sorry eyes. "Are you mad at me...?"

I immediately shook my head and backed away a little in surprise, "What? No. I could never," I whispered, tears brimming in my eyes.
"Then was it me? Was I angry?"
I sniffed and nodded my head.
"Really?!" He exclaimed, surprised, "Don't lie. Why would I be angry at you?" He looked embarrassed. "Well whatever it was, forget it. I'm not angry anymore. Alright?"
I couldn't hold my tears in anymore, so I turned and ran out of the room to go cry on the bench outside. Jimin's friends and girlfriend had cleared the area, perhaps after hearing that they couldn't see him today.

I didn't know what to do. Someone needed to tell him what his life had been for the last five years. Jimin's parents would probably not be the best option since they didn't know a lot. Knowing Jimin's mom she would have inflated things here and there. I didn't know everything, but I knew a lot. Besides, he trusted me. I looked up at the white ceiling and wondered what had gone so wrong in the last five years. There was no clear answer.

I wondered if I was manipulating him by behaving like nothing was wrong. I wondered if I should be upfront and tell him that we were on bad terms, and that he had a girlfriend now. However, a stark image of his pouty face and trembling eyes came to mind, and I resolved that I'd try my best to help him. I supposed I'd tell him the full truth in time, after he'd met his friends.

With that in mind, I walked back into the room with my emotions collected, and noticed Jimin breathe a sigh of relief.
"Well, let's start at the beginning, shall we? Do you have any questions? I can help you answer them."

He smiled as I sat in the chair by him, and he slowly began asking things he was curious about.

___________________

He started with some of the basic stuff. How old he was, which college he'd gone to, if he'd gotten good grades (no, not really), and more.
"What do I do now?"
"You started a company. Music production, dance. Some of your friends who were out there before? They're artists in your entertainment company. You guys have started getting quite popular."
He nodded with wide eyes, "That's surprising."
I shook my head. "Not really. You hated studying and didn't want to get into business."
He asked a bit about his high school friends and I answered what I remembered of them, and then the questioning turned to me.

"What about you? What's up with you?"
I shrugged. "We didn't go to the same college. I'm in business and finance. I work for my dad now. Being the heiress made it easier for me to climb to the top, I guess. I'm pretty busy these days since I work directly with the executive board."
He beamed, "That's so impressive, and you just graduated a couple years ago! Makes sense since you're smart."
I waved that off. "I just spent all my time on it. Your life seems much more interesting."
He laughed at that. "By the way, why are you alone here? Didn't your parents come?"

I let out a little 'oh' and fidgeted. I guess he didn't remember. "Umm... my mom died around the time of high school graduation." I noticed Jimin freeze.
"She got very sick very quickly," I smiled wryly. "None of us were expecting it. But yea, we had to move on."
Jimin sat silently, and I sighed and smiled. "Don't worry, it was a long time ago."
He shook his head, "That doesn't mean you don't get to be sad though."
I thought about it and nodded. I guess I just tried my best not to think about it.

The door opened again, and Jimin's parents walked back in after their discussion with the doctor.
"My baby boy, how are you feeling?" His mother asked, looking rather tired.
He nodded sheepishly, "I'm alright. This is a comfortable room."
"We can discharge you as early as tomorrow morning, sweetie. The problem is... where do you want to stay?"
Jimin raised an eyebrow. "Where do I want to stay? What's wrong with our house?"
His dad responded. "It's undergoing renovations. We're staying at a different flat a little bit outside the city right now. Far from the hospital. Your own apartment is fine but we can't leave you alone. And we don't want media attention."

His parents both turned to me, and my eye twitched. We're grown adults and we're not married or dating; besides, he doesn't even like me. They had to know that.

"Zara... you're the person he's closest to in the family." That's not true! Besides, I'm not even in your family!
I smiled tightly. "My apartment has space..." Jimin was going to murder me when he got his memories back, I thought to myself.
His mother clapped happily, "Great! This way you two can move in together! In a way, this is good!"
Jimin blushed and looked away, but I stayed stone-faced and cleared my throat at the woman who apparently wouldn't stay at her son's apartment with him to take care of him. I knew they were doing it on purpose.
"It's no such thing," I spoke, "He's going to get better soon, and I will prefer living by myself while I'm still a bachelorette. Other things can be... discussed when Jimin's well again."
His mother's smile faltered. I was sure his parents knew of his dislike of me to some extent. Jimin was looking at me intently, but I didn't soften my stance— for his sake.