Snow Flower (TAEUN)

"I Remember..."

Two days had passed; Naeun had not awoken.

Taemin barely slept, barely ate, barely left her side. Saeeun and Mommy Son visited them on both days with home-cooked meals prepared for Taemin.

"You will need your strength when she wakes up," Mommy Son said to him. Taemin had assured them that he would stay by her side until she woke. With the restaurant still bustling like every typical day, it was difficult for her and Saeeun to watch over Naeun, much less the distance between the hospital and their home. Mommy Son was eternally grateful for Taemin and so, returned the favor with food (Who would reject home-cooked food, anyway?).

All-day, all night, he'd been sitting beside her bed, hoping, praying that she would wake up. On the second day, his prayers were answered but not in the way he had supposed. He was on his way back to Naeun's room after grabbing another cup of coffee when a scream came from inside.

Taemin dropped his cup, "Naeun-ah!"

Naeun desperately gasped for air, sweat running down every inch of her face.

"I remember," she mumbled to herself. Someone grabbed her from the side. Naeun was too shocked and traumatized that she shoved the person away, "Get away from me!" she hissed, but once her vision became clear, her eyes softened.

"T-Taemin Oppa?" she checked her surroundings, "W-Where am I?"

"Hospital," he simply replied before approaching her again, "Are you-"

"Don't touch me!" she warned, curling her body away from him, "Please," she whispered, (Cue In Silence, OST). Taemin dropped his arms down and so did his heart.

"What did he do to you?" he asked softly, but the rage was distinct in his tone.

Naeun began to recall every encounter she had with L - his voice, his touch, his outburst, his eyes -, "It wasn't a dream," she mumbled to herself again. She recalled L lashing out on her, shaking her to admit she remembered him. She thought he was delirious at that time, but now she knew, "It was real..."

She couldn't look at Taemin in the eye. The door slid open again; it was the doctor

"Naeun-ssi?" she called to her, "How are you feeling, Naeun-ssi?"

Horrible, of course! Can't you see that I'm trembling like a fool? She wanted to snap at her but knew better not to.

"I-I don't know."

She looked traumatized, and the doctor immediately knew why. Her CT scan detected partial memory loss from the accident she had. How her previous doctor did not sense it, she wasn't sure.

"Taemin-ssi," she turned to him, "Apologies, but I need you to wait outside for a moment."

"Is she alright?" Taemin asked the doctor, whose nametag read Dr.Song, as he exited the door.

"We can only tell once she's ready to speak to me about what's traumatizing her," but Taemin knew right away who was responsible for it.

I'm going to kill him.

When Ms. Song slid the door closed, she walked back to Naeun.

"What happened, Ms. Son?"

~~~

As promised, Taemin contacted Daniel and everyone else. Naeun's family would be arriving late since the restaurant was still open for another three hours. Dan and Saeeun were helping Mommy Son manage the place.

Key and Eunji were the first to arrive. They saw Taemin sitting outside, looking solemn. Eunji approached him, "Is she okay?" He nodded, face still grim.