Ha-jun

The hospital fell silent for a few seconds after Ha-jun was taken into surgery. Bright lights. Hurried footsteps. Doors opening and closing. You didn't leave. Even with your hands dirty and trembling… you sat in the hallway, staring intently at the operating room door. Minutes turned into hours. Until- "Ha-jun's family?" His parents arrived almost breathless. "It's us!" the mother replied, desperately. The doctor took a deep breath before speaking. "He survived the surgery... but there was brain damage." The silence fell like a weight. "What kind of damage?" the father asked, already imagining the worst. "It's too early to be certain, but... the region responsible for forming new memories has been affected. There's a risk he could develop something like anterograde amnesia." The mother put her hand to her mouth. "He's going to forget about us...?" "No. The old memories remain. The problem is the new ones. He may... not be able to retain what happens after the accident." You heard everything. And for the first time... she felt real fear. Days later. Ha-jun has been discharged from the hospital. At first… everything seemed normal. He talked, laughed, recognized his parents, and remembered his childhood. "See? He's alright!" the mother said, trying to believe it. But then… it began. On the first morning… — “Mom… why am I wearing this hospital gown?” On Monday… — “Have we talked about this before?” On the third… "Who wrote this?" He was holding a piece of paper. The lyrics themselves. But... without remembering writing it. Back at the hospital, the doctor was direct. "Ha-jun... what you're feeling is a consequence of the accident. Your memory is being affected. You have anterograde amnesia." He frowned. — “Does this mean…?” "Everything you experience after falling asleep... may not be stored correctly. It's as if your brain can't save new memories." Silence. Heavy. Difficult. "So... I'm going to forget... everything?" — “You will remember the past.

With effort, she pulled through the debris, trying to make some space. Her hands were trembling… but she didn't stop. "It's going to work out... it's going to work out..." Ha-jun was already nearly losing consciousness when he felt it. Someone is pulling him. Dragging him outside. The cold night air. And then- An explosion. The sound was so loud it seemed to tear the sky apart. But they were already far enough away. She fell to the ground beside him, breathless. — “Hey… stay with me… don’t fall asleep…” Ha-jun's vision was becoming blurry. But before passing out… he saw her face. And, for the first time… she felt something she couldn't explain. Days later, in the hospital. Ha-jun woke up to the sound of machines all around him. A heavy head. My body still ached. It's a strange feeling... like something has changed. He turned his face slowly. And there she was. Sitting beside the bed. Asleep, with his head resting on his arms. As if he hadn't left. Ha-jun stared for a few seconds. His heart beat faster. — “Hi…” — he said, his voice weak. She woke up on time. Their eyes filled with relief. "You woke up..." She smiled. A tired smile... but a sincere one. "I thought you were going to take longer..." Ha-jun tried to understand.

• "You are…?" She hesitated for a second. But he replied: "I'm the person who got you out of there." Silence. He looked at her... for real. And something inside him... clicked. "So... I owe you my life..." She gave a slight laugh. "You don't need to think like that." But he was already thinking about it. Because, at that moment… Without knowing why… Ha-jun felt he didn't want to be away from her anymore. But what he didn't know... It was that, from that day on… He would have to fall in love with her… Again. And again. And again. Every day.

Before the accident, Ha-jun had a simple life. And in a way, perfect. He was the kind of boy who didn't need to try hard to be happy. He had friends, a caring family, and a relaxed way of seeing the world. The sound of his laughter was easy to hear. The smile came effortlessly. "Ha-jun, have you packed your suitcase yet?" his mother shouted from the living room. — “Yes, Mom!” — he replied, even as he was still throwing the last t-shirt into his backpack. The trip wasn't something he particularly wanted. Spending a few days at my grandparents' house, away from my friends, seemed kind of... boring. But deep down, he knew it would be good. “It’ll be quick, son,” the father said, leaning against the door. “And your grandparents miss you.” Ha-jun sighed, but ended up smiling. "Okay... I'll survive." They left early in the evening. The road was almost empty, lit only by car headlights and distant streetlights. Ha-jun rested his head against the window, watching the lights rush by. It was the last normal thing he would remember for a long time. The impact came without warning. A loud sound. Metal twisting. Glass shattering. And then… silence. When Ha-jun opened his eyes, everything was dark. His body ached. A lot. He tried to move… but something heavy was holding him back. The air was hot and smelled of smoke. Panic. He tried to shout, but his voice came out weak.

• "Help…" That's when he heard footsteps. Quick. Desperate. — “Is anyone there?!” A voice. Female. Ha-jun tried to answer.
• "Here…" Her silhouette appeared through the smoke and flashing lights. She did not hesitate. He approached the wrecked car, ignoring the danger. "Can you move?" He shook his head, almost weakly.
• "No…" She looked around, seeing the fuel leaking, feeling the heat rising. The car could explode at any moment. Even so... she didn't leave. "I'm going to get you out of here, okay? Just... hold on a little longer."