Comeback: No Choice But: Capítulo 9

9.
“It’s not that we were close, but I knew him well.”
“…”
“I was in charge of him. Wherever he went, I took him there and brought him back.”
But I swallowed the words, “I guess I wasn’t that good of a person to Yongjae.”
“You said Yongjae took care of my cat, right?”
“There was no one else.”
No family, and not even close friends to look after his house or pet in times like this.
According to the hospital’s findings, Yun Hyean had a complicated family background. Or rather, perhaps it would be more accurate to say it was simple?
Yun Hyean’s parents moved to the US when he was not even a year old. Less than five years after moving, they divorced, and Hyean, who had been shuttling between his biological father and mother, ended up living with his stepmother—who was not related to him by blood—after his father divorced his third wife.
After repeatedly running away and finally leaving the US to settle in Korea, he lost contact with both his biological parents and his stepmother. Thus, he was effectively without family.
Choi Hongseo could understand better than anyone that not all families are harmonious and self-sacrificing. Such stories were far more common than people with normal families might think.
“If you need more time to adjust, I can keep taking care of her. Tiffany doesn’t cause any trouble and she’s cute.”
“No, it’s okay. Please bring her over. I’ve already imposed on you, and from now on, I should take care of her.”
“…”
Yongjae, who was tidying the kitchen as if it were his own home, looked over. Despite his sharp-looking eyes without double eyelids, his gaze was pure, like that of a frightened animal.
“What is it?”
“Nothing. I’ll go get Tiffany, then.”
Although he said it was nothing, Choi Hongseo had a vague understanding. The pre-accident Yun Hyean probably wouldn’t have said such things.
“I’ll do some grocery shopping on the way back. There’s nothing to drink or eat here. If there’s anything you want, please send me a message.”
“It’s okay. I think I should do the shopping myself.”
“Yourself?”
“My preferences for drinks and food… I think they might have changed.”
“Ah…”
Yongjae, who was standing at the entrance, nodded slowly while putting on his shoes. Yet his eyes still held suspicion and wariness, unable to fully believe the memory loss.
“By the way, hyung.”
“Yes.”
“Could you stop using formal speech?”
“…”
“It’s too hard to get used to. It feels like you’re a different person… it’s a bit scary.”
“Sorry, but it’s the same for me. I’ll adjust slowly. Please bear with me even if it feels awkward.”
As Yongjae stood there, finishing putting on his shoes, the sensor light turned off, making the entrance dark.
“Hyung.”
Yongjae’s expression and voice seemed almost solemn, as if he had mustered up great courage.
“Do you really not remember anything?”
Choi Hongseo, who had come to the entrance to see Yongjae off, nodded.
“You don’t remember the CEO or me either?”
“Not at the moment. I’m sorry.”
“And you can’t speak informally to me?”
“I’ll start doing that as we get closer.”
With a determined look, Yongjae took a step closer. Perhaps he was out of the sensor’s range, as the light did not turn on despite the movement.
“Then, hyung… instead of an iced vanilla latte, how about an iced mocha latte?”
It was a seemingly random question, but Yongjae’s serious eyes awaited his answer so earnestly that Choi Hongseo, taken aback, leaned back and responded.
“Aren’t they pretty much the same?”
“Right? They are, aren’t they? They’re both just really sweet drinks!”
Yongjae’s face lit up with relief, as if he had been exonerated from a long-standing misunderstanding. He even grabbed both of Choi Hongseo’s hands.
With eyes resembling those of a convict finally freed, Yongjae looked closely at Choi Hongseo’s face. He seemed to believe in his words more than before, appearing relieved rather than anxious that the newly awakened Yun Hyean did not remember the past. He left the entrance, telling him not to overdo it and to rest, with a lighter expression and shoulders.
The house, now quiet, felt isolated from the world.
Suddenly feeling a chill along with a sense of fear, Choi Hongseo hurriedly opened the window. The external noise that seeped in and the feeling of being connected to the world finally calmed him.
Perhaps because of the memory of being alone in perfect silence before awakening as Yun Hyean, Choi Hongseo, who had once hated noise, now feared silence. He felt as though he might be sucked back into that solitude without a body or voice.
In the comforting noise, he slowly looked around the house.
There were three rooms. One of the two facing the entrance was used as a storage room, and the other as a dressing room. The dressing room was overflowing with luxurious clothes, bags, and shoes. It was so full that the door could hardly open.
But the rest of the space was barren, as if he could move out tomorrow.
Despite living in a stylish officetel in an expensive area and covering himself in luxury brands, it seemed that only his appearance mattered to Yun Hyean. Unlike the overflowing dressing room, there was no sign of money spent in the rest of the house.
Walking into the bedroom with the blinds down, Choi Hongseo opened the drawer of the bedside table. Amongst a pack of cigarettes, a lighter, receipts, and keys, there was another phone.
He sat on the bed and turned on the phone.
There were only about six contacts saved. Two were Director Lim and Manager Yongjae, one seemed to be a member of ‘Titan,’ and one was labeled with a derogatory term. That was it.
Yun Hyean was known as the face of the group ‘Titan.’ Among more extreme circles, he was somewhat derisively praised as being the best at having a pretty face. The idea of him calling someone a derogatory name didn’t fit with his image.
Although he had never heard any good rumors about Yun Hyean, it still didn’t seem to match, and Choi Hongseo shook his head. Then he touched his face. He thought, so this is the face.
All personal records on the phone were erased.
Only a few messages from some persistent fans, who knew his private number, expressed concern and congratulated him on his discharge. Everything before jumping off Dongho Bridge was deleted.
Unlike what Director Lim thought, it wasn’t a scare tactic to frighten someone but rather a real suicide attempt. At least, it seemed that way to Choi Hongseo, who had experienced death.
A wave of fatigue washed over him.
“Ha…”
He let his upper body collapse sideways from his seated position and lay down, releasing a long sigh. He lay curled up, listening to the faint street noise coming through the open door. Anxiety and loneliness began to creep up.
Who am I really?
How long can I stay in Yun Hyean’s body like this?
Or am I actually Yun Hyean?
A delusional Yun Hyean with fabricated memories, believing he is Choi Hongseo.
If that were the case, would the personality believing to be Choi Hongseo disappear once Yun Hyean regains his memory?
Despite having jumped wanting to disappear, the thought of disappearing again scared him. Paradoxically. But this dissonance between his internal and external self was equally confusing.
To forget the anxiety, Choi Hongseo looked at his phone. Confirming that the world connected to Lee Hyesung still existed and that Lee Hyesung was alive made the thick fog blurring his vision clear and the path he had to take obvious. It helped him forget his anxiety and confusion.
It didn’t matter if that path led to a dark and uncertain future. For now, he decided to run towards just one thing.
He reread the article he had discovered a few days ago, one he had read over and over.