chapter 2

“Do you know me?”

Oh, she ended up doing it. It was an impulsive decision but Yeonhwa’s acting was so perfect. Her eyebrows were distorted as she slowly looked at Geonwoo with a blurry look.

“I’m so bad”.

She knew how surprised the man would have been, but had no intention of correcting her words.

When a doctor and a nurse appeared after opening the door of the hospital room, Geon-woo stepped back without looking away from Yeon-hwa. After that, Yeonhwa’s mother Lee Mi-ok and father Song Ho-geun entered.

“Mom,….. ah…. Fa?”

Yeonhwa’s eyelids were closed, perhaps because she had no energy left. Yeonhwa, who was confused about what She should do, slowly entered a state of sleep.

Geonwoo was standing very close and his voice seemed to come from far away.

“My wife doesn’t remember me.”

The man’s voice was foreign. It seemed like he wasn’t the man she knew.

“When will I confess? Shall I say that it was actually a lie when I opened my eyes.”

“Then you will put the divorce paper in front of me again.” She thought to herself.

Think about it later . Afterwards. Good speed. Why does it feel good when a man who asked for divorce to worry about her ? She was worried, but the hoped that she would be able to receive love also sprang up.

The attending physician shook his head when he saw an MRI of Yeon-hwa’s brain on a monitor. “You had a concussion, but there was nothing wrong with your brain.”

Geon-woo, sitting on the stool, pulled down the tie knot that was tightening his neck.

“Why can’t she remember when there’s nothing wrong with her brain?”

The doctor replied:

“It’s rare but often happens when there is a strong shock to the occipital region that causes a person to lose consciousness.”

Mi-ok, who was sitting next to Geonwoo, tapped her chest and said in a hurry.

“She remembered. Obviously I heard her say mom and dad”.

The doctor spoke:

“I guess She’s forgotten the memories of the past.”

Geonwoo who had been leaning toward the attending physician, was straightened his back.

The doctor continued:

“She can’t remember herself. Then, of course, she has forgotten that you two are a couple.”

Geon-woo swept up his hair that covered his forehead, asked

“Then, when exactly does the memory come back?”

The doctor quickly added:

“That’s unknown. Even the great fortune teller can’t tell for sure.”

In this situation, Geonwoo made an impression with a face asking if it was a joke.

In a tensed moment, the doctor said with a serious tone:

“It may come to mind quickly, or it may take a long time. But there are times when the memories don’t ever come back. For now, we have no choice but to watch the progress.”

The unsure of the doctor’s words was just frustrating, but the answer will be the same if Geonwoo grabbed the doctor’s collars and demanded another one.

Geonwoo stood up first, then Miok and Hogeun followed . Mi-ok patted Geonwoo’s arm after leaving the room.

“Don’t worry too much. She will remember it soon.”

“Yeah.”

When a cracked voice popped out of Geon-woo’s mouth due to exhaustion, Ho-geun slightly pushed Geon-woo’s back in distress.

“We couldn’t sleep or eat for three days and three nights, but we’ll be here tonight. Go home”.

“No. I feel comfortable being here”.

Mi-ok looked at Geonwoo with a worried face.

“What if you get sick? It must be hard after finishing the work.”

“I’m really ok”.

To tell you more, Ho-geun said while he wrapped Mi-ok’s shoulders as he knew he couldn’t break Geonwoo’s will.

“We’ll come tomorrow so I am asking you to reconsider “.

As Ho-geun and Mi-ok exited the long corridor of the hospital, Geun-woo got into the nearby elevator. He raised his left hand, pushing the button of the floor where Yeonhwa was hospitalized. Even after three days of that incident, the touch of Yeonhwa’s fingertips, which had escaped from his grip, was clear. Geon-woo closed his eyes and leaned his back against the elevator wall, thought , if he hadn’t pushed for the divorce , Yeonhwa would not have lost her memories.

At least She wouldn’t have been admitted to the hospital, if He hadn’t missed her hand on the stairs. His eyes were hot and his head was throbbing because He hadn’t been able to sleep for a few days, but Geonwoo didn’t consider it as a big deal. When the elevator door opened, Geon-woo put on the loose tie and walked outside. Standing in front of the hospital room, Geon-woo could hear the voices from the inside.

In the room was Geonwoo’s grandmother Youngsook, who had heard the news, stood beside Yeonhwa’s bed.

“Grandmother.”

Yeon-hwa, who was lying on the bed, turned to Geon-woo as he entered.

Young-sook turned to Geonwoo when he grabbed her arm.

“She doesn’t remember me.”

“Go out and talk.”

Young-sook took her arm out of Geonwoo’s hand and left the hospital room first. As soon as Geonwoo came out, Youngsook struck Geonwoo’s left cheek with all her strength. However Geonwoo’s sturdy head did not return. Young-sook became angry like a fire when Geon-woo turned his face and looked at her.

“Can’t you keep a kid properly? What am I going to do now because her head is like that?”

After hearing those words, he could see that Young-Sook was not worried about Yeon-hwa but Yeon -hwa’s body.

“She has to have a baby, but her body doesn’t work now.”

“Did you say that to Yeonhwa?”

In an instant, Youngsook just pounded her tongue despite her wildly turning eyes.

“If she can’t have one, i will do more of it”.

“Grandma!”

His voice violently fell but Youngsook only narrowed her eyebrows.

“You must put all your energy into finding her memories. So, i don’t have to go through the trouble “.

“Stop it, please.”

His angry eyebrows were wrinkled as if he was getting sick of it. Youngsook didn’t care how her grandson was feeling. The coercive words were the way Geonwoo had to go by and obey. That is priority.

“ Shindang* said it would be difficult if it wasn’t this year, so you have to have a child within this year. “

It was a fact that He knew Youngsook’s thoughts were wrong. Geonwoo was sick of doing this, even though he was a perpetrator. It was Youngsook who believed in the words of the Shindang better than her grandson’s.

“”Don’t talk to Yeonhwa.”

He didn’t want hear it any longer, Geonwoo left Youngsook and went back into the hospital room. Youngsook was looking at the tightly closing door, shook her head and walked away.

****

“ You mean I’m married to you.”

“Yoon Geonwoo”.

“Yes, Yoon .. Mr. Geonwoo.”

As if to make a young child understand, Geonwoo briefly explained to Yeonhwa about their three years of marriage.

There was awkwardness in Yeonhwa’s voice, which contained Geonwoo’s name. Even if he was deceived by her acting, Geonwoo had no doubts.

Yeonhwa slowly looked at Geonwoo’s expression , sitting in a chair while holding his head. His mood was strangely different after the conversation he had with Youngsook outside. In a silence that seemed uncomfortable, Yeonhwa lifted her pupils and made eye contact with Geonwoo.

“Do you have any other questions?” “

“No,…I do not.”

Yeonhwa had a little hesitation , turned her head toward the window. Originally, when Geonwoo returned to the hospital room, she wanted to tell him that her memory had come back. But for the first time, when the man was talking to her worriedly, she kept her mouth shut.

“Would it be possible to talk a little more?’ She thought to herself.

Yeonhwa was looking at Geonwoo’s expression through the glass window while Geonwoo was looking at the back of her head with his hands on his knees. She wondered what the man was thinking about, and as she turned her head, their eyes met, Geon-woo lifted his head and straightened his back.

“If you ever remember anything, tell me anytime “.

If She tells him now, surely he will give her the divorce paper right away. She didn’t want to lose her husband, who looked at her eyes and cared for her for the first time. She thought to herself.

“Not yet. I still want you to be by my side.”

Yeonhwa felt like a horse stuck in her throat and nodded quietly.

***

Geonwoo’s sedan pulled up in the parking lot on the first floor of the mansion. Before Yeonhwa even opened the door, the man got off the driver’s seat and opened the passenger door. Yeonhwa, who had raised her body halfway, was surprised and looked up at Geonwoo.

“Why is this man doing this?’

At this time, he grabbed Yeonhwa’s left arm and gently raised it up. Yeonhwa was surprised by her first contact with Geonwoo and pulled her arm out. It wasn’t because she hated it but it was because when Geonwoo’s fingers touched her arm, she reacted reflexively.

Geonwoo took her hand and stepped back to the side to let her out.

“I’m sorry. No matter how long married we are, it’s because I’m not used to it.”

Geonwoo closed the passenger seat door, nodded as if he knew.

Yeonhwa passed Geonwoo but stopped short as she tried to enter the house. Naturally, She would enter the house as she was the owner. But now since it was a setting that has lost its memory, it made no sense to go in naturally.

Geon-woo stood tall quietly by Yeonhwa’s side. As soon as Yeonhwa passed the front door, Ahnseong, who had heard of her accident, ran out with rapid feet. Upon seeing Ahnseong’s eyes were filled with tears , Yeon-hwa felt empathy and furrowed her eyebrows with shimmering eyes.

At the same time, she lifted her arms slightly, but immediately felt Geon-woo’s gaze so she put down her arms on the side of her legs.

Ahnseong was running toward Yeonhwa with her arms outstretched with a happy face but as Geonwoo stood in front of Yeonhwa, she hurriedly took the brake with her heels, struggling with her arms.

Geonwoo glanced at Yeonhwa’s right arm, wrapped in a thick bandage and said.

“I don’t think you can hug my wife because she hurt her arm.”

“Oh, it’s so nice to see you in a long time,sir.”

She took a step back and looked at Yeonhwa who had hidden behind Geonwoo’s back.

“Madam, it must be painful”.

Yeonhwa who was standing behind Geonwoo’s wide back, came out sideways and said

“I heard from Mr Yoon Geonwoo that you are the one who takes care of the housework.”

“Oh?”

Ahnseong closed her mouth with both hands, looking up at Geonwoo.

“My wife hasn’t found her memory yet.”

“Still?”

Yeonhwa wanted to let Ahnseong know the truth but She couldn’t. If Yeonhwa asked, surely Ahnseong will keep the secret, but if that happens, Ahnseong has to lie in front of Geonwoo.

“Where is my room?”

Ahnseong moved quickly to Yeonhwa’s question.

“Ah, Follow me.”

Yeon-hwa came out of the man’s shadow, but Geonwoo got a hold of Yeon-hwa and said

“ Mrs Ahnseong , please take Yeonhwa to my room.”

Yeonhwa and Anseong’s face turned to Geonwoo at the same time. Their eyes were wide open as if they would pop out any moment. In a year, they have never shared a room together. It was about taking Yeonhwa to her room as Ahnseong knew it. Yeonhwa almost popped up asking what he was thinking but remained silent.

If you are a married couple, it was normal to sleep together in the same room but Yeonhwa and Geonwoo were different. Since Geonwoo returned from the United States, he has been using his own room. Yeonhwa was embarrassed because she couldn’t read the man’s thoughts. As Geonwoo looked down at Yeonhwa, whose eyes wide opened, hurriedly hid her expression. Yeonhwa moved her attention to Ahnseong, who was not able to act quickly.

“Ma’am please tell me what the hell is my husband thinking.’

She was delivering the message with her eyes, but Ahnseong’s face was in a daze.

Geonwoo said, looking at Ahn Seong.

“Come on and take her to my room. She will be tired.”

“Yes, madam,please follow me.”

Yeonhwa, who had been swallowing the words, which was about to come out several times, turned and followed Anseong.

“Now that I came home, Shall I say that I remember everything now?” She thought.

Yeonhwa stopped in place and clenched her fist. She looked back at the man who was standing in the living room, had entered the kitchen.

“Ah.”

Ahn Seong was talking to Yeon-hwa, who couldn’t say a word.

“Madam, this way.”

“Yes.”

Yeon-hwa turned around followed Anseong’s footsteps. Since She has been living in this house for three years, She was familiar with its structure and decorations but still she nodded her head silently at Anseong’s kind description . As Ahnseong grabbed the doorknob in front of Geonwoo’s room, Yeon-hwa touched her lips in tension. The door was opened and a view of a man’s room, which she had never seen before, unfolded.

It’s been a year since she lived with Geonwoo but it was her first time seeing his room. As Yeonhwa stood still without crossing the door frame, Ahnseong stepped back and said.

“Please go inside and rest. You must be hungry so I will prepare dinner now.”

“Thank you.”

After Ahnseong left the room, Yeonhwa on the other side,carefully stepped in. She closed the door behind her back, looked around, rolled her eyes back and forth. Unlike Yeonhwa’s room, this one was decorated in white tones and dark monotone furniture occupied the man’s room.

She glanced at the bedside and at the soft bedding that had no distractions. Imagining that man would sleep and wake up there, and her face burned red.

“He didn’t mean to sleep together here?”

At that time, the door that opened from the back startled her, and Yeonhwa sprang in front of the bathroom door. Her heart was pounding and hitting at her ribs. She heard Geonwoo’s voice from behind.

“Have you not washed yet?”

As if she had done something bad, Yeonhwa felt embarrassed. She opened and closed her lips, stuttering.

“I’m going to…”

And she opened the bathroom door and went inside.

Meanwhile, Geonwoo unbuttoned his collar then threw his jacket on the bed and walked to Yeonhwa. As the footsteps gradually approached, Yeonhwa tried to close the door but it was pushed back. As looking up, Yeonhwa’s gaze met with Geonwoo’s and her hands touched Woo’s big hand. The reason the door did not close was because the man pushed it with the same force as hers.

“Do you have anything to say?”

Geon-woo slowly removed his hand from the door, grabbed the knot on the necktie and pulled it down.

“Let’s wash together.”

Another sound interrupted her somewhere and her heart was jumping like crazy. This was because there was never a time when she was under the same shower as Geonwoo. So she had to ask him again….

“Together … Wash ?”

Yeonhwa’s eyelids had been subdued were lifted wide open in shock.

“I’ve never done that before.”

Even though they were a married couple, today was the first time ever they stood in one room together. In an impossible situation, Yeonhwa felt this moment was impractical. She really wondered about Geonwoo…..

“ Did he injure his head?”