#155
I felt like something was constantly going wrong, but with no way to figure out what it was, I decided to ask the manager for help.
“Um, my memory…”
After opening my mouth, I didn’t know what to say and trailed off. According to the timeline, I suddenly became confused about my memories after starting work, so I didn’t know how to explain suddenly losing my memory.
Above all, how do I explain selectively losing some memories, like about cafe work or recent events, rather than losing all my memories?
But the manager was looking at me with her eyes, moving her hands busily as if telling me to speak quickly.
“I can’t remember.”
“What?”
“I was in a traffic accident recently… Maybe because of that, some of my memories suddenly… seem to have disappeared. I can’t remember anything about cafe work or my recent circumstances.”
I stammered out an explanation with a troubled face. The manager frowned and asked:
“You were in a traffic accident? When? You never contacted us about it. Did you come to work without taking time off?”
“That… before starting this part-time job…”
“Are you calling something from a year ago ‘recent’?”
The manager asked with a face of genuine incomprehension.
A year ago? Did I lose a year’s worth of memories since the day of my traffic accident?
“Then… did I lose… a year’s worth… of memories?”
Somehow I felt scared. As I asked while trembling slightly, the manager put out a drink, activated the vibrating bell, then turned around abruptly to examine my face.
“Are you okay? Shouldn’t you go to the hospital? You’re not joking, are you?”
“Why would I joke about something like this…”
Seeing the manager’s troubled face, I became dejected automatically. As I sighed and spoke, she fidgeted with her hands, looking a bit apologetic.
“So, if it’s been a year… how old am I now?”
“Jaeha-ssi? You’re 21. You’ve been working at our cafe since spring of last year.”
I was expecting to be 26, or maybe 27 considering a long treatment period, but my eyes widened at the unexpected age of 21 that popped up.
Why has my age gone back in time when a year has passed?
‘Did I lie about my age and get a job under false pretenses?’
Because it might be difficult to get a part-time job at 25 or 26?
‘That’s nonsense. Don’t they check ID cards for part-time jobs too?’
Since identity verification is standard in any workplace, logically it would mean I forged everything including my resident registration card… but I had neither the ability nor the will to do that.
Even more confused, I stared blankly at the coffee machine. What on earth has happened to me?
“For now… do you want to leave early today and go to the hospital? I’ll explain to the owner.”
“Is that okay?”
With just the manager and me here now, can she handle the work alone? Of course, it’s not like I’m being much help anyway…
“Should I at least clean up before I go…?”
“Well, alright then. The mid-shift person will be here soon anyway. Today it’s… Sehyun-ssi, right?”
The manager muttered to herself, then showed me where the cleaning supplies were. I picked up a rag and started cleaning up spills on the tables while waiting for time to leave.
“Hello…”
As some time passed, more people started coming in. That’s natural since lunchtime starts at 12.
While I was fumbling around returning the cleaning supplies, someone entered the staff room with a small greeting. When I turned around, a man with shaggy black hair and a somewhat timid impression greeted me.
‘Kim… Sehyun?’
His neat yet gloomy impression was certainly familiar. I know this man. And it was clear he knew me too.
Why do I feel so angry? Were we on bad terms? As soon as I saw his face, I felt nauseous and thought I couldn’t stand the sight of him.
“Hello…”
I greeted him back, trying to control my feelings. Anyway, he didn’t seem to have any hostility towards me, and I had no intention of picking a fight suddenly.
“Jaeha-ssi, you can change and go now!”
The manager called out to me through the open door. I nodded and hurriedly took off my apron.
“Oh, you seem… a bit under the weather today…”
Kim Sehyun, who had been staring at me fumbling with my belongings, whispered quietly.
When I turned my head, I saw Kim Sehyun looking at me with his eyes rolled up, his head slightly bowed.
“Did something… bad happen to you?”
Why is this person so gloomy? The way he said “Did something happen?” with his eyes sparkling oddly made me feel uncomfortable. His expression seemed to hope that something bad had happened to me.
“No, it’s nothing like that…”
“Why are you leaving so early…? Aren’t you meeting… that person you always meet later…?”
Kim Sehyun spoke as if he was fishing for information, so I just said I was busy and had something to do today, then left the staff room.
After saying goodbye to the manager and leaving the cafe, I suddenly felt lost. The street should be familiar from daily commutes, but I couldn’t recognize anything. It felt like I had been dropped into a completely new world.
‘Is this… unavoidable?’
I rummaged through my phone. I’m so grateful it uses fingerprint recognition instead of a password. I was planning to check my contacts to see if there was anyone who could help me.
“Hmm… huh?”
For a moment, I almost dropped my phone in shock.
I suddenly felt like I was going to throw up and covered my mouth with my hand.
Dowoon hyung♥
Manager
Jerk
Mom
The contacts in my phone were very simple, but what surprised me was the number labeled “Mom”.
‘Something is really strange… things are going wrong.’
Why is the number of my deceased parents… saved here? Moreover, the number was completely different. It felt like someone was playing a prank.
With trembling hands, I dialed the number labeled “Mom”.
– Hello? My puppy, what’s the matter? Hm? Calling mom at this time.
It was a voice I had never heard before. However, it didn’t sound completely unfamiliar.
Somehow, tears suddenly started flowing. I hurriedly moved into an alley to hide.
“…M-Mom.”
My voice trembled involuntarily. Even though this clearly wasn’t my family, somehow the word “Mom” came out naturally. I don’t know how long it’s been since I called someone “Mom”. It’s just two syllables, but it was such a difficult and mysterious word.
– My child, did something happen? Is school hard? Or did something happen while living alone?
“Mom” asked in a worried voice. Instinctively, I felt I should reassure her, but it was hard enough just trying not to let her hear me sobbing with my hand over my mouth.
Just as I was about to clear my throat and speak while sitting on the ground crying my eyes out:
“Auntie, what could be hard for Lee Jaeha? I think he’s not feeling well today. I’ll call the hospital director.”
– Oh, my! Young master, were you with him?
“Ah, he left work early today because he wasn’t feeling well. I came to pick him up myself since it’s nearby.”
– Oh my, thank you. Please take care of him.
I blankly looked up at the man who had appeared behind me, naturally taken my phone, and ended the call after speaking.
My eyes were blurry with tears, so I couldn’t see his face clearly. But I could tell who it was just from his voice.
‘Shin Haejun.’
As I just stared up at him blankly, a handkerchief plopped onto my face. As I grasped it with one hand, Shin Haejun waved his hand.
“Your face is ugly from crying… um, anyway, wipe it quickly.”
As I rubbed my face with the handkerchief, Shin Haejun raised his voice as if angry.
“No, pat it gently! Who told you to rub it like that!”
Then he snatched the handkerchief and started dabbing under my eyes himself. He was so gentle that I doubted if the tears were actually being wiped away.
Then he grabbed my arm and pulled me up.
“Where exactly are you sick? Let’s go to the hospital. I told you not to do difficult part-time jobs like this.”
Shin Haejun nagged in an annoyed voice. However, what caught my eye first was his eyes.
“Your eyes, why are they like this?”
I hurriedly put my hand on Shin Haejun’s cheek and brought my face closer. His eyes, which should have been bright red like jewels…
‘They’re black…?’
I examined various parts of his face in confusion, but the only thing that had changed was the color of his eyes.
Didn’t he have incredibly brilliant jewel-like eyes? Why are they so ordinary now?
Is this person really Shin Haejun?
“S-Suddenly getting so aggressive… Aish, really!”
While I was examining him, Shin Haejun’s face turned bright red. He grabbed my hand with a voice that sounded both annoyed and whiny, and turned his head slightly. Even his visible nape was bright red.
“What, what’s wrong with my eyes.”
Shin Haejun grumbled quietly. His tone suggested he didn’t understand what I was pointing out.
I was about to say ‘Well, your eyes are red,’ but somehow the words wouldn’t come out properly. I ended up shaking my head.
“So why were you crying? Did that bastard do something wrong to you?”
Shin Haejun, having calmed down a bit, questioned me about the situation. I don’t know who “that bastard” is, but it didn’t seem to be the case, so I shook my head.
“I… can’t remember…”
“What? You can’t remember? Ah, is that why you’ve been speaking informally?”
Shin Haejun muttered, looking down at me with a serious face.
“What can’t you remember?”
After asking this, Shin Haejun didn’t seem to want my answer, as he suddenly picked up his phone and called someone.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
