Extra Chapter 2-1
It was an ordinary day for me.
“How great must you be to criticize even what clothes others wear?”
However, I couldn’t respond as usual and instead sharpened my words.
“…”
When I came on strong, even the great Mitchell Cronenwirth couldn’t say anything. I was about to add some curses but held back, feeling sorry for his expression that was crumbling in real-time. Mitchell’s mental strength was weaker than I thought.
“I heard we were close friends… but honestly, I can’t remember anything. I’d appreciate it if you’d stop barging into my house like this. I’ll change the passcode too.”
“You really…”
“If you don’t have anything special to say, please leave now. I’m busy preparing to go out.”
Mitchell’s eyes wavered and his mouth wouldn’t close easily. I know this must be a shocking situation for Mitchell. But what can I do?
I don’t have any memories of Mitchell right now.
About a month ago, I had an accident where I hit my head on a set structure, got a concussion, and lost part of my memories.
The memories that flew away were my days since coming to America.
I vaguely remember things that happened with Bae Junman or Inbeom Yoon, but strangely, I couldn’t remember what my relationship with Mitchell was like. Oddly enough, I remembered filming “Mirror Match” with Mitchell, but I couldn’t remember what our relationship was like.
Just Mitchell disappeared. All the time I spent with him, except for work-related memories, flew away.
Memory loss.
A common event in novels and movies happened to me. It might be boring to some, but it was completely different when I became the protagonist of the story.
I’m Bae Geon-woo now, but a Bae Geon-woo from a different world. Because Mitchell was stuck right next to me.
Bang!
The door sound was exceptionally loud today.
“What a temper…”
After forcibly sending Mitchell out of the house, I glared at the closed door.
The hospital gave a simple prescription to rest. My attending physician predicted that my memory would gradually return, but couldn’t be sure when it would happen.
They said there was no need to try to force myself to remember. They told me to get enough rest and avoid situations that could expose me to stress, which was as good as saying there was no clear way to make my memories return.
“But that person keeps raising my stress.”
Mitchell had been by my side since the day I was taken to the hospital. I hit my head on the set structure just before we were about to appear together on a talk show. So I understand why Mitchell rode in the ambulance with me when I lost consciousness. Any friend with a lot of empathy and a tendency to meddle would have done the same.
The interesting thing is that he visited the hospital room every day. Each time, he checked my memory and asked questions to the point of annoyance.
“Do you really not remember me?”
“Are you playing a joke?”
“Is it because I teased you?”
“Did I do something wrong to you? Are you angry?”
“Did you actually not want to go on the talk show?”
“Is this really real…?”
He couldn’t accept that only he had completely disappeared from my memory. He seemed to think it was an act. But what could I do? It was real. I really couldn’t remember Mitchell Cronenwirth who claimed to have entered my life.
Throughout my hospitalization period, and even after I returned home, I consistently informed him of my situation.
“I don’t remember.”
“I’m not joking.”
“Were we close enough to joke like this?”
“Why would I have a reason to be angry with you, Mr. Mitchell? Would you like to give me an autograph before you leave?”
“There’s no reason I wouldn’t want to go on the talk show.”
“Why would I lie? I really don’t remember you, Mr. Mitchell. I’m sorry.”
At first, I treated him politely too. I repeated politely and earnestly to Mitchell, who didn’t believe my memory loss even a bit, that I was sorry but I had no memory of him.
But this person didn’t know when to stop.
On the day he barged into our house at will, my respect for the great actor also ended.
“If you keep doing this, I won’t be able to hold back either!”
I was surprised that Mitchell knew the door lock passcode of our house, and then confused by his bloodshot eyes. He smelled of alcohol as he told me to remember. He was causing trouble after drinking.
He seems to have done something wrong to my past self, but he didn’t tell me specifically what it was. He says we were close friends, but that’s all the explanation there was.
Well, I guess we were close enough for him to know my house passcode.
On the other hand, I was also curious about why he was so desperately clinging to my memory.
Could it be that he swindled my money? Or did I swindle his? I might have become a person who made excuses about not remembering and wiped my mouth clean after swindling money.
Either way, I can’t remember, so hasty judgments are forbidden. Maybe there’s a good reason why Mitchell doesn’t tell me in detail.
I went to the entrance with my bag. While putting on my shoes, I checked the full-length mirror. I saw form-fitting slacks and a white shirt with the top two buttons undone.
I frowned and eventually buttoned up all the buttons. Just earlier, I was told I was practically naked for having just two buttons undone. He was a ridiculous person. Of course, I was strange too for complying with such a person’s demand.
“Ah.”
As soon as I stepped outside, an exclamation burst out. I opened the door thinking ‘surely not’, but as expected, Mitchell was there. Despite a considerable amount of time having passed, this person was still waiting for me. Unable to bear his glaring eyes, I sighed deeply, revealing my discomfort. What I got in return was his threat.
“Keep doing that. You’ll end up acting exactly the same as before anyway.”
After saying something incomprehensible, he left without even saying goodbye. His feet climbing the stairs were fast, and his face, having said what he wanted to say, even looked relieved.
What does it mean to act exactly the same as before?
“Is it a curse…”
I shook my head and caught the elevator. I clicked my tongue audibly while glaring at the ceiling. It was just amazing that Mitchell’s house was right above mine.
But did I have enough money to afford a house like this…
Trying to recall thoughts that don’t come up makes my head throb. As the elevator doors opened, I brushed away the idle thoughts. Stress is forbidden. Let’s think only good things.
I quickly lost interest in the famous actor living upstairs. I didn’t want to ruin my day of going to a Korean restaurant, of all things.
***
“Not here today either?”
Mitchell, who had been showing his face every day and being a nuisance for over a month, hadn’t appeared since making that strange declaration of war. He used to always be sitting on the stairs next to the front door or occupying the living room sofa after barging into the house when I returned from going out.
Only after looking around the whole house did I confirm that Mitchell was really not there. This is how it should have been from the beginning, but I was caught up in a strange feeling. It’s been several days already. Yesterday, I felt relieved looking around the empty house, but now it’s a bit different.
“It’s because I’m cursed by Mitchell.”
The meaningful curse that I would act exactly the same as before.
I don’t know what I used to do with Mitchell in the past. I can only guess that Mitchell, having lost a close friend, wants to restore our relationship.
But Mitchell approached it wrong from the start.
‘Geon-woo, I was close with you. Even if you’ve lost your memory, let’s try to get along well from now on.’
If he had approached me like this, I would have quickly jumped on board with the celebrity connection. It might have been awkward, but we could have become closer gradually. But Mitchell didn’t approach normally.
Every time, he was frustrated with me, displeased, and looked at me with dejected eyes. He didn’t seem to believe my memory loss from the start.
Stability is essential for someone who has lost their memory, but he barged into my house at will and even said terrifying things like, “If you don’t restore your memory, I’ll strip you naked and chase you out onto the street.” How could I become friends with Mitchell like this?
Yet, I became curious about Mitchell, who had suddenly cut off contact.
Maybe I wanted a slight stimulation in my boring daily life as I’m currently taking a break from work. Maybe I’ve been trapped by the curse that I would return.
8 PM.
As soon as I checked the time, I left the house. My reason made my steps heavy, telling me not to do foolish things, but I eventually came to Mitchell’s house. I don’t have any plans for what to do now that I’m here. I didn’t particularly want to meet him, but I was curious about what he was doing after suddenly disappearing. Unable to suppress the impulse, I finally came to his house.
Since Mitchell uses the entire floor alone, there was a double door from the stairway entrance. Unable to even reach the front door, I stared blankly at the lock.
Although it’s clearly a machine I don’t remember, I had a feeling it was familiar. As if drawn by something, I pressed the number buttons.
Beep beep beep beep-.
When I pressed the open button, a cheerful unlock sound burst out.
“Crazy.”
I really did know Mitchell’s house passcode.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
