Forgotten Memories

Chung-Cha's Point of View

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As soon as I got kicked out of the office, I hurriedly walked to the elevator. Within a moment, I left the hospital building and took my first step outside the infrastructure. The doctor was in a really grim mood. But considering he cared for my wounds-if I had one, he was just doing his job as a citizen living in this city. And since I was just a nobody, there was no point in talking to the busy man, regardless of my situation.

"At least he gave me some money to spare!" I whispered, while hopping across the streets.

Much to my surprise, the towering buildings became a marvellous painting in my eyes. There were even automobiles roaming around the roads, which I only heard from televisions and from afar. But the best part was the people walking around the bustling streets, bringing their leather bags and their corporate attires.

Upon walking around the streets, two children entered my site with their hands raised in front of them. As I went to their side, the boy and girl asked for money, hoping to receive a few changes from the strangers. The pair covered themselves in dirt, and an inkling stench of dung filling the air. Because of the acrid smell, the people passing by avoided their gaze.

However, those people were just heartless beyond comparison! Some of them even had spare food in their hands. However, those bastards threw them away from the trash bins, while others did not care at all. Instead of wasting their precious resources, those people should have spared a coin or bread for these children living in the streets.

A man noticed my concerns and approached me. "If you plan to give them money, save it for yourself! These children are just gonna buy some illegal drugs for their use! And if you just give them food today, they won't have food for tomorrow. It's not like you can feed them every day with the little change you have, especially when you're just a teenager."

After hearing a scolding from the man, the bloke walked away and continued looking straight at the street. It was just me and the road between the next stoplight and the children waiting for me.

When it was finally my turn, the two children went to me and did the same thing. They asked if I could share some food or money to buy something they could eat. I had all the money, but it did not feel like giving them all away.

So, instead, I went around and found a stall that served street foods with Korean rice. Using the spare money that I had, I bought four packs and grabbed a discount from the vendor. Upon returning to the spot, I met the children. I gave them the meal with an extra on top of it to lighten up their day.

When the pair received my token, they all hurriedly opened the package and munched each meal. I watched them gobble the entire thing within a matter of seconds before realising that I was the one who gave them their food.

"T-Thank you, Unnie…"

"Thank you…."

The two of them expressed their gratitude as they finished up the meal. They reserved the plastic for later use, telling me they could sell them off to the nearest junk shop just in case.

I leaned over to them and handed them over a few changes before I left. I did not care if the man said I would waste my money helping others just because I cannot help them the next day. As long as I could help, I would provide these children with what they needed today. It was not like I would visit them soon. But if that happens, I'd be sure to provide them with a decent meal and a few changes to spend the day!

"5,100 won…. Is this enough around this city….? I sure hope so, or else I would be so screwed!" I whispered, while wiping off the sweat dripping from my face.

After a few seconds of waltzing around, I stopped by a crowd of people waiting for something that I did not know. I did not want to stick my nose in someone's business, so I left the people be and minded my own.

As I glanced at my side, a stoplight greeted my eyes, with the colour red flashing on the circular button. I could only hunch that the stoplight marked the signal for the people to move. Even the cars at each side stopped and went, respecting the hue from the light.

And my guess hit the nail.

The stoplight changed colour from red to green, signalling the people to move from the pedestrian lanes. The cars also stopped moving, allowing the civilians to walk towards their next destination.

I, who felt free for the first time, rushed with the sea of people and went onwards.

Everything surrounding me became like a dream come true. Although I lost my memories, this event reminded me of something that I should have remembered. I met all these strange people and wandered the world I had yet seen before.

But as soon as my mind came to a realisation, a sudden sting alerted my senses, making me grovel in pain. The sensation felt like a pointed needle forcefully inserting itself inside my head, gingerly tapping inside my memories. And the longer it took the needle, the more painful the feeling became.

I knelt on the ground and caressed my head while moaning to myself. Despite making a scene, none of the people who passed by me offered their hands. Those people continued walking forward without batting an eye at my shivering body.

"Mother, when could I go to school? I want to meet new people… It's not like I hate seeing your faces…. But the three of you are the only ones I've seen, besides some fishermen outside. Don't get me wrong, but…..is a kind man! It's just weird he always gives me fish every seven in the morning."

Those words came into me like a freaking boat crashing against a pole. Although I heard my voice, I did not know when I said to... or to whom I mentioned my concerns. But there was no doubt I exclaimed those inner thoughts to someone I held dear to me.

But I did not mind them right now as I tried calming myself with intense and heavy breathings. However, regardless of my effort, the throbbing ache never went away, and continued haunting me for the remaining minutes.

As soon as it hit twenty-four seconds, the stop light finally changed its colour from green to red. That crimson hue indicated to everyone that the cars would now cross the streets, hindering the people from moving any further.

"I want to meet new people! I want to explore the world, to know what it's like to have a job and relationships! I want to feel that, mum, dad!" the voice continued, as I clenched my fists.

I, who stopped in the middle of the road, did not have any moment to move, not with agonising pain coursing through my head. The first set of cars and trucks avoided me while honking their horns, saving me from a few seconds. However, the time finally came when an automobile headed straight toward me without even thinking of dodging my figure.

I weakly raised my hand and hoped for the best that the driver would stop. But alas, the truck continued charging forward, which would eventually hit me.

After exhausting all my options, I closed my eyes and accepted my fate. I had a blast from these past few minutes of waking up. But it would all end right now as soon as this truck would ram me over.

Well, that's what I expected, when a man out of nowhere launched himself in front of me. As soon as I opened my eyes, the doctor's back greeted my sight. That white coat shielded my eyes from watching the truck slipping at the sides. The man dragged me away from the dangerous site and placed me back in the office…, which was a few feet away from where I was before.

"Am I dead? Are you secretly an angel protecting me? Don't tell me you have superpowers!"

Before finishing my sentence, the doctor levitated from the air as he landed on the ground. The doctor in front of me also did not have a shadow where the light shined upon him. As the guy turned his head and faced me, two acute canine teeth addressed my eyes, pointed enough to pierce through metals…

Within a few seconds, the doctor changed into a normal human being….like me.

"Among all the creatures you paired me with, you thought of me as an angel. How amusing, were-....human," the man said, as he groomed himself back to the way he was the first time I met him.