DISCLAIMER: The following is a work of fiction. The events and characters are fictional and the characters were merely borrowed and do not represent the drama or real life. No offense is intended towards anyone as this story is purely fictional.
That person held me tightly as both of us getting deeper and deeper in the water.
I know that I am supposed to feel afraid in this current situation, but somehow because of his warm embrace, I feel safe. Like a baby in its mom's gentle cradle.
I opened my eyes to see the face of my saviour.
Him.
It was him who saved me.
And that necklace that was hanging on his neck.
That necklace.
"Ha Na!"
"Ha Na!"
The voice who constantly calls my name somehow wakes me from my slumber.
As slowly I open my eyes, I see Jin Joo and Eun Chang concerned face staring at me.
The medium size room painted in pastel blue accompanied with the medicine-like smell.
Where exactly I am now?
"Noona? Do you see me?" ask Eun Chang worriedly.
While giving him a weak smile I just nodded.
"Eun Chang, unnie. Where am I?"
"You are at the hospital. Are you okay, Ha Na?" Jin Joo ask me as she gently holds my hand.
"I'm fine but I'm just a little bit confused,"
A sudden throbbing sensation on my head automatically makes me touch my left temple. Probably I am still dizzy due to whatever thing that caused me to be bedridden in this hospital ward.
"What were you doing at Hankyeol Hospital?" ask Eun Chang.
Hankyeol Hospital?
Fragment of images of me talking with Goo Seo Jin's guard flashes on my mind.
"Hankyeol Hospital? Ah.. I went there because of that Director Goo Seo Jin,"
I try to move out from the bed, but then prevented by Jin Joo.
"There was someone on the ground," said Eun Chang.
"Who?" I ask warily.
"I don't know who it was but something definitely must've happened because the police were all over the place,"
Is there something actually happened when I was there at the hospital?
"How did you end up in the water?
The sudden question asked by Jin Joo rendered me speechless. I end up in water? But why?
"Wa…water?"
"Don't you remember?
I just shake my head.
"The pool of water in front of the research lab building! That's where you were found,"
"I was? Then..that wasn't a dream?"
I knocked at the wooden door softly but before getting the permission from the patient in the room, I thick-facedly walked into the ward.
I clearly see his face staring blankly at me as I cautiously walked across the room towards him and Secretary Kwon.
"Miss Ha Na," call Secretary Kwon as I stand a few meters away from Goo Seo Jin's hospital bed.
"Was it...really you? Were you...really the one that rescued me?"
Goo Seo Jin is utterly speechless when I ask him that question.
His confused face.
Why he is being like this?
"You jumped in the water after me..and...you rescued me?"
And he just stared at me blankly.
"I rescued you?" He then asked me back.
Now, I'm confused.
"You didn't? But then sangmunim, you did fell in the water didn't you? Seriously, I also don't really remember what happened either. But I'm told that you and I were found in the water together,"
I paused for a short while to catch a breath before resumed my talk.
"But what I do remember...is someone holding me in the water..."
Yes, I know that I'm not making things up when I say that someone is holding me in the water.
"Can you please shut up now!"
Suddenly he raised his voiced at me.
What the…
"But.."
"Secretary Kwon, can you please take her out," ordered him again.
"Goo-sangmunim,"
"Just take her out from here. I said, get out. Did you not hear me?"
Geez, what wrong with him until he was agitated like this?
"Why are you getting angry when I'm just asking if you rescued me?"
Looking at his face, I bravely ask him that question.
"Rescue you? I've never rescued you. And I'm not the type of person to go around rescuing women. So, get out,"
"Miss Ha Na, you should leave," Finally Secretary Kwon said something after being quiet for quite some time. He also touched my elbow as he wanted to usher me out. I nearly turned around to following his lead when I saw that thing.
That necklace.
"Wait. That necklace...is it yours?"
"What?" ask Goo Seo Jin who is clearly losing his patience now.
"No, never mind," Then I just turned around and follow Secretary Kwon from to go out from the ward.
I recalled back the incident 15 years ago when I was nearly drown fallen from bridge, before a kind-hearted boy saved me.
And that boy has the same necklace as that Goo Seo Jin wore.
I shake my head vigorously. It cannot be. It must be just coincidence. How could it be possible that the boy from 15 years back is that insufferable jerk.
No, no. That doesn't make any sense.
"Ha Na!" Jin Joo called me as I entered my back the ward.
"Yes, unnie, what is it?"
"The police called earlier when you went out and meet sangmunim. They say that they want to take your witness statement the first thing in the morning,"
"Oh, okay. Ah, unnie. What happened to the woman? The woman I saw on the floor?" I ask, remembering the lady that I saw bleeding on the research building office earlier.
"I don't know, I didn't ask about that. By the way, what did Director Goo have to say?"
I pick up the mineral water bottle that Jin Joo placed besides the hospital bed before uncapping them.
"From what I've seen, the only words that jerk knows how to say is, 'Get out' and 'Leave',"
Then I take a couple gulps of the water from the bottle.
Seriously, thinking about that guy just made my blood boils.
"Unnie, I think he's never been taught any decent language or etiquette. When I think of it, probably all his facial features have been paralyzed, too. Seriously, unnie, no matter how serious a person is they still look occasionally surprised and smile here and there,"
"True, true,"
"…They even have a look of distaste on their face once in a while. But Director Goo is a complete sociopath who doesn't have an inkling of human emotion. Bigger achievements and net profit margin. I think that are the only those thing playing in his brain. Geez, I think he's not even aware that his job is to sell dreams and fantasies to people," I pouted before closing the bottle cap and put them back on the table.
"Seeing you this annoyed and complaining non-stop about sangmunim, I guess he's not the prince who rescued you from that bridge when you were little?"
Before meeting Goo Seo Jin, I did tell Jin Joo about the necklace and the possibility that the guy might be the same person who saved me 15 years back.
"I guess not. But I'm not sure about it. He just goes around and said that he's not the type of person to go around rescuing women. Probably he just said all those nonsense things because he wanted me from bringing up the contract,"
I sighed.
"Well, forget about the guy. You need to get some rest. I know you are still quite shocked with what happened earlier today. You are still having your jet-lag aren't you? It's only three days since you came back from Las Vegas," said Jin Joo before pushing me towards the hospital bed.
The next morning, I followed Detective Na, the police officer in charge of the case to Hankyeol University Hospital to give my witness statement and assist the investigation.
"Ms. Jang Ha 's your relationship with Doctor Kang?" ask Detective Na, when we are standing in front of Dr Kang's office, the lady that I saw laying on the floor, bleeding, yesterday.
"Excuse me? I did told you earlier that I don't know who she is,"
Clearly not trusting my word, Detective Na just looked at me suspiciously.
"Don't lie to me,"
This detective.
How many times I need to tell him that yesterday was the first time I saw her. I even didn't know her name until this morning.
Goodness.
What should I do to make him believe what I'm saying? It's not like I have to lie or something. What benefit did I get if I even lie to him? None. I tell you. None.
"What are you talking about?"
"You've actually never even been here before. At 4:53 pm yesterday, Doctor Kang called in a report. All the CCTV's on this floor were shut off 30 minutes prior to her call. Therefore, no one knows who came in or out of this research facility. But everything was recorded on the CCTV on the ground floor," explain Detective Na rather lengthily.
"So? What made this CCTV talk relevant with me?"
"That CCTV, Miss Jang, shows everyone that came in and out of this building. Everyone except for one person,"
Detective Na gives me that suspecting look before continuing his word.
"You,"
Okay, I know where this conversation is heading to.
"Wait.."
"You never came in or out of this building. But you're telling me that you were in the research facility? So how did you get in here?"
I sighed. I think I need to tell this detective guy about my outrageous rope stunt.
"Detective Na, the thing is.."
"Tell me how you got in here!" Detective Na shouted impatiently at me.
"I…"
"She came in by a rope," answer Goo Seo Jin steadily as he stand beside me.
When did this guy arrive?
I take a glance at his outfit today. A grey matching suit and trouser accompanied with his black leather shoes.
And he doesn't look as pale as yesterday's night when I saw him. I guess he got a good night sleep, then.
"Huh?"
Detective Na clearly doesn't believe what he heard from Goo Seo Jin's mouth.
"Don't you know what's a rope is?"
"A rope? As in actual rope? Like a line?"
"Yes, a rope. A line. Whatever you call that thing is. That's how she came in,"
Ignoring Detective Na who is currently befuddled with the rope information that he got from him, Goo Seo Jin shifted his attention to me.
"Yesterday, why did you do that?"
"Do what?" I crossed my arms, hugging my chest, defensively.
"Entering the building with the rope,"
What the hell! How dare he asked why I did that thing, when he supposedly aware why I resorted to use that method to enter the building.
"Why do you think I even did that? It was all because of you,"
His brows rise as he didn't really believe the thing that I am saying to him.
"Seriously, a rope? Because of me? How was it because of me?"
I rolled my eyes. Is this man obtuse or what? How can he calmly ask that question to me?
Dumbfounded, I then answer his question.
"You shunned me when I asked to talk. You even forbid me from coming in,"
In the same time, Detective Na is like watching a badminton match. His head was moving left and right as he see Goo Seo Jin and me exchanging words with one another (or rather, verbally fighting with each other)
"Then...So you slid down a rope to come in? Most people would just patiently wait,"
Okay, did he want me to apologize?
"Wait... Okay fine, I'm sorry for using the rope to get in. So let's just talk now. I was actually coming to see you,"
"Did you not get the situation? We're here to give our statements in a missing person's case. Focus,"
Right after finishing his word, Goo Seo Jin just pushed away the yellow tape that police usually put on a crime scene location before opening Dr. Kang's office door and goes into the room.
"Yes. Let's put the human being's safety first, Ha Na," I say before I also followed Goo Seo Jin into the room.
I am demonstrating how I came into Dr Kang office as Detective Na and Goo Seo Jin looked at me and giving their full attention to what I do.
"I came in like this. And over there, by the table," Then I pointed at the shattered glass table nearby the place where Detective Na was currently standing.
"That's where I saw her collapsed down on the floor. Then from behind, I could feel someone's presence behind me," I say as I try to recalled back yesterday's incident.
"Who was it? Was it a man?" asked Detective Na.
I tried to remember about it but my memory seems a bit hazy.
"That's...
"What about his height? Was he holding a knife in his hand?" ask Detective Na with more questions that I cannot answer straight away.
"We're asking who the assailant was. Did you see the person or not, Miss Jang?" ask Goo Seo Jin who now stands beside me, tapping his foot impatiently.
"I did see...I know for sure that I did..."
I touch my head try to recall the face of the culprit.
Why is this happening? Why I can't remember what's happening?
Impatient with the lack of my reaction and answer, Goo Seo Jin holds both of my shoulders and shake me back and forth before asking.
"Did you see or not? Did you see or not!"
"Yes, I did. I saw...but I don't...remember,"
"Temporary amnesia?" I ask the doctor in charge when he finishes examine and diagnosed my condition.
"Yes,"
"It's always the same old lofty claims. Temporary amnesia," Goo Seo Jin mutters by himself.
He seems obviously annoyed with the current turn of event.
I look at him disapprovingly.
Heck, it's not like I deliberately choose to forget about that particular event.
"Doctor, will I not be able to remember anything at all?" I ask the doctor, who is currently typing something on his computer keyboard.
And before the doctor manages to answer my question, Goo Seo Jin interrupted.
"It's PTSD,"
"Is he right?" I ask while turning my face to look at the doctor's face.
"Yes, think of it as a temporary memory loss from having been traumatized," say the doctor.
"Then is there a chance of her being able to recover her memories?" ask Detective Na who earlier on, busily taking notes on what the doctor is saying.
"Yes, of course. It really depends on the person. Some are able to recover their memories right away and in rare cases, some are never able to recover them,"
"Are you sure that you really don't remember?" Goo Seo Jin shot that question to me as the three of us went out from the doctor's room.
"What?"
"Of all things, you don't remember the most crucial part. Which is what the culprit looks like? So you're not sure if you saw the culprit's face in its entirety? You said that he was wearing a mask,"
Seriously, this person.
What is his problem that he actually has a hard time, trusting people?
Thankfully, Detective Na is on my side, thus he defends me.
"But still, she saw him up close,"
Goo Seo Jin just looks at me warily.
"You really don't remember? You're not just trying to get back at me?"
"How is my inability to remember any way of getting back at you?
Geez, this man is sure crafty with his words. I don't even get what the hell he is trying to tell me.
"Because this is important to me,"
So, the disappearance of Dr Kang and knowing about the culprit is important to him? Okay, we are getting on something now.
"This is important to you? Then this is great. For the unexpected pleasure of being able to get back at you,"
Suddenly Goo Seo Jin turned his head to Detective Na before he blurted out.
"Why don't we try hypnotherapy on her?"
Hypno-what?
"What did you say?"
Ignoring my question, he keeps talking with Detective Na who is busy looking over his Table PC.
"Can that be prepared?"
"Yes, one of Doctor Kang's former students is able to conduct hypnotherapy,"
"Then let's get that person to do it,"
Urghhhh, this is so frustrating.
Goo Seo Jin started walking towards the elevator, before I move infront of him and halted his steps.
"Wait. Why would I have to do that?" I try to question his motive on why I should do that hypnotherapy thing in order to help him.
"Because a person has gone missing and you're the sole witness,"
"And because this is important to you?"
"Yes,"
"So that's why you need me?"
"Yes.
"You really need me?"
"Yes,"
Goodness. This man is so vexing.
"That's why I'm not doing it. I won't do it,"
"What? Why not?"
He looked genuinely shocked when I refuse to help him.
"Because you're going about it all wrong. Most people would sincerely ask for one's participation in something like this. By saying things like, 'Please, I'd greatly appreciate your help.' In addition to, 'I'll pay you back for all the help you've given me.' You even know already how you can pay me back for my help. But you must not be very smart,"
Can you imagine how happy I feel now?
Who ever thought that I can end up signing a 10-years contract with Wonderland after only yesterday, that lofty jerk fired us all.
This must be a blessing from Heaven!
The elevator arrived and opened its door, before Goo Seo Jin and I step in.
The director looked as if he lost in his deep thought as I unconsciously stare at his face.
"Yes? Do you still have something else left to say?
Oh, he did actually notice that I'm looking at him? Now he is giving me his attention, probably I could try asking him that question again.
"It was you, wasn't it? You're the one who rescued me yesterday,"
He just stared at me disbelievingly as I continue talking.
"Thank you," I smiled at him.
"That's how you do it. This is how to be sincere,"
I notice a sign of shock reflected in his eyes but immediately he just cleared his throat uncomfortably before looking away.
"That necklace...has it always belonged to you?"
I can't help but to ask about the necklace, because since last night that question keeps bugging on my mind. And I've been itching to ask him the question since I saw him at this morning.
"Why do you ask?" Nonchalantly he asks before giving side-way glance at me.
"No, never mind. I'm sure it's just a coincidence,"
I guess my reluctance in explaining peak his interest as now he looks back at me, all curious.
"What are you saying is a coincidence?"
"It's nothing. I was just trying to check something,"
"Check what?"
Now I'm regretted my decision in asking him about the necklace.
"I said, forget it. Why do you keep asking questions?"
"On whether the necklace is mine or not and whether I rescued you or not?
"Did you rescue me?" Annoyed with question, I ask him hotly.
"What if I did?"
"But you said you didn't,"
But last night he said the quite opposite thing…
Damn, this man is super confusing!
"What if I did?"
He shouted at me before I shouted back at him.
"You said you didn't!"
I stare at him angrily.
"Who are you? Ever since you appeared in my life..."
"But..I..I never even did anything,"
Then suddenly Goo Seo Jin looked like he is getting a panic attack. His both hand clutching his chest, probably trying to ease his pain away.
This man. What he is being like this?
Did I really do something to him that I didn't aware of?
"Are you okay?
I try to comfort him by wanting to touch his arms, but before I manage to do it, he wards off my hand with his left hand.
"I'm fine," He says before the elevator stops and he quickly went out the moment the elevator door is opened.
The hypnotherapy session with Dr Yoon Tae Joo, the pupil of Dr. Kang, the missing psychiatrist make me feel uneasy.
Who ever thought that I actually saw the culprit face during the incident.
And as Dr Yoon said to me earlier, my brain actually blocked the memory from flowing out as defence mechanism of my body, so I won't remember that terrifying experience.
Fear aside, I still need to go to work tonight because I need to help the team in preparing for tomorrow's circus performance. As I entered the Wonderland entrance, I feel anxious. Somehow I just can't help being paranoid as I feel like someone is actually following me right now.
I try to quicken my steps, so I can reach the performance room as soon as I can.
And then before I realize, I end up bumping into someone's chest when I am walking.
"Oh, sorry,"
"What's wrong?"
The person who I bumped into suddenly asks that question.
I glanced upward to see his face.
Ah, its Goo Seo Jin.
"I asked what was wrong?"
"It felt like someone was following me," He then takes my hand and shoves me behind his back, like he is trying to protect me or something.
"Alert the security team and have them look for anyone suspicious," He orders Secretary Kwon looks alarmed now.
Before I could register what he is going to do, he then drags me towards the opposite direction of the circus performance room.
"Follow me,"
"To where? I have to get ready for an event," I ask him as I follow his footsteps.
Man, can this man walk a little slower? I'm seriously having a hard time catching up with his long stride. Why did this guy must have a pair of long legs?
"Just shut up and follow me,"
Goo Seo Jin ended up bringing me into a suite room at WonderHotel, the hotel under WonderGroup, which strategically located next to Wonderland Theme Park.
My jaw nearly dropped as I see the interior of the suite. The room is fully furnished with all luxuriously looking furniture that I never dream of buying.
And damn, how much does someone need to pay if they are staying in this kind of room? It must cost a fortune if they wanted to stay at this room even for one night.
"I thought our contract had been extended, so what's that all about?" I ask Goo Seo Jin as he comes back beside me after switching on all the lights in the room.
"This going to be your temporary home,"
Temporary home? What is this guy talking about?
"Is that a clause in our new contract?"
"Witness protection program. I'm protecting my witness,"
"I think that's going overboard,"
"Then were you overreacting earlier? You said you thought someone was following you,"
Both of us ends up arguing with each other as both of us don't want to compromise and come into agreement with my current accommodation issue.
I become extremely annoyed as he dictated that I am prohibited to go out from the room, what more to visit the Venetian Room to lend my help in preparing for tomorrows event.
Seriously, how the deuce I can stay still in this suite doing nothing, when my circus team is busting their butts of preparing the performance.
For crying out loud, we don't even have enough people to work in the circus.
I also tell him how Wonderland and WonderCircus is very precious in my life, as both place holds the most valuable and priceless moments that I ever experienced in my life. Heartless as he is, that jerk just disses all the things I say and simply tell me that Wonderland meant nothing to him.
Disappointed with everything he says, I try to shake off the overwhelming feeling that I now feel.
And how in the world I still hope that he might be that person? The kind-hearted person that I met years ago on that memorable night.
Because now, the person who is currently standing in-front of me, clearly not the same person.
Trying to contain my tears from pouring out, I look at him in the eye and say.
"I really don't know what happened...but you've never saved me. Whether it was before or yesterday, that guy wasn't a bastard like you,"
I bit my lips before continuing.
"The person I remember is a saviour of people,"
His face paled as he listened to words.
"What do you mean by that person? Who's the person that you're referring to?"
"Why would I have to tell you that?"
Utterly shocked, Goo Seo Jin wanted to grasp my arm, but quickly I pushed his hand away.
"Tell me who it is! Does he..resemble me?
"Resemble you? No. Not even in the slightest," I shouted at him before I stormed out from the suite.
I am stepping on the main stage in the middle of Venetian Room when suddenly I hear someone shouting my name.
I look upwards and my hearts does seem like it stops beating for a second.
The chandelier is falling.
The thing happened in a flash and the next thing I know, I am in someone's embrace on the cold marble floor.
"You must've been quite startled," say the guy as he helped me getting up from the floor.
I sit cross-legged in front of the guy and stare his face in amazement.
It's him.
Again.
"Yes. But... how did you know..."
"Are you okay?"
I am totally in shocked, so I just manage to nod to answer his question.
This guy.
How can he act so differently right now when few minutes earlier he was acting as cold as an iceberg?
He then flashed the most swoon-worthy smile that I even see before inspecting my arms and head, probably looking for signs of injury.
Jang Ha Na, probably this is just a dream.
Yes, it is possible that everything now is a dream, I say silently in my head try to reassure myself.
"Check and make sure that you're not bleeding or hurt anywhere. Thankfully, you don't seem to be hurt anywhere. But you should still make sure to get checked out at the hospital. Because you may feel fine now, but you could be hurting later,"
This is totally bizarre.
He then offered me his right hand before helping me to get stand up.
"I'm sorry, but I think having me stick around is going to make things more complicated. But make sure to still get yourself to the hospital,"
He left his last advice to me before he suddenly runs off as those guys in black suits armed with Tasers and club (baton/bludgeon/truncheon) started chasing him.
Befuddled I just stared from far away, trying to comprehend the absurdity of the event.
Those guys seriously looks really familiar.
I recalled back the time, when I was obstructed to meet Director Goo in front of Wonderland office entrance.
Eh? Aren't they Wonderland's security team people?
Why the hell they are chasing their own boss like that?
[to be continued...]
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