ACTSV chapter 5

Since it has come to this, I thought it was best to adapt to this place first. It didn’t seem too late to worry about what comes next.

Even though it seemed reckless, there was nothing else he could do in the current situation, so he decided to accept reality. Strangely, he didn’t even feel the urge to return.

Jingyeom, deep in thought, sat up.

“I just… feel like I don’t have any memories.”

“Aren’t you worried?”

“Should I be?”

“No, it’s better not to be.”

Soohyuk said with a smile.

He observed Jingyeom, who was staring directly at him without avoiding his gaze, with interest. Although the doctor had said it was amnesia, he couldn’t believe it.

What kind of sly trick is he trying to pull this time?

Even though he hadn’t met Baek Jingyeom many times, it was clear he was always acting coy whenever they did meet.

He felt like he was facing a naive young fox who thought he had hidden his true feelings, but today he seemed more like a kitten.

A kitten that pokes around out of curiosity but runs away in surprise when approached.

“It must be frustrating.”

With that, Soohyuk turned away and fell silent again.

Jingyeom clutched the blanket tightly, glancing at the two of them.

When they first entered the hospital room, it seemed like they were concerned about him, but now they seemed to have lost interest completely. Thanks to that, he could observe them as much as he wanted.

* * *

The two people who went to Hoonil’s office discussed Jingyeom’s condition. It was still hard to believe he had amnesia.

As Jinwoo slumped his shoulders, Hoonil scratched his head.

“It’s just a problem with his memory, so it’s not too serious.”

“But that’s the problem.”

“Well, that’s true.”

His attempt to offer comfort was ineffective.

Jinwoo, after taking a deep breath that made his chest swell, exhaled and ran a hand down his face. He seemed somewhat calmer than before.

“Jingyeom… he won’t be in serious trouble, will he?”

“No, he won’t.”

“That’s a relief, but this whole situation feels like it’s my fault.”

“What are you talking about? Even real family wouldn’t do as much as you.”

“…Ha.”

Rather than staying depressed, it was more important to think about what to do next. The person most confused right now must be Jingyeom, so Jinwoo needed to pull himself together.

Jinwoo asked Hoonil the same question he had asked Gitaek earlier.

“Will his memory come back?”

“Well… I want to say yes, but I really can’t guarantee it…”

“…”

“Jinwoo.”

Jinwoo’s gaze, which had been directed downward, lifted.

“Let’s start with psychological therapy. It might be effective for Jingyeom. Even if he’s not depressed, he was psychologically unstable.”

“Will therapy bring his memory back?”

“It’s better than doing nothing. If he were healthy, I’d say let’s just watch and wait for now.”

Hoonil rummaged through his bookshelf and handed over an envelope. It was a large envelope with the Korean Hospital logo.

“I didn’t mention it earlier to avoid scaring Jingyeom, but he’s forgotten that he’s sick too. You know what happens if he doesn’t take proper care of his already weak body.”

Jinwoo took the envelope and ran his hand over its surface. Inside were instructions on precautions to take after heart valve replacement surgery.

The most concerning issue was that it was almost time for another surgery.

Hoonil’s suggestion for psychological therapy was because of this. And it wasn’t just his heart that was weak.

Baek Jingyeom, who was born weak, had suffered a severe flu as a child, which led to pneumonia and a serious illness.

Once weakened, his lungs would immediately relapse into pneumonia whenever he got tired or his immune system dropped.

Most importantly, with his weak heart, pneumonia could be really dangerous.

“I’ll make sure to take good care of him.”

“…Alright.”

* * *

Even as Jinwoo headed to the hospital room, he couldn’t shake his grim expression.

He didn’t know what had happened during the time he had left the room, but amnesia… It was certainly an unexpected situation. If Jingyeom were healthy, as Hoonil said, he wouldn’t be this worried.

‘…At least he didn’t seem to hate it.’

Normally, people with amnesia would be wary of their unfamiliar surroundings. But Jingyeom didn’t show any such signs.

Should he consider that a relief?

“Sigh…”

Jinwoo took a deep breath and opened the door to the hospital room, then frowned.

“…You’re still here?”

He had completely forgotten that there were two other people in the room.

“Looks like they plan to leave work from here.”

Soohyuk’s response made Jinwoo sigh briefly.

Leaving the company for half a day wouldn’t be an issue. If something urgent came up, Secretary Yang would contact him or come directly to the hospital.

But that didn’t mean he could be away for so long. There was so much work piled up.

‘Secretary Yang is going to curse at me again…’

Secretary Yang was always declaring “Down with Director Tak.” He often said that every office worker should carry a resignation letter in their heart.

He was probably cursing non-stop today as well, dealing with the work left behind by Director Tak.

Even though it wasn’t Jinwoo who should feel sorry for Secretary Yang, he felt guilty.

‘I should buy him coffee next time.’

As Jinwoo clicked his tongue, Jingyeom watched the gathered protagonists again.

‘It would be fun if they all became idols.’

Even though he knew they couldn’t debut because of their age, it was a fun thought.

Usually, idol groups have a member who is in charge of looks, but with these three, it wouldn’t matter who took the center spot—they all had faces that could take it.

Moreover, their handsome features were all different. Their unique characteristics were so clear that they would attract various types of fans.

Despite his own situation, he wasn’t worried at all. Instead, he found it entertaining.

When else would he get to experience something like this?

Jingyeom smiled as Jinwoo moved closer.

“How are you feeling? Is anything hurting?”

“I feel great, and nothing hurts.”

“That’s good to hear.”

Jinwoo, sitting on the edge of the bed, cautiously spoke while looking into Jingyeom’s moist eyes.

“You can be discharged tomorrow… but I’d like you to stay in the hospital longer.”

“Why?”

“If I go back home, I’ll be alone.”

Seeing Jingyeom look at him as if wondering why that was a problem, Jinwoo smiled bitterly.

“…Honestly, I’m worried. Whether you can take care of your meals alone, or if something might happen when you’re by yourself.”

“I’m not a kid…”

Jingyeom pouted at being treated like a child.

Jinwoo couldn’t speak for a moment.

Even though it was said he had amnesia, it was still hard to believe. But seeing Jingyeom act differently from usual was gradually convincing him.

Jingyeom, noticing Jinwoo staring blankly at him, grabbed Jinwoo’s hand. When Jinwoo flinched and tried to pull away, Jingyeom held on tighter. The calloused hand showed signs of long-term hardship.

Jingyeom smiled as he spoke to Jinwoo, whose eyes trembled aimlessly.

“Is it because I can’t remember?”

“Huh?”

“You look sad. But it’s not my fault…”

Jinwoo shook his head as Jingyeom spoke cautiously.

“I know. It’s not your fault.”

Jinwoo forced a smile, looking like he was about to cry.

Jingyeom must be the most confused. Instead of offering comfort, he ended up being comforted. His heart fluttered for no reason.

When they were young, they used to play together often, share the same blanket, and fall asleep giggling and joking.

But at some point, a wall formed between them, leading to their current distant relationship.

Jinwoo’s hand flinched. Jingyeom’s gaze landed on his hand and then moved away.

“Yeah. It’s not my fault.”

“Right. …Do you want to go for psychotherapy?”

Jingyeom tapped Jinwoo’s hand with his fingers. It seemed like he had been hesitating to say that.

“What if I say I don’t want to go?”

“Then we won’t go.”

“Then I don’t want to go.”

After all, he hadn’t really lost his memory. He didn’t want to spend time and money on psychological counseling.

Already, Baek Jinwoo had given up his entire life to bear Baek Jingyeom’s hospital bills and luxury expenses, and to pay off the debt left by their father.

The only reason he was struggling to live through the harsh reality was because of Baek Jingyeom.

He had lived such a hard life, only to end up being manipulated by Tak Wonbeom and falling into his grasp. Moreover, even the secondary character, Sun Soohyuk, was far from normal.

Even if Sun Soohyuk didn’t directly harass Jinwoo, he played a significant role in isolating him.

Jingyeom felt sorry for Jinwoo, even while reading the novel. It was the same when he empathized with the character, but seeing him face-to-face made the feeling even stronger.

He didn’t want to burden Jinwoo, who was already confused by his twin brother’s amnesia, with financial strain.

“Is that okay?”

“…Yeah. Let’s not go.”

Jinwoo looked at the small, white hand over his own. He couldn’t remember the last time he had held this hand for no reason. His insides kept churning. If he stayed like this, he felt like he might actually cry.

“Did you forget that I’m even here?”

Lost in thought, Jinwoo turned at the sound of a voice from behind. Jingyeom blinked and looked at Wonbeom.

“No way. You’re so big.”

“Then why am I only seeing Secretary Baek’s back?”

“You shouldn’t ask me that. You’re the one looking.”

Jingyeom glanced at the two people talking to each other.

“You must be busy. Aren’t you leaving?”

“It’s not quitting time yet.”

Wonbeom didn’t seem to have any intention of leaving. His gaze was fixed on the hands of Jinwoo and Jingyeom, which were clasped together.

He had never seen them so close before…

He immediately wanted to separate them. It really bothered him.