CHAPTER 21 #2
Aidan noticed the bitterness in Min-Jun’s voice and bit the inside of his cheek. He looked down on his joined hands that rested on his knees and took a deep breath.
Even when he doesn’t remember me, he’s mad at me. Subconsciousness does wonders. Or is he lying that he doesn’t know who I am?
“I guess I just want to be with you. I missed you,” Aidan admitted, hoping it would soften Min-Jun’s heart a bit.
“Who are you to miss me?” Min-Jun only briefly glanced at him but didn’t hold his gaze. His voice wavered and Aidan caught a glimpse of sadness in Min-Jun’s eyes.
He knows me, doesn’t he?
Aidan opened and closed his mouth. Indeed, who were they to each other? What were they? What was he to Min-Jun except his boss and someone who fucked him? Aidan swallowed thickly while searching for an answer.
“So even you don’t know?” Min-Jun asked and shook his head.
Aidan rubbed his hands together, which began to sweat. “I… I’m someone who deeply cares about you,” he said with a trembling voice as well. As he looked at Min-Jun’s profile, he could swear that he saw him frown.
The young man still avoided looking at him and added, “Is that so?”
“I wouldn’t be here if that wasn’t the case. Believe me.”
“Hm…”
“And I’m the one who hurt you a lot,” Aidan added and saw Min-Jun's fingers tremble.
“If that’s the case, then you should leave, sir.” Min-Jun grabbed the small device and covered the button with his thumb ready to press it.
“No.” Aidan panicked. “I’m not the one who brought you to the hospital. I did… other hurtful things.”
Min-Jun said, his voice laced with irony, “That sounds even worse.”
“I want to apologize for everything, but you don’t even remember–”
“You’re right. I don’t remember,” Min-Jun cut him off, and hid his face with his hand.
“If you remember one day, I want you to know that I’m sorry. About everything.” Aidan’s heart squeezed.
“In that case, I hope I won’t remember.”
Aidan bit his lips and looked away. “No matter if you remember or not, just know that I… I…”
“I don’t care, sir. Goodbye,” Min-Jun said and pressed the button.
Aidan just stared at him with a lump in his throat. Min-Jun still refused to look at him, and Aidan wished he could say something more, to voice how he felt. But he couldn’t bring himself to do it.
I love you.
The nurse entered and looked at both of them. “Mr. Han. Do you need anything?”
“I need this man to leave,” Min-Jun gasped out.
“No need to repeat. I’m going.” Aidan rose to his feet and stormed out of the room as fast as his legs could carry him.
_
“Are you okay, honey?” the nurse asked one more time, but Min-Jun didn’t look up at her.
“Don’t let him in my room again.” He sniffed and wiped his eyes with the sleeve.
“Did he do something?”
“No… Not this time.” Min-Jun shook his head and looked out of the window.
“Do you remember him?”
Min-Jun nodded. “I do.”
“Oh…” Her look softened and she sat at the edge of the bed. “Did you split up or something?”
Min-Jun turned to her, confused. “S-split up?”
“I mean your engagement?” the nurse asked and checked his health record.
Min-Jun’s eyes widened, and he blinked a few times. “Our what?”
She raised her eyebrows. “Wasn’t he your fiancé?”
Min-Jun’s mouth hung open. “He told you he’s my fiancé?”
“Yes. This is why I thought he… You know?”
“No.” Min-Jun lowered his gaze and stared at his lap as his cheeks heated.
Why would he say that? Because he could visit me, or what?
“Well, honey, I don’t know what happened between you two, but he looked very much concerned while you were… sleeping.”
Min-Jun shook his head. “It doesn’t matter. It’s too late for him to care about me.” He didn’t look up at the nurse and clenched his fists when the tears gathered in his eyes again.
***
The following day Aidan came into the hospital as usual. He came across one of the nurses, stopped her and asked, “How’s Min-Jun?”
The nurse turned to face him. “He is doing good.”
“Can you let me see him?”
“I’ll ask him. Wait here.” The nurse headed to Min-Jun’s room and left Aidan waiting. It didn’t take long before she came back.
“I’m sorry.” The nurse shook her head. “Mr. Han doesn’t want to see you.”
“Are you sure?”
She nodded. “Yes. He just told me that.”
Aidan was left standing in the middle of the hallway. He looked around when a thought struck him; Min-Jun must remember me. There is no other explanation for him to act this way. I’ll try again tomorrow.
But tomorrow was the same and so were the days after that.
Aidan returned home on the tenth day, his shoulders dropped, and his eyes vacant.
He pulled out his phone and looked at Elena’s number.
He needed to talk to someone but didn’t know who the best person for this kind of conversation could be other than her.
After a moment of hesitation, he tapped the screen and dialed her number.
“Aidan…” He heard her surprised tone and realized he didn’t know what to say to her.
“Any news about Min-Jun?” Elena added after a while.
Aidan took a deep breath and shook his head. He ran a hand over his face and said, “He’s recovering. But he doesn’t want to see me.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.”
“I miss him… But I think I lost him.” Aidan bit his tongue.
“Don’t say that. He just needs more time.” Elena said with a cheerful tone. “Don’t give up so easily.”
“I’m not giving up. I’m just being realistic.” Aidan clenched his jaw and looked down the empty hallway. The loneliness he felt lately overwhelmed him.
Min-Jun doesn’t want to see him, and he doesn’t want to see his mother.
The irony of these things made Aidan frown.
Should he forgive Elena? Or at least try to?
He checked all the information he got about her, and her claims turned out to be true.
Aidan wished he could let her back into his life, but he was still torn about it.
“Can you come over?” he heard himself say knowing he still couldn’t trust his own judgment.
“If you want me to.”
Do I really want that?
He bit the inside of his cheek; that was still his mother. “Please, come over.”