Chapter 8: Family reunion after the meal
The nurse, startled by the bloodstains on my hospital gown, called a doctor, but after several tests, they confirmed nothing was wrong.
“If you feel any issues, please tell us. Your stomach must be upset. If you cough up blood again, let us know immediately.”
“I’m really fine.”
“…”
“Okay.”
And, once again, the meal was porridge.
“Porridge again?”
“Unnie, the doctor said your stomach’s delicate. It’s nutritional porridge, so let’s eat it, okay…?”
Eight meals of porridge over three days—unseasoned, meager portions. This is supposed to be food?
I’d rather prepare to die than eat more porridge.
“I want a proper meal today. Not porridge—I want galbitang…”
“What? No way, Unnie. That’ll upset your stomach.”
“I’m really fine… I know my body best. Isn’t there some way?”
If I could eat something hot and hearty, I’d pay any price. I haven’t had a decent meal in so long.
“I really can’t… It’ll hurt you…”
“It won’t. Look how healthy I am!”
Smiling brightly at my sister, she seemed to make a big decision and took out her phone.
“Fine, I’ll get it and say I’m eating it. For you, Unnie.”
“Oh, thanks!”
“But there’s a condition.”
“…A condition?”
I braced for something tough, but it wasn’t that bad.
“First, stop using formal speech. Even before you disappeared, you did that, and it feels so distant.”
“That’s easy enough.”
Not hard. I had a sibling in my past life too.
“Second, always take care of yourself. Seeing you cough up blood earlier broke my heart.”
“…”
That’s not too hard either, right? Just avoid mistakes.
“Can you keep those?”
“Sure, of course.”
“Casual speech.”
“…Of course.”
Satisfied, she smiled and left the room. Soon, she returned with steaming galbitang.
Finally, a real meal. Look at that hot, hearty goodness. Just seeing it makes my mouth water.
“If anyone interrupts this time, I’ll take them down with me.”
Couldn’t eat gukbap, couldn’t eat dumpling soup, only managed a piece of sandwich. I deserve happiness.
I opened the container and dumped in a ton of perilla powder. It was bland, so I sprinkled some salt to adjust, then added radish kimchi juice to finish the seasoning.
“This is perfect.”
Next, I added green onions, sprinkled pepper, and mixed in rice, creating the ultimate galbitang.
“Perfect.”
I scooped a spoonful, topped it with meat and a piece of radish kimchi, and took a big bite.
Slurp.
The sweet yet savory flavor hit, with a spicy kick teasing my tongue. The tender, melt-in-your-mouth meat danced, and the crisp radish kimchi sealed the deal.
“Delicious… I’m so happy.”
For the first time since becoming this body, I had a hearty meal. My full stomach washed away all the food-related stress.
As I finished, a nurse came to check my blood pressure and scolded me.
—
<Sister>
Waking up in the same hospital room as Unnie, I felt someone else’s presence as I got up.
“Who’s there?”
“You’ve worked hard till late. Thank you.”
“No big deal, I get enough overtime pay. By the way, there’s something you should know.”
The officer, with a serious face, began explaining Unnie’s condition.
“The criminal who tortured your sister likely didn’t feed her properly. The medical team says to look like that, she probably hasn’t eaten well for months.”
“So what happened to her?”
“Not eating properly naturally weakened her body. Her amnesia is likely a defense mechanism. Forgetting family might be because the criminal demanded information about you all.”
To think that my emotionless, machine-like sister gained emotions—how much pain did she endure? And how strong is her mind?
“I’ll head out. They said I could leave once the guardian woke up.”
“Thank you for your hard work.”
“No problem. Congrats on finding your sister, Evergreen.”
“?”
Before I could question it, the officer was already gone.
“He’s a viewer?”
Small world.
Shaking off the absurdity, I approached Unnie, lying like she was dead. Her face was pale, her hair dry, and her wrists so thin compared to before.
“What happened in those two years…?”
Losing all memories must mean she suffered immensely. Over time, she’ll regain them, willingly or not.
Is helping her remember the right thing? If she recalls painful memories first, she’ll suffer again.
“I don’t know, Unnie. What should I do?”
Before, she’d have given me a solution with her blank face, but now I had to figure it out myself.
“Ugh, I’m a bit tired. Maybe I’ll nap.”
I leaned down to rest, and a familiar hand started patting my head.
Pat pat.
‘Feels nice…’
Pat pat.
Wait, who’s patting me? Only Unnie ever did that. Realizing she was awake, I noticed my head was buried in something soft.
“A pillow? No, that’s not logical.”
Cautiously opening my eyes, I saw my head was on Unnie’s stomach.
“Hiyaaah?! Unnie?!”
Flustered, I couldn’t think straight, but she smiled warmly, still patting my head.
“You’re awake?”
“S-Sorry. How’s your body? Okay?”
“A bit hungry, but otherwise fine.”
Her smile was beautiful, despite her formal speech. It made me wonder if some memories lingered.
“Unnie? Can I ask something…?”
“Sure, anything.”
There might be memories. Her habits suggest it. The trauma from the criminal might be gone, but fragments of family memories could remain.
“You really don’t remember anything? Not even me?”
“Sorry, I don’t.”
I looked at her with hope, but she only confirmed her lack of memories.
“I don’t know who you are or who I am. All I know is the info on my ID and my house. Nothing else.”
Her melancholic words made me tear up.
“You really don’t remember? What happened to make you erase everything…?”
The officer said they shot the criminal on sight. He deserved it for killing three people and doing this to Unnie, but shouldn’t he have suffered more? Like Unnie did, or twice, three times as much.
As dark thoughts crept in, her gentle patting calmed me.
Pat pat.
“Your habit’s still there.”
“Maybe? Isn’t patting something cute just human instinct?”
Her calling me cute softened my expression.
“No, you always loved patting things. Every time I saw you, you were patting something.”
Patting a hedgehog was shocking, though. Swallowing nonsense, I asked again.
“Any memory fragments?”
“Nope, nothing.”
“I thought talking might spark something, but I guess not.”
It’s fine. We have time. Memories will return eventually. But should I want that? I don’t know.
“It’s okay. Living together, your memories will come back. Was Unnie emotional?”
Before she disappeared, she seemed like a machine from a movie or an android from a novel. Was she acting emotionless, or was she truly like that? I had to know.
She looked at me, bewildered.
“Are there people without emotions?”
So she was acting emotionless? Why? As I pondered, she suddenly coughed up blood.
“Empty… Urgh… Cough…”
Clutching her chest, she grimaced, blood staining her hand and gown.
“Unnie! Are you okay?!”
“I’m fine. Cough… Sorry, can you grab tissues?”
She’s not fine. Coughing that much blood isn’t normal, but she smiled faintly, trying to reassure me.
“Tissues? I’m getting a doctor!”
“It’s fine, really.”
“No, it’s not!”
I was about to run for a doctor—she looked like she might die—but her next words stopped me.
“It happens sometimes.”
“What?”
It’s not “sometimes.” She lied to reassure me earlier, so she’s probably hiding her pain.
Shocked by her words, her next question snapped me out of it.
“Sorry, one more question.”
“What?”
“Can you briefly tell me what I was like as a kid?”
If I tell her, will she remember? It seemed better to increase the chances, so I explained.
“You always had the same expression and lived a very disciplined life. Why?”
“Just wanted to know about myself.”
Is helping her remember right? Am I doing it for my own comfort? What if she recalls painful memories first? I worried but decided to focus on the present and shook off the unease.
“What time is it?”
“11:40. Why?”
“I’m hungry.”
Her sulky, depressed voice was… cute. The always-perfect, machine-like Unnie being sulky over hunger was adorable, and I almost patted her.
“Lunch is coming soon.”
“What’s the menu?”
“No idea, sorry.”
Right on cue, a nurse arrived with a tray. Seeing Unnie, she screamed and ran for a doctor.
“Kyaahhh! Doctor!”
She does look bad.
Feeling both affection and bitterness, I gave a wry smile at her gloomy expression.