SBTGC 06

Chapter 06

The evening of the third day since I was hospitalized. The doctors came to my private room. It was when my parents had stepped out for a moment, saying they would go home and come back.

Why did I say ‘doctors’? Because two people entered the room, and both were wearing white gowns.

A tall, well-built man and a woman.

They looked so young that the word ‘student’ suited them better than ‘university hospital doctor’. If they hadn’t been wearing gowns, I wouldn’t have thought they were doctors.

But… why are they here at this hour? It’s too late for rounds.

Is it okay to talk without a guardian? Or did they already speak with my parents first?

“Ms. Myeong Se-na.”

Just as I was about to get lost in thought, the female doctor who approached me spoke first.

“Are you alright?”

The two standing tall looked down at me at the same time. Even though it was a trivial question, I don’t know why I felt like I was being interrogated.

“Yes. I’m fine…”

“No particular pain anywhere?”

“Yes.”

“Your voice came out fine when you regained consciousness, too? And your mobility is comfortable?”

“Uh… Yes.”

The male doctor diligently wrote something on the device he brought.

*Do they record things with that these days? It’s completely different from yesterday.*

Meanwhile, the female doctor’s questions continued.

“Ms. Myeong Se-na, could you tell us about the situation at the time of the accident?”

“…Pardon?”

I asked back, not understanding for a moment. The situation at the time of the accident?

“At the time of the accident.”

As if to be considerate of me, the female doctor continued in an even more distinct pronunciation.

“Last Sunday at 11:52 PM. Ms. Myeong Se-na was on the last bus heading home, and there were a total of five passengers including you. And exactly 10 minutes later, at the intersection, a vehicle that ran a red light struck the side of the bus you were on.”

“……”

“It was a very major accident, with two people dying on the scene.”

The female doctor explained the situation of that day as if she had been there herself.

The male doctor standing beside her remained silent until then. He only diligently wrote something on the device.

Whether it was because I thought they didn’t seem like doctors, or because I was at a loss for words, I just blankly listened to what was being said.

“You remember, don’t you?”

The female doctor asked. Only then did I slowly nod, and at the same time, feeling a sense of wonder, I cautiously spoke up.

“But if it’s about the situation at the time of the accident… it seems you already know quite a bit. What more are you trying to ask me…”

“Ah.”

The female doctor smiled brightly. Her rabbit-like front teeth stood out between her lips.

“What I’m asking is about what happened after that. In other words, from your perspective at that time, Ms. Se-na!”

It didn’t take long to grasp what she meant.

“For example… memories of spending that day somewhere else, perhaps?”

“…!”

*What?*

“Oh. From your expression, it seems I’m right!”

Seeing me at a loss for words, the female doctor clapped her hands.

“But you haven’t told anyone about this, have you, Ms. Se-na? Maybe you couldn’t tell if it was a dream or reality, or maybe you just didn’t want to talk about it…”

“……”

“The doctor who came before didn’t exactly ask about this kind of thing, right? To be honest, it’s normal to ask a patient how their body is doing, but it’s not normal to ask what they experienced and where they’ve been…”

At that point, the male doctor standing beside her tapped the female doctor’s arm.

The female doctor glared at the male doctor for a moment, then saw his gaze and said, “Oops,” relaxing her expression.

“Ah. How do I know this? Lately, quite a few similar cases have been coming up! Often seen in patients who temporarily lost consciousness due to major shock… Yes! That’s it. I didn’t mean Ms. Se-na was abnormal. Hahah, haha…”

The female doctor awkwardly evaded the subject.

I mulled over what I had just heard, then timidly asked about what bothered me.

“Then does that mean there’s something wrong with my head right now…”

“No! No! Absolutely not! That’s not what I meant at all. I told you. I didn’t mean you were abnormal. Ms. Se-na is perfectly, perfectly fine! From now on, no doubting yourself!”

Making an X with her hands, the female doctor finally wrapped up her words.

“Anyway. We thought it was necessary to confirm. Whether our guess is correct.”

*You need to confirm if your guess is correct?*

To be honest, there’s only one answer I can give to that question. But the reason I can’t readily answer is, after all, because I don’t feel like it.

Because I don’t want to admit that it was something that ‘really’ happened.

“…I’m sorry.”

I’m sorry, but I can’t help it.

“I don’t remember anything right now.”

Because I decided to treat that day as if it never happened.

The doctors showed no particular reaction. The male doctor scribbled something else on the device, and the female doctor slowly nodded her head, then smiled, showing her teeth like before.

“I see. Understood.”

…That’s unexpected. Giving up so easily?

But there was no sign of suspicion or disappointment in the female doctor’s expression. On the contrary, she even looked relieved, as if she had heard the answer she wanted.

“Sorry for suddenly coming at such a late hour, Ms. Se-na. Thank you for answering diligently.”

The female doctor waved her hand cheerfully. The male doctor, who had been standing silently, also nodded without a word.

I accepted their greetings with a bewildered face.

*Diligent? I didn’t answer that diligently.*

“Please get plenty of rest.”

After giving their kind regards, the doctors quickly left the room.

As if a storm had passed, silence fell all around.

I stared blankly at the closed hospital room door.

As I did, a thought suddenly crossed my mind. A question I would have been better off asking a little earlier.

“……”

*But those doctors just now.*

*Did they have name tags?*

A few days later, I was discharged from the hospital with my parents.

I thought I had lazed around enough at the hospital, but only after coming home did I finally feel at ease. It seemed my mind hadn’t been resting even while my body was. My parents, who realized that before I did, emphasized rest at every opportunity.

“For the time being, don’t do anything and just rest well. Don’t go looking for unnecessary stress. Got it?”

*The doctor didn’t say that, though. My body is actually more fine than expected…*

But perhaps because of the guilt as a child who had caused them worry, I agreed with my parents’ opinion.

In fact, since I was in a state of being unemployed with nothing to do, feeling guilty about doing nothing, normally I would have checked for replies from places I’d sent resumes to or looked for other positions… but eventually I gave up even that and just stayed home.

When hungry, I ate; when sleepy, I slept; when bored, I played my favorite games.

<On the count of three, you run immediately.>

Aside from occasionally having nightmares about that day, peaceful time passed.

And a week later, on a weekday afternoon when my parents had gone to work as usual.

After finishing cleaning the house, I prepared to go out for the first time in a while. I thought I’d go to a nearby café and do some reading, since I’d been cooped up at home too much.

I put on a beige padded jacket over my tracksuit, slung on my bag, and left the house. The weather had gotten as cold as winter a few days ago, so if I wanted to avoid freezing, I had to wear a padded jacket.

As I left the apartment complex, I reviewed the route.

Let’s see. I heard that if I take the bus and get off at a certain stop, there’s a place with good scones.

There were a few people scattered at the bus stop in front of the house. I squeezed between them and checked the bus arrival time.

Oh. Fortunately, it arrives in 5 minutes…

Tap.

Just as I was thinking that far.

A tall shadow was cast over me.

“Ms. Myeong Se-na.”

Along with a suspiciously familiar voice.

“……”

My gaze froze on the timetable in that instant. Not just my gaze, but my entire body stiffened in that position.

A voice that sent chills down my spine. And an atmosphere that was piercingly sharp.

<I’ll come find you soon.>

The nightmare-like memories I had tried so hard to bury came crashing down like a broken dam at just that one call.

The one who had put a gun to my forehead…

<Wait until then.>

A black skull mask.

“Ms. Myeong Se-na.”

…That crazy bastard.

It’s that crazy bastard from back then.

Only then did I slowly turn my gaze. I was still scared, but I wanted to confirm anyway. Whether this was a hallucination created by the aftermath of the accident, or whether it was real reality.

My eyes, turned sideways, traced up his tall body from the bottom.

Black suit pants. An even blacker, shiny black coat. Black leather gloves. A pure white shirt collar, the only thing that stood out in his Grim Reaper-like attire.

And on top of that, a black skull mask.

The man from my nightmares was standing beside me, looking down at me.