*Long flashback*

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XIUMIN

I just finished the call with my Heechul appa.

I really miss him.

He's been my father, mother, brother and friend since I woke up from...

(FLASHBACK 6 MONTHS AGO)

Aaah my throat hurts.

My head feels like breaking.

I opened my eyes but all I could see is the white ceiling.

"Urghh..."

What's happening?

Why can't I even speak a word?

I tried moving but I can't.

"Oh My God! You're awake! Stay still. I will call your doctor."

I don't know who it was but I heard the door open and close.

My sight is blurry at times that I have to blink multiple times to adjust.

The door once again opened.

Then a woman, the doctor did a lot of checking.

"Sorry but you have to endure your thirst for now. We need to make sure everything's okay before giving you anything to eat or drink."

The doctor explained.

I closed my eyes.

What's wrong with me?

Why am I in a hospital?

"Don't think too much and force yourself to speak."

The door once again opened revealing a man with red hair.

"XIUMIN?! XIUMIN! ARE YOU OKAY NOW? DOCTOR, WHAT'S WRONG WITH HIM? HE'S FINE RIGHT?!"

The red-haired guy bombarded.

"Slow down. He'll be fine but we have to finish the tests and examinations to make sure."

"Shin Hye-ah, please make sure he's fine. He's all I got now."

"Oppa, don't worry too much. I'll do my best."

They both looked at me but my head just hurts more.

"Who...who are you?"

I managed to ask.

Both seemed to be shocked and the red-haired guy stood there frozen.

"Hey, I'm your doctor. Do you not know him?"

"N-no...I...I can't remember anything. I just...Aaahhh!!!"

Images started flashing in my mind.

"It hurts! It hurts! Please stop!!!"

I couldn't bear the pain.

Xiumin...Xiumin...stay here, Xiumin...

The voice keeps repeating the name Xiumin.

Everything else is blurry.

I can see a man with no face...with me?

"Xiumin. Calm down. Don't think too much. Nurse! Get me the syringe and the drugs!"

"Shin Hye! What's going on? What's wrong? He's hurting! Do something!"

Felt a sharp pain on my left arm then I felt dizzy.

What's going on? I can't move.

"I'm sorry but I drugged you to sleep. You need to relax...Xiumin."

Xiumin?

Is that my name?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"He'll be fine. This might help him as well."

"I don't know. I don't really know."

"Oppa, you know what you have to do."

"Urghh..."

I groaned. They stopped talking and looked at me.

"You're awake."

The doctor smiled at me.

"I'm Shin Hye, your doctor. Everything's fine. You can eat your dinner later."

I looked at the guy staring at me.

He looks familiar but I can't remember.

"Who are you?"

SILENCE.

"Is my name...Xiumin?"

"Ne. Xiumin."

The guy spoke and walked towards my bed.

"And I...I'm your father."

"Father?"

So that's why I felt the connection to him.

"I...I'm sorry...I'm sorry...sorry I couldn't protect you."

The guy- my father started crying.

"Sshh, it's not your fault. No one wants to happen it. The car accident..."

The doctor comforted my father.

"Car accident?"

"Yes, you were in a car accident. You hurt your head severely. That's why you have an amnesia."

"Can...can I get my memory back?"

Doctor Shin Hye looked at my father.

"You can. But that will take time. It could be months or even years. Don't force yourself remembering, you will just hurt yourself."

"Ap...Appa..."

My father kneeled down and held my hand.

"I...I remember...where's Omma and dongsaeng?"

He looked at me shocked.

"You remember them?"

"No...but I know I have a younger sister. Where are they appa?"

Appa never answered me till the day I got discharged.

"So Xiumin-ah, Remember everything I told you. Heechul oppa will be guiding you too. I will visit you every Saturday and take your meds, okay?"

Shin Hye noona reminds me of the things I need to do.

I got used to her after the 2nd day of my awakening.

Turned out, I had been in a coma for a month, after the accident.

I stayed in the hospital for a week after waking up to make sure everything's fine.

Appa never left my side. He only leaves to buy some food or get some clothes at home when Shin Hye noona stays in my room.

He's a bit overprotective.

It was weird.

I often see some men in suits walking around and somewhat like guarding around my room.

Heh! Just like the manga books I read.

Oh, yeah I remember I like reading manga books.

"Xiumin-ah!"

Heechul appa called.

"I know it's really boring in the hospital so I prepared a surprise for you at home."

"Really? What is it appa?"

"You'll see. Now get in."

Appa drove. It was a 30-minute commute but I was so excited to mind the silent ride.

"Here we are. Welcome home, Xiumin."

I stared in awe.

"We live here?"

Appa chuckled and honks the car.

The big gate slowly opened.

"We're this rich?"

"Of course! All of these are mine and yours now."

"Get off the car now, I might have to tour you around the house-"

"This isn't a house! This is a fucking mansion!"

"Alright, I know it's fucking awesome but let's not curse too much."

I chuckled at my father's remark.

We entered the mansion.

It was very impressive outside and inside is much more than that.

"Come on. I'll show you to your room first. Have a rest before the tour."

We took the stairs and there, the 2nd floor, has 4 doors along the hallway.

At then is another door, looking like a terrace.

"That door and the end is my room. It's the biggest one actually. The 2nd your library. And this room we're facing now is your room. It is separated from your library since you got quite of a collection in there."

I just listen to appa as he introduces the rooms.

"And the last door next to the terrace is the entertainment room. We have musical instruments there, a small studio, game room inside and other things. See for yourself."

He finishes and smiled at me.

"So we're really this rich appa."

He once again chuckled and taps my shoulder.

"I'll be downstairs. I'll have the maids prepare our lunch."

He then left me looking at enchanting designs and paintings on the wall.

"I should check my room first."

I excitedly opened the door.

"WHOAH!"

Everything's looking awesome inside.

I have my own bathroom. Walk-in closet filled with branded clothes and a great and latest collection of shoes.

"Are these all mine?"

I asked myself touching the clothes and shoes.

I even have a laptop and own TV.

There's another door.

"What's this door for?"

I slowly opened the door and revealed the library.

"Holy shit! Is this my library? OMG! Those are my favorite manga books and collections!"

I entered the library completely out of excitement.

"So my room is connected to this one. Cool!"

"I didn't know I had this much of books. Wow, these are original copies!"

I keep walking around looking at the books, magazines and everything inside when appa called me.

"Xiumin-ah, come downstairs. Lunch is ready!"

"Yes, appa!"

I shouted back.

Seems like we need to shout from time to time within this big mansion.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

While we were eating lunch, I started asking appa a lot of questions.

He answered all of them that's why I got to know more about me and my life.

I am Xiumin, Kim Minseok.

"Appa, if my name is Minseok why are you calling me Xiumin?"

"Aaah you're really curious about everything. That's your nickname. I gave it to you because it sounds cool. People are also more familiar with that name of yours."

That's why I am Xiumin.

I am 15 turning 16 this March.

I stopped school because of the accident.

Appa is a businessman. He travels a lot.

He's the CEO of one of the biggest companies here.

He said his business is about technology, IT.

I don't know much about business and not interested in it so I didn't ask more questions.

We finished eating and decided to watch some movies in the living room.

"Appa, how many maids do you have?"

"We have 10 maids in total, they do all the cleaning, cooking, laundry and other things in this house."

"Appa, I've been wondering about the guys outside. I know your driver but why are there other guys in suits outside?"

"They're my bodyguards."

"Bodyguards? Is someone-"

"Relax. Every businessman needs to have at least a bodyguard. And soon, I'll get you some bodyguards as well."

"What? You don't have to appa. I can protect myself."

"Okay, I know you're good at taekwondo but that doesn't mean I will not get you guards."

"But appa..."

"Listen to me, I will do anything to protect you Xiumin. I will not let..."

"Where's omma and my dongsaeng?"

I cut him off. He froze.

"Appa..."

"Get some rest."

"No. since the day I woke up and asked you this question appa...you never answered me. It hurts. It hurts that I can't remember them. I can't remember my mom's face and name. I can't remember my sister's name."

SILENCE.

"I don't know what happened to them. And I really wanted to ask you why don't we have any photos in this house? Why don't I see a single photo of us, of them? Why do I see a lot of paintings but not a photo of my family?!"

"I see. You're as observant as him."

He smiled bitterly.

"What? Who?"

"Xiumin, your mom and sister..."

He took out his wallet and picked a small photo out of it.

He handed me the photo.

It's them, us.

Appa is standing next to another guy. Then a woman carrying a little girl. And then me holding my appa's hand.

"A...appa."

"That's us. That guy...is my brother. That's your mom and sister Sohee."

I can't take my eyes off of the photo.

So this is how they look like.

My appa looks very similar like my uncle, his brother.

"They...the accident."

I understand now.

"Why? Appa why?"

I started crying.

"Why did I survive and they can't?"

"Please don't say that. We were supposed to meet that day. It was my arrival from overseas after a business trip."

I can clearly see appa trying to stop his tears.

"I asked my brother to get you and meet me at the airport."

I'm choking on tears.

"On your way, a...a truck hit the car you were in. You were in the backseat while your mom was carrying Sohee. My brother was driving. Then everything resulted to this."

My father finally lets his tears fall.

"I'm sorry."

That's all I could say.

What an unfortunate fate do we have?

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We got a long flashback here so I guess we have to continue this in the next chapter (5).

Annyeong!