Chapter 2

"Wake Menchie up, Jethro! I told her to get ready early because my boyfriend is coming!"

I could hear the irritated voice of a woman who sounded to be in her 30's. My consciousness stirred awake because of the noise.

"Hey! Hey! Your mom said wake up! Hey!"

I felt my body being shaken, and that was when I fully regained my senses. As I opened my eyes, I stared blankly at a young man who looked about 23–24 years old.

"H-Huh?" I uttered in confusion.

"What do you mean, huh? Your mom said get up. She’s been taking her frustration out on me in the living room. I should’ve just come later instead of this. Get up now. Hurry."

My mind and body felt disconnected. It was as if I didn’t belong here.

"Menchie, what is it now?! Stand up or I’ll throw this broom at your face!" a woman threatened from outside. Who is she?

"S-Sorry?" I asked weakly.

The woman seemed startled and glanced at the young man who had woken me earlier.

"Where am I?" I asked them.

"Menchie—"

"Menchie? Who’s Menchie?" I asked again.

"What? What's happening to Menchie? Does she have amnesia?" the young man asked the lady.

"I-I don’t know. Menchie, don't make prank on us. Get up already," the woman warned.

"I-I am Menchie?" I asked again.

They didn’t answer me. Instead, I looked at myself. My hands looked smaller and my skin looked younger. Even my feet were different.

Wait, where am I?

I don’t even know these people.

In panic, I abruptly got off the narrow bed and rushed toward the mirror. When I saw my reflection, I could barely breathe.

W-Who am I?!

Whose body is this?!

I touched my face, my hair, even my body to make sure what I was seeing was real. I even pinched myself and felt the pain.

"No. No. No. No..." I whispered to my reflection as I stepped backward. I'm not this girl!

"Menchie, what’s going on with you?" said the young man, Jethro.

"This isn’t me... this isn’t me!..." I kept muttering to myself as I trembled in fear.

"Menchie, what are you talking about? You don’t even have a fever. Why are you acting like this?" the woman asked.

"D-Don’t touch me! Don’t touch me!" I cried as I avoided both of them.

"Jethro, call a driver. Hurry," the woman ordered, and the young man rushed outside.

"Stop! No! T-This isn’t me! No!"

I grew hysterical, and my body weakened once more. I didn’t even realize what happened next as everything faded to black.

I SLOWLY WOKE UP and saw a white ceiling. Where am I now? Am I back?

"She's awake."

The woman and the young man quickly went to my side. My eyes widened again, thinking I had finally escaped this situation.

"Stay away from me! Don’t touch me! I wanna find where my husband is!" I struggled against their hold.

Soon after, a nurse hurried over and injected something into me. Gradually, I became calm, tears streaming down my face because I wanted to see my husband.

"Doctor, why is my daughter like this? What’s happening to her?" the woman, Melanie... asked.

I'm her daughter?

"Your daughter’s body is fine. Perhaps she’s acting this way because of stress. We need to let her rest first so it subsides, then we’ll run more tests," the doctor explained.

"T-Thank you, doctor."

When the doctor left, Jethro and Melanie approached me again. The woman held my hand, tears in her eyes.

"Menchie, why are you like this? I don’t understand what’s happening to you."

I remained silent.

"Menchie, you really don’t remember us? It’s me, Jethro. I’m your childhood friend," the young man introduced himself. "She’s your mom. Her name is Melanie."

"Be quiet, Jethro. My daughter knows me," the woman cut him off.

How is he my childhood friend?

How is the woman in front of me my mother?

What is happening?

Tears fell from my eyes because it felt like I was living in another world. What happened to me?

Instead of thrashing around and wasting my strength, I chose to stay quiet. Melanie and Jethro took care of me. They tried to talk to me about the past, but I couldn’t remember a single thing they mentioned.

If I keep acting like this, they might send me to a mental hospital?

I want to find my husband. I want to find my entire family.

And my daughter, Astrid.

I ONLY STAYED three days in the hospital before we were allowed to go home. Jethro still supported me as we walked. Even though I didn’t fully know them yet, my instincts told me they were kind people.

"You need to rest, okay?" Jethro said as he neatly arranged my bed. "There."

"T-Thank you, Jethro," I said. It was the first time I had spoken to him calmly.

"You’re welcome. You know, even though I want to tease you, I can’t since you just got out of the hospital. And you even thanked me like.... seriously?" he joked.

"H-Huh?" I asked, confused.

"Nothing. We’ll talk soon when you feel good. It’s better if you just rest for now," he said and about to leave, though it seemed he still wanted to add something. "Oh right, Your mom went out for a date with her boyfriend. She said once you’re okay, you’ll go to his big house to meet him. You know, Menchie, Your mom is so lucky. Aside from being kind, the guy is also very rich!"

I simply gave him a faint smile in response. I didn’t know them, so my reaction was blank.

"Thank you for taking care of me, Jethro," I added softly.

He smiled at me before leaving me alone in the room.