I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw him there. All I could do is be cold to him. What was I thinking? After all this time that's all, I could say. I cried and cried as I reach the car. I let the snow fall on me as I laid on the ground. I only thought about what would be good for me; I only thought of my feelings. I thought that maybe this could end us and a way for me to get better. I am still sick. Grandpa only found a temporary fix for me with the research that Alejandro's mom did. I had no family, no friends with me, no one. Alejandro leaving me did not make it any better My tears become frozen on my face as I cry. I try to stand up but it's difficult when I try to get up myself. I always have Grandpa to help me. Why is he taking so long? He's probably moving slower than a snail. I can do this though. I grab one of the crutches to help myself pick up the other side of my body. I finally stand up but then I stand on a slippery piece of ice on the ground and slop. I bump my head against the car extremely hard and slip back. I hit my head on the ground even harder. My head shocks me with sharp pain. It stings. This is a feeling I haven't felt for a while. I touch my head to see if I am in any serious pain. Oh no. I am bleeding. I take off my jacket and hold it over my head. Grandpa gets here quick.
20 minutes later.
"Gwen!" I see him run to me "What did I tell you about picking yourself up without something to hold on to or me?"
"I'm sorry," I say as my mouth shivers.
"No, don't say that. We have to get you to a hospital," He takes off his jacket and puts it on me.
"No. No hospital." I hate hospitals. I giggle inside.
"But your bleeding. A lot. What exactly do?"
"I bumped my head and fell back." At least that's what I remember.
"I have an idea, we can take you to Aunt Areum," I nod my head in agreement. Aunt Areum is a doctor. He pulls bandages from his trunk and wraps them around my head. He helps me up and plays me in the car "Stay sitting like this if you lay down, you will lose more blood," He gets in the driver's seat and drives out. I see a man run behind the car through the rearview mirror. It's a tall Korean man. He is young.
"Gwen," He yells. Me? Why is he yelling my name? I don't know why that stranger is calling me.
"Grandpa why is that man yelling my name?"
"Who?"
"Look behind us," He moves his attention to the rearview mirror.
"You don't know him?"
"No. Do you?"
"You don't remember, Alejandro?"
"Alejandro? I don't know anyone by that name." I chuckle. Grandpa doesn't say anything and speeds up the pace of the car.
"Do you know what caused you to be in this condition?"
"Because I fell?" I laugh at these questions he's asking.
"Who are you?"
"Really Grandpa? I am Gwen Rio," I yawn. The mountain must have been a lot of work to climb up. I look outside at the beautiful snow. It makes me feel at peace.
"Open your eyes, Gwen. You can not close your eyes okay?" I stare at him confused.
"Grandpa it's not that serious," I close my eyes ignoring him as he calls me again. "It's just a short nap until we get to Aunt Areum's house." For some reason, I don't feel right. I feel not right as if something is wrong. I don't seem to know what it is though. I have no clue. I get an idea "Grandpa we should go back to Seoul after I get stitches and we can go to a Karaoke room. Maybe invite Rosaline to join and others" I jump up thinking of the idea. I have never been to a Karaoke room.
"If that's what you want sure," He says as we reach Aunt Areum's house. We park in her driveway. Grandpa quickly gets out and helps me get out of the car. I am starting to feel dizzy He carries me to Aunt Areum's door and presses the doorbell. Aunt Areum comes outside.
"Alejandro?" She turns her head to me, "Gwen, what's wrong?" She rushes close to me and helps Grandpa put me on a bed.
"She bumped her head and she forgot about L.S. and about her being a T.T." What do those abbreviations mean? It must be an old people thing.
"Could it be that she has mem-"
"Again?"
"That can't be. I traveled. If you know what I mean. It said nothing about her losing it again"
"Maybe it's changing. You can't change time. But for now, let's worry about the present," Aunt Areum walks to me and takes the bandages off my head slightly. She grabs her flashlight. She turns it on and pointing it at the top of my head. Grandpa hands her more bandages.
"What do you see?"
"She has a deep cut but not serious but it could be something internally that happened. I have an MRI scanner downstairs to see"
"Ok," They pick me up and take me downstairs. I am laid on the MRI scanner bed.
"Nothing hurts right?"
"Just a little"
"Where?"
"Just where I got hurt. Feels like more of a bruise." Just places her hand on my forehead.
"Ok, no fever. Your good," She presses a button and I begin entering the machine. I've never been in one of these. I am a healthy person and I have no problems, that's why. This is exciting. I close my eyes when I hear a peep come from the machine. The peeping noise stops ad the bed begins to move forward. It must be done. I open my eyes again and stand up. Grandpa helps me stand handing me my crutches.
"Slowly," He says as we walk up the stairs. I lay back on the bed. "Just rest for now," Grandpa says. Aunt Areum places bandages around my head.
"Just keep these on your head. Tomorrow we can do the stitching. It's late now"
"Good night," I say and now I am left in the room myself. I don't feel tired anymore. I have to do something. I grab my phone and look for a flight. I put on an orange beanie inside my bag that I forgot I had. I jump out of the window and head to the Jeju International Airport. I'll see you in a bit.
I am finally here. I am here in Seoul South Korea. I have to go somewhere. I don't know why exactly. But like I said I feel as if something is wrong with me. This sense I have to go to this place is making me anxious and happy at the same time. First I need to get my red Camaro from a hospital. I don't know why it is there but that's where I remember it last. Grandpa said that is where it was at least. I haven't driven for a while. One of the legs is broken but I am sure I can drive with one. I take a taxi. When I reach the hotel I see my car parked at the corner of the parking lot. The keys are in my bag he always said. I unlock my car and get in slowly. I put one crutch in the passenger seat and with the other, I help myself in. I turn the car on. I missed the sound of the motor of this car running. I put the address in the GPS. I put in the address to the hotel. I check the time. I still have time. I have to be there before gets married. That young man. If I don't get there on time, I am going to have to crash the wedding. It's 30 minutes from here. I don't think I would be able to get there on time. Why did they decide to do the wedding the day before? Ugh, So annoying. I giggle to myself. I need to stop talking to myself. On my way there I put my favorite music on. I am in a rush. The cars on the road don't help. At least I have to get there before they say their 'I do's'. There is something about the way that man called my name, it's like I have heard that voice before. The way he looked, it's as if I have known that face for a long time. It is as if a rope is pulling me, pulling me to him. I don't know why. I don't remember him in my life at all. I reach the hotel. There is a sign that says 'Alejandro Park's and Chae-m Choi's wedding parking.' Yup, that's the one. I enter the parking for the wedding. I am surprised there wasn't any security. I parked my car. There is no one coming out of their cars. Everything is filled. There is barely any space for any more vehicles. I quickly park the car and run inside the hotel.
"Hello. I am wondering where the wedding of Alejandro Park and Chae-m Choi is?" I ask the attendant next to the entrance door.
"Go all the way down the hall and when you reach the last door on the left that's where it is," She looks at her clock "The wedding already began so you might be lat-" Before she finishes I sprint to the end of the fall. I can't let that man get married to someone else. It's crazy how I want to stop someone's wedding, ruin someone's future only because I have a gut feeling to be with this man. It's similar to the feeling of love or at least what I heard of it. I never fell in love. Therefore I wouldn't know. I place my head against the door to hear what is going on. I hear their vowels being said. I can't do this. My heart is extremely beating fast that I can hear it in my ears. Gwen, you got this, I say to myself. Right before I hear the 'I do's' I barge in.
"Stop," I yell. My voice echoes all in the huge room with dining tables and their ornaments along with people sitting at them. However now everyone's attention is on me. I see that man at the end of the path holding hands with a beautiful woman, that must be Chae-m. I shouldn't be doing this but I have to. I run full speed down the path without any more second thoughts. I reach for the man's arm and grab his sleeve and run down the path.
"Gwen, what are you doing?" He says as we leave the hotel still at full speed. I left my crutches in my car. I didn't care if something hurt because this felt like it matters more.
"Just be quiet and run." The hotel was close to a place called Bukhansan National Park which was hidden so no one could capture him. We walk up the stairs, run down paths, and lastly climb up rocks which is supposedly a sidewalk.
"Why do we have to walk up all these rocks?"
"It looked fun," I laugh. I throw myself on the rocks.
"I'm a little confused...Yesterday you told me we shouldn't meet each other again"
"I said that?" I laugh, "No way...that sounds too mean. That is not like me. I'll have you know I could never be a cold person" He looks at me weirdly "Why are you looking at me like that?" I cover my mouth with my jacket.
"You just took me out of my own wedding"
"Sorry. I felt like I should have"
"What do you mean you should have?"
"I mean I don't know exactly who you are but I had a feeling that I had to take you out of the wedding. I don't even know your name"
"Alejandro?"
"I don't like this attitude," I pout.
"What do you mean?" He is colder than ice.
"You are no fun"
"It's not my fault. You are the one who dragged me out." I look at the sky.
"You're right. Maybe I shouldn't have gone with my gut."
"What do you mean by that?"
"I don't know what it was. But I had a weird feeling about you like I had to..." I reach out "...just to be with you...sorry that sounds weird," I chuckle.
"You are really someone that says sorry a lot"
"How do you know? What are you? Stalker?"
"No"
"Mhm," I say even though I am just playing with him.
"I don't know who you are because you are not the Gwen I know but I have to go back to my wedding," He gets up.
"Don't go," I have that feeling again "I don't why but just don't go," His eyes water. He walks towards me.
"Why?" So many questions.
"Just let's go," I grab his sleeve and I lead him down the rocks. "We have to go to the top of the mountain"
"That's two hours"
"Exactly, so don't act like a baby, and let's think of it as an exercise," I give him a big smile. I have to get this grumpy pants to smile at least once.
"Ugh," He scoffs. We began. 30 minutes pass by. I kept on talking but he never responded. It's as if he is in another world, lost in space.
"Do you have a mouth, by any chance?" Alejandro points at his mouth. "Come on say something anything"
"Ok, there. I'm done." Ignorant child. I should start simple.
"I wanted to ask why don't you smile?"
"Because of you"
"You know me?"
"Yes?" That's a lie because I don't know him.
"Whatever. Hmm...do you think I'm cute?" I blow my face up like a balloon and stand like a chicken. Finally, with a spin of Jackie Chan. That should make him laugh. "Huh? Huh?" He rolls his eyes. We reach the top faster than I thought. Oh yeah, that's right we already climbed a lot to reach where we just were.
"The view," Alejandro says as he looks at the sunset.
"It's beautiful"
"Not as much as you," He mumbles but I couldn't hear.
"You haven't responded yes or no," I sit down on the floor again. He bends down.
"Yes," My heart skips a beat. The wind flows through his black hair. The light of the sun shines through his light brown eyes. Woah he is beautiful. Wait what am I thinking? "Now let me ask you a question," His eyes focused on my face. I gulp.
"Is it wrong for me to like to see happy Gwen instead?" What does that mean? Either way, I get lost in his eyes. Why are his eyes so deep? As if he has been hurt many times? What has happened in his life that made these eyes like this? A sudden shock comes to my head. What is this? My head hurts. Words come out of my mouth.
"She loves you"
"Gwen?"
"Alejandro?... What am I doing here? What are you doing? Where is Grandpa? I was supposed to get stitches today" I look at my legs and they are beginning to bleed through the stitches. The pain is worsening. I need to get back to Jeju Island.
"Do you not remember?"
"No"
"You had the happy side of you come out" Happy side?
"You were supposed to get married today"
"You dragged me out of my own wedding," Alejandro lays on his arm. I did that?
"I'm so sorry. I need to get out of here." My orange beanie exposes my bandage.
"You are already leaving?" He sees my head "What happene-"
"I'm sorry Alejandro," She places a hand on my cheek "I'm sorry I did this to you. Please keep yourself healthy while I am gone," I pause, "I ask one more thing from you...Wait for me," I lean in and kiss him on the cheek. I really said it. The future was right. I stand up and head down on the mountain. I turn my head to watch him one more time. He is smiling. I told him to wait for me because I want to be fully recovered when I meet with him again. I really hope he does wait for me. The future can be right but with every decision we make it changes. I try to be as careful as possible when walking down. I'm injured and still sick. Is this 'happy side' of me wild or crazy? I reach the bottom. I ask the taxi to take me straight to the airport. I have to go back to Grandpa. That night, I arrived at Jeju Island in under an hour. I texted Aunt Areum to pick me up so my grandpa wouldn't worry.
"Hi, Aunt Areum," I say getting in the car.
"Do not say anything Gwen. You know how worried me and your grandpa were. You need to get stitched or you could end up in a serious situation" She steps on the gas making us get to her phone quicker. When we reach the house, she carries me straight to one of the rooms in her house where she does surgeries. She is a home doctor. She is prepping me for surgery. "You are going to be under anesthesia" I can already feel it kicking in. I fall asleep.
The next morning, I wake up to a news update on my phone.
"Gwen Rio, an author takes Alejandro Park out of his own wedding. Could this mean that they are dating? What will happen to Chae-m Choi and him now? Click the link to find out more"
What happened to me? The last thing I remember is being on the ground after I hit my head against the car. We were going to go to Aunt Areum's house. She is the only older woman that knows I am a Time Traveler. Then suddenly I see myself in front of Alejandro. How did this happen? A happy side of me? Does that make sense? I have to ask Grandpa. I touch my head and it's bandaged. I am still alive. It must have gone well.
"Boo," Grandpa pops up from the front of the bed.
"You startled me. My heart just died," He laughs.
"Your surgery went well," He sits on the bed.
"I have something to ask you about"
"About what happened yesterday?"
"Yeah," Of course, he knows. He knows me too well and knows everything I do.
"You had memory loss again but just for a few hours. We did scans while you were sleeping, Aunt Areum said that you had a side of you come out"
"My happy side?"
"Yes. All the happy memories you had were on that side. You didn't have a memory of Alejandro or the lost memory. You didn't know anything bad that has happened in your life"
"But then why was she with Alejandro? When he is part of the sad part of my life?"
"We both know that's not true. You love him," I face away from him. He knows that too.
"Then what is it?"
"We were thinking that since this happy side it could have been related to Multiple personality disorder but it isn't. It's as if this happy side of you appeared to help you make the right decision to be happy in a stressful situation. So with Alejandro, since you love him, there must have been something about the happy side that drew her or you to Alejandro" Could love be that strong?
"Oh"
"But," I look up at him, "I have good news. The cure for this is almost done. A little less than two years left and then you will be fully cured"
"Really?" Tears of joy fall from my eyes.
"There is that part of the cure that we are not sure yet. You remember when I said you have a connection with Alejandro?" I nod my head yes, "I think that after we give you this cure, you have to go to Alejandro because that's where everything happened. If nothing bad happens to you when you are with Alejandro then we will know that not only the cure worked but that he was the-"
"Missing part of the equation that is going to save me"
"That's right"
"When do we start?"
"When do you want to start?"
"Right now"
"I knew you were going to say that," Aunt Areum comes in.
"Good Morning," She says as I see the plate in her hand. I lift my head to see what it is. They are needles. My heart speeds up. I move to the farthest part of the bed away from them. "I know about your past Gwen but if you want to move forward you need to look to your future"
"It's difficult," She grabs my hand.
"It can be. However, it's all for the best okay?" I feel a pinch in my arm. I look down and she put the needle in me. "I got you," She laughs "See it doesn't hurt as much as you think. You are going to get a shot every day until we see that you are better," Aunt Areum is always so feisty.
"Fine"
"We are making you breakfast in the kitchen so get ready to eat a lot of good food" And that's when I started to get better. I felt like the cure was working. I will get better in no time and that is a fact.
January 4th of 2029... the day of the accident
"Gwen are you ready?" Grandpa asks.
"Do I really have to find him?"
"I already track him. All he does is walk to my old apartment knocking on the door and calling your name. So I will tell you where he is"
"Can't you come with me?"
"No, this is something for you to do and for you to do alone," Aunt Areum enters the room. She gives Grandpa a cute look. Why is old love so adorable? The thing is here. I know there is love between them but they don't do anything about it. I put on my jacket and wait outside so my Grandpa can drive me to Seoul. I don't know where but he does. I wait outside for 5 minutes and still he isn't coming out. I enter the house and hear talking in the basement. I walk slowly down.
"Alejandro, I love you can't you see that?" I here Aunt Areum.
"I see that. And I lo- No..." Come on Grandpa say it "You can't love me"
"But I already do," Why can't she? I don't see what is wrong. They are not related at all.
"I'm not someone that can be loved right now, okay? You will understand in time," I hear footsteps. I rush up the stairs. I head outside and wait exactly where I was waiting. Grandpa comes out. I get in the car and he begins to drive to Seoul.
"I want you to do one thing later," Grandpa says out of the blue.
"What is it?"
"Tell Aunt Areum that I love her"
"Why can't you tell her?"
"I have my reasons," I learned not to ask Grandpa a lot of questions. He gets mad quickly when people do that now. He drops me off and drives away. I see the sidewalk where the accident happens. I go to the Virtual newspaper from back then. It's not working. I don't see anything. I see a sign that says out of order. This cant be. How am I supposed to know if anything has changed? I get mad. I have no time for this. I look for Alejandro. He is supposed to be somewhere close to the sidewalk crossing. I scan the sidewalks closely. I see him. I run to him. I check the time. I have no time to lose. I run with everything I have. He can't die. Alejandro, you cant die. You can't leave my life yet. He begins to cross the sidewalk and I see the car speeding toward him.
"Alejandro," I yell and he turns his head facing me. I grab him with my arms open wide and pull him to me. The car is getting closer.
"Gwen," His eyes begin to water and so do I. His eyes are saying so much. We both look at the car coming to us. I lift my head and see a figure run to where we are. They are wearing a hoodie so I cant see. Then the hoodie falls. Grandpa?