"What do you mean?" she asked, confusion evident on her face.
I hesitated before responding, "I mean, what happened to me that put me in this state?" I clarified trying to get an answer soon.
"Oh, so you really don't remember anything?" she questioned.
I was starting to get annoyed because of the back-and-forth and said, "I wouldn't be asking if I did," annoyance coloring my expression as I reluctantly played along with the 'memory loss' narrative.
She stared at me silently for a moment, a hurt expression flickering across her face before quickly disappearing and she began, "Well, I don't know where to begin."
I urged her impatiently, "Please, start from the very beginning," eager to grasp the full scope of my situation.
After a brief pause to collect herself, she began, "You were okay until two years ago when—"
I cut her off, insisting, "No, from the absolute beginning. Tell me about my origins, my parents," wanting to grasp the situation completely.
Meeting my gaze for a few seconds, she nodded reluctantly. "Alright, You are Ryan Song, the only son of Karen and Derek Song. You grew up with your family until your relationship with them became strained. Three years ago, you moved out and started living with Mr. Park," she explained. At the mention of Mr. Park, my eyes widened involuntarily, and I said, "Mr. Park as in John Park?" as I looked at her waiting for a reply.
"Yes! Do you remember him—of course you remember him, he's been caring for you for the last three years," she said with a bright expression her eyes searching mine expectantly.
Oblivious to her excitement, I held my chin and started thinking.
'John Park! That scoundrel! How could I have left my parents to live with him?' I thought incredulous, stunned by the unfolding revelation.
Noticing my reaction, Luna stared at me for a few seconds before asking, "Are you okay? Should I continue?" with a worried look.
I didn't respond, deep in thought as I contemplated how John had managed to insinuate himself into my life. Sensing her awaiting my reply, I finally conceded, "Go on." There was a flicker of disappointment in her eyes, quickly masked as she continued with her narrative.
"He arranged a job for you at his company as his assistant, and you were performing well until symptoms of arcane depletion syndrome appeared suddenly," she paused, gauging my comprehension.
Seeing her hesitation, I inquired, "What is arcane depletion syndrome? Is it common?" As I was unfamiliar with such a condition.
Suddenly, a deep voice interjected, "Oh my, I didn't think his condition was this good when you said he had recovered!", paused with a stunned expression and resumed, "I can't believe this!" its owner looking at Luna with excitement clear in his voice.
Unsure who he was, I turned to her for an explanation.
"Mr. Hatori, you've arrived," she greeted him, then turned to me, introducing, "Mr. Song, this is Dr. Hatori, a specialist in arcane depletion syndrome who's been monitoring your condition."
Realizing who he was, I couldn't help but look at him with a stupefied expression.
He was the doctor who my parents' medical case was assigned to. I didn't recognize him at first but when I looked at him closely, his short grey hair, his brown slanted eyes, and his long nose looked exactly as I remembered it.
Noticing my expression, Luna asked, "Do you perhaps remember?" with an expectant look. Realizing I had been staring at him weirdly, I coughed awkwardly and shook my head.
Ignoring my actions, Dr. Hatori addressed me with a reassuring smile. "Mr. Song, Luna has briefed me on your situation. Now that you're awake, everything will be fine. How are you feeling?" he inquired directly while measuring my heart rate.
Appreciating his straightforward approach, I nodded again, replying, "I'm feeling slightly better than when I first woke up."
Dr. Hatori nodded sympathetically, remarking, "That's normal given the circumstances. Now, I'll ask you a few questions to assess your condition. Are you experiencing dizziness or headaches?" he asked, curious about my response.
"I felt dizzy upon waking, and there was a little headache, but the dizziness has subsided, and the headache is diminishing," I answered. Dr Hatori nodded in understanding while attaching a pulse oximeter to my finger to measure my oxygen level. He, after a moment, asked, "Do you feel any pain in your mana channels?"
Confusion clouded my expression as I struggled to comprehend his terminology. Sensing my confusion, Dr. Hatori adjusted his approach, asking, "Can you feel your channels, more specifically your mana core?" with curious eyes.
After a moment of contemplation, I confessed, "I'm afraid I don't understand what you mean." I couldn't grasp the situation—mana was something I'd only read about in fantasy novels. The idea that it might be real, that I might have died and found myself in a world with such supernatural energy, seemed too fantastical to believe.
Observing my bewilderment, Dr. Hatori paused briefly before stepping closer and instructing, "Even with memory loss, you should still be aware of your mana core—it's an integral part of you, akin to a second heart. Close your eyes and try to sense it." His hand extended reassuringly to pat my shoulder.
Meeting his gaze for a moment, I reluctantly complied, closing my eyes in silence. After a minute passed, I opened them and admitted, "I don't feel anything." Dr. Hatori exchanged a glance with Luna's mother, who had entered quietly while I had been closing my eyes, before turning back to me. "You should rest for now; there's no need to rush. Your recovery itself is considered a miracle. Since you're not exhibiting critical symptoms, you should recover, there's no need to rush things," he advised calmly.
I nodded in agreement as he straightened up, stating, "I'll inform Mr. Park of your condition. I'm sure he'll be relieved to hear of your progress." With that, he nodded to Luna's mother and departed.
I watched him leave until he disappeared from view, then glanced down at my hands lost in thought. I entertained a few theories about my predicament.
The notion of being in a dream inside a coma was quickly dismissed as everything felt too real for it to be a dream. Reincarnation seemed improbable since reincarnation means being born again as oneself or a different person or creature altogether.
The most plausible explanation, albeit equally surreal, was that I had died and my soul had crossed into another dimension, meaning I had transmigrated. An idea supported by the multiverse theory, though unproven and speculative.