Chapter 15: The Forgotten Past
Alex's brows furrowed at the mention of Noah. Of course, he knew who Noah was—Noah was one of his close friends and had once been something more to Kai. But the way Kai's mother asked the question made his heart sink.
"Yes," Alex replied cautiously. "He's my friend, and he was close to Kai as well. Why do you ask?"
Kai's mother let out a shaky breath, her eyes glossing over with a hint of sadness. She looked toward Kai's father, who nodded slightly, urging her to continue.
"We need to tell you something, Alex," she began softly. "After we moved to America five years ago, Kai... well, he wasn't the same."
Alex's heart skipped a beat. He leaned forward, hanging onto every word.
"At first, everything seemed fine. But then, late at night, we started hearing him calling out a name. At first, we thought it was just a dream. But night after night, he would wake up in a panic, screaming 'Noah.' We didn't know who Noah was back then, and when we asked him, Kai never really explained."
Alex felt a cold chill run down his spine. He had no idea Kai had been going through something so intense while they were apart.
Kai's father, sitting silently until now, added, "We tried everything. We thought the dreams would stop, but for years, he would wake up shouting that name, drenched in sweat, like he was trying to reach someone. We thought moving away would help him start fresh, but it only seemed to make things worse."
Alex could feel the weight of their words pressing down on him. Why didn't Kai ever tell him? He had written to Kai a few times, but Kai never mentioned the nightmares or the struggle he had been facing. Guilt crept into Alex's heart, but he stayed quiet, listening intently.
Kai's mother continued, her voice trembling as she recalled the painful memories. "A few months ago, Kai stopped having the nightmares. We thought maybe he had healed, that he was finally moving on. But then… the accident happened."
Alex froze. "Accident?" he asked quietly, dreading the answer.
Kai's father nodded. "It was a terrible car accident. Kai was drinking and driving late one night. We don't know why, but he lost control of the car and crashed into another vehicle. The impact was devastating, and Kai was badly hurt. He was in a coma for two weeks."
A sharp gasp escaped Alex's lips. His heart pounded in his chest as he tried to process the information. Kai, his best friend, had been in a coma? And no one told him?
"When he woke up," Kai's mother said, her voice barely above a whisper now, "he didn't know who we were. He didn't even know who he was."
Alex felt the room spin as he struggled to comprehend the situation. "You mean… he has amnesia?"
Kai's father nodded. "The doctors said the impact of the crash caused significant brain damage. Kai lost a large portion of his memory. He doesn't remember his childhood, his friends, or even us. We've been trying to help him recover, but the doctor warned us it could take years—if it ever happens at all."
The words hit Alex like a ton of bricks. His chest tightened with overwhelming sadness. The image of Kai, confused and lost, not knowing who he was or who the people around him were, was more than Alex could bear. He leaned back in his chair, running a hand through his hair as he processed everything he had just heard.
"That's why he didn't recognize Noah," Alex muttered, more to himself than to Kai's parents. "He doesn't remember anything."
Kai's mother nodded, wiping away the tears that had begun to form in her eyes. "No, he doesn't. Not yet, at least. We don't know if he ever will."
The room was silent for a moment, the weight of the revelation hanging heavily in the air. Alex's mind raced with thoughts of Noah. Noah had no idea about any of this. How could he? He probably thought Kai had moved on without a word. And now, after all this time, Noah had come back only to face a Kai who didn't remember him at all.
Alex clenched his fists in frustration. He felt torn between his loyalty to both Kai and Noah, knowing that the situation was far more complicated than anyone had realized.
Kai's father cleared his throat, breaking the silence. "We brought him back home, hoping that being in a familiar environment might trigger something. We're trying to stay hopeful."
Alex nodded, though a heavy sadness still lingered in his heart. The thought of Kai, his best friend, suffering through something so terrible, filled him with a deep sense of helplessness.
But then his mind shifted back to Noah. The look on Noah's face when he had seen Kai—the pain, the confusion—he had to do something. Noah needed to know the truth, even if it wouldn't make things any easier.
Alex looked at Kai's parents with determination in his eyes. "Does Kai know anything about his past? Does he know about Noah at all?"
Kai's mother shook her head slowly. "No, we haven't told him much. The doctor advised us to let his memories come back naturally, without forcing anything. If we overwhelm him, it could do more harm than good."
Alex sighed heavily, understanding the delicate nature of the situation. He felt an overwhelming urge to protect both Kai and Noah, even though he knew there was little he could do to change the circumstances.
"I think I need to talk to Noah," Alex said, his voice firm. "He needs to know what's going on. He was devastated when he saw Kai didn't recognize him."
Kai's parents exchanged a worried glance but eventually nodded. "If you think it's for the best. Just… be careful," Kai's mother said softly. "This is hard for all of us."
Alex stood up, his heart heavy but resolute. "I'll be careful," he promised. "But Noah deserves to know the truth."
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