I don't know how much time has passed since I've been here, wandering in the nothingness. The darkness envelops me completely. I've forgotten everything I was before I came to this place, except my name. It's the only thing I hold on to, like an anchor to my essence. "Amaris," I repeat to myself over and over again, clinging to what I feel is the vestige of my soul. It's a name given to me by someone who loved me deeply, and in it lies everything I am, what I was, and what I will be.
**Three months later: South Korea, 2022.**
After a long time, a silver light appeared before Amaris, breaking through the gloom. It intensified just beneath her feet, revealing itself as a moon. Suddenly, it changed to a deep red, emanating a powerful energy that began to draw her in tightly, absorbing her completely.
As she opened her eyes, Amaris was dazzled by the sunlight filtering through the window. A strong smell of disinfectant filled the place, burning the hairs in her nose. Everything around her was white: walls, sheets, furniture, and even the light. She felt confused and dizzy, with everything around her blurry and moving, as if her body was carrying a huge stone, crushing her organs. Turning her head to the left, she saw someone sitting next to her, holding her hand and lying on the bed.
She tried to free herself, but the slight movement woke up the man, who looked disheveled, with deep dark circles under his eyes. A tear rolled down her cheek.
"Jin-eun-ah, you're awake," she murmured in Korean with a broken voice.
"I don't understand what you're saying. Who is Jin-eun-ah?" she asked, bewildered. She tried to say his name, but the words wouldn't come out, and her nose began to bleed.
The man became alarmed, his eyes widened.
"Doctor!" —he shouted, rushing out of the room.
Taking advantage of the man's exit, Amaris tried to get up. Her body was weak, and gravity was against her; her legs gave way as she stood up, abruptly disconnecting the IV.
She rested on the floor for a moment, taking a deep breath to gather strength. She leaned on the bed rail and, once decided, walked slowly to the door, resting against it. She left the room and moved in the opposite direction to the man, leaning against the wall. With each step she felt more scared. Everything was strange; the signs were in Korean, and the people spoke a language she did not understand. The fear of the unknown took hold of her; she did not know who she was, where she came from, or what kind of life she had had, but nothing seemed familiar.
Two young men stood in her way.
"Where are you going?" one asked in Korean.
"Move!" —he ordered in Spanish.
—What's wrong with her? What are you saying? —one asked the other.
—She spoke in Spanish —answered the other.
—In Spanish? Since when does she know Spanish?
The other just shook his head.
—Shut up, please! —Amaris asked, covering her ears. Her breathing accelerated until she hyperventilated, losing her calm. She leaned against the wall, but her strength abandoned her and she fell to the floor.
One of the young men knelt beside her and spoke to her in Spanish.
—Try to breathe slowly —he said softly, covering her with his coat and hugging her—. Breathe with me. I know you must be confused; it's been three months since you were awake. You probably have some memory loss, but you must remain calm; you are in a hospital, they will help you here. There is nothing to fear. Kin Jin-eun, that is your name —he explained.
Little by little, the feeling of his breathing, the sweet scent, and the gentle pats on her back calmed her down.
"Who are you?" she asked once she calmed down.
"I am Choi Hyun-woo," he replied.
"Hyun-woo, my name is..." he began to say in a shaky but determined voice. "Ama..." As she said the first few letters, she felt a pang in her heart and began to cough up blood. Her vision blurred and she lost consciousness.