In Our Next Lives – Chapter 7: A New Friend

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Nia spent the next week going through all her stuff when she wasn’t working.  There were a few odd things, but none of them brought any memories with them.

One thing, though, was wriggling at her memory.  That pin cushion.  She was sure she didn’t sew, so why did she have it?  And besides that, it had that number written on it.  She was so tempted to try calling it.  But she was scared.  She knew people changed numbers every so often.  And it had been at least eight years.  How had she not found it sooner?

That night she laid out on the deck again.  She was studying the stars.  Had she liked star gazing before?  It seemed so familiar.  Even though she hadn’t done it in years.

She sighed.  And wondered why she was even trying to remember.  She had a family.  And a fiancé.  Why did she need her memories when she still had them?

But…one thing bothered her.  She had no friends.  None at all.  She wasn’t shy, so why would she have no friends to wake up to?  She supposed she should try and make new ones, but after her two years of physical therapy, friends weren’t what she was looking for.

Did anyone who still had their memory know how special it was?  She had no clue.  She didn’t have memories of times when she wasn’t searching for the past.

It was truly an odd thing.  Most people wanted to forget the past.  But the past was the only thing that kept her going.  She had to find it.  She had to know what she’d missed.

Her parents wouldn’t talk.  That made her sure that there was something she’d lost.  What were they hiding from her?  What had happened before her surgery that they refused to tell her?

She was glad Hobi talked at least.  But the more and more time she’d spent with him, the more she wondered how close they’d really been before.  He hadn’t been the one to offer her her favorite ice cream when she woke up.  He hadn’t taken her anywhere special.  Didn’t couples have favorite places to share?

It was almost like he didn’t know her.  Even after the eight years they’d spent together.  Sure, she didn’t even know herself sometimes.  But it seemed Hobi knew her even less.

Were they even in love?  What even was love?  She’d only seen a handful of people since she’d awoken.  She’d seen her family, Hobi’s family, and doctors upon doctors.  That was it.

Sometimes she’d notice girls with their friends at the mall.  She’d wonder what it was like to have friends like that.  Ones to spend her free time with.  Ones to share her struggles with.  Ones to ask how life had been before.  But she had no one.

The more she thought about it, the more it depressed her.  She wanted someone.  Sure, she had Hobi.  But…having him wasn’t enough.  And she rarely saw him, anyways.  He was getting ready to take over his father’s company.

Tears started to spill down her face.  She wanted a friend so badly.  But she had no clue how to make friends.  She’d been holed up in a house for as long as she could remember. 

Maybe she should get out of the house for once.  She was independent enough now.  She didn’t need someone to chaperone her around like she was some child.

So that’s exactly what she did.  She went out.  It was Saturday, which meant she had no work.  But Hobi did.  Like always.  So today she went out to explore.  What was Seoul like?

——————–

Hyuna had been watching the girl wander aimlessly around the shop for an hour now.  She looked truly lost.

“Miss, can I help you?”

Nia looked up, startled. “O-oh…um…” she paused hesitantly. “Not really…I’ve never really been out before, so I’m just exploring.”

“You’ve never been out before!?”

Nia jumped at the shocked tone in the girl’s voice. “What…?”

Hyuna glanced at the clock. “My shift ends in twenty minutes.  Do you want me to give you a tour of the town?”

Nia’s face lit up. “I’d love that!”

 

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