[SERIES] Latching on to the Traitor (8/??): Where the Forgotten Belongs
LATCHING ON TO THE TRAITOR (by kaijin-taichou)
Chapter Eight - Where The Forgotten Belongs
Rating: PG or K+ (just to be safe)
Genre: Series; Angst (I can't believe I am writing angst); Romance (cringe!)
Main Characters: Kim Jinwoo, Song Minho,
Recurring Characters: Lee Seunghoon, Nam Taehyun, Kang Seungyoon, Kim Sungjoo
Pairing: Minwoo; MinoxJinwoo; Joowoo(?) or Jinjoo(?)
Summary: Mino feels abandoned when Jinwoo left YG Entertainment almost four years ago without a clear explanation. And now that Jinwoo's back as part of a new duo group, Mino doesn't want to share the same stage with a traitor.
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Chapter Eight
WHERE THE FORGOTTEN BELONGS
It has been a week since Jinwoo regained his consciousness. However, if someone were to ask him, the vocalist wanted to stay unconscious, until everything becomes crystal clear to him.
Having amnesia was very difficult and has been stressing Jinwoo's emotions in very possible way. Seeing familiar faces like his parents and relatives, his friends was a relief. However, seeing people who were part of his daily life for the past years but couldn't remember them was frustrating.
B1A4 visited him three days ago and Jinwoo was shocked that they knew him. Sungjoo had told him that Jinwoo is now under WM Entertainment with him, making them labelmates with B1A4. However, it didn't help him as he felt awkward around the lively boys.
People were calling and talking to him because they know him but Jinwoo, in return, couldn't recall how they met and how their relationship was. And the worst part was when people started crying in front of him. He wanted to comfort them. However, he also felt confused at the same time, especially when these people were also very grateful to him.
That afternoon when he regained his consciousness, a couple with their gorgeous daughter visited Jinwoo in the hospital. The couple, especially the woman, was crying so hard. She hugged him tightly as she sobbed. She called her "Jinwoo-yah" and thanked him endlessly.
For being alive.
For saving her son.
Jinwoo looked at the person sitting beside his bed. His head was bent down as his right cheek was resting on his arms that were on the vocalist's bed.
Song Minho.
Apparently, he saved their new member's life. Jinwoo corrected himself. Mino was no longer a new member and Jinwoo was no longer of a member of Team A, now called Winner. He left the group, he left YG Entertainment. Why he left, no one wanted to tell him. Even his parents and his best friend, Sungjoo, won't tell him.
It seemed like he built a good relationship with Mino during his stay as a member of Winner. And he was closer to Mino than anyone: even closer than Sungjoo and Seungyoon.
Jinwoo asked his doctors if he hit his head on a hard object. His doctors said no so Jinwoo wondered why he couldn't remember his past.
"You might have seen a very traumatic event, an emotional trauma. Something like you saw a loved one being killed in front of you. And we believe it was the case for you. Song Minho-ssi was nearly shot and killed if you didn't save him."
Taking a bullet for Mino. A thing he never thought he would do for anyone aside for his parents.
Jinwoo stared at Mino, sleeping soundly in that very uncomfortable position. He didn't dare to wake him up because Mino didn't know that Jinwoo knew he always comes in his room at 2AM when he is sleeping and leaves at exactly 5AM before he wakes up. Then his friends would lie to him the following morning, saying that one of them stayed with him in the hospital but it was never Mino.
He didn't say anything because Jinwoo thought there was a reason behind the lie.
Jinwoo couldn't blame Mino for avoiding him. He remembered everyone, except for him. He hurt Mino. He hurt a friend.
The vocalist wanted to remember Mino so badly. He wanted to know why someone would want to kill him. He wanted to know why he would sacrifice his life for a friend like Mino.
Jinwoo's hand moved on its own will as though it wanted to touch Mino for the longest time. He didn't understand why he was doing it. It was wrong but it felt right to touch the sleeping guy's face. He realized he didn't want to remember Mino. Jinwoo needed to remember him.
Mino groaned at his touch. Jinwoo panicked and was about to pretend he was sleeping but his eyes met Mino's. Jinwoo sighed and smiled at him.
"Did I wake you up?" Jinwoo asked him.
Mino lifted his head and sat properly. "No. Do you want something, hyung?"
"Yes," Jinwoo said. With that, Mino stood up and grabbed his jacket that was on the couch.
"What is it?" Mino enumerated the food and drinks Jinwoo might want to eat and drink.
It confirmed Jinwoo's theory that he and the younger guy were really close as the food and drink Mino mentioned were all his favorites. Some dishes were even those he never mentioned to anyone that he likes them.
"Actually, I want you to just sit down here and answer my questions," Jinwoo told the rapper.
Jinwoo watched Mino as the latter slowly took off his jacket and placed it back to the couch. He obeyed him and sat on his chair again.
"You know, amnesia is not contagious so I think you can move closer," Jinwoo told the younger guy.
He noticed that Mino hesitated.
"But it's okay if you don't want to," Jinwoo smiled at him. However, Mino moved his chair to the left, closer to Jinwoo, and smiled back at him.
Jinwoo thought his heart beat faster upon seeing that smile. But he didn't understand why so he ignored it, thinking that it was a side-effect of the medicines he was taking.
"So, why did I leave YG Entertainment?" Jinwoo asked.
Mino looked at him seriously that it made the pretty vocalist gulp nervously. Was he ready for the answer why he left the most prestigious company in South Korea?
"Jinwoo-hyung, they found your collection of Jiyong-hyung's hair," the rapper said with a straight face.
Jinwoo gasped. "Oh my God. Did they?"
Mino nodded.
"How did they find it?" Jinwoo asked worriedly.
A loud laugh suddenly filled the room. Mino almost fell off the chair, laughing so hard. Jinwoo looked at the tanned-skin guy, very confused.
"Gosh, Jinwoo-hyung! I can't breathe! 'How did they find it?' It sounded like you really collected Jiyong-hyung's hair!" Mino wiped his tears.
Right there, Jinwoo realized Mino pranked him. He pouted at the rapper but smiled as he saw how happy Mino looked.
Ever since he woke up, Mino has been giving him a sad, long, guilty face. A man as good-looking as Mino should smile and laugh like this. Always.
"That is not true! Let me clear this, I don't have a collection of Jiyong-hyung's hair… do I?" he hesitated so the other guy in his room laughed out loud again.
"Yah! Mino-yah!" Jinwoo called Mino. The rapper stopped laughing. He noticed how Mino's face brightened after he called him. Maybe Mino was deeply hurt when Jinwoo called the younger guy Mino-ssi before.
"You will tell me why I left YG Entertainment, right?" Jinwoo said as he tried to show some aegyo to Mino.
Mino chuckled. "Jinwoo-hyung, this guy in front of you is the king of aegyo. Even you acknowledged that before. And do you know what will happen to me if I tell you the reason? Clue: Kang Seungyoon."
Jinwoo laughed but sighed afterwards. "Okay, I'll stop asking."
"I'm sorry, Jinwoo-hyung. I'm not allowed to say anything about that topic," Mino whispered.
"No, I'm sorry. I shouldn't force you to answering that taboo question," Jinwoo said then he paused, contemplating if he should ask Mino but he did anyway.
"Why are you not telling me this, Mino-yah?" he asked.
"Not telling you what?" a puzzled rapper asked him back.
"I know that every night, you arrive here at around 2AM and you leave exactly at 5AM. Then the kids would lie to me about this. You only visited me twice since I woke up and you didn't really talk much," Jinwoo pouted.
He observed Mino. It seemed like he hit every guilty spot of the guy. The word guilt was painted on his face.
"I'm sorry, Jinwoo-hyung. I just thought I wouldn't be much of a help here, to bring back your memories. It hurts that you can remember the old and new members of Team A but me. But I think it is for the best. Believe me, you wouldn't want any of your memories that are associated with me," Mino replied.
"I'm really sorry for not remembering you but how could you say that?" the pretty vocalist asked. How could Mino say that his memories of him shouldn't be remembered and should be forgotten forever?
Mino looked at him, shaking his head and waving his hands. "Please, don't apologize, hyung. You, forgetting me is for your own good-"
"I cannot see the good thing in not remembering the person who is clearly very close to me. I know I care a lot about you, Mino-yah. I wouldn't have risked my life for you if I don't. I want to remember you. I need to remember you," Jinwoo told Mino as he looked straight into his eyes.
They had a staring battle but Mino looked away first.
"Mino-yah, I know as of this moment, I don't remember you. Anything about you. But I know those memories are not only in my head. I have forgotten you, yes, and please blame my head. But never blame my heart. I know that everyone who I couldn't remember is still here inside me. You and our memories are in here. Unforgotten. This is where they belong, not in our heads," Jinwoo said as he held his chest, pointing on his heart.
The rapper looked at him. Jinwoo was confused on how Mino was looking at him, as thought he wanted to tell him something. Things that it seemed like the younger one has been keeping for so long. Jinwoo saw how Mino's tears were about to fall but before it happened, Mino looked away.
When he faced him again, Mino smiled.
"I know. And I will never blame you again for anything that is happening," he replied gently.
Blame me again? Jinwoo was anxious to know why Mino used the word again. Has it something to do with Mino's relief that Jinwoo could no longer remember a single memory of the rapper? The vocalist thought.
Jinwoo didn't say a word and just let silence engulfed them.
"Why are you convinced that I'll spill the beans, anyway?" Mino suddenly asked him.
"Because I'm your favorite hyung?" Jinwoo said, trying to lighten up the awkward atmosphere that he created between them.
"And how did you know that you're my favorite hyung?" Mino asked again.
Jinwoo looked at Mino's eyes as he smiled and said sincerely, "Because I can feel it."
Mino smiled back at him. "And you're right."
"So you're going to tell me-"
"Sleep, Jinwoo-hyung," Mino didn't let him finish his sentence as the handsome rapper fixed his blanket and tucked him in the bed.
Jinwoo pouted. "Instead of saying good night, I'll just say goodbye because I'm sure you'll be gone in…" he looked at the wall clock across his bed. "… in an hour."
"Say good night, hyung because I promise that I'll be the first person you will see when you wake up later," Mino sat down on the right side of his bed.
"Even if I wake up at around lunch time?" Jinwoo dared.
Mino nodded. "But don't expect that you will still be eating the food that the hospital has prepared for you because it will be inside a better tummy."
"They are all yours, I don't mind at all," Jinwoo snorted. The hospital food was very unsatisfying.
"Hey! Food is still food," the rapper pouted.
Jinwoo laughed. "You should have talked to me more often. You're really funny."
The vocalist laughed again as Mino smiled from ear-to-ear as though he just received the best compliment ever.
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