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The man squinted his eyes as he felt the heat and light of the sun make contact with his face. He still felt groggy and sleepy, but the sun was annoying. He forced himself to wake up, only to reveal himself to be in an unfamiliar quarters.
“Oh, gising ka na?” his attention was caught by a man’s voice from the door. He carried with him a wooden tray with plates of food on top. The person approached him as he pushed himself back to the bed’s headboard, leaving him no more space to turn away from.
“Anong problema, Hwa?” the man asked.
“Hwa? Ako ba tinutukoy mo?”
“Mahal, ayos ka lang ba?” the man set aside the wooden tray he held as he came closer to Hwa. “Bakit parang nalilito ka?” he added.
“Sino ka?” The very question shook the man in question as his face paled in fear.
“Mahal, ako ‘to, si Hongjoong. Kasintahan mo ‘to. Di mo ba ako naaalala?” Hongjoong asked with desperation in his voice. He was scared of his boyfriend’s situation. How could he not remember him?
“Pasensya ka na,” Hwa said as he stood up from the bed and proceeded to open the nearest door he could see. Thankfully, it was the bathroom. Just the thing he needed.
He turned the faucet open and scooped some water to splash on to his face. He needed a moment to take in the situation he currently is in.
“Hwa pangalan ko, at may jowa akong si Hongjoong?” he asked himself. He was so confused.
“Seonghwa, mahal? Ayos ka lang ba?” He heard his alleged boyfriend’s voice from the other side of the door.
“Seonghwa… ‘Yon ba ang totoo kong pangalan?” he once again questioned his reflection. His confusion made his eyebrows furrow. The sight beholding him made him just even more frustrated. Not wishing to make the other person wait, Seonghwa took a deep breath as he turned the door knob open to see the man from earlier looking forlorn by the door
“Hong… joong,” Seonghwa trailed off, making sure he does not get his name wrong, “I’m sorry. Hindi kita maalala. Hindi ko rin maalala sarili kong pangalan. I’m—” Seonghwa was cut off when the shorter man decided to tackle him with an embrace. Soon, Seonghwa could hear sniffles from the man. Though confused, Seonghwa hugged him back in an attempt to give him comfort.
“Hwa,” Hongjoong managed to say in between his sobs. “Please, remember me,” the sadness in Hongjoong’s voice softened Seonghwa’s heart as he decided to pat the other’s head.
“Do you know the saying na something like the heart never forgets? I’m sure I’ll remember soon enough.” Hongjoong broke away from the hug as he looked at Seonghwa with teary eyes.
“Alam ko na! Meron akong compilations ng videos natin! Do you want to watch them habang kumakain tayo breakfast?” They both grew a smile as Seonghwa nodded to the younger’s suggestion.
Hongjoong led his boyfriend to the bedroom where Seonghwa’s supposed breakfast in bed was already prepared. While his boyfriend sets up the television in their supposed shared bedroom, Seonghwa sat on the bed and started eating from the pancake that was on the tray. It tasted delicious, but it felt somewhat strange.
His thoughts were disrupted when a sound came out of the television. His eyes wandered from his food to the screen as he saw himself and Hongjoong.
"Anong ginagawa natin jan?" Seonghwa asked.
"Pumunta tayo niyan sa Bohol, mahal. That was our plan for our 3rd anniversary last year," Hongjoong responded. Seonghwa looked at his boyfriend fondly before gluing his attention back to the TV screen.
"Seonghwa! Halika dito," Hongjoong's voice echoed through the speaker. He was holding the camera which is filming Seonghwa running away. "Ikaw na yung taya, mahal" he added.
"Huwag. Wag kang lumapit sakin!" Seonghwa screamed as he looked back to the person chasing him.
"Bakit, mahal? Ano bang nagawa ko?" As much as he'd like to ignore it, Hongjoong was close so he could not help but her his voice.
"Tigilan mo ko Hongjoong!" He took a deep inhale as he kept running.
"Hwa, are you okay?" Seonghwa was snapped out of his thoughts when he felt a hand tap his shoulder.
"Ah," he began. His gaze returned to the screen where he saw that he and Hongjoong were still playing around. "Okay lang ako. Thank you," he continued. 'Ano yun?' he asked himself.
"Kung too much sa'yo to, sabihan mo ako mahal, ha? Hindi natin kailangan ibalik mga memories mo ngayon." Hongjoong stood up to turn off their TV, but Seonghwa held his wrist before he could do so. The older male shook his head, reassuring the other that everything is alright. Hongjoong understood this signal as he took his seat back to continue watching the clips.
"Hwa, halika dito." The screen was showing a bright green garden which was familiar to Seonghwa.
"Joong, yung garden na 'to, may malapit ba na ospital d'on?" Seonghwa asked. Hongjoong's mouth opened in surprise before he could respond.
"Oo, hal, meron! Oh my goodness, I'm do happy na naaalala mo." They exchanged smiles before they returned their attention to the television.
"Layu-an mo ako, Kim Hongjoong!" Seonghwa's voice echoed through the empty forest.
"Pero Seonghwa, mahal kita. Hindi kita pwedeng layu-an," he heard his attacker reply. At this point, Seonghwa's thoughts was just he wanted to escape.
"Hwa?" He heard Hongjoong's voice call. "Okay ka lang? Parang di ata naganda yung nararamdaman mo sa nga videos," Hongjoong asked, concern audible in his voice.
"It's nothing. Wala 'to. May pumapasok lang kasi na scenarios sa isip ko na malayo sa video natin." You can hear a hint of fear in Seonghwa's voice, but he can't let Hongjoong hear that. The man is already frustrated enough to have been forgotten by the love of his life. What more if the same beloved doubted him?
"Okay, then."
"Kim Hongjoong. 24. ID number, 9811071024," Seonghwa callled. As if on cue, the door opened to reveal an ever familiar figure wrapped in the hospital's white scrubs.
"Doc, please let me go. Hindi ako baliw!" t
The patient begged as soon as he entered his doctor's office.
"Umupo ka muna, Mr. Kim," he instructed. Seonghwa flipped through the clipboard that contained all of Hongjoong's medical information.
"Doc, sinasabi ko sa'yo nag sisinungaling sila. Nasa tamang pag iisip po ako. Wag niyo akong ikulong dito!" The doctor looked up from the papers to see his patient. He looks weary. Probably from stressing over the fact that he was going to be sent to a mental hospital.
"Hongjoong?" The said man looked away from the television to his partner only to see him look at him with confusion in his eyes.
"Po, mahal?"
"Nakapunta ka na ba sa isang mental asylum?" The younger man was shaken by his boyfriend's question. The question itself was fine; he was just surprised to hear it from Seonghwa.
"Oo, hal. Bakit?"
"Bilang pasyente?" Silence enveloped the room even when the video was playing in front of them. Seonghwa realized this as he fixed his eyes on the screen to see that it was moving in a walking motion with nobody on sight.
"Hmm," he hummed, "it took you earlier than expected." Hongjoong's words took Seonghwa's attention. His eyes travelled from the TV screen to the man beside him slowly.
"Joong? Nagtatanong lang naman ako—" Seonghwa couldn't finish his sentence when he felt his right wrist pinned on the headboard and his left on the bed. Hongjoong looked down as he did this while Seonghea heard him sniffle.
"Oo, Hwa! Bakit? Dinala kita dito kasi di ka naniniwala sakin!" he screamed. "Sa apat na taon ko sa ospital na 'yun tingin mo ba hindi ako mawawalan ng bait dahil walang may naniniwala sakin?" The strength in his grip grew stronger with every word he spoke.
"Hongjoong, nasasaktan ako. Bitawan mo muna ako." Seonghwa managed to speak in between his struggles.
"Hindi, Hwa. I won't let you go like last time."