Silence. Only darkness. Vast, boundless, and hauntingly uncertain. Not a sound from any corner; not a single sound to be heard. There was nothing left of humanity or consciousness. He drifted through a dense, suffocating gloom, engulfed in dense mist. His bones had softened, his eyelids grown heavy. His soul was departing from his body. It was, at last, the end of everything.
But what was that? A beam of light was approaching from the distance. Resolute. Not graceful, but striking. Not beautiful, but merciless. It drew closer and closer with sharp, jagged edges until, in an instant, it engulfed his entire being.
He opened his eyes. Aside from his blurred vision, the only thing accompanying his senses was the faint, rhythmic, robotic hum of a machine. The ceiling was stark white and brilliant, as if it had been scrubbed raw with bleach. Where was he? What time was it? More importantly, who was he?
“Doctor!”
He startled at the sound of a woman’s voice right in front of him. He tried to turn his head to look at her, but a surge of pain through his body forced him back. He was lying down; he was certain of that, even if he couldn’t entirely feel his limbs.
A doctor entered, wearing a white coat, with disheveled white hair and a weathered, wrinkled face. He took a small penlight and approached.
“Mr. Collins?” he asked, shining the light into his eyes.
“W-what?”
“Everything is alright. You’re safe. Do you remember your full name?”
He paused for a moment. He blinked. First, a face came to mind: dark hair, a clean-shaven face, blue eyes, and an elongated jawline. At least, that was the last reflection he had seen in a mirror. A mirror? Yes, yes. He was going somewhere. His name was Collins. Aaron Collins.
“Yes. I remember,” he said, coughing.
“And what is it?”
“Aaron Collins.”
“Good.” The doctor stepped back and began checking his vitals on the monitor beside the bed. “What is the last thing you remember?”
Aaron thought. He was supposed to meet someone—but who? When? How?
“I was going to meet someone,” he said, the pain of forgetting sharpening his voice.
“Try to think about who it was.”
His mother? His father? No, it couldn’t be them. He saw them regularly at the family home anyway. A sibling? He didn’t have one.
“Alright, then. It seems you’ve suffered a severe head trauma. You must stay here until we are sure of your safety,” the doctor said.
“But… where did you find me? What happened?”
The doctor hesitated, weighing whether to answer. “A car accident.”
Yes. It wasn’t surprising. He had been on his way to a meeting and had crashed before he could get there. He had always been bad at paying attention to his surroundings when he was excited. He should have guessed that, one day, there would be a price to pay.
“Very well. Rest now. I’ll be back shortly,” the doctor said, heading toward the door with the nurse. “Oh, by the way—the person you were supposed to meet is here. She says she’s your girlfriend.”
Aaron knit his brows. A girlfriend? But he didn’t have a girlfriend. He never had. Since starting university, all he had done was bury himself in his studies. He was chasing the dream of becoming an academic, working tirelessly. He didn’t have time for such things.
After the doctor and nurse left, she walked in. She had light brown hair, a soft, wide face, and hazel eyes. She was slender and short, looking quite young.
“Aaron?”
Aaron sat frozen. He wasn’t sure what to say. A complete stranger stood before him.
“Y-yes?”
As the girl approached with heavy steps, the tears in her eyes became visible.
“Oh God… I’m so sorry… I’m so sorry…”
“You… why?”
The girl didn’t answer. She looked stunned.
“You don’t remember.”
“Remember what?” Aaron asked.
“Me… us…”
“I’m sorry,” Aaron said. He felt a misplaced sense of guilt, but he felt he had no time to spare for a stranger. “Is my family here?”
“Your family?”
“Yes.”
“Well… they don’t know yet. They’re in another state.”
“W-why?”
“The doctors wanted to call them. But I thought you wouldn’t want to worry them.”
“I see… alright.”
The girl stepped closer and sat in the chair beside him. “You don’t remember me at all?”
“I’m sorry, no.”
The girl lowered her head and swallowed hard.
“What’s your name?” Aaron asked.
“Kate.”
“Kate?”
“Yes.”
No. It didn’t ring a bell.
“Okay. Well… thank you for coming. Before the accident… were we together?”
“We were going to meet,” Kate replied.
“I see… How long have we been together?”
“Three years.”
Aaron’s eyes widened. That was impossible. How could he forget someone he had known and loved for three years? That should be impossible for anyone—especially for someone like him, who cherished his loved ones. He was the kind of person who stayed friends with people he’d known since primary school.
“Were we… still together?”
“Yes… Yes, we were.”
“How could I forget you?”
“I don’t know. It… it doesn’t matter. First, we need to get you out of here.”
“Okay. But… how?”
A few hours passed. Kate didn’t leave Aaron’s side for a single minute. Though she answered his occasional questions, the shock of the situation was written all over her face. It must have been a nightmare for her; the person she loved didn’t even recognize her anymore.
The elderly doctor returned.
“Good afternoon. Your latest tests look positive. You may be discharged if you feel up to it. We ask that you drop by occasionally so we can monitor your progress.”
“Thank you.” Aaron sat up, and Kate immediately took his arm.
“If you feel anything unusual, call an ambulance immediately. Brain injuries are nothing to joke about.”
“Alright, thank you,” Aaron said, pulling on his jacket. It was time to leave. But where would he go? He barely remembered where his own house was.
“Now… what do we do?” he asked, turning to Kate.
Kate bowed her head.
“If it’s alright with you, try not to stray from your daily routine. Doing things you used to do together might help your memory return sooner,” the doctor said, answering before Kate could.
“How long will it take for his memory to come back?” Kate asked.
The doctor shrugged. “Only time will tell.”
They walked out of the hospital together and started down the street. The city sidewalk was crowded, but Aaron didn’t hesitate to weave through the people; to him, Kate was just as much a stranger as they were. In a way, he was walking alone.
“What now?” he asked Kate.
“I don’t know,” Kate replied softly.
“The doctor said we could repeat the things we used to do.”
“Yes.”
“Does anything come to mind?”
“I’m not sure…”
Aaron paused. He was surprised that his girlfriend seemed to feel worse than he did. After all, he was the one who had survived the crash; why did Kate seem more frightened than him?
“Alright.” Aaron looked around. “Let’s do something together. Tell me, what did we used to do?”
“Well… I-I don’t know.”
Aaron smiled. “Come on, I’m sure you can think of something. If I loved you, I must have made some special memories with you.”
Kate smiled back, his words clearly lifting her spirits. “We used to love getting ice cream together.”
“Ha! There we go. Then let’s go get some ice cream.”
“Where?”
“You choose.”
A while later, they were sitting on stools in front of a small ice cream truck. Kate had chosen chocolate chip and strawberry. Aaron didn’t know what he liked, but Kate told him he had always loved lemon, so he went with that. And she was right—Aaron loved the taste.
“So, tell me,” Aaron said after a while.
“Tell you what?”
“What were we like, the two of us? Tell me about yourself, and about me.”
“Well… you were hardworking. Very much so. You didn’t talk to people much.”
“And you?”
“I was pretty much the same.”
“Where did we meet?”
“In the courtyard. You were singing next to a friend who was playing guitar.”
Aaron laughed. “No way.”
Kate smiled. “Really. People knew you as the ‘loner’ of the class, so I was surprised when I saw you like that.”
“And then?”
“I watched you from a distance for a while. Then your friend must have noticed me staring, because he called me over.”
“That’s lovely.”
“It was… That evening, we went to a fast-food place for dinner.”
“And after that?”
“We ate, walked in the park for a bit… then sat under a tree.”
“And then?”
Kate smiled. “Then… well, the rest is exactly what you’d expect.”
Aaron chuckled. He’d never had a girlfriend—at least not that he could remember.
“Yes… you used to tell me I was your first love.”
“That’s wonderful… Hey, shall we go to that park?”
“Now?”
“Yes, it would be nice.”
Kate gritted her teeth. She looked up at the sky for a moment. “Okay, let’s go.”
They arrived at a park filled with greenery and rolling hills. The trees were so thick they almost swallowed the sun, but they couldn’t stop the beams of light from creating a romantic atmosphere. Aaron loved it the moment he saw it. He couldn’t take his eyes off the other couples and people of all ages walking their dogs.
“This place is truly beautiful,” he said, not hiding his thoughts.
Kate nodded slowly. “Yes, it is.”
“Which one was our tree?”
Kate swallowed. “That one,” she said, nodding toward a tree further ahead.
They reached the tree and sat on the ground covered in long grass.
“This is a great spot,” Aaron said, leaning his head against the trunk.
“It was for us,” Kate said, pointing to the bark.
Aaron looked where Kate was pointing and saw the letters A and K carved inside a heart. He smiled.
“My god… did I really do that?”
Kate laughed. “Yes. A bit cliché, but it was a beautiful day for both of us.”
“I like it. I really do.”
“I’m glad.”
They paused for a moment, listening to the wind.
“Kate?”
“Hmm?”
“Did you know my family?”
“A little. You’d mention them from time to time.”
“So you haven’t met them?”
“No.”
“Hmm… I’d like you to meet them.”
Kate closed her eyes and lowered her head.
“What is it?”
“This accident… if it hadn’t happened…”
“Hey… don’t be like that. There’s nothing to be sad about. I’m alive, aren’t I?”
Kate gave a fragile smile. Aaron leaned in and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.
“We’re together. Even if my brain doesn’t remember you, my heart does.”
Kate rested her head on Aaron’s shoulder.
After staying there a while longer, Aaron decided he was curious about his home. They headed to a small neighborhood. It was a place of suburban houses, endless streets, and trees over five meters tall. It felt somewhat somber, in a way. But for a student, it wasn’t bad at all.
As they climbed the porch steps, Kate took Aaron’s hand.
“What is it?” Aaron asked.
“Nothing… just… it feels good to be with you.”
Aaron smiled and nodded. They went inside together.
The house was quite tidy. In fact, it looked as though a large family might live there. There was even a door leading to the garage.
“It’s nice,” Aaron said, looking at the white-covered sofas. “I must be a tidy person; I guess I never grew out of the habit.”
“You are, you are,” Kate murmured, walking slowly through the house.
Aaron approached the window overlooking the backyard. “Do I have a pet?”
“Uh, no. You never got one,” Kate replied, staring at a photo of her and Aaron. Her eyes widened, as if she were struck by a sudden wave of longing for the moment in the picture.
“I like it here,” Aaron said, continuing to look around.
“Yes. You used to like it…”
“So, what else did we do?”
“Huh?”
“Together. Was there anything we loved doing?”
Kate smiled. Thinking about the good times she’d spent with Aaron made her feel better. She thought about the things she did when she came to his house. They would watch movies together, try to cook while watching funny videos, and sometimes sit for hours debating current events. The thing they loved doing most…
“Ping-pong!” Kate said excitedly.
“Ping-pong?” Aaron’s brows shot up.
“Yes. Ping-pong. We used to play together. Oh… it’s in your garage.” Kate moved quickly toward the door leading to the garage, with Aaron following close behind.
The garage was average in size, cluttered with scattered scraps and various tools. An old lawnmower and a pickup truck with peeling blue paint kept them company. In the corner sat a ping-pong table, two paddles resting on its surface. Kate approached the table slowly and picked up one of the paddles, handing the other to Aaron.
“I’ll go easy on you, don’t worry,” she said with a grin.
Aaron laughed. “Alright,” he said, picking up the ball. “How was I usually at this game?”
“I beat you every single time,” Kate said, her tone playful and teasing.
“Are you sure about that?” Aaron smiled.
“Maybe…” Kate chuckled.
“What are we playing to?”
“Twenty.”
“Deal.”
And so, they began to play. Kate scored the first point. Just when Aaron least expected it, she flicked her wrist, sending the ball slicing past him on the right. The next point was hers too, a result of Aaron’s momentary lapse in concentration. But on the third try, Aaron managed to return it, catching Kate off guard just as she was focusing on her next move. Before long, the game turned serious. They were both firing the ball at each other with as much speed as they could muster. It felt like a rivalry between two seasoned pros.
“You’re good at this,” Aaron said, nodding in approval as he struck the ball across the table.
“Thanks,” Kate replied, returning the shot instantly.
Aaron caught it at the last second. “I guess I haven’t forgotten this part.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes.” Aaron smiled. “I’m beating you.”
“We’ll see about that.”
The ball zipped to Kate, then to Aaron. Then again, and once more…
“Kate?”
“Yes?”
“Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For making me fall in love with you all over again.”
Kate stopped. The ball whizzed past her left side and bounced onto the floor. Her expression fell.
“What’s wrong?” Aaron asked.
Kate set her paddle on the table. She sat down on a chair at the edge of the garage and buried her head in her hands. “I… I can’t do this…”
Aaron approached her slowly. What was this about? He was sure he hadn’t said anything wrong. Their day had been wonderful. They both should have been happy. Finally, things were falling into place.
“What happened?”
“I… I…”
Aaron knelt beside her. “Kate…” He smiled. “I’m right here. Tell me, come on.”
“I…” Kate looked into his eyes. Her pupils were wide. “I… I cheated on you…”
Aaron didn’t respond. He just stayed there. Motionless. Silent.
“I did something terrible… last week…”
Aaron blinked.
Kate’s eyes were brimming with tears. Her lips trembled. “When we were supposed to meet… I was going to tell you. I couldn’t keep it inside anymore…”
“Were… were you going to leave me?”
“What?” Kate frowned. “No… no, never… I just… I had to tell you… even though I knew you’d hate me…”
Aaron stood up. His face was as expressionless as stone. Words had lost their meaning. He couldn’t think of anything to comfort himself, let alone her. The only person who had been by his side since he stepped out of the hospital, the only warmth he had felt… was now a liar.
“Aaron… say something…”
He thought for a moment. About the brief time they had just spent. About the accident. About the things he couldn’t remember—the things that might never come back. What were mistakes in the grand scheme of this fragile thread? Were they merely reflections in a mirror? Just a spark? Did it matter, or did it not? More importantly, did it matter anymore?
“Why?” Aaron asked.
“I… I don’t know… I felt lonely… so lonely… You were so busy with your studies… and I… I thought I was losing you…”
She hadn’t lost him. That was the only thing he knew in that moment. No matter what, he couldn’t lose her. No lesson, no ambition could keep him away from the person he loved. He didn’t know what the previous Aaron was like, but he knew that this Aaron would never allow such a thing to happen.
“I forgive you,” Aaron said, taking a deep breath and smiling.
Kate was silent for a long time. “How?”
“In this one short day, you’re the only person who made me feel like I was home. I can see that clearly. If… if I didn’t give you the value you deserved before… then I think I can fix that. We can fix that.”
Aaron held out his hand. Kate smiled. She took his hand and rose from her seat.
“Now, let’s finish this game,” Aaron said with a laugh.