The ward door, having barely settled shut, swung open again. Ko Eun-suk stomped back in, her face a mask of indignation, now flanked by two harried-looking doctors and a pair of nurses. "Find out what's wrong with him, right now!" she barked, pointing a demanding finger at Dong Wook who had settled back onto the bed. "And don't tell me he's just allergic."
Dong Wook let them descend, a small, almost imperceptible smirk playing on his lips. This was perfect. They checked his pulse, shined lights in his eyes, listened to his chest. He let them do as they pleased, a silent, cooperative patient. This was helping him set his groundwork, laying the perfect foundation for his next move.
"Can you state your name?" a doctor asked, clipboard poised.
"Lee Dong Wook," he replied, his voice even.
Next, they began showing him pictures, a procession of faces flashed on a tablet: various men and women, some older, some younger. For each one, Dong Wook simply responded, "I don't know." He truly didn't, not by name anyway.
In his old life, Mr. Han had always been by his side, whispering essential details about anyone he was about to talk with. After their conversation, any personal information about them would simply fly out of his head. He knew their faces, knew the power they held or craved, but not their names.
The only time he gave a different answer was when a picture of a stern-faced, elderly man appeared. "My grandfather," he stated clearly,if he were to say that he didn't know him then he was sure to be easily kicked aside.
Ko Eun-suk scoffed, crossing her arms as she listened, a skeptical sneer on her face. There was no way this nephew of hers, this meek boy, could have truly forgotten them. Or maybe...? Her eyebrows furrowed. He had acted differently upon waking up, spoken with a chilling edge. But that didn't mean—
Her thought train was stopped midway when the doctor turned towards her, a professional solemnity on his face. "He'll need to get a full scan done, but based on his responses, I believe he's suffering from amnesia."
"Amnesia?" Ko Eun-suk scoffed again, a sharp, disbelieving sound, and marched out of the ward, muttering under her breath.
The doctor turned back to Dong Wook, his expression softening with professional concern. "You'll need to—"
"No need. I'm leaving." Dong Wook cut him off, his gaze already sweeping over the scarce contact list on the unfamiliar phone.
He found the one he wanted to call, the number going through almost immediately. "Pick me up," he said, and cut the call without waiting for a reply.
He looked up at the stunned doctor, then pointed to a nearby nurse. "Process my discharge papers. And you," he added, gesturing to another nurse, "get me a change of clothes and a rubber band."
His voice, though still weak, carried the undeniable ring of command.
The nurses, still reeling from the sudden shift in their patient's demeanor, exchanged bewildered glances, but began to move. The doctor, meanwhile, simply stared, unsure how to process this sudden transformation.
A few minutes later, a fresh change of clothes – simple, dark trousers and a plain white shirt – was given to him by a bewildered nurse. He changed quickly, the fabric feeling light against his skin. He then took the rubber band and pulled his shoulder-length hair back, expertly twisting it into a tight, neat bun at the nape of his neck. He glanced at the mirror, taking in his reflection once more.
Then, for some reason, he smiled. It started as a faint curve of his lips, then broadened, and finally, a soft chuckle escaped him, building into a full, unrestrained burst of laughter. The sound, light and youthful from this new throat, felt utterly surreal. His past body, the one he'd inhabited for thirty-four years, had been objectively good-looking – sharp, powerful, commanding. But this... this was a whole new level of handsomeness.
Delicate features, perfectly sculpted, with eyes that held a surprising depth even with his current blank expression. All he had to do was train this body, put some muscle on those lean limbs, and he was good to go. The possibilities were, strangely, exhilarating.
Just then, he turned from the mirror, ready to head out, and came face to face with a doctor standing in the doorway, looking utterly bewildered.
"Hey, are you okay? Who are you laughing with? What's so funny?" The doctor stammered, his eyes wide.
Dong Wook glanced at the name tag pinned to the man's white coat: Dr. Song Hyun-woo. He looked back at him, his laughter having died down to a faint, amused hum. "You are?" he asked, his voice calm, the lingering mirth in his eyes contrasting sharply with his question.
Hyun-woo scoffed, running a hand through his already messy hair. "Wait, I know you have amnesia, but how could you forget your older brother, huh?"
Dong Wook stared blankly at him. Older brother? Did his father have an illegitimate son, or what? Either way, it didn't matter. He knew no one now, and it wouldn't hurt to try and build connections. If there was one thing he'd mastered in his old life, it was creating different versions of himself depending on who he was with. A blank slate, in this case, was a powerful tool.
"Hyung," Dong Wook said softly, the term feeling strange and foreign on his tongue, yet resonating with an unexpected warmth he didn't quite feel.
Hyun-woo froze. "H-hyung?" He pointed a trembling finger at himself, disbelief etched across his face. He had known Lee Dong Wook for five years, and the boy had stubbornly refused to call him that. Now, all of a sudden, it came out, and with that soft, irresistible voice?
"Aigoo," he muttered, a wide, almost tearful smile spreading across his face.
Before Dong Wook could react, Hyun-woo engulfed him in a bear hug, squeezing the breath out of his lean, unaccustomed body. "It'll be fine. It's alright, Dong Wook-ah, I'm here."
Dong Wook stood perfectly still, stiff in the unexpected embrace. He couldn't remember the last time he'd been genuinely hugged; certainly not by anyone who wasn't trying to pick his pocket or secure a deal. As he was slowly being strangled by what felt like genuine affection, he managed to push Hyun-woo away, firmly but gently. "That's enough."
Hyun-woo held his hands up in mock surrender, a bright laugh escaping him. "Alright, alright. I guess you're leaving." His expression softened. "Call me if anything happens. Those pests around you seem to be getting restless these days."
Dong Wook nodded, picked up his phone, and walked out of the ward. Hyun-woo followed him to the doorway, watching as he confidently strode down the hospital corridor, not bothering to cover his face, his newly bunched hair highlighting his sharp features. "He isn't covering his face," Hyun-woo muttered to himself, a slow smile spreading across his face. This was good. He needed to stand straight and strong now more than ever.