The next day, when Jayeon arrived at college, her friends Lara, Derek, Carol, and Amy looked worried after hearing that she had myocarditis.
"How did you know I have myocarditis?" Jayeon asked, surprised. "I never told you about my condition."
Her friends replied in unison, "Your parents told us about your condition."
Jayeon's eyes narrowed. "Wait, when did you guys get so cozy with my parents? I thought you'd only met them that one time you came over. Yet, you're familiar enough to ask about my whereabouts. That's pretty impressive. I guess that means you must know me pretty well too, huh?"
Amy chimed in, "Yeah, we know more about you than you do yourself."
Jayeon's curiosity piqued, she probed, "Even about the past five months?" Amy began to respond, "Yes, even the five-"
Derek swiftly pinched Amy, interrupting her. "What are you talking about? What five months?" he asked, feigning confusion.
Jayeon swiftly changed the subject. "Anyway, the bell will ring soon. Let's head to the assembly hall."
As they walked, Amy quarreled with Derek in hushed tones. "Why did you pinch me?"
Derek justified his action. "Amy, are you foolish? We weren't supposed to mention the five months. Aunt and uncle told us to keep it quiet."
Carol scolded Amy, "You almost spilled the beans!"
Lara cautioned, "Shh, she might hear us."
Jayeon overheard the conversation and thought to herself, 'As I suspected, they know something. Now they'll never tell me. My only hope is the psychologist. I hope he can help me uncover the truth.'
Three days later, the doctor called Jayeon and asked her to visit him on Sunday. He messaged her the time and location.
On Sunday morning, Jayeon woke up early, feeling a mix of emotions. She freshened up, took a shower, and ate breakfast. As she ate, she asked her father to drop her off near the hospital.
Her mother Kiya inquired, "Did you schedule an appointment with the doctor? You never mentioned it."
Jayeon replied, "Sorry, Mom. The doctor was busy, so I asked him to spare some time to discuss my condition."
Her father Sid offered, "I'm free today. I'll come with you."
Jayeon suggested, "No, Dad, you work hard every day. Take a break on the weekend and help Mom with her work."
Her mother asked, "Will you be alright?"
Jayeon reassured her, "Yes, Mom. I'll be fine. The doctor seems nice, so don't worry."
As they finished breakfast, Jayeon's mother whispered to her father, "Don't worry, dear. The doctor is a good person. I hope Jayeon and the doctor develop feelings for each other. That way, she'll never be far from us. Even if she does remember her past, it's unlikely she'll recall him. Dating the doctor would be a good thing for her."
Jayeon carefully selected her outfit, choosing a white floral pattern A-line dress with puffed one-third sleeves. She paired it with white block heels featuring open toes and adorned her left wrist with a pearl hanging bracelet. On her right wrist, she wore a black belt analog watch. She left her hair down, securing the upper portion with a pearl hair accessory clip, and curled the lower locks. Her makeup was subtle, with a light cherry tint on her lips.
After some minutes, "Mom, I'm heading out." Jayeon informed her mother, who was busy in the kitchen.
Her mother stepped outside, adjusting Jayeon's hair to ensure every strand was in place. "Be careful, sweetie." she cautioned, her eyes filled with concern.
Jayeon nodded and turned to her father. "Dad, I'm ready. Let's go."
Her father quickly retrieved his bike from the garage, and they rode together to the hospital. He stopped the bike in front of the hospital gate, and Jayeon dismounted, smoothing out her dress to ensure it wasn't wrinkled.
"Bye, Dad. I'll be back soon." Jayeon said, smiling reassuringly at her father.
Her father replied, "Okay, Jayeon... Be careful, and don't hesitate to call me if you need anything." As he glanced up, he noticed a tall, handsome man emerging from the hospital. The man wore a crisp white buttoned formal shirt, black trousers, and formal black shoes.
"Isn't that your cardiologist, Dr. Stephen?" Jayeon's father wondered aloud. "Why is he coming out of the hospital?"
Dr. Stephen approached them, a warm smile spreading across his face. "Oh, good morning." he said, his voice deep and soothing.
"Good morning." his father replied, eyeing Dr. Stephen curiously. "Were you heading out somewhere? I thought you had a scheduled appointment with my daughter?"
Dr. Stephen seemed taken aback by the question. "Oh, I... uh... I was just stepping out for a moment." he stammered, glancing at Jayeon.
Jayeon's eyes darted nervously between her father and Dr. Stephen. She had kept her true appointment with the psychologist a secret from her parents, and now she was worried about being caught.
Dr. Stephen quickly grasped the situation and came up with a convincing excuse. "Ahh... I actually forgot my stethoscope in the car, so I was going to retrieve it." he said, forcing a smile onto his face. He looked up at Jayeon and added, "I wasn't going out, just heading back into the hospital."
Jayeon's eyes locked onto Dr. Stephen's, and she mouthed a silent "thank you." Her father, oblivious to the exchange, nodded and said, "Oh, okay. Well, in that case, both of you go ahead and go inside."
Jayeon's father turned to leave, but then hesitated. "No, you go ahead." he said, gesturing to Jayeon and Dr. Stephen.
The two of them looked at each other awkwardly, then back at Jayeon's father, who was still standing in the same spot. They shrugged and turned towards the hospital, taking a few steps before glancing back over their shoulders. Jayeon's father was still standing there, watching them.
As they entered the hospital, a nurse approached them, eyeing Jayeon curiously. "Doctor, you were just leaving. What brought you back?" she asked, her gaze flicking to Jayeon. "And who is this?"
Jayeon insisted, "I had an appointment with him."
The nurse chimed in, "Oh, a cardiac patient! I thought Dr. Stephen had finally found someone special. There are many women in the hospital who would love to be his girlfriend. He's the most handsome, dashing, and fit person here."
Jayeon nodded politely, trying not to show her amusement at the nurse's comment. "Is he? I can see that he's a kind and helpful person."
Jayeon looked at Dr. Stephen and smiled warmly, feeling a sense of gratitude towards him for covering for her earlier. The doctor's heart skipped a beat, when he looked at her,he can only see Jayeon smiling in a total pink lovely background and he thought, 'Did she always smile so brightly?
The nurse continued, "I just had to tell you... I saw you from afar, and I couldn't help but notice how beautiful you are. Your look is absolutely stunning. You have this radiant glow about you that's hard to ignore."
Dr. Stephen glanced at Jayeon, thinking, 'Is she really? I mean, I've seen her before, but I've never really noticed how beautiful she is.'He felt a pang of guilt for not noticing sooner.
Jayeon asked the nurse, "Am I?" feeling a sense of curiosity about the nurse's comment.
The nurse replied, "You absolutely are! I'm not just saying that to be nice. You have a unique beauty that's hard to find."
Jayeon thanked the nurse and returned the compliment, feeling a sense of warmth towards the nurse. "You're very kind, and I love your smile."
Dr. Stephen teased the nurse, "I'm sure you don't have any work to attend to. You're just standing here chatting with us."
The nurse laughed. "Actually, Doctor, I have a lot of work to do. I need to check on the patients." She realized she had wasted too much time chatting and hurried off, glancing at her watch.
Jayeon asked Dr. Stephen, "Were you going out somewhere?" feeling a sense of curiosity about his earlier plans.
Dr. Stephen replied, "Ya... and why are you here? You should be at the café. I thought we were meeting there."
Jayeon explained, "I know, but my parents insisted on dropping me off. I couldn't tell them about the psychologist, so I used you as an excuse. I planned to take a cab to the café after my dad left, but I didn't expect to run into you at the front gate."
Jayeon added, "Thanks for letting me use you as an excuse. We should part ways now, but I'll fill you in on our meeting later."
Dr. Stephen smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners.
Jayeon nodded, feeling a sense of relief that the awkward encounter had come to an end. "Okay, I'll talk to you later, Doctor."
Doctor Stephen urged, "No, you don't need to tell me about the meeting because I'm also going with you."
Jayeon's eyes widened in surprise. "With me? Why so?" she asked, her curiosity piqued.
The doctor smiled. "We'll go by my car, so come on..." He gestured for Jayeon to follow him.
They sat in the car, and Doctor Stephen drove them to the café. As they arrived, Jayeon's eyes sparkled at the sight of the café's interior. The bright yellow color scheme, glass sunroof, and wooden furniture adorned with 3D textures of green leaves created a serene atmosphere reminiscent of a greenery forest.
Jayeon was enchanted by the café, her love for nature evident in her reaction. "Your friend's choice is amazing. Such a beautiful place..." she complimented, her eyes scanning the interior.
Doctor Stephen smiled, about to reveal,"Is it? It's actually...", but his phone buzzed, interrupting him. He glanced at the message and said, "Oh, Jayeon, the psychologist will arrive shortly. By the way, I need to go to the restroom. I'll come back soon. You can place your order in the meantime."
Jayeon nodded and sat down on a seat, and Doctor Stephen walked away.
After a short while, a man approached her, asking, "Are you Miss Jayeon?"