Hee-Mang sat down quietly. Dinner was served before him, a sumptuous meal it was, and yet, he had no appetite. He had gotten used to eating with a family, that eating alone now felt strange to him.
He looked to his right and saw Hanbit standing nearby. And to his left was the chatterbox who was attending to him. Hee-Mang felt uncomfortable, he felt this creeping feeling of being watched.
'Now that I really think of it, I truly am a stranger in this body. I remember vividly who I am, Yoo-Na Unnie and her family. It didn't seem like a dream; Yet, I do not know this body nor place.' he sighs.
He picked up his chopping sticks, picked up a slice of meat and was going to place it on his plate of rice when someone barged in. They all turn to see who came in without announcing their arrival. And standing before him was, well, a complete stranger.
'Was I expecting to recognize him or what? I mean, I don't even know these two who have been serving me since I woke up.'
Hee-Mang proceeds to eating his meal, ignoring the person who came in. This act of his further clarified to Hanbit that his young master did not forget his memories. The young man who came in just smiled as he joined Hee-mang at the table.
"You still haven't changed. You nearly died and yet, you still have that I-don't-care attitude."
Hee-mang looked up at him, but only for a second before returning his gaze to his meal. For some unknown reasons, he felt comfortable ever since that person entered. He also felt at ease with the person.
'It's almost as if he used to be a good friend of the previous Hee-mang.' Hee-mang thought to himself.
"You know." the young man began as the chatterbox served him some dishes
"When I heard of your awakening, I thought 'Oh, now he will decide to have a good rest.' But then you surprise me and go on a tour. A tour to find a wife." he bursts into laughter.
"A wife, hahaha. Finally realized you aren't growing younger. But what makes you think any lady in her right senses will want to marry you? Not at all Hee-mang, not after all the crazy things you've done to chase them off."
Hee-mang scoffed in response and didn't stop eating. The young man smiled. He looked up at the chatterbox and Hanbit, then gently said
"Please, excuse us, I have some personal things to say to your young master."
They both took a slight bow and stepped out of the place without hesitation.
'Ain't it strange that Hanbit, who I think is my personal guard, leaves me in a room with someone without my own permission. Is this person family? Family or not, he should have asked me if I am truly okay with this, which I am not.'
Hee-mang thought to himself as he looked at the stranger sitted in front of him after the two familiar faces left.
"Hee-mang" the young man started, dropped his sticks and the smiling face was gone. He looked serious.
"Who poisoned you?"
Hee-mang blinked his eyes as confusion seeth in.
"Poison?"
"Yes Hee-mang. The inn you went drinking that night happens to belong to someone I know. After a lot of interrogations at his place, a female worker of his confessed to slipping something into your drink. According to her, and which we did look into, her family was kidnapped a week before that night. The kidnappers threatened to kill her family unless she does their bidding." he paused, watching the questioning look on Hee-mang's face.
"What is it?" he asked.
"What was it she slipped into my drink?"
"She has no idea what it is. She claims to have met the powder in a pouch when she woke up, along with a message, telling her to use the powder. How it got there, she claims not to know."
"Her family, are they back?"
"Yes, that very same night you were found in the pond. And they also have no idea who kidnapped them. They claim to have been locked up in a very dark room. They have no idea how they got there. They were sleeping soundly at their home the night they were captured and they woke up in a strange place."
"Then do they know..."
"No." he cuts him off, knowing what he wanted to ask.
"They woke up and met themselves on the path leading to town. They have no idea what direction they came from because they were asleep."
Hee-mang sighs deeply. He was conflicted as to whether to keep playing along or just letting the young man know that he was not the Hee-mang they thought he was. He didn't have any memories of this Hee-mang.
"So Hee-mang, I want you to tell me. Do you have any idea who could have known of your plans and then decided to kill you before you could accomplish it?"
Hee-mang remains silent.
"That pond, that path is not where you usually pass, especially at night. What were you doing there? How did you end up there? Did you decide to jump into the pond to end the pain you felt from the poison or were you pushed? Was it a slip of your footing? Hee-mang, say something."
"I have nothing to say. I do not even know who you are, and yet I feel the need to respond to you. But in this case, I have nothing to say. Not because I do not want to, but because I cannot. Look at me young man"
They both look into each other's eyes, and for some reasons, the young man felt that Hee-mang's eyes looked hollow.
"I do not have any memory of who I am, what I like to do, who my families are, if I have friends, even those two who walked out earlier, I do not know. I can't remember anything"
Hee-mang concluded that it was best to play it safe. And instead of claiming himself to be a stranger in the body, what better way than to claim to have lost his memories. A second chance at life meant a lot to him, especially when he was given that chance with such a handsome looking face and a family.
The young man's eyes widen in shock.
No sooner had Hee-mang said this that the door flinged open. And coming in was an old man, a woman by his side and four more behind, younger people who were dressed too well to be called servants, and behind them by the door were those dressed as servants.
"Has my precious son lost his stupidity?"