Blank space - One 

Blinking her eyes open, Krystal Jung tried to adjust to the light streaming in. She was sure the curtains were pulled close before she threw herself to bed last night. After a 14-hour red eye flight, the only thing she wanted upon arriving home was sleep. 

 Reaching for her surroundings she tried to muster enough strength to keep her lids from dropping back. 

The bed felt especially comfortable and welcoming but she knew there were schedules and appearances to be fulfilled today. With an inward groan, she sat up, sleeping in would be for another time. 

She recalled vaguely someone coming into her room earlier whilst she was still groggy to what was happening around her. Weird, she thought to herself. Hardly anyone goes to her room for anything. 

It was the aroma of something cooking that helped clear her mind a bit when she stepped out of her room. It must be a special occasion for her mum to be cooking at all. 

Before she can move to where the kitchen was, she felt a pair of arms pull her closer from behind, reaching for her forehead. 

"How are you feeling? Better?" 

Whoever it was then turned her around slowly, "by the way, good morning sunshine." 

 And promptly kissed her on the lips. 

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Kang Minhyuk sat her by the kitchen island before moving back to the stove. 

When he returned with their breakfast, Soojung was looking at him in a way that unnerved him. 

In fact, she didn't seem to move her eyes away from him since sitting down. 

"Hey sugar, what's wrong? Are you still unwell? Wanna bring forward your appointment with the hospital?" 

"Minhyuk oppa, I'm dreaming right?" 

"Of?" 

"Why are you here?" Krystal looked around, "where is this place even?" 

This apartment wasn't familiar at all, it wasn't her house and she knew for sure it wasn't Minhyuk's place too. 

"What do you mean where? This is our home!" 

 "H-home? Home of what?"

“Home of our family?" Minhyuk wasn't sure if she was trying to prank or rile him because no other reason seem to make sense.  

Soojung kept silent; then gave herself a slap. 

It hurt. Oh dear god, it really hurt. She thought, rubbing the sore spot on her cheek. 

"Soojung ah, you're scaring me." He reached out to feel her forehead. "Let's go to the doctor's." 

Krystal flung his hand away and stormed back into the bedroom, not forgetting to lock the door. 

Burying herself under the covers and multiple pillows strewn around, she willed herself to sleep.

This was definitely a dream. 

It must be a hidden camera. 

They really thought too little of her if they think she'll buy such jokes.  

Rolling her eyes, she cursed the stupidity of the production team and made a mental note to question her managers into giving her such dubious schedules. 

Outside, the digital clock made a buzz when the next hour rolled around. 

12:00, Tuesday 21 March, 2029. 

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When Krystal woke up again, it was to constant knocking of someone impatient at the bedroom door. 

“Sugar, come on," Minhyuk tried again. He had no idea what's wrong, she was still her usual cheery self before they went to bed last night, even if she was feeling a little under the weather. And knowing her, she would be even more annoyed if he used the master key before she comes out on her own accord. 

Inside, Krystal gave up. She was faintly aware of someone knocking incessantly and tried to fish around for her mobile. If the person can still knock, it's nothing urgent. 

She felt the cold metal of her mobile and brought it nearer but nothing showed on the screen. 

Ugh, her phone ran out of battery. Kicking into the thick duvet, she rolled around again annoyed before turning to her side. Squinting, she tried to get a clearer look of the picture placed on the bedside table. 

Her first thought was "ah, it's a nice picture of a married - "

In her 23 years of existence, she'd never jumped out of bed this quick. 

"Soo-", Minhyuk could barely get her full name for it was literally knocked out of his system when she crashed into him. "Jung."

"Minhyuk oppa..." Krystal looked up and showed him the picture she saw earlier, "Are we married?

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Jessica Jung is no stranger in her sister's home. The strange part was Krystal running towards her in an embrace the moment she stepped into the foyer and Kang Minhyuk trailing behind with a look mixed of confusion and exhaustion.

"Un-nie!" Krystal sobbed, "Unnie, I'm so confused! Nothing is making sense at all, please help me." 

She patted Krystal and caught Minhyuk's eye over her shoulders with "what's wrong?!" written all over. 

Her poor brother in law could only shrug and sigh, he looked like he was on the verge of tears as well. 

"Unn-ie," Krystal cleaned her tears with the sleeves of her sweater. "I don't understand, h-how did I wake up married to Minhyuk oppa? This is a horrible joke for a variety show right? How can I-l not remember anything at all?" 

Jessica raised her eyebrows, this was possibly the weirdest thing she's ever heard, and she's heard a lot. 

"Soojung ah, are you ok?" 

Krystal shook her head. "Unnie, you won't lie to me right? Tell me this is a prank." 

"Baby, let's go to the hospital. I think you're sick." 

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"There doesn't seem to be anything wrong with Miss Jung-" the doctor commented as he flipped through the results of Krystal's body check. "Except of course, she seems to have lost memory of the past twelve years overnight." 

Both Krystal and Minhyuk's shoulders sagged, they were hoping for a diagnosis that was indicative of the current situation. 

"Then do we know how or when she can get her memory back?" Jessica asked the question everyone had. 

The doctor looked a bit uneasy and adjusted his glasses before he continued, "in cases of memory loss, it is very hard to pinpoint an exact time for patients to remember what they forgot. We can only reccommend their families and loved ones to stay close and support them. In many examples, companionship and care have proven to be important catalysts for recovery."

Krystal's remaining optimism deflated as a few examples of patients who encountered similar situations were shared by the doctor. 

She felt terrible. How can anyone just lose memory of everything that happened in twelve years overnight? 

The doctor went on but Krystal heard none of it, still wallowing in her thoughts. 

On the way here, she told Jessica what she remembered last; arriving back in Seoul after a flight with her end 2016.

When they got home, Jessica filled in little snippets of their lives since 2016 while assuring her that everything would turn out just fine.

"Now baby, I know you're lost and I know everything feels like a dream but trust us ok? We are here for you." Jessica kissed her forehead, "I have to make a move first but I'll be back when I can. In the meantime, take your time and -" she gestured at Minhyuk who was a short distance away. "Trust us." 

Left alone after Jessica's departure, there seems to be a tinge of awkwardness filling the air between them. 

Both of them felt oddly conflicted as the last of Krystal's memory was during a time when she had no more than platonic feelings for Minhyuk. The same Minhyuk who - twelve years later - is now her husband. The husband with whom she was also told she has a pair of children with. 

After what seemed like a prolonged lapse of silence, Minhyuk came over to where she was and sat beside. 

Taking her hands and tucking her fringe away, Minhyuk hugged her close and kissed her temple. He lingered on for a few seconds before whispering, "it's ok Soojung ah, we will get through this." 

Funnily enough, that calmed Krystal more than anything else after everything that happened today. 

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Later in the evening as she got ready for bed, Krystal studied her reflection in the mirror. She saw the difference twelve years made. While she remembered herself always on the skinnier side, her 35 year-old self definitely filled out at some parts. At least she still looked like herself, for the mos

There were some fine lines on her face that could only be seen if scrutinised upon closely. Her hair that she had always kept long was now just slightly beyond her shoulders. 

What intrigued her most however, was the faint scar across her abdomen. It went unnoticed by her all day until she took a shower prior to this. She didn't need a genius to tell her that the scar was from a caesarean delivery.

If there was anything that was truly conflicting, its how she'd brought a life into this world but have no recollection of it at all. 

Bringing her hands closer, she had almost expected pain when she touched it but it didn't hurt. She thought it would feel rough to her fingers but it did not. It was just there, a part of her now. 

Her train of thoughts wwere interrupted by Minhyuk's knock on the door. Quickly putting on her pyjamas of a sweater and lounge pants, she gave him the OK to enter. 

All showered as well, Minhyuk came in with the towel still around his shoulders. 

"Everything ok?" 

Krystal nodded. 

"Great," he stood around awkwardly for a second before moving away. "I'll be in the guestroom, let me know if you need anything." 

"Good night, Minhyuk oppa." 

"Good night, Soojung-a."

Thus concluded the first day of Krystal's blank space.