After laying for hours through a dark and sleepless night, daylight finally came. My heart drummed wildly with nerves and anticipation to the point where I could hear it in my ears. Rubbing my aching temples, I climbed out of bed and stretched my shoulders as I went straight towards the bathroom. Jung-ho stirred in his sleep, so I moved quietly.

Seeing myself in the wall-length mirror didn't bother me as much anymore. I was beginning to recognize this twenty-six-year-old man who looked like me, even though I never grew older than nineteen. Thanks to Jaemin who'd spent these last few nights helping me to shave and treat the poor condition of my skin, my face felt smoother, and the bags below my eyes appeared less dark and severe. Even my fingernails were neatly trimmed. I truly looked well groomed; more like a civilized member of society, and less like I'd woken up from a seven-year sleep.

After turning the shower on, I held my fingers under the gentle stream of hot water until it reached a comfortable temperature, then slowly stepped inside. The trickling of water on my fingertips reminded me of what Dr. Sai told me last night. I lifted my fingers close to my face and studied the fingerprints. The depth and sizes of the ridges looked inconsistent, with some appearing normal and others fading into bare patches. I wondered if my fingerprints grew back once the skin was healed, and if maybe it altered my prints at all.

Now that I knew he had no knowledge of my condition, and that I was essentially hidden without explanation for seven years, I didn't know how to broach this topic with him. Would he be willing to hear me out? Would he even believe me? It's not like there was any reason for him to. Anything I say might come across as ridiculous. Your lover has been asleep for seven years right under your nose, but now I'm here and ready for you to take me back.

Still staring at my fingertips, I scoffed at the thought.

"Even if it's hard to believe me, Chanyeol," I whispered, turning my hand to let the water trickle down the back of it, "I hope you still do."

Once I was out of the shower and changed into another new set of clothes, this time consisting of casual blue jeans and a loose fitted stripey shirt, and ankle-high brown leather boots. This time, I hoped not to come across so needlessly wealthy in front of Chanyeol. The less I looked like a rich woman's husband when I tried to approach him, the better.

Jung-ho was sitting up in bed reading a book when I came out of the bathroom. He closed the book with his hand still between the pages and looked up at me smiling. "Today's the big day, huh?" he said, shuffling to readjust himself on his spot. "These casual clothes look much trendier on you than the other ones. You look good for the occasion."

I smiled grimly. "Thanks to you and your wife," I said. "I'll wear these well."

He patted a spot at the side of his bed and motioned for me to sit with him. The blanket material felt like heaven the moment my hands touched it. Now that I was sitting close to him, I could see his coarse dark skin, the dark stubble that spread around his chin and jaw, and his dark black eyes. He looked like he was nearing his fifties, and if I remembered correctly, then he was probably around forty-seven years of age. With twenty-one years between us, it could be easy to think of him as a father-like figure, just as Jaemin naturally felt like a mother-figure even though she looked so young. In fact, Jung-ho probably looked much older than her.

"You must have a plan in mind for your discharge, right?" he asked.

I grinned. "Not at all."

Jung-ho chuckled and swept his hand through his hair, shaking his head with lighthearted disbelief.

"Of course not," he said teasingly. "If your non-existent plan doesn't work out, just come back here and we can let you stay in our vacant rental here in Seoul. It's under renovation so the main house is a little worse for wear, but the granny flat will be fully functional once the power and water are connected."

My eyes widened. "Do you mean that?" I asked.

"I do," he said, and grabbed my shoulder. "I'm sure my wife has already gushed out everything because she's such a sentimental person, but we really do consider you a part of our family. If there's anything we can do to help you get on your feet so you're not going to be alone in the world, we'll do what it takes."

Tears began pricking my eyes, so I tried to blink them away while this heaviness sunk to the pit of my stomach. It was hard to think about what would happen once I left this building. My mind ran the picture so clearly, that I'd knock on the door of our home and talk things over with Chanyeol. He'd pull me into his arms and welcome me back inside, and we'd naturally return to the way things used to be because for me, nothing changed. We just looked a little different. He was bigger and scarier, but he was still the tender man I loved for fifteen years. This was the scene that played so naturally in my mind, but I struggled to accept that reality would be so much different.

"I think I'm stuck in the past," I whispered, gripping the soft fabric beneath my fingers. "I don't know how I'm meant to adapt to the outside world. I know that when I walk outside those doors, nothing will be the same. Time couldn't wait for me, so now it's up to me to make it up. Truthfully, I'm s-scared. I'm scared of what's waiting out there for me."

Talking about it out loud brought me to a crushing reality when I wasn't as ready to face it as I thought I was. Lowering my head into the blanket, I burst into tears and squeezed the fabric while I tried to get a hold on my emotions. Jung-ho patted my back, offering me warmth and comfort in this moment of anguish and helplessness. My ears were ringing, and I struggled to regulate my breaths. I think I was on the cusp of having an anxiety attack.

Jung-ho spoke soothing affirmations while I cried, patting my back like a father might lovingly do for his son. It took some time before I was finally able to settle. Since Jaemin was back at home with the kids this time, I helped Jung-ho to the bathroom and ran the bath for him. It was seven-thirty by the time he stepped out, dressed and ready for the day. At that time, somebody knocked on the door before stepping straight inside.

"Good morning," Dr. Sai sung out as he let himself in with the nurse and kitchen staff trailing inside behind him.

"Good morning," Jung-ho and I both greeted him.

The nurse checked my vitals from my bed and was done within minutes this time. Dr. Sai watched keenly, silenced by the anticipation of their results. His eyes trained on mine for most of the time. I wondered if he'd noticed my puffy red eyes and figured out that I'd been crying up until moments ago. As soon as the nurse stepped back and nodded to him, he flashed me an excited grin.

"You're as gold as a star," he said, standing up and extending his hand for me. When I reached out and took it, he hauled me to my feet and pulled me in for a hug. "It's time for your new lease on life, Mr. Bom. Go fight and take back your world."

Returning his hug, I clasped his shoulders while I fought a new onslaught of tears. This handsome and friendly man treated me as somebody he'd known for years, when I'd only known him for less than five days. The world was a cruel joker when I thought about it like this. Once I stepped outside the hospital walls, would I be able to take my world back?

"I'll prepare your discharge papers," he said, pulling away and looking at me with tender puppy-like eyes. "You'll be ready to go within the hour."

I nodded and watched him leave the room. The kitchen staff had left the serving trolley with our breakfast inside, which Jung-ho was already eating his. I didn't know whether it was excitement or the nausea that came as a result of it, but I didn't feel like I would be able to eat. Jung-ho, who was slurping down his porridge, looked up and pointed at me with his spoon. "Eat," he said through a mouthful, not wasting a single moment to continue eating.

I nodded and picked up my bowl.

Jaemin arrived with some bags while we ate and set them down on the floor. She pottered around the room moving clothes off the floor and straightening up the chairs. When I was done eating, she pulled out a large backpack from one of the bags to store my new clothes, toiletries, wallet, phone, and drink bottle, all of which she purchased for me.

No longer than an hour later, Dr. Sai returned to inform me that I was free to head to the administration desk and sign myself out. Jaemin ensured that I had taken the phone they bought with me before walking me to the lobby. I looked for Chanyeol straight away, both inside the lobby and outside the giant glass windows that housed the revolving door. He was nowhere to be seen. Since it was a weekday, he'd be at work now, right?

They handed me a prescription to pick up from the hospital pharmacy, which a nurse escorted me alongside Jaemin and acted as my stand-in identification. I was provided with enough to last two weeks and was expected to return for my next checkup, then. Jaemin took them and placed them inside the bag on my back for me. As soon as we were done, we returned to the room so that Jung-ho could come to walk me outside.

Approaching the revolving doors made me nervous, but I had a lot more strength and coherence than I did just a few days ago when I woke up. There was no need for me to feel so nervous about entering through them again. Jaemin linked her arm with mine again as they led me through it and to the outside world.

"Don't forget what I told you before," Jung-ho said, patting my shoulders as we hugged goodbye at the top step of the hospital.

"Mhmm," I agreed, clasping him tightly.

Jaemin hugged me five-hundred times tighter than her husband. "Come back if anything goes wrong," she said immediately, pulling away and holding my face in her palms. She looked intently into my eyes, being just shy of my height wearing her high heels. "I've put money in your wallet, plus a bus and train pass that should get you through the week. You've got our numbers if anything changes, and you know where we're staying. Hm?"

"Got it," I chuckled and kissed her cheek. "I should start calling you mother now with the way you fuss over me."

"Pssht," she responded playfully. "I look far too young to have such an old son, but still..." she paused, giving me a dramatic once over. "I'll allow it."

I let go of her and stepped back, waving to her and her husband. The road in front of the hospital was busy, with taxis paving the edge of the walkway and cars driving by. There was a bus stop just over the road where people were already waiting. The loving couple continued waving as Jaemin put her arm around Jung-ho's back and led him to turn around back towards the building. I watched their backs until they disappeared back through the revolving doors, and there was too much reflection on the windows to see them walking inside. I turned back to the road and wondered what I'd do now.

The world looked so large, and yet I couldn't help but wonder if it had any room for me left.