Fiction: Group 4
home for business.’
Hak said with a hint of nostalgia in his voice. I could tell that he really missed her when
he said that.
For a few times, he had spoken about his past with a nostalgic voice, and a faint hint of pain. So I decided.
I am going to help Hak find this girl, just so he would get out of my body.
I took some time off to travel along the Pearl River Delta, in hope to help Hak regain the memories that he
had lost, maybe he could remember something by looking at a view that was familiar to him.
‘Sei. You don’t have to do this for me. I may remember, just not immediately, it’ll definitely take time.’
Hak said when I told him my decision of helping him. Even though he said that, I know deep inside, Hak
really wanted to see her. So in return, I told him a little white lie, “Don’t worry. Helping you regain your
memories is just something that we’re going to do along the way. I’m travelling just so I could take pictures
for my portfolio, to make it look better when I’m looking for a job.” ‘It’s also because I want you out of my
body.’ I added silently. It’s not really a lie, but it’s not entirely true either.
‘Fine, if you say so.’
Hak
responded simply after hearing my reasoning.
I decided to travel via ships along the Pearl River Delta, as Hak said he used to walk around the port with
his lover, maybe he would remember where it was when we pass by that area.
Our first stop was ShenZhen, to where I found Hak.
I stood on the spot where I found Hak standing on.
‘Sei…I think, I remember…’
Without finishing the
line, I slowly got sucked in Hak’s memory.
“Be Careful!”, somebody yelled, “There are a lot of landmines here, one wrong step and you’ll-” The
voice continued to warn, but it was too late. A huge orange flame had erupted from the place Hak had
stepped on. An explosion. Just as Hak said. He died stepping on a landmine. I watched from the side as Hak
muttered something just before he stopped breathing. “I’m…sorry..J-”
The memories surged out of my mind as fast as it came, and it the process, it gave me a massive headache, as
if I could feel what Hak had felt, but maybe 100 times less, as I would’ve died, if I had felt what he had felt
when he stepped on the landmine. But what interested me was what Hak couldn’t finish saying, ‘J-’, a
name? Maybe.
Second destination was GuangZhou.
However, unlike the first destination, ShenZhen, Hak couldn’t feel anything. He didn’t react to anything at
all. Maybe it’s because GuangZhou has changed so much he could recognize it at all. So, we kept on
travelling.
We have travelled to most places that was connected by the Pearl River Delta, Hak is starting to lose hope
in searching for his lover.
‘Sei…Maybe, we should just give up… Maybe the place in my memories doesn’t
exist anymore.’
His voice was filled with loneliness. “Hak.” I said sternly. “We are not giving up, plus it’s a
bonus for me. I get to see the beauty of China.” A knowledgeable silence filled the air as we continued to
travel.
Halfway through the trip, getting closer to our final destination, Zhuhai. Hak had started to react. Along
with him, as if I could feel the pain of memories surging into his mind, my head had started to hurt as well.
…
“Hak!” A girl aged around 18 with shoulder length onyx hair that fluttered as she walked ran towards a 20
year old Hak. “Look! The ships are back! I wonder what they brought back this time.” Her big smile has
influenced Hak to chuckle along with her, “We should go check it out shouldn’t we, Jun?” The younger
girl nodded enthusiastically as the ran towards the crowded port filled with ships and crates of all sizes.
