Finding Tine Teepakorn

Chapter 17: Mr Perfectly Fine

"I can't remember the last three years of my life. I don't know what happened in the accident, but the last thing I remember is catching a bus with you and then I woke up directly in a hospital."

"WHAT?"

Tine's POV

"What are you even saying Tine? That can't be true—"

Sarawat looked visibly shocked and I had no idea how to calm him down, may be it was finally time I was honest with him.

"I had an accident and I lost my memories, Wat. Just like it happened in college. Except this time, I can't seem to gain my memories back right away. Well, I did get a few memories back, but not all of it. I can't remember most things, I guess?"

"No. No. No. Wait, this can't be happening. NO!" Sarawat now looked more confused than I had ever seen him. "When you lost your memories in college, you couldn't even remember me, Tine. But, you can remember me now right? You—you remember me right?"

"Of course I remember you Wat." I held Sarawat's hand to calm him down. I could see panic setting into him. "I remember our first dates I remember our first kiss. I remember all the times you sang to me. I just can't seem to remember anything after I had the last concussion. That's all, other than that, I am perfectly fine."

"You call that being perfectly fine? Tine, you just said can't remember the last three years of your life dammit! I wouldn't call that being perfectly fine."

"Sarawat, I am really okay and—"

"Wait, you said you can't remember anything after you had your last concussion? What's the last thing that you do remember?"

"We were going back home that night after celebrating my internship, I was running to the bus stop, you were trying to catch up, I hit my head, and I woke up in the hospital... but then the doctor told me that three years had passed and you weren't there at all.

He gave me my phone and wallet with all my belongings that I couldn't even identify. I just, I couldn't understand anything Wat."

"If the last thing you remembered was going back home with me, then you should have just called me Tine. You should have just called me from the hospital and I would have been right there with you"

"How could I call you Wat? We had only been dating a few months and I didn't even think enough to memorize your number. The doctor handed me a phone that I didn't even recognize. The phone, which had no traces of you whatsoever or any of our friends from college.

Honestly, I--I prayed and hoped it was just all a big misunderstanding and you were right outside the hospital room waiting for me, but... but you weren't there. There wasn't anyone that I recognized around me. But then the doctor said if I can't remember anything, I should stay there a few days longer.

So, I panicked, told the doctor I was fine, and left the hospital. I just.. I just wanted to find you, Wat. I thought if I just found you, everything would get resolved."

"If you couldn't recall anything, how did you find your house and your office? You hadn't joined office yet when you had the concussion the last time. Did you eventually get some memories back?"

"Ah no. My assistant showed up at the hospital. Of course, I didn't tell him anything about my memory loss. I just told him to drive me home and he did. I—I didn't even know the passcode of the apartment. I just tried a few until I figured out it was your birthday." I laughed sadly. "I guess some habits just don't change no matter how old I get."

"You should have called someone, Tine. If not me, then at least your family or your friends."

"You know the kind of relationship I have had with my family in the past, and now it feels like things have gotten worse. I drove down to my parents' house the day after the accident and they refused to even talk to me. Mom told me to leave before dad found out.