Chapter 06 - Your faithful maid

I stared into my cup of coffee shivering. I looked up as Jiao Jiao entered. Right now I was sitting in the supermarket store room filled with the smell of musty cardboard. The air was cold and wet and the wooden box beneath me was creaking under my weight.

'Sun-Hee, are you feeling okay now?', she knelt in front of me and took my hand in her warm palm. Her voice was high and squeaky but….comforting.

'I'm not Sun-Hee', I said as she checked my pulse. Her face was contorted with concentration. Then she let go.

'Then, I'm not Jiao Jiao either', she replied, taking off her cap.

'My current name is Dan-Oh'.

'Ah, I-I'm Mae', I said, 'Nice to meet you'.

'There's no point of denying your memories, your highness', She sat down cross-legged in front of me.

'My memories?' My coffee sloshed in its plastic cup.

'Surely, you know that by now', Dan-Oh said, 'All those dreams you're having, they're all your past memories Mae'.

'It can't be, that's not possible', I whispered.

'They're only going to stop once you start to accept the truth. Is it a coincidence that you met two people you knew already?'

I looked up suddenly. Jae-Sung.

'Speaking about that… Why can't he remember?', I asked cautiously.

'You met your faithful maid after centuries and all you remember is senior Sung', Dan-Oh smirked.

I blushed, 'I couldn't stop thinking about him'.

'Just kidding Mae', She said laughing in my face, 'It's only acceptable. He was really infatuated with you. If only both of you lived long enough. As for why he can't remember, I really don't know Mae. It's like they don't remember anything. Because of that, they tend to develop an entirely different personality. They…. Are not who they used to be'.

'Am I different?', I asked.

'You? Nah', She swiped her hand in dismissal, 'Shy and reserved was your definition since birth'.

I grinned happily.

'Wait, you said, "some of us don't remember". Who else did you mean?' I inquired.

She looked uncomfortable, 'I meant him. Jae-Sung'.

'How do you know him?', I asked curiously, sliding down from the box and sitting next to her.

'He lives close-by you know. In the Phantom towers', She said shifting uneasily next to me, 'You should-sit on the box, not here'.

I looked at her quizzically and then remembered.

'Relax Dan Oh, I'm not a princess anymore'.

'I know that', She said quickly, 'It just doesn't feel right'.

'Anyways', I said, ' Isn't Phantom towers-'

'Filled with rich dudes?' She cut in, 'What did you expect him to be this time? Didn't you see his clothes?'

Now that she mentioned, his clothes did seem to be of high quality. Designer clothing possibly.

'Mmhm, you're right', Dan-Oh said, reading my thoughts, 'The stuff he wears just to come here! A random supermarket'.

'You know him well', I said, glancing down at my clasped hands, 'Do you happen to know his current name?'

'No Mae, I don't know him that much', She said, 'All I know is that he doesn't remember anything at all. Even after seeing me this many times and after-after seeing you'.

I felt upset and sad. Above all the crazy things I've seen in this world, I didn't want him to forget me. Forget Sun-Hee.

'Mae?'Dan-Oh asked, 'Listen… If you really like him that much. What you can do is to start over. Meet him all over again'.

'A new start?', I muttered.

'Yes! A new start!'She said determinedly, 'And I, Jiao-uh, I mean, Dan-Oh will help you!'.

I chuckled, 'We just met…. Why would you help someone you just met?'

'Met?!'She looked hurt, 'Mae, I'm your personal maid who followed you literally everywhere in the palace. How could you?!'

I raised my hands in defence laughing, 'Alright, I'm sorry. You can help me'.

'Yes!'

'You just started working here didn't you?', I said.

'Yeah… part time. It's been a month now. And seeing that you've never seen Jae-Sung, I'm guessing he just moved here. I work here on Fridays and Mondays. Jae-Sung comes here every Monday and I haven't seen you here'.

'Oh, our usual grocery day is on Sunday', I said, 'I just happened to come because some things finished early'.

'Ah, that's why', She said relaxing, 'I was pretty surprised when I saw you. I just didn't know what to say'.

'I remember', I said recalling.

I looked at my watch and started.

'Oh shit! look at the time!', I got up shaking myself, 'I'm super late. If my dad's home, I'm done!'

Dan-Oh got up and helped me dust myself.

'Oh and I brought that bag you dropped', She said.

'Bag- Oh! My groceries', I remembered.

'Let me go get it, you can go to the entrance I'll come'.

She came back after a few minutes with my shopping and we said our goodbyes.

'Remember to come again Mae', She said enthusiastically, hugging me.

'Sure sure', I said, 'And remember your promise. I already had a bad start with him. I just need to fix it or something'.

'Yeah I will, it's just that-'

I dashed off because I was running late, 'Bye! Thank you for everything!'

Dan-Oh stood there watching her past mistress leave.

'It's just that, he doesn't suit you anymore'.