The next morning, I opened the shop earlier than usual. I had made my decision after thinking about it all
night.
At 10 AM, Minho arrived.
"Hyung, what did you decide?"
"Bring back . my memories."
Minho looked shocked. "Really? Even the painful ones?"
"Yes. I want to . I want to know who I really am. And ." I paused to collect my thoughts. "And I want to
properly remember what I did. Without running away."
Tears fell from Minho's eyes. "Hyung . are you sure you'll be okay?"
"I won't be okay. But I think it's the right thing to do."
I sat in the chair and prepared myself. "Let's begin."
Minho carefully opened the bottle. Complex lights swirled and moved toward me.
First memory. My childhood. I was 7 years old. Minho was 5.
"Hyung, let me play too!"
"No. You're still too young."
But in the end, I carried Minho on my back and played with him. Every time my little brother laughed, I
was happy too.
Second memory. Middle school years. Our parents' divorce. Minho and I went to live with our
grandfather, following our father.
"Minjae, now you need to take good care of Minho."
Grandfather showed us the shop. It was the predecessor of Memorium.
"This work has been done by our family for generations. It's about easing other people's pain."
Third memory. College years. I entered the psychology department. I studied memory and the human
mind. I learned memory manipulation techniques under grandfather's guidance.
"This ability shouldn't be used carelessly. Only for people who really need help."
Fourth memory. Memories with Minho. After graduating high school, Minho said:
"Hyung, I want to learn this work too."
"No. You should take a different path. This work is . this work is too heavy."
But Minho was stubborn, and eventually we ended up working together.
Fifth memory. Graduate school days. Days devoted to research. I was writing a thesis on the mechanisms
of memory. Sometimes I drank with friends to relieve stress.
And then . the memory of that day.
December 24, 2021. Christmas Eve.
"Minjae, drink moderately today. You need to go home."
My friend Jaeseok said this, but I didn't listen.
"It's fine. Just a little more."
My thesis presentation was the following week. My stress was at its peak.
"Hey, you have to drive."
"Come on, I haven't had much. It's fine."
But in reality, I had finished two bottles of soju by myself.
At 11 PM, I staggered to my car.
"Take a taxi!" my friends tried to stop me, but I was stubborn.
"My house is right there."
I started the engine and drove off. The world was spinning, but I thought I could drive.
At the intersection in front of the apartment complex, the traffic light turned yellow. I should have slowed
down, but I pressed the accelerator.
"Let's go fast."
The light turned red. But I didn't stop.
Then .
Someone ran out onto the crosswalk. A young woman was running, holding the hand of a child about 6
years old.
I hit the brakes, but it was too late.
CRASH!
Everything stopped with the impact.
When I got out of the car, the woman was lying down and the child . the child wasn't moving.
"No . no!"
I ran to the child. But they were already gone.
"Someone . someone please call 119!"
People gathered around. Someone called for help.
"This person smells like alcohol."
"It's drunk driving!"
The woman had also lost consciousness. An ambulance came and took them to the hospital, but .
Three days later, she also passed away.
Lee Eunju, 32 years old. She had been on her way to buy Christmas presents with her daughter Chaewon.
I . I killed them.
All my memories came back. I collapsed on the floor and wept.
"AAAAHHH!"
Along with all 26 years of memories, the guilt from that day swept through my entire body.
"Hyung! Hyung!" Minho supported me. "It's okay. It's okay now."
But it wasn't okay. How could it be okay? I had taken two lives.
"I'm . I'm a murderer."
"No, hyung. It was an accident."
"It was drunk driving. If I hadn't been drinking . if I had followed the traffic signals ."
I couldn't get up for several days. Guilt and self-loathing crushed my entire body. But Minho stayed by
my side and took care of me.
"Hyung, what will you do now?"
A week later, I shared my decision.
"Those people . I want to visit their graves."