Val had enjoyed her walk around Incheonone city center that afternoon. She remembered seeing pictures of it in books she had seen before all of this had started. Some people did look at her in a strange way. Here she was a foreigner in the country she had grown up in. This was something that she hadn’t taken into consideration before starting on the path she was now on. Unlike Holli Val had most of her old memories intact, some of them seemed a little distant to her. She had not lost herself to the changes that she and Holli were undergoing.
She remembered being told by her grandmother that the person who had started the process would retain more of themselves than the other. Val had begun to feel sorry for Holli but her need was greater than Holli’s was. She needed away from the prison that her life had become and as for Holli well she would be able to see the world in a different way not that she would ever know that once everything was over with.
Val returned to her hotel room after her walk and looked at her phone to check the time, it was almost 5.30. She remembered that she had promised to see Holli at 7.00. She decided to have a shower before calling the floor that Peace Blossom’s management had secured for the group to let them know that she was on her way. She knew that without making that call in advance she would not have been able to access the floor, the security detail would not let her on the floor no matter how many times she had been there before.
A few floors above
Holli had gone beyond shock to disbelief. Why was she so confused as to which set of memories were hers? Was it the one from “Brighton” or was it the one from Busanjin District? Never mind the pictures she had found online.
“그것은 부산진 구역 저것들 기억 느끼다 그래서 진짜 에게 나. 나 ~하지 않다 알다 아무것 ~에 대한 이것 장소 ~라고 불리는 브라이튼. 만약에 저것들 ~이었다 그만큼 진짜 그들 나 ~일 것이다 기억하다 것들 ~에 대한 이것 장소 안 할 거야 나?” (Its Busanjin District those memories feel so real to me. I don't know anything about this place called Brighton. If those were the real ones I would remember things about this place, wouldn't I?) Holli said to the empty room.
She checked the time and saw that it was only 6.30, she knew that Val would be here soon and that she would be able to answer the question going around her head. She hoped.
Downstairs
Val had finished her shower and made her call to the floor above. Now that she had permission to visit Holli she went to finish getting ready.
Her blonde hair is styled in a loose, slightly tousled way as she had only just finished drying it. She was unsure if she should straighten it before leaving the room. She chose a midi-length dress with a collared shirt-style neckline from the wardrobe. The dress itself was a dark maroon or burgundy colour with a pattern of light pink small abstract shapes. It had short sleeves and buttons down the front. She chose light pink pointed-toe heels and put a simple ring back on her left ring finger. She had found this ring in the jewellery box that had been sitting on the dresser and had liked the simplicity of it so had chosen to wear it.
She picked up her phone and decided to take a selfie. This had been something she had done every day in her old life but in the short time she had been in her new life was not something she had thought of doing.
After taking the picture and making sure it was a good one she decided not to straighten her hair and headed upstairs to see Holli.
