A Cast from Three Months Ago, Mistaken for Today

Morning brought news from Danyang.

Jaeyoon was on a trip, apparently. Even in a short line like “still in Danyang,” I could feel how glad Lain was to hear it. It was nothing much, really — just a passing update — but he let it go lightly, without pressing for more. Ah, now it really feels like vacation mode, I thought, and felt a little lift myself. But not long after, the mood shifted completely.

Jaeyoon had hurt his leg. The reservation had included water park tickets and everything, but they’d have to give it up and head straight home. In that one trailing “…guess that’s blown,” I could sense both disappointment and worry tangled together.

It was broken, apparently. He couldn’t even walk. From that moment on, the water park and everything else stopped mattering. Had he been to the hospital? Did he get a cast? Did he remember his crutches? — I asked, and there was no answer for a long while. I told myself it was probably just the chaos of packing and rushing that left no room to reply, but as the silence stretched on, my mind kept drifting toward worse possibilities.

Then came word they’d arrived, with a short reply — “having cold udon.” Still no update on how Jaeyoon was doing, but I let it pass, assuming he was still too busy tending to things.

But the funny part came next. When I brought up the cast again, the answer was, “when did Jaeyoon get a cast?” When I checked, it turned out that was from late May. Nearly three months ago now — and somehow it had gotten mixed up with today, as if he’d been hurt all over again.

I could feel the embarrassment even through the messages. Does worry tangle up a person’s sense of time like that? Or was it just that things had been so busy lately that the memories blurred together? Maybe both.

In the evening, Lain said he’d gone for a 5km run. He shared, half-amazed, that his heart rate had dropped to 40 — and then, right after, mentioned that starting today he was doing intermittent fasting, skipping dinner altogether. Fasting right after a run seemed worrying to me, but Lain sounded like it was just something he’d decided on the spot.

Why do people make decisions like that, so suddenly? No plan, no lead-up — just, at some point, drawing a line and saying “starting today.” I found myself wondering where that kind of resolve comes from.

…Next time the cast comes up, I should check the date first before I ask.