Episode 14 – I Think We Were Lovers (5)
When the stranger appeared, Agathe stiffened and looked at him cautiously. He was wearing an officer’s uniform—probably here to see the Captain. Nothing to be nervous about, really.
“Good afternoon, Nurse Natalie. It’s been a while.”
“Are you… Here to see me?”
Agathe raised an eyebrow, a little surprised. The man smiled kindly and nodded. Then, after studying her face for a moment, he spoke gently.
“Sorry for not introducing myself sooner. I’m Second Lieutenant Damian Denver. I stayed at the field hospital for a short while, about three months ago.”
“Oh, I see. Hello.”
It seemed he had already heard about her condition before coming to the room.
“I was told you’ve lost your memory because of the accident.”
“Yes… That’s right.”
“And your shoulder? Is it healing well?”
“It still hurts sometimes, but I think it’ll get better once the wound closes.”
“I hope it heals quickly.”
Damian spoke with genuine concern, as if her pain were his own.
Agathe couldn’t remember him at all—but for some reason, she felt like she knew him. Something about his face felt oddly familiar.
When she kept staring, he gave a slightly awkward smile.
“Uh… if you keep looking at me like that…”
“Oh! Sorry, it’s just… Lieutenant Damian, you look kind of… familiar.”
“You remember me?”
“Not clearly… just vaguely.”
His brown hair and gray eyes seemed to drift somewhere in her foggy mind, trying to take shape. Even his regional accent stirred something deep in her memory. She couldn’t recall any details, but somehow she felt they used to know each other.
“I’m honored you remember me at all,” Damian said with a touched smile.
Agathe gave a shy smile in return—when suddenly, the door burst open with a loud bang.
Ashley stepped inside, looking furious. Agathe froze and turned toward him, and Damian followed her gaze.
“Oh, you have a visitor,” Ashley said in a calm, polite tone that didn’t match his stormy expression.
“Lieutenant Damian Denver, sir. It’s an honor to meet you,” Damian greeted.
Ashley extended his hand. “Ashley Gloucester.”
Damian shook it firmly, and for a moment, the two men smiled politely, reading each other’s faces before letting go.
Then Damian turned back to Agathe, remembering why he’d come.
“You probably don’t remember, but before I left, I promised to return once my mission was complete.”
“Oh… really?”
At that time, he had also said that if they met again, he wanted her to accept his feelings. He’d come back to keep that promise—but now she’d lost her memory.
Still, when she said she remembered him a little, his heart swelled with warmth… until this uninvited guest—the famous Captain Gloucester himself—showed up.
“I wish you a speedy recovery,” Damian said, handing her a small bouquet of water drop flowers.
Blushing, Agathe took it with her left hand.
“Thank you, Lieutenant.”
“I’ve always been grateful for the help you gave me when I was at my lowest.”
Back then, Damian had barely survived a mission where all his comrades died. Drowning in guilt, he had lost the will to live. But the young nurse saw right through him and refused to let him give up.
Once, he’d pretended to take his medicine but hadn’t swallowed it. She’d somehow caught on and scolded him harshly. After that, she always gave him the pills herself and checked his mouth to make sure he swallowed.
She’d told him to recover and live on for the sake of his fallen comrades.
Because of her words, he regained his health, returned to duty, and fought with everything he had. He’d even earned a promotion.
On his way to a new operation, he’d stopped by the field hospital for a short visit.
“If it’s not too much trouble,” he asked softly, “could we take a short walk—just to the front garden?”
“The garden?”
It was barely a few steps outside, but Agathe couldn’t ignore the intense presence behind her. Ashley stood there, silent, his expression dark and rigid. His gaze felt sharp enough to pierce her.
He’d never looked at her like that before.
If he and she really were lovers, he would have stepped in and stopped her from going. But he didn’t say a word. His lips stayed tightly shut.
So… they weren’t lovers after all.
Agathe felt her foolish misunderstanding crumble completely.
“I’ll walk you to the garden,” she said at last.
Damian’s face lit up, and he offered his arm. Agathe placed her hand on it naturally. She set the bouquet down on the table and walked toward the door.
“Wait.”
It was Ashley’s low voice. He went to the wardrobe, took out a men’s jacket, and placed it gently over her shoulders.
“Wear this.”
“I’m fine, really.”
“You’re not fully recovered. Don’t catch a chill.”
His tone was firm but kind. Agathe bowed slightly and followed Damian out.
Outside, the evening air was cool.
“I hope I didn’t trouble you. You should still be resting,” Damian said.
“I was getting tired of being stuck in the room anyway.”
Her shoulder still ached a bit, but walking wasn’t hard.
Then, in a careful voice, Damian asked,
“May I ask what kind of relationship you have with Captain Gloucester?”
Agathe answered calmly,
“They say he was my patient once. I was assigned as his personal nurse. Apparently, there was a sniper attack while we were transferring hospitals… but I don’t remember any of it.”
“I see,” Damian said quietly.
He seemed relieved. Clearly, he had worried that she and the Captain might be close.
“I’m thinking of retiring after this mission,” Damian continued.
Agathe nodded in understanding.
“I told you something before I left the field hospital,” he said suddenly.
“…?”
He stopped walking and turned to her.
Agathe held her breath as his voice stirred a faint memory inside her—like an echo from a dream.
Oh… so it wasn’t Captain Gloucester.
Now she finally understood why she had felt so uneasy whenever she was with him—like something invisible was blocking her heart. They’d never been lovers. She had been wrong all along.
Maybe… she had actually been missing Damian.
Being near him now made her feel calm and warm, and her lost memories tugged faintly at her heart.
She asked softly,
“Lieutenant… were we lovers?”
He smiled faintly. “Not quite. But… I did confess to you once.”
“You did?”
“Yes. I did.”
There was no hesitation in his voice, no teasing tone—just the truth.
“And what did I say?”
“You turned me down,” he said simply. “I was too hasty back then.”
His words were calm, not bitter. That moment had helped him grow and find purpose again.
“I’m sorry,” Agathe whispered. “I don’t remember any of it.”
“Please don’t apologize. I should be the one saying sorry—for confusing you like this.”
By now, they’d reached the garden. The air was cool, the sky deepening toward twilight. The breeze cleared her hazy thoughts.
“My final mission will take about five months… maybe three if all goes well,” Damian said quietly.
“…”
“When I return, if you’ll allow it, I’d like to ask you out properly. For a real date.”
“Me?”
“Yes. I’d like to ask you, Nurse Natalie.”
Damian wasn’t just a soldier—he was a sincere young man who cared deeply.
For him, “a date” didn’t just mean a casual meeting. It meant taking the time to really know her, step by step.
Three months had passed since his clumsy confession, and this time, he wanted to do it right.
