The Alchemists

Finland searched for Jean's manager's phone number which she received from Katia eight months ago. At that time, she called while she was still in Singapore and her call was rejected. She would try to call with her American T-Mobile number.

Hopefully this time they would pick up, she thought.

After the third ring, her call was picked up.

"Hello, I'm Jean's friend... and I'm very worried about Jean's condition, please tell me about his situation. I'm not a news reporter, my name is Finland, and I'm really his best friend. Tell my name to Jean, he can certainly confirm... " Finland said hurriedly before they hung up the phone. "My name is Finland... Just ask him..."

"Jean is asleep. Later when he wakes up, I'll ask." Finally Jean's manager answered after a long pause.

"Please tell Jean that I'm very worried about him. I've moved to America. I'll go to Paris in a few months..."

"Alright, I'll tell him later."

"Thank you..." Finland hung up the phone and fell to her chair with relief. She held her phone to her chest and tried to catch her breath that was panting from holding back tears.

Oh... finally Jean was really awake... Finland felt very relieved.

"Who are you calling? Why are you sad?" asked Anne, who was worried seeing Finland sitting with tears in her eyes.

"I was calling my friend..." said Finland, "These are not tears of sadness, these are tears of happiness..."

"What happened?" asked Anne, not understanding.

"He just woke up from his coma."

"Oh... thank God. Where is he?"

"He is in France. I can't go there now, I have to wait for my child to be born first..."

Finland was very happy because Jean was awake. She could not wait to hear news about him soon. Hopefully Jean could recover fully.

Every day Finland sent text messages asking about Jean's condition, but his manager no longer replied. Finally, three days later, with consideration that Jean must have improved and could be spoken to, she called back. After a dozen times calling, finally Jean's manager picked up her call.

"Hello, sorry, it's me Finland. Can I talk to Jean? Please give the phone to Jean, he will definitely want talk to me. He will be angry if you don't let me talk to him..."

A sigh sounded at the other end. "Sorry, what's your name?"

"My name is Finland. Finland Makela. Jean found my father. He is my best friend. He must recognize me."

"Uhm... Sorry, Miss. Jean says he doesn't know you."

Finland, who was walking home on the sidewalk, suddenly trembled. She had to hold on to the wall because her legs felt too weak to stand up.

"No... no way... I'm his best friend ..." She sat down crying. Her cry made Jean's manager feel sorry.

He then said, "Jean is here, I'll give him the phone. If you are his best friend, he will recognize you..."

"Oh... okay, thank you..." Finland wiped her tears and tried to sound calmer. Jean just woke up from a long coma, his mind might still be foggy.

"Hello..." came Jean's voice from the other end of the phone.

"Oh, Jean... thank goodness you're fine... I'm very worried... It's me Finland."

"Uhmm... sorry, your name does not sound familiar. Who are you?"

Bam!

"I... I'm your best friend. We studied together in Singapore..."

"I only studied briefly in Singapore and immediately moved to France. I don't remember anyone there..." Jean's voice sounded tired. "Maybe you know me from afar because we're in the same campus..."

"No... we are friends until now. Even though you moved to Paris, we are still in contact..."

"I'm so busy... how can we possibly keep in touch?" Jean asked, confused. He then asked his manager, "Did I ever tell you about friends in Singapore?"

"You have some friends in Singapore but no one really close. I don't know the name Finland," his manager replied.

"I know everything about you... you really like walking, you want to be known by just one name, and you also wear plus glasses..."

"I don't wear glasses," Jean said quickly. "My eyes are fine."

"No way... you wear plus glasses for reading, but you hide it. I have proof..." Finland hurriedly searched for Jean's photo in Singapore when he was reading a magazine wearing his glasses. "I have a picture of you with glasses..."

A surprised voice sounded from other end when Jean and his manager received the photo.

"I don't remember this photo..."

"Now many people can photoshop pictures, Jean. Did you really wear glasses?" asked Jean's manager. Jean shook his head.

"Try to get the book..." He took the book from his manager's hand and opened page after page, "I can read it well. I don't need glasses..."

"Oh, Jean... no way. I'm your best friend... How could you forget me? You even took me to Colmar and showed me my father's grave. We just got home from Colmar when suddenly Famke came and shot you... I'm sorry, you become involved like this..."

Finland cried again uncontrollably. Jean didn't remember her... Jean had forgotten about her...

"What did you say? Do you know the person who shot Jean?" Jean's manager had taken over the phone. "What was your name again?"

Finland suddenly realized she had said too much. She hurriedly disconnected the call and her trembling hand accidentally dropped the phone.

She could no longer approach Jean like this. She could be investigated by the police regarding his attack. When she was this pregnant and about to give birth, she could not look for problems... She could not take risks.

Either Jean forgot about her because of the coma, or the memory potion that Famke gave him had reacted, Finland didn't know. What was clear was that her heart felt very painful because the only person she was waiting for to recover turned out to have forgotten her...

She left Caspar because of what he did to Jean, and now Jean had forgotten her too... Finland felt like the most miserable woman in the world again.

Her head was dizzy, and she collapsed. Before her body hit the sidewalk, she felt a pair of strong hands catch her waist.

***