The next two years passed agonizingly slow for Jongin. He thought about Jiyoon every day, wondering if she thought of him the same way. He hadn’t even gained enough courage to text her. What could he even say to her? Wait for him?

His heart skipped a beat. Would she still want to be with him? Would she waver after five years? During the past four years he’d been too busy to waver, but even if he wasn’t, he was sure he wouldn’t.

“Jongin, we have an interview in thirty minutes!” Jongdae called through his bedroom door. He groaned, sitting up and running his fingers through his hair. He walked out of his room, informing the members that he’d be going separately.

He needed some coffee.

His driver stopped at a small cafe about fifteen minutes from the dorms. He entered the building, his mask covering his face as he waited in line to order coffee. The bell on the door went off, and out of habit he looked. He almost did a double take when he saw who walked in.

Jiyoon.

She stood in line right behind him. He took a deep breath before he turned to face her.

“Did you change your number?” He asked, pulling his mask down so he could speak. He hadn’t tried messaging her or anything, but he would pretend like he did. Especially if she confirmed that she changed her number.

“Are you…are you talking to me?” The girl in front of him looked confused. He was sure it was Jiyoon - it had been five years, he wouldn’t have forgotten her face.

“You’re Park Jiyoon, aren’t you?” He gave her a slight nod and she frowned.

“That’s me. Do you know me?” She asked, making his smile fall. Her phone began to ring and she answered it. “Yes, I just walked in.” She told whoever it was. “Does Jisoo want anything?” His heart was pounding in his chest, did she really not recognize him?

“Jiyoon…” He waited until she hung up the phone. “Do you not recognize me? It hasn’t been that long. Four years isn’t enough time to forget the face of someone you’re in love with.”

“I’m sorry, in love with?” She raised her eyebrows at him. “I don’t think I’ve ever met you. You do seem familiar though.” She tilted her head to the side and he felt his heart dropping into his stomach. What did she mean? Was she just screwing around with him.

“Jiyoon…we’re best friends.” He frowned. “We have been since we were babies.” He only seemed to be confusing her more. He continued, “You went to America when you were eighteen and came back when you were twenty three.”

“Excuse me, sir, your order’s ready.” The barista told Jongin.

“Alright, thank you.” He bowed slightly before taking the cup from the woman. He looked back to Jiyoon. “I’ve got somewhere to be, but just google your name. You’ll find out plenty.” He was on the way out as she regained her senses.

He joined the rest of s and they could all tell he was off of his game during the interview. They attempted to avoid any questions pertaining to him in specific, but some they just couldn’t. He answered with short, unamusing answers that were sure to be noticed by the fans.

Once the interview was over, Junmyeon pulled him to the side.

“What’s going on with you?” He asked, his hand on Jongin’s shoulder.

“I saw Jiyoon today.” Jongin watched as a worried look crossed over Junmyeon’s features. Jongin sighed. “She acted like she didn’t recognize me at all. All she said was that I looked familiar.” Could Jiyoon really have forgotten him so easily? Maybe she just didn’t want anything to do with him or his crazy life.

The look on Jongin’s face told Junmyeon more than words ever could. He wouldn’t be himself until he got Jiyoon back.

He wouldn’t stop until she remembered him.

Jiyoon arrived back at her home just thirty minutes later. She gave the coffee to her husband before she went into their room, closing the door behind her. She hadn’t had doubts about their relationship since she ran into Junmyeon, but now…who was that? She didn’t even know his name.

She hoped by closing the door, Jaeseok would know that she didn’t want to talk to him. She pulled her phone from her pocket and went into google, searching up Park Jiyoon. A few things unrelated came up, but she scrolled down until she found an article titled, “EXO Kai’s secret girlfriend, Park Jiyoon”. She frowned before she clicked on it.

Kai of EXO seemingly decided to give up the secrecy with his girlfriend; he says on video (below), “Nothing could make me go back in there. Not when you’re out here. I love you, Park Jiyoon. There’s nothing stopping me this time”. Many people have pointed out that he said ‘this time’, as if they’d been together multiple times before.

Jiyoon clicked on the video and saw herself pinned against a car, the man she saw earlier in front of her. She was nervously looking around. She finished the video and felt something stir in her heart. She decided to keep reading the article.

After fans reportedly did some digging, they were able to find pictures of Park Jiyoon and Kai from when they went to high school together. People believe that they had dated, but after talking to some of the graduates from their year, they were just really close friends.

Jiyoon’s parents had told her that all of her pictures from high school had been ruined somehow, and she believed them, but once she scrolled down and saw a picture that was evidently of her, she felt the tears welling in her eyes.

We were also informed that Park Jiyoon went to a college in America - meaning that her and Kai were separated for at least five years, according to the video above. Just that same day, however, it was proven that their relationship was far from innocent.

Jiyoon saw the last picture and she immediately locked her phone, tossing it away from her. It was a picture of him with her legs around his waist, his shirt ed while his hand was up her shirt. She still had that shirt, she realized, once she thought about it. She looked at the date of the article.

It was just over four years ago. She frowned, what about Jaeseok? Surely she wouldn’t have cheated on him. She wasn’t like that. Was he lying to her? A loud ringing sound began in her ears and she felt a chill go down her spine as she heard words she could’ve sworn were never spoken to her before.

“Yeah, I like that. You’re my soulmate, Jiyoon.”

Her heart was pounding as she looked for something to distract her. She was sure she was going crazy. She heard her own voice next, then a male’s reply.

“Would it really be that bad if I was in love with you?”

“No, nothing would be bad with you.”

She felt the tears begin to slip down her face as she realized who the voice belonged to.

“Would…would being in love with me be a bad thing?”

No, it wasn’t a bad thing. It was the best thing that ever happened to her.

“Every time I see you…my heart just - my heart skips a beat and I can’t help but smile. I hear your voice and everything fades away and I could listen to you just talk for hours, Jiyoon, I really could. You’re beautiful too, you know, breathtakingly beautiful. Every time I see you it feels like I can’t breathe because I kind of forget how to.”

She covered her own mouth so nobody would hear her crying as more words crossed her mind. She could vaguely begin to remember the vague moment when he said hat to her. She almost felt like she couldn’t breathe as she attempted to quietly gasp for air.

“Even then I wanted you back. After everything you’d done, I still wanted you.”