~ A few months later ~

“Let me help you,” Yoona offered Jessica, approaching her at the sink as she washes dishes.

But Jessica shook her head. “Don’t worry about it, Yoona. I got it.”

But, of course, Yoona was persistent and gently pushed her unni aside so that she could help her anyway. Jessica just shook her head and laughed.

Yoona has always been quietly observing Jessica in her work. She has obviously been pushing herself to the point of exhaustion at work.

“Sica,” Yoona started.

“What?” Jessica said she continued to scrub at the dishes.

“Are you okay?”

Jessica kept her eyes downward and slowed down from her work a bit, but continued to wash away.

But Yoona noticed her hesitation.

“I’m fine,” she answered. “Why do you ask?”

“You seem really tired. I feel like you over work yourself. Is everything alright?”

Jessica nodded her head. “You’re always concerned about me. I wonder how you ever have time to worry about yourself,” she joked.

“It’s because you always make me feel worried,” Yoona replied with a gentle smile.

“I told you, I’m fine,” she tried to reassure her.

“It’s just that you seem…what’s the English word for it? Stressed?” Yoona said with her best English accent she could muster.

This brought a smile to Jessica’s face. “Not bad,” she noted. “I’m always stressed.”

“How come?”

“Oh you know, I’m always busy at work and school is always stressful.”

Yoona nodded her head in agreement. “I understand. Maybe you should take more hours off?”

“And let you take all my hours and money?” Jessica winked. “No way.”

“As if school isn’t keeping me busy too,” Yoona nudged her unni against her shoulder.

The pair continued to finish their work and closed up the café for the night.

What Jessica hadn’t told Yoona is that she’s glad she’s always working a lot and studying so much at school.

All of the work, all of the stress – it keeps her distracted.

But every now and then, the memories of the summer still enter her mind, unwanted and uninvited.

Unconsciously, after work, she will take the long way home, through the park.

And this evening seemed to be no different.

Walking through, she found the tree where she and Donghae – she always tried very hard not to say that name, out loud or in her head – met and talked about how he was a ghost.

She walked up to the tree, placing her hand on it. All of the memories suddenly flooded her head like a flash of light. She took her hand off the tree to rub her head – as lovely as those memories were they were still painful and somewhat regretful.

She exited the park and unfortunately found herself walking past Donghae’s family home. She wasn’t sure if it was what she wanted to do or if it was her heart forcing her.

But every time she would walk by his house, she would stop in front of it, and just stare, wondering how he was doing.

She had done nothing to keep contact with him since he woke up from his coma. She could not find it in herself to do so.

He didn’t remember her. It was like a midsummer night dream – it felt too real and too wonderful to be true.

…

Jessica walked out of the kitchen with a tray in each hand.

“Ya, I’ll take those,” Yoona said, grabbing the trays from her.

“What’s with you?” Jessica laughed.

“It’s your turn to work tables,” Yoona said as she placed each tray on her hand.

“Oh, already?” Jessica said looking at her watch.

“Yeah, there’s another customer toward the back. He’s sitting by the window by himself, with a trench coat on. He’s super cute.”

“I’ll take your word for it,” Jessica said, opening the kitchen door for her.

She pulled a notepad out of her apron pocket and approached the table near the back where the guy was sitting. He was looking out the window as Jessica came up to him.

“Hello, sir, what can I get you?” she said, her pen ready to write down his order.

The gentleman immediately turned his head around and it was as if time stopped itself.

Jessica’s heart froze in her chest and her eyes widened as their eyes caught onto one another.

It was him.

“Hello,” he smiled.

Jessica gulped, unable to form words. It was that same boyish-like smile that always managed to make her heart flutter.

“A-Annyunghaseyo,” she slightly bowed her head.

“Can I get a regular coffee, black? And…a chocolate pastry?”

“N-neh,” Jessica said as she takes his menu from him.

Jessica quickly hurried to the kitchen and had his order prepared. But she had to mentally calm herself down.

Just breathe…just..BREATHE.

“Unni?”

Jessica jumped at the sound of Yoona’s voice and placed her hand over her heart.

“Are you okay?”

Jessica nods her head quickly. “Yeah, yeah. You just…scared the living hell out of me.”

“Why are you so jumpy?”

“Nothing, nothing. I’m fine.” She picked up the tray and walked out of the kitchen, trying to maintain a calm appearance.

She went back to his table and placed his mug and dish in front of him.

He smiled obviously satisfied. “Perfect, this looks great. Thank you so much,” he said.

Jessica just nodded her head but before she could get away he has to ask her question.

“Miss?”

“Yes?” she immediately turned around.

“Are you alright? You look as though you’ve seen a ghost,” he giggled.

Oh god.

Even Jessica couldn’t help but realize the odd coincidence of what he just said.

“Not quite,” she answered as she rubbed the nape of her neck.

“I recognize you from somewhere? Do I…know you…by any chance?”

Jessica tried to casually shrug her shoulders. “Do you have to ask?”

Donghae shook his head at himself. “I’m sorry. I just had to ask because I was in an accident not too long ago. And as a result, I lost quite a bit of my memories, so I’m not sure who I should know exactly.”

Jessica nodded her head as if she was completely unaware of anything he was saying and was learning about it for the first time.

“Are you…feeling any better?”

He nodded his head. “Yes, I am, thank you. I still get a few headaches here and there, but I’m slowly regaining my memories.”

“Well…I’m…glad.”

He continued to stare at her for a few moments and cocked his head to the side.

“What is it?” she asked.

“It’s just you seem really familiar. You look like someone…I should know…Did you by any chance visit me when I woke up in the hospital?

Jessica swallowed in anxiety. She could feel a bead of sweat forming at the top of her forehead as she tried to figure out what to say next.

“I..” she paused.

She looked down at him as he gazed up at her curiously, waiting for an answer.

“I…um…”

“Yes?” Donghae encouraged.

“I…I need to go to the kitchen, I apologize…” she blurted.

She quickly escaped from his table and went straight into the kitchen to catch her breath.

He asked me…if he should know me…

Jessica never prepared herself for a moment like this.

She never imagined that they’d run into each other one day and their past would be brought to question.

At first, it seemed inevitable, considering that over the summer, she had developed some close connections with the other people in his life.

But after he woke up from his coma, she had avoided him and his family altogether.

She thought it would be difficult, but going back to school made it so much easier.

But here he was.

Of all places he could be in the world…he came here.

Should I tell him?

…

Jessica tried to coolly and calmly collect herself.

But after a few moments of deep breathing, she finally mustered up the courage to walk out of the kitchen.

Maybe this is my chance…

She walked back to where his table was.

But much to her surprise, he was gone.

Yoona was about to walk past her, but Jessica lightly grabbed onto her arm, causing her to stop.

“Yoona…”

“What is it, unni?” Yoona asked.

“Where’s the guy who was sitting here?”

Yoona looked at the table Jessica was referring to. “Cute guy in the trench coat?”

Jessica nodded.

“He just sort of got up and left.” Yoona replied. “He left a really decent tip for you, though.”

Jessica approached the table.

She couldn’t help but be disappointed.

Looking down at the table, he left behind some money, clearly more than the actual price he had to pay for.

Even including tip, the money was more than necessary.

She picked up the cash and underneath was a note written on a napkin.

“Sorry if I scared you. Keep the change :) ”

She felt as though she had missed a very important opportunity.

But her disappointment soon faded when she noticed something else on the table.

Strangely, aside from the money and the kind note, he appeared to have left his cellphone behind as well.

She picked up the device and looked at it suspiciously.

She looked around, took the phone and money, and stuffed them into the pocket of her apron.

…

Jessica sat on her the bed, knees to her chest, and her arms wrapped around her legs.

She placed the cellphone in front of her feet.

And so she sat there, just staring at it.

Should I try calling someone?

She nervously reached for the phone.

But she hesitated.

She drew her hand back and resumed staring at the phone.

She wasn’t sure what to do.

She took a deep breath, and tried reaching for the phone again.

Suddenly, the phone began to ring beneath her fingers, vibrating against the sheets.

Her heart was racing as she internally panicked at the sight.

Then, without warning, the phone stopped ringing.

Soon after it stopped, the phone chimed and vibrated for a split second.

Nervously, she picked up the phone to turn it over.

Text message?

Fortunately for her, she was able to unlock the phone with a slide of her finger across the touch screen since the owner didn’t require a passcode.

She opened up the messages and the sender’s name read “Yoonji Noona.”

Jessica realized it must have been his sister.

She reluctantly opened up the conversation and read the message she sent.

“To the person who picked up this phone,” she began reading.

It’s Donghae?

“Would you please respond to this message?”

She thought about it nervously, but conceded, not wanting to seem rude.

“Neh, sorry I missed your call,” she typed.

She waited a few moments.

“It’s okay, thank you for answering. I seemed to have left my phone behind at the café,” he typed back. “Who is this?” he asked soon after.

She continued the conversation.

“Neh. It’s the waitress who waited on you.”

“Oh, that’s perfect,” he answered. “Can I meet you somewhere to pick up my phone?”

“Sure,” she typed back almost excitedly.

She tried to keep herself calm.

“Should I come to the café?”

She thought about it carefully and came up with a suggestion of her own.

“What about central park? I’m nearby,” she sent.

It was silent.

She was anxious for his response.

“Sounds good. See you in ten?”

“Yes.”

Jessica held the phone in her hand, determined.

She quickly jumped off her bed, put on a sweater, and stormed out of the apartment.