Jessica came racing toward the park.

She whipped her head around as she strolled through, looking for him.

Where is he? She asked herself.

Suddenly, sitting on a bench, underneath the light of one of the park lamps, she saw Donghae, sitting by himself.

She slowly approached him, her heart racing even faster than when she ran her way there.

Realizing someone’s presence, he looked up and smiled.

“It’s you,” he said.

“It’s…me,” she shrugged, awkwardly smiling back.

“Thanks so much for picking up my cellphone,” he began. “I’m glad it was in the hands of someone kind.”

Jessica shyly nodded her head and held out his phone to him.

He reached out and as he grabbed it, his fingers brushed against hers, causing a surge of energy to suddenly flow through his hand.

He slightly flinched at the touch and pulled back.

Jessica didn’t fail to realize this strangeness.

“Are you okay?” she asked instantly.

“Yes…it’s just…you look so very familiar,” he said, staring at her. He stuffed the phone back into his pocket.

“Maybe I’m just…some girl from your dreams,” she teased.

“I would surely believe it,” he replied, his eyes never leaving her.

There was a moment of silence, of stillness, between them. His gaze was fixed upon her and it seemed as though nothing could break it.

Jessica was about to say something, but Donghae stopped her, putting a hand up.

"I need to say something," he told her.

Jessica cocked her head to the side, puzzled. "What is it?"

"I need to apologize...in advance…I'm sorry."

Jessica couldn’t help but start to feel disappointed. "What are you sorry for?"

"Just in case...for what I'm about to do."

"What?"

Then, without warning, Donghae grabbed her by both shoulders, pulled her close, and leaned his head down to kiss her.

...

--flashback—

 

Donghae heaved a sigh. “I’m really sorry…but I really don’t know who you are.”

 “It’s…it’s alright…” the girl answered as she nodded her head. She slowly rose from her seat and walked out the door, her eyes on the floor.

Donghae watched curiously as Yoonji followed her out, "Jessica!" his sister called.

He turned to face his parents. “Do you know who that girl is?”

“Anniyo, Donghae,” his mother answered. “We’ve never met her before.”

“What about you guys?”he turned to Jungshin, Kyuhyun, and Yuri.

They all nodded their heads in unison, admitting to know her.

“She’s a friend,” Yuri told him.

“Donghae oppa, how come you don’t remember Jessica unni?” Shinhye asked.

Even his little sister knew who she was.

“I don’t know, Shinhye-ya,” he replied.

“It’s probably just a result of the accident,” his abeoji assured him. “Maybe, with time, you’ll remember her.”

Donghae dropped his head in uncertainty.

 

--end of flashback—

Donghae never saw that girl again. She never came back to visit or even try to rekindle whatever connection they had with one another.

As time went on, he tried to ignore the fact that he would never see this girl again.

And just when he thought he'd forgotten about her, he began to have dreams of her.

He'd wake up in the morning, with her face imprinted in his mind. He couldn't get it out of his mind.

That smile - he dreamt about her so often that he could recognize her smile from a mile away.

His dreams may have been dreams, but they felt like something real. Like they weren't just images created by his subconscious, but they were real, tangible memories.

Or at least, they were real once.

But how could this be?

He remembered almost everything up until the accident and then the next thing he remembered was waking up in the hospital.

As he spent more time with his family and friends, all the empty gaps began to fill themselves in and he felt like his old self again.

But this girl was like that puzzle piece that you couldn’t correctly place. It didn’t have a spot where it should fit. It’s like it belonged to another puzzle completely.

But she definitely belonged. He just didn’t know how.

Surely he couldn't have met this girl before the accident or he would have remembered her by now.

But why couldn't he remember her the day she was at the hospital?

The way she held his hand that day she visited him in the hospital was important.

She was important.

The memories he had of her were all different. In some she was smiling and laughing, in others she was crying, and in some he was kissing her, holding her, loving her even.

Donghae tried to follow his dreams. They were the only way of solving this mystery.

He tried to recognize the places in his dreams.

That's when he found himself completely controlled by his subconscious and was led to the park.

That park was definitely familiar.

He walked through the park and felt himself pulled to this cafe.

It was then, that he saw her, inside, working.

It was her.

That's her.

She’s the one.

…

Her lips were warm and this felt so right - their lips touching, fitting together like puzzle pieces.

It was in that kiss that all his memories came rushing back like a flash flood.

They weren't just chunks of memories either. It's like they were piecing together and then everything made sense.

All the gaps were filled and he finally felt complete.

He pulled back.

"I remember…Jessica."

"How did you know?" she asked, tears forming in her eyes.

"Destiny brought us together,” he smiled. “I mean in all honesty, a lot of it was my own doing,” he admitted, bragging almost.

It was then that Jessica understood.

"You left your phone on purpose," she said, astonished.

He nodded his head affirmatively. "I knew you were important. Fate worked too hard to bring us together for me to lose you. I won't ever let you go, never again. I love you."

"I love you too,” she said.

She held his face in her hands as he smiled back at her lovingly.

Then, she flicked him against the forehead.

“Yeesh!” he winced, rubbing his forehead. “What was that for?”

“That’s for forgetting me at the hospital!” she replied.

“I was in a coma and just got out of surgery!” he waved his arms.

“That’s no excuse,” Jessica teased.

Then, she kissed him tenderly on the lips.

When she pulled back, Donghae opened his eyes. “And what was that for?”

“For finding your way back to me when I couldn’t,” she whispered.

He pressed his forehead to hers as they wrapped each other’s arms around each other’s middles.

“Promise to never let go?” he said, bringing one of his hands out as if to make a pinky promise.

“Promise,” she said, wrapping her pinky around his own, and pressing their thumbs together.