They had found her on the side of the road, without any wounds.  She had been told that two boys had been playing catch and their ball had been thrown in the ditch where she was.  That is how they found her: bare, on her side, still as death.

“Do you have any memory as to how you got there?” quietly asks the doctor, the fluorescent lighting making his glasses intimidatingly opaque.  The girl shakes her head slowly, eyes blank as she plays with the frayed sleeve of her hospital gown.  This is a lie.  The only thing she remembers is being pushed and falling.  Falling backward and feeling a complete sense of utter hopelessness.  Her teeth grind together as an unexpected swell of emotion fills her chest.

“Do you recall any names or faces? Friends, family, relatives, classmates?”

Again a deliberate head shake.

“Do you remember your name?”

This is the first question that stirs something within her.  She stops twisting the pale blue fabric with her fingers.  Raising her head, the doctor is startled by just how fathomless her dark brown eyes are.  

“My name is Jessica.”

The doctor nods and pencils the name on his clipboard.  

“Thank you, Jessica. I will try-”

“Yah, I told you I’m fine!”

“You’re my friend for a reason, Kim Taeyeon! You are going to sit on that damn bed and let me look at that arm or so help me I will!”

Jessica glances to her left and sees two women entering.  One has dark hair pulled into a pony tail with bangs just barely covering her eyebrows. Her arm is in a sling and the knees of her jeans are pale from use.  The other woman is in a white doctor’s robe, her brown hair loose around her shoulders.  

Silence fills the room.

“Intern Hwang, what are you doing in here?”

The girl in the white robe blushes and bows low.

“I am so sorry Dr. Young, I had no idea you were with a patient right now! Goodness this room isn’t normally used.”

Jessica hears the two talking more but she tunes out and narrows her focus on the woman with her arm in a sling.  She stares blankly at the fresh-faced girl who looks so young.  For some reason she looks vaguely familiar.  her lips, Jessica feels herself rising from her bed.  Just as she swings her legs over the side she is hit with a rush of dizziness.  

“Hey! Are you okay?”  She lets out a soft whimper and sees that her face is close to the other girl’s.  Her free arm is wrapped around her waist, preventing Jessica from falling.  Jessica does not answer the question as she senses the room’s focus on her.  Instead she reaches out a hand and brushes her finger tips along the hard cast encasing the girl’s other arm.

“How did this happen?” she asks quietly.

“I fell.  I uh was trying to be funny on my radio show and slipped on my feet.  DJ Taeng is not as graceful as she thinks, I guess.”

Jessica feels tears fill her eyes and she wipes them away with the back of her hand.

“Miss Jessica, why don’t you sit down? I’ll get these two to leave.”

But she mutely shakes her head.  Gently she grasps the cast and rubs her thumb along the bumpy material.

“Did it hurt a lot?”

Taeyeon smiles at the innocent question.

“No, no. My friend over there likes to exaggerate. If you can keep a secret,” Taeyeon leans in, conspiratorially brushing her lips against the shell of Jessica’s ear, “I think that it’s just a sprain but Fany gets so worked up over the littlest thing that I’ll let her baby me a little.”

When the other girl pulls back Jessica lifts her free arm and grasps Taeyeon’s shoulder.  And then she leans forward, pressing herself against the other girl.  For some reason she can’t stop the tears from flowing as she nods against her.

“I’m so glad. I’m so glad you’re fine,” she sobs.  A great relief washes over her. Taeyeon is fine.  Jessica does not know why those words make her so happy but she smiles through her tears as she breathes in the sweet scent of Taeyeon.

“Miss, maybe you should sit down, here let me,” Taeyeon mutters uncomfortably as she shifts Jessica in her arms so that they’re both sitting on the edge of the hospital bed.  Jessica curls into her and tightly grips the loose light blue button down that hangs from Taeyeon’s petite frame. 

It’s been awhile Taeyeon. I don’t know how I know you or why I know you but I’m glad you’re well. I never want to be separated from you again.