Lost Memories~

The Town that remembered her~

Episode 1:The town that remembered her~♡

The city never really slept. Seoul’s heartbeat echoed in the sound of taxis, hurried footsteps, and neon lights blinking like they had stories to tell.

Hana Park adjusted the strap of her bag as she stepped out of Incheon Airport, inhaling the air she hadn’t breathed in sixteen years. It felt strange — familiar, yet distant. She used to run through these streets as a child, hand-in-hand with her best friend, laughing until the sun dipped behind the buildings.

That best friend had a name — Jhoon Lee.

She still remembered his messy hair and the way he used to pout when she stole his ice cream. They had promised to stay friends forever.

But forever had its limits.

When Hana was eight, her father’s job transfer took them to Texas. She’d cried on the plane, pressing her face against the window, watching Seoul disappear under the clouds. She never got to say a proper goodbye — not really.

And now, at twenty-four, she was back. Not for memories. For work.

Her new job at Lune Corporation — one of Seoul’s most prestigious companies — was everything she’d worked for. A fresh start.

She didn’t know fate had already started weaving an old thread back into her life.

---

The First Day

The lobby of Lune Corp gleamed like it belonged in a movie. Glass walls, marble floors, and employees who looked like they had their lives figured out. Hana clutched her folder tightly, nerves dancing in her stomach.

“New recruit?” a voice asked beside her.

She turned to see a woman with sleek hair and confident eyes.

“Yes, I’m Hana Park. Marketing team.”

“Ah, I’m Minji. Finance. Welcome aboard.” The woman smiled, lowering her voice. “Word of advice — don’t mess up around the CEO. He’s… intense.”

Hana laughed softly. “Got it. I’ll try not to breathe wrong.”

Minji smirked. “You’ll see what I mean soon.”

Before Hana could ask more, the elevator doors opened with a soft ding, and a man in a charcoal suit stepped out. Conversations died instantly. Phones lowered. Even the receptionist straightened.

“Good morning, CEO Lee,” someone greeted with a bow.

Hana followed everyone’s gaze — and her breath caught.

The man walked with the calm confidence of someone who knew his place in the world. Sharp jawline, clean-cut hair, eyes that looked like they’d seen too much and trusted too little. His expression was unreadable — distant but commanding.

Jhoon Lee.

The name flickered in her mind, but she quickly dismissed it. “No way,” she thought.

Her Jhoon was a playful boy who collected marbles and drew on the pavement with chalk.

This man was nothing like him.

He passed her without a glance, and Hana’s heart gave a small, inexplicable twist.

---

Same City, Different People

Work at Lune Corp was fast-paced and demanding, but Hana liked challenges. She threw herself into her projects, trying not to think about the déjà vu that Seoul kept giving her.

Some nights, she walked past the playground near her old neighborhood. The swings still squeaked. The treehouse was gone, but she could still see it — the one where she and Jhoon had carved their initials: H + J \= Trouble.

She smiled at the memory, unaware that a black car sometimes stopped across the street at the same time — and its driver, Jhoon, often glanced out the window, feeling a tug of nostalgia he couldn’t explain.

He didn’t know why that spot always caught his attention.

Maybe because once, long ago, it was the center of his whole world.

---

The Meeting

A week later, Hana’s team was called for a presentation with the executive board.

It was her first chance to prove herself.

Her slides were ready, her points sharp — but her heart almost stopped when she saw him sitting at the head of the table.

CEO Lee Jhoon.

He nodded briefly to the team. “Let’s begin.”

As Hana presented, his gaze occasionally flicked toward her, unreadable. Something about her mannerisms — the way she tilted her head when she thought — stirred something faint in him.

After the meeting, while others left, Jhoon stayed behind, tapping his pen.

“You’re new,” he said without looking up.

“Yes, sir. Hana Park.”

“Park…” He repeated the name slowly, like tasting an echo. “Good presentation. You think differently.”

“Thank you.” She bowed slightly, her pulse racing.

He looked up then — their eyes met.

For a brief second, the air shifted.

He didn’t recognize her, but something in him wanted to.

And Hana… she couldn’t look away either.

---

Past Shadows

That night, Jhoon sat in his penthouse, a glass of whiskey untouched beside him. He had everything — power, respect, success — but his life felt like a string wound too tightly.

He didn’t remember much from before his parents’ divorce.

Only flashes — laughter in a playground, a girl’s small hand gripping his, the scent of cherry blossoms.

Sometimes, when he dreamed, he heard her voice. “Jhoon-ah, promise we’ll be best friends forever!”

He’d wake up frustrated, trying to recall her face.

He never could.

Until now.

Something about that new employee — Hana — kept tugging at the locked door in his memory.

---

The Lost Letter

Two days later, while organizing old company records in the archive room, Hana stumbled upon a cardboard box marked Community Project — Lune Kids 2008.

Curious, she opened it. Inside were drawings, photos, and letters from a children’s program Lune had sponsored years ago — back when it was a smaller company.

She smiled at the colorful scribbles until one familiar handwriting made her freeze.

“To Hana. Don’t forget me. I’ll wait until you come back to play again. — Jhoon.”

Her breath hitched.

She sat down slowly, her fingers trembling.

Could it be him?

The same Jhoon she’d known before leaving?

The letter was old, smudged — but her name, his name, their childish doodles of stick figures under the cherry blossom tree… they were unmistakable.

Tears pricked her eyes.

All this time, she’d thought he’d forgotten. But he hadn’t.

He had written this — and somehow, fate had hidden it in the company where both had ended up.

“Jhoon…” she whispered, touching the letter softly.

---

Collision of Fates

The next day, Hana found herself in the elevator with him again.

It was just the two of them.

The air was awkwardly quiet until he spoke.

“You look distracted, Miss Park.”

“Oh, uh— just tired, sir,” she said quickly, clutching her bag where the letter now rested.

His gaze dropped briefly to her hands, then back to her face. “You remind me of someone,” he murmured, almost to himself.

Her heart skipped. “Someone… you knew?”

He nodded slowly. “A long time ago. But I can’t remember her face.”

Before Hana could say anything, the elevator doors opened, and he stepped out.

The doors closed again before she realized she hadn’t moved.

She leaned against the wall, whispering, “You already found her, Jhoon.”

---

Old Names, New People

That evening, Lune Corp hosted a formal dinner for the marketing team’s success. Hana attended reluctantly, feeling out of place among the polished suits and luxury.

Halfway through the night, someone called her name.

“Hana Park?”

She turned. It was Jhoon, glass in hand, his expression softer than usual.

“You did well today,” he said. “I don’t usually attend these gatherings, but you made quite the impression.”

“Thank you, sir,” she replied, her voice steady though her heart wasn’t.

He tilted his head. “Tell me, Miss Park… have we met before?”

The question hung between them, fragile.

She forced a small smile. “I don’t think so, sir. I moved away from Seoul when I was little.”

“Where to?”

“Texas.”

His eyes flickered — something inside him tightened.

“Texas…” he repeated under his breath.

For a heartbeat, he looked at her like he almost saw the eight-year-old girl again.

Then someone called him from across the hall, and the moment broke.

He left with a polite nod, but Hana stood there, heart pounding, tears threatening.

He didn’t remember.

And she couldn’t tell him — not yet.

---

The Beginning Again

Later that night, as the streets glowed with Seoul’s sleepless lights, Hana walked to the old playground once more. The cherry blossom trees had grown taller, their petals whispering in the breeze.

She sat on the swing and pulled out the letter, reading it again.

“Don’t forget me.”

She smiled sadly. “You didn’t forget, Jhoon. You just… lost the way back.”

Behind her, a car stopped quietly.

From the driver’s seat, Jhoon watched her silhouette under the streetlight — that same spot, that same swing he used to push when they were kids.

He didn’t know why he’d driven there again. He just felt drawn — like something invisible was pulling him home.

He stepped out, the cool wind brushing against him.

When he took a step forward, Hana turned — their eyes meeting across sixteen years of distance.

Recognition didn’t strike yet.

But something deeper did — a pulse of familiarity neither could explain.

“Miss Park?” he asked quietly, surprised to see her there.

She blinked, hiding the letter quickly. “CEO Lee… I was just… thinking.”