--

“Aahhh!!!” A scream and a sound of the pan dropping on the floor made Hyomin rushed towards the source of the sound. Hyomin led the ijured girl towards the couch and let her sit. “Do you have a first aid kit?”

The girl nodded and pointed where it was. Clearly the girl was still in shock. Whether it was because she almost burn the whole building or because of this girl who came in to rescue her. She was not expecting that her crush next door will come and save her. It was like a fairytale where a princess is trapped in a castle guarded by an angry dragon but her knight in shining armor rescue her from the angry dragon and its blazing fire. But fairytale or not…a dragon or no dragon… or that she almost burn the whole building… still it does not change the fact that for the ice princess is rescued by her crush next door.

Hyomin took the ice princess’ hand and gently applied the balm. “Does it hurt?”

Shakes head. Oh how the usually authoritative ice princess could not bring herself to talk. Her heart is beating so crazy! It beats so loud and so fast.

When Hyomin leaned in and blow the burnt are, oh how Jessica Jung’s heart stopped beating. She might have held her breath for who knows how long.

Hyomin gave her a smile before getting up.

It took Jessica a few good seconds before she realized that she had not thanked Hyomin! And Hyomin is leaving! Jessica rushed to stand but she saw Hyomin going to her kitchen and picking up the pan that she dropped.  

“Umm… Thank you. I forgot to say thank you.” Jessica said. She mentally cursed herself because she does not sound like herself.

Hyomin smiled and said, “It’s ok. You might still be in shock. Be careful next time.”

Yes, Jessica is still in shock but not because of the incident but because of Park Hyomin. Hyomin picked something that looks weird. It was charcoal black. Jessica noticed this and rushed towards Hyomin and throws the thing away. “I… I was trying to cook.” Jessica confessed trying to hide her obvious embarrassment.

Hyomin couldn’t hide her amusement. “I guess that thing you just threw away is an egg along with the whole tray of eggs…” Hyomin assumed after seeing an empty tray of eggs.

“Actually, two.” Sica replied.

“Two eggs?”

“Two trays.”

Hyomin tried to conceal her laugh.

“Yah!” Sica called when she saw Hyomin trying to stifle a laugh. But it only made Hyomin laugh so harder.

“Mianhe mianhe.” Hyomin said after seeing Sica’s pout. “Have you eaten?”

“That’s my dinner.” Sica answered referring to her burnt charcoal eggs.

“I can cook for you if you want…”

“Yes!”

Hyomin started preparing the ingredients while Jessica just watched. “Where did you go?” Jessica asked. She doesn’t care if she sounded like an interrogating wife or girlfriend right now.

“I went to accompany a friend buy a book that she needs.” Hyomin answered without looking at Sica.

Sica pouted. “Is it the same friend you met in the café?”

“Ani, I met her in the library.”

“You’re making friends so fast eh…”

“Aren’t you the one who told me to initiate a conversation?” Hyomin said before going back to cooking.

Jessica’s starting to not like this whole making new friends thing. Yes it her who suggested that idea to Hyomin and now she regretted it.

Flashback

Jessica moved out from her parent’s house and decided to rent an apartment near the university. The only reason she had was because she wanted to try living independently. It was harder than what she thought but she likes it.

One night, Sica came home quite late because of a group project. She was feeling tired and just wants to go to sleep. “Are you sure you don’t want to stay at my place?  The girls are sleeping over.” Her friend invited. “Ani, I’m fine here besides, I’m sure I wouldn’t be able to get my sleep with everyone sleeping over at you place.” Jessica replied. It was true, she knew that the sleepover mean no-sleep-for-her because of her dork friends.

Jessica climb up the stairs, she can hear the loud music coming from upstairs. She mentally curse, maybe staying at her friend’s house is a better idea. She knew that those people upstairs can party all night long which means no sleep for her. What could possibly be worse? Well…the only thing that could go worse is when you forgot or lose your keys, which is what exactly happens to Ms. Jessica Jung.

Jessica went to make a call to the locksmith but it was going to take an hour for them to reach there. As if she can be any luckier, Sica’s phone died.

“Okay Jessica you can do this. Just knock and say, ‘Hi I’m your neighbor. I live next door but I forgot where I put my keys. My phone died and I was wondering if I can borrow your charger and also if I can stay overnight. By the way nice meeting you’ Yeah how hard can that be? Aaah!” Sica was psyching herself. After a few more self-talks, Sica knocked on the door.

A girl wearing a messy bun, a white shirt and shorts greeted her.

“I’m Jessica, I live next door. I lost my keys and my phone died. I was wondering if I can borrow your charger and stay overnight because I just finish a project and there’s a party upstairs and I really need a place to crash while I wait for the locksmith.” Jessica blabbered.

“I’m Hyomin. Come in.” The girl invited her in. “I’m sorry about the mess. I just moved in and I haven’t finished packing.” Hyomin’s placed is still messy with all the boxes scattered all over the place. Sica sat by the kitchen counter where Hyomin gave her a glass of water. It was awkward. No one said anything.

“When did you moved in?” Sica asked trying to initiate a conversation.

“A few days ago.”

“I see.”

Jessica tried to keep the conversation going despite Hyomin’s timid replies.

After a few more minutes, the locksmith came saving Sica from the awkward conversation. “The locksmith is here!” Sica announced excitedly. She looked at Hyomin and said a heartfelt, “Thank you.”

Hyomin gave a genuine smile and replied, “Anytime, Jessica.”

And just like that…

Jessica felt something special…

she gave a smiled at Hyomin…and it was not just her ordinary smile… it’s her special smile. The smile she makes when she is really happy.

End of Flashback

--

Jessica walked behind Hyomin who was cooking. “Hmm…smells good.”

“Yah you might get burnt again.” Hyomin warned.

But Jessica didn’t move, instead she gave Hyomin a back hug.

“This is almost ready. Take a seat.”

“Can I have a taste?”

Hyomin giggled and let Sica have a taste. “So?”

“Daebak!”

--

And so the night ended with the knight in shining armor saving dinner by cooking for the ice princess.