Chapter 3: What is Meant to be...
The Color of Our Memories
A bit more dialogue in this chapter and a little less description. I felt really lazy when I wrote this so it may not seem as polished as the previous chapters XD
Anyways enjoooooooy~ :D Comments are welcome!
"Jesshika I'm ba- WHOA."
I twisted my head quickly to look at Sooyoung who's mouth was gaping open, and pushed Hyoyeon off me in a rush. She landed on the opposite end of the bed causing the bedsheets to slither off the mattress and onto the floor.
"I-It's not what you think!"
The straps of the bags Sooyoung was carrying slid through her fingers, allowing her brown leather shoulder bag and blue duffel bag drop to the ground. With how Hyoyeon was on top of me just now and how her hair hid our faces, I'm not surprised at Sooyoung's reaction.
I sat there for a while shocked myself at Sooyoung's sudden burst in and just stared at the tall Shikshin, who's eyes in return darted back and forth between Hyoyeon and I. was open, forming a small ‘o’ shape as she tried to make sense of what was happening.
Hyoyeon didn't move one inch. She sat still, searching my face with a confused look on her face. My eyes shifted between the shikshin and the dancing queen in such speed that I would have made myself dizzy if I went any faster.
"You... Y-You were awake..."
Crap.
How am I going to make an excuse for that one?
Not only do I have to worry about Hyoyeon finding out but I have to worry about Sooyoung as well?
Sooyoung picked up her bags calmly, her previously open mouth closing and her facial muscles relaxing to a poker face. She didn't say anything surprisingly and just made her way to her own bed, setting her bags on top of the mattress. I became even more scared because of how she wasn’t freaking out by now.
"Um, I-I, um..."
Sooyoung didn't pay any mind to what I was saying, the now ever so fascinating pair of socks she was taking out of her bag deserving more attention than what I had to say.
Quickly Jessica say something! Anything!
"Me and Hyoyeon-"
"Welcome back Sooyoungie."
She spoke.
Hyoyeon spoke?
I felt the bed rustle in correspondence with Hyoyeon lifting herself up from her spot. I turned my head to look up at Hyoyeon, who... smiled.
She's smiling?
Hyoyeon quietly made her way out of me and Sooyoung's room, steering past stray articles of clothing on the floor along the way. She fiddled with her fingers and stared at her feet while she walked, not taking as much as one look at me. Nearing the doorway which Sooyoung wasn't far from, she gave a small nod to Sooyoung acknowledging the Shikshin's arrival. Sooyoung momentarily stopped what she was doing, her hand still on the zipper of her duffel bag she just opened, and glanced at Hyoyeon, giving a half smile in response.
Hyoyeon walked out from me and Sooyoung's room, still in deep thought. Watching her pass the doorway, exiting me and Sooyoung's room, my panicking reached its max. I was now left with Sooyoung, who I had no choice but to deal with right away before this whole misunderstanding escalated in degree.
I focused my attention to the tall Shikshin who I could see tried to pretend she didn't see the "kiss" she saw just now. How her eyes constantly dodged mine whenever she noticed me staring and remained quiet was enough for me to know how uncomfortable and awkward she felt.
I stared at her waiting for her to speak up.
...
Ugh, this... this is so annoying!
My fear and anxiety turned itself into annoyance in less than a second. I grabbed a nearby pillow and chucked it at Sooyoung who was opening and closing drawers for no reason but to make herself look busy.
"Yah!" I waited for her to look at me. "Me and Hyoyeon weren't doing anything!"
"I know."
"Then why are you doing that?!"
"Doing what?"
"That! You're not even taking anything from that drawer but you keep opening it. Like this-" I imitated her, holding onto an invisible handle, and made backwards and forwards motions like I was opening a drawer.
"Ah, nothing." She shrugged off my question and moved on to doing something else. She took out her half filled baggage and emptied out its contents.
"Look at me." She gave me a quick glance before she hesitatingly turned her head to face me. "Nothing happened. Okay?"
Sooyoung stared back at me in silence, her lack of words and reaction expressing her disbelief. We remained like that just staring at each other, our thoughts transmitting through the air as I tried my best to clear up the misunderstanding. After a long session of eye talking, Sooyoung spoke up.
"Why do you find the need to explain yourself?"
I immediately froze solid like a rock.
"Why are you so irritated? If you know you and Hyoyeon didn't do anything then why are were you so nervous?"
I sat there like a deer in headlights.
Its game over. Sooyoung knows doesn't she?
No, I can't let this conversation end like this.
I hopped off my seat on my bed and stood up scratching the back of my head as I let out a throaty sigh. I looked at Sooyoung straight in the eye coolly, making the best use of my acting skills, and put my hands on my hips. While making my way towards her I shred any trace of nervousness and frantic behaviour that I displayed earlier on.
Tip toeing, I inched my face closer to Sooyoung's.
"If Hyoyeon got off me and I greeted you like nothing happened--which nothing did--would you still greet us like normal?"
She opened trying to form words, taken aback by what I said.
"I-"
"EXACTLY."
I went around Sooyoung who mumbled something that I couldn't quite make out. I disregarded it and made my way over to the bathroom, taking with me a towel I grabbed along the way to the door.
Once I exited my room I could hear Yuri yell out from the living room,
"Hallelujah! Sica's awake!"
Hyoyeon followed behind the group’s maknae as they walked over to the white van that was perched in front of the entrance gates to their dorm complex.
She looked down at the gravel beneath her feet during the short journey to the vehicle, her mind constantly wandering to think about Jessica. Hyoyeon being so busy in her train of thought didn't notice Seohyun slipping her small hand into her own, clutching onto it loosely as they walked side by side. What she also didn’t notice was Sooyoung who stole glances at her every so often while walking behind her.
If Jessica was awake then why didn't she push me off?
“She probably wanted me to leave so she could sleep more.”
Why was she blushing when contact like this isn't anything out of the ordinary?
“She probably just has really red cheeks that I never noticed.”
Why was her pulse so fast when I held onto her to keep myself from falling?
“She was probably scared for me and her heart beat faster because of that.”
The dancer was answering her own questions with responses that were certainly plausible. The logic in those answers, however, were not enough to satisfy the one question Hyoyeon had never bothered to ask herself or even think about until today.
What if she likes me?
Hyoyeon had no answer to that. Earlier this afternoon she was perfectly sure that it was just her curious nature that made her cross such an idea but with what just happened in Jessica's room, the little joke she blurted out loud was inching to prove itself more truthful than she initially thought it to be. This in turn made Hyoyeon confused: was it really just her reading too much into Jessica's strange behaviour or did her lame joke actually hold some truth?
Did Jessica have feelings for her?
Hyoyeon furrowed her eyebrows. She had been thinking too much about the issue, which to her, had a high probability of not being a big deal to begin with. Finding it a waste to think about Jessica any longer, she tucked the strand pertaining to her and Jessica away into her memory bank. Later would be when she would attend to the issue, whenever 'later' was.
Hyoyeon got into the van, practically jumping through the opening and unlinked her hand from the maknae's. She laid face down on the seats only for Seohyun to slap her thighs so that she would sit up straight. The older girl shifted over one seat and slouched in her new spot, closing her eyes as she made herself comfortable.
"My diary!" Seohyun exclaimed, digging into her shoulder bag in search of the thick black diary she constantly carried around with her. "Unnie I'll be back. Save my seat!"
"Un." Hyoyeon responded her eyes still closed. She heard Seohyun's sneakers clashing against the gravel of the driveway, the sound fading as Seohyun increased in distance from the van.
“Save my seat?” Hyoyeon thought. “She can just sit wherever. Weird kid.” Hyoyeon let out a small chuckle.
"So..."
Hyoyeon shot up straight, her eyelids opening to search for the source of the voice.
"What the- when did you get here!?" Hyoyeon exclaimed in surprise. "You scared the crap out of me!"
"Sorry."
Sooyoung sat in the seat next to Hyoyeon. After a few moments of silence she spoke.
"What really happened between you and Sica back there?"
Hyoyeon moved her eyes to look at Sooyoung. She anticipated this conversation and honestly wanted to avoid it but now that it was brought it up she thought to get it over with. Sooyoung wouldn't stop with the questions if she didn't anyway.
"I was waking her up."
"Didn't seem like it."
"Its a long story, but I really was waking her up."
"Why were you on top of her then?"
"You try and find some other way of getting Jessica to wake up. If Sunny's nagging didn't do anything I don't see how else you could."
"Making her laugh?"
"Didn't work.”
“Ice down her shirt?”
“Well... I didn’t try that one. I just went with whatever idea I had at the moment, y’know.” Hyoyeon shrugged her shoulders lazily.
“You should have. I would’ve done it. Heck I would have used a bucket of cold water or a hose.”
“Honestly I think this time not even that would’ve worked. You've probably heard how Sica's been weird this whole week."
"No."
"No?"
"Not this whole week."
Hyoyeon gave Sooyoung a puzzled look as the taller girl stared off into open space in recollection.
"Longer than that. Lately I've been noticing her... not herself."
Hyoyeon nodded.
"Especially around you."
The dancer nodded again, but after hearing the mention of herself she whipped her head to look at Sooyoung in shock.
"Wait, what?"
"I thought I was reading too much into Sica's strange behaviour recently but the atmosphere between you two when I walked into my room had that-that feeling, and when I looked at Sica being all frantic... I don't know, it just topped it all off for me."
"What are you trying to say?"
"I think, she's, you know..." Sooyoung trailed off, looking to Hyoyeon to piece it together as she guided her with nonsense hand motions.
"...On her period?"
Sooyoung lightly pushed the shorter girl to the side laughing a little.
"Pabo! Not that!"
Again the shikshin waved her hands in midair, creating hand motions to steer Hyoyeon into saying what she was hinting at. Hyoyeon just stared back at Sooyoung blankly, causing Sooyoung to let out an exasperated sigh in defeat.
"She’s totally gay for you." Sooyoung flatly blurted out.
The truth was Hyoyeon already knew what Sooyoung was trying to say or that is make her say. She feared saying it out loud or to dig any deeper into it, scenarios of awkward silences between her and Jessica flashing before her. She knew that if she dug any deeper than needed into Jessica's strange behaviour she would be venturing into uncharted land, land that was meant to be uncharted, a friendship that she wanted to strictly stay as a friendship. No subtext, no hidden feelings of romance, no... pain, emotional pain that she would eventually have to inflict upon the ice princess if this discussion proved true.
It was too late to shoo away this conversation, especially since her food loving friend had gotten it out there.
Hyoyeon sighed and folded her arms across her chest, slumping down in the polyester seats of the van.
"What makes you think that?"
"She called you pretty."
Hyoyeon recalled the rare event that happened in their kitchen a week ago. Why she hadn't forgotten about it by now proved its rarity; Jessica calling her pretty practically signalled the coming of the apocalypse.
There was something else that made the small happening so memorable for Hyoyeon--it was the way Jessica stared at her with a particular sparkle in her eyes that made her seem like she was glowing, how there was a hint of gentleness that radiated off her usually cold almond shaped eyes.
If her suspicions about Jessica didn't begin today it definitely began on that day.
"Look there has to be some other reason for Sica acting strange. We can't just assume she has feelings for me."
"Iunno, if you say so..." Sooyoung shrugged her shoulders. "I bet I'm right and I know you know it."
"I don't want you to be right though." Hyoyeon thought.
“I’m kind of surprised that its not Yuri she has the hots for.” Sooyoung folded her arms and slumped down in her seat like Hyoyeon. “Well, what do you think? What do you feel about Sica? If I’m right that is.”
“I-”
The door slid open making a whooshing sound interrupting Hyoyeon’s sentence, followed by muffled thuds of feet against the carpeted floor of the van.
Tiffany got into her seat followed by Jessica. Hyoyeon's eyes widened slightly as she followed Jessica who was busy getting into the van with her eyes. She continued staring until Jessica noticed her looking causing her to turn away embarrassed.
The dancer leaned into Sooyoung's ear and whispered. "Don't mention any of this to anyone else okay? Goodness, especially Tiffany and ESPECIALLY not when Jessica’s around."
"Why would I?" Sooyoung responded, maybe a little too loud for a whisper. “Oh,” the Shikshin lowered her voice to a whisper. “Oops.”
Hyoyeon closed her eyes shut and mentally face palmed. She had the urge to slap Sooyoung but held herself back and sat back into her seat, letting the now awkward silence between the four of them sink in.
“Seohyun hurry up and come back. I’m gonna die with how awkward it is in here.”
I came back from the washroom after leaving my coat on my seat back in the recording room to clear my head. I constantly thought about Hyoyeon and what she was thinking about after what happened before we left for our schedule. During the whole ride to the radio station she was quiet, even with Sooyoung and Seohyun at both her sides.
I scratched the back of my head as I continued walking over to where everyone else was gathered.
It irritates me how much time I spend worrying. I don't like spending my time on the edge. I get sick of it and much rather live life calmly and laid back, but because of just one person I've become like this.
Because of her.
I approached the metal doors that led to the recording room and put my hand on the silver handle. I then turned it and pulled the grey metal door open. I walked over to my seat and was confused as to why Tiffany had occupied it and moved from her previous seat.
Scanning the room to see if there were any other vacant seats for me to sit in I found out that there were none except for the seat Tiffany switched out of--the swivel chair beside Hyoyeon's.
I let out a heavy sigh and walked up to the pink loving girl.
"You're in my seat."
"Oh, well..." She pointed to the empty seat next to Hyoyeon. "Just sit in the seat next to Hyoyeon."
"I was here first."
Tiffany looked at me and furrowed her eyebrows. "Its just a seat. You never cared before, why are you being so stingy about it now?"
I just stood there and glared at Tiffany. "Get out of my seat." I repeated.
My eyes wandered to look at Tiffany's hands that were linked with Taeyeon's under the table. It caught my interest for a second but then I brushed it off. Its not like its weird for them to hold hands, we’re always holding hands and whatnot.
"Come on. Just sit next to Hyoyeon."
"I don't want to."
"Come on~" She tugged on my sleeve. I could see Taeyeon tightening her grip on Tiffany’s hand under the table. My eyebrows perked up in interest slightly, but I pushed the thought aside and focused on my current objective.
"That’s my seat." I shook her by the shoulder. “Get uuuup.”
"Yah, Sica its just a seat; we change seats all the time whats up with you?" Sunny said from across the room.
“Its probably because of Hyoyeon.” Yuri piped in, swiveling her seat around to reveal the two yellow pencils stuck in her nostrils that Yoona had stuffed in previously. Yoona laughed at her work, holding her stomach.
“What on ea- Yuri-ah people use those y’know!” Sunny giggled and pointed at Yuri, forgetting about me and Tiffany.
My eyes shifted to glance at Hyoyeon who was now giving me her full attention, her face blank but her dark brown orbs soaking in every little detail. She fixed the wool scarf that was wrapped around her neck, her eyes not leaving me. Our eyes met for a moment, but she didn't say anything. The look she held was hard to read but all I knew was that it, it...
Annoyed me so much, yet made me happy at the same time.
"Anyways,” Tiffany said pointing to the still unoccupied seat beside Hyoyeon. "See Hyoyeon doesn't mind. Do you Hyoyeon?"
Hyoyeon shook her head in response with indifference and went back to having the conversation she was having with Seohyun.
I scoffed, the volume of my voice going up a little. Today was not a day to go back and forth like this. “Yah, Fany-ah-”
I felt a hand grab me by the wrist, pulling me back. I turned around to see who it was, my heart skipping a few beats once my eyes caught sight of her blond hair. Although I would be annoyed at this point, the suddenness in Hyoyeon’s actions made me put aside any feelings of irritation to the side unconsciously.
“Sit beside me.” Hyoyeon held my hand roughly as she dragged me to her seat. I tripped a few times as she walked ahead of me. “Sheesh, why are you making it so difficult.”
She leaned into my ear once we arrived at her-- and what used to be--Tiffany’s seats. “Don’t forget that there’s fans watching the recording today.” She whispered.
I turned my head slightly towards the crowd of people standing behind the glass screen that separated them from us. Each person held up various colorful signs, not to mention the most important item they never forgot to bring... cameras.
Hyoyeon lightly patted me on the side with her hand, accidentally hitting me on the bum instead.
My face instantly went red. I looked up at her and saw that her eyes widened a bit before she yanked her hand back. She held her hand and rubbed at it like she had just touched someone with a disease.
"S-Sorry." Hyoyeon said quietly, getting into her spot beside Seohyun quickly. The maknae then picked up Hyoyeon’s headphones on the table and fitted it onto the dancing queen snugly.
“Sorry?”
Why is she saying sorry for?
I sat in my new seat and clasped my hands together as the host got into his seat to get the show started. I quickly looked at Hyoyeon who was holding onto the hand she used to pat me on the bum with tightly while she smiled at the host. Her fingertips whitened as her grip on her other hand tightened.
Strange.
I have a feeling this has to do with the ‘waking-me-up’ incident.
Anyways enjoooooooy~ :D Comments are welcome!
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Chapter 3: What is Meant to be...
- Jessica’s POV -
"Jesshika I'm ba- WHOA."
I twisted my head quickly to look at Sooyoung who's mouth was gaping open, and pushed Hyoyeon off me in a rush. She landed on the opposite end of the bed causing the bedsheets to slither off the mattress and onto the floor.
"I-It's not what you think!"
The straps of the bags Sooyoung was carrying slid through her fingers, allowing her brown leather shoulder bag and blue duffel bag drop to the ground. With how Hyoyeon was on top of me just now and how her hair hid our faces, I'm not surprised at Sooyoung's reaction.
I sat there for a while shocked myself at Sooyoung's sudden burst in and just stared at the tall Shikshin, who's eyes in return darted back and forth between Hyoyeon and I. was open, forming a small ‘o’ shape as she tried to make sense of what was happening.
Hyoyeon didn't move one inch. She sat still, searching my face with a confused look on her face. My eyes shifted between the shikshin and the dancing queen in such speed that I would have made myself dizzy if I went any faster.
"You... Y-You were awake..."
Crap.
How am I going to make an excuse for that one?
Not only do I have to worry about Hyoyeon finding out but I have to worry about Sooyoung as well?
Sooyoung picked up her bags calmly, her previously open mouth closing and her facial muscles relaxing to a poker face. She didn't say anything surprisingly and just made her way to her own bed, setting her bags on top of the mattress. I became even more scared because of how she wasn’t freaking out by now.
"Um, I-I, um..."
Sooyoung didn't pay any mind to what I was saying, the now ever so fascinating pair of socks she was taking out of her bag deserving more attention than what I had to say.
Quickly Jessica say something! Anything!
"Me and Hyoyeon-"
"Welcome back Sooyoungie."
She spoke.
Hyoyeon spoke?
I felt the bed rustle in correspondence with Hyoyeon lifting herself up from her spot. I turned my head to look up at Hyoyeon, who... smiled.
She's smiling?
Hyoyeon quietly made her way out of me and Sooyoung's room, steering past stray articles of clothing on the floor along the way. She fiddled with her fingers and stared at her feet while she walked, not taking as much as one look at me. Nearing the doorway which Sooyoung wasn't far from, she gave a small nod to Sooyoung acknowledging the Shikshin's arrival. Sooyoung momentarily stopped what she was doing, her hand still on the zipper of her duffel bag she just opened, and glanced at Hyoyeon, giving a half smile in response.
Hyoyeon walked out from me and Sooyoung's room, still in deep thought. Watching her pass the doorway, exiting me and Sooyoung's room, my panicking reached its max. I was now left with Sooyoung, who I had no choice but to deal with right away before this whole misunderstanding escalated in degree.
I focused my attention to the tall Shikshin who I could see tried to pretend she didn't see the "kiss" she saw just now. How her eyes constantly dodged mine whenever she noticed me staring and remained quiet was enough for me to know how uncomfortable and awkward she felt.
I stared at her waiting for her to speak up.
...
Ugh, this... this is so annoying!
My fear and anxiety turned itself into annoyance in less than a second. I grabbed a nearby pillow and chucked it at Sooyoung who was opening and closing drawers for no reason but to make herself look busy.
"Yah!" I waited for her to look at me. "Me and Hyoyeon weren't doing anything!"
"I know."
"Then why are you doing that?!"
"Doing what?"
"That! You're not even taking anything from that drawer but you keep opening it. Like this-" I imitated her, holding onto an invisible handle, and made backwards and forwards motions like I was opening a drawer.
"Ah, nothing." She shrugged off my question and moved on to doing something else. She took out her half filled baggage and emptied out its contents.
"Look at me." She gave me a quick glance before she hesitatingly turned her head to face me. "Nothing happened. Okay?"
Sooyoung stared back at me in silence, her lack of words and reaction expressing her disbelief. We remained like that just staring at each other, our thoughts transmitting through the air as I tried my best to clear up the misunderstanding. After a long session of eye talking, Sooyoung spoke up.
"Why do you find the need to explain yourself?"
I immediately froze solid like a rock.
"Why are you so irritated? If you know you and Hyoyeon didn't do anything then why are were you so nervous?"
I sat there like a deer in headlights.
Its game over. Sooyoung knows doesn't she?
No, I can't let this conversation end like this.
I hopped off my seat on my bed and stood up scratching the back of my head as I let out a throaty sigh. I looked at Sooyoung straight in the eye coolly, making the best use of my acting skills, and put my hands on my hips. While making my way towards her I shred any trace of nervousness and frantic behaviour that I displayed earlier on.
Tip toeing, I inched my face closer to Sooyoung's.
"If Hyoyeon got off me and I greeted you like nothing happened--which nothing did--would you still greet us like normal?"
She opened trying to form words, taken aback by what I said.
"I-"
"EXACTLY."
I went around Sooyoung who mumbled something that I couldn't quite make out. I disregarded it and made my way over to the bathroom, taking with me a towel I grabbed along the way to the door.
Once I exited my room I could hear Yuri yell out from the living room,
"Hallelujah! Sica's awake!"
***************
Hyoyeon followed behind the group’s maknae as they walked over to the white van that was perched in front of the entrance gates to their dorm complex.
She looked down at the gravel beneath her feet during the short journey to the vehicle, her mind constantly wandering to think about Jessica. Hyoyeon being so busy in her train of thought didn't notice Seohyun slipping her small hand into her own, clutching onto it loosely as they walked side by side. What she also didn’t notice was Sooyoung who stole glances at her every so often while walking behind her.
If Jessica was awake then why didn't she push me off?
“She probably wanted me to leave so she could sleep more.”
Why was she blushing when contact like this isn't anything out of the ordinary?
“She probably just has really red cheeks that I never noticed.”
Why was her pulse so fast when I held onto her to keep myself from falling?
“She was probably scared for me and her heart beat faster because of that.”
The dancer was answering her own questions with responses that were certainly plausible. The logic in those answers, however, were not enough to satisfy the one question Hyoyeon had never bothered to ask herself or even think about until today.
What if she likes me?
Hyoyeon had no answer to that. Earlier this afternoon she was perfectly sure that it was just her curious nature that made her cross such an idea but with what just happened in Jessica's room, the little joke she blurted out loud was inching to prove itself more truthful than she initially thought it to be. This in turn made Hyoyeon confused: was it really just her reading too much into Jessica's strange behaviour or did her lame joke actually hold some truth?
Did Jessica have feelings for her?
Hyoyeon furrowed her eyebrows. She had been thinking too much about the issue, which to her, had a high probability of not being a big deal to begin with. Finding it a waste to think about Jessica any longer, she tucked the strand pertaining to her and Jessica away into her memory bank. Later would be when she would attend to the issue, whenever 'later' was.
Hyoyeon got into the van, practically jumping through the opening and unlinked her hand from the maknae's. She laid face down on the seats only for Seohyun to slap her thighs so that she would sit up straight. The older girl shifted over one seat and slouched in her new spot, closing her eyes as she made herself comfortable.
"My diary!" Seohyun exclaimed, digging into her shoulder bag in search of the thick black diary she constantly carried around with her. "Unnie I'll be back. Save my seat!"
"Un." Hyoyeon responded her eyes still closed. She heard Seohyun's sneakers clashing against the gravel of the driveway, the sound fading as Seohyun increased in distance from the van.
“Save my seat?” Hyoyeon thought. “She can just sit wherever. Weird kid.” Hyoyeon let out a small chuckle.
"So..."
Hyoyeon shot up straight, her eyelids opening to search for the source of the voice.
"What the- when did you get here!?" Hyoyeon exclaimed in surprise. "You scared the crap out of me!"
"Sorry."
Sooyoung sat in the seat next to Hyoyeon. After a few moments of silence she spoke.
"What really happened between you and Sica back there?"
Hyoyeon moved her eyes to look at Sooyoung. She anticipated this conversation and honestly wanted to avoid it but now that it was brought it up she thought to get it over with. Sooyoung wouldn't stop with the questions if she didn't anyway.
"I was waking her up."
"Didn't seem like it."
"Its a long story, but I really was waking her up."
"Why were you on top of her then?"
"You try and find some other way of getting Jessica to wake up. If Sunny's nagging didn't do anything I don't see how else you could."
"Making her laugh?"
"Didn't work.”
“Ice down her shirt?”
“Well... I didn’t try that one. I just went with whatever idea I had at the moment, y’know.” Hyoyeon shrugged her shoulders lazily.
“You should have. I would’ve done it. Heck I would have used a bucket of cold water or a hose.”
“Honestly I think this time not even that would’ve worked. You've probably heard how Sica's been weird this whole week."
"No."
"No?"
"Not this whole week."
Hyoyeon gave Sooyoung a puzzled look as the taller girl stared off into open space in recollection.
"Longer than that. Lately I've been noticing her... not herself."
Hyoyeon nodded.
"Especially around you."
The dancer nodded again, but after hearing the mention of herself she whipped her head to look at Sooyoung in shock.
"Wait, what?"
"I thought I was reading too much into Sica's strange behaviour recently but the atmosphere between you two when I walked into my room had that-that feeling, and when I looked at Sica being all frantic... I don't know, it just topped it all off for me."
"What are you trying to say?"
"I think, she's, you know..." Sooyoung trailed off, looking to Hyoyeon to piece it together as she guided her with nonsense hand motions.
"...On her period?"
Sooyoung lightly pushed the shorter girl to the side laughing a little.
"Pabo! Not that!"
Again the shikshin waved her hands in midair, creating hand motions to steer Hyoyeon into saying what she was hinting at. Hyoyeon just stared back at Sooyoung blankly, causing Sooyoung to let out an exasperated sigh in defeat.
"She’s totally gay for you." Sooyoung flatly blurted out.
The truth was Hyoyeon already knew what Sooyoung was trying to say or that is make her say. She feared saying it out loud or to dig any deeper into it, scenarios of awkward silences between her and Jessica flashing before her. She knew that if she dug any deeper than needed into Jessica's strange behaviour she would be venturing into uncharted land, land that was meant to be uncharted, a friendship that she wanted to strictly stay as a friendship. No subtext, no hidden feelings of romance, no... pain, emotional pain that she would eventually have to inflict upon the ice princess if this discussion proved true.
It was too late to shoo away this conversation, especially since her food loving friend had gotten it out there.
Hyoyeon sighed and folded her arms across her chest, slumping down in the polyester seats of the van.
"What makes you think that?"
"She called you pretty."
Hyoyeon recalled the rare event that happened in their kitchen a week ago. Why she hadn't forgotten about it by now proved its rarity; Jessica calling her pretty practically signalled the coming of the apocalypse.
There was something else that made the small happening so memorable for Hyoyeon--it was the way Jessica stared at her with a particular sparkle in her eyes that made her seem like she was glowing, how there was a hint of gentleness that radiated off her usually cold almond shaped eyes.
If her suspicions about Jessica didn't begin today it definitely began on that day.
"Look there has to be some other reason for Sica acting strange. We can't just assume she has feelings for me."
"Iunno, if you say so..." Sooyoung shrugged her shoulders. "I bet I'm right and I know you know it."
"I don't want you to be right though." Hyoyeon thought.
“I’m kind of surprised that its not Yuri she has the hots for.” Sooyoung folded her arms and slumped down in her seat like Hyoyeon. “Well, what do you think? What do you feel about Sica? If I’m right that is.”
“I-”
The door slid open making a whooshing sound interrupting Hyoyeon’s sentence, followed by muffled thuds of feet against the carpeted floor of the van.
Tiffany got into her seat followed by Jessica. Hyoyeon's eyes widened slightly as she followed Jessica who was busy getting into the van with her eyes. She continued staring until Jessica noticed her looking causing her to turn away embarrassed.
The dancer leaned into Sooyoung's ear and whispered. "Don't mention any of this to anyone else okay? Goodness, especially Tiffany and ESPECIALLY not when Jessica’s around."
"Why would I?" Sooyoung responded, maybe a little too loud for a whisper. “Oh,” the Shikshin lowered her voice to a whisper. “Oops.”
Hyoyeon closed her eyes shut and mentally face palmed. She had the urge to slap Sooyoung but held herself back and sat back into her seat, letting the now awkward silence between the four of them sink in.
“Seohyun hurry up and come back. I’m gonna die with how awkward it is in here.”
*************
- Jessica’s POV -
I came back from the washroom after leaving my coat on my seat back in the recording room to clear my head. I constantly thought about Hyoyeon and what she was thinking about after what happened before we left for our schedule. During the whole ride to the radio station she was quiet, even with Sooyoung and Seohyun at both her sides.
I scratched the back of my head as I continued walking over to where everyone else was gathered.
It irritates me how much time I spend worrying. I don't like spending my time on the edge. I get sick of it and much rather live life calmly and laid back, but because of just one person I've become like this.
Because of her.
I approached the metal doors that led to the recording room and put my hand on the silver handle. I then turned it and pulled the grey metal door open. I walked over to my seat and was confused as to why Tiffany had occupied it and moved from her previous seat.
Scanning the room to see if there were any other vacant seats for me to sit in I found out that there were none except for the seat Tiffany switched out of--the swivel chair beside Hyoyeon's.
I let out a heavy sigh and walked up to the pink loving girl.
"You're in my seat."
"Oh, well..." She pointed to the empty seat next to Hyoyeon. "Just sit in the seat next to Hyoyeon."
"I was here first."
Tiffany looked at me and furrowed her eyebrows. "Its just a seat. You never cared before, why are you being so stingy about it now?"
I just stood there and glared at Tiffany. "Get out of my seat." I repeated.
My eyes wandered to look at Tiffany's hands that were linked with Taeyeon's under the table. It caught my interest for a second but then I brushed it off. Its not like its weird for them to hold hands, we’re always holding hands and whatnot.
"Come on. Just sit next to Hyoyeon."
"I don't want to."
"Come on~" She tugged on my sleeve. I could see Taeyeon tightening her grip on Tiffany’s hand under the table. My eyebrows perked up in interest slightly, but I pushed the thought aside and focused on my current objective.
"That’s my seat." I shook her by the shoulder. “Get uuuup.”
"Yah, Sica its just a seat; we change seats all the time whats up with you?" Sunny said from across the room.
“Its probably because of Hyoyeon.” Yuri piped in, swiveling her seat around to reveal the two yellow pencils stuck in her nostrils that Yoona had stuffed in previously. Yoona laughed at her work, holding her stomach.
“What on ea- Yuri-ah people use those y’know!” Sunny giggled and pointed at Yuri, forgetting about me and Tiffany.
My eyes shifted to glance at Hyoyeon who was now giving me her full attention, her face blank but her dark brown orbs soaking in every little detail. She fixed the wool scarf that was wrapped around her neck, her eyes not leaving me. Our eyes met for a moment, but she didn't say anything. The look she held was hard to read but all I knew was that it, it...
Annoyed me so much, yet made me happy at the same time.
"Anyways,” Tiffany said pointing to the still unoccupied seat beside Hyoyeon. "See Hyoyeon doesn't mind. Do you Hyoyeon?"
Hyoyeon shook her head in response with indifference and went back to having the conversation she was having with Seohyun.
I scoffed, the volume of my voice going up a little. Today was not a day to go back and forth like this. “Yah, Fany-ah-”
I felt a hand grab me by the wrist, pulling me back. I turned around to see who it was, my heart skipping a few beats once my eyes caught sight of her blond hair. Although I would be annoyed at this point, the suddenness in Hyoyeon’s actions made me put aside any feelings of irritation to the side unconsciously.
“Sit beside me.” Hyoyeon held my hand roughly as she dragged me to her seat. I tripped a few times as she walked ahead of me. “Sheesh, why are you making it so difficult.”
She leaned into my ear once we arrived at her-- and what used to be--Tiffany’s seats. “Don’t forget that there’s fans watching the recording today.” She whispered.
I turned my head slightly towards the crowd of people standing behind the glass screen that separated them from us. Each person held up various colorful signs, not to mention the most important item they never forgot to bring... cameras.
Hyoyeon lightly patted me on the side with her hand, accidentally hitting me on the bum instead.
My face instantly went red. I looked up at her and saw that her eyes widened a bit before she yanked her hand back. She held her hand and rubbed at it like she had just touched someone with a disease.
"S-Sorry." Hyoyeon said quietly, getting into her spot beside Seohyun quickly. The maknae then picked up Hyoyeon’s headphones on the table and fitted it onto the dancing queen snugly.
“Sorry?”
Why is she saying sorry for?
I sat in my new seat and clasped my hands together as the host got into his seat to get the show started. I quickly looked at Hyoyeon who was holding onto the hand she used to pat me on the bum with tightly while she smiled at the host. Her fingertips whitened as her grip on her other hand tightened.
Strange.
I have a feeling this has to do with the ‘waking-me-up’ incident.
***********
Another long chapter YAY! XD
The next few chapters will be a bit more dramatic and emotional. Lets get things heated up woot!
Btw, if some of you are wondering why this fic is rated “M” well... it may not seem M rated right now, but you’ll find out later on why I categorized it as an ‘M’ rated fic lol. *winks*
Oh and thanks for the awesome comments guys! You keep this lazy fic writer going haha.
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