January 2nd 2015

Jessica's contract with SM was terminated this morning and the news came out all over the internet since. She felt like she was being taken a huge weight off of her shoulders. She surprisingly felt very at ease for the first time in a while.

She was on her way to her apartment when her mother called. Jessica decided not to tell her parents that she had a meeting today to terminate her contract in case it didn't work out well like back in November but they probably heard about the news by now.

"Eo, Mom?"

"Sooyeon-ah! What is this news about? Did you really terminate your contract?"

"Eo, I did."

"But did they really let you go? Don't you think they're going to fight again later?"

"Eomma, they really let me go. Don't worry, I am free." Jessica said, after laughing.

Her mother and siblings worrying for her was really nice but she didn't want them to only worry about her and forget to take care of themselves in the process.

"Where are you now?" Her mother asked her.

"I stopped to buy coffee first but now I am on my way to my apartment. I've got to finish packing for New-York. I hope you've already packed mom. You know we're leaving tomorrow night."

"I am almost finished, don't worry. Come by the house later then."

"I don't know if I will be able to come tonight. We will leave from there, tomorrow night though." Jessica said, parking her car in her garage.

"Alright. I'll call you later baby, your dad is home." Her mother said, hanging up.

"Mom, wait!... Well, thank you for hanging up on me." She said to herself before collecting her stuff from the car and hopping out of it.

She was in a rush to get to her apartment when her phone buzzed again. She replied without looking at the ID, while opening her door.

"Eo, Eomma? Why did you hang up on me so quickly?" She asked, figuring that it was her mother calling back to say goodbye.

She feels guilty sometimes after hanging up on her kids without properly saying goodbye.

"Sica?"

"Hm... Oppa?" Jessica said, after checking the caller ID.

"Ah, I'm glad you didn't change your phone number yet. How are you?"

"I am good, thank you. How are you? I was going to give you my new number if I did anyway." She said, slightly laughing.

"Are you home?"

"Yes, just got here. Wae?"

"I'm right around the corner. Could you open your garage for me please?"

"Yeah sure! Are you at the front gate now?" She asked, reaching for the security pad on the wall, to open the garage gate.

"Yes, you can open it now."

"I'll see you in a bit!" Jessica said before hanging up.

She looked around and saw that their apartment was a complete mess.

"Aish, Jung Soojung!"

She quickly collected the clothes that were on the floor and the sofa and threw them in Krystal's room. She perfumed the living room a bit and just as she was done, someone knocked at the door.

"Annyeong, dude!" Jessica said while opening the door for her friend.

"Sica sica." Eunhyuk said, walking in.

"What brings you to the neighborhood?" Jessica asked him while they sat on the couch.

"I am looking for an apartment in the area. I'm planning to move out from my parents' house before enlisting at the end of the year."

"Oh my God, when I think that you will leave for the army at the end of the year, I feel sad. Are we really that old already?" She said, chuckling.

"Old, my ! And you should be feeling sad about something else today. I heard the news this morning from the CEO." He said, referring to her contract's termination.

"Mm... We're no longer company's siblings." She said, laughing to cover the sadness of what she just said.

"I don't care if you're no longer in the company, you're still my sister. What are you going to do now?"

"I'll be leaving for New-York tomorrow. I'll spend some time there with my mother while working on my brand. As for now, that is what I plan to do."

"Aigo... You will stay there for a long time and won't even call or text anymore. When will I be able to see you like this again?" He asked the last part more to himself.

"Don't worry, Oppa. It's not because we will no longer be able to see each other often or in public that I will let a great friend like you go."

"You must have suffered a lot... I hope you'll find a way to move on and forgive. I really wish you all could work it out..."

"Mm...Maybe not right now, but someday surely... Oppa, I just have one thing that I'm worried about..."

"Soojungie? I know you are but don't worry. So many people love Soojung and will take care of her no matter what. Do you really want me to cite all the SuJu, SHINee and EXO members who are Soojung's guardian angels slash bodyguards? You should know better by now." He said, joking around.

"I am not too worried for Jaehyun, but I don't want Soojung to close up to everyone. I know she is going to keep her distances from the girls, but I don't want her to exclude herself from everything because of that."

"Jaehyun is a smart kid. As for Soojung, I won't let her exclude herself, don't worry. Oppa middeo, Sica-yah!" He exclaimed, making her laugh.

They were still conversing when Krystal walked in.

"Oh, Hyuk oppa ida. What are you doing here?" She asked as they did their special handshake.

Krystal had one with all the SuJu members she was close to and they often battled around to know which one was Krystal's favorite.

Thinking about that and looking at them laughing so happily made Jessica feel a bit nostalgic. She was realizing that she no longer was part of their circle. The feeling of just having been thrown out of her favorite high school club or dumped right before prom.

The last thought made her laugh a bit because she found it funny, making Krystal and Eunhyuk look at her weirdly.

"What's so funny?" Eunhyuk asked her.

"Eo?... Nothing. Jung Soojung where is my hug?"

"It's coming right up! I'm just going to give oppa some juice."

"Omona! I completely forgot to offer you a drink! I'm so sorry!" Jessica said, standing up to go to the kitchen.

Krystal sat next to Eunhyuk on the sofa.

"We have another meeting today with the company." She told him.

"Still trying to figure out what to do?" He asked her.

"Eo. We don't know what will happen next." She answered.

"Have you heard from Sulli?"

"Ani... We don't really know what she is up to at the moment" She replied as Eunhyuk nodded his head.

"What were you talking about before I walked in?" She continued.

"Just talking. Where you rehearsing with the girls?" He asked after seeing the big gym bag she put next to her.

"Eo. We're going to China for the K-Culture show at the end of the month." She said.

"Is everything fine with your members?" He asked her.

She laughed at the sudden question and nodded her head to confirm.

"She asked you to take care of me now that she's no longer in SM, keuchi?" She asked him.

"Mm? Aniya! I was just curious."

"I'm sure she did. She says that to every SM artist she is still friend with. I know she is worried about me."

"That's because she knows you and cares for you."

"I know..."

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