“Welcome to Class ‘97 and this one looks like our school gym. Great.”

The repugnance isn’t unheard by Yoona’s ears as they forayed to the hall, a piano ensemble playing in hum. “It looks decent to me.”

Jessica can’t quite put a finger whether the venue is attempting to bring about nostalgia or the organizer couldn’t afford a better event planner.

“I do sarcasm as a form of defense mechanism because I’m actually petrified on the inside and that this room is a close replica where the most embarrassing moment of my life occurred.”

Jessica Jung is steadily assertive and a high school reunion makes her susceptible, dropping her persona and fully embracing that famous trope.

“You’re not gonna walk away. Jessica Jung doesn’t run.” Yoona reminds her. “She takes on risks and now she has a billion dollar company.” It’s not very often for Yoona telling Jessica what to do. It’s one thing to recite Jessica’s schedules and encouraging her to do something is another.

“Smart risks. And this is not smart. It’s ridiculously abrupt.” Usually, Yoona is the only less annoying person Jessica could spend hours with without resorting to whipping out her metaphorical axe. But now, she wants to murder the girl. The malevolent thought gets pushed aside as Yoona brings a comfortable hand on the small of her back and ushers her to the reception table.

“Name please?”

Jessica knows this guy. It’s one of Colin Hwang’s band of dumb football players.

She swallows on her dry throat and concentrates on the hand that still ghosts behind. “Jung Sooyeon.”

He scoffs. “Peeing Sooyeon, do you mind checking your-” He bars the insult about to slip while he looks up to meet Jessica. “God, you look hot.”

“Should I be grateful of the attempt to pick on me and the sudden appreciation of my looks, both being in the same sentence?” Jessica eyes go narrowed at him and his bigotry.

“You’re even feisty!” He grinned and glances to Yoona’s side, addressing her. “You also brought a plus one.”

Yoona gasps, meaning to introduce herself as Jessica’s friend. The ‘Hi, I’m Yoona’ dies quickly on her tongue when Jessica channels her controlling side, unwilling to compromise with the humor this man is playing on.

“Just give me the damn name plate, Stephen.” Voice low but sharp, the kind that Jessica uses at times of turtle paced progress in the midst of doing commerce with the board and brainstorming of headlines and click bait articles and the lack of her people to think of one.

Stephen fumbles through the pile on the side of the table and rifles the alphabetical arrangement. Jessica’s domineering presence easily affecting him.

“Okay. I think I’ll take that.” Smiling to buffer the situation, Yoona picks the embossed name plate between her fingers and takes Jessica’s hand, pulling her to an isolated space.

They’re barely five minutes in and Jessica is already grimacing. “That is an example of a privileged man who sees looks as the only valid asset a woman could have.”

Yoona lowers herself to meet Jessica’s height, attaching the name plate to her boss’ blouse just above her area, carefully sliding and clasping the safety pin through the garment. She stretches the cloth to fix the small creases it formed around.

“Your theory about calling out your pants is…” Yoona stands straight, drawling mid words when the proximity between her and Jessica dawns to her. So, she retracts her hands and coils back.  “I don’t think I should dwell on the topic anymore.”

“Sounds good to me.” Just another rephrasing of Jessica that tells Yoona to stick with the objective.

Yoona shuffles to her side as Jessica leads the way. There are tons of eyes at their direction, following them-no, following Jessica as they wedge through the occupied tables like she’s a medieval thing that miraculously resurfaced after getting lost in the depths of the Bermuda Triangle. What makes it weirder is the number of times Yoona has to hear Jung Sooyeon come out of their mouths.

The sight of Colin Hwang in tux, flashing a smirk for everyone in the room to ogle with is enough sign that they’re near their table. The double amount of security outside and inside makes sense now. Yoona also recognizes a face sitting right next to Mr. Hwang. The man’s tie is loose and unkempt and two buttons of his shirt are off.

“Kim Junghwa went to your high school?” She whispers, the low volume didn’t contain Yoona’s surprise. “Is that why you cancelled the appointment today?”

“I don’t like the accusation, Yoona.” She pauses and Yoona comes to a stop. “We would have been short in time to attend this debacled reunion that you’re so inclined for me to be present if I entertain the manifesto he wants to bring to my company.”

“Oh. Alright. That’s fair. Fair enough.” Yoona awkwardly raises both her thumbs.

“Do you ever talk straight?” Really? Now? Is Jessica seriously asking her this while they’re in the middle of the room and everybody seems to be staring hard.

“I-I-”

“It’s a rhetorical question. Move along so we could get out sooner.”

Yoona obeys. Reaching the table, Jessica bravely shows her face to her proclaimed high school enemies.

“Long time no see, Sooyeon.” Colin’s smile appears too legit, it just screams a pretext of a trained celebrity smile that people like Colin should produce for the crowd to save face no matter how he admonishes them.

Jessica pulls a chair and settles. She sighs before returning the diplomatic greeting that Yoona is without a shadow of a doubt that it doesn’t fool Jessica. “I don’t think I could say the same, Colin.”

Yoona quietly sits beside Jessica. Her boss is incredibly calm when just seconds ago and most of the time everyday, Jessica has these burning eyes and about to eat any breathing creature alive.

“Who’s this?” Colin chuckles at the stranger in the table, an unknown person who has nothing to do with their high school reunion, and thinks it’s a joke. “Your Daddy doesn’t let you go out alone so you brought a nanny?”

What a low blow. Yoona wants to step in and just shut them up. Instead, Yoona keeps her head down. Not knowing what will come next gives Yoona the thrill, unsure whether Jessica is gonna speak up and rashly decide what Yoona is to her as of this moment or nothing at all. Then she hears Jessica breathe out.

“We’re allowed to bring a plus one. Also, she’s a good friend.” Yoona ducks her head, flushing at that. “Unless you’re not familiar with the concept of friendship- don’t wait, I just remembered that you aren’t because most of the friends you’re out with are only for the sake of mediaplay.”

“We haven’t seen you for years and you earned a potty mouth. Very nice, Sooyeon.” Junghwa praises, even waving his drink in the air, and Colin slaps his arm, a small portion of his drink spills over his side of the table.

“The party is yet to start and you’re no longer sober. Some things don’t change it seems.” Jessica leans back and her head falls to the side.

“I changed, Sooyeon. It just so happens that on this very day, I’m supposed to have an important business deal with Muse, you know that huge company and their huge magazine.”

Jessica can only nod, crossing her arms. It’s Jessica’s posture of guilt, although she’s taking his insistence of change as a grain of salt. The poor description of her successful business would ticked her, but she let’s it slide because Junghwa is clearly not his best self.

“I’m all prepped up with my proposal and on the last minute, they decided to just do it tomorrow.” He went on. “I’m not angry or anything. I worked hard to make the appointment possible and then I came here and got my seat changed and I have to bear Colin Hwang and his far easier and glamorous life because all he has to do is pretend he’s the nicest person in the world.”

“Suddenly, you made me the bad guy in your story.” Colin takes it offensively.

“You should try playing that role on your next film. You’ll be a natural, you insensitive, spineless .”

“I know I wasn’t always nice to you the whole time since you peed in P.E but thanks Sooyeon.”

Jessica smiles.

“Where the hell are Erin and James?” Colin grumbles and he rises short from his seat, looking around. Jessica prays to her nonexistent god that her archenemy and her big shot lawyer boyfriend won’t come. Colin Hwang is more than sufficient for Jessica’s current capacity to deal with.

“They’re gonna be late and you know they both like making an entrance.”

The lights dim and someone from backstage comes upfront. A slideshow of photos begins to roll. The overalls, leather jackets, baggy pants, high waist jeans and long skirts, babydoll dresses, oversized flannels, colorful mixed print shirts and crop tops and neon hats highlight the iconic fashion moments of the 90s.

“Miss Jung, do you want me to get you something?” Yoona mumbles close to Jessica’s ear. Jessica puts a hand on her thigh, almost possessively as Yoona feels a light grasping.

“No. Just stay here.”

“I won’t...I won’t go anywhere.”

To her judgement of the situation, Jessica can handle herself well without her. Or maybe her presence gives her that vibe in the office where she could be confident and sass to her staff while Yoona stands in support beside her no matter the confliction Jessica’s arguments ensue on Yoona.

She’s willed herself in comfort, content with this arrangement that placeholds her as the outsider. She’s used to it, being the different one, especially around Jessica Jung and the likes of her - powerful and enigmatic people that Yoona will never become.

Jessica’s fingers over Yoona’s thighs. A while ago, she thought Jessica is just giving her a pat and like all those times Jessica touched her, it’s a mere gesture.

Sometimes, Yoona thinks it unfair that Jessica lingers around beyond the professional boundaries and inadvertently feeds the emotions she holds dear for Jessica. Yoona remains to be docile about it.

Yoona waits and waits until a grungy teenage Jessica Jung fills the projector screen. It’s a candid shot in front of what Yoona assumed was Jessica’s locker. She has a white shirt on and a jumper. Her hand on the wheel of the lock, she has a frown while she’s at it. It must be one of those days when a locker has gone busted even if the correct combination key has been put.

“You really did rock a spectacle and ponytail. I thought it was just to spite the 90s teen movie cliche.”

Jessica pinches her side, causing Yoona to jerk. The travel back to the memory lane ends, but Jessica’s hand stays in contact with Yoona.

The food is being served. Jessica immediately asks for dessert and a glass of bourbon. The waiter leaves brief and returns with Jessica’s orders.

The host rounds up names of people who have met success in the past nineteen years. To Yoona’s discovery, this Erin Walker that her boss is mostly not fond of is around the same field as her boss. She’s the head of creative sector at Seoul One, a major competition of Jessica’s company. She’s won some awards, not as much as Jessica did that spawned her a glass cabinet full of trophies which weren’t received and addressed publicly because Jessica insists that it’s just a waste of time to celebrate the greatness of herself (that she’s long aware of) and allow other rival news outlets to make bucks out of it. She’d love to rub it on their faces after the many discriminations she’s gained when she was starting, but she believes of other ways to do that such as ranking number one in brand reliability and selling million copies of her monthly issues and daily news publications.

Jessica’s peace of mind gets torn apart and shred into pieces as Erin Walker and James Han walk into her line of vision.

“Speaking of the devil…” The hosts announces Erin’s arrival. The latter stands and bows. What an attention seeking piece of .

“Gosh, Erin, you just became a corporate person and you forgot how to be punctual.” Colin sips his drink.

“I know why. She and her boyfriend got busy planning their epic entrance.” Junghwa chastised.

“That’s fiancée and we’re very sorry.”  Erin casually shares the news. She takes off her furry coat, her now fiancée assisting her and drapes it behind her seat. Jessica wants to spread gas on the coat, throw it to the furnace and watch it burn because it looks disgusting and a big sore to her eyes.

As her eyes land Jessica, Erin smiles to her amusement. “Sooyeon, you’re alive.” It would easily be mistaken as a cheery acknowledgement. Not for Jessica who hears the viciousness in it. “And with a really young chaperone.”

Yoona is getting fed up being dubbed with none other than a mere sidekick.

“I’m torn whether I should congratulate you in your upcoming marriage or for having  well-functioning eyes.”  

“...and Peeing Sooyeon is here, everyone.”

The impending doom has arrived in a form of Jessica’s pestering title reverberating in four walls, of bursting laughters and slamming of hands against the table. Jessica can only shut her eyelids close, ashamed and indignant of the glorified immaturity among people in their 30s, some nursing a child or two at their homes.

And when she opens her eyes back, she rolls them, casting away the unwanted tears caused by an old scar ripped fresh and welt open again. They feel hot under her eyes, like a boiling pot, but no one hears the convulsing lid and the water pouring messily everywhere because their eyes and ears could careless about the boiling ing pot.

“How’s the pants, Sooyeon? We haven’t seen you since the late 90s.”

Jessica feels a touch that taps above the hand that resides on Yoona’s thigh, fingertips soft against her knuckles and gone too soon. She doesn’t remember if Yoona has ever sent her comfort in this inward and privy manner.

“Is that for real?” Yoona tried to create distraction with the way her voice chirps, toning down the heavy air of the entire room that currently fogs around Jessica. “The world isn’t small after all then and the nursery rhyme is a pack of lies.”

Im Yoona. As much as she wants to force blame on her assistant (sometimes it’s their undisclosed role) and knowing how effortless it is to just do that instead, Jessica can’t and won’t because more than what she’s willing to admit, the girl got under her skin so deep, she’s dug a hole that exclusively fits for her only and she can’t easily get angry at her.  

Yoona is humble and she never took advantage of the prerogatives that Jessica grants her once in a while. She’s a supremely exceptional assistant and nobody hears Jessica refuting that claim.

Until tonight, Yoona finally exploits of that advantage, but not for self-gain. She leaps on the chance for Jessica to face her fear, a testament to Yoona’s true concern and willingness to help her get through the unlovely period in her lifetime and move on, definitely.

Almost everyone stands up to mingle and rub shoulders with old friends, some swaying to the music in pairs in the middle of the room and others starting a match between who’s got the better career, better pay and better life, with James, Erin and Colin most likely leading the pack and Junghwa stuck on his chair, drinking the wine he snuck out from the open bar.

“Why don’t you go around and chat with your…” Yoona doesn’t entirely know how to finish her urging.

“Exactly why we’re glued to our seats.” Jessica swings her glass until the rim kisses her lips. She has a sociopathic behaviour at work, but even guilty criminals have close confidants.  

“Don’t give me that puppy look.” Jessica seethed, putting an end to Yoona’s pitiful musing. “I’m not the scariest person in the world. I’ve made friends in high school who, I think, wouldn’t afford the luxury of time to pay a visit. They’re brilliant people working a living outside the country and currently earning double than the combined figures of the people in this room except me. And nobody knows that.”

“I do now and I like knowing this kind of things about you.” Yoona modestly adds and she hears her own voice and how wrong it is. Jessica’s face fell and Yoona instantly comes up to counter the premature reaction. “Sorry. I shouldn’t say intrusive things like that. Just forget it. I don’t think what I say pars to you or to anyone.”

“It does.” Jessica speaks up, finding it essential to step up and do some fixing to Yoona’s abysmal inferiority complex. Well aware of the damage it will do to her terror of evil front. “We won’t be sitting ducks here if I don’t listen to you.”

The trio returns to the table in unison, taking a break from their favorite leisure which is bragging. Once she’s back on her sit, Erin pulls out a phone from her purse and dials a number with prominent pressure in her fingers as she pressed against the screen.

“Seriously, Erin.” James protest comes in a sigh.

“This is Muse Media. Stories don’t stop.”

Jessica subtly chokes on her drink upon hearing the mention of her company and the popularized brand tag line.

She doesn’t recall any future involvement with Seoul One nor is she dumb to stamp her approval of such because it’s competition, unless someone drugged her to sign a deal. The next person she inquires of it is Yoona, giving her a look. Yoona shrugs, clueless as she is.

“So you’re changing teams now?” Colin asked, interested.

“Seoul One is great and iconic. Then there’s Muse and they’re better and ten steps ahead of everyone. It’ll do a great boost to my career and-.” Everyone in the table can hear the distinct dull beep coming from Erin’s phone.

“Good luck with that.” Junghwa sneers at his corner, his wrist whirling his glass of wine.

“And what do you know?” Erin throws her phone back to her purse.

“Because I’ve been there and done that. About to, actually, tomorrow. Hopefully they won’t change it again.” He places his glass down the table and leans against the edge. “It took me a month or so to reach the executive assistant.” Yoona squirms because she’s pretty damn sure that EA is her. “I don’t know, maybe it’ll take another to even see the shadow of Jessica Jung.”

“First of all, I’m not like you.” Erin took it the small comparison to the heart. She doesn’t like getting paired up with people she thinks are lesser than her.

“Yeah, you’re so amazing and everything, but do believe me you’ll be so attached to your phone, you might as well marry it.”

“I think I’ll vouch for that.” Colin adds. “My manager has been trying for ages to book a feature page on Muse and they turned it down constantly, we just gave up on it. Usually it’s the other way around, you know. You’ll really have to marry your phone to make the impossible possible. ”

“Oh I will if that means I’ll snag the Senior Editor position.” Her eyes find Jessica and the girl is like a deer caught on headlights. “Speaking of...what have you been up to, Sooyeon?”

Jessica points a reluctant finger to herself. “Me?”

What is she supposed to say when there are dark eyes haunting her and probing her to speak something that would embarrass her for the rest of her life again? No, she’s never gonna bring up her company. That’s a cheapshot.

“I had my internship at MK Productions for their Legal Department.” Yes, her father’s conglomerate is still being shoved down , drowning the accomplishments she’s made for herself in blood and sweat. Her father won’t like hearing about his company being used as a device to frighten his own daughter.

“Now that I got to that, I don’t remember seeing you there. Shouldn’t you be training in those years? Come on, spill a few beans Sooyeon, for old time’s sakes.” There’s a curl in James’ lips as he jumps in on the bandwagon by fuelling a barrage of heavy insults on Jessica’s way.

“Don’t be shy.” Colin enticed.

“W-what do you want me to say?” She’s never felt so vulnerable in a long time and she’s looking at the same people who made her cry and breakdown a million times in washroom cubicles and staircases. Building an empire should gift a whole new saga of inflated self-esteem and now she’s facing her high school nightmare and she feels she’s about to perish into pieces like nothing changed.

“That you’re just painting your nails and waiting for your parents to bestow their throne.” James reckoned.

“God, just shut up.” Junghwa cuts in on James with a snarl, saving Jessica paragraphs of suitably worded unspoken speech to quash their claims for having no truth in them that she writes at the back of her head but will never see the light of the day because she’s a wimp. “We’re not in high school anymore where you could mess up with someone because it makes you feel good about yourself.”

“We’re just teasing. Aren’t we, Sooyeon?” Erin mocked. Jung Sooyeon is such a wimp, she thought.

“Miss Walker, right?” A deep and strong timbre of voice interrupts the alleged fun.

“Yes?” Erin leans back, scrutinizing the approach of the stranger in their table. “Who gave you the right to talk to me?”

“I’m Yoona.” She earnestly offers her hand. Jessica’s eyes widen to Yoona’s auspicious attempt to be friendly as always. Yoona withdraws the shake accordingly to the missing enthusiasm. “You mentioned you’re signing up to Muse. I actually work there.”

Jessica kicks Yoona on the shin, sending the clear What the is this? message to her assistant that the latter ignores. Yoona is untethered by the warning. She isn’t sure about presumptuously provoking the situation in rogue nor is she sure of anything at all except that she’s at the epicenter of getting fired, like a moth drawn to a flame and stupidly ends up burning to its death. For the millionth time.

“And what is it to you?” Her stern is barely suppressed.

“I’m an assistant and Ms. Ju-” Yoona corrects herself. “Muse is kind of what Sooyeon is up to right now.”

“She works for Muse?” Erin questions dubiously. She turns to Sooyeon and locks and loads her insults. God, she wants to laugh so hard. “Is this even legit? You, in that company. Did your father kick you out or something?”

“I work for Muse. Sooyeon doesn’t.” Yoona shakes her head to sans the conclusion Erin made initially. “She...uh, how do I verbalize this without your ego going splat?” She pretends to think and hollowly gestures with her hand, playing coy with one of Jessica’s acts whenever she’s about to go on a savage spree at the office. Jessica can’t quite tell if she should be offended or impressed that Yoona evidently learns from her, even down to the way her face shifts and the hazard in her tone like a complete Jessica bravado.

“Jung Sooyeon is my boss and she’s about to be yours too if you tone down the arrogance a little, Ms. Walker. Chances are, you’re going to have to pack your things up and empty your desk the first day if you don’t. ” Yoona pushes her chair to the back, holds Jessica’s hand and wills both of them to stand. She assesses the drop of jaws, content with the quiescent response she’s gotten. Colin Hwang brings his phone up to Google and a silent  ‘Holy ’ slips from him. “By the way, Mr. Hwang, don’t dream for a cover feature in Muse Magazine. You have a bleak career that doesn't appeal to our savvy consumers.”

Yoona turns around, completely done tearing every occupant of the table apart. They abandon the group and Jessica gets tugged somewhere with dancing going on. Yoona has set up what can potentially blow out. People will talk in any second.

Jessica stops dead and Yoona gets yanked back. Thirty solid seconds of staring between Jessica and Yoona.

Whatever happened there, like an out of the body experience, only then registers to Yoona. Already looking alarmed and anticipating the immediate aftermath of her major screw up.

“I am so sorry, Miss Jung. “ Yoona can’t emphasize it more other than a sorry that she could possibly exhaust on saying a few more times over but will never regret the action. “I’m in no place to overstep and reveal everything you wanna keep under wraps without asking you. And I know I just risked my position, again, thanks to me. But I...I think they’ve gone abusive. They can’t do that to you. They…” Her hand dramatically flails over the direction where they left from and can’t figure what else she could say a justifying reason. Jessica catches Yoona’s wrist, hushing the girl.

“Quiet.” Jessica commands. “You shouted while at work. Manipulating my personal life should be a breeze.”

“But Miss Jung-” Yoona watches as her hand is placed on Jessica’s waist and Jessica takes the other as well.

“I wanna dance before we leave. Let’s do that.” Jessica’s palms are flat over Yoona’s chest, sliding them up and rubbing around her shoulders, as if to coax her to be still and cooperate. Yoona doesn’t think Jessica noticed her small heave of breath or that her feet almost stupors. back.

“Won’t they talk?” Yoona lets her worry be known again, eyes meek to Jessica’s own, feeling less afraid.

This is the part where her boss should drag her out of the room and yell at her, with impassioned feelings, and Yoona won’t be able to leave her apartment for a week. And here they are, dancing. She isn’t paying attention to the backdrop as Jessica orchestrates their bodies to start moving in rhythm with the music.

Jessica shakes her head. “They’ll bury themselves if they do that, so trust me of a guaranteed non-disclosure on their part.” Power does endear a person’s influence and significance and it in that sense, even for Jessica who wields it like a knife to get ahead. “By the way, reach Junghwa about our meeting. I want to see him at my office after lunch tomorrow.”

“I thought you don’t like him very much.”

“He was just hanging out with them most of the time so my strong despise became generalized.”

Jessica trails her fingers to Yoona’s, chaste over the surface of her neck. They’re exceptionally warm against her flimsy skin there and Yoona concentrates deeply not to turn bright red when she realizes Jessica has pushed bounds again and inched closer.

“You didn’t have to do that. It’s not worth it.” Jessica tells her with a dose of reprimand.

“Someone told me last week that successful people don’t share their tales. Others do. That’s what I did and to correct you, it’s wor