A/N: Please do upvote and comment if you like, it’s not hard to do it right? Or this story not even deserve it? Otherwise I’ll stop. Give some love at least to all the authors. Lol.

Note: Sorry for mistakes or misspelled words. Italics are for inside thoughts.

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IV

“WHAT?! KIM TAEYEON SAID SHE LIK— Hmmp!!”

Jessica stood up from her seat hastily, reaching Sooyoung from other side of the table to cover before the latter blurted the whole words. “Soo!” She gritted her teeth, hissing, as her eyes piercing with threat. “Can’t you stay quiet?” Jessica shifted her eyes around the cafeteria, noticing people looking at them curiously. She bowed, silently apologizing.

“Ow… Sorry, Jess.” Sooyoung said the moment Jessica removed her hand from . “I just got so excited there.” She scratched her right cheek.

“But please, contain it.” She begged, sitting again on her seat. She breathed out, reaching her favorite Frappuccino that Sooyoung ordered from a famous coffeehouse. Jessica’s eyes fixed on the cafeteria’s entrance, watching the other staff walking inside as she plays her straw.

“As in Kim Taeyeon said she likes you? For real?” Sooyoung repeated the question, purposely lowering her voice this time when saying the COO’s name.

“Uhm, t-that’s what she said…”

“My God. Interesting.” Sooyoung leaned forward. “So? How do you feel?”

Clearing to hide her shyness, she answered. “Do I need to feel something?”

“Well, of course. It’s freaking Kim Taeyeon.” She rolled her eyes, waving her hand animatedly. “So?”
 

Jessica heaved a sigh, leaning her back to her seat. She shook her head. “To be honest, I don’t know.” She heard Sooyoung hummed to her answer. “I was sort of speechless last night.”

Sooyoung chuckled. “Did it shock you that much? I rarely hear you being speechless.”

“I really was!” Jessica moved forward, propping her chin in the palm of her right hand. “Though I did enjoy talking to her.” She couldn’t stop herself from smiling, remembering their series of talk. “She’s so smart, entertaining and so… so thoughtful.”

Sooyoung smiled at her friend/ colleague, listening to her.

“I didn’t know she’s so funny and full of stories. I thought she’s always strict and kind of scary.”

“Ms. Kim, isn’t really an outgoing person. It’s seldom to see her attending any of the company’s event except when the chairman requiring it.”

Jessica nodded her head.

“So, is she going to have a chance?”

“Huh?”

“When she courted you.”

Jessica blushed, gripping her cup. “Soo…”

Sooyoung grinned. “I can see you’re amaze with her character, so why not?”

Jessica straightened on her seat. “I’m not thinking that far, Sooyoung. Ms. Kim said she likes me, yes. And wanted to know more about me. But I don’t want to think more than that. And aside from that, I don’t know if—.” She suddenly paused, pieces of past slowly arising from her memory in just a snap. Jessica sighed, refusing to continue her words.

“If what?” Sooyoung asked after the long silence.

“Nothing.” She shook her head. “As I said, liking me doesn’t mean she has to woo me. I think, what Ms. Kim meant, is to only have my friendship. That’s all. I can feel we’ll click as friends.”

“Huh! Jessica, why are you suddenly acting naïve? You’re not inexperience to this kind of stuff.” Sooyoung said, eyeing her meaningfully. “You’re totally aware what Ms. Kim meant.”

Jessica bit her lower lip, avoiding the fact that she’s in denial.

“Is it because you’re not into… you know… not swaying that way?”

“No… No, it isn’t like that.” She shook her head. Taeyeon isn’t first of the same- that said she likes her. She experienced a lot of it since she was in middle school— well, she received confessions from both es then to be exact. She just didn’t entertain any of those since she never felt any ounce of romantic attraction to them. Jessica believes, mutual feelings of attraction are necessary if she’ll consider to step in a relationship, whether she’ll be with a guy or a girl.

“So, you really didn’t feel anything?” Sooyoung spoke again, breaking her train of thought. “Not even a slight thump of your—” She paused, pointing Jessica’s front. “—heart.” She grinned at her mischievously, teasing.

Jessica’s eyes averted, looking away from her friend. “No.” She lied. She totally lied. Maybe, it’s just embarrassing to admit it openly, but last night, her heart pounded loud in her ears that she thought it wouldn’t stop hammering out. A part of her was annoyed at herself for letting her make her so nervous, yet there was something about Kim Taeyeon that made her want to smile. When was the last time she felt like that? ‘Yeah, it’s been years…’ Jessica blinked repeatedly, preventing herself to entertain any of her thoughts again. She’ll space out if she keeps recalling the past. She focused. ‘It might just be Taeyeon’s sense of humor? Hmm… maybe that’s it.’ She told, convincing herself. ‘That’s only it...”

“You’re lying, Jessica Jung.”

“I-I am not.” She was flustered, feeling her cheeks heat up.

Studying her face, Sooyoung asked again. “Won’t you feel awkward?”

“What do you mean?”

“Like seeing her, knowing she has a crush on you.”

Jessica smiled a bit shy, looking away. “I’ll try not to. Besides, there’s nothing I can do about it. She’s one of our bosses anyway. It’s not that easy to ignore her. Moreover, I really do like to be friends with her, Soo.”

“Okayyy, if that’s what you’re saying.” Sooyoung chuckled, shrugging her shoulders. “But you know Jess, remember, it’s Kim Taeyeon. The stern and strict COO who fired you questions but then asked you a dinner after.” Sooyoung leaned forward. “She’s unpredictable.”

“Oh…Soo…” Jessica covered her face, didn’t know what to say to her friend anymore to convince her.

Sooyoung laughed softly, pulling out a coin from her pocket. “Why don’t we make a bet?”

“What?” She was dumbfounded.

Sooyoung flipped the coin. “I’m Team Kim Taeyeon. And, I foresee she’ll try to win your heart.” Her smile grew wider, meeting her gaze with determination.

Jessica just shook her head with defeat. She gave up. “You’re unbelievable.”

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“How are you and Jessica?”

Taeyeon’s shoulder stiffened but chose to ignore the question. She continued to read the documents in front of her. Taeyeon never wanted anyone to ask her about their CD’s status. Knowing her friends— especially Yuri and Tiffany, they won’t simply stop in one answer.

“Taeyeon.”

Taeyeon acted not hearing Yuri.

“Taeng.”

Taeyeon signed the paper, before picking the other folder to read. Sunny, their CEO left loads of work to them before flying to Japan for business trip for another possible flagship store in one of the country’s cities. Taeyeon supposed to join her but their schedule changes as they set the meeting with Yuri, the CFO and other officers to discuss the financial implications to company if the higher-ups approved to build their new store.

“Taetae.” This time, it was Tiffany that called. It’s when Taeyeon had lost the battle completely.

She heaved a sigh, eyes closed, pinching the bridge of her nose. “What do you want to know?”

Yuri rolled her eyes, arranging the papers with Taeyeon’s sign. “Duh. Of course, it’s all about your love life.”

“You know that I don’t have any.”

“Liar.” Tiffany cut in, wiggling her index finger. “We’ve known that you two keep going out continuously for what? Five months now?” She inquired.

“Yes. But that doesn’t mean we’re an item already and—.”

“What?! You’re dating for five months and still not official yet?”

“—we’re not da—.”

Yuri continued cutting all of Taeyeon’s words. “Taeyeon, don’t tell me you’re afraid to take a step farther with her? You aren’t a turtle that hides his head when frightened, are you?”

Taeyeon looked at Yuri incredulously. “What the heck, Kwon? Stop that weird comparison, okay? Me and Jessica are friends. We’re getting to know each other. We’re both enjoying going out as friends. That’s all. Besides, I’m not hurrying. I’m sure Jessica wouldn’t be glad if—.”

“Not hurrying my , Kim.” Yuri leaned her back on her sea