Chapter 4 - That Person

“So what’s our plan for later?” Sunny asked. The two girls eyed her in confusion.

“Plan for what, after classes?” Jessica asked.

“Duh, of course, what else would that be?” Sunny replied with full of sarcasm.

“Nothing” The two girls answered at the same time. Sunny frowned at the response of her friends gave her.

“Care to explain why not?” She asked.

“Well, I have to join Dad to meet his old friend and that’s dinner time. He just talked to me last night about it.” Jessica reasoned out. “I don’t even know why I’m needed to be there.”

“You’re just too obedient.” Sunny scoffed. “How about you, Hyunnie?”

“Sorry unnie, I also can’t. I need to practice for the upcoming recital and our special performance for the Autumn Festival, Jessica unnie already gave our music sheets. Aside from that, I also have to compose a solo song that’s why I really can’t join you now.” Juhyun explained briefly.

“She’s right, I just gave them their parts. Like her, I also need to compose a song on my own.” Jessica added tiredly. “Why is that required, I’m not that good, to be honest.”

“Unnie, you’re just being modest, you know you’re good at it, aren’t you?” Juhyun asked.

“Okay fine girl, you don’t need to emphasize that you two are a busy person and I’m not one.” Sunny blurted out. “At least I can sleep.”

“You don’t have to make me envious about that fact, Lee Soonkyu.” Jessica said while emphasizing the girl’s real name.

“Oh really, Jung Sooyeon?!” Sunny replied back.

“Don’t provoke me, Sunshine.” Jessica teased.

“Then don’t try me, Ice Princess.” Sunny retorted. Hearing her so-called nickname, Jessica just hissed while gritting her teeth.

“Uhm unnies, are you going to fight again?” Juhyun asked while Sunny glared at Jessica and Jessica just stuck her tongue out. The youngest of the trio just shook her head before going back to eat.

The two girls also went back to eat and their table went silent, so does the whole cafeteria, not when some of the students, mostly boys and a few girls, became noisy and hysterical. In a of light, the canteen became crowded again with a bunch of fan boys and fan girls.

“Does anyone of you remember our head dean inviting a celebrity here?” Sunny asked. The two shook their head together.

“I much as I can see it, it’s our cheerleading squad again, and probably, they’re making our fellow students go wild again.” Juhyun observed as she overheard the words that the students were trying to say.

‘Omo Yuri-yah, marry me!’

‘Sooyoung sunbae, notice me please!!’

‘Waaah, Jihyun unnie, you’re so pretty!’

‘Yoona-ssi is so damn hot!’

‘Tiffany noona, please be my girlfriend!’

‘Hara-jjang, neomu saranghae!’

Those are just some of the declarations given by the students. Jessica could only just outbreath while hearing all the confessions from the students.

“What’s with the long face, Sica?” Sunny asked.

“I can’t really stand hearing all these confessions given to Yuri, it’s just that-” Before she could continue, Sunny finished her sentences.

“You’re jealous because you can’t do the same, aren’t you?” She butted in.

“Y-yeah, of course. Aside from that, I’m her girlfriend and I have the right to be possessive when it comes to my girl.” Jessica said shyly. Juhyun finds it very cute and as for Sunny, she finds it very cringe-worthily adorable.

“I didn’t expect to see and hear a possessive side of yours, Sica. I don’t know if I’ll puke or just let it go.” Sunny sneered.

“Just let it go, but I tell you, if I’ll hear you say things like this in the future, you’ll understand why I’m like this.” Sunny looked at Jessica in abhorrence as if the girl said something inappropriate.

“Okay, but for now, don’t let your hopes too high because I will not going say that, ever.” Sunny replied back.

“Let’s see then.” Jessica said. As she looked at where the crowd was gathering, she caught a glimpse of a group of girls, not less than fifteen and not more than twenty girls, whose wearing a touch of red and white fancy dress. Each girl has a pair of pompoms in their hand. And there she was, she saw the cheerleading squad’s famous leader, Kwon Yuri.

Unconsciously, Jessica smiled while seeing the girl who was not too far from her. Her friends looked at her. Out of their curiosity, they followed her gaze but only to see another member of the squad.

“Don’t tell me that you’re checking out Tiffany.” Sunny said half meant. Although she didn’t lie about it because the said girl was the first face that she saw. As Jessica heard that, it pulled her back in reality, making her looked at Sunny in disbelief.

“Soonkyu, are you out of your mind? Like seriously, out of all the members of the Korea Kent Foreign High Cheerleading Squad, you’ll ask me about that girl?” Jessica muttered like it was the most dumb idea she had ever heard.

“Why not Sica, she’s pretty nice actually, not to mention that she’s also gorgeous.” Sunny shrugged.

“Why don’t you befriend her instead, it seems like you like her that much.” Jessica responded like she was upset about it.

“But unnie, Tiffany-ssi is really nice. It’s just that she just hated you that bad, maybe that’s why you haven’t seen the real side of her.” Juhyun stated a fact that Jessica couldn’t deny.

“I know, for some unknown reasons, she really does hate me so much. I really have no idea about it.” Jessica frowned disappointedly as she saw Tiffany from afar giving a smile to everyone.

“But you’re fully aware about the competition that you and Tiffany are in at. Since you two are both excelling well in class and not to mention that both of you are classmates since second grade. Some people can’t really help but to compare the both of you.” Sunny stated her observation.

“And as I can see, since we’re in the same class, you’re doing pretty well and Tiffany didn’t like that fact.” Sunny pointed out. Jessica could only shrug. ‘Maybe.’ She thought.

“Why are sad about it, unnie?” Juhyun asked.

“I don’t really hate her, actually.” Jessica answered seriously. “I-I’m just really disappointed and irritated about her and her attitude when she sees or faces me. She really acts like I’m the most horrible person that she met in her entire life. Why did she become like this anyway? She’s… not like this before, we are not like this before actually.”

Juhyun observed the expression that Jessica is giving while looking at the girl. Disappointment, sadness, frustration, and many more. All of it was pretty obvious at Juhyun’s eyes. She may not be that smart like Jessica but she’s wise when it comes to reading people like they’re some kind of an open book.

“You know unnie. I think she won’t hate you for no reasons. Maybe she has more reasons behind the lines. A deep reason, to be exact.” Juhyun concluded. Jessica, this time, sighed wearily. ‘Just maybe.’ She thought.

*****

“Dear, are you done already?” A voice from the hallway, which was owned by Jessica’s mom, asked.

“I’m on it umma.” She answered back as she put her must-have things in her little black Chanel pouch. After that, she hung the strap on her shoulder and gave a last look at herself in the mirror.

Jessica wore a black-patterned white dress that was just little high above the knee and simple white flats to match her outfit. She sighed for the last time before going out of her room.

(Jessica's outfit)

“Mom, I’m going now.” She informed her mother when she saw her at their living room.

“Okay honey, don’t be nervous, okay?” Julia, her mom, reminded. “Just don’t forget to be yourself.” Jessica just chuckled at her mother’s words.

“Mom, relax. It’s not like I’m going to an important meeting that could change my life. I’m just going to join dad with some friend.” Jessica stated.

‘If you could only know.’ Julia thought. “I’m just telling you that whatever happens, just be you.” She said as she fixed her older daughter’s hair.

“I understand umma. But don’t worry about that. I’m aware of what I’m doing. You know me, mom.” Jessica assured her mom. ‘I really raised my baby well. She’s all grown up and matured now.’ She assumed proudly.

“I know, I’m just reminding you. But better go now, before you arrive there late.”

“Okay mom, bye.” Jessica waved her hand and headed to the door.

“Bye dear, take care.” Julia replied. As a response, Jessica glanced at her mother and waved her hand for the last time before entering her car.

***

Jessica arrived a little earlier than she was expected to come. When she glanced at her phone ‘6:03 p.m.’ appeared at her screen. The dinner was said to start at 6:30. ‘That’s nice, just right on time.’ She thought before entering a famous fine dining restaurant in the city.

She went directly to the receptionist and asked the lady in-charge for some assistance. The lady professionally assisted her and led her to the reserved table for three.

As soon as she saw their table, it was already occupied by two decent men, both in their mid-forties. Of course, she recognized one of them, it’s her father apparently.

And for the other man, she was very clueless about him, thought the man’s face seems so familiar but she could