7 – Talk

“I-I should have known that she will be married to someone that I didn’t know.” Krystal said with a frown on her face. “You should have told me first, dad.”

“Soojung, please, not you too.”

“But how are we sure that that girl, or whoever she is, will treat my sister right? Do you also know her dad?” Krystal asked with doubt in her voice.

“I do, I know her. Stephanie is a good girl, just like her mom, and she’s more than what she’s showing right now.” Kristopher said. “I watched her grow with your sister, I’m very sure that she’s just lacking something, I just don’t know what that thing is.”

“If that so, then why did they fought in front of you? I know my sister very well, she’ll not be mad at her for no reason.”

“I also don’t know Soojung, even Stephen was confused why they have a conflict on each other. Can we just wait for her?” Kristopher requested to remove the pressure given to him.

“No need, I’m here already.” A weary voice was heard after the door opened wide, showing Jessica in her blank face.

“Jess/Sweetie” Krystal and their mom called her at the same time while their dad just looked at her with guilt and worry. She let out a small smile.

“I’m okay, but not now please, I need sometime. Excuse me.” Jessica finally said as she went directly to her room with three pairs of eyes watching her. Krystal and their parents heard Jessica’s door creaked open and close and heard the clicking sound of the door knob, telling them that she really doesn’t want to talk to anyone now.

“I’ll go talk to her.” Krystal firmly said.

“Honey, just let your sister alone for now. She needs it.” Julia said.

“Trust me mom, she needs me more.” Krystal replied with a reassuring smile.

“Fine, go ahead honey, but don’t push her to her limits, okay?”

“Okay mom, don’t worry.” Their parents nodded as she went up to go to Jessica’s room.

“Jess, unnie.” She called softly while knocking.

“Yes?” A hoarse voice, probably from Jessica, answered back.

“Can I enter your room, pwease~?” Krystal used her aegyo voice, even though she’s not good at it. She crossed her fingers, hoping that it will work. Luckily, she heard the door knob clicked again. ‘Yes!’ she mentally cheered herself.

Slowly, she turned the knob and opened the door. There, she saw Jessica sitting at the floor near the window and her back was leaning at the wall.

“Jess” Again, Krystal called her with a small smile on her face.

“Hey” Jessica weakly smiled even though her tears are already forming from the corner of her eyes. Krystal decided to sit beside Jessica and looked at her.

“Why did you...” Jessica was interrupted when Krystal gave her a tight warm hug, a comforting hug that made her tensed shoulder calm down.

“You don’t need to say something, I know you need this.” Krystal spoke while caressing her sister’s back gently. With Krystal’s soft touch and sweet words, Jessica was out of words to use.

“Thanks Soojung.” She whispered, controlling her voice not to break.

“No need, unnie. I just want you to know that whatever happens, I’ll be here by your side.” Krystal said with tone of sincerity. “Just let it out, unnie. No one’s watching you.”

“Thanks Jungie.” Jessica repeated as she buried her face to Krystal’s neck. After a silent minute that just passed by, Krystal can already feel that warm liquid that was soaking her shoulder, she knows that Jessica is already crying, and as a younger sister and bestfriend, it pains to see her in such state like this.

“Unnie, everything will be fine, don’t worry.” Krystal assured her. “For now, just go and cry it out.”

“I-I just can’t do everything that is against my will, it is hard Krystal. What’s worse is that what dad is asking for me is for a lifetime change in my life.” Jessica said some of the things that she wants to say.

“I don’t know what to do, I-I have someone that I love already and I won’t leave her alone. I just can’t lose her.” She said with sobs between her words. “I already lost too many persons that I cherished so much. I just can’t stand it if I’ll also lose her.”

Krystal let Jessica say what she wanted to say. She was aware that her sister is just confused and is still in a state of shock after their dad announced that she’ll be married in a month.

“It’s not just that…” Jessica said weakly. “That arranged marriage is between me and a girl in my class who hated me for years already. I-I don’t know what to do anymore.”

“I-I don’t want to lose my girl but I also don’t want to disappoint dad.” Jessica hugged her tighter. “If I could just dissolve right now, maybe I-”

“Jess, stop saying that, I know we can figure these things out. Just wait.” Krystal spoke after breaking the hug between them to face her sister. “I’ll help you, as much as I can.”

*****

Tiffany slammed the door opened and left it like that as she planned to go straight to her room. Fortunately, there are men, apparently one of their butlers, before the door to close it. But unfortunately, her father blocked her way to her room.

“What do you need?” She harshly asked.

“We need to talk, Stephanie.” Her dad answered.

“Talk about what? That lame marriage? Oh please dad, we both know that I have no choice but to follow you again, isn’t it?” Tiffany scoffed.

“Please Stephanie, you have to hear me out.” Stephen said weakly.

“For what, is it still required?” Tiffany sarcastically chuckled. “Good joke, but listen dad, whatever you have to say to defend yourself isn’t needed, because knowing you, you always wanted to win to every conversation that you’re in at.”

Stephen took her statement a little offensive and rude, but it’s true. Since her father didn’t have any response, Tiffany took it as advantage to head to her room.

“Now, if you excuse me, I’ll be going now.” She said as she opened the door of her room. “Have a good night, Mister Hwang.” With that, Tiffany left her father on the corridor alone.

“Serves him right.” She muttered as she went to her walk-in closet to change her clothes.

***

“Jessica, Soojungie” A voice from the outside of Jessica’s room called out. To the Jung siblings, they are fully aware that it was owned by their father.

“Jess, I think you should let appa explain first, just for now unnie.” Krystal suggested.

“I-I don’t think that’s a good idea.” Jessica replied with doubt in her voice.

“It may not be a good one, but I think it’s the best thing to do.” Krystal tried to convince the older, after a few seconds, Jessica nodded.

“Fine, but stay here.” She ordered.

“Can I come in?” Their father asked. Krystal volunteered herself to open the door and showed their father who looks so sad and remorseful about what happened at that morning.

“Thanks.” He said. His eyes met Jessica and without second thought, he went to Jessica and hugged his oldest daughter.

“I’m sorry dear, I’m sorry for interfering your future.” Kristopher said. “I didn’t know that it will affect you this much, I’m sorry.”

“Dad, I-I don’t know. I just don’t understand.” Jessica, who is now on her verge of crying again, responded wearily. “I don’t.”

“But dear, just trust me, I know what I’m doing.” Kristopher broke the hug, only to see his daughter, crying her feelings out. He gently wiped the tears away from Jessica’s face with a reassuring smile. “Trust me in this one and I won’t ever let you down.”

“B-but dad, that girl is the girl that I’m talking about, she’s really furious when there’s something about me in it. It will never work out, I mean, we will never ever work out.” Jessica exclaimed.

“Jess, listen to me first.” Kristopher told her. “It’s not just me, or your mom, or even your Stephen appa who decided in it.” He held Jessica’s hand tightly as his smile became bitter.

“It came from your aunt. It was her request and her wish, believe me Jess.” As the two Jungs listened to that, Krystal and Kristopher eyed Jessica who was quite shock to hear that.

“W-why, how come?” Jessica said while she is still in a state of shock.

“S-she told me about you and your promise, and that was the last thing that she told me before… you know.” Kristopher didn’t tried to continue his words as he saw how Jessica’s facial expression changed.

“I-it can’t be that girl, isn’t it? Please tell me that it wasn’t her.” Jessica, with a long face, said.

“Dear, Tiffany is that girl. I’m very sure of it.” Kristopher shook his head while answering.

“Oh no, this is not good.” Jessica whispered while Krystal looked at her pitifully.

“I’m giving you a chance to decide. Now, it’s your choice, are you going to fulfill your promise or just break it?” Kristopher replied. “I’m not going to force you to do this because it’s up for you to decide.”

“For now, I’ll let you decide until later tonight, I’ll be back.” Kristopher stood up and head outside.

Jessica could only sigh and rub her forehead to get rid of the pain inside her head as she watched her father disappear from her room.

“Oh goodness” Jessica muttered in exasperation. “This is really not a good idea.”

***

“That is really a bad thing.” Tiffany muffled from her breath as she stared at the screen of her laptop. She sighed as she closed it, not too gentle and also not too hard.

Just then, she heard some knocks from her door. “Who’s that?” She asked out.

“It’s me, noona.” A voice answered back. Tiffany knows that it was her younger brother, Leo.

“Go in, the door’s open.” She told him. And there he was, Leo entered the room slowly and sat at his sister’s pink couch.

“Any new books?”