“Jessicaaaaa,” she heard someone calling her name.

“Jess….sssiiii….caaaaaa.” The voice was getting a bit louder – and a bit irritating – but she didn’t move an inch.

“Aish, baby. I know you can hear me. Please wake up already.”

Nothing.

“Jessica!!” the person shouted, which only caused Jessica to pull her blanket up to cover her head.

A few seconds later, she heard a ‘whoop!’ before a heavy weight landed on top of her body. Her blanket was then pulled off her head.

She opened her eyes slightly to give the person a glare. “What is it, Taengoo? It’s still early and I’m sleepy.“

Taeyeon rolled her eyes. “Babe, it’s three in the afternoon. Don’t be ridiculous. You even slept early last night.”

“Whatever. It’s still early for me and I want to sleep. Now, get off me!” She tried pushing her girlfriend off of her.

“No! Let’s go on a date!”

“We had a date yesterday. Why don’t we stay in bed today? It’s the perfect day to cuddle!” Jessica said, still trying the older girl to stay in.

“But I want to go out,” Taeyeon was borderline whining.

“I want to stay in.”

“Fine.” Taeyeon finally got off her and made her way out of the room.

Jessica frowned. Taeyeon wasn’t always like that. Usually, Taeyeon would comply with her request and stay in bed with her to cuddle.

She shrugged it off and went back to sleep.

-

Two hours later, Jessica woke up and decided that it was time to get out of bed and look for her lover.

She walked out of the room and saw her sister walking towards her. “Hey, Krys. Where’s Taeyeon?”

Krystal looked at her weirdly. “Unnie, how would I know? I’m not her girlfriend. Besides, she left hours ago, so she could be anywhere by now.”

Jessica eyes widened. “She left me?!”

Krystal shrugged. “I guess? What’s wrong? Actually, hold on, weren’t the two of you supposed to go out to celebrate your one month anniversary today? Hmm, then why did she leave by herself earlier?” She shrugged again before walking past her frozen sister.

A few seconds passed and Jessica was still standing stiffly in her spot. Her mom walked out of a room and saw her standing in the middle of the hallway. “Sooyeon, what are you doing standing here? And where’s Taeyeon?” Her mom looked around, probably looking for Taeyeon.

Jessica regained her senses when she heard Taeyeon’s name. “Mom, it’s our one month anniversary today.”

“I know that. That’s why I was looking for her. I bumped into her when she was about to wake you up.”

“I chose sleep over going out with her,” she admitted, earning a sigh from her mom. “Now I don’t know where she is.”

“Aigoo, you and sleeping. That’s all right. I’m sure Taeyeon isn’t mad. Why don’t you call her and ask her where she is?”

She nodded and thanked her mom before walking to her bedroom to look for her phone. She soon found it resting on top of her table. While making her way to the table, she took notice of the framed pictures surrounding her phone. They were picture of the messages Taeyeon wrote for her that day when she asked her to be her girlfriend.

Guilt grew inside her when she was reminded of how sweet her girlfriend was.

She dialed Taeyeon’s number but all she heard was the incessant ringing on the other line.

She tried some more before finally giving up and settling for text messaging.

Taengoo, where are you?

No response.

Taengoo, are you mad? I’m sorry.

Still nothing.

Please Taeyeon? I’m so sorry.

Nothing.

Please tell me where you are? Please, I’m sorry.

No reply.

Tears started to flow out from Jessica’s red eyes. She hated herself for choosing sleep over spending time with her girlfriend.

She sighed and wiped her tears before going to her closet to get a change of clothes.

Once she was done, she went out of her room and made her way downstairs to the front door. “Krys, I’m going out. Tell mom,” she told her sister before walking out the door without waiting for a response.

She decided to look for Taeyeon. She didn’t know where to look first but she kept walking. She ended up at the park. She looked around, hoping to see her short, blonde girlfriend. She squinted her eyes. There were a lot of people in the park that night for God knows why, so it was difficult to see.

She bumped into a few people she knew and asked if they saw Taeyeon. Some told her that they saw the short girl this afternoon, while some told her that the last time they saw Taeyeon was the day before.

She finally gave up looking for her girlfriend at the park and decided to go to another place instead. Her feet led her to the restaurant they frequented. She tiptoed and squinted her eyes but failed to find Taeyeon.

Jessica went to a couple more places but still found no sign of Taeyeon.

She sighed and wiped the tears that managed to escape from her eyes before pulling out her phone and dialing a number.

“Hello?”

A sniff. “Tiff?”

“Jessica? Are you okay? Why are you crying?” She sensed panic in her cousin’s voice.

“H-have you s-seen Taeyeon?” Another sniff.

“Taeyeon? No. I thought she was with you? Yuri told me it was your anniversary today.”

That only made her cry harder and it made it much more difficult for her to speak. “Y-yeah, i-it i-is. B-but she left h-hours ago when I t-told her I w-wanted to s-s-sleep instead.”

Tiffany sighed. “We have to fix that habit of yours, seriously, Jessica.”

Jessica didn’t have a response to that.

“Have you tried calling her?”

“Y-yes! Many times. I even sent her messages but she won’t reply.”

Tiffany sighed again. “Okay. Do you want us to help you look for her? I can ask Yuri to help. Maybe she knows where her cousin went.”

“Y-yes please. I’ll be at the park. Thank you.”

“No problem. Wait for us. I’ll call Yul and we’ll be there in fifteen.”

-

“Do you have any other places in mind, Sica?” Yuri asked while taking a quick glance at the crying girl through the car’s rearview mirror.

Jessica shook her head. “I already went to the park, the restaurant we often eat at, and a couple more places but I couldn’t find her.”

“We can try her house, Yul. If she’s not there then maybe we can ask your aunt to help us,” Tiffany said while trying to comfort her cousin.

-

“Good afternoon, Oppa. Is Taeyeon here?” Yuri asked Taeyeon’s brother after he opened the door.

“Huh? She left early this afternoon. Isn’t she supposed to be in your house?” he asked Jessica.

Jessica nodded but didn’t say anything more.

Tiffany, sensing that Jessica didn’t want to re-tell the story, took it upon herself to tell the guy what happened.

He nodded in understanding after Tiffany was done. “I understand. No worries. I don’t think she’s mad. Maybe she just took a walk somewhere. I have no idea where, though. But maybe you can ask Mom. Taeyeon can be quite the mommy’s girl.” He laughed with Yuri and Tiffany while Jessica only let out a small smile. “Anyway, mom’s in the kitchen. Yul, show them the way. I’ll be heading out now. Bye.”

“Okay, Oppa. Thanks.”

-

“Good afternoon, Auntie.”

“Good afternoon, Mrs. Kim.”

“Oh, Yuri, Jessica, Tiffany. Nice seeing you all here.” She smiled at them before looking behind them. “Where’s Taeyeon?”

Jessica looked down while Yuri and Tiffany bit their bottom lips and looked at each other. “We were hoping you knew where she went, Auntie,” Yuri said and frowned.

“Ah, but she told me she was going to Jessica’s house this afternoon. She told me it was their one month anniversary.” She then looked at Jessica with a smile. “Congratulations, by the way.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Kim.”

“Anyway, I’m not going to ask if you’ve tried calling her because I assume you already have so…” Mrs. Kim tapped a finger on her chin. “I think maybe you could try Hyoyeon’s place. Yuri drive them there, okay? I bet your cousin’s just at her best friend’s.”

-

“Sorry, guys, but I haven’t seen her since last week when the three of us went out,” she pointed to herself and Yuri.

Jessica sighed.

“All right. Thanks anyway, Hyo.”

“No problem. But uh, maybe you can try going to the places you usually have your dates at?” she told Jessica.

“I already did that but I can’t find her anywhere.”

“Maybe we can look for her some more tomorrow if she’s not yet back. It’s dinnertime and I’m sure you’re tired. I’ll send you home, Jessica.”

Jessica didn’t say anything. Of course she was tired, but she wanted to see Taeyeon and apologize. She wanted to spend the rest of their special day together.

“Yu–”

“We should just go home, Jessica. Taeyeon might kill us if something happens to you,” Tiffany said.

Jessica sighed before finally nodding.

-

She thanked her cousin and Yuri when they dropped her off. She went inside the house and was about to go up to her room when a heavenly aroma filled up her nostrils, making her change her mind.

“I think I’ll go talk to Mom first,” she mumbled and lazily made her way to the kitchen.

When she entered the kitchen, she saw a familiar figure standing in front of the stove. It was a bit short and petite so she was a hundred percent sure it wasn’t her mother. She continued to study the figure for several more seconds when it finally hit her.

“Taeyeon?!”

“Ahh!” Taeyeon accidentally dropped the pan she was holding along with the fried rice she was cooking in it. “Aw, what a waste of good food.” She frowned before looking up at Jessica with a wide smile. “You’re awake!”

Jessica blinked, tears uncontrollably streaming down her cheeks with each blink. “Taeyeon?!” She still couldn’t believe that the person she was looking for for hours was right in front of her.

In her own kitchen no less.

She blinked some more before running towards the shorter girl and hugging the living daylights out of her.

Taeyeon stumbled a bit a she caught the jumping Jessica. “Yes? Are you okay, babe? Did something happen? Why are you crying?” Her face was full of worry while she tried soothing the younger girl by running her hand up and down the girl’s back.

Jessica ignored her. “When did you arrive?” She hugged her tighter.

Taeyeon frowned. “This afternoon. You don’t remember?”

“B-b-but… didn’t you leave?”

“Er, I left your room, yes. If that’s what you mean.”

Jessica was about to ask another question when a voice interrupted her.

“Taeyeon un–” Krystal stopped. Her eyes widened when she saw her sister in the kitchen.

Jessica turned around at the sound of her sister’s voice. “You!” She pointed a finger at Krystal. “You told me Taeyeon left! You told me she left hours ago! You made me look for her for hours! You–”

“Uh, what’s going on?” Taeyeon squeaked out. She was afraid that the Jung sisters might start hitting each other any time soon.

Both Jungs looked at her. “This girl told me you left the house!” Jessica answered. “I had to call Tiffany and Yuri to help me find you! We even went to your house and talk to Jiwoong oppa and your mom! We went to Hyoyeon’s hou–”

“Well technically, I never told you she left the house. I only said–” Midsentence and Jessica was already charging her way towards the youngest Jung.

Taeyeon’s eyes widened. She immediately blocked Jessica’s way, forcing the girl to stop. Jessica tried going around Taeyeon but failed when the older girl hugged her. “Krystal, go now!” Krystal didn’t have to be told twice. She ran out of the kitchen to escape her older sister’s wrath.

“Tae!” Jessica slapped Taeyeon’s arms while trying to break free from the hug.

Taeyeon only hugged her tighter. “Stop now, baby.”

Jessica struggled some more before finally giving up. “I’m sorry.”

“For?”

“For choosing sleep over you. And for almost forgetting our anniversary.”

Taeyeon chuckled and pulled away from the hug. “It’s okay.” She pecked Jessica’s lips. “But I thought you were still sleeping? When did you wake up?”

“A couple of hours after you left?” Jessica shrugged as she brought her arms up and wrapped them around Taeyeon’s neck. “Then I saw Krystal and she told me all those things so I panicked.” She sniffed. “I thought you were mad at me so you left. I looked for you at the park, the restaurant, your house and a bunch of other places, but you weren’t there.” Tears escaped from her eyes as she recalled how she kept looking for her lover.

Taeyeon wiped the tears away from Jessica’s cheeks. “That’s because I was just here. After I left your room, I went to the living room with the intention of watching TV while waiting for you to wake up but I fell asleep. Your mom woke me up and told me to sleep in your room but I didn’t want to wake you up so I took the guestroom instead.”

“So they knew you were here?”

“I guess? Krystal knew. She was the one who woke me up an hour ago.” Taeyeon chuckled when she saw Jessica frown. No doubt still cursing her sister mentally for tricking her.

“But why didn’t you answer my calls and texts? I was so worried.” Jessica caressed Taeyeon’s cheeks.

“I left my phone at home. I only realized when I was on my way here. I didn’t bother going back home to get it because I won’t need it anyway. The only people who contact me there are you and mom. She knew I was going here so I know she won’t call me.”

Jessica nodded.

Taeyeon smiled and pulled her in for another hug. “You should know by now that I wouldn’t leave you. I wouldn’t even think about it. Even if you choose sleep over me, I’ll still be here waiting for you. I mean, we’ve only been together for a month but we’ve been best friends for years, so I’m pretty much used to all your habits.” She paused. “Although, I’d have to admit that it would be nice if you don’t sleep too much and go out with me sometimes,” she laughed.

Jessica pulled away from the hug and playfully knocked Taeyeon’s forehead.

Taeyeon grinned. “Sorry. Anyway, happy one month anniversary, baby.” She gave Jessica a long, passionate kiss.

“Happy one month anniversary, too,” Jessica said once they’ve pulled away.

They smiled lovingly at each other before they heard a growling sound.

Jessica looked down at her stomach and covered it in embarrassment.

Taeyeon laughed. “Hungry huh? Well, I thought of cooking for you since you didn’t want to go out but uh…” she turned her head to look at the rice scattered on the floor near the stove.

Jessica smiled and cupped Taeyeon’s cheeks to make the latter face her before giving her another kiss. “Thanks for doing this. I love you.”

“I love you too.” Taeyeon pecked her cheek.

“Okay, let’s clean up this mess and cook again.” She tapped Taeyeon’s nose affectionately and kissed it before letting go off the hug and started cleaning.