Okay Jessica, you can do this. Breathe~

Jessica whispered to herself with her eyes shut. She gestured her hands in front of her stomach as if gently pulling on her aural core. She grabbed the camera off her dresser and breathed some more.

When you see him, just be calm. Don’t freak out. Don’t let other people know you’re stressing. They’ll just think you’re crazy. Just breathe and relax.

Fearing she may encounter the mysterious boy again, Jessica planned to take a quick snapshot of the boy so that she can prove to her friends she’s not going mental. She also hoped to get rid of the boy once and for all. Well, she didn’t want to exterminate him from existence or anything, just stop him from following her around like some creepy ajusshi.

On her way to work she walked confidently but consciously. Not a minute slipped where she was completely uncaring of what was going on around her. She did her best to keep a look out on stranger-boy.

She started working normally. Nothing otherworldly had occurred so Jessica kept the camera out of sight, but close-by, just in case.

“Unni, clear the table in the back,” Yoona said as she went into the kitchen to check on some pastries that were baking. After she finished washing some dishes she dried off her hands and headed toward the back of the restaurant to clear off the table. For a few seconds, she kept focused on her work. She carefully piled the empty mug onto the used dishes.

“Hey there,” a familiar voice called to her.

Huh? Jessica eyes widened in surprise but you could hear the crick in her neck when she pieced together the memories of the remembered voice. She slowly turned around and even though she knew it was him, her heart immediately started racing once she saw that unusually genuine smile on his youthful face.

“Y-you…you’re here…again!” Jessica said, pointing at him.

“Look, I know you told me to leave you alone. And I just want to apologize for creepily following you around. I didn’t mean to be rude or anything—“

Then suddenly, Jessica snapped a picture of him and ran back to the front of the café, as fast as she could.

What that…the boy thought to himself.

“Yoona, Yoona!”

“Sica unni?” Yoona looked at Jessica strangely as she quickly pushed through the gate of the counter, holding a camera in her face.

“Please tell me you see someone in this picture!”

“Unni…did you clean the table in the back? Wait, why do you have a Polaroid camera with you?”

“Yoona just look at this picture okay? Tell me what you see?” Yoona was confused at Jessica’s favor and reluctantly agreed. Jessica handed her the Polaroid photo that printed out and grabbed it with both hands and looked at it carefully.

“Well…what do you see?” Or should I say, “who?”

“Hmm,” Yoona thought. “Well, I see proof that you didn’t do as I asked.”

“Wait…what??”

“I asked you to clear the table in the back unni, you left the tray back there with the mugs and dishes.”

“B-but Yoona…don’t you see anyone in the picture? A guy perhaps?” Yoona took a second look and shook her head.

“I don’t see anybody.”

“Wh-what?!” Jessica exclaimed as she grabbed the photo from Yoona’s hands.

“Not a single person.”

As strange as it was, Jessica looked at the photo again and to her demise, there was not a single living soul in the image. She looked at it closer and couldn’t believe what she was seeing – or at least, not seeing.

“No way! I totally saw him and took a picture of him…”

“Who are you talking about unni? Are you going crazy again? I guess letting you out early yesterday wasn’t good enough,” Yoona joked, smacking Jess on the back.

“N-no…but Yoona I really saw some guy back there…really I did!” Jessica tried to defend her own honor.

“Jessica, are you really sure?” Yoona asked as she gently placed her hand on Jessica’s shoulder.

Jessica let out a sorrowful sigh. “Now…now I don’t even know.” She lowered her head and began to slowly shake it back and forth. Yoona noticed how sad she looked and tried to cheer her up.

“Okay, okay I’ll go clean up the table in the back. Just take care of the customers over the counter okay?” Yoona said as she patted her unni on the back.

“Sure,” Jessica lazily agreed. Work continued normally, she waited for orders, made the drinks, and served the dishes. Though it seemed like she was working with a great amount of focus, she still felt her mind being weighed down by her curiosity and frustration with the mystery guy. She tried to comprehend what was really going on.

First of all, he appears out of nowhere. She’ll be working like everything’s completely normal then suddenly, stranger boy will just poof in front of her.

Next, he would just vanish into thin air. One minute she’ll see him then in a flash he’ll be completely disappeared with no remnants of his presence.

And finally, probably the most difficult concept for Jessica to accept was the fact that only she could see him and no one else could. She could swear on her life that that boy was sitting in front of her talking to her whenever he showed up. But when other people show up they don’t seem to notice a thing. Is the boy really there? Or is he just an illusion of Jessica’s mind?

All these questions made her head spin and she knew she couldn’t find a sensible solution that would explain her weird sightings or possibly strange hallucinations.

She held her hand against her face and closed her eyes.

What’s going on with me? What’s happening to me?

Suddenly a hand on her shoulder made her heart jump.

“I’m sorry unni, did I scare you?”

“It’s alright,” Jessica said with a hand over her heart. “Just a bit frightened.”

“Unni you’re so jumpy and acting so strangely. Are you sure you’re alright?” yoona asked with a worried expression.

“Of course, of course, unni’s alright. Don’t worry about me okay?”

“Well, if there’s anything wrong…you know you can talk to me right?”

Jessica looked at Yoona with thankful eyes. There weren’t enough words to describe how glad Jessica was to have a friend like her. When Siwon left, Jessica had a hard time coping. She always carried a gloomy expression and Yoona could instantly sense it whenever Jessica stepped into the same room as her.

Jessica met Yoona when she started working at the café a year ago when she decided to find a job that maybe would help her get her mind off of Siwon – since school and school work still didn’t seem sufficient enough to occupy her worried conscience. After working for a while, Yoona and Jessica grew a lot closer. She was able to tell Yoona anything on her mind and heart that bothered her when she didn’t have anyone to turn to.

-Flashback­-

“Oh unni, that’s really sad. I’m sorry, you must be having a hard time.”

“A little.  The burden is much lighter but it still has a great weight on my heart,” Jessica said as she stared out the window.

“You must miss him a lot.”

“Yeah,” Jessica said as she heaved a great sigh.

“What is he like? Must be handsome!” Yoona commented excitedly. “Do you have a photo of him?”

“I think so, let me check.” Out her suede handbag she pulled out her cellphone. She looked through her photo gallery and found a picture of Siwon handsomely holding the phone in front of his face, with a charismatic smirk. She handed the phone to Yoona who’s eyes lit up with curiosity.

“Oh my gosh! He’s so cute! Sica unni is so lucky,” Yoona’s voice became a bit whiny and envious. Jessica giggled at Yoona’s cute response.

Yoona hit the next button and saw a picture of Siwon holding Jessica in his arms – she observed it in awe.

“He seems really sweet.”

“He really is. He’s very considerate and passionate about everything. He’s smart, gifted and always sincere and honest with me,” Jessica replied surely.

“Siwon oppa is very lucky to have a girlfriend like you,” Yoona answered. “So pretty and so refined. You two are quite fortunate to have one another.”

“Nah, I’m the lucky one.”

“I hope I find a boyfriend like unni one day.”

“I bet you will. Have you looked in the mirror my little goddess?”

“Pshh, whatever Jessica,” Yoona scoffed.

Jessica had a somewhat nostalgic smile on her face as she watched the rain hit the glass of the window.

“You know, even though it seems like a long time, as each day passes, it can only mean that it’s another day gone until he returns,” she tried to comfort.

“That’s true.”

“You know Jessica, if you need anything you know you can talk to me right?”

“Thanks, YoonA.”

“But only if you teach me how to catch guys like your Siwon!” Yoona added mischievously, pointing at Sica with a stern finger.

-End of flashback-

“Thanks, Yoona,” Jessica replied with a smile.

“No problem unni.”

--

Business was finally slowing down and it was about a half hour away until it was time to close up. Jessica quietly sat down at the farthest table in the back while drinking a nice cup of coffee.

“Beautiful evening, isn’t it?” a voice asked.

“Yeah, I guess so,” she surprisingly replied. Before taking another sip, Jessica raised her eyes to see who exactly she was talking to.

Oh God, she thought.

“Hey there, pretty lady,” the boy answered.

It’s him. Great, this is just great.

“I finally get on break, relaxed, waiting to close up and you decide to pop out of nowhere? I can’t believe you’re here…again!...or are you?”

“Umm…yeah I’m really here,” the boy hesitated.

“Nope, no you’re not, just a figment of my imagination,” she said as she placed her hands over her ears.

“Um, Jessica, are you busy?” Seul Gi asked as she walked up to Jessica, looking at her strangely.

“God, I hope not,” Jessica said as she opened her eyes.

“Okay… well, you’re going to close up like you promised right?”

“Sure, sure unni,” Jessica said. As Seul Gi began walking away Jessica stopped her.

“Wait, unni, can I ask you a question?”

“Um, sure. Shoot.”

Jessica looked back across the table and saw the boy sitting there, smiling at her, which made her feel somewhat uncomfortable.

“Do you see anything? No…anyone? Like…across from me?”

“What?”

“Like, do you see anything in the seat across from me?” she asked, pointing to the sit in front of her.

“As far as I know Jessica, you’re sitting at this table alone.”

Jessica’s eyes widened in astonishment. “S-seriously?”

“Um Jessica are you okay?” Seul Gi asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Um…yeah. Fine..just…fine.”

“Uh…okay. Well remember to lock up once you leave,” Seul Gi noted as she headed for the exit.

“Oh yeah and Jessica,” Seul Gi called out.

“Yeah?”

“Please get plenty of sleep tonight? Don’t stay up late?”

Jessica awkwardly giggled, scratching her head “Uh-yeah of course unni. Lots of sleep. I promise.”

“Good night kiddo,” she said and finally walked out the door.

“Well that was interesting,” the boy commented.

Suddenly, Jessica went face first into the table and groaned.

“Are you alright Miss?”

She slowly raised her head.

“I can’t believe it. I really am going insane. I’m going to need a therapist or something,” Jessica said aloud. The boy looked at her strangely.

“Hey unni,” Yoona called from within the kitchen. “Can you help me with these dishes and then I’ll leave.”

“Sure, Yoona.” Jessica slowly rose from her seat.

“Wait!” The boy halted her and grabbed her hand. Jessica looked down and really felt his hand holding onto her wrist.

He’s got to be human...or real at least.

“Can we please talk?”

“U-um…I..I don’t know,” Jessica stuttered.

“Please, I won’t take up a lot of your time, I swear. I just really need to talk to you.”

“I … umm well…”

“Unni!” Yoona yelled again.

“Coming, Yoona!” she bellowed back. “Look I’ve gotta get back there and help her.”

“Please?” the boy begged. She wasn’t sure what it was, but something about his puppy-dog eyes made her feel almost sorry for him. Unable to bear his pitiful stare she reluctantly nodded her head.

“Be here at 8:00 pm. My friend will be gone before then.”

“You got it. I’ll be waiting,” he said melodically.

Oh I’m sure you will be, Jessica awkwardly sang back.

---

[A/N] Finally updated! To me this was a bit short, but I hope its still good enough to satisfy you for now (:

I've been super busy college researching + preparing for college apps + auditions! Bear with me! This story is still playing in my mind! I hope you're excited to read more!!

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