Another typical, sunny and pleasant day had come. I was heading to the nearby restaurant to meet Sooyoung, Sunny, and Tiffany. I didn’t know the reason why they called up all of a sudden and asked me to come quick, but as loyal and understanding friend, I went.

“Taeyeon! Taeyeon! Taeyeon! Taeyeon!” went up the chant as I entered the restaurant where the gang was waiting and I took a seat.

“So.. what is it about?” I asked as I glanced over at the menu.

“We are going camping.” said Sooyoung with such excitement in her voice.

I glanced off the menu and looked at her as I arched an eyebrow. “Camping again?” Then she nodded.

“I’m not going.” I replied, trying to look uninterested and shifted back my gaze at the menu.

I lied. Of course I want to go. I want to be with Jessica. I want to see her again. I didn’t get to see her for days now after Seohyun’s party. I texted her, but she would either reply me with just a ‘:)’ or a ‘Yes’ or ignore it. That made me puzzled.

“Yah, Taeyeon-ah! Don’t be such a killjoy! This is our time to get along with Jessica well.” explained Sunny.

“That’s right. It would be nice if all of us could join.” added Tiffany.

“Can you not be a party-pooper for once, huh? Anyway, everything has been planned already so you don’t have a choice.” said Sooyoung as she called out for the miss to place our orders.

Honestly, this was all what I’ve wished for since I started to like Jessica – to be with her in a camp and to spend more time with her even though she doesn’t seemed to want my presence. Jessica is a hard nut to crack.

___

“Where are they? The coaster will be here soon.” Yoona said as she crossed her arms on her tummy.

I looked sideways to search for Tiffany and Jessica as soon as Yoona asked but I didn’t catch a shadow of them. I sat on the bench first and put down my bag as it was kind of heavy. Hyoyeon was taking photos, Seohyun was sitting beside me, Yoona was talking to someone over the phone, that’s Tiffany, I suppose, and Sunny was doing some aegyo while swaying her body a little as she begged for food to Sooyoung. I giggled.

“Oh! Unnies are here now!” Seohyun shouted with such excitement in her voice.

I looked over to my right and my gaze bumped into Jessica. My heart fluttered and my eyes widened. I thought I saw an angel, a beautiful angel. The light was hitting her smooth and white skin, and that made her look like glowing, like a star – a beautiful one of a kind star. It was as if everything was black and she was the only one that glows. She was beautiful. She was wearing a plain navy blue colored jeans and a striped knit sweater. She was just simple yet looked fashionably wonderful.

“Sorry guys we’re late. We didn’t notice the time as we were too engrossed in preparing this sweet-lovely food for you – for us, for later.” Tiffany apologized while showing off to us her eye-smile.

“Food?!” exclaimed Sooyoung immediately and grinned like an aligator.

“Oh.. she heard the magic word again..” said Sunny and face-palmed.

Jessica tried to hold her laughter as the two began to quarrel again in a cute manner. I giggled at her reaction then she caught me glancing and looked away immediately. What's wrong? She's avoiding me again?

After a few seconds, the coaster arrived. I stood up and picked up my bag. I accidentally hit Jessica’s shoulder when I was trying to fix my grip on my bag. “Sorry. Are you hurt?” I asked.

She looked at me and gave me a weak smile. “No. It’s.. okay.” Then she walked ahead and boarded in the coaster.

“Taeyeon, you sit beside Jessica.” I swallowed hard after I heard what Tiffany said. I looked at her and tilted my head.

“Why? Is there a problem?” she added and chuckled. I blinked my eyes a few times and shook my head. By any chance, does she know something?

I walked over to where Jessica was sitting. “Can.. I?” I asked while smiling.

I was feeling nervous and happy at the same as it would be a kind of long ride. That means that I'd spend more time beside her.

She nodded and looked out of the window. I sat down, almost carefully as I do not want to hit her again. My hands were shaking and my breathing went hard. I moved to my right to give her a little space then I looked at her through the corner of my eye.

“You can move closer. I won’t mind.” She said while looking out of the window. I looked at her but she wasn’t looking. Then I nodded.

Everybody was talking and playing, while on the other hand, Jessica and I was so silent. She wasn’t talking to me and just kept her gaze out of the window. She seemed deep in her thoughts and I began to wonder why. I tried to throw fake glances out of the window but the truth was, I was looking at her, stealthily.

“Are you.. okay?” I asked thinking that she was just waiting for me to initiate a conversation. She turned her gaze on me and nodded then looked out, again.

I stayed silent for a moment and contemplated the topic to open up. Then words just came out from my mouth immediately. “Jessica, don’t you like me?” I realized what I’ve said then I added quickly, “I-I mean.. to be your friend?”

She sat up straight and looked at me again. “No.” She said flatly.

Her answer made me even more confused, and made me even think that she doesn’t like me.

“Hmm. I feel like you’re avoiding me so I thought, you know?” I explained.

She chuckled and raised an eyebrow. “Really?” Then she looked away and added, “Sorry if you feel that way, Taeyeon. I just don’t talk too much, that’s all.”

“Oh no no no! It’s okay. You don’t have to say sorry. I...understand.” I said as I wiggled my hands in front of her. She didn’t reply after that.

Silence engulfed us again. I kept on looking at her secretly and my heart would always flutter. This long ride would’ve been very torturing if Jessica wasn’t here, beside me.

Jessica’s POV

Taeyeon sat beside me, and that made my heart fluttered wildly. I was feeling rather nervous so I looked out of the window as soon as she sat down. I noticed that she was trying to move farther so I told her that I won’t mind if she sits closer while my gaze was still outside. Then she looked at me, I felt it.

I knew she wanted to talk to me, and I wanted to badly hit myself for being such a coward, for denying my feelings, and for forcing myself to be as casual as I could towards her, but every time I hear her voice, and see her eyes – her, I’m falling. Every little thing she does is magic. And that scares me, a lot.

“Jessica, we’re here now.” I looked up and saw Taeyeon standing, waiting for me. I didn’t notice that we have arrived already. I stood up, picked up my bag and alighted.

The place was incredibly beautiful. I felt closer to nature – to God. We walked over to the campground where we were going to set our tents. We decided to stay a little farther away from the other campers.

“Okay, who will share tents?” asked Sooyoung as she started to build her tent.

“I’ll share with Taeyeon.” said Sunny as wrapped her arms on Taeyeon’s while jumping up in the air.

“What?! No! I’ll share with Hyoyeon.” complained Taeyeon.

“Hyoyeon will share with Seohyun. You share with me.”

“No! No! No!”

I looked at her as she argued with Sunny, and she looked so adorable. Her Panda style hoodie with ears made her look even more adorable. Her milky white skin was perfect. Her eyes, her nose, her lips, they were all beautiful. I shook my head when I realized what I was thinking. I pushed out the thoughts running over my head, and mentally hit myself.

“Jessica, can you give me a hand?” I helped Tiffany to build up our own tent. It was kind of hard but we made it. Tiffany went outside to prepare the food. I lied down for a while as I suddenly felt tired. I held my chest when my heart fluttered so fast at the thought of Taeyeon. Please, stop beating for her. I said in my head. Then I closed my eyes.

--------

“Jessica..” I heard someone whispering. I opened my eyes slowly and I my heart almost leaped out when I saw Taeyeon’s face above me. I stood up hastily then our heads collided.

“Ouch!” Taeyeon squealed as she soothes the pain on her forehead.

“Oh my god! I'm sorry! Are you okay?!” I exclaimed. She didn’t reply. She looked down and continued to rub her forehead.

I cupped her face immediately as she seemed to be hurt badly. “Are you okay, Taeyeon?” I looked directly into her eyes with such worry in my voice. She looked at me, and I froze a little. My eyes were locked into hers as if I was being hypnotized by her gaze. Her eyes were gleaming. My heart galloped wildly and my lungs cried out for air. I wasn’t actually breathing for seconds.

I pulled off my hand on her face immediately, tucked in a strand of hair behind my left ear, looked down for seconds then wandered my eyes around the tent.

Awkward.

“I-I’m okay, J-Jessica.” She stammered.

“I’m sorry..”

“No.. It’s okay. You don’t have to say sorry.” She said.

I looked at her for seconds then I asked, “Does it still hurt?”

She shook her head and smiled. “It didn't pain me at all. I’m fine, Jessica. Really.”

I hissed and mumbled, “Liar.”

I took out an ice from the jag and wrapped it in a cloth then placed it on her injured forehead. “This will help ease the pain.”

She looked at me with her dazzled face as I was placing the ice on her. “Why? You don’t think I’m a kind person, do you?” I asked and chuckled a little.

Seemed like she didn’t hear what I said as I received no response. “You can take off your gaze now. It’s getting kind of uncomfortable, you know?” She jumped up and took away her gaze hastily. I giggled a little at her reaction.

"I'm...I'm sorry." she mumbled.

“Shall we go outside now?” I asked her then she nodded.

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