The silence was so deafening throughout the whole journey back to the taller girl’s apartment. Yuri noticed that there was something wrong about the girl beside her. 



She was so restless ever since the shopping trip and she spoke little. She didn’t hold Yuri’s hand or hugged her arm like she would during the day.



‘’Are those heavy?’’



‘’I’m only carrying two bags of chips Yuri ah…’’



‘’Well, it could be heavy too.’’



Jessica let out a soft laugh as the two girls entered the lift. ‘’Do you want to carry then?’’



She nodded naively, reaching out for the bag of chips that the girl was hugging. 



‘’I was just pulling your leg.’’ They stopped in front of a door down the hallway.



‘’Can you press the bell please? I can’t reach it with all these stuff in my hands.’’



‘’No.’’



‘’Huh but I-‘’



‘’Gotcha!’’ Jessica did a merong before pressing the bell. A smile crept onto Yuri’s face. Although she felt that the girl was still not exactly her usual self like earlier on, at least she joked. 



‘’Thank god you’re back Yuri ah. That shikshin inside the house is getting so hungry she nearly wanted to eat me!’’



A small girl with brownish blonde hair greeted the twosome at the door, who Jessica assumed was Sunny Bunny for she had seen Sooyoung at the office. 



‘’KWONYUL! YOU BETTER SERVE ME FOOD WITHIN TEN SECONDS BEFORE I CUT OFF YOUR MICKEY’S EAR!’’ A loud voice boomed through the big apartment, followed by footsteps that were getting louder and louder every moment.



Sooyoung was holding onto a Mickey Mouse on one hand and a pair of scissors on the other hand.



‘’Here! Eat this first!’’ Yuri took over the bag of chips from Jessica and threw it over onto her friend. ‘’Now return me my Mickey!’’ 



‘’FOODDDDDD~ Let’s go watch some shows and enjoy the chips my Sunny Bunny! Anyways, Hello Jessica! Welcome to our humble home! Make yourself comfortable!’’ Sooyoung dropped the Mickey on the ground, dragging Sunny away and turned into the living room. 



‘’Aish! My poor Mickey…’’ Yuri picked up her favourite soft toy, dusting it on her hoodie. ‘’I’m not going to make her Patbingsoo. We will have it on our own.’’ She whispered to Jessica, winking.



‘’I HEARD YOU KWONYUL!’’



‘’EXTRA RED BEANS FOR YOU, GOT IT!’’



***



Jessica stood in the balcony after her hearty dinner and dessert, enjoying the cold breeze with her eyes closed. The interaction between Sooyoung and Yuri during dinner was so heart-warming. They were like sisters.



‘’Krystal…’’



Her heart winched in pain when she thought of her younger sister. It has been a long time since she last saw her sister and had a proper conversation when the secret was exposed. 



‘’Hey, can I join you?’’ A voice was heard from the back.



‘’No.’’



‘’Okay then, I’m leaving now.’’



‘’Hey, I was just joking.’’ Jessica caught Yuri’s hand just in time before she walked out. The two girls settled down on the swing in opposite directions. ‘’Where are Sooyoung and Sunny?’’



‘’Sooyoung wants cereal for breakfast tomorrow so they went out to get some. Anyways, who’s Krystal? I heard you mumbled her name when I came in just now. Your girlfriend?’’



‘’No, she is my sister.’’



‘’Oh... I thought you were cheating on me. What about her? You sounded so devastated.’’



‘’I… She… I mean… I kept a secret from her for more than a decade.’’



Yuri kept her eyes on the hovering girl. She was probably building up the courage to share her family affairs with someone she barely knew for a day.



‘’We can drop the topic if you are not ready. I understand. We only met this morning.’’



That was not the problem Jessica was worrying about. In fact, it never came across her mind if Yuri was trustable. The basic belief was already solid, out of her expectation. She was actually afraid of what Yuri would think of her. Never in her life had she cared about others’ opinions towards her, but somehow this time she felt different.



She was always a very defensive and protective person who never let anyone probes about her privacy except Taeyeon, Tiffany and Hyoyeon. Her social circle was wide, but only three knew her background. 



‘’I can tell you, but…’’



‘’I will not breathe out a single. Whatever that is going to be mentioned will only stay here, between you and me.’’



‘’You see… My dad was a married man, someone else’s husband when he was with my mum. In short, well, you can say he was two-timing.’’ Jessica paused to check Yuri’s expression, but only to find a nonchalant but attentive face. ‘’My mum knew it from the very start, but you know how people always say love is blind.



My dad always promised to divorce his wife and give my mum the status she deserved, but it was all empty promises. Despite being anxious, my mum never rushed my dad. She sticks with him and soon enough, they had me.



My mum thought that he would be over the moon when she revealed my presence to him, but his reaction was hurting. The first thing he did was to phone his secretary to book a ticket to America. He wanted to send my mum away. 



Stupidly, my mum accepted his request and she was living in a foreign country the whole time when she was carrying me. She went for check-ups alone, gave birth to me alone at a local hospital and took care of me single-handed. She is awesome right?’’



Undaunted, Yuri nodded and smiled. 



‘’Ever since I was born, my dad only visited us once a year, usually on my birthday. He would stay for about a week or so? I swear those weeks were the happiest moments in my life back then. He showered me with love, care and presents. Anything I wanted. On my fourth birthday, my dad gave me a scan of an embryo as my birthday present.’’



‘’Krystal?’’



‘’Yup. He told me I was going to have a younger sister.’’ Jessica paused for a moment while she was drawn back into those nostalgic times. 



‘’That was the best birthday present I ever had. I pasted it in my dairy, and I talked to it every day. My classmates at school thought I was crazy but who cares. All I had on my mind was my little dongseng.’’



‘’You love Krystal a lot huh?’’



‘’Of course. She is the apple of my eye. I was all fluttered when my mum brought her home from the hospital. She was so beautiful, so adorable. I tried to give her the best things and be the best Unnie to her.



She always clings onto my feet when I was waiting for my school bus by our house back in the States, and she just won’t let me board the bus. I was often late for school then, missing the bus and get detentions. But I never blamed her. I was more than elated… That my younger sister felt so attached to her Unnie. 



She had been a kid full of weird questions and she would bomb me with a lot of why, how and what. As we grew older, she would often ask me. ‘’Unnie, where is Appa?’’ I never knew how to answer her. My mum then revealed everything to me, that she was a third party in my dad’s original marriage. At the beginning, I hated my mum. I saw her as a disgrace for spoiling someone else’s family to build her own.’’



Unable to contain her emotions, Jessica felt that her eyes were clouding over. Yuri moved and sat beside her, putting her arm protectively around the girl. 



‘’Eventually I came to accept the fact that my mum was too young to realize what she was doing when she met my dad. Strangely, after I discovered everything, my dad stopped visiting.



Krystal was only six then and she always asked for daddy. My mum and I made a pact. We would not tell her anything for she was too young, and we didn’t want to spoil the image of the good father in her heart.



When I was eighteen, my mum sent me back to Korea to study because she thought that it was only right to let her child experiences the life in her birth country. I might not hold Korean citizenship and am holding an American passport, she felt that I ought to come back. 



Krystal joined shortly while my mum remained in the States for she was afraid that she might bump into my dad again. Her worries weren’t void, because my little sister did saw him and his wife two months ago… He told her everything on the spot, his wife insulted her, called her ugly names. 



She came rushing home and started to pack her belongings. She blamed me and my mum for keeping her in the dark for her whole eighteen years… She left home and never came back! She hates me… She must be hating me…’’ 



Jessica plunged into Yuri’s embrace, succumbing to the grief that had been consuming her from within. For the first time in two months, she allowed herself to dissolve to tears. There was no longer any need to suppress the pain anymore. Not when she had such a great companion by her side. 



‘’You know, she always waits for me to come back from school and we would have afternoon snacks together when we were in America..? Even in Korea, she would come to my school just to have lunch with me before I report at Perfect Lovers for work. But now… She won’t even see me, pick up my calls or reply my messages… I miss her Yuri ah… I miss my baby sister…’’ 



She looked up at Yuri with tear-reddened eyes, but soon enough she submerged back into the cuddle and bawled by the crook of the neck. 



‘’I want her back… Bring her back to me, Yul… I just want to see her again…’’



Every sob of Jessica pierced into Yuri’s heart, leaving an intense pain in her chest. She remained silence while she encircled the crying girl with both her hands, fondling her back. Her collar was getting wetter every moment from those tears but she didn’t bother. She leaned down a little, planting a long kiss on the forehead. The grip around her waist tightened, and the other body came even closer, leaving no space between them. 



The bawling eventually turned into soft sobs, and soon it died down. There were zero movements; the only noise heard was the wind which was getting stronger as the night got darker. 



Yuri could feel the sleeping beauty’s warm breath against her neck and a few shivers. She enveloped the girl with a blanket that Sooyoung got for her earlier on and the trembles stopped. She observed the sleeping girl, tears stains were visible under the dim moonlight. Yuri brought her hand to the serene face and wiped off the trails with her thumb. A doleful smile formed on the face.



‘’Be strong, Sicababy. I’m here for you.’’



*** 



The clock struck five and the brown haired girl awoke to a silent house on an empty bed. She blinked for a few times, unable to register where she was. She pushed herself up from the big, comfortable bed and hugged a pillow while she positioned herself. She scanned through the room for a moment and she saw a note by the bed. 



‘’Good Morning Sunshine 



Just in case you are wondering, you’re in my room. I left you a new towel and toothbrush on the study table, for washing up. If you’re hungry, there’s cereal in the second cabinet on the right in the kitchen. I have milk in the fridge too. I’ll send you to school after I return from my morning jog. Call me if you need anything else.



P.S.



You were sleeping so soundly last night and I couldn’t bear to wake you up so I carried you in. We slept separately though. Hope you don’t mind.



Yuri ’’



Jessica let out a soft chortle and flopped back on the bed. A mild smell engulfed her when she laid on her stomach.



‘’Not only you smell nice, so does your pillow…’’ 



She traced her slender finger across the note, feeling the bums of Yuri’s neat handwriting, knowing that she was the last person to touch the page.



There was a sudden outburst of happiness erupting within the girl’s body when she recalled the events of the previous night.



The hug, the kiss, falling asleep in those arms… Everything felt so right. Revealing the weaker side of herself to her client was the last thing she expected during the efficacious period of the contract. Yuri was somehow, the first again. 



She knew she shouldn’t be feeling this way towards a client. Yuri likes Yoona, and Jessica was supposed to help her. There was no way she could or would fall for the girl. She picked up the items the other girl left for her and headed towards the comfort room. Splashing water onto her face, she looked into the mirror.



‘’Stay professional, Jessica Jung. You can do it!’’



‘’Sica? Are you awake?’’ There was a slight knock on the door, a sweet voice was heard.



‘’Yeah Yuri! I’m washing up! Will be out in a minute!’’ 



She carefully folded the piece of note and placed it into her pocket, leaving for the kitchen.



‘’Morning!’’



‘’Good Morning early bird! What are you making?’’ Jessica tiptoed and peeked over the taller girl’s shoulder.



‘’American breakfast for my American girl?’’



My American Girl? That sure got Jessica blushing.



‘’Sounds yummy! It has been a long time since I last ate any American breakfast! Too bad I can’t cook.’’ She tried to divert her attention on the cooking instead, trying to hide her shyness. 



‘’Do you want to try cooking scramble eggs? I’m done with the hotcakes and bacons.’’ Handing the spatula over to the latter, the tanned girl took a sip of her favourite morning drink.



‘’No way! I can’t cook!’’ Jessica hurried declined the offer. She did not want to hold any responsibility if the kitchen gets burnt down. 



‘’I will guide you. Come!’’ Yuri pulled the girl in front of herself, putting on a pink apron for her and made her hold the spatula. ‘’Let me crack the eggs first…’’



Single handed, she swiftly cracked the eggs into the pan. She took Jessica’s hand into hers, mixing the eggs together. Their hands were moving in a synchronized manner and it looked like the twosome was having a back hug from the view behind. 



‘’The eggs are ready! Looks delicious doesn’t it? Who says you can’t cook?’’



‘’Without you I doubt I can do it. But still, it’s really appetizing.’’



Yuri beamed. ‘’We ought to take a selca to commemorate the first breakfast we made together!’’ She fished out her phone from her pocket with her free hand, the other still holding onto Jessica’s. ‘’Kimchi!’’ 



From the top corner, forty five degrees downwards, she captured that sweet moment. The girls took a few more pictures and settled down at the dining table.



‘’Bluetooth me the pictures please, Yuri ah. I want to set it as my cell phone wallpaper. Hmm, this tastes really good!’’ She fed some of the eggs to the girl who was concentrating on sending the photos. 



‘’The eggs are totally jjang! It’s even better than mine. Well done!’’ She ruffled the latter’s hair like a teacher praising a child. ‘’I set it as mine already. Great minds think alike huh? We looked so matching!’’



She showed the displayed to Jessica. The lightening was good, and the aprons were so delightful. They were very much like a pair of newly young married couple, making their first breakfast on the first day of their marriage life. 



‘’Daebak! I will show to Fany! Do you want to visit my best friend with me later after school?’’



‘’Sure, I will pick you up at your school after my classes end. Leave the dished in the sink after you finished, Sooyoung will do the job.’’ Yuri started leaving the kitchen, walking towards her room. ‘’I will take a shower and we’ll go. Since we’re ahead of time, do you want to change at home first?’’



‘’Yes please!’’