[June 22, 2013]

"It's been a while, Taengoo..."

She hugged her jacket tight to her body as the cold breeze swiped against her skin. The zephyr was chilly, reminding her that fall was approaching.

It's been really a while...

She placed her purse on the grass as she settled herself next to it. She painfully touched the tombstone that was in front of her. Up until now, she was still not fully convinced that her beloved's body was deep under this stone, lifeless... She still couldn't believe that the one she promised eternity with... has now left her. Did he not think about the consequences? Did he not think on would she feel when he'd leave her? Was he really that thoughtless? He promised to her; he dedicated his life to her, but why must he go? He broke his promise...

Kim Taeyeon never broke a promise. No, not once, never.

A lone tear streamed down her face as her hand traced the engraved letters on the stone. "Taengoo-ah," her voiced cracked. She pursed her lips as she tried to prevent another tear to escape from her eyes.

Taengoo hates to see me cry...

She sniffed and wiped her eyes.

She smiled. 

There, Taeyeon-ah...

She gulped and sat on a more comfortable position. She once again touched the engraved letters on the tombstone. She smiled, "I have good news for you," she whispered. She then lied down and closed her eyes...

***

Flashback [June 22, 2010]

The door once again rung as another group of customers entered the rather busy ice cream shop. She scowled. Oh why must be the shop so busy when she's at shift? She let out a grumble as a pile of high schoolers lined up in front of her. Immediately, she stood up and approached the counter.

"Order?" She raised her left eyebrow as she gave the customer a nonchalant stare, waiting for him to say a word.

The red-head boy gulped and looked away from her. Tch. She grunted lowly. She was getting impatient. She pursed her lips and faked a cough. "I'll just remind you that there's still a bunch of people behind you." She tilted her head in an intimidating manner but the boy remained standing on the floor. She waited again, and after what seemed like a minute, the boy went out of the shop, muttering 'I'll eat ice cream elsewhere'. She just smiled about it.

"Hey, it seemed like you scared the kid." Jessica snapped out when she found a face just approximately 15 centimetres away from hers. Her brows creased as she looked incredulously at the stranger, before pushing his face away.

"What the are you doing?" She eyed him but the person just let out a chuckle, somehow irritating her.

"Language Miss... Jes...shika?" The guy stuck out his tongue. "That was a hard name to pronounce Shika."

Jessica's face frowned even more. She could feel her blood going up to her face. Seriously, seriously. She tapped her fingers on the counter. "Hey do I know you?" She stood straight, putting her hands on her hips, giving him a murderous glare. Thinking it would scare him off, she sighed as she realised she thought wrong. The guy just let out a laugh that resembled the laugh of her dad.

"I believe I've just seen you now, Miss Shika." The guy smirked, making Jessica to almost hallucinate in annoyance.

Must keep calm, Jessica, keep calm.

"Just give me your order and please, puh-lease for the love of that smug grin of yours, leave me alone and stop calling me Shika. God, the way you pronounce it is killing me so please." Jessica bit her lip and lightly slammed her fist on the counter.

The guy though, once again smiled. It was already her last card she's playing before she loses her patience. "Just..." she breathed deeply and exhaled by her nose, "give me your order."

The guy nodded his head, leaning against the counter, closing in the distance between them. He eyed her lips and it made Jessica step back. "Strawberry... flavour..." he whispered as his line of sight moved down to her chest, "two scoops please," he then his lips.

Jessica punched in his order, feeling uneasy by the bold stare of the guy. She was about to give the guy a piece of mind when the supervisor of the ice cream parlour looked at her. She felt her heart almost jump off in fear that she got caught. She couldn't lose this job too. When she was sure that the supervisor was already looking somewhere else, she glared at the guy and walked out to prepare his order. 

After a while, Jessica came back with an ice cream cone in her hand. "Here's your order," she pushed the cone in front of his face but the guy continued to bob his head with his headphones on. She tried to clear but, futile. She then waved the cone in front of his eyes and finally, he took off his headphones and got the cone in her hand. 

"How much?"

"$3.20," she answered; her voice laced with hostility. 

The guy handed her the exact amount and when she thought he would go away, he stood still and the ice cream in front of her. Luckily though, the other customers already queued in the other lines. She looked at him, disgusted before she shoved his face away.

"You sure are rude, Ms. Shika." The guy shook his head. 

Jessica bit her bottom lip; she was swearing under her teeth. 

"Mr. Kim, is there something wrong?" Jessica looked behind the guy and saw the supervisor giving the guy a polite bow. Jessica's face contorted in confusion. Just what that heck was going on?

"Everything's perfectly fine, Mr. Woo," the guy smiled and eyed Jessica. Her eyebrow rose in anticipation... what the... "Is she new? Can I borrow her for a moment?"

Mr. Woo nodded his head eagerly, "why of course," he then looked at Jessica and the smile plastered on his face turned 180 degrees and was now replaced with an authoritative and intimidating expression. "Jung, you could take your break now."

Jessica was lost. Was the guy the owner? Was he supposed to be the boss?! Sugar!! "Omo, Mr. Woo," Jessica pointed at the guy discreetly; her face was now as pale as a paper. 

"Yes, Jes...sh...Jung, maybe he wants to talk to you." 

Jessica bowed her head and gave herself a mental spank.

What were you thinking Jung Sooyeon!!

***

[June 28 2010]

It has been a week since Jessica met the boss. She learned that it was the 'ByunTaeng' her other co-workers talked about. Such a perfect fit for his name though, Kim ByunTaeyeon. She smirked to contain her laugh. That was then that the bell rung, indicating another customer. When she saw who the customer was, she wasn't surprised at all. It was just him again. She didn't know why but Kim Taeyeon kept on frequenting his shop now, and always creating conversations with her as well.

"Strawberry, two scoops." He smiled at her, the same annoying smile. Jessica bit her lip before giving him a very obvious forced eye-smile. She didn't have an eye-smile to start with. Taeyeon returned it though, also with an equally forced eye-smile. This became a habit; they enjoyed teasing each other like that. Jessica didn't even care anymore if he was the boss. 

"Coming," she said before she walked off to take his order.

When she came back, Taeyeon was out of sight. She excused herself from the supervisor who was once again checking her area and then went off to find him. She looked around the parlour but he wasn't there. She then walked out and saw him resting on one of the benches in front of the shop. She sighed and walked over. 

"Your ice cream, and even though you're the boss, you need to pay." 

Taeyeon smiled and took the ice cream from her hand. He patted the space beside him and looked at her, "sit beside me." Jessica just hissed.

She sat herself reluctantly. "So what do you want, boss Kim?" She asked, watching him fumbling his hand inside his small backpack. After half a minute, he pulled out his iPod and his earphones. 

"No headphones today, huh," Jessica scoffed. It was unusual, Taeyeon always had his headphones.

Taeyeon merely shook his head and put one earphone inside her ear. "Listen," he said and a female voice started to go off the earphone.

"I'm going to leave now..."

"Who was that?" She asked and Taeyeon just shrugged. She glared at him and continued to listen.

"Don't leave,"

Now she heard a voice similar to Taeyeon's. "Was that you?" She asked again; her eyebrows knitting in curiosity. Taeyeon just nodded and gestured for her to pay attention to the song.

"I'm going to come back so..."

"Liar, liar,"

Jessica peeked at Taeyeon but coincidentally, Taeyeon was also looking at her, making their eyes meet for a while before Jessica looked away and listened to the song.

"No, don't you know how much I love you?"

"Can't you show that love to me now?"

"I love you,"

"Can't we love again?"

Then the song begun, Jessica leaned her back on the backrest and closed her eyes...

***

[September 22 2010]

Jessica was walking around the seemingly isolated garden. Though reluctant at first, she complied to what Taeyeon told her anyway. Taeyeon and she had an indescribable relationship. Even she, Jessica herself didn't know what to label their relationship. Taeyeon was too sweet to her; visiting her every day in the ice cream parlour and always taking her out – whether to listen to another of his songs or treat her to a dinner. 

It has always been like that – the past three months.

She was confused. They were just actually acting like lovers but technically, they were not. She admitted to herself that yes, she wanted to move on in the relationship if they ever had one. She wanted him more than of a friend. She liked him, romantically. She was just waiting for him to ask her out, if they had the mutual feelings. Unfortunately though, it has been three months and nothing happened. 

Jessica continued to wander around, occasionally texting Taeyeon to ask where he was. He wasn't replying though. She looked at her wristwatch and found out that she was waiting there for over half an hour already. She sighed. She walked back and decided just not to go. But when she was nearing the exit, she felt a pair of arms snaking around her waist. Even before she could shout, she realised that it was Taeyeon, hushing her.

Jessica felt relief washed over her body but at the same time, she could feel her knees becoming weak and her heart was unusually palpitating so fast. She could feel Taeyeon breathing on her neck and the next thing she knew was that he was starting to give her butterfly kisses. 

"Taeyeon-ah," Jessica suppressed a moan escaping her lips. Her heart was even more beating so quick that she thought she would almost die from heart attack.

"Shika," Taeyeon whispered, turning her body around to face him. Their noses touched and both of their faces were as red as tomatoes. Taeyeon gazed deeply inside Jessica's eyes and she did the same, and before they knew it, they were lost in each other's soul and their lips connected. 

Jessica felt a firework rose over her head as she felt Taeyeon's lips upon hers. His lips were soft, warm... and the feeling inside her abdomen and heart was not be described in words. 

Taeyeon pulled apart and stared at her with affection and adoration in his eyes. He tightened his hold on her waist and pushed her even closer to him. He leaned down his forehead to hers and that was then that Jessica realised that both of their faces were so hot. 

"I..." Taeyeon pecked her lips. "I... love..." another peck, "I love... you," and another long peck. Jessica smiled as she could still feel the lingering sensation Taeyeon's warm lips on hers. She opened her eyes and was greeted by a tight embrace. "I love you so much... Jess... Jessss... ugh, Jeshka," Jessica giggled and broke out from the hug. 

She smiled at him lovingly and poked his nose. "I love you, Taeyeon-ah." The both of them shared another kiss; the kiss that bottled up their feelings for each other; the kiss that they both kept up until this moment – the kiss of longing; their love for each other.

When they both pulled apart, Jessica leaned her head on Taeyeon's heart. She listened to the rhythm of his heart and realised that it was beating at the same rate as hers. She smiled; that feeling was amazing.

"Shika, be mine?" 

Jessica's ears perked up. Her heartbeat was getting higher and higher in pace. She looked up at him. Taeyeon smiled at her and nuzzled their noses together. 

Jessica hugged him even tighter and nodded her head. She leaned her forehead against his and the both of them closed their eyes...

***

[October 3 2010]

It was raining outside. Jessica was sitting by the window pane, watching the beads of liquid racing down the glass. It has been exactly an hour since her supposed date with Taeyeon, but up until now she couldn't see a Kim Taeyeon inside her house. He was actually meant to be fetching her, hour ago.

Jessica paced around her apartment, biting her lip in sudden despair. She wanted to think of some reasons why her boyfriend couldn't be here in time, but all those reasons angered her. She flopped herself on her small sofa and hugged a cushion.

Don't think too much...

A sigh left her lips.

She leaned her head on the armrest as she sprawled on the couch. She shut her eyes and before she knew it, she was already dozing off to slumber.

Jessica slurred; her doorbell was ringing. She sat up and glanced at the clock. 7pm. Great, she slept for 3 hours. Her hands balled into fists as she realised that Kim Taeyeon was already late for 4 hours. The fact irked her. She didn't know if she would open the door or just leave him there to soak in the rain. Jessica pouted; it seemed like the latter appealed to her the most. She sat still on the couch, staring at her vibrating phone. She could just smirk.

The doorbell abruptly stopped ringing, as well as her phone. Her face fell in disappointment. She would actually go for the door if Taeyeon waited for another minute. How unlucky, he just gave up like that. Jessica hugged the cushion once again. Her stomach felt sour.

Maybe I'm just hungry...

She stood up and walked to the kitchen. She looked at the fridge and saw nothing but just jugs of water. Biting her lip, she walked back to her couch, she sat and looked up to her ceiling. 'Taengoo...' How irony, she's missing him now.

She then heard a thud inside her room. Her heartbeat was increasing in pace. What if it's a robber? What if it's a ? She was quite popular in the neighbourhood and a lot of people knew she's living alone...

Taengoo-ah...

Her body froze on the couch as her hand found her phone. She was calling Taeyeon but he wasn't picking up. She placed her phone on her chest; by then was hearing footsteps coming closer to the living room. Jessica hugged the cushion tightly and squeezed her eyes shut. All the time she wished Taeyeon was there with her.

"Shika," her eyes opened and relief overwhelmed her in sight of her boyfriend. Immediately, she jumped on him and bit his shoulder. She clung on him tightly as the tears she was keeping earlier just flowed out of her eyes.

She felt Taeyeon's hand rubbing her back, calming her down by repeatedly saying 'I'm here, I'm here, it's okay.'

After a few minutes Jessica calmed down and pulled away. She looked at Taeyeon and realisation brought her back to reality. "How did you get in?" Her voice suddenly turned into a stern tone. 

Taeyeon let go of her and gulped. "I... climbed up-"

"Yaaaahhh!!" Jessica sent a flying kick to his abdomen, causing him stumble back. As he was curled up on the floor, Jessica pounced on him and began her assault.

"Shika..." Taeyeon muttered in between his groans. By then, Jessica decided it was enough and finally stopped. 

"Don't do that ever again." She crossed her arms and before she could even stand up on her feet, Taeyeon pulled her wrists, making her hover above him. "Ya-" Taeyeon wrapped his arms around embraced her tightly.

"Sorry," he whispered. "My iPod got stolen so I sort it out first. Sorry again." He continued to whisper, giving Jessica a kiss on her forehead occasionally. Jessica didn't know how to react. Should she be happy that Taeyeon was being too sweet to her or should she be worried because Taeyeon lost one of his precious items? Jessica knew Taeyeon treasured his iPod a lot. All of the songs he wrote and composed were all there. 

"Taeyeon-ah... did you find your iPod?" Jessica pulled away slightly to look at Taeyeon. However, the sight just made her heart crumple and rip into pieces. Taeyeon has his eyes closed and was silently crying while shaking his head. 

Jessica kissed his lips and hugged him even more. "Sorry."  Somehow she felt the need toapologise.

"Silly, why would you say sorry?"

Jessica pouted and just buried her face on his chest. "I love you."

"Love you too." 

Jessica settled herself inside Taeyeon's embrace and before she knew it, she felt her eyes closed...

***