Sooyoung suddenly stops when she turns around and finds Jessica still leaning on the wall, back facing her. She knows that Jessica is in her deep thought because even though Jessica tries to hide behind the wall, Sooyoung can see her clearly from where she standing in the kitchen. But what makes Sooyoung startled isn’t Jessica’s presence or how she is daydreaming in that place because she knows it is part of author’s job. Maybe Jessica only moves to another world again while creating new chapter of her story and Sooyoung already get used to see it.

What makes Sooyoung stupefied is because she can see tears slowly falling from the corner of Jessica’s eyes. This is the first time Sooyoung see the ice princess crying right in front of her eyes. And it makes her feels hesitate. She doesn’t know if it’s better for her to come closer and comfort Jessica or pretending that she doesn’t know what just happened. In the end, Sooyoung is only standing in her place, frozen.

The first reaction Sooyoung gives is turning back when Jessica wipes her own tears. She doesn’t dare to take a risk that Jessica will yell and kick her out if she knows Sooyoung knows she is crying. The main reason is Jessica might feels embarrass with that situation. Or maybe Jessica doesn’t like Sooyoung interfere in her problem. If Sooyoung wants Jessica open up, she should wait until she really wants to do it. Either ways… Jessica will force Sooyoung to get out from her life, which also means expulsion.

Jessica is glancing at her chef when she finds Sooyoung still cooking but no longer singing. Earlier she was drowning in her deep thought until she reveals her hidden place. Somehow she is suspicious Sooyoung maybe notice her presence, but she doesn’t have the proof so she only can wish her chef doesn’t see her tears. She doesn’t want to look weak, especially in front of someone that she knows less than a week.

“Hmmm… I think this is perfect!”

Once again Jessica only stares at Sooyoung’s back. Again… her past is playing inside her mind. But Jessica knows it so well, past is stay as a past. She can’t reply all that scenes or goes back to that time. She can’t change anything that happened in the past. Because it’s happened and she lives in the present and she knows… she has to deal with it.

“Eh??!!”

Sooyoung tries her best to look as shocked as she can to realize Jessica’s presence. She knows, the best thing to do it is by trying not to think if she get caught or not, because if she think about it too much, somehow it will reveals her mask.

Jessica looks at Sooyoung, as shocked as her. But in her case, she doesn’t pretend.

“Are you done? I’m hungry.”

But Jessica also tries to cover her act, by pretending to be cold. She doesn’t want to caught she is daydreaming while staring at Sooyoung’s back. Somehow it’s weird… and maybe creepy.

“Almost done,” Sooyoung is smile, feeling happy that Jessica doesn’t know she was pretending. “You can wait in the dining table. I’ll serve it soon.”

Jessica only nods and walks to that direction.

Secretly both of them release a sigh in relief when they’re no longer facing each other. It seems like the secret still remains secret… at least for now.

*

“Do you need something else?” Sooyoung asks after serving lunch for Jessica.

“Are you in hurry?”

The unusual thing happens this afternoon. First, Sooyoung can see Jessica ready to dig in her lunch after she done cooking it. Mostly Sooyoung will talk through the door and Jessica will listen it behind that door WITHOUT answering. Second, Jessica asks back.

Sooyoung won’t be surprise if Jessica only shoo her away, but somehow she can see Jessica wants to know about her afternoon, her work life after this.

Sooyoung glances at her watch. “I still have 15 minutes. Why?”

“Have you eaten something?” Jessica asks. “If not, sit down and eat. I don’t want to be blame if you faint.”

Although the sentence sounds like an option, but Sooyoung somehow take it as an order. Earlier she cooked for two, but honestly she is just afraid Jessica still want to eat more remembers she hug the cookie jar while sleeping. That’s why, just in case, she prepares the back up for that.

Silently Sooyoung joins Jessica in the dining table and eat her lunch. Actually Jessica was right. She hasn’t eaten anything since busy time at work and she needs to rush and prepare lunch for Jessica. All this time she can survive because she always prepares cookies next to the stove to kill the sound from the stomach. When the restaurant takes a break, she will eat twice than usual.

“Thanks for the meal.”

Jessica blinks her eyes when she sees Sooyoung’s plate already empty. Earlier she is drowning in her thought again. Not about her past, but how to ask Sooyoung about the story. But when she hasn’t found the right word, Sooyoung already finish with her lunch.

“You’ll go now?” Abruptly Jessica asks and it makes Sooyoung frowns.

Sooyoung feels it will be a mistake if she thought Jessica doesn’t want her to leave but… why the voice sounds like that?

“May I?” hesitantly Sooyoung asks. Honestly she doesn’t know how to react. "If you want me to clean the dishes, can I do it later when I’m done with my work?”

Jessica shakes her head. “Can you tell me about the continuation for Haruna and Yuko?”

Sooyoung frowns but in the end she nods. Finally she understands the point she still in this apartment even though she already done with her cook.

“Hmmm… In the story, I said that Yuko’s dad always take her to go to gallery or something like that every time he goes home, right?” Sooyoung asks. Jessica nods. “In his last visit, he does something different. He gave Yuko a camera to take pictures. And he told Yuko to create her own story with that camera.”

Jessica nods. “You said last visit? He will die?”

Sooyoung shakes her head. “I want him to go for a long trip. After that he will take Yuko move somewhere and that’s the time when photographer Yuko and model Haruna story started.”

“You connect the story with our conversation, don’t you? About waiting someone achieving dream?” Jessica asks.

Sooyoung nods, admitting. “Last night I was thinking about the story before sleep. Maybe it better if we separate them after they made memories and unconditionally meet.”

“But if Haruna wants to be a model, isn’t it sounds like she’s chasing Yuko?” Jessica asks.

Sooyoung scratch her head. “I haven’t thought it that far. I kind of can imagine myself as Yuko, but Haruna… I don’t know. Maybe in the real case, she is chasing Yuko, but maybe when they met, she won’t admit it.”

“Why?” Jessica asks.

“Tsundere,” Sooyoung says. “That character is quite popular in Japan, especially in anime or manga. But can I explain it later. The 15 minutes now only left around… 5?”

Jessica nods.

Sooyoung quickly run to the front door. Even though she knows Yuri won’t kill her, but she doesn’t want to be late. At least, she can less the option losing job in Yuri’s place if only she lose her place to stay in Jessica’s place if she can’t satisfy Jessica with her answer. She can deal if lose one of them, but she doesn’t really know what she will do if she lose both of them.

Jessica is staring at the way to the front door after Sooyoung left. Her fingers are typing on the desk while she enjoys her lunch.

“She must be hurry. She forgets to introduce this lunch,” Jessica talks to herself, staring at her plate. “But it’s delicious as usual. Such a hard worker, huh?”

Jessica glances at her laptop in the living room.

“Let’s see what I can do after this.”

Jessica continues enjoying her lunch. After done, she goes back to the living room.

Secretly she smiles when she finds her jar already full with cookies again, next to her laptop. She doesn’t realize when Sooyoung put it in there, maybe because she doesn’t pay attention at Sooyoung’s activities inside her apartment earlier, but after all, she happy to see that.

“A good friend for thinking, right?”

Jessica put the jar between her legs after she sit down on the floor. Her fingers are ready to type in the keyboard. Once again, music from the player accompany her, but for now, not for sleep.

*

Sooyoung smack her own forehead when she almost open Yuri’s restaurant door.

“Stupid! Why I didn’t ask her pen name!” She just realizes her stupidity. “Ah! But I can ask Tiffany!”

Sooyoung shakes her head.

“No, no, no. She will give me another hundred questions and put me in another maze again.”

Sooyoung sighs.

“But will she tell me her pen name?”

Sooyoung taps her chin, thinking.

“Maybe I can get it tonight. I promise her that I will continue help her for her story, right? At least I should tell her about tsundere thingy.”

Sooyoung smirks happily. She finds a way. But the smirk is gone when she realizes someone is staring at her.

“Wh-..what?”

Tiffany shakes her head and giggles. “Only a week you stay with Jessie, you already have her disease, daydreaming. I wonder what will happen if one month passed hehe.”

 “What are you doing here?”

Sooyoung is trying to cover her embarrass with question. She just doesn’t want to discuss about it. Although she knows Tiffany can be the best listener and advisor when talking about Jessica, somehow for today Sooyoung doesn’t want to do it. All the questions Tiffany gave to her this morning still left pain in her head. Sooyoung doesn't want to repeat that.

“I’ll take my late lunch. I know in lunch time will be so crowded here, that’s why I take it now,” Tiffany explains. “Want suggest menu for my lunch? Or… may I know what you cook for Jessica?”

Sooyoung is stunning. She remembers she hasn’t introduced the lunch menu to Jessica. She forgets and this is the first time. The only reason is Jessica’s tears. It is hard to forget.

“Soo?” Carefully Tiffany touch Sooyoung’s arm. Something is happening to this soon-to-chef. Remember Soojin’s threat, Tiffany start to feel worry.

“Ah! I’ll see what recommended menu today, okay?”

Tiffany only shrugs her shoulder and follow Sooyoung goes inside the restaurant. She only hopes nothing bad happen to this tall girl. Tiffany really doesn’t want to take her death penalty from Soojin. She creeps just thinking about it.

I need to take a break but my stupid brain doesn't want to follow my order and think about fic.

When the scene comes to my mind, I can't help but type it.

But somehow when it done, I don't like the result.

And I finally realize.... it's hard to satisfy myself.