She lets out a sigh, hands running along the comfortable sheets as she lie on her back. She was awake, but not really. Nothing actually registers in her mind except for the dark-brown closet situated at the foot of the bed. There are a million and one things running in her mind, but the most vivid is the one thing that has been bugging her since last night.

"No, you listen!" her boyfriend bellows, making Jessica cower away. She has never seen Taeyeon this mad. Not in their three years of being together, at least.

Finding the courage to talk back, Jessica rises up from the bed, tilts her head up and stares at him in the eyes. "I'm tired of listening to you," she says in a voice so raw that her pain is almost tangible. "I'm tired, Taeyeon. So very tired." Exhaustion laces her voice and she sees a little expression of hurt in Taeyeon's dark orbs.

"I'm going home to my parents." She doesn't know where the courage came from but she's just thankful her voice didn't waver. "This wasn't the life you promised me." She looks away. "This isn't the life I wanted."

It wasn't her intention to blame Taeyeon for everything that has happened in her life there, because she chose this - she chose to run away with Taeyeon. But Jessica realizes that accepting the consequences of your choices is far more harder than making the choice itself. And so here she is, limbs sprawled across the bed in a small apartment in Paris that Taeyeon somehow managed to secure for them before flying away from South Korea. It had been five months but she has yet to adjusted to the life they built in Paris.

She has been unemployed for a month now, when the grocery store she used to work at, closed down. Luck never struck her again. Taeyeon, on the other hand, recently lost his job as a mechanic at the shop nearby. And now they were both unemployed and trying to survive in the foreign city they had found theirselves in. But it was hard to survive when you barely even know anybody.

All Jessica wanted was for her Taeyeon to tell her that everything is going to be okay. That things will get better somehow. But he was just as lost as her.

And now, all she wants is to go back to South Korea and run back to her parents' arms and ask for their forgiveness. And fix her life. Because this was not the life she imagined she'll have with Taeyeon. They were supposed to live happily ever after. Love was supposed to be enough for them. But it seems like everybody was right when they said love will never be enough.

**

This wasn't the life you promised me.

Taeyeon scoffs before gulping from the bottle of rum he was holding. Who would have known that the shop he was working will close down? Who would have known that life would be too harsh towards them? This isn't the life he wanted for them, too. When he promised Jessica he'll take care of her, he meant it. And now... now everything is just so messed up. He's messed up. She's messed up. They're messed up. They can't even talk about things anymore without shouting at one another. She took her frustrations on him, and he took her frustrations on her. He know he shouldn't do that. He know he should be the rational one between the two of them. He know, but he couldn't. He was having a hard time, too. And when all he wants is to hug her till she sleeps, he couldn't. She won't even look at him anymore. Like, really look at him.

He sometimes wonder if Jessica notices the stubbles that were growing in his jaw (she hates that) or that he hasn't cut his hair ever since Jessica lost her job, because he still notice everything about her. He notice how the roots of her hair were black now, and how damaged her hair was. It used to be so smooth, because Jessica likes taking care of her hair. He also notice how she was getting thinner each week. He notice the bags under her eyes. He notice how exhausted she is. But he also notice how her eyes would brighten up a little whenever she sees him. And he realize that he has not lost her yet. Not completely, at least.

He knew they were broken since two months ago, but would never admit to it. Because he wants to keep the little pride that's left in him. He wants to be proud that he was able to keep Jessica despite all the hardship they went through. They have never been better since they first arrived in Paris. And now.. now they are broken beyond repair. He know he should do something.

**

Jessica wipes the tears in her cheeks. They just wouldn't stop even how hard she tries to. She turns the faucet on, fills her glass with water before drinking from it. The soft thud of the front door registers in her ears but she didn't mind. She knows it's just Taeyeon. And she doesn't want to deal with him now. She's too tired to argue.

"Sica?" His voice was just above a whisper but it still echoed in the small and still apartment. She stays muted until his reflection appeared on the bathroom mirror. They locked gazes; Taeyeon's dark orbs meeting Jessica's lighter ones. Jessica's the first one to break the staring game - closing her eyes as she in a deep breathe.

"I'm tired, Taeyeon," she says in a voice so small, so broken that Taeyeon can't help but step inside the small bathroom. He stood beside her in front of the sink, eyes taking in Jessica's reflection. She's still the Jessica he fell in love with. Behind the tired face, he could still see a portion of the Jessica he loves. Will always love.

"I know," he answers instead, thumb rubbing the paper he was holding. Jessica doesn't seem to notice it. "I know."

Then Jessica opens her eyes, twirls in Taeyeon's direction with a defeated sigh. Taeyeon was just as exhausted as her. He looks so worn out. And she feels guilt rising up from the pit of her stomach. Taeyeon was not the only one to blame. It was her fault too.

"Here." When Taeyeon passes a white envelope to Jessica, her facial expression turns quizzical. "I thought about this before," Taeyeon starts to say but pauses to tuck a loose hair behind Jessica's ear. "I'm sorry."

Jessica's heart races as she opens the envelope. It was a plane ticket to Incheon. One plane ticket.

"Taeyeon," she says in a low but surprised voice. Taeyeon's lips curves into an empty smile before he pulls Jessica into his arms.

"I'm sorry," he repeats. "I'm so sorry, Sica."

Jessica's body shook as she clings onto the collar of Taeyeon's dark tee-shirt. It was a mixture of emotions. She was happy and sad and guilty, all at the same time.

Taeyeon repeats his mantra, right hand the back of Jessica's head as he holds tight onto her. He was scared, he want to keep Jessica there, with him, always, but it was just too impossible. All he ever wanted was for Jessica to be happy. And if the only way to keep her happy was to let her go, then he know he had to do it.

He pulls Jessica slightly away from him, kisses the crown of her head before cupping her cheeks and tilting her head so he could look her in the eyes. He smiles his signature smile at her, and it seems to be contagious because Jessica's lips curved into a beautiful smile, too.

"I'm sorry this has to happen." Taeyeon's voice was soft but with a weight that seem to pound into Jessica's heart as she feels another lump forming in . "I know this wasn't the life we imagined." He swallows before his lips. "But I just want you to know that the life I had with you here, will always be the life I'd want to live."

Jessica breaks down in Taeyeon's arms once again and he holds her close, his own tears threatening to fall. But he refuse to make their last night together be a sad memory for the both of them, so he carries Jessica in his arms and lay her on their bed. He lay beside her, arms never leaving her small frame as he lets her soak the collar of his shirt.

When Jessica's sobs subsided, Taeyeon runs his knuckles on the skin of Jessica's face, making his girlfriend's eyes flutter open. He smiles at her once again before leaning in to capture her lips - something he so wanted to do all those weeks they spent arguing. Jessica kissed back, her soft, thin lips brushing against Taeyeon's swollen ones with a special rhythm that only the both of them knows. His teeth clamps gently around Jessica's lower lip and she whimpers before he the offended part.

Taeyeon drinks Jessica in, like she was the water to his desert, knowing that this might be the last time he'll be able to do so.

Jessica doesn't belong in the kind of life Taeyeon had brought her into. She was a princess. She is a princess. And maybe at one point in his life he thought he could be her prince, too. But he know better than to play pretend.

When Jessica pulls away from the kiss, eyes glimmering with unshed tears and happiness and excitement, Taeyeon knew he made the right decision.

"What about you?" Jessica's voice croaks. Taeyeon leans in again, placing a soft peck on the tip of Jessica's nose. "I won't go home without you."

Taeyeon shakes his head. No, he was going to prove his father that he will be someone--something in his life. "I'm sorry," he says. "But don't ever forget that I'll be thinking about you everyday."

"Taeyeon I can't--"

Taeyeon kisses Jessica's lips. "You can, Sica." He smiles at her. "I'll see you someday. When I'm finally someone they can be proud of. When I'm finally someone you can be proud of."

Jessica doesn't speak after that. Instead, she pulls Taeyeon into a bone-crushing hug that had her boyfriend laughing and coughing at the same time. It had been forever since she heard Taeyeon laugh. And she actually missed it. "Please tell me you'll come back to me," she whispers in a pleading tone.

Taeyeon nods, his chin rubbing on the crown of Jessica's head as she buries her face in his neck. "Of course, love."

There was silence for a while as they lose themselves in each other's embrace.

"Taeyeon?"

"Hm?"

"Where did you get the money for the plane ticket?" Jessica pulls away to look at Taeyeon.

He smiles, cups her right cheek with his left hand before kissing her lips. "I sold my bike."

Jessica's eyes widened. She know how much that bike matters to Taeyeon. It was the only thing he was able to buy from his savings. And now..

"Taeyeon, why?"

Taeyeon pulls her back in his arms before whispering. "Because I can't bear to see you sad. I was supposed to make you happy, but all I did was ruin you. Ruin us."

Life is hard in Paris. No, life is hard in general. They didn't have the privilege to buy luxurious things like they used to in South Korea. But having Jessica by Taeyeon's side definitely made up for all the miserable things they went through. And now, as he let Jessica go, he could only wish that life treats him a little better, and that someday, when things work out for him, Jessica will still be there, waiting for him.

-----

So, this is one of those 'spur of the moment' stories lol. If you guys are familiar with The Script's songs, I think you'll be able to identify where I got the inspiration to this :)