Taeyeon shook off the last bit of snow on the fur of her coat. Beside her, a giggle erupted from delicate lips, its sound sending waves into Taeyeon's spine. It's funny, Taeyeon thought, that after all the years that passed by, Jessica still has that effect on her. It's like an automatic reaction to everything Jessica.

Taeyeon vividly remembers the first time she felt those weird waves. It was in eighth grade, three weeks after Jessica had transferred to their school. Jessica was giggling beside Taeyeon as she tried to draw the portrait their art teacher told them to. It felt so weird that it distracted Taeyeon from what she was doing. It was as if her bones were being caressed lightly, one by one. A light touch. Lingering. Teasing. When the feeling was gone, she was aching for more.

Fast forward years after and Taeyeon's still not used to the feeling. It always leaves her craving for more of Jessica's giggles and laughter. She was getting addicted to it that she vowed to be the source of Jessica's laughter. To always make Jessica smile and giggle at the silliest of things.

Fast forward to another year and here they are, at the doorstep of Jessica's newly acquired house. In the heart of Seoul's busiest street, no less. A peculiar choice of place for a peculiar woman. Taeyeon did not expect less, though. She had always known Jessica would live in this kind of environment. A lazy snail in the middle of a rushing world. A beautiful, wonderful snail.

“I got earl grey,” Jessica announces with a huge grin.

Taeyeon shook her head. If she stays too long in Jessica's presence, she might not be able to go. “Can't. Too many stuff to do.”

Jessica pouts, then tries to thug Taeyeon's pinky. “Please, Taengoo. Just five minutes.”

Taeyeon was known for her strong will but ironically, it tends to crumble every time she's with the person who was the reason for her perfectly developed strong will.

“Five minutes,” Taeyeon says, accepting defeat. What could possibly go wrong in five minutes, right? But Taeyeon knows the answer. Everything.

Jessica's face lights up, like a Christmas light on a Christmas tree, and Taeyeon can't help but wonder if this only happens when she's around. Taeyeon knows better than to assume, though, so she shakes the idea off of her head.

“Your house is very masculine,” Taeyeon says when they entered the house, her inner Architect unleashing.

Jessica laughs a little before taking her coat off and offering Taeyeon a warm slippers. “I don't know how to react to that,” she says.

“I was just saying,” Taeyeon answers. “The interior is very masculine. This is so not you.”

Jessica shrugs. Taeyeon is right, this is not her ideal home. This house is a little too big for her liking and the colors of the walls are darker and the furniture are, well, very manly. But what could she do? It's not like her opinion matters. It's not like she matters.

“Well, it's a decent house,” was all that Jessica answered, saddened by the realization that she used the word house instead of home. She couldn't lie, though, this is no home for her.

“It is,” Taeyeon says, taking a seat on the black leather couch before adding, “And pretty pricey too.”

“Pft,” Jessica playfully says. “You always put a price tag on everything. There are a lot of things money can't buy, Taeyeon.”

Taeyeon crosses her legs. “There is nothing left in this world that doesn't have a price tag yet, Sica.”

Jessica stands in front of Taeyeon, a tea cup in her hand and a thoughtful expression on her face. “Well, what about love?”

“What about love?”

“I mean, you can't put a price tag on love. Whether you're poor or rich if it's love, then it's love.”

“ for me my love actually has a price tag,” Taeyeon whispers.

Jessica passes the tea cup to Taeyeon, “Did you say something?” she says with a confused look.

“Nope,” Taeyeon says before sipping from her cup. “You're starting to hear voices, is that part of pre-wedding jitters?”

Jessica senses something in Taeyeon's voice, but she doesn't dare categorize it. She's afraid that if she does, she might actually give in. So she smiles the practiced smile of a politician's fiancée, fooling anyone but Taeyeon. “Nope,” she tries to say cheerfully. “I've been ready since the day I said yes.”

“Of course,” Taeyeon says quietly, her heart dropping into the pit of her stomach as if she was about to jump from a cliff. With the silence that had settled between the two of them, Taeyeon wonders how long it has been since she sat in Jessica's couch. Three minutes? But it feels longer than that. Maybe four? Four and a half? “Maybe it's time to go,” Taeyeon says, her voice echoing in the silent room.

“Five more minutes, Taeyeon, please.”

Taeyeon nods again, self-control crumbling. She wants to cry because this might be the last time she'll be able to be with Jessica and maybe the latter felt that, too, because she doesn't seem to want to let go of Taeyeon just yet.

“Are you happy?” Taeyeon asks, head slightly bowed to avoid eye contact.

Jessica holds her breath, “I am,” she says, a lie that comes easy she almost believe it herself. Almost.

Taeyeon then raises her head and looks at Jessica straight in the eyes. “Your happiness is all that matters to me,” she says with a little smile. “I am happy for you, too.”

“Thank you, Taeyeon.”

Without another word, Taeyeon walks up to the door and leaves.

“Fate you are so cruel, aren't you?” she laughs to herself, tears streaming down her face as she walks far away from Jessica's house. “You let people meet their one great love, make them fall in love, only for somebody else to take that love away in front of their eyes. You let them suffer from heartbreak and let them move on, only to remind them every day of what they never had--what they could never have!” She wipes the tears on her cheeks, “You are so cruel!”

Back in her house, Jessica curls up in her bed, hugging the coat that Taeyeon left in the haste of leaving. She perfectly knows what happened back there and, as much as she wants to deny, she felt just as broken as Taeyeon.

“In another lifetime, Taengoo,” she whispers in the dark. “In another lifetime, I will be brave enough to love you back.”