A/N. Not edited because my friend who I was going to ask to edit would be asleep right now and I wanted to post this now. Please enjoy.

*          *          *

“I don’t think she likes me.”

“I don’t think she does either.”

Heechul chuckled as he collapsed onto the lounge, laying back and making himself comfortable. He rested his hands behind his head with a triumphant grin, and closed his eyes with a satisfied sigh.

“This isn’t a laughing matter, Heechul!” Jessica groaned, shoving his feet off of the lounge to sit back and slouch against the arm rest.

The elder let out a strangled laugh, lazily dropping his feet into Jessica’s lap as she balanced the bowl of popcorn she had just prepared on his stomach, reaching over for the remote to switch on the television.

“Don’t be silly, Sica. It doesn’t matter,” he assured as he threw a piece of popcorn into the air and caught it in his mouth.

“She’s your girlfriend!” Jessica laughed, grabbing a handful of popcorn and shoving it into Heechul’s mouth, effectively causing him to splutter and pretend to choke. “Of course I have to get her to like me. You’re my best friend!”

“I’m your only friend, idiot.”

“Yah! Kim Heechul!” the younger scolded, hitting Heechul’s arm as she stifled a laugh.

“Fine, fine,” he grinned, sitting up for a moment to ruffle Jessica’s hair with his hand. “You have that crazy little friend of yours too.”

“Sunny isn’t half as crazy as your crazy girlfriend.”

Heechul glared playfully and flicked his best friend’s forehead before laying back down with a sigh. “Yoona’s not that bad. You guys just need to get to know each other better and I’m sure you guys will be great friends.”

“I hope so,” Jessica nodded in response, shuffling around for a second to get comfortable under Heechul’s feet before the random movie the elder had chosen for their Thursday Movie Night started.

Heechul smiled, facing the television as the opening theme for Harry Potter began playing. “You know, you and Yoona are actually pretty similar.”

“Hm?” Jessica mumbled, focusing on the television as she snacked on the popcorn off of the elder’s stomach. “How so?”

“Well you’re both idiots, and you’re both pretty. But you’re probably more of an idiot than her.”

“Yah! Heechul!”

~ * ~ * ~

“She’s just like her. But she’s nowhere near as beautiful.”

~ * ~ * ~

Jessica hummed quietly as she ran her fingers through Sunny’s hair, expertly braiding the light brown strands down her back.

“Ugh,” Donghae groaned as he threw his bag to the ground, collapsing on the grass beside Jessica under one of the jacaranda trees on campus, his head resting in the girl’s lap.

“Oppa!” Sunny smiled, carefully looking over her shoulder without disturbing Jessica’s work, at Donghae who quickly grabbed his bag and covered his face with another frustrated groan.

Jessica stopped braiding for a moment to secure the bottom of Sunny’s hair with a ribbon, letting the younger turn around to face the other two. “What’s got you all frustrated?” she chuckled, pulling the small duffle bag off of Donghae’s face.

“Your psychopath of a best friend!” the elder frowned, scrunching his face up as he looked up at Jessica from her lap.

“Hey, that’s psychopath-hyung to you, and he’s your best friend too,” Jessica laughed, nudging Donghae’s head out of her lap. “But what did Heechul do now?”

“Pfft. You think eighteen years of friendship warrants not having to call him ‘Oppa’ too, huh?” he chuckled, rolling his eyes as he sat up and shuffled over to rest his head in Sunny’s lap instead.

“When you’ve known him for longer than I have, then you can call him whatever you want.”

“Yah, idiot! Every year I know him for, you’re always sixteen years ahead of me.”

“Stop bickering you two,” Sunny laughed, lightly nudging both of her friend’s heads. “Anyway, what did Heechul-oppa do?”

Donghae rolled his eyes and nestled his head against Sunny’s knee with a chuckle. “We had a composition lecture, and he ditched me for that girlfriend of his.”

“Oh Yoona?” Jessica hummed, fiddling her hands into some of the fallen jacarandas.

“Yeah. Two steps more and we would’ve been in the lecture room, but she came up, grabbed him by the arm and dragged him away. He’s whipped, I’m telling you.”

“Is this Im Yoona?” Sunny asked, tilting her head slightly. “She was in my orientation support group. She seemed pretty nice most of the time.”

“Hm? Why only ‘most of the time’?” Jessica asked, tangling some of the purple flowers into Donghae’s hair.

Sunny simply nodded in response, scrunching up her face a little as she thought back to her first week at the university, just less than a year ago. “I mean, she’s a lovely girl and all, but she can be a little bossy. She flirted shamelessly with our student guide too.”

The three friends stayed silent for a moment, just listening to the wordless chatter of other students passing by. It was mid-spring and the blossoming jacaranda trees scattered bright purple flowers all across the campus grounds.

Heechul and Jessica had first met when Jessica’s family moved from the United States back to Korea. At four years old, all Heechul could remember about the first time he met Jessica was the fresh batch of kimchi his mother made, and the tune the doorbell played when he and his mother went to greet the new family, the jar of kimchi in hand. He remembered a young girl crawling around the carpeted floor, desperately trying to get away from him every time he would come close. He remembered his mother laugh with the new lady, and the smile the new lady gave as she waved them both off later in the afternoon, the same young girl sleeping while rested on her hip.

Jessica on the other hand, was two years old when she first met Heechul. She didn’t remember a thing. All she knows is that Heechul has been in her life ever since she can remember.

The pair grew up together, their parents becoming the closest of friends. Despite being two years younger, Jessica never failed to stick by Heechul’s side, growing accustomed to the Korean culture. The two became inseparable best friends.

When it came time for high school, Heechul entered SJ High, while Jessica entered the all-girls GG High two years later. Despite going to different schools, Heechul always managed to catch up to Jessica on the walk home, dropping her off safely before simply crossing the road to his own home. It was during Jessica’s freshmen year of high school that the pair fell into the routine of watching a movie together every Thursday night. To them and their parents, Thursday nights simply became known as ‘Jessica and Heechul’s Movie Night’.

After Heechul graduated, he took a year’s break before entering university. When Heechul was accepted into SM University, he moved into a small apartment in Seoul, living with a school colleague, Park Jungsoo, who later became one of his closest friends. Jessica first met Jungsoo when Heechul had decided to officially move their movie nights from Jessica’s parents’ living room, to his own apartment. Jungsoo quickly learnt that if he had an assignment to do, not to come home until late on Thursdays.

Jessica was accepted into SM University a year later and moved into the cheapest apartment available, offered by her roommate Lee Donghae. At first, Heechul didn’t like the idea of his dongsaeng sharing an apartment with a man, but after meeting Donghae and admiring his innocence, the two became quick friends and Heechul never questioned the choice again.

“Hey, Jess. Can I be honest with you?” Donghae asked quietly, looking away before shutting his eyes with a sigh.

“Hm? Of course,” Jessica replied, nodding despite the elder’s closed eyes.

“I’m… worried about Heechul-hyung. I mean it’s good and all that he’s finally got himself a girlfriend, but he’s never missed a lecture before. Not even when Jungsoo-hyung begged him to help out with his broadcasting assignment,” Donghae mumbled, searching his hand out blindly for his duffle bag before pulling it close to his chest and hugging it. “I don’t know. Maybe it’s just me, but I get the feeling that hyung’s changing.”

Jessica let out a quiet sigh, letting go of the last purple flower in her hand. “I trust him, Oppa,” she nodded. “At the moment, I just don’t think I can trust Yoona.”

~ * ~ * ~

“I don’t want her around you anymore.”

~ * ~ * ~

“Yoona!”

Jessica quickly caught up to the younger, smiling as she turned around to see her. “How are you?”

“You’re Chullie-Oppa’s friend right?” Yoona replied, raising an eyebrow as she inspected her nails. “What was your name again?”

“Uh, Jung Jessica,” she frowned in response, a little disheartened by the younger’s disinterest. “Heechul introduced us a week ago.”

“Oh right,” Yoona nodded, looking out at the distance behind Jessica’s head. “So what did you want?”

Jessica couldn’t help but chew the inside of her cheek, frustrated by Yoona’s attitude. “I was just wondering if you wanted to go shopping with me sometime? You know, so we can get to know each other better.”

The younger shook her head, not meeting Jessica’s eyes as her gaze scanned her from head to toe. “Nah, I’m good. I think the stores I shop at might be a bit out of your budget.”

An almost challenging smirk formed on Yoona’s face before she simply flicked her hair and continued on her way, leaving Jessica standing speechless as she looked down at her own clothes.

~ * ~ * ~

The opening theme for the second Harry Potter film began playing as Jungsoo came through the front door of the apartment.

“Hey, Oppa!” Jessica smiled, waving from her spot on the couch where she hung upside down.

Jungsoo chuckled as he dumped his bag on the counter, coming over for a moment to steal some popcorn off of the coffee table. “That can’t be comfortable,” he smiled, turning his head sideways to make a face at Jessica.

“That’s what I said!” Heechul laughed from where he laid, nudging Jessica’s knees on the top of the couch with his foot.

“I’m fine!” the youngest grinned, happily chewing on popcorn as she tried to kick Heechul back, missing completely and falling onto her side against him.

“Yah! You weigh the weight of two elephants! Get off of me!”

Within the blink of an eye, Heechul kicked Jessica off of the couch completely, the pair laughing hysterically. Jungsoo simply rolled his eyes as Jessica composed herself, resting her back against the couch and throwing a cushion at the elder. The ‘enjoy your movie’ he chuckled went unheard as he exited to his room, the sounds of laughing and more cushions being thrown overpowering any sound of the movie.

~ * ~ * ~

“You should tell her, idiot.”

~ * ~ * ~

“I’ve never been so awkward around him before,” Jessica sighed as she rested her cheek against her desk.

“But what happened?” Sunny whispered, carefully looking up to make sure their lecturer wasn’t looking.

The elder shook her head, closing her eyes with a deep huff. “I was just walking down past our tree and Heechul was there with Yoona in his lap. They were just talking and he saw me passing by and of course had to say ‘hi’. But that glare Yoona shot me, I swear, I just wanted to get out of there.”

“Did Oppa even notice?”

Jessica furrowed her eyebrows as she shook her head. “I don’t think he did. He was too busy trying to get Yoona to talk to me. He’s already noticed that she doesn’t like me, so he’s trying to get her to open up.”

“I’m sure that he’ll figure out that you’re uncomfortable around her.”

“I hope so too,” the elder nodded, sighing again as she sat up to continue taking notes from the lecturer. “I don’t like being awkward around my own best friend.”

~ * ~ * ~

“She’s hot, I’ll give you that,” Donghae nodded as he pulled a fallen jacaranda off of his sandwich before continuing eating.

“She’s more than just ‘hot’, Hae,” Heechul chuckled, ripping off a piece of Donghae’s sandwich to eat himself. “She’s gorgeous.”

“But there has to be more you like about her.”

The elder nodded, leaning back on his hands as he looked up at the falling jacarandas. “Of course. Besides being pretty, she’s playful and funny, and though she’s not the most intelligent, it makes her cute.”

Donghae simply hummed in response, looking out as he noticed a familiar figure heading their way. “Speak of the devil…” he sighed.

Quickly, Heechul’s head snapped up, a grin forming across his face as he waved his girlfriend over. “Yoona!”

~ * ~ * ~

“I realised everything when I was seventeen.”

~ * ~ * ~

“It’s Thursday, isn’t it?” Donghae asked, tilting his head as he watched Jessica come through their apartment door, kicking off her shoes.

“Yeah, it is,” she replied, her voice void of any emotion as she fell back beside Donghae onto the couch.

Donghae just stared at Jessica, waiting for an explanation that obviously needed to be said. Instead, Jessica just grabbed a cushion and hugged it loosely at her chest, closing her eyes with an almost inaudible sigh.

“Jess?”

“Hm?”

She didn’t even open her eyes. The elder pouted slightly, still watching as Jessica rested her head back against the couch.

“Don’t make me ask.”

“Heechul cancelled movie night this week,” she replied, her voice a little softer than before, a slight tinge of disappointment laced throughout. “He’s out on a date with Yoona.”

Donghae frowned, shaking his head with a huff. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah of course,” Jessica nodded slowly. “I mean, it’s not like it’s the first time. We normally cancel movie night every now and again whenever we’re busy. It’s usually around exams.”

The elder stayed silent, nudging his roommate’s shoulder lightly with his elbow. “You guys are up to the fourth Harry Potter movie, right? Do you want me to watch with you?”

Finally, Jessica opened her eyes, a small, yet sad smile on her lips. “No thanks, Oppa,” she shook her head. “I’m not really in the mood tonight.”

“Ah, I understand,” Donghae blinked, reaching over to lightly pinch his friend’s cheek. “Why don’t you go rest then?”

Jessica nodded, slowly getting up without speaking another word, shuffling her feet to her room as Donghae stared at her with a sigh. Something was definitely up.

~ * ~ * ~

“Hey, where’s Jessica?”

Jungsoo dumped his bag on the same spot on the counter before looking over at Heechul who had laid back onto the couch, mindlessly surfing through channels.

“I had a date with Yoona earlier. I had to cancel movie night this week,” the younger shrugged, not even bothering to look up.

Raising an eyebrow, Jungsoo peaked at the watch on his left wrist, noticing how early it still was. “You still would’ve had time for your movie. I know you guys have had later movie nights than this.”

“Eh, it’s fine,” Heechul muttered. “It’s only one week so-”

“You’re dead bored right now, aren’t you?”

The brunette scrunched up his face before turning his head just enough to look at his hyung. “So? What if I am?”

Jungsoo shook his head with a sigh, grabbing a banana off of the kitchen counter before heading to his room. “I know what you’re doing, Heechul-ah. And trust me when I say that this way, you’re not making anything better the way you want to. You’re just going to hurt yourself, and even worse, you’re going to hurt her too.”

~ * ~ * ~ 

“Okay, Jess. I’m not falling for your act anymore.”

After rushing in and scanning the area, Donghae took the seat beside Sunny in one of the small cafes on campus, looking across at Jessica who scrunched up her face in confusion.

“Huh? What are you talking about?” she asked, tilting her head slightly as the elder continued to stare at her.

“I mean about you and Heechul-hyung. There’s something you’re not telling me, and I can tell.”

“Jess and Heechul-Oppa?” Sunny repeated, her jaw dropped slightly and her eyes wide. “Unnie, what’s going on?”

Jessica hesitated for a moment, then looked down at her coffee cup. “Why would there be anything between Heechul and I? We’re just best friends, you guys know that.”

“Jessica Jung,” Donghae ground out through gritted teeth. “The only person on this planet who knows you better than I do is Heechul-hyung himself, but I can still tell from the very look on your face that something is up.”

There was a moment of silence as Jessica traced the lid of her cup, finally sighing in defeat. “Fine. I just… don’t like Yoona,” she muttered, averting her eyes to anything but her two friends’ piercing gazes. “She hasn’t even made the effort to try and get along with Heechul’s best friends, she’s rude and judgemental, and I just don’t like the idea of Heechul dating her.”

No one spoke for a couple of minutes as Jessica managed to calm herself down slightly. The cafe was fairly busy, the wordless chatter masking any void of sound. Both Sunny and Donghae watched Jessica as she stared contemplatively at her cardboard coffee cup, nibbling lightly on her lower lip.

It didn’t take long for Sunny’s eyes to widen slightly as she leant forward on the table, Donghae watching as his mind slowly began forming reasons. “Unnie. Is it that you don’t like the idea of Heechul-opaa dating Yoona? Or that you don’t like the idea of Heechul-oppa dating at all?”

“I don’t know!” Jessica groaned, collapsing her head to rest her cheek against the table. “Heechul and I… we grew up together. All I’ve ever known is Heechul. He’s always been by my side, been the first to protect me and to comfort me. So to have him taken away by someone else… I guess I just neglected the fact that there was always going to be a ‘someone else’ sooner or later.”

“Jess?” Donghae started, leaning forward to take the younger’s hand in both of his, giving her a reassuring squeeze despite the fact that she didn’t even look up. “Is it possible that you… might like Heechul-hyung?”

Jessica didn’t reply at first, just sighing as she stared out the window, a small pout scrunching up her lips. “I really don’t know… When I imagine my future, it’s just the same as my past. The only thing that is certain is Heechul. I’ve never thought about possibly liking Heechul, or even spared a thought to us dating despite how much his school friends used to tease us about it. I just know that having Heechul in my life is the first thing I remember, and I never want to lose someone so important to me.”

“Why don’t you talk to him about your whole problem with Yoona?” Sunny asked, her lips too curled into a slight pout.

“It’s the first time in my life that I haven’t spoken to Heechul in over a week. We used to be joined at the hip and now I only get to see him once a week,” Jessica muttered quietly, just loud enough for her friends to hear. “I guess it just hurts knowing that my best friend of eighteen years won’t even talk to me in public anymore.”

~ * ~ * ~


“If you can’t see the way she looks at you, then you’re either blind or stupid.”


~ * ~ * ~

“So you didn’t watch anything last week?” Heechul asked, raising an eyebrow as Jessica loaded the next Harry Potter film into the DVD player.

“Of course not,” she chuckled, searching for the remote. “Movie night is Heechul and Jessica’s thing, so Jessica can’t have movie night without Heechul.”

Heechul simply nodded, closing his eyes as he rested back into his usual spot on the couch.

“You’re not going to be able to watch the movie with your eyes closed like that, pabo,” Jessica laughed, lightly hitting her friend’s legs before lifting them and taking her usual seat under them.

“I know,” the elder smiled as he opened his eyes again, looking at Jessica briefly as she chewed quietly on some popcorn, eyes fixated on the screen ahead. “Hey, I like your new watch.”

The youn