JESSICA

 

“What did you say?”

 

He sighed and bowed his head. “I need to go back to my parents. Our business is slowly falling and I need to handle it.”

 

I don’t wanna be a burden but knowing he’s leaving makes me sad. After all, Siwon Oppa has been a good Oppa to me. He’s protective and thoughtful. But he needs to go.

 

I can see in his eyes he’s worried and it’s their business he’s talking about. He needs to save it.

 

“Oppa, you need to go.”

 

“Yes, Jessi. Thanks for understanding. I’ll call you when I get there,” he said.

 

I hugged him. “Take care, Oppa.”

 

He wrapped his arms around me and said once again, “I will. Goodbye, Little Sica.”

 

Then moments later, I find myself standing, watching as his car zoned out of my sight. I sighed then.

 

“It’s like seeing Donghae went away from me,” I whispered.

 

I was lost for a moment, remembering the day when Donghae went away from me. That day was the last day I had a contact with him. That day cut our connection.

 

“SOOYEON!!”

 

I almost jumped when I heard Butler Yondong’s voice yelled my name. I was about to look back when I glimpsed a moving car, running right to . . . my direction.

 

“Jessica!!!”

 

I felt myself being pulled hard that I’ve thought I have left my mind where I have stood earlier. I fell . . . I think I fell. I feel like I am falling, slowly.

 

I looked at the car . . . the driver . . . he’s wearing black suit, with shades on, with a grin plastered on his face. It played in my mind all over again. He whispered. No! He mouthed something. . . Sooyeon.

 

“Jessica! Jessica! Hey, Jessi,” I heard someone called my name. I came back to my senses. It’s Suho.

 

My eyes widened, boring into his eyes. Obviously, I’m still in deep shock.

 

I grabbed and hugged him tight. I was hugging him really tight like I don’t wanna let go. Then I just find myself crying. “Suho.”

 

“Shh. Jessica, I’m here, I’m here,” he said, caressing my back.

 

That moment, I just noticed Butler Yondong holding the gun up. It adds to the shock I am feeling. “Why is he holding a gun?”

 

“I don’t know—“

 

“Suho, get Jessica inside. Now!” Butler Yondong shouted.

 

Suho, with concern, carried me inside and made me sat down. He was holding me as I was holding him near me, leaning my head on his chest, and crying.

 

“Suho, what happened?” I asked him even though it hurts for me to know. I heard him sigh.

 

“I don’t really know but of what I have noticed, someone tried to run through you with that car. I don’t know if he’s sane or what,” he answered, caressing my bear shoulder.

 

I stopped crying then when the door burst open and Butler Yondong came with Yoona. She ran to me and sat beside me. Suho released me then, giving me and Yoona a time.

 

“Who did it to her?” Yoona asked. Yeah, who?

 

Butler Yondong shook his head. “I’ve got no idea. But I know he’s after you, Princ—“ I glared at him before he can say it. “Jessica.

 

“Hey,” Suho cut in. “Why would on earth is this man after Jessica?”

 

Butler Yondong remained silent, waiting for my signal. Then I decided, “Suho, please go home.”

 

He looked at me, shocked. “What? You know I can’t leave you with what happened just minutes ago.”

 

Even though it hurts to say this but he needs to go home. Butler Yondong has so much to explain to me. I don’t want Suho to get involved and learn that I am a princess—ran away princess. Because of me, I have put myself in trouble, in danger. “Go home before I’d kick you out.”

 

“No,” he rebuts. “You know why I don’t want to leave you.”

 

“Suho, you don’t understand. This is trouble, okay?” I stood up.

 

“No, I won’t leave,” he said, moving closer to me.

 

I can see he’s mad. Yes, I want him to be here but knowing this could lead to something like digging in to my past, I couldn’t let him know everything. I want him to look at me as the ordinary girl he always knows.

 

“Just stop, okay? Go home. Just for now, Suho,” I pleaded. I took her hand. Looking into his eyes, I said one more time, “Go home. I’ll give you a call, or two. Just by now, go home. I want you to be safe.”

 

His expression softened. He looked at me and said, “Okay.”

 

He moved his hand to my face, caressing it. “I get it. Just give me a call when you need me,” he said. And he suddenly kissed me.

 

The feeling of his lips is so warm but cold at the same time. It’s the feeling that I always want to feel. The kind of feeling that could always make me feel I am safe.

 

As our lips parted, he whispered, “I’m going.”

 

As fast as the wind, he stormed out of the house. I felt a little more ashamed as two pairs of eyes were looking at me.

 

“You kinda put your tongue in his throat,” Yoona commented.

 

“Sooyeon, are the two of you dating?” My eyes widened.

 

I shook my head and kept saying, “No, of course not. We’re just . . .”

 

“Girls, later. We need to talk about the thing that just happened,” Butler Yondong said and I came back to my senses then. I sat down with Yoona and Butler Yondong started talking.

 

He said that man might be the one after her for all this time. He said I’m not safe anymore this time. It’s getting really dangerous each day comes, and he needs to tell me not to go out more often. I have told him this might be some mad and drunk driver just want to victimize people.

 

But he said it’s not a coincidence. And I am fooling myself because with my two eyes I saw how he mouthed my name; so evil and merciless. But I know this could be the last time I’m going to spend time like an ordinary girl. Right now, I am in great danger.

 

Then he said what I don’t want to hear ever in my life, “Sooyeon, you need to go back to Sylvania.”

 

How I reacted was as fast as when someone felt the heat when he sat on the flame. “No.”

 

“But, Sooyeon, you need to go back.”

 

I shook my head. “You don’t understand, Butler. I am not going home.”

 

“I guess he’s right, Jessica.”

 

I looked at Yoong, though sad, there’s a great concern in his eyes. “I want you to be safe, Sica. It’s sure I don’t want you to go but . . . for your safety, I’m in,” she said.

 

“I’ll call someone to pick us up tomorrow morning. We need to get ou—“

 

“No!” I said. “You don’t get it, don’t you? I have a life here . . . and this kind of life is what I always dreamed of. This is the life I always wanted—away from home, and not the princess of any kingdom.”

 

“Bu—“

 

I stood still. “As the only princess of Sylvania, I am not going. I am not leaving. That’s it, end of the talk,” cutting them off, I directly went to my own room. I locked it behind me and sighed.

 

“Damn.”

 

Then a sudden light knock on my window interrupted my train of thoughts. My eyes diverted to the window and almost my heart jumped off my chest. I went near, opened it.

 

With my eyes widened, I whispered, “What are you doing here? I told you to go home.”

 

He didn’t answer my question, instead he replied, “I can’t leave you and you know why.”

 

I seriously do not know why. Can someone please tell me why he’s not leaving? I can’t seem to remember a thing why.

 

Then the scene earlier flashed in my mind, I, suddenly, grabbed his collar and glared. “You, absurd!”

 

His beautiful eyes widened. Oh, scratch that! Those aren’t beautiful! “What the hell did I do now?”

 

“You didn’t do anything now. But you seemed like slipped your tongue in my throat earlier!”

 

He grinned and it makes him look hot—idiot! I tightened my grip of his collar. He chuckled and removed my hand from it, took it, squeezed it, caressed it. “You mad because of that?”

 

“I’m not mad—I mean I am, of course!” Why am I even stuttering?

 

His grin widened. “You seem kinda like it. How about you step aside and let me in? So we can have a round two?”

 

I slapped him. It’s not really painful, I guess. But I know he’s just playing around. But bringing it up always makes me feel embarrassed.

 

“What you do that for?” He asked, caressing his just-slapped face.

 

I glared at him and retorted, “Get in here before I’d push you off and have your bones broken.”

 

He smiled. I stepped aside for him to climb and pass through the window frame. He immediately got in and now, standing just 2 to 3 feet away from me.

 

“Woah. I almost got cold. It’s pretty chilly out there,” he commented.

 

“You’re silly. You knew it’s winter and you didn’t even wear a coat? What are you, a baby that only wants to be dressed up by her mother? God, Suho, you want to catch cold?”

 

And there it goes again . . . he just smiled at me. This happens all the time. When I started scolding him, he just smiles at me like those words are the best compliment I have said to him. He’s kinda creepy sometimes.

 

“Why are you staring at me like that? And why are you smiling like an idiot there, Suho? You’re freaking me out,” I stated, starting to step backward.

 

He sniggered. I raised an eyebrow. “Jessica, you’re the one who’s freaking me out.”

 

“What?” shocked, I stepped forward. “Why on earth am I freaking you out?”

 

“Those thin lips that talk too much makes me wanna kiss you again.” My eyes widened and he started stepping forward. Each step I took backward, he mimicked it inversely.

 

“Back away, Suho. I’m warning you,” I said, backing away.

 

He shook his head and with his sweet smile on, he said, “I kinda love the taste of your lips, can I have a second kiss?” He pleaded and did that puppy-eyes expression.

 

“No way,” I said.

 

“Yeah?”

 

“Of course! You cannot kiss me again, Suho.”

 

“And if I want to?”

 

I looked at him. “Then we can talk about it. Or you can go home now, Suho. You wouldn’t be safe with me.”

 

“Blow away, Jess. When I promised you I won’t leave you, I meant it. I accepted the consequence whether it would be bad or good,” he stepped closer to me and I remained standing there. “It’s because I like—you’re so important to me.”

 

I almost choked to my own air. What did he just say? He took more steps towards me.

 

“Suho, you don’t understand. I don—“

 

“I get it. You don’t like me, then? I know you wouldn’t. Who would like me?” He said and turned around. He was leaving . . . he’s really leaving.

 

He was about to get out through the window but I stopped him. “Wait.”

 

He didn’t say anything. He’s almost outside but I yanked his shirt and pulled him inside. He stumbled to my floor, near my feet. I glared at him. “So, you won’t listen to me, eh?”

 

“Jessi, I’m making it easy for me. I am heart-broken. You don’t like me,” he said and turned his body away from me. What the hell? So he really likes me? Or loves me? What is he thinking? Is he out of his mind?

 

He was like that for seconds when I knelt down and hit his head. “Stupid! You’re a drama king,” I commented.

 

Still, he didn’t turn to me. I sat down, then. I don’t know what’s really happening but I like this setting. It’s like there’s no awkwardness here.

 

But still, he continued to speak. “You don’t know about heartbreaks, Jess. My heart is broken into tiny little pieces and scattered all over this place.” My eyes widened. “And I bet you just stepped into some of it.”

 

“Stupid, I’m sitting. But,” I hit his head again. “You’re so dramatic. How about you face me so I could talk to you—your face, instead of talking to your hair?”

 

“No, I cannot let you see me crying.”

 

“What? You’re crying?” Then I heard him sniffing. How would I get used to the truth that Suho is such a boy and a soft one?

 

But I won’t lie. When I’m with Suho, I feel something really different, something like protectiveness and attraction. Am I attracted to him? But, how about Donghae?

 

But Donghae is not here. He’s not here. Not like Suho; he’s here. I admit I’m feeling something for Suho. Just looking at him right now, hearing his sobs make me realize he’s such a precious boy to be kept. And he never breaks his promise.

 

I held his arm. “Turn to me, Suho,” I asked.

 

He didn’t barge. “No.”

 

“Turn now or else I’m gonna kick you out.” Still nothing. He didn’t say anything to me. I just heard his sobs.

 

I get pissed. “I said, turn to me!” I pulled his arm to make him face me. He’s now facing me. I glared at him and said, “You stupid. You’re so stubborn but I can’t bring myself to get annoyed and hate you!”

 

I leaned down and kissed him. No tongue this time because I know, he’s caught off guard. I released the kiss then, before I stood to sit on my bed.

 

I felt arm grabbing me to make a turn and I know it’s Suho. He’s smiling down at me saying, “You can’t get away with that so easily.”

 

He leaned down and kissed me. The feeling is the same with our first kiss. His lips are so warm but cold at the same time. I like it. He cupped my face, kissing me softly and passionately.

 

And there it goes, fellows, his tongue slipped into mine, exploring, feeling, and tasting. I moved my hands to his shoulder, pulling him close. He lay me down the bed . . . it was a long passionate kiss until we broke it because we certainly look like we didn’t breathe for that long moment.

 

He’s looking down to me, his hand on my waist; mine are on his both shoulders. With his free hand, he ran a hand through my hair.

 

Like what Donghae always did.

 

But it’s Suho’s doing it. I looked into his beautiful eyes, seeing my reflection clearly. Then he spoke, “I love you, Jessica.”

 

My breathing becomes ragged. Hearing him admit it, he does bring pain to me. I don’t love him just yet. It’s sure that I like him but just that. I am not ready to love. Not again. I’m still hoping for Donghae.

 

I’m silent and I think Suho got the message. His expression’s wretched. But I want to be honest with him instead of bringing myself to tell him I love him, too when in fact I do not. Not yet.

 

“I understand, Jessica.”

 

He was about to pulled away but I stopped him and said, “Make me fall in love with you, Suho. And be sure you’ll succeed.”