The sound of keys jingling reverberated in the oddly unlit hallway. Tired eyes squinted as Tiffany pecked the door with her key in search of the appropriate hole. The lack of light made the everyday task increasingly hard. A few sighs of frustration later and she finally managed to unlock the damn door, sighing in relief as she tugged off her heels in the shoe closet.

She blindly sauntered through the unlit hallway, expertly dodging various obstacles like she's walked the path a million times before.

The living room was bathed in darkness when she finally drifted into it on aching feet. The curtains were pulled tightly closed, shielding the bitter conditions rampaging through the streets of Seoul. Her ears pricked to sound of raindrops pounding on the panes of glass so hard she could almost feel them.

Hands clumsily pawed at the walls in search of the light switch, something Tiffany was familiar with after those wild nights out with the girls. It took a mere second for those dextrous fingers to find it. She flicked it on, then off, then on again with no real result.

"Powers out."

A timid voice emerged out of nowhere and Tiffany jumped out of her skin. Clutching her pounding chest, she scanned the room for the source of the girlish voice with the trusty light of her smart phone. What her eyes lay upon wasn't quite what she expected.

She releases a relieved breath upon finding the familiarity in front of her; Jessica leaning against the wall with her knees pressed tightly against her chest, staring impassively at the floorboards beneath her bare feet.

Tiffany released the leather strap in her clutches and let her handbag drop onto the dining table just beside her, "Geez, you scared the crap out of me,"

Fearful eyes found hers, the smile that usually greeted her upon her arrival was missing and it pained her, "Sorry Fany-ah."

Tiffany smiled sincerely, but couldn't help but frown at the sight before her, "Why are you down there anyway?"

"I just am." Jessica answered indifferently, twiddling her thumbs as her gaze returned to the floor. She was trembling, despite it being dark Tiffany could tell she was. Her voice wavered as she spoke and she was aimlessly fiddling with her hands the way she did before a big showcase. This wasn't because of nerves, Jessica was frightened.

Her lips quirked into a smile, and she tried to hide it but with little avail, "Wait, don't tell me. You're afraid aren't you?"

"Don't be stupid, it's only a little thund-" A burst of light illuminated the room, swiftly followed by long, drawn out rumble that Tiffany could feel reverberate in the floorboards.

The fear that flashed through Jessica's eyes didn't go unnoticed. The huge grin on Tiffany's face definitely didn't go unnoticed. She felt bad for finding amusement in her vulnerable dorm mate, honest.

"Jessi, you're so cute!"

 "Shut up!" Jessica grumbled before she sighed in defeat, "Just, promise to keep this between us."

Tiffany offered her hand to the girl below her, presenting the biggest, cheesiest grin she could muster, "Sure thing."

"And will you stop smiling like that; you're giving me the creeps." Jessica complained as she felt herself being lifted up to her feet, giving Tiffany that little scowl she can never take seriously.

"I'm sorry Jessi, it's just that you're so adorable! I sorta wish the others were here to see it."

"Yeah, yeah," Jessica droned sarcastically, waving her hand in a dismissive manner as she brushed passed the younger girl and entered the kitchen.

Tiffany gave the ill-lit room a look over, searching for the familiar rays of light beaming from under the collection of bedroom doors. There were none. "Speaking of others, where are they?"

It was quiet, too quiet. The atmosphere was void of the usual loud chatter of girls. She felt empty, almost alone but Jessica was there, she always was.

"They were all out on schedule but since the storm got worse, Manager-Oppa deemed it too dangerous to drive. Now they're stuck in some mediocre hotel outside of Seoul as Tae put it." A voice called from behind the open fridge door.

Another clash of thunder rippled through the murky sky, sounding the entirety of the room. Tiffany's eyes immediately darted over to Jessica whose hand was gripping the metallic door for dear life. How cute, Tiffany thought to herself once again. She shook her head at her absurdity soon after.

"You okay?" She asked out of concern, approaching the older girl in worried, hasty steps.

The door closed with a thud, and Jessica stood in front of Tiffany, her shoulders tensed and body seized stiff. Tiffany towered over her timid frame, if she had a shadow she was sure it would shroud the smaller girl in a blanket of protection and security, not the intimidating aura that seemed to seep from her.

Jessica never looked so small to her before.

"Uh y-yeah, I'm going to try and sleep through this. You don't mind do you?"

"Of course not."

Jessica stopped in her tracks, eyes glued on her bedroom door, "You're not going to bed?" she asked, voice hinting disappointment though Tiffany couldn't be sure.

Tiffany smiled to herself, guiding her way to the sofa with the lit screen of her cell phone, "Not yet. I've been dying to read at least one chapter of this book and I'm not passing up this opportunity." She chuckled, waving an untarnished, unused book absentmindedly in the air.

"Oh, okay then. Goodnight I guess."

She acknowledged with a flash of her signature smile, "G'night Jessi," watching the lifeless body drift through the door.

The rain immediately seemed to pound harder against the windows the second she was left alone. She lit the small collection of candles she’d managed to scavenge from around the dorm, bestowing her with just enough light for her tired eyes to make out the text on the pages. She sighed, tucking a purple comforter over her legs and opening that new crispy page of her book.

After half a chapter, the words of sappy romance began to jumble and merge the more she lost interest. She never thought much of this cliché kind of romance but Seohyun was adamant it was worth the read. Unlikely, Tiffany thought, but she had promised to read at least one chapter to the younger girl.

"Fany-ah?" A voice emerged from behind her.

"Two times in one night. Are you trying to give me a heart attack?"

Jessica didn't move, she remained the frail statue stood in the doorway adorning perfect, untouched hair that seemed to have never even touched the pillow. Her puffy, red eyes hinted that the girl hadn't had a wink of sleep, which in Jessica's case was very unusual.

"I thought you were sleepy?" Tiffany asked, looking over her shoulder.

"I was but..." Jessica muttered, pulling shyly at the end of her oversized sweat shirt and staring at her feet.

Tiffany smiled to herself, putting the book aside and rejoicing in the fact that she finally had an excuse to stop reading that drivel, "Aww, is the storm keeping you up?"

"No," Jessica replied matter-of-factly, crossing her arms like she had a point to prove, "I thought you might want some company."

Tiffany didn't buy it one bit.

"Uh-huh. Since when did you become so sociable?"

A faux smirk formed on Jessica's lips, "Since forever, now move your ."

Jessica parked herself next to Tiffany, invading every bit of personal space, tugging at the comforter to try and cover her short clad legs. And as much as Tiffany hated that damn book, it was the only distraction she had from the desire to run her fingers along those delicate pale legs pressed so deliciously close to hers.   

The rain soon reduced to a light pitter-patter against the window and Tiffany felt Jessica's body relax against her.

"Cold?" Tiffany asks, noticing the paths of goose bumps trailing up Jessica's arms out of the corner of her eye. Jessica nodded.

"These candles not working for ya?"

Unimpressed eyes stared into hers, "Hilarious, Fany-ah."

"C'mere, miss grouchy." Putting the book aside, Tiffany wrapped an arm around Jessica's petite shoulders and pulled her close, "Better?"

The head resting on her shoulder nodded minutely.

A proud grin formed on her lips, "Tiffany Hwang, portable heater at your service."

"You're such a dork, Hwang."

"But here you are, clinging on to me like a koala."

"Only because you're like a million degrees. Seriously, how're you so hot?"

"I'll take that as a compliment."

Jessica's hands blindly grasped for something in reach; a pillow much to Tiffany's relief and started hitting her with it.

"Hey hey hey! I think I preferred scare-dy cat Jessica, she was a lot nicer."

"Well, she died along with the storm so zip it." Jessica ordered, snuggling into the crook of Tiffany's neck with a contented sigh.

"Are you seriously expecting me to sit here and let you sleep on my shoulder?"

Tiffany waited a few beats for some sort of snarky response but only the faint hums of Jessica's shallow breaths were heard.

"Jessi?"

Again, she didn't get a response, only more calm breaths.

"Geez, already? Aish, this girl." She laughed to herself, who could forget this is the sleeping beauty in the flesh, taken to the world of dreams in a matter of minutes. Her eyes shifted to Jessica's sleeping form, her calmed expression, the slight curl of her lips that almost makes it a smile. The simplest things about her were captivating, drawing Tiffany in like a moth to a flame. 

Hesitatingly at first, she leant over, tucking a lock of auburn hair behind her ear as to not let it brush against the girl's cheek as she veered closer.

Tiffany her lips instinctively, "Jessi?" her voice nothing but a frail whisper as she struggled to find words.

The delicate wisps of her spearmint scented breath from Jessica's slightly parted lips at her own, enticing her. Teasing her.

She was so close she could almost taste that heavenly scent when unexpectedly, the dormant girl beside her stirred, "Mmm?" Jessica replied sleepily at the edge of a long sigh, not bothering to open her eyes to the flustered face of Tiffany just mere centimetres away.

Tiffany withdrew immediately, cheeks tinged with embarrassment, "N-never mind."  

An effortless scoff played in her ear, "Weirdo."

Tiffany released a nervous chuckle, unable to do much else but sit back and wait for her heart to stop pounding in her chest.

 She had almost kissed Jessica Jung.

 Almost.

And although she was certain the girl was asleep by then, Tiffany held back her urge to try again. She was contented with holding her close, watching the slow rising and falling of her chest as she slept her fears away. At least for now.

Tiffany settled with a gentle kiss on her forward.

Maybe storms weren't so bad after all.

-Fin-

A/N: I may or may not write an alternative ending to this. And yes it's going to be exactly what you think it is. Comments are much loved :3