Annyeong!! Here’s Chapter 15 ^^

Did you wait patiently? Haha.

Thank you for all the comments! *bows slightly*

This is for you, lovely readers. Hahaha! ^^;

So, hope you enjoy this.

AND, Please Don’t Forget to post your feedbacks!!

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With Me

Continuing along to the second half of their first date, the couple made their way along the stretch of city road. It was only mid-afternoon, but, being winter, the sun was already starting to set behind the line of buildings to the side. It provided a gentle and not too bright glow on the girls' hair which was still glistening with melted snow. The clouds had parted just as the day was going to end, which was actually quite nice. The snowfall that day had made for enough to last days, not to mention the unforgettable memories between the pair.

As they approached the curve in terrain, leading their way downhill once more before they would have to climb again, the area had become emptier. It was only a few more steps until they reached their secluded private property and Sooyoung smiled. With no one around, she slid her arm down the one it was linked with and clutched her fingers around Jessica’s hand. The elder girl returned the expression at this, inwardly giggling at the fact that she had been actually waiting for this particular spot to come so that her girlfriend would be more comfortable. All that was around them now were trees, and the occasional set of wooden steps to aid their second climb, now closing in on the house itself.

They had just reached the final peak when Sooyoung came to a halt, earning a curious look from the other girl.

"Do you need a moment to rest Sooyoung?" she asked casually, but seemed to be a bit more confused when the girl's eyes seemed to look out into the forest, searching for something, even as her head shook no to the question.

"I'm just looking for something. I know it's around here, just— Ah! There it is!" her expression lit up as she tugged on the hand while starting to walk in an adjacent direction.

"It's this really nice pond I found a while ago. I wanted to show it to you."

"Oh? Is it that one?" Jessica asked, pointing ahead to the rocks surrounding the small body of water.

"...Yeah." Sooyoung replied, somewhat disappointed, "You already knew about it?"

"Well I was the one to choose this house." she replied with a lopsided smile at the girl's pout, "But I'd still love to go with you."

The tall girl's spirits immediately picked up. That was all she wanted really, to sit there with Jessica. It would have been a nice bonus if it was a surprise but she supposed some things just couldn't be helped. Sooyoung took the lead along the narrow pathway leading up to the pond through the trees, amused that she had been humored by her girlfriend, to at least make it seem like she was the one showing off her rare jewel.

The younger girl took a confident step onto one of the boulders and grinned while dusting off the snow and then stepping aside onto the next one.

"Here you go." she said with a strange happy face; kind of like she was bashful about being proud for having suddenly gotten this spark of romance.

It was quickly hidden though when she turned around to start brushing snow off of her own rock and then sitting down next to Jessica.

"Since when have you been coming up here?" Sooyoung asked, not wanting her curiosity to last too long.

Jessica’s eyes softened as she looked calmly over the frozen water, staring at their reflections. How long indeed?

"Months." she replied, "This... is another place that I come to think often. You can see why."

She gestured to the open space and Sooyoung merely nodded, wondering what she should say. Granted, a part of her was expecting this to be the reason Jessica knew about this little area, but she still hadn't figured out the words. They had been walking for a good twenty minutes now she since found out about the park, and yet she had nothing.

"I come here to think too." she said anyway, not comfortable with the type of silence that had arisen, "But only recently. I'd like it better when the water is flowing though."

"It will again soon." Jessica said with a gentle smile, lost in her own thoughts at the moment while continuing to look into the eyes reflecting at her.

"This pond, it needs to be frozen for now." she was speaking out loud, low enough that it was clear it was to herself, but Sooyoung could understand it anyway.

The girl watched as Jessica bent down and gently slid her fingers across the surface, melting the ice with her touch.

"A person can only do so much to thaw it." she continued before turning to the glow on the horizon, a smile of acceptance on her face, "The only thing that can turn the ice soft again is the sun... in time..."

Sooyoung simply blinked at the side of Jessica’s head that was turned to her, now even unsure of what to say. Why had she started talking so emphatically about the spring thaw? The girl really didn't know, and this time opted for the silence rather than another question given that it was quite relaxing this time around. They would only stay there so long, until the sun completely set on the mid-winter's day.

However, over the course of that restful hour, Sooyoung had begun to inch herself closer to the warmth of Jessica, enough to wrap her arms around the older girl's waist and lean her head on her shoulder. She may not have been falling asleep, but something about being close was suddenly so addicting. Just like she had before, Sooyoung wondered again how she could have gone so long without this wonderful feeling.

Maybe... I just wasn't ready...

She smirked at her thoughts reminiscing over her initial immaturity.

Yeah... definitely was not ready then.

Jessica, on the other hand, was simply trying to keep from squealing and tightly embracing the girl in all her adorableness.

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"Do you hear that?" Sooyoung asked over the sound of their feet crunching some fallen twigs into the snow.

It sounded like there was music coming from somewhere, more specifically, in the direction they were walking.

"I do." Jessica replied, just as confused as they stepped to the short but steep edge of the forest that led into their parking space.

"Oh damn it!" the younger girl cursed as the music became clearer in her ears, it was the same taste in rock that she shared with a certain best friend.

Without another word she jumped down and bolted toward the front door, having no qualms about kicking it open either. Of course, the first place she ran into was the living room, where the sound had become obnoxiously loud and where she found her friend singing away – quite poorly at that.

"Yul! What the hell are you doing in my house?!" Sooyoung screamed over the music before violently unplugging the stereo.

"Hey! The solo was just about to start!" she yelled right back, looking up from the nails she was filing at the same time.

"Geez, I was bored and felt like visiting to make sure you were okay after last night. I didn't know my presence bothered you that much, Choi!"

Although, even though these two were engaged in their usual loud arguing, the visitor's attention was immediately drawn to the sight of the eldest girl coming in shortly behind when she arrived.

"Mwo Youngiee..." Jessica pouted, looking the door up and down, "It's a miracle this didn't completely break off... you kick quite hard."

"Sorry..." the girl in question crossed her arms and glared to the side, cheeks flushing with embarrassment.

Jessica just sighed exasperatedly and began removing her winter outerwear; then, without thinking it seemed, she got Sooyoung's attention by tugging on her coat as well to hang it up for her. Yuri watched with intrigued as Sooyoung's eyes that were just staring with such frustration softened almost instantly, and at how her friend was letting someone else get so close, let alone doing something helpful for her... and then thanking her for taking her coat!

"Holy. Fricken. Frak!" Yuri stated with a hint of true surprise, but mostly covered it with mischief.

"You two are—?"

Sooyoung's eye began twitching when she saw the glint in Yuri’s.

"Yes, we sorted things out. Now will you leave?"

"Sorted? Or moaned?" the girl's eyebrows waggled suggestively before she was thumped over the head.

Jessica just standing in the back laughing to herself at their antics again.

"Sorted you ert!! And it's none of your business!!" Sooyoung was now dragging her friend – who seemed rather unfazed – to the door by her collar.

"Hey, I'm the one who got her to Kagayaki last night." Yuri said with a shrug.

"If it weren't for me who knows what would've happened..."

She winked.

"Speaking of which, what did happen?"

"OUT!" they were now at the door, where Sooyoung pushed Yuri outside without hesitation.

"Fine fine, I'll go, I don't want to be interrupting anything."

She giggled at the red face of her friend and then turned to head down the walkway, waving her hand nonchalantly behind her.

"Besides, I can figure out what happened. I'll probably get it right when I let Hyo in on the good news." the emphasis on "probably" to tease the girl.

"Yuri! I swear I'm gonna—!!" Sooyoung's outburst was cut short by two arms wrapping her up from behind.

"Let her go." soft voice whispered into her ears, "We still have the rest of our date."

"Ah! But!" the girl still struggled for a bit, but soon relaxed into the hold.

"She's gonna go making up crap about us now! Ridiculous stuff!"

"You're so easy to tease Sooyoung." Jessica said with a bit of light laughter, "It's a shame I could hardly do it before."

"What are you talking about? You teased me all the time!"

"... I could have been worse." she grinned innocently, causing the girl in her arms to blink in panic.

"Come." Jessica stepped back from the embrace but slid her hands down the sides of Sooyoung's arms to turn her around and lock eyes.

Like floating on air, the two stepped smoothly into the living room, not in any hurry though. It had only just become evening; there was no need to rush anything. Jessica led the way over to the sofa with Sooyoung willfully following and casually sat down with one leg folded beneath her. She watched the girl's every movement with a smile on her face, even at something as simple as being beside her. That being said, she was instantly aware of the minor distress in her love's expression.

"I'm sorry about Yuri." Sooyoung stated, breaking the gaze to look down at the floor, "I hope she didn't bother you."

"She doesn't bother me." Jessica replied while raising one arm to bend and lean against the back of the sofa in order to rest her head on her lightly closed fist.

She absent-mindedly teased Sooyoung's fingers with her other hand, slipping from in between them to around her hand and then returned her focus to the brown orbs.

"But, I am glad that you would rather be with me." she chuckled when the girl's face reddened.

"W-well it's not like I suddenly don't want to spend time with my friends… I mean! I'm not needy! I just—!" she was silenced by a set of lips lightly pecking her own.

Sooyoung emitted a barely audible whimper and let her eyelids fall closed when the kiss transformed into a longer more sensual one. It was unlike any kiss from before as well; not today or last night, and certainly not like the first time they had. Jessica’s seriousness and devotion were more apparent in this one than raw hunger, and it had actually consumed her more for what it really was. The realization of their feelings was behind them, as well as the confession of them; all that was left was to enjoy the moment.

Sooyoung felt a hand slide around her back and hold her still while gently pushing backwards so the girl was now on her back with Jessica above her. They then broke the kiss for a second to breathe, but just as the latter was about to move back down and continue she was stopped by a palm cupping her cheek. She blinked in curiosity at the new look in Sooyoung's eyes that were no longer focused on her ones but on her other features.

"Oh, what is it that Sooyoung finds so interesting?" she asked in a whisper when she felt the fingertips move from her face to her hair, pulling and looking at the long strands before going back to the front of her face and combing through auburn bangs.

"You're beautiful." came the simple reply in a sweet tone with a smile on the girl's face.

Both of her hands moved to caress Jessica’s neck, kneading the flexed muscles there before moving onto her shoulders and arms.

"And strong..."

A pink tinge came to Jessica’s cheeks, not feeling the need to hide her appreciation of the compliments; however just as she was about to say something impish in return Sooyoung spoke again, folding her arms around the back of the girl's neck and pulling her down on top of her completely.

"Not that I'm saying I need it." she said with a pout that eventually softened into a never before seen weakness.

"But... Would you ever... protect me?"

"Yes." she said firmly, lifting her torso up so that she could look deep into Sooyoung’s eyes, "I will always protect you. From anything."

Brown orbs radiated her fidelity, something that transcended the label of their relationship. It wasn't the time or the issue even to . Sooyoung had always played the role of the loyal friend, loyal daughter, and loyal student to her arts; and despite how good she was at it, and that she truly didn't think of it as a burden, it still left her vulnerable.

"Thank you..." she said softly, pulling Jess