“Taeyeon!” The girl had barely registered who had woken her up before a body landed right on top of hers on the bed. She let out a groan and felt herself being shaken as the girl on top of her had grabbed her shoulders and was trying to wake her up by shaking her.

“Taeyeon, Taeyeon! You have to get up! You have to see this!” Jessica continued to say as she was shaking the poor girl.

“See what?” Taeyeon groggily asked and felt thankful that Jessica stopped shaking her. She found herself looking up at the girl that was sitting straddled over her hips. She continued to look at Jessica as the girl was smiling widely at her.

“Kim Jr. and Jess has tomatoes growing on them! We’re grandparents!” Jessica announced happily.

Hearing it was about the tomato plants Taeyeon let out a tired sigh and went back to lie her head on the pillow and closed her eyes.

“Good for you.” Taeyeon mumbled tiredly.

“But Taeyeon you have to come and see them. They are so cute!”

“Did you just call tomatoes cute?”

“But they are! Especially ours! They’re so, so cute and you have to come and see them!”

“But I’m tired.”

“Jess and Kim Jr. will get hurt if their appa doesn’t come to see their children!”

“Why am I their father…?”

“Because I just decided it. C’mon Taeyeon, you have to see them. Please, please, please, you won’t regret it.” Jessica promised.

“Fine…” Taeyeon sighed.

“Yay!” Jessica cheered and jumped off the girl. She removed Taeyeon’s blankets and pulled the girl up from the bed. Taeyeon didn’t get to change into other clothes and was just dragged downstairs while wearing a t-shirt and pajama pants, her hair messy after rolling around in her sleep.

“We’ve become grandparents!” Jessica announced to Taeyeon’s mom on her way out. The woman only smiled at the two girls that were on their way out.

“Oh, that’s great news. I’m so happy for you.” Mrs. Kim said.

“Mom, it’s just tomatoes.” Taeyeon whined but didn’t get to hear what her mother had to say about it as Jessica dragged her out of the house. Jessica went to her house through the pathway they had in the backyard.

Jessica didn’t’ let go of Taeyeon’s hand until they had reached the tomato plants. When they arrived there they noticed Jessica’s father was admiring the tomatoes that were growing on two of the plants.

The man noticed the two girls and he turned towards them with a smile on his lips.

“Jessica your tomatoes have grown really well.” The man praised his daughter.

“They’re not tomatoes, they’re my grandchildren!” Jessica corrected.

“O-oh…okay.” The man said and withdrawn his hand from the plants. Jessica smiled pleased and stopped by the two plants that had tomatoes growing on them.

“Look! I brought your appa!” Jessica told the tomato plants. Taeyeon and Jessica’s father watched as the girl continued to converse with the plants, praising Kim Jr. and Jess for the tomatoes that had started growing on them.

Taeyeon felt Jessica’s father was looking at her. She looked back at the man and noticed he started to smile which she just frowned by.

“Don’t ask.” Taeyeon muttered and only made Jessica’s father laugh. She felt him patting her back before he started making his way to the house.

“Have fun with your kids and grandchildren. I’ll be in the house if you need me.” He said and went inside. Taeyeon let out a sigh and continued to watch as Jessica excitedly looked at each tomato that grew on the plants.

“Look, Taeyeon, this looks like you!” Jessica said and pointed on a tomato that were growing on the Jess plant. Taeyeon leaned closer to look at the plant, not understanding where it looked like her as it looked like a normal tomato to her. But she nodded her head, not feeling like arguing.

“I see.” Taeyeon said and leaned away again. Jessica continued to inspect the tomatoes that were growing and Taeyeon watched the girl say hello to every growing vegetable.

“Hey, Sica, will we eat these tomatoes?” Taeyeon suddenly asked. She noticed Jessica stopped in her action of checking one of Cameron’s leaves. She slowly turned around to look at Taeyeon, and seeing the girl’s expression Taeyeon instantly regretted what she had asked.

“You want to eat your grandchildren?” Jessica asked like she couldn’t believe it.

“Ehm…” Taeyeon had no idea what to say to that. She scratched the back of her head and looked at the plants.

“Not really…but you know animals can eat the tomatoes if we leave them out here and eventually they will get bad and rot.” Taeyeon said and looked back at Jessica. She could see her explanation hadn’t earned her any good points at all.

“Evil.” Jessica muttered and turned back to the plants. Taeyeon sighed and slumped her shoulders.

“Sica, they’re just–“ Taeyeon stopped midsentence when Jessica spun around and glared at her, daring her to finish that sentence. And Taeyeon knew better than to cross that line.

“But– “ Taeyeon tried to place her hand on Jessica’s shoulder but the girl just shrugged it off.

“You can go back to sleep if you want.” Jessica said. Thinking it was no use in trying to make up for what she had done, Taeyeon left Jessica alone to let the girl cool down. But instead of going back to her house she went to Jessica’s.

The girl went to the living room where she saw Krystal watching TV. She plopped down on the couch next to the girl, earning the girl’s eyes on her as Krystal took in her attire and an eyebrow was raised.

“Did you sleep here last night?” Krystal asked as she didn’t remember it.

“No, I just got dragged here before I could change.” Taeyeon said and looked down on her pajama pants. Krystal nodded her head and turned back to the TV. She realized something else and she turned back to the older girl.

“Where’s unnie?”

“With the tomato plants.”

“Oh, right. I heard tomatoes had started to grow!” Krystal said happily. “Do you think we’ll be able to eat them?”

A sigh left Taeyeon’s lips upon the question and she shook her head. Krystal looked puzzled by the girl’s answer

“Why not?”

“Because they’re my and Jessica’s grandchildren and we don’t eat grandchildren.” Taeyeon explained. She sighed again and stood up from her seat. “I’ll go to Jessica’s room.” Taeyeon announced.

Krystal was left in the living room with a confused look on her face. She tilted her head to the side but soon shrugged her shoulders and went back to watch TV.


---


Taeyeon entered Jessica’s room and made herself towards the girl’s bed. With a sigh she plopped down on the bed and turned around to lie on her back. Another sigh left her lips and she closed her eyes.

“Good job Taeyeon! Let’s write down a list about things to say to make Jessica upset.” Taeyeon said to herself and opened her eyes. She frowned and turned to lie on her side instead.

How stupid can I get? I should’ve known that we wouldn’t eat the tomatoes. Taeyeon sighed and stared at the wall. She grabbed one of Jessica’s pillows and propped it under her head as she continued to think about how angry Jessica had gotten earlier.

Jessica didn’t overreact. It’s me that didn’t think before speaking. Taeyeon said and furrowed her eyebrows.

I need to apologize… Taeyeon thought and closed her eyes. Trying to think of things to say and do to make up for her slip of tongue.


---


Taeyeon woke up after noon. The first thing she noticed was that she wasn’t in her room, and she remembered she had fallen asleep in Jessica’s. A sigh left her lips and she turned around, getting slightly startled as she noticed Jessica was sitting by her desk, back facing her as she was on her laptop.

Another sigh left Taeyeon’s lips and she stood up and made her way to the girl. She had a lot of time to think of an apology to the girl, and she had fallen asleep somewhere in the middle of memorizing it.

“Sica,” Taeyeon stopped behind the chair Jessica was sitting on.

She heard a sniffle from the girl which alarmed Taeyeon. She blinked and looked at Jessica’s side profile, noticing tears running down the girl’s cheeks. Her eyes widened and she felt panic raise within her.

“Hey,” Taeyeon said and began rubbing Jessica’s back. “I’m sorry about what I said before. I really didn’t think straight and I didn’t mean it. Of course we’re not going to eat the tomatoes.” Taeyeon said and hugged the girl. Jessica however didn’t say anything and sniffled again.

Taeyeon pulled away from the hug and glanced at the laptop screen. She blinked confused when she noticed it was a site about how to take care of tomatoes.

“We have to kill them.” Jessica said and highlighted the text she just had read. Taeyeon read the text, her eyebrows furrowed and a pang of sadness filled her when she realized what Jessica was crying about.

“I’m so sorry.” Taeyeon said and rubbed Jessica’s back. She brought in the girl for another hug and kissed the crown of Jessica’s head.

“But hey, let’s spend as much time we can with them now until then. Let’s make lots of lots of memories. Huh? Let’s not show them we’re sad, that way they might grow sad as well.” Taeyeon said and hoped her words could comfort Jessica somehow.

Jessica sniffled again and turned towards Taeyeon. The expression the girl gave her made Taeyeon unable to smile reassuringly at her, and instead she started to wipe away Jessica’s tears instead.

“Let’s…” Taeyeon stopped wiping Jessica’s tears and looked into the girl’s eyes. “Let’s take pictures of them. Talk to them. Just spend time with them. Like grandparents do. Okay?” Taeyeon said and tilted her head to the side.

Jessica finally smiled and Taeyeon could smile along with her. She put a few hair strands behind Jessica’s ear and continued to smile with the girl.

“I can….I can paint a picture…for them. I can do that.” Taeyeon said, almost sounding like she was convincing herself to do it. Jessica’s eyes widened when she heard what Taeyeon said.

“Really? You’ll paint a picture?” Jessica asked shocked.

Taeyeon nodded her head and let her eyes scan Jessica’s desk.

“I’ll paint a picture of the tomatoes and tomato plants.” Taeyeon said and looked back at Jessica. The latter blinked surprised at Taeyeon for offering to do something like that.

“Won’t you need paint for that?” Jessica asked.

“I have paint at my place. I’ll go and get it, and change clothes, and afterwards we’ll spend time with the tomatoes and tomato plants. Okay?” Taeyeon said and looked at Jessica.  A smile appeared on Jessica’s lips and she nodded her head.

“Good. I’ll be right back. You can go out to Jess and Kim Jr.. I’ll come to you once I have everything I need.” Taeyeon said and kissed Jessica’s forehead before heading to the door.

“Taeyeon”

Taeyeon stopped in her tracks and turned towards Jessica with a concerned expression. Jessica smiled at the girl.

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” Taeyeon said and smiled at the girl before heading out to fix everything.


---


When Taeyeon returned to Jessica’s house she found the girl by the tomato plants. She slowed down in her pace, and watched as Jessica was taking pictures of the Jess plant and Kim Jr. plant. A small smile graced her lips and she walked closer and took a seat in the grass.

Jessica stopped taking pictures and turned towards Taeyeon that was sitting behind her. A smile appeared on her lips upon seeing the other girl and she went to see what Taeyeon was doing.

“Are you going to paint them right away?” Jessica asked and watched as Taeyeon began sketching someone on the paper she had brought.

“Yup.” Taeyeon said without looking up from the paper. Jessica watched Taeyeon do her thing. slightly opening as she saw what Taeyeon was sketching.

“You’re putting me in the picture?!” She asked surprised.

“I’m putting us in the picture.” Taeyeon said and looked at the girl. Jessica blinked and looked down at what Taeyeon was doing.

“It’s like a family photo…”Jessica mumbled.

“That’s exactly what it is.” Taeyeon said and looked at Jessica. She saw the corner of Jessica’s mouth turn upwards into a smile and Taeyeon couldn’t help but smile as well.

Jessica sat down beside the girl that was drawing and placed her chin on Taeyeon’s shoulder and continued to watch the making of their family photo. She smiled when she realized that Taeyeon didn’t only do this for the tomato plants and tomatoes, but she also did it for her.

“I was thinking you could take this painting with you when we go back to college. That way you’ll have a picture of our babies and grandchildren to look at when you feel lonely.” Taeyeon said and glanced at Jessica.

Jessica’s smile widened by Taeyeon’s words and she tackled the girl in a hug and almost made them fall over.

“Thank you.” Jessica said happily. A small blush appeared on Taeyeon’s cheeks and she looked at the painting that only needed to be colored now.

“It’s nothing. I just don’t want you to be sad and cry…” Taeyeon mumbled embarrassed.

Jessica grinned widely and kissed Taeyeon’s cheek before releasing the girl to let her finish the painting.

While Taeyeon was busy coloring the painting Jessica went to take some pictures of the tomatoes. She was smiling now and occasionally glanced at the girl that was sitting in the grass and painting. Her grin widened and she pointed the camera at Taeyeon and snapped a photo of the girl that seemed oblivious to her.

“I saw you.” Taeyeon said without looking up from what she was doing.

Jessica just grinned before turning back to the tomatoes. “I want to have pictures of you too.” Jessica said and looked at the girl that’s usually so camera shy she would swat the camera out of people’s hands when they try to take her picture.

“I know you do.” Taeyeon said.

“Then why don’t you let me take your pictures?”

“I’m not stopping you now, am I?”

Jessica looked down at the camera in her hands before she looked up at the other girl. She lifted the camera up and snapped another picture of Taeyeon. When she lowered the camera she was grinning from ear to ear.

“Can you look at the camera as well?”

“No…”

“Aww, c’mon Taeyeon. You’ve let me take two pictures. I want one when you’re looking at me.”

Taeyeon momentarily stopped painting and slowly looked up at Jessica. The latter smiled and lifted up the camera and managed to snap a picture of Taeyeon before the girl looked away embarrassed.

“You’re so cute!”

“Shut up…”

“Aww, don’t be embarrassed!” Jessica took a seat beside the other girl and watched as Taeyeon colored the painting. She grinned and let her eyes study Taeyeon’s side profile. Her grin widened and she kissed Taeyeon’s cheek.

“You’re the best, did you know it?”

“Why?”

“Because you can come up with ideas to make me feel better.”

“I told you I had a few surprises up my sleeve.”

Jessica grinned even wider and placed her head on Taeyeon’s shoulder. She continued to watch the girl color the picture with a smile on her lips.

“Thank you for cheering me up.” Jessica said and placed her chin against Taeyeon’s shoulder and s her arm around the girl’s waist.

“It’s nothing to thank me for. I made you upset so I should try to make up for it.”

Jessica’s smile momentarily faded and she lifted her head off of Taeyeon’s shoulder and looked at the girl.

“Why did you say it? You clearly knew that I’d get upset. So why?”

Taeyeon sighed and placed the painting to the side as she looked back at Jessica.

“I don’t know. I was tired and didn’t think straight so it just slipped. Of course I knew it would upset you, but I didn’t think before I opened my mouth. I was only thinking about them as normal tomatoes, not as the things you’ve grown all by yourself. So it just slipped. I didn’t think before I spoke. That’s why it happened.” Taeyeon said and looked apologetically at the girl.

“You’re regretting that you said it?”

“Of course I am…Otherwise I wouldn’t be here now, would I?”

Jessica smiled and s her other arm around Taeyeon and leaned closer to the girl.

“I got hurt. I was thinking ‘don’t she understand what they mean to me?’  And I wanted to be angry at you, but I couldn’t and just the sight of you hurt so I wanted you gone. That’s why I told you to go back to sleep. But I could see you regretted saying it, but I couldn’t stand you apologizing to me then, so I shushed you away.“ Jessica explained at looked at Taeyeon’s apologetic expression.

“I later got scared that I had driven you away from me. So I got relieved when I found you sleeping in my bed. But you looked so troubled in your sleep I realized that you must have beaten up yourself for what you said and in that moment I forgave you.” Jessica said and looked at Taeyeon. A small smile appeared on Taeyeon’s lips.

“I don’t deserve to be forgiven.” Taeyeon said. Jessica turned away from the girl and picked up the painting that lied beside them.

“After realizing what you did wrong, apologizing to me, and painting something for me I think you do.” Jessica said and held up the painting that almost was done.

Taeyeon glanced at the painting before looking back at Jessica.

“I’m still sorry.” Taeyeon said.

“I know. And I’ve forgiven you.” Jessica said and kissed Taeyeon’s lips. “Mom said arguments are about to happen in relationships. And there will be hurtful times so it’s better we get used to this now and find ways to fix it, right?”  

“I guess.”

A pleased smile appeared on Jessica’s lips and she placed the painting in Taeyeon’s lap and looked back at the girl.

“If we ever fight again and I drive you away like I did today, always go to my bed so I know where to find you when I get scared I’ve lost you.”

“Okay.” Taeyeon said and nodded her head. Jessica smiled and gave Taeyeon a small peck on the lips.

“Good. Finish the painting now.” Jessica said and grinned. Taeyeon smiled as well and turned to the painting in her lap to finish it up.


---


The woman hummed a small tune as she made her way into the kitchen, grabbing her apron as she entered and wondered what would be good for dinner today.

She stopped in her tracks as she noticed someone else was in the kitchen. Seeing her daughter by the counter she smiled and walked up to the girl to see what she was up to.

Seeing Taeyeon slicing tomatoes and taking out the seeds and juice from them she looked confused at the girl and wondered what the girl was doing.

“What are you doing?” Mrs. Kim asked.

“Saving the seeds from Jessica’s tomatoes so we can grow tomato plants.” Taeyeon replied.

The woman nodded and looked around the kitchen, expecting to see the neighbor’s eldest daughter there as well, but seeing Taeyeon was alone her eyebrows furrowed and she turned to her daughter.

“Why isn’t Jessica with you?”

Taeyeon let out a sigh and looked down at the tomato in her hands.

“Imagine watching someone kill a puppy.” Taeyeon said and turned towards her mother. The woman widened her eyes at her daughter’s words. “That’s not something you’d want to see right?” Taeyeon said.

“Yes, it’s cruel and gruesome.” Mrs. Kim said and furrowed her eyebrows.

“Yeah, and that’s exactly what Jessica thinks of this. Jessica thinks tomatoes are cute in the same sense other people think puppies are cute. So, would she want to see someone doing this to the tomatoes she has grown? No, she wouldn’t.” Taeyeon explained.

Silence settled in the kitchen as Mrs. Kim continued to watch her daughter trying to save the seeds from the tomatoes. She titled her head to the side and watched as Taeyeon put the seeds in a glass jar.

“How do you feel about this?” Mrs. Kim asked.

Another sigh escaped Taeyeon’s lips and she looked down on the seeds in the glass jar.

“I’m trying to think that these are just normal tomatoes and not the tomatoes that came from the plants me and Jessica planted and named together.” Taeyeon said and poured some water in the glass jar.

“Did you get attached to the tomatoes?” Mrs. Kim asked and looked down on the jar in her daughter’s hands.

“If you’ve spent time taking pictures and painting pictures of something you’re ‘bout to get attached to it.” Taeyeon said and grabbed a paper towel and a rubber band to put it over the top of the glass jar. When she was done she turned towards her mother that looked at her.

“If you felt bad doing it then why did you put yourself in this situation?” Mrs. Kim asked. Taeyeon looked away from her at the glass jar on top of the kitchen counter. She sighed and grabbed it before looking back at the woman.

“I was gonna see if it was possible to actually have some kind of attachment to vegetables.”

“And?”

“If you aren’t heartless and you’ve spent your time right with it it’s possible.” Taeyeon said and walked past her mother with the glass jar in hand.

The woman smiled and looked at the kitchen counter. A frown appeared when she realized Taeyeon hadn’t cleaned up after she was done and she turned around towards her daughter that just had walked out of the kitchen.

“Aren’t you going to clean up after yourself?” Mrs. Kim asked.

“I am. Once I stop feeling bad for slicing a tomato.”

Mrs. Kim slumped her shoulders and looked back at the kitchen counter. A small smile graced her lips and she shook her head as she began cleaning up after her daughter as she felt Taeyeon would never clean up.