Jessica looked at the earphone on her palm. It was beeping and the blue light kept going on and off. She knew what it meant. Such a genius the creator was, she thought. She had slammed it to everywhere countless of times and yet it still normally functioned. Poor thing, she should’ve treated it better.

She scoffed. What was she thinking?

Still, she decided to ignore it. With a sigh she shoved it inside her pocket, muffling its’ beeping. She still had enough time to talk later. Right now she just wanted to be alone. All this time she only had herself to lean on so when someone offered a help, she kind of felt uneasy. Some things are better left unsaid, indeed.

It had been quite long since she sat there, on the dining table, in silence. She was tired, she didn’t even do anything heavy that day but thanks to the fight now her energy had drained, but she couldn’t sleep. There were too many things to think and too short time to comprehend.

Glancing at the stairs, the image of Tiffany running down on it and ended with a slight jump on the floor before giving her a wide grin, suddenly flashed in her mind. Jessica smiled. She missed that. It was an absolute that it wouldn’t happen in the next morning. Tiffany had said she wouldn’t talk to her again. It meant they were enemies at the moment.

As her smile fading, another painful realization hit her. Again, what was she thinking? She should stop that. She shouldn’t have missed this, missed that, anything related to Tiffany. There was no guarantee since the first place that those memories would be replayed. In the end she would be the one who gets hurt.

It’s always been like that.

Finally, she stood up and walked to upstairs. Tiffany’s bedroom was right after the stairs, meanwhile her own room was beside it, a little bit to the left. Jessica stopped in front of Tiffany’s bedroom door, hesitating. She should be sleeping now, shouldn’t she? It was almost two. Tiffany wouldn’t stand staying up until this late.

Carefully, she opened the door. The room was dark, but she could still see Tiffany clearly. The girl was sleeping soundly. She hadn’t even changed. Her pyjamas were laid forgotten on the other side of the bed. Jessica sighed and closed the door behind her.

You didn’t change and I’m sure you haven’t taken a bath. That’s dirty.

Out of reflex, Jessica’s hand extended to ruffle Tiffany’s hair, but she immediately stopped. She wasn’t supposed to do this. Not only she would wake the girl, but she also would let herself fall over and over again. She should start holding herself back from now on. It was for herself too, at least.

Forcefully, she balled her fist and pulled her hand back. From now on she should stop. She was a sister and there was a limit in it.

She didn’t exactly know how long she stared to the sleeping Tiffany. She suddenly heard something ringing and realized it was her alarm in her room. Again, forcing herself, Jessica exited Tiffany’s room and didn’t look back before she closed the door.

Jessica leaned onto the door and closed her eyes. It wasn’t going to be easy, but there wasn’t any easy since the beginning either, was it?

-

“Good morning.”

Tiffany didn’t answer when Jessica greeted her, as expected. She just slumped herself onto her seat and started eating in a speed of light. Jessica turned the stove off and joined the girl in the dining table. She gazed at the younger in silence. Still grumpy, was she? As if Jessica was the bad guy on this.

Tearing her gaze off of the girl, the older grabbed her spoon and fork.

“You’re going to choke on your food. Eat slowly. We’re not in hurry.”

Even though she kept mum, Tiffany slowed her munching. No matter how fast she ate, Jessica would still be faster. Like some military training which forced the members to eat quickly, Jessica probably had the same speed.

None of them talked during breakfast. All that could be heard was the sound of spoon and fork being slammed against the plate or themselves. Jessica finished first, as usual, and went upstairs for a moment, still without a word. She entered her bedroom to grab some things and noticed the beeping earphone on her desk.

Jessica grasped the poor thing. The image of angry Kim could be seen in her head. Her colleague had programmed it nicely but it would be useless if Jessica didn’t even put it on. And she couldn’t ignore Kim forever, could she? Kim meant good. She should somehow, appreciate it, just like what she had said once.

So she put it on and walked downstairs.

“Geez, Jung! How long did it take you to put this back--”

“Shut up.”

She stopped after the stairs, turning her head to Tiffany who was still in the dining room. Their eyes met and the younger quickly looked at somewhere else. Jessica stilled. She wasn’t very used to the quiet Tiffany. Now they were both quiet, Jessica didn’t know how to start a proper conversation.

Without sparing another glance at the younger, Jessica headed to the front door while saying, or more like ordering,

“You left your math notes on your desk. Take it and we’re going now.”

-

“You’re going home at half past one today.”

Jessica could hear an annoyed scoff from the girl sitting on the passenger seat beside her after she said that. It was muffled but Jessica could still hear it. And yes, she could tell that Tiffany was annoyed as hell. Whatever, Tiffany could rage as much as she wanted, but Jessica wouldn’t let anything go out of her hand again from now. She wouldn’t ask nor offer, but she orders instead. She also wouldn’t tolerance anything anymore.

And that was final.

Another as expected, the ride to school was deadly silent. Jessica only said one single sentence and nothing more. Tiffany didn’t even bother to look at her. She found the sight outside through the window more interesting instead. Jessica grasped the steering wheel tightly. She was so much unfamiliar with the atmosphere.

Minutes later they arrived at the school. Jessica stopped the car and waited. But Tiffany didn’t move.

The older turned her head to the younger, checking if she fell asleep or something, but Tiffany didn’t. She just stayed still, unmoving. Jessica exhaled. What now? She didn’t want to go to school either?

“We’re here.” Jessica said, her finger pressed the button to unbuckle Tiffany’s seatbelt.

Tiffany clutched the strap of her bag, biting her lip as her eyeballs started wandering here and there. Jessica noticed it. Tiffany was contemplating.

“If I introduced her again to you...” Tiffany finally started talking, and it sounded more like a soft whisper, “would you accept her?”

Jessica couldn’t comprehend what she was feeling at the mention of her. She knew it’d happen anyway, that Tiffany would bring the topic again, but when it actually happened, really, Jessica didn’t exactly know how it felt.

“Who?” How stupid of her.

There was a quite long three seconds before Tiffany answered, “Yuri.”

No. Why would I? Why would you?

“Fany,” Jessica swallowed those bitter words she almost spit out, “if only she didn’t bring bad influences to you, then maybe yes.”

Tiffany sighed, “What bad influences? She’s just--”

“Ask yourself. I don’t like explaining.”

Jessica kept her expression still when Tiffany stared straight to her eyes, silently begging for forgiveness, or more like silently cursing her to no end. She almost scoffed at the thoughts. Forgiveness, what forgiveness? She doubted if Tiffany even felt sorry. All in her mind was that girl and Jessica’s place was erased instantly.

“And this is what I hate from you.”

With that, Tiffany exited the car. She literally slammed the door shut, and walked inside her school grumpily, stomping her feet. Jessica eyed her until she disappeared behind the high walls and fences. It was her turn to sigh. She threw her head back and closed her eyes. They were still enemies, weren’t they?

“That was bold.”

Kim. Right, Kim. Jessica kept forgetting that her colleague was there the whole time.

“Who?”

“You, of course. What an intense fight you two have there.”

Scoffing, Jessica the car and spun the steering wheel to get her away from there.

“Shut up.”

-

Two hours before Tiffany’s school ended. Jessica found herself queuing in a quiet cafe, hands inside her pocket, eyeing the menus above the cashier. Would Tiffany like a cup of coffee? Does she still like the caramel one? They used to drink that back then. But Tiffany was a pre-teen then, she got bored easily.

They hadn’t had caramel coffee for a quite a while now.

“Really, you think that’d make her forgive you?”

Jessica cringed, “It should be the other way around.”

“I know, but in the end you’ll give in anyway. See?”

“I am not giving in.”

Not this time.

Tearing her eyes off of the menus, Jessica glanced at the customers. She smiled. She remembered where she usually sit with Tiffany there. Their favorite spot was beside the wall, near the counter because Tiffany loved the sound and the sight of bartender working. They always sat there. It was too bad that Jessica was alone at the moment.

She then mentally slapped herself. Great, another I-miss-this-Tiffany-related thing. Really, that habit was disturbing.

“Hello? Earth to Jung?”

“O-oh, yeah.” Jessica took two steps when the furthest person in the queue stepped aside, “Sorry, what?”

They continued talking for quite long, because the queue was also long. Jessica already put a fake earphone and connected it to her phone, so that people around wouldn’t accuse her for talking by herself. Minutes later she finally reached the cashier and ordered. Two cups of caramel coffee, as planned.

“Thank you, please move to the left.”

Jessica nodded and took the bill which the cashier handed her. She walked a bit to the left, and saw the barista was working behind the counter. Tiffany would love this sight. She wouldn’t even blink when she watched it.

“Buy me one too!”

“Seriously, stop that.” Jessica rolled her eyes, “If you’re trying to be cute then it’s not working.”

“How is it not working? You know I’m the cutest person on earth. Probably you should--”

Kim’s sentence was abruptly cut by a long, beeping line until Jessica cringed and pressed the button many times. What was that? Where was Kim? Was the connection interrupted? But this café wasn’t a place which could trouble the connection…

The next voice after the disturbing beeping line wasn’t Kim’s. It sounded like a robot’s that Jessica recognized so much, and it was a bad thing. As the words kept on replaying, sickening her in the head, Jessica almost lost at words.

“The countdown ends today! The countdown ends today! The countdown ends today! The countdown ends today! The countdown ends…”

Ignoring the coffee she had ordered, Jessica ran away.

-

Tiffany once more washed her face to refresh her sleepy eyes. She had never been this sleepy before. Above all, Tiffany was an enthusiastic student. She would listen to anything her teacher said. But today was different. She couldn’t focus and found herself longing for more sleep instead.

Sighing, Tiffany turned off the faucet. She kept her head down, looking at the flowing water below. Why do people say washing your face could make you fresh again? Because clearly, no matter how many times she did it, it just didn’t work.

Shrugging, Tiffany pulled some tissues and wiped her face and hands. After throwing away the tissues to the trash can, she lifted her head to check herself in the mirror.

She then realized that wasn’t alone.

Tiffany gasped loudly. Her eyes widened as she stared at the other person, a male, standing behind her. He also looked straight to her eyes, through the mirror, and gave her a smile that frightened the girl even more.

“We finally meet.” He said, “Miss Stephanie Hwang.”

Stephanie Hwang? Who the hell was Stephanie Hwang? Who was this person? How could he get in here? Tiffany swore she didn’t hear anything! There were too many questions, but there wasn’t enough time for Tiffany to be able to ask.

There was a loud explosion followed by screams which later Tiffany found, came from her. She squatted down, hands covering her ears. She closed her eyes, shut tight, trembling in fear. Soon she could hear voices of shotguns. It echoed around her and Tiffany couldn’t help to cry in silence.

“Emergency! Emergency!”

“Hwang is in danger! Hwang is in danger!”

“Do you copy? Over!”

Tiffany dared to open her eyes and she saw everything was a mess. She didn’t know what was happening, why was she there, who the hell was Hwang, who were these people, she didn’t have any slightest idea. Her uniform was soaked wet because someone shot the water pipes. She could be deaf. She definitely would be freaking deaf!

Help me!

She screamed, nobody listened. She cried, nobody noticed. She trembled, nobody paid attention.

Before she felt someone grabbed her hand and roughly pulled her to stand up. Her scream was muffled with the person’s hand as it covered . The other hand circled her neck and Tiffany realized the person was back-hugging her. She kept trying to pull the hand away in panic, until finally she heard a whisper, right on her ear,

“Fany.”

That voice. Tiffany stopped moving instantly. Jessica. It was Jessica. Jessica. Jessica…

“I’m sorry.” Jessica whispered again, despite the chaos that was happening, Tiffany could hear her well, “Let’s run with me.”

Without any more words, Jessica pulled Tiffany with her, and they ran.

-

“What is going on?!”

Jessica didn’t answer. She grasped the steering wheel tight, her other hand kept pressing the radio. She was also in panic. She never answered Tiffany’s question. Her focus was on the road, since she was at the moment, driving at an insane speed. Her right arm was apparently injured, since the white shirt was stained by the red blood. But it didn’t look like Jessica was hurting.

And Tiffany kept asking, but Jessica kept mum, as if Tiffany wasn’t there.

She literally pushed Tiffany into the car earlier and buckled her seatbelt in a hurry. Soon after they drove away, until now, the radio which usually played Tiffany’s music, kept replaying a sentence over and over.

The countdown ends today! The countdown ends today! The countdown ends today!

And it scared Tiffany. Everything scared her. There was only Jessica but now she wouldn’t even talk to her. Jessica knew something, but why wouldn’t she talk? It wouldn’t be hurt to say one word! Didn’t she know how scared Tiffany was at the moment?

They headed home. When they arrived, Tiffany was surprised even more because there were so many people in there. She even saw polices. She could only follow when Jessica, in a speed of light, exited the car and pulled the girl with her. They got inside and it wasn’t less crowded. Jessica’s grip on Tiffany’s wrist was so strong, it hurt her.

“Hwang is safe, prepare the plan B next. Don’t leave any fingerprints. Destroy this later. I’m leaving her on you.”

Jessica said, to no one, but the people around them nodded their heads. She pulled Tiffany to upstairs, to her room. She told the people inside there to get out, and there were them, just the two of them, inside Tiffany’s room.

“Jessi, what’s going on?!” Tiffany asked, again, “Who are these people?! W-why are they here?!”

Instead of answering, Jessica let go of Tiffany’s hands and opened the wardrobe. She shoved all the clothes away and revealed another wardrobe behind it. Without hesitation, she opened it, and Tiffany’s mouth hung open.

There were guns inside there. Just like in movies. So all this time Tiffany had guns in her room? As if it wasn’t shocking enough, Jessica grabbed one and assembled it. She didn’t even spare a glance to the girl.

“Jessi, what’s--”

“Your necklace.” Jessica finally said, her hands were still busy, “Take off your necklace.”

Tiffany looked down to her silver key necklace, the one Jessica once gave her. What’s with this necklace? That didn’t make sense! Out of so many things to say, she told Tiffany to take off this necklace? Why should she?

“I won’t!” Tiffany exclaimed.

Jessica didn’t budge, “Why won’t you?”

“What the hell is going on, Jessi?! You don’t even answer me!”

“Just take off your necklace!”

“I said I won’t!”

“Why won’t you?!”

“Because you also won’t answer me!”

When Tiffany shouted, Jessica stopped what she was doing. She sighed and put the huge shotgun down.

“What is going on, Jessi?! How many times do I have to ask that?! Who are those people?! Why are they here?! W-what…” Tiffany’s breaths hitched, “I don’t even know how…”

She then sobbed. Her trembling hand covered . She couldn’t control herself. She had never been this scared before, not even once in her life. In a sudden there were people with guns aiming at each other around you, what would you do?

Jessica turned around, facing Tiffany. She walked to her, held her shoulder and pushed Tiffany’s hand away. Her brown eyes looked so soft, so Jessica, when she stared into Tiffany and wiped the girl’s tears away.

Without further explanation, Jessica cupped Tiffany’s cheek and pulled her face to hers, their lips met. Tiffany’s eyes shot open. Jessica kissed her. Right on the lips. Her sister kissed her. Even though she merely pressed her lips onto Tiffany’s, strangely, Tiffany still couldn’t find a single word to describe it.

She was a mess. Everything made her confused. And Jessica…

Jessica was the worst.

“It’s not my place to explain.” Jessica whispered, after the kiss, their foreheads still linking, “Soon you’ll know, but you just need to trust me. I’m sorry. I’m sorry.”

Jessica pulled slightly away, and she smiled. It looked so sad and bitter, it made Tiffany’s tears couldn’t stop flowing. She then withdrew her hands from Tiffany and she had the necklace in her hand, she already took it off. She grabbed Tiffany’s hand and put the necklace in Tiffany’s palm, before she balled it, indirectly told Tiffany to take care of it.

“Take Hwang from here.”

After Jessica said that, little did Tiffany knows, she was being dragged away with other people. She didn’t have any strength anymore to do anything. She merely followed wherever they brought her, whatever they’d do to her.

The last thing she saw was Jessica, standing there, with her bitter smile.

****

I really... don't know if I wrote this well...