- Taeyeon's POV -

"Hey careful there!" I extended my arm and grabbed Claire's hand just before she slipped, well, almost slipped. She placed her free hand on her chest as she tried to recover from the shock. "I told you to be careful just now. The floor's all wet from the rain." "Quit nagging you." She let go off my hand and instead put an arm around my shoulder. I glared at her from the side of my eyes but she kept smiling all the same.

We went to almost every shop and I realised all I was doing was to watch her as she tried on different clothes. She looked gorgeous in all of them, and she had great taste, just like Jessica did. I smiled. Perhaps, it was time to move on. Perhaps, Jessica really sent her to me.

***

"Hmm... Which flavour should I get?" Claire looked at me as we stood in front of the counter at the ice cream parlour. "I don't know. Strawberry?" Jessica's favourite. "Nah. I know. I'll take chocomint!" I couldn't help but to smile again. Jessica, you aren't helping me with choices. This girl is so different from you.

***

***

We had our snacks, drinks and we had fun dancing around and jamming. An hour or two later, we lay on the floor of the studio, beside each other. No distance between us.

"Taeyeon." She broke the ice.

"Yup?" I answered, still facing the ceiling.

"It's amazing."

"What's amazing?"

"You. Us." I smiled and I closed my eyes.

"You're amazing, Claire."

There was silence for a while and my eyes shot open when I felt her move and then I felt warm breath on my face. She was just an inch or two away.

"Taeyeon." She called my name as she looked into my eyes.

"Yeah...?"

"I think I'm ready, to step into this, with you. I know that I'm not temporarily overwhelmed by my emotions. I've fallen in love with you Taeyeon. Madly in love."

I couldn't say anything, and all I could do was to look into her eyes, not losing eye contact for even a moment.

"If...If you think you're ready too, let me know. Kiss me. Not for lust, but for love. Otherwise, don't. I can wait for you Taeyeon."

Jessica's face came up in my mind at that instant. Her smiling face. Her approving face. Be happy, Taeyeon. I could picture her saying. Thank you for those years of memories, Jessica. It's time I let you go. I loved you, I still do, and I always will. But it's time I move on. I know you will be happy for me. I know you, Jessica. I'll protect her well this time, I promise you. Watch over us. Please watch over us, Sica.

Claire looked a little surprised, when I smiled, but she started smiling too in no time. Gently, I slid a hand behind her and cupped her neck as I brought her closer, and our lips touched. I could feel her smiling even wider than before. We slowly pulled away, a little distance between us as she stayed on top on me, her elbows on the floor supporting her. She tucked my hair behind my ear and landed a kiss on my forehead.

"Claire."

"Hmm?"

"Will you be my girlfriend?"

She didn't reply instantly, but she kept smiling as she looked at me.

"I'll only be your girlfriend, Taeyeon."

She finally said, as she dived in for my lips. That feeling. I know. I'm in love. So in love, with Claire. My Claire.

***

- Claire's POV -

"Sis what are you so happy about?" Krystal stopped reading her book and rested the back of her head on my lap. I propped myself up properly with my pillows and adjusted myself on the bed so that we were both comfortable.

"I am?"

"Mmm... Kinda. I haven't seen you so happy for a long time."

"What are you talking about? I'm always a happy person."

"What. No. You should have seen how you... Nevermind."

"What? How I what?"

"Nothing. I was getting irrelevant. I'm getting so fed up with work that I'm spouting so much nonsense these days. But anyway, you really look happy. Did something good happen?" I couldn't help but to smile as Taeyeon's face popped up in my mind again. For some reason I didn't feel like it was an appropriate time to let them know just yet.

"Well... I just met nice people and I had a lot of fun these days that's all!"

"Ah... Nice people? Wherever from?"

"You know, those events daddy makes me go to."

"You do need more friends."

"Speaking of friends, did I lack friends that much in the past? I mean...why do I only know a few younger friends? What happened to friends of my age?"

"I told you you liked hanging out with younger people."

"Honestly they feel more like your friends than mine."

"Well they are our friends sis, not yours or mine. Ours."

"But even so shouldn't I have friends of my age...?"

"You guys had already lost contact before you got into the accident."

"And...how did you know?"

"You told me everything sis."

"But... Nevermind..." I gave up trying to find out. I guess I was really unpopular in school. I mean...how could anyone just have friends that you could count with your two hands? Like Amber, Sulli, Luna, Jinah. Oh and Nicole. That was...all.

***

- Taeyeon's POV -

"Je...ssica..." My hand trembling, I reached out to shake the unconscious her when I could finally open my eyes. She wasn't responding, and her head was bleeding non stop. "S-Sica ya..." I wouldn't give up. "Sica..." I couldn't explain how glad I was when she slowly opened her eyes. "Tae...yeon ah..." She managed to grab my hand, her hand shaking too. Using all my strength, I climbed out of our overturned car from my side and walked unsteadily to her side. I opened her door with much difficulty and tried to pull her out. I tried. I tried so hard. But we weren't moving much because I was losing strength. "Sica ya... Get...your act together... Use some...strength..." I could see her trying too, but she was crying. "Taeyeon ah... You...go..." I bit hard on my teeth. "Are you crazy?! We're...getting out of...here together. Come on... If you want to save me...get yourself out too..." She was biting her lips as blood continued flowing from her head. I heard dripping sounds and and turned to look around in shock. When I saw the oil leaking, I got anxious. "Sica ya be quick! Come on!" I was shaking more than ever as I used the remaining energy I had to pull her out. Fortunately, her legs finally came free from the car seat and we were out of the car. But it wasn't safe yet. The car was going to explode any moment but none of us had any energy to move any more. "Taeyeon ah... Go... Please..." Jessica begged. I couldn't say anything but shook my head as I cried. I kept pulling her with me, even though we were barely moving.

Seeing that it was about to explode, I knew there was nothing else that I could do to protect her, except one way. Without thinking, I forced myself to wrap my body around hers, shielding her. "NO TAEYEON! DON'T!"

A loud boom sounded, as expected. "AHHHHHHH!" Her high pitched scream echoed in my ears, and I felt a kind of hellish pain before I out.

I opened my eyes as I sat up, finding myself on my own bed. I panted heavily, looking around me. I was perspiring, and my hands were shaking, badly. It had been a long while since the accident came back into my dreams. I could feel my lips and throat go dry as I slowly tried to pace my breathing.

I jumped when my phone on the table beside me vibrated. Retrieving it, I realised it was a message from Claire.

She picked up the phone almost instantly.

"Claire..."

"Yes!" Hearing her voice somehow soothed my feelings. It somehow made me feel that Jessica was safe somewhere, even if it wasn't right to feel this way, because she was Claire, not Jessica, and never will be.

"..."

"Taeyeon? Are you okay?"

"I had a bad nightmare..."

"Gosh. It's okay now. It was a nightmare. It's not reality. Are you okay?" But...it wasn't just a nightmare. It was really what happened that day...

"Okay..." I managed to reply.

"Do you want me to go over to your house?"

"It's okay... Our families still don't know isn't it..."

"Okay I tell you what. I'll sing you a song. Okay? Give me a moment."

"What...?" She didn't reply, but I could hear shuffling sounds, as if she was walking somewhere. And then, there was a light thud, as if she left her phone on a hard surface.

"Hi? Can you hear me?" Her voice sounded again in the receiver.

"Yes I can. What happened?"

"I went to fetch my earpiece and...changed my location. What are you doing right now?"

"I'm...lying on my bed."

"Okay. Tell you what. Close your eyes."

"Huh...?"

"Just close your eyes. And fall asleep when you should fall asleep."

"I'm not falling asleep while talking to you..."

"I'm asking you to fall asleep when you should fall asleep."

"But..."

"No buts."

"Okay... What are you gonna do...?"

"You'll know when you have closed your eyes."

"How do you know my eyes aren't closed?"

"A woman's intuition Taeyeon." I chuckled when she said that, and then I closed my eyes.

There was silence for a while, and I wondered if that was what Claire wanted to do - keeping silent so I will fall asleep imagining her by my side.

"Just what are you d-"

A melody from the piano cut my words and I automatically shut up. It wasn't long before she started singing. It was surprisingly healing me, as her voice slowly spread through my body.

"*Loving you, has never felt more right this night.
Love is falling from the skies, with heaven in your eyes.
I always knew it would come down to you and I.
In this picture perfect love filled moment, let's take our time."

I could feel myself relaxing, as she continued singing.

"So tonight is our worse tomorrow isn't, we're stuck in between.
I understand there's no hard feelings, even though I have to leave.
But give me just one night where the world will go missing.
When we're together with no distance from you and me."

I knew that I was smiling.

"It's like the world is closing around us and we're doing just fine.
Even if it pulls us apart 'cause we'll still be alright.
I know we'll be together after two worlds collide.
No matter how far we are from each other, there's no distance from you and I."

***

- Claire's POV -

"Sometimes our paths change, and we may separate.
But how we feel stays the same, just get through day by day.
But we will always have each other and tonight, for sure.
So when I come back next time, it'll be just like before."

I stopped playing and singing, and paid attention to any sounds coming from my earphones. I couldn't help but to smile when I didn't hear the girl say anything even though I had stopped and all I could hear was her heavy breathing. She was asleep.

"Silly you." I whispered before I ended the call and made my way back to my room. Before I slept, I sent her a message.

*'No Distance' by Jason Chen

© Sky Blue Tales ✍