♦Through the good times and the bad, I'll be standing next to you.♦

~•~

"Sica! Soojung!" a young tall women dressed in a classic black dress with her dar red hair in a high pony tail yelled as she was waving when she spotted them in the crowd.

"Ashley look, it's aunt Tiffany." Jessica pointed to the young woman and the little girl recognised her and started to wave back as she was laughing. Tiffany quickly came to the girls because she noticed that they had a lot of luggage. 

"Oh my God Ashley, look at you. You're so pretty!" Tiffany smiled to the little girl. Ashley was hugging her stuffed toy and smiled back to the woman, making her squeal because of her cuteness. Then she kissed and hugged the two sisters who were happy to see her. 

"Krystal, you're getting more and more pretty each time we meet. How are you?" she asked after breaking the hug. 

"I'm doing fine. My University is starting tomorrow so I'm excited." the younger smiled. 

"Can you believe it Jessica? University? I remember when she was 3 and always cried because she thought we stole her doll." Tiffany chuckled remembering that funny childhood memory. Jessica laughed along making Krystal blush a bit. She was known to be a cry baby when she was younger and even now, her older sister is teasing her because of that.

"And you... It's been a few months and I really missed you around. I'm so glad you came!" she turned to her best friend and glanced at the little girl in her arms. She already saw Ashley when she was born but because of work and the distance, she didn't spent enough time with Ashley like she wanted since she loves kids. She was glad that Jessica and Krystal along with Ashley will spent some time in Seoul so they can catch up on everything. Tiffany knew about Jessica's romance in Chicago, but not too much since the two didn't have the time to talk as long as they use to.

"Me too Tiffany. Thank you so much for-"

"I already told you not to thank me for anything. I'm always here for you. Besides, I really wanted some company in my new apartment. It's pretty big and I'm lonely sometimes so you came just in time." she chuckled and took one of Jessica's bags. 

"Let's go. You must be hungry and tired." 

They left their stuff in Tiffany's car which was parked in front. After they all went in, they finally drove off to her apartment which was placed near Gangnam. Tiffany's nail salon job was doing very well in her surprise since she didn't expect that many customers. That's why she opened another one which was also doing pretty well. She is now making a buisness deal to open one in Japan and back home in San Francisco. For now, the luck is on her side. 

It was a Sunday, late afternoon and the weather was nice so people took a chance to walk around the city before returning to their regular routine during the weekend. The tourists were doing their shooping in the center and took pictures of the big buildings around them. The city ligths were slowly turning on as he day was coming to it's end. Jessica and Krystal were watching outside the window, enjoying the vie wof the big, shiny buildings. Seoul was their second home and they were happy to be back again. This was Ashley's first time in here and Jessica was excited to show her a lot of pretty places. The little girl was sleeping in her mother's arms, tightly holding her fluffly fish toy with her head leaned on Jessica's chest. This was also her first time to travel in plane so she was looking outside the window, watching the clouds and what's down so she was excited about it and didn't have so much sleep.

When they arrived, they took the luggage and brough them to the apartment. The hallway inself was long and wide and the white walls were decorated with so many pretty picutres. Jessica was in Tiffany's last apartment which was much smaller than this one and she was excited to see the rest and she was already amazed with the hallway. They left the luggage their and followed Tiffany to the living room. Tiffany's dog Prince followed the girls with his tail going crazy because he was excited.

"Welcome to my new home girls." Tiffany said in fluent English. They always had the habit to talk in English when there's the three of them, no matter where they are. And Tiffany missed that little thing that reminded her of home, that Californian accent she loved a lot.  

The huge living room was connected to the kitchen and it was black and white mostly. There were pink details in the living room, like her soft pillows and little plate where she had sweets. The white leather couch was long and in the middle of the room and there were also dirty pink bean bags and in the corner, there was a bean bag in a shape of a donut and in had a bow tied around it. It was a present.

"These things are super comfortable so I decided to buy Ashley one so she can lay while watching the TV." Tiffany said when she realised the girls noticed the present.

"Oh my God Tiffany, you shouldn't have, really." Jessica said softly since she didn't want to wake Ashley up. 

"Sica, please." she smirked. "So what do you think girls?" 

"It's really beautiful unnie. You did a great job decorating it." Krystal complimented while looking around the room, still amazed by it. Her older sister agreed.

"Thank you, but there's more! Follow me." Tiffany smiled and left the room with the two of them following her. 

"This is the guest room. This is where you guys will sleep. I already put new sheets and prepared everything for you. You can place Ashley here to sleep." Tiffany explained as she opened the door of the big room. Jessica's and Krystal's jaws dropped when they entered the room. It was a huge guest room with a king size bed and a bed on the other side. On each sides of the king sized bed and the bed where Krystal will sleep was a night stand, as expected a dirty pink one with two white lamps on it. The wall were decorated with beautiful paintings and the room was also lightened up with pretty flowers. The room had its own bathroom which was pretty big. Next to the door there was a table with a big mirror so the girls can put their make-up and other things there.

"Tiffany this is beautiful." Jessica gasped as she was looking around the room, not getting enough of it. She tucked Ashley in and gave a kiss on the forehead. 

"Unnie thank you so much." Krystal whispered and hugged Tiffany, surprising her. 

"Don't thank me anymore. C'mon, let's go so I can show you the rest and then to the kitchen so I can prepare you something to eat. You must be starving." she said and the three of them quietly left the room to leave the little girl to rest.

After showing them her room and the balcony, they went to the living room-kitchen so she can quickly make something for them. Jessica liked to cook so she helped Tiffany in preparing Bibimbop. 

"Soojung-ah, do you remember when I use to cook for you when mom and dad were at work?" Jessica recalled while preparing the food.

"Yeah, the first time you tried to cook me rice you burned it." Krystal chuckled remembering it while she was preparing the table.

"Yah, I was a rookie in it. Look at me now. Don't tell me that you don't like my food?" she turned around giving her a cold glare.

"No, no. You're a good cooker." Krystal said and sticked her tounge out, teasing her older sister. Finally, the Bibimbop was finsihed and the girls couldn't wait to start eating. 

They spent that time in laughter, recalling old, funny memories back when they were kids. When they were silly and playfuly. While talking about it, they felt homesick, remembering how beautiful life was back in San Francisco, where there were no problems around them. Only laughter and innocent childhood games. They were young, free and pretty wild.

"Look at us now. You're in University but I still see that cute Sojung who always use to cry, and you... you're a mother and you have a beautiful baby girl." Tiffany said, proudly looking at her two friends. So much changed. The enviroment around them, but mostly, they changed. This world, years changed them, but somehow whenever they meet again, it's like everything is still the same. To Tiffany, Jessica is still that loud and bossy older sister who always played cool and Krystal was still a little baby who use to follow them around. 

"I'll be heading to bed now. I'm really tired and I have classes tomorrow. Thank for an awesome dinner. Good night." Krystal kissed the girls good night and left. After cleaning the table, the girls decided to relax a bit on the balcony. It was a pretty warm night and the sky was clear, filled with bright, shining stars.

"I know we told you this already, but we're really thankful for you letting us stay here. These past few months were really a mess and honestly, I'm scared." Jessica confessed.

"Sica, you two are like my sisters. You were there for me during my darkest times and I'll be here druing yours." Tiffany said softly with a warm look in her eyes. By sound of her voice, she knew that Jessica wasn't okay at all and waited for her confess everything that's been bothering her. Jessica just hugged her, feeling her eyes getting more and more teary. She needed someone to talk to, and besides Krystal, the right person was Tiffany.

"Am I a horrible person Tiffany?" she asked, still hugging her.

Tiffany broke the hug with a puzzled expression on her face. Jessica's eyes full of tears and her shaky voice were worrying her. 

"What? No, of course not. Why are you saying that?" she asked. Jessica was trying not to break down in front of Tiffany and just couldn't look her in the eyes, she was embarrassed and again she had that horrible hate towards herself. Everything came back to her and it made her more and more miserable.

"Jessica?" 

"I left Donghae. Withou saying a word. I left him that day when my mother called me to tell me that Kris is in town." the blonde finally spoke with tears already streming down her cheeks.

"Oh Jessica, why did you do that?" Tiffany asked as she held Jessica's hands.

"I didn't tell him about Kris or Ashley because I didn't expect our relationship to be serious or to even exist, but I just couldn't help it. He was so sweet and kind and... he was my escape from that horrible reality that was waiting for me back home. He made me a better person just for a little while and honestly, I loved it. I was that happy girl I use to be, I smiled all the time. He made me so much better and I just couldn't ruin it all with my story." Jessica explain between her sobs. 

Tiffany listened to her friend, feeling heartbroken for seeing her cry like that. She just hugged her and let her cry in her arms because she really needed that. After she didn't have anymore tears to cry, Jessica lifted her head from Tiffany's shoulder and looked at her with her red and teary eyes.

"You fell in love, huh?" Tiffany asked, already knowing her answer. 

"I did and I hate myself for that. I made a promise to myself not to fall for anyone anymore after what Kris did to me, to Ashley. Why am I so stupid? Why am I such a bad, cold person? Why am I like this?!" 

"First of all, you can't control your feelings and heart. No matter how cold you pretend to be towrsd people, there will always be that warm and gentle side of you, deep down inside. You were strong and cold for too long Jessica and it was time to be the real you. The warm and kind girl who fell in love. And by your stories you told me over the phone and now, I know Donghae is an amazing guy and he would have understand your situation and I think he would've been a great father to Ashley. Something Kris never was. I can assure you that." Tiffany said washing the tears on Jessica's pale face. She her blond hair softly and gave her a warm smile, the one Jessica love a lot.

"He really is amazing and so warm-hearted. Just like a kid. I think he would've been an amazing father to her but here we are, because of me." Jessica grinne

"You thought that not telling him anything would be a good thing because you wanted to protect Ashley and I get it. This is what I think you should do. Take a shower, go to your daughter and rest and then call him tomorrow. He needs to know Jessica, what can you lose now?" 

She was right. What more could she lose? She already lost him. Ashley was her strenght now and she'll never leave her alone again. She hugged her best friend once more.

"I love you so much." she whispered.

"I love you too." 

Jessica did as Tiffany suggested her. After taking a nice, hot shower, she changed and went to bed where her baby girl was already sleeping. She layed next to her and brought her closer to her. Ashley snuggled against her, melting Jessica's heart. She kissed her hair and closed her eyes, feeling a little bit camer since she told everything that was bothering her to Tiffany. 
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Finally, a new update!!! ^^ I'm really sorry guys for not being around. School started and I had some back problems and I really didn't have the time or the strenght to get to the computer and write something. I have so many ideas in my head and I'm excited to write them down and see your reaction. I hope this chapter won't be dissapointing for you since it's not about Kris yet like I said it would be but I realised I need to have an order. But don't worry, I'm currently writing the next chapter where there will be plenty of Kris and Donghae. Please comment and let me know what you think of the chapter. Oh and also, I would love if you guys tell me in your coments do you like the intro with the lyrics? I decided to write some lyrics that are about the chapter. Anyways, see you soon! <3