“It’s been too long since you last stepped into the office. You ought to at least go back and take a look and make sure everything’s okay. No matter how close you are with the president, no one’s going to need a manager who disappears for a whole month,” Sunny explained to Taeyeon who was leaning back on the couch.

Taeyeon listened with her eyes closed, and then she let out a sigh. “I’m tired Sunny. I’m so tired.”

Sunny knew how especially tiring it was for Taeyeon and she too heaved a sigh. “I know, but what’s gotta be done has to be done, isn’t it?”

Taeyeon nodded from her position before she replied, “Yeah. Just let me whine for a bit.”

“But,” Sunny kept her eyes on the girl whose eyes sprang open at the seriousness of her tone. “I’ll be around you to make sure you’re safe.”

Taeyeon sat up and her eyes met Sunny’s. “What about Jessica?”

Sunny couldn’t help but to give a helpless smile at Taeyeon’s response. “Did you two become one or something?”

Taeyeon only stared at her friend blankly before she explained, “I’m just worried. You weren’t there to see how scary she was when her sister died.”

If Taeyeon wanted to, she would be much scarier than Jessica, and Sunny knew that. Still, she would reassure Taeyeon if the girl needed reassurance. “I promise you, that Tiffany will guard Jessica. Will that put your mind at ease then?”

This time, an appreciative smile appeared on Taeyeon’s face. “Thanks Sunny. I don’t know how do I live without the two of you.”

“And Jessica,” Sunny added teasingly.

Taeyeon smiled even wider. “Yes, and Jessica.”

***

Taeyeon gently knocked on Jessica’s door while she waited anxiously outside.

“Yes,” came the gentle reply from inside the room.

Carefully, Taeyeon opened the door and saw Jessica who was at her desk was already looking at her.  Smiling, she entered before she closed the door behind her.

Not waiting for an invitation, Taeyeon climbed onto the bed and lay on one edge so that she could be close to Jessica whose desk was less than quarter metre away.

“Yes?” Jessica asked with a small smile while she kept her eyes on Taeyeon.

Taeyeon snuggled under the covers and settled herself comfortably on the bed and then she turned her head to look at Jessica. “What are you doing?”

Slightly at a loss because she didn’t quite know how to reply, Jessica blinked a few times before she looked away from Taeyeon. “I’m just…” Her eyes fell on the albums and albums of photos on the computer that she once took with Krystal. She bit her lower lip, and then turned back to meet Taeyeon’s gaze. “I’m just remembering my sister.”

Taeyeon’s eyes widened a little, before sadness crept into those exact same eyes. She swallowed her saliva. “I’m…sorry.”

Jessica furrowed her eyebrows. “For what?”

“For not being able to protect your sister.” Jessica didn’t like those words that escaped Taeyeon’s lips. It wasn’t Taeyeon’s fault. If Krystal’s death was anyone’s fault, it could only be hers. She should have been by her side but instead, she naively assumed that Krystal would be safe. Jessica tried to shake away the thoughts. Whatever it was, Krystal was gone and no amount of sadness and regret would be able to bring her back. She had to live for herself, if not, at least for Taeyeon.

“Don’t be stupid. It wasn’t your fault.” Jessica gently patted Taeyeon’s thigh. Smiling, she squeezed the girl’s thigh before she asked, “So why are you here exactly? You never answered me.”

Knowing that Jessica was still grieving over her sister, Taeyeon didn’t have the heart to ask her if she would like to return to work any more. Instead, she shook her head. “Nothing. I just wanted to talk to you.”

Taeyeon was such a terrible liar, but she didn’t know that. “Don’t lie Taeyeon. ‘I’m lying’ is written right across your forehead.” Jessica could tell that Taeyeon was worried about her, and she figured that it was time she stopped worrying the girl. “I’m okay, really. So tell me the real reason why you are here.”

Taeyeon pressed her lips together for a moment, and then she nodded. “I’m going back to work next week,” she finally told Jessica.

“Okay,” Jessica acknowledged as she nodded in response.

“So, I—”

“So…you’re here to ask me if I’d like to go back to work too?” Jessica interrupted.

Taeyeon’s mouth fell slightly open while she stared at Jessica. “How did you know?”

Jessica only smiled. “I just do.”

“But anyway, it’s okay if you don’t want to. I was just gonna ask you, you know, just out of courtesy. So I was—”

“Yes I’ll go back to work so stop blabbering Taeyeon.” The smile stayed on Jessica’s face and Taeyeon found herself just staring at the girl.

“Really?”

“Of course. But before that.” Jessica stood up from her chair and instinctively, Taeyeon scooted herself a little to the side so that Jessica could sit down beside her on the bed. “I want to ask you out on a date.”

Taeyeon blinked in surprise. “What…?”

Jessica only laughed. “Coming to think of it, we skipped steps. We skipped many steps, Taeyeon.”

Immediately, the intimate scenes Taeyeon shared with Jessica suddenly appeared in her head and her face flushed immediately. Taeyeon cleared and looked away in embarrassment. “D-did we?”

“What are we now then?” Jessica asked with a mischievous grin. Taeyeon’s eyes darted back to meet Jessica’s, but no words came to her mind. Jessica cocked her head slightly to the side. “Are we buddies?”

“What no!” Taeyeon objected aggressively and Jessica’s smile faded as she almost jumped.

“Gosh you scared me. Did you have to be that loud?”

“But we’re not buddies,” Taeyeon responded with a pout that took away Jessica’s frown almost immediately.

“I was kidding alright? You tell me what we are then.”

“Well we are— We are…” Taeyeon blinked several times as the sudden awkwardness set in when their eyes met. Then suddenly, she mustered her courage and proclaimed, “You are my girlfriend.”

Jessica couldn’t hold back her smile while she kept her eyes fixed on Taeyeon. “I am your girlfriend, huh?” She looked away with a wider grin and then she nodded. “Mmm alright then, your girlfriend it is. I like the sound of that.”

***

Taeyeon was back in Sunny’s room for the second time that day.

“I wanna be out with Jessica for a day.”

“Yeah, okay,” Sunny replied mindlessly.

“As in, just me and her.”

This time, Sunny stared at Taeyeon, surprised. “We can follow you secretly right?”

Taeyeon shook her head. “No.”

“Taeyeon.”

“It’s just one day, Sunny.”

“Many things can happen in one day.” Sunny had no intentions of backing down.

“Seriously what can happen?”

“Jessica’s sister died in one day Taeyeon!”

The room was abruptly silent as anger flashed in Taeyeon’s eyes. “Don’t you dare say that again.”

Sunny swallowed her saliva as she looked at Taeyeon apologetically. “Look Taeyeon that wasn’t what I meant. I’m sorry. I was just worried. A lot of things can really happen in one day. We can’t afford to have anything happen to you at all Taeyeon. We have been guarding you for as long as we can remember. I can’t let anyone hurt you just because you…just because you want to go on a date with Jessica.”

Taeyeon’s glare softened at Sunny’s explanation. However, she wasn’t just about to give in. Much to Sunny’s surprise, Taeyeon’s eyes flashed silver. Coldly, she simply said, “This is an order, Sunny.”

Sunny squeezed her eyes shut as she clenched her jaw. She swallowed her saliva, trying hard to not let her frustration get the better of her. She could be worried about Taeyeon, but still, Taeyeon was the ruler, and she was merely her follower, her protector. Slowly, she opened her eyes and then, she bowed – compliance.

***

Chaerin cracked her knuckles while she waited for Jiyong and Seunghyun to arrive. When they finally did, she swiveled her chair around to face them.

“Are you two bored?” she asked, wearing a smug expression.

Jiyong only smirked. “Do you have an idea, Miss Chaerin?”

Chaerin laughed while she shook her head. “I don’t really have any idea, Jiyong. I was just thinking, if the two of you are bored, maybe you’d like to go meet our sweet Taeyeon and her little puppy Jessica. It’s some sort of like, you know, sending her an invitation to the real party. I’m just not really in the mood to meet her yet, so you two can go on my behalf. Give her a good, warm welcome.”

“We’ll do that, Miss Chaerin,” this time, Seunghyun replied as he bowed.

Jiyong too, bowed, and the both of them turned to leave.

“Oh and,” Chaerin spoke up just before they exited and they turned back immediately. “Bring Gyuri’s brother with you.”

“Hyungsik?” Jiyong asked.

“Yes. I’m pretty sure Jessica misses that trash a lot. Bring him along, and use him wherever necessary.”

[A/N] 4/5/2015

First of all, I'm really sorry that it's been more than 3 months since I've last updated. You know I'm not good at writing fantasy so it was really hard for me to write any new chapters at all especially when I was so busy for the past few months. But I have good news. Inspiration finally hit me right for this story (I hope) so I don't actually think that you'd have to wait that long for the next chapter. However, bad news is that inspiration struck me too hard (???) and so I had to split that inspiration into two chapters (just like what happened to Love Assumed). So therefore, this chapter had little or no action scenes at all because they're all in the next chapter.

Personally, I actually think we get to see essential points in this chapter. One of the most important things is the progress between Taeyeon and Jessica. If you haven't already realised, their relationship was never fixed. Well, they skipped many steps like Jessica said. Then we also get to see how Taeyeon is slowly stepping up as the ruler when she used her authority on Sunny. I'm pretty excited about the next chapter because I was awed by the image in my mind when I was planning it. (Hint: The power of the ruler of the Silver Guardians)

And now... Write me something and maybe the next chapter would be sooner than it's supposed to be? (I'm not really threatening you to write me a comment, or maybe I am. *smirks*) (Oh and, personal favourite moment - *Jessica's seductive tone* "We skipped many steps, Taeyeon.")

Wait, last one. I've said this in Love Assumed, but if you haven't already read 'Countdown to Midnight' by Chaos_tenshi, you read it now. It's TaengSic, and very good. And, yes very good. And don't forget to check out its sequel when you're done. (But don't blame me if you cry.)

Subscribe, comment and upvote if you liked what you read :)
Follow me on Twitter here
© Sky Blue Tales ✍