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"Are you okay?" Yoona's question snapped the dazed Yuri out of her trance.

"A-ah yeah. Yes." Yuri stared blankly at the younger girl for a moment or two, before she let out a sigh, and continued, "Get going now, or you're gonna be late."

"Okay. Thanks for the lift unnie! Drive safely!" Yoona smiled as she got out of Yuri's car, waving her goodbye.

Yuri's eyes followed Yoona's gradually disappearing figure, before they eventually landed on the familiar petite girl who was almost, just almost, too far to be seen. A weird kind of pain tugged at her heart, as Yoona's words rang in her ears.

"She's been like this ever since the two of you ended..."

Yuri felt like she had a huge part to play in what had become of Jessica, her used-to-be girlfriend. She regretted ever falling for the girl, and letting the girl fall for her in return. All of this wouldn't have happened.

"I really don't like seeing her like this."

Yuri didn't like seeing her like this either. In fact, she hated it. She clenched her jaw, her tears threatening to fall. All of a sudden, she regretted looking Yoona up. She would have felt better not knowing this, and she would do anything to "unknow" it. But right now, all she could do was to cry, cry over the fact that they never got to love each other in the end, cry over the fact that Jessica had resorted to such means to drown her pain, cry over the fact that she was living a happy married life while Jessica was suffering like this, all alone.

Her message alert tone temporarily shocked her out of her sadness and she opened the message without hesitation.

Yuri only let out a sigh, before she turned to look at Jessica once more. Muttering a silent "I'm sorry", she dejectedly released her hand brake, speeding off away from this place which was bringing her so much pain.

***

Jessica was leisurely on her fourth shot that night, when a warm hand cupped her arm gently. She broke into a smile, wondering what was in for her that night. But she was utterly shocked when she turned and it revealed a face only too familiar.

"You..." Jessica decided not to finish her words. Instead, she grabbed that arm and pulled the person with her, pushing anyone who was in her way. Jessica only stopped when she managed to drag the visitor to the alley behind the bar where there was no one else. Frowning, she roughly pushed the shorter figure against the wall. "What the are you doing here? Didn't I tell you not t-"

"I got fired," came the soft voice which cut Jessica's words short.

Jessica's glare softened into a concerned stare immediately. Taeyeon was weirdly calm, in Jessica's opinion. So calm, that it scared Jessica. "Are you...okay?"

Taeyeon said nothing. Her soulless eyes not looking at Jessica, she nodded, any hint of life in her almost non-existent.

"I'm sorry... I didn't know and I just... I'm sorry..."

Still, Taeyeon said nothing, and she merely shook her head. Jessica ran her fingers through her hair, wanting to find something to say to at least comfort the girl in front of her, but nothing came to her mind. Just like that, she mindlessly stood where she was, silently staying by the girl's side. It took Taeyeon a good five minutes or so before she finally spoke up, "I don't know why I came here. I know you don't like it and all but I just fo-"

"It's okay..." Jessica smiled as she patted the girl's arm. "You know what? Stay here, okay? I'll be right back. Stay right here. Don't go anywhere." With eyes full of confusion, Taeyeon wanted to ask Jessica why but the girl was already out of sight. Sighing, she sat herself down on the curb, wondering what she was going to do with her life now that she was without her job.

It was less than ten minutes after when the sound of glasses clinking unsteadily reached Taeyeon's ears and her head jolted up in shock. Her eyes widened when she saw Jessica approaching with a tray of shot glasses and bottles of sojus balanced on one hand, and two more bottles of sojus secured safely between her fingers on the other. Setting all of those down, Jessica rubbed her hands together with a content smile on her face.

"Before we start..." Jessica picked up a shot glass filled with an unknown alcohol that Taeyeon had not noticed initially. "Here's your genie shot."

Taeyeon only raised her eyebrow. "My...what? Genie shot?"

Jessica grinned while she took out a piece of paper from her pocket and handed it to Taeyeon. "Yoona told me last week that the company that her friend was working at was hiring. Maybe you can give them a call?"

Taeyeon squinted at the words and numbers on the paper, and then she frowned. "Blanc Group...? I'm never, ever gonna get myself a place there. I'm not even qualified..."

Then, Jessica held up the same shot glass once more. "This is when you need your genie shot. Make a wish, drink it and your wish will come true."

"I'm not a kid..." Taeyeon shook her head at Jessica's childishness but she took it all the same. "What do I do? Make a wish and then drink it?" Jessica nodded and Taeyeon downed the shot in a gulp, appreciating all that Jessica had done for her at one go.

"Now... Let's drink. The Korean way."

Jessica had barely finished two bottles of sojus when Taeyeon finished the last bit of her fourth bottle. The two girls sat side by side, and the slightly younger girl watched as Taeyeon set her shot glass down on the tray with a loud thud, and was shocked when she heard muffled sniffling. Squinting, she caught sight of the teardrops which were silently falling from the girl's face. Jessica swallowed her saliva, before she put an arm around the girl and pulled her in so that the girl could rest, or cry, on her shoulder. "I...can't even do a single thing right..." The alcoholic breath from Taeyeon only made it more painful for Jessica to bear.

"No. That's not true," Jessica comforted, her hand gently patting Taeyeon's arm.

When the Korean American was almost sure that the girl in her arms was asleep, she cautiously took her phone out and dialled someone.

"Secretary Han?"

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"I'm so sorry to call at such a time. But if someone by the name of Taeyeon calls to ask if we're hiring, ask her in for an interview and then take her in."

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"Yes, we'll hire her."

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"It doesn't matter."

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"Well, just assign tasks to her that don't require any qualifications."

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"Yes."

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"Okay, thank you so much. I'll see you in the office tomorrow."

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"Yes, okay."

Jessica found herself heaving a sigh of relief as she pocketed her phone. Turning to Taeyeon who was sleeping like a log, she smiled as she whispered, "Everything's gonna be alright."

***

Jessica sat on a single bed, while Taeyeon slept in the other. Jessica had decided not to head to her family's hotel this time, so as to avoid unnecessary conflict with her mother yet again. She mindlessly scrolled through pages on her iPad, brainstorming on ideas regarding her company. However, when her phone suddenly vibrated at three in the morning, she jumped in shock, not expecting anyone to call at that time. Jessica froze when the caller's name was shown on the phone. Hesitantly, she clenched her jaw and made her way out of the room, before she picked up the call.

"Hey...?" Jessica's voice lacked confidence, and a hint of weakness was obvious in her tone.

"Sica ya." Just that familiar voice alone had already successfully made tears well up in the girl's eyes.

"Yeah, Kwon Yuri."

"Have...you been well?"

Jessica's eyebrows furrowed, her eyes full of curiosity as to why the girl called. "I guess I am... How about you?"

''I've been well too. Things are good."

"Ah... That's good to hear..."

"What have you been doing?"

Sleeping with a different guy every night, Jessica really wanted to say, but she didn't. "The same old things." Jessica could hear a sigh coming from the other end, but she didn't question why. The two girls stayed silent for a while.

"Why are you still awake?" Yuri's sudden question got Jessica dumbfounded.

"I-I... Uh... Well... I was...busy. Kinda." Jessica only hoped that Yuri hadn't notice the uncertainty in her voice.

"Busy with wh-" Yuri was about to ask another question when Taeyeon's untimely scream of "KITTY WHERE ARE YOU?! DON'T LEAVE ME!" came sounding from the room.

Jessica's eyes widened in shock as she mumbled, "Uh Yuri sorry I've got to go. I hope you will stay well. Bye." With that, she quickly ended the call. Taking slow steps into the room, Jessica stopped a short distance away from the still almost unconscious Taeyeon. Sighing, she continued taking steps forward before she sat down on the floor by Taeyeon's bed. Jessica reached out to hold Taeyeon's arm, and she rested her head on the bed. It wasn't long, before Jessica's body was shaking and sniffling sounds could be heard in the room. That night, the two girls who felt betrayed by the world they were in, were each other's only source of strength and comfort.

***

Jessica stayed with Taeyeon a little longer this time round. It was six in the morning when she finally stood up from where she was, her hand leaving the warmth that Taeyeon's arm had been giving her for the past couple of hours. She stretched for a bit and adjusted her clothes, before she made her way to the table. Grabbing the nearest pen, she scribbled something on the complimentary notepad, a warm smile gracing her face. When she was done, she took in a deep breath and then let it out. Turning to look at Taeyeon who was still sound asleep, she couldn't help but to break into a smile once more. Before she turned to leave, her hand familiarly pulled the mask off her eyes and the mask was left on the table beside the note.

"We'll meet again," Jessica whispered, "Taeyeon."

[A/N] 23/8/2014

I've missed you readers and I hope you have missed my story too. I'm sorry this update is one day late. I've been really busy for the past week. There aren't too many emotional scenes in this update, but I think this chapter plays an important part in showing the progress between TaengSic. I don't know what you think about it though, so write me something :)

On a side note, I've started a collection of one-shots (not Dear Death, don't worry) so that I wouldn't have to update my story list every time I write a one-shot. It's called Fly, Karma Butterfly and you can check it out. :) Existing one-shots/multi-shots/trilogies will stay on their respective pages. I'll be back soon. :)

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