Chapter 20

The pain that she was expecting didn’t come. Although she did feel sore, but there was no excruciating pain. No numbness. Instead she felt like she was leaning against something soft.

“It doesn’t matter if you remember me or not… I don’t want to lose you…” Jessica said softly, so soft that it was almost a whisper. “As long as you’re ok… it doesn’t matter if I get hurt.” She says weakly.

Yuri had to blink several times before her eyes cleared up. She finally realized what happened when she heard Jessica’s voice emanating from behind her.

This girl… who’s body frame was smaller than her own had pushed her out of the car’s way. Avoiding the impact, but in return the girl was hurt. At that moment, Jessica’s smiling face appeared in Yuri’s mind again. It was the last image she saw the last time she got into an accident. Yuri couldn’t believe her eyes; there she was the girl that has been in her dreams. The girl that she longed for after all these years. It was as though the void in her heart had been filled again. Her heart knew that this was the person it has been longing for, even if Yuri’s memory wasn’t all that clear yet. Her heart knew.

Tiffany rushes over to where the two were at and stood by watching helplessly. She knew... that Yuri was slowly regaining her memories of Jessica. She could tell just by the way Yuri looks at Jessica, because it wasn’t the same way that Yuri looks at her. There was a twinkle in her eyes, the one that Yuri lacks when she looked at Tiffany.

*Hwang Miyoung… you can’t give up now. You’ve already gone this far.* Tiffany mentally told herself.

“Why would you do that? Are you stupid? You could’ve gotten yourself killed.” Yuri asked as she backs away from Jessica’s body, she wanted to hug the girl but she knew that Tiffany was standing nearby and it would be wrong of her to hug another girl in front of her own girlfriend.

“Love…” Jessica simply says, giving Yuri a weak smile.

“Babo… I remember now…I remember you…my heart remembers you…” Yuri says, looking at Jessica with the same loving eyes that Jessica missed so much.

Jessica smiled at Yuri, a part of her wanted to jump up and hug Yuri. But she fought back the temptation after remembering the words that Tiffany had said to her. She was the cause of Yuri’s pain and suffering… she didn’t want Yuri to suffer anymore because of her, so she decided against the idea. Until she was confident enough that she could bring happiness to Yuri again… Jessica wouldn’t allow herself to get close to Yuri, even though her heart was yearning for Yuri, yearning to be in her embrace, yearning to hear her comforting and loving words.

“I’m… sorry, Yuri. Please just act like you don’t remember me…” She replies sadly. Jessica could feel her heart breaking into a million pieces, but she tried her best to cover up her pain.

“But… why?”

“Do it for her sake…” Jessica replies, referring to Tiffany.

“But…”

“Please… I promise that it will get better again. Just do this for me now.”

Yuri hesitantly nods, giving in to Jessica’s pleas. She has never been able to resists those pleading eyes of hers.

Though her head was pounding with pain after hitting it against the curb, Jessica didn’t care. She was just glad that Yuri was okay. Somehow they were both lucky enough to escape the danger with a few cuts and bruises.

“Yuri-yah… are you guys ok?” Tiffany asked, interrupting their conversation.

“I’m fine. But we should take her to the hospital.” Yuri answers.

“No. I’m ok. A few bumps aren’t going to hurt me.” Jessica says, slowly getting up to her feet. “You two don’t have to bother with this. I’ll just get my assistant to take me.”

“No. I can’t have that. It’s my fault you’re hurt. I think it’s the least I can do to repay you.” Yuri interjects.

Jessica smiles at her and shook her had in disagreement before walking away from the two.

“Hey!” Yuri shouts.

“Yuri! Leave her alone! She already said she doesn’t want your help.” Tiffany said.

“But she’s hurt because of me.” Yuri says and starts to follow Jessica.

“Kwon Yuri!! Where do you think you’re going?” Tiffany shouted. “I’m the one that’s your girlfriend! Why are you running after some other girl? Would you really leave behind your own girlfriend?? I’m hurt too! Do you not care?”

Yuri stopped following Jessica and went back to where Tiffany was. There was still a hint of anger in her eyes when she looked at Tiffany, and saw that Tiffany was perfectly fine.

“Tiffany. Go home. I want to stay out for a while.”

“Yuri! Don’t leave me…” Tiffany pleaded, hugging tightly onto Yuri’s stiff body. “I know you’re mad at me… but I can explain everything… so don’t leave me…”

Yuri lets out a long sigh, before loosening herself from Tiffany’s hold and walks away again.

******

She felt a strange wetness in the back of her head, so she runs her hand through her hair and felt the warm liquid. Fear now ran through her whole body as she stared down at her hand. It was covered in blood, her own blood.

Jessica knew that it was gonna happen, but she didn’t want Yuri to see her like this. She quickly took out her phone and dialed Nicole’s number, before hailing a taxi cab for a ride to the nearest hospital. What she didn’t notice was the tall girl that was following closely behind her.

“Hello, Nicole?”

“Oh… Jessica.” Nicole replies sluggishly.

“Oh did I wake you up? I’m sorry.”

“No, no… what’s wrong?”

“I got into an accident. Umm… I’m on the way to Seoul National University Hospital right now. Could you meet me there?”

“Oh my god. What happened? Are you seriously hurt?”

“I don’t know yet. Meet me there. Ok. Bye.”

******

“That stupid girl. She’s hurt badly, but she wouldn’t even let us help her.” Yuri mumbles to herself after she got off the cab and arrived at Seoul National University Hospital.

Yuri knew that Jessica was stubborn and never wanted to show her vulnerability to anyone. So she followed her. She had a bad feeling that Jessica was badly hurt. There was no way you could hit your head against asphalt and not be hurt. Yuri was surprised that Jessica could even manage to walk at all.

*Jessica you babo… why would you tell me to ignore you when my heart finally remembers you…?*

“Now where did she go?” Yuri asked searching around with her eyes after entering the hospital.

******

Nicole arrived within moments of Jessica’s arrival and found the blondish-haired girl sitting on one of the metal meshed benches with a white bandage wrapped around her head.

“Jessica, what happened to you? You’re all beat up.” Nicole asked when she got closer to where Jessica was sitting.

“Oh, I just saved this girl from getting hit by a car that’s all.” Jessica replies, and smiled.

“What do you mean that’s all? You could’ve gotten yourself killed. What if the press get news of this?” Nicole lectured, squatting down to look at the cuts on Jessica’s face and arms.

“But I’m fine!” Jessica pouted, still managing to look cute even with the bandage on her arms and head.

Nicole didn’t know why she was so angry at Jessica for doing something so stupid, and then became worried once she got to hospital. And felt the rush of relief when she saw that Jessica was still in one piece. Nicole didn’t know what type of feeling she was having for her boss, but she was drawn to the girl. It was just something about Jessica. Nicole sighed and puts a hand on Jessica’s cheek, caressing it lightly.

Jessica felt the warmth emanating from Nicole’s palm and quickly blushed. It’s been a long time since someone has touched her in such a caring way. The way that Yuri used to…

“Jessica… You know that you don’t have to always put up such a tough exterior in front of me…” Nicole says. “If you’re feeling sad then cry. If you’re feeling happy then laugh, If you’re feeling angry then yell and scream. If you feel anything… just pour it out to me…Let me be your shoulder to lean on, Jessica…”

“Nicole…”

“I don’t know what it is I feel for you… but I want to be there for you. And I want to find out and understand this feeling…”

“Nicole… I can’t… we can’t…” Jessica says softly, she can see Nicole moves closer to her and before she can react to it Jessica felt Nicole’s lips on hers.

It was wrong. Both her and Nicole knew that this was wrong. Other than the fact that Jessica is Nicole’s boss. Jessica knew that Nicole means well, but her heart wasn’t with her. It was elsewhere… 

******

*There she is!* Yuri thought after spotting Jessica sitting on the bench. *But who’s that other girl she’s with?*

Yuri stood behind the corner and watches the scene unfold before her. Her heart stung and felt like it was being pricked by thousands of needles. A part of wanted to run over there and rip the other girl’s hand away from her Jessica. She wanted to run over and pull them apart and drag Jessica out of the hospital. The feeling bothered her… she was jealous… but what can she do? She has Tiffany, Tiffany is her girlfriend.

Yuri felt her eyes burning and tears slowly slides down her cheeks, so she decides to turn around and walk away. She didn’t need her help after all, just like what Tiffany said.

“I must be out of my mind… Kwon Yuri, get your act together. It’s good that you finally remember her. But she’s gone… your Sica baby is gone… she’s moved on…” Yuri mumbles to herself.

Yuri made her way out of the hospital and was greeted by the cool autumn breeze. The breeze chilled her warm tears that were still sliding down her cheeks. The image of the two kept replaying over and over again her head. Yuri started to run, with no exact destination in mind. She just wanted to get away from that place, away from Jessica and that girl, just get away from it all.