[NOTICE] WHERE TO FIND ME SHOULD AFF SHUT DOWN. READ THIS.

A STRAWBERRY KISS
(TaengSic)
OST: Standing Egg - 햇살이 아파 (With 한소현 Of 3rd Coast)

Jessica takes in a deep breath as she stands alone at the balcony. Not too far away, separated by just a sliding glass door, a completely opposite atmosphere exists. The crowd is laughing and talking over beers, cocktails, wines, which is pretty much the reason why Jessica manages to slip herself away without anyone noticing – or so she thinks.

Jessica leans slightly forward, arms resting on the railing. It’s the same every Christmas, friends gather at this little home they call their own. They as in, Taeyeon and Jessica.  Being the best of friends throughout college, the two girls had decided to move into the same apartment after their graduation. Somehow, it became “the Christmas place” for them and their friends, not like they minded a single bit. It’s not that Jessica doesn’t like the crowd, but sometimes she gets that pang of emptiness, like the more she is surrounded with people, the emptier she feels. She feels almost absurd, but she doesn’t know how to put it into words, and she isn’t sure if anyone understands either, so she takes a momentary retreat. Every single time.

It’s the same today, now. She takes a sip from the bottle of cider in her hand, then another, and then she holds it with both her hands. She lets out another sigh, before she rubs her palm right above her heart. Her heart is unsettled. She doesn’t really know why. Maybe she does, but accepting it is another thing, because accepting it would mean complications, and Jessica isn’t sure if she is ready to handle those complications. She has been wondering, is it possible to not want to love someone, yet keep that same person close to her heart, perhaps silently watching over her. Yes, it’s a her, by the way. Then again, isn’t that already loving her? Jessica fights with her own mind. Truth is, Jessica already knows. She already knows how deep she has fallen into that bottomless pit people call love, and that she’s not acknowledging any bit of it because she is scared, no, perhaps terrified is a better word – terrified of losing what she has right now. She shakes her head in defeat, before she takes another sip of the alcohol.

Too timely. It’s too timely when she hears the sliding door open. However, she turns her head slightly to her side, not bothering to turn it enough to see who it is. She doesn’t need to anyway, because Taeyeon soon appears before her with a bowl of strawberries in her hand and a huge silly grin plastered on her face. Jessica breaks into a smile almost immediately.

“What’s up?” Jessica greets, not knowing of the sparks that Taeyeon sees in her eyes. Taeyeon just stares at her, as if studying her features for the first time. The slightly younger girl ends up looking at the strawberries, and then back at Taeyeon. “Strawberries?” she asks, an eyebrow raised.

“Do they look like grapes to you?” The girl teases sarcastically, a glint of mischief obvious in her eyes.

Jessica narrows her eyes as she attempts to glare at Taeyeon, but she fails anyway. “You know I can’t take strawberries. They’re just…too sour for my liking.”

“They’re sweet,” Taeyeon reassures. “Like really, really sweet.”

Jessica furrows her eyebrows, like she doesn’t believe Taeyeon. “You’re just gonna make me eat those sour stuffs and then you’re gonna laugh at my scrunched up face right?”

Taeyeon rolls her eyes, and then she takes a strawberry and pops it into before she chews on it with a straight expression. She swallows it not too long after. “See? It’s really sweet. I’m not lying. Trust me oh my god.” Noticing how Taeyeon is really getting annoyed, Jessica hesitantly reaches out to the bowl and picks one of the strawberries. However, Taeyeon stops her almost immediately. “Wait. Take this. This is sweeter.” Taeyeon retrieves the one in Jessica’s hand and replaces it with another one.

With Taeyeon staring earnestly at her, Jessica finally puts the fruit into . Almost reluctantly, she bites it. Her eyes slightly widen when the sweetness explodes in . It’s really sweet, she thinks. Taeyeon witnesses her reaction, and she smiles, almost like she’s smirking. “I told you,” Taeyeon says matter-of-factly.

“One point for Taeyeon then.” Jessica shrugs, indifference written all over her face.

The annoying smirk on Taeyeon’s face slowly fades, and it is soon replaced by a gentle smile. “I’m—” Taeyeon pauses for a moment. “I’m not really here to offer you strawberries. I know you find them sour even when they’re really sweet.”

Taeyeon’s words take Jessica by surprise and she soon finds herself staring into the girl’s eyes. The look in her eyes automatically prompts Taeyeon to continue talking.

“I just kinda saw you sneaking out.”

“What… I didn’t sneak out.” Jessica sounds slightly offended by Taeyeon’s choice of words.

“Are you okay?” Every single b