"...as long as I'm here, you'll never be alone." 

Right after Jessica said those words, Taeyeon felt a fuzzy feeling in her chest. Though she felt scared, it felt wonderful... and she needed to hear it again.

"Can you please... say it again?"

"As long as I'm here, you'll never be alone, Taeyeon. I pro-"

"No!"

Jessica flinched.

"P..please don't say that. Please don't.. promise me. I don't want to hope." Jessica felt Taeyeon's arms that were wrapped around her waist hug her tighter.

"You don't believe me?" Jessica felt hurt all of a sudden.

"I-it's not that. It's just that.. there are many things that are out of our control. My dad also promised me that we will be happy, that everything will be okay, but it didn't happen. I couldn't even keep my promise to him up until now. Promises are meant to be broken, it seems. Nothing scares me more than that. That's why I don't want to get myself attached to anyone. I don't want to care. If I care, I'll just get hurt again... I just want to hear it 'cause it feels wonderful to hear it, even if..." Jessica waited for Taeyeon to continue her sentence but she heard nothing.

"Well you don't have to be scared. I pro-." Jessica stopped and placed her hand over Taeyeon's mouth when she felt that she was going to cut her off again.

"I promise I won't leave you. I know you have doubts, but you don't have to be scared 'cause I'll make sure that whatever happens, I'll keep my promise. I'll go through everything if I have to."

"Sica please.. I don't think I can take thi-" Jessica  slowly unwrapped Taeyeon's arms that were wrapped around her waist before cupping her face and bringing it up to look at her. Taeyeon's face was now tear-stained, her eyes were still closed and it didn't look like her tears were going to stop flowing anytime soon. She brought her thumbs to her face and wiped the tears that were currently flowing down.

"Taengoo, look at me." Taeyeon slowly opened her eyes and met Jessica's. "It's okay if you don't want to believe me right now. But I'll do my very best to make you feel it." Jessica smiled assuringly before allowing Taeyeon to lean back on her shoulder. After feeling that the girl in her arms has somehow calmed down, she decided to break the silence.

"I think the Kwons aren't planning to leave you and Yoona anytime soon though. Through your stories, I can tell that they're really nice people."

"They're treating me and Yoona like we're part of their family as well. It just feels so nice to be loved after all these years. It's something I've never felt since my father died."

"How did your father die?" Jessica felt the girl tense up in her arms. Taeyeon slowly released her arms around her waist and leaned back against the tree again. Jessica immediately regretted asking.

"I...I'm sorry Taeyeon, I didn't mean to-"

"It's okay."..."He died from an accident. We were in a ship that time. And to make it even a hundred times worse....he died on my birthday."

"Oh God. I'm sorry."

Taeyeon took a deep breath before she continued.

"And the only thing I have left that came from him was one certain object. He has always told me that it holds the answer to why everything happened in that one night."

"An object?"

"Yeah.. I actually always bring it with m-"

"Aaargh!"

"Sica?"  Taeyeon immediately turned her head towards Jessica.

"Aaaaargh!" 

"J-jessica, what's wrong?" Taeyeon was now seeing a familiar scene before her. Jessica was clutching her head once again. She didn't know what to do and what was happening and she was already panicking. But she told herself that she needed to stay strong for Jessica.

"Sica, does your head hurt??"

"Aaaaaaarghh!! Taeyeooon Agh!"

"I'm here Sica, I'm here!" Taeyeon heard Jessica shout her name, and she did the only thing she could think of, which was to wrap her arms around the other girl. It was the same thing she did when she had witnessed Jessica in a state like this, and she could only hope that it could work again.

Every cry that Jessica let out was like a pierce through her heart. Taeyeon started humming a melody, hoping that it could at least help in easing her. And thankfully, it somehow did.

"Agh.. agh.. Tae..Taeyeon?"

"I'm here." She began to rub her back as she tried to ca