—T W O

Onew stood up, Jessica looked at him in confusion. He smiled and offered his hand to her. Picking her up off the sand, they started to stroll down the beach. The waves felt nice and cool in between their toes as they walked hand in hand. Jessica closed her eyes and threw her head back as a breeze blew past, it made her feel refreshed.

"How else do I make you smile?" Onew admired her beautiful skin as it glowed under the sun.

"You," Jessica laughed and pinched his nose with her free hand, "you better give me reasons on how I make you smile, Jinki!"

"But of course!" Onew laughed and scooted closer to her. 


“Hm… I smile because…”
— The Past

"You two look really good together."

Jessica’s smile weakened at the sight of a woman complimenting Jonghyun and Yoona. The look on their faces, their cheeks turning slightly pink, it made her all the more weaker because he never looked at her the way he looked at Yoona, well that’s what she thought and that was how it always seemed.

It had been four years since Jonghyun and Jessica met and their relationship as best friends had become stronger but for Jessica she felt it became something more. At first she didn’t think that she’d ever fall for him but as the years gone by and they would meet at this very same party, Jessica couldn’t help but admire something new about him. They were dubbed as the ‘duo singing sensation’ because of their harmonic singing voices and every year they would sing in front of everyone.

Moments where you’re a third wheel in a scenario, that was how Jessica felt as she watched Jonghyun having a chat with Yoona. Playing with her food seemed to amuse her as she rolled the pea around in a circle on her plate. But Jessica being a best friend, Jonghyun didn’t really notice how awkward she felt just sitting there and listening. It was as if being visible meant nothing when it came to Jonghyun and Yoona. She lifted her head up from her plate as she watched Yoona excuse herself to go to the toilet.

"Have you noticed how much Yoona had grown taller?" Jonghyun couldn’t help but blurt out, still staring in the direction Yoona went. ‘Oh, so you notice me when she’s out of sight.’ Jessica just shrugged and continued on playing with her food. She didn’t bother to look up since she concluded that he’d still be focused on Yoona and not her.

"Yah! Are you okay? You don’t really seem your usual bubbly self tonight." Jonghyun asked her, the concern in his voice was visible and made Jessica warm up a bit. Yes, she wasn’t herself, she was also confused about her actions.

"I’m okay, probably just tired." Jessica managed to say with a smile but she knew Jonghyun was the type to see right through people and read between the lines, or was she just really that obvious? With uncertainty in his eyes, he just stared at her like he was trying to read her mind for a few seconds before nodding and looking out towards the dance floor.

A smile suddenly appeared on his face. “Sica, remember the time when we first danced?”

Jessica laughed for the first time that night all because of that memory four years ago, it made Jonghyun happy that he was able to make her smile.

"Of course! And you were so happy after we danced because you didn’t step on my foot for a whole ten minutes." Jessica looked up from her plate and to Jonghyun who was trying to keep himself from laughing out loud.

"What? It was the first time okay?!" This made Jessica hysterical, her stomach starting to hurt from all the laughter and Jonghyun joined in soon after. "Let’s dance!" Jonghyun suggested a little too enthusiastically right after their laughter died down.

Jessica sighed, was sore. “Nah, don’t really feel like it,” Jonghyun’s shoulders deflated in disappointment making Jessica feel bad for turning down his offer, “but you can ask Yoona since she’s coming this way towards us.”

"Fine but you owe me one!" Jonghyun teased with a cheeky grin, Jessica laughed. He smiled as Yoona approached him and asked him if he wanted to dance. Jonghyun accepted and gently grabbed her wrist, tugging her towards the dance floor.

Jessica still wasn’t really that close to Yoona but they talked more frequently over the years so Jessica was able to consider her as one of her friends. She was right, Yoona looked more beautiful every year and it