Jessica decided that game day was both an irritating and fun filled day. The prank of the year was finally decided when someone hijacked the mascot of the blue knights then suddenly made a surprise appearance in the middle of the game and pretty much made a fool out of the players when it somehow intercepted the ball mid-air. The crowd was heckling in laughter as the mascot was chased around by the opposing team and referees. What was more surprising was the appearance of the other team’s mascot and together with the blue knight’s made a chaotic game day. After seeing the referee slipping a couple of times and the opposing teams players giving up the chase and laughing at the outcome, the whole crowd gave a standing ovation as the two mascots had one last lap around the court before they made their grand exit, throwing the basketball to the crowd to end their prank.

Jessica was sure Yuri wasn’t physically part of the prank. She was laughing the loudest right beside Jessica, tears streaming down her face. Coincidentally Sooyoung and Hyoyeon had missed the whole debacle after they excused themselves minutes earlier to do some “important business”. Jessica theorized it had something to do with them but kept her peace. At least until she could get any one of the pranksters to fess up later.

 

Unfortunately, before the game came to an end the three friends decided to leave early, promising to schedule meets more often after Taeyeon’s persistence (after receiving silent threats from Tiffany). They probably needed to sneak out of campus unnoticed with the hidden costume.

 

The walk on the way home was a treacherous one, keeping a constant watch for any leftover pranks in the dark of the night. Taeyeon had continuously assured them that nothing would happen at the rate they were going, slowly following after everyone else. Taeyeon ended up walking into a trap anyway after excusing herself to use the bathroom, much to Yuri’s glee.

 

Taeyeon, walking face first into a crudely set up saran wrap, was none too happy at the apparent glee of her cousin and immediately gave chase. Jessica and Tiffany had lost sight of the cousins then and agreed not to risk getting caught up in a trap and decided to turn in.

 

 

 

 

It took a few days picking up after game day, much to the school’s janitorial staff’s displeasure, to have the campus looking back to normal. There were still a few traces left, the most disturbing was the sprayed outline of a person in various places of the high school sector, one that students mostly disregard.

 

“Didn’t they clean that up yesterday?” Jessica asked, jerking a thumb over to the dead man outline a janitor was vigorously scrubbing off the floor.

 

Tiffany stopped fussing over Taeyeon’s flattened hair, glancing back in time to see the janitor throwing a little fit. Taeyeon wisely used the distraction to pull back the beanie over her head and slinked towards Jessica’s side, away from Tiffany’s fussy hands. “Don’t mind that, it’s almost a custom to see that outline for a week after game day. It’s a little disturbing at first, but you’ll get used to it.”

 

“Why that outline, though? Is that supposed to have some deep meaning, like ‘it’ reflecting the student’s soul during the course of the year?”

 

Tiffany chuckled. “That’s one way of seeing it. I don’t really know what that’s supposed to mean but it’s fun watching janitor-ajjushi throwing a mini tantrum cleaning that up every day when everyone knows another one’s going to pop up if they do.”

 

“POP!” Jessica shrieked, wrapping her hands over the arms around her waist as she felt her feet leave the floor. Her shrieks continued, to a lower pitch when she realized whose arms it was, as her body was twirled around once. Twice. She started slapping the arms, wanting to be put down. The owner of the arms obliged, keeping their hold on Jessica until they were sure she had stabilized herself.

 

When Jessica twirled around she was met with Yuri’s grinning face. “Yuri!” She hit the girl’s shoulder with her good hand, the tanned girl laughing as she turned to shield her face from Jessica’s feeble attack.

 

“Your back was turned. It was too good of an opportunity, I couldn’t think of wasting the good God’s of pranks’ gift.”

 

“Try that again and you’ll be praying for your God’s mercy while I shove the tip of my shoes up your-”

 

“Okay. No talk of violence so early in the morning please.” Tiffany cut in, reaching for Jessica’s elbow to pull her away. Jessica doesn’t put up much of a fight and lets her roomie pull her away. Still, she keeps a scowl on, pretending to be miffed by the surprise attack.

 

In truth, these ‘surprise attacks’ do not bother her as much as it did before. She has grown accustomed to the girl’s sudden integration of herself into their small group at random times if she ever shows up at all.

 

“So, what were you guys talking about popping up? You wouldn’t be talking about charming ol’ me, would you?” Yuri smirked, lightly nudging her shorter cousin’s side. Taeyeon rolls her eyes and attempts to elbow Yuri’s side in retaliation. She misses completely when the taller girl saw through her motion and distanced herself from Taeyeon’s reach.

 

“Oh please, if we were to ever discuss you that would be not now and not ever.”

 

“Ouch Taengoo... sounds like your picking up some of Sica’s sassiness.” Yuri sent a wink Jessica’s way.

 

Jessica scoffed. Slipping her arm around Taeyeon’s waist and pulled her close so that they were hip to hip. “What if she has? Turns out Taengoo and I have a lot in common, I’d even say we’d look great together. Right Taeyeon-ah?”

 

Mirroring Jessica’s action Taeyeon nods her head. “We’re like long lost sisters, soul mates even. I’ll even say we can go as far as being the perfect couple. Hey, now that’s an idea. Whaddaya say, Sica? Me and you, ice cream date this afternoon? I’ll even give you a kiss before I let you go back to your room.” Taeyeon suggested, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively. Yuri pretends to gag while Tiffany’s smile drops slightly.

 

It took a moment for Jessica looking at Taeyeon like she had just proposed they get hitched in Vegas and run away to the Bahamas before she exploded in laughter. Her knees crumbled as one arm clutched her stomach, the other pulling Taeyeon down with her.

 

“I guess that’s a no.” Tiffany commented, a little too perkily. She reached out, softly running her palm down the bewildered Taeyeon’s back. “I’m pretty sure you just got indirectly rejected Tae-Tae.”

 

“First rejection. Tell you what cuz, I’ll buy you an ice cream instead, to soothe your aching heart.” Yuri jibed, landing a soft pat on Taeyeon’s shoulder. She puts a hand over Jessica’s back as the girl’s weight transferred over to her side.

 

Stifling her laughter she let the taller girl help her up. Once she straightened up she sends a look up at Yuri as the girl retracts her hands and moves to give her space. She sent Taeyeon an apologetic smile but had to quickly turn her head away before she could bust out in another round of laughter.

 

“I’m- I’m sorry.” Jessica managed to choke out. Her lips trembled, another wave of laughter trying to force its way out of her.

 

“Bah!” Taeyeon flung her arms up. “It wasn’t going to work anyway,” she continued, playing along. “we’re too much alike. Everyone would probably think we’re planning to or have already robbed a bank with how awkward we are with each other.”

 

Jessica cleared , straightening up. Forcing a blank look on her face she met Taeyeon’s eyes. “It’s not you.. it’s me.” She said in her American-accented English. No sooner had she said the clichéd words that laughter bubbled from her chest. She turns her head away, a hand coming up to hide as she laughed. Tiffany had also started giggling at the words while the two cousins looked on half in confusion half in amusement.

 

“What did she say?” Taeyeon asked Tiffany, prodding the giggling girl’s side when laughter was all she received. Tiffany swatted the finger away, shaking her head as the laughter slowly died down. She brushed away the tears from her eyes, looking up at Jessica before shaking her head again. “Oh, it’s nothing. Just American stuff.” She responded, switching from Korean to her mother tongue.

 

“America?” Taeyeon parroted in her heavily accented English, looking expectantly up at Tiffany’s face. Tiffany put a hand up between them, biting her lower lip to stop another wave of laughter from Taeyeon’s actions. “Yes.” She croaked. “It’s nothing.”

 

Taeyeon narrowed her eyes. She switched her gaze from Tiffany to Jessica. “You weren’t dissing me in English, were you?” she asked suspiciously.

 

“Hm…” Jessica grinned.

 

“Yah!”

 

“Chill Taeng.” Yuri held a hand up, smirking. “I’d diss you regardless of the language.”

 

“You!” Yuri flinches and takes a defensive step back, her hands raised in mocked surrender.

 

Taeyeon attempted to swat Yuri’s head.

 

Evading the hand she skipped backwards while energetically waving her hands. “Look at the time. See you shorties later.” Yuri crackled loudly at the vocalized resentment from the three girls as she made her escape. She looks back one time, just to make sure she wasn’t being followed.

 

Taeyeon huffs, debating whether to give chase or flip her cousin off. She does neither and burst out in her unique laughter when Yuri collides with a passing student and very nearly smacks face first onto the wall.

 

Yuri, of course, looks back and grins.

 

 

 

 

It was at the end of the day when Jessica finally decides that there was something off.

 

She couldn’t pinpoint what it was exactly, but the feeling was there at the back of her mind. It was like a phantom itch that couldn’t be scratched. It was there, buzzing around her mind, wanting- needing to be acknowledged.

 

It was driving her mad.

 

“I suddenly want to punch someone’s face in.” she blurts out in the middle of studying. There wasn’t really any progress in her studies, but she thinks that at least she tried, compared to the other two in the room who had busied themselves in painting their nails as soon as they arrived. And by painting their nails Jessica meant Tiffany was painting Taeyeon’s nails while the older girl browsed through a magazine to distract her mind from getting bored.

 

Tiffany paused in dipping the brush in the bright red nail polish, turning her head towards Jessica’s back as the girl continued the agitated tapping of her pen against her notebook. Beside her, Taeyeon’s shifted slightly away from Jessica, in case she might just do right by her words.

 

After the initial awkwardness with Jessica the past few weeks had been smooth sailing for the both of them (as smooth as two introverts trying to warm up to each other could get). Taeyeon doesn’t believe that the girl was anywhere near violent as Tiffany. All bark no bite. Her looks and demeanour still mislead a lot of people but to her circle of friends, which wasn’t much really, knew better. For the most part, she was still aloof and painfully frank with her words, but she was also weak-hearted and surprisingly very clingy (especially when she was sleepy). But, just to be safe.

 

The painfully tight grip on her wrist stopped her movements. She slunk back to her original position when she met Tiffany’s warning look and hung her head in defeat.

 

Satisfied that Taeyeon wasn’t going to move and mess up her still-wet nails Tiffany asked “What’s wrong Jessie?”

 

“I don’t know.”

 

“Then why the sudden threat of punching innocent people’s face?”

 

Jessica shook her head. “It’s just… Oh My God, this is so annoying!” She ran her hands through her hair, messing it up as she pondered on the nagging feeling she’s been having. “It’s like at the tip of my tongue.. There’s something odd and it’s bugging the hell out of me. I don’t know what it is exactly… AH STRESS!” slammed her hands on the table, abruptly standing up that her chair toppled over from the sudden force.

 

“Whoa, Jessie. Easy girl. I haven’t seen you this worked up in…” Tiffany paused, eyes darting to the right, trying to remember a time that Jessica lost her cool. “well.. ever. Well, that’s worrying.” The last part ended up as nothing higher than a whisper. “Okay, how about we take this slowly before you actually break something.”

 

Tiffany rose from her seat, but not before sending Taeyeon another warning look, the girl meekly shrank into herself. She worked hard on different nail art she incorporated into the bland color of Taeyeon's now light blue nails, to have it wiped away from one careless move.. she didn’t even want to think about it.

 

She took Jessica’s hand, leading the girl to sit back on her bed and away from breakable materials, specially the knick-knacks she treasured lining the study table. Each and every one of those collectibles held a special memory Taeyeon and her shared. She wasn’t about to let a raging Jessica anywhere near her treasures least she breaks one. Tiffany wasn’t sure if she’d ever forgive the girl if she did, accident or not.

 

“Okay, breathe girl. Relax.” She motioned with her hands, exaggeratedly breathing in, urging Jessica to do the same. Jessica rolled her eyes before doing as she was told. “Now why don’t you tell me what exactly is bothering your pretty little head?”

 

“I resent that you’re talking to me like a little child..”

 

“Well, you’re throwing a tantrum for absolutely no reason, exactly like a little child.” Tiffany reasons, grinning, her eyes turning to their signature crescent shape. Jessica let out a short growl, squinting her eyes warningly at her roommate.

 

“Great.” Tiffany chirps, clapping her hands. “Now that we got that out of the way.. what exactly got you all worked up?”

 

“I told you. I don’t know.” She says, pointedly enunciating each syllable. She takes another calming breath, pushing her irritation down before she does or says something she might regret. “I can’t point my finger at it, and it’s irritating that I can’t figure it out.”

 

Tiffany nods her head, taking a seat beside Jessica and taking one of her cool hand on her own. She gently small, calming circles at the back of Jessica’s hand. “Okay.. then let’s start at the beginning and work our way down. When did you start feeling… this?” She gestures with one hand. “After classes?”

 

A shake of the head.

 

“During one of your classes? This morning?”

 

“Lunch.. I think… or maybe after lunch.. It may have been before classes resumed...” Her voice trails off at the end as she tries to recall exactly when the feeling had started.

 

“Okay, that’s a good start. Now, what were you doing then?”

 

“You guys were already with me at the time.” She replies flatly. Her eyes dart over to Taeyeon, who was scowling at her nails. She raises a brow at the sight. What was her deal? Sometimes Jessica wondered if Taeyeon was bipolar or PMS-ing. One second she was all meek and shy then the next she looks like she was going to go rage at the next poor soul that would accidentally disturb her.

 

“What were you thinking then?” Tiffany’s voice breaks her out of her wandering thoughts and she refocuses on her roommate's face.

 

“I don’t remember.”

 

“Try.”

 

She shakes her head, brows scrunching. “I really don’t remember. That was hours ago. I can’t even remember what exactly I said that lead us to this mini-psych session, much less what happened during lunch.” She responded aggravated. Trying to figure out the cause of her problem seems to worsen her mood rather than help. She pulls her hand away from Tiffany’s throwing her body to her bed and reached for her pillow to bury her face in.

 

“Forget it. This is just giving me a headache.” She sighs in her pillow.

 

“Jessie.” Jessica huffs as Tiffany’s body comes hurtling over her form. Her lungs constrict in her chest accompanied by a little burning pain and a few tears forced out of her eyes.

 

“Yah!” she chokes out, slapping at wherever part of Tiffany she could reach. Tiffany ignores the light slaps and manages to squeeze her arms in between Jessica and her bed, resting her chin on Jessica’s shoulder.

 

“Sica-yah.” She croons, using the nickname Yuri had cutely bestowed upon her. She snuggles in between the crook of Jessica’s neck and breathes directly into her ear, the action making Jessica squirm underneath. “Sulking won’t help you, you know.”

 

“I do not sulk.”  She turns her body, trying to get Tiffany off her back. When that fails she returns to her position and wildly kicks her feet. “Tiff, get off. You’re heavy.”

 

“But I like my position.” Tiffany says, tightening her hug.

 

“Taeyeon,” she turns her head towards the girl obediently sitting still on Tiffany’s bed.  “get your best friend off of me.”

 

Taeyeon’s gaze pulled away from her nails, her blank face directing towards the two girls struggling on the other bed. Her lips were pursed into a straight line and she lets out a forced exhale, a soft snorting coming out of her nose before she returns back to scowling her nails. Seriously, what was her problem?

 

Tiffany clicks her tongue. “Nice try Jessie, but Tae-Tae only listens to me.”

 

Ignoring Tiffany’s comment she tries again. “Taeyeon-ah, please get this girl off me. I can’t breathe proper- yah! Watch your hands!” She snaps, squeezing her hands underneath her to push down Tiffany’s own wandering ones.

 

“Stop moving then. I have to adjust too with your constant flailing.”

 

“Then get off!”

 

“Make me.”

 

“Taeyeon!”

 

As soon as the name left Jessica felt the weight on top of her suddenly disappear. She glanced up from her position to see an annoyed Taeyeon sitting near the end of the bed, a surprised Tiffany sitting half on her lap.

 

“It’s all fun and games until someone pokes an eye out.” She says flatly. She shoots a look to Tiffany then to Jessica.

 

Tiffany shifted uncomfortably on her lap, muttering an apology as she hangs her head.

 

“Yeah, listen to your girlfriend Tiff. She makes sense.” Jessica was about to stick her tongue out at Tiffany when she noticed the flush on both girl’s face and the sudden retracting of Taeyeon’s arm around Tiffany’s middle.

 

She does, in her own way.

 

Yuri had said that Taeyeon liked someone, and in her words “found her match”. That the person she liked kept Taeyeon grounded, calm. But she’s never seen Taeyeon hang out with anyone as much as she does with Tiffany, they were practically inseparable. And Taeyeon had always been calm as far as Jessica could remember.

 

An impish grin pulls at her lips as she settles more comfortably on her bed. “Aw, aren’t you guys just cute together? Like an old married couple.”

 

“Wha- Yyyah! Jeshika Jung, what the hell are you saying?” Taeyeon was the first to react, placing her hands behind Tiffany to nudge her to move. The red-faced Tiffany silently slips down Taeyeon’s leg, Taeyeon quick to distance herself from Tiffany.

 

 “Your actions speak louder than words.” Jessica continued to tease. “You guys are dating right?”

 

“W-w-w-what are you.. pft.. Sica-yah, wh-wha made you think o-o-ff that?” Taeyeon nervously tried to brush it off while Tiffany remains silent, fiddling with her hands on her lap.

 

“You aren’t then?”

 

“Yes- I m-mean, no. I-I mean…” Taeyeon trails off, turning her head away from both Jessica’s teasing smile and Tiffany’s tomato-red face.

 

“You aren’t?” Jessica repeats. Taeyeon shakes her head, then pauses, eyes widening and then nods her head pauses again. Her face scrunches in confusion. She glances up to see Jessica’s smirk and turns redder as she scrambles to her feet.

 

“I-I gotta go.” Tiffany finally looks up from twisting her fingers. She and Taeyeon’s eyes meet and they quickly break their gaze.

 

“See you guys tomorrow.” Taeyeon says, hurriedly grabbing her things on her way out. She pauses at the door, hand on the brass knob. Her head turns back just the slightest before she roughly pulls open the door and slips out of sight.

 

Without moving from her position Jessica stretched her leg, using her toes to pinch the closest body part she could reach. “Ppany-ah.” She cooes, purposely imitating Taeyeon’s pronunciation.

 

Avoiding looking Jessica in the eye Tiffany stood up, swatting away Jessica’s intrusive toes. She picks up the bottles of nail polish scattered around her bed, ignoring the teasing grin from her roommate.

 

“Tiffany~” Jessica crooned, turning on her back and hanging her head over the bed as she watches Tiffany rearrange her things upside down. “Even your ears are turning red. Come on now, don’t you want to tell your favourite roomie anything?” she says, patting an unoccupied part of her bed invitingly.

 

Slipping her mani-pedi bag back into her pink, hard-case suitcase her eyes traced the sticker cluttered surface. Her finger went to trace the out of place, crudely drawn, black smiley, her own face mirroring the expression.

 

“No, Jessie. I have nothing to tell you.”

 

“Really?” Jessica egged her on.

 

She shook her head, slowly rising up from her crouching position by her bedside. “I’m going to go for a walk.”

 

“What?” Jessica rolled back over to her stomach, pushing her top half up with her elbows. “Aw, don’t be like that Tiff. I was just teasing you. I’ll stop okay.”

 

“I’m going out for a walk, Jessie. I’d ask you to come with me, but we both know you’d rather roll around your bed than come with me.”

 

Jessica opened , closed it then lowered her head down the mattress. “You’re not doing this just to get away from me?”

 

Tiffany chuckled. “No. I just need to… do some re-evaluating.”

 

“Of what?”

 

Tiffany smiled, lips a little pulled. “Why don’t you go over what it is that’s troubling you first.” She says, grabbing her keys off the table. She waves her fingers, the key bouncing with the motion. “I’ll see you later.”

 

~~~

A/N: Sorry it took a while. I hit a major writer's block and was stressing over school and work. Took me a while to re-read (I honestly had to re-read from the beginning) to finally get my imagination churning again and...

 

Take this as my apology http://www.asianfanfics.com/story/view/1155707/1