“Hey! Do you wanna come up stairs? We can get away from all this noise!” The boy that I had been spending the night with was actually really nice. He was telling me that once he finished high school and college he was leaving Lakewood and going to see the world. I told him I was envious, I told him that I had always wanted to travel and that’s when he wanted me to join upstairs.

Normally I would’ve found this invitation slightly suspicious but since we had gotten talking about traveling I wanted to listen to more of what he was planning once he graduated.

I nodded and he grabbed my hand, pulling me upstairs and towards one of the bedrooms.

“So Yuri, was it? You want to travel?” The boy sat on the bed and motioned me to do the same. I still didn’t know his name but the opportunity had never presented itself. I was too shy to ask at this point because I didn’t want him to think I was a loser for not knowing who he was.

“Yeah I do. I think it would be the most exciting experience!” I sat down not far from him, but there was still a person width between us and there was almost silence now except for the gentle rumble of the music downstairs.

“Absolutely. Do you have anyone you want to travel with?” The boy closed the distance between us and wrapped his hand around my shoulder, I instantly became uncomfortable but I was too scared to say anything.

“Um, no not yet I just want to finish school before I think about that.” He nodded at my response and then moved a stray piece of my hair that had fallen over my face.

“There are more than just travelling experiences Yuri.” He moved closer to me and went to kiss me. When I tried to pull away he held my cheek tightly and kept me in place. As he continued to kiss I felt his hands move over my body and towards my hips.

“I don’t want to do that.” I told him trying to push his hands away.

“Hey come on Yuri. It’ll be another exciting experience.” He tried to sound seductive but to me it just sounded wrong. I kept trying to push him off but he was too strong. Instead he pushed me onto my back and ripped my blouse open causing the buttons to break.

“Stop it!” I used all my strength to push him off me and leave the room. I didn’t give him anytime to speak and headed straight downstairs to find my friends. I could hear him calling my name but I didn’t look back. A few people at the party turned their heads as I desperately tried to hold my shirt closed.

“Ri! What happened?” Yoona asked me when I found her still dancing with the older boy. The music was loud again and I could barely hear anything but the bass to the song.

“Can we go please?” I felt tears in my eyes but I didn’t let them escape, I just wanted to go home.

“What? Why?” Yoona’s mood instantly changed and I felt my stomach drop when a hand went to my waist.

“Yuri, where are you going? Come on, we were just having fun!” The boy was at my side again, trying desperately to stop me from leaving. I tried hard to push away from him but he wouldn’t let go.

“Let go of me!” I shouted, my voice was somehow louder than the music but he still wouldn’t catch the hint. He grabbed my hands and pulled me close to him. Both Yoona and the boy looked at me confused as I tried to shove away from from him.

“Yuri!” Jessica tried desperately to wake the sleep brunette; she had fallen fast asleep after crying on Jessica’s shoulder. As the blonde shook her from slumber Yuri gasped loudly, the sudden withdrawal from her nightmare made it hard to distinguish what was real and what wasn’t.

“It’s okay Yul, you were having a nightmare. You’re okay.” Jessica’s voice was very soothing to Yuri. As the brunette whipped her eyes she let herself focus back on reality, she looked up at Jessica. At some point they had moved further up Yuri’s bed. Jessica was sitting lightly against the bed frame and Yuri was lying on her chest.

“Sorry.” Yuri murmured as she rose from Jessica’s chest.

“Oh you don’t need to be sorry.” The blonde went to move a piece of the brunette’s hair away from her face but unexpectedly Yuri flinched. When she adjusted to who she was with, Yuri put her hand to Jessica’s.

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to flinch.”

“What did you dream about Yul?” Jessica tried to keep her voice calm and soothing.

“Past experience.” Yuri moved her hair away from her and became shy. She wasn’t ready to talk about it and Jessica could tell. For some reason it frustrated her slightly. She wanted the brunette to trust her and to talk to her. Jessica couldn’t understand why Yuri wouldn’t talk about what happened eight months ago.

“What was it that happened before you stopped talking?”

“Sica, I need you to understand. I’m not ready to talk about this.” Jessica paused but could sense Yuri’s hesitation towards the subject. She believed herself lucky that Yuri was even speaking to her at all, considering the blonde hadn’t been the nicest of people to her when they first met.

“Whenever you are ready Yul, I’m here.” Yuri nodded and went back to lie against Jessica. Her heartbeat was surprisingly peaceful to listen to. Yuri let her mind rest. She had become exhausted by just thinking about her past. It had damaged her greatly and it was hard for her to recover. Her parent’s suggested seeing a psychologist but what was the point when you didn’t even talk. But being with Jessica made everything seem easier. The brunette found that when she was with Jessica her mind was not distracted with her haunting memories. Though they lingered in her thoughts now, Yuri let herself focus on Jessica’s hands as they connect with her own. It was a comforting gesture that made Yuri smile softly. Looking up at Jessica the brunette felt all of her worries disappear as she leaned to kiss her.

Feeling Yuri’s lips connect to her own, Jessica let her hands move from Yuri’s hands to her waist. Holding the brunette softly, Jessica could feel her heart race and it was a feeling she could get used to.

“Yuri?” The girls could her Chae call from down the hall. Quickly parting from Yuri, Jessica grabbed the papers that had fallen on the floor in the chaos of their kissing.

“So overall we did well on the assignment.” Jessica pretended to be parting a conversation they had never had as Yuri’s mother walked into the room. When Chae looked at the two she smiled but was completely unaware of what had really been going on. She could instantly tell Yuri’s spirits had been lifted and she was grateful for whatever this Jessica girl had done.

“Jessica dear, I was wondering if you wanted to stay for dinner?” Chae’s invitation confused Yuri slightly. They hadn’t had a guest over for dinner in almost a year.

“I would love to, Mrs. Kwon.” Jessica smiled softly and looked towards Yuri. Yuri however was still looking in between her mother and Jessica, the both had large smiles on their faces, and it made her laugh.

“Oh what?” Jessica giggled back, playfully shoving Yuri’s knee.

“You guys are just funny, that’s all.” Yuri’s words came so naturally when Jessica was around that she had completely forgotten her mother was in the room. Chae however looked at her daughter with amazement. She was talking so easily to this Jessica girl. What about her was so different? Well, whatever it was, Chae was hoping the blonde would continue to do what she was doing.

“Well girls, dinner's almost ready so you can come down when you are ready.” Chae smiled to herself and left the room. Walking down the hall she could hear the two girls finally let go of the laughter they were desperately trying to hold in. It brought an even larger smile to the other Kwon’s face. Her Yuri was back.

______________________________________

“You know, I never really cared for sports, but Yuri made swimming sound relatively interesting.” Jessica and Chae had been in deep conversation for most of the dinner. Yuri enjoyed watching them both talk, her mother hadn’t had someone to talk in a long time. It made her feel slightly guilty she couldn’t talk to Yuri but the brunette was glad none the less.

“She was an amazing swimmer Jessica. I’ve got some videos of her best swimming competitions from her old school.”

“Oh mom! Don’t! Jessica doesn’t want to see that!” Yuri rolled her eyes at her mother, she could never help but brag about Yuri’s achievements in the pool.

“Actually I would love to see them one time.” Jessica’s response was aimed at Chae but she looked at Yuri when she spoke. Yuri rolled her eyes at the blonde as well but she didn’t seem phased, she merely shrugged her shoulders and shot Yuri a quick wink.

“So Jessica, what do your parents do?” Chae had gotten on quite well with Jessica, but she felt like wanting to know more about the girl that gotten her Yuri talking again.

“My dad’s a lawyer and I’m not sure what my mom is doing at the moment.” Though Jessica knew her parents weren’t separated, they may as well have been. Her mother was always away and her dad would never be around when she was.

“Oh?” Chae was curious about Jessica’s answer. She found it odd that a child didn’t know what their parents were doing.

“Well, she’s in Philadelphia with my brother. She used to make trips to see him but now she usually stays up there.”

“You didn’t tell me you had a brother.” Yuri pointed out to the blonde, also curious. It was the first time Jessica had really ever spoken about her family.

“Yeah, well something happened. I’m not sure what but it caused a disagreement between them and mom chose my brother and my dad chose not to choose him.”

“That’s not good. On a brighter note though we used to live in Philadelphia, maybe we know your parents?” Jessica was glad that Chae had not decided to linger on the topic of her brother, she didn’t really know much about him. Especially since he left for college.

“Well my dad has done a few big court cases up there, you might have heard of him. His name is Sang Woo Jung, but for court he goes by Woo Jung.” Chae suddenly froze, why was that name so familiar? “I know it isn’t very original, especially from Sangwoo Jung but-”

“Jessica I think you should leave.” Chae stood from her chair, so quickly it almost fell over. Both Jessica and Yuri looked at the older Kwon bewildered. Chae’s sudden outburst caused Yuri to stand from her own chair.

“Mom what’s wrong?” The brunette spoke softly. Why was her mother acting so weird and why did Jessica have to leave? Yuri thought they had been getting on rather well.

“Nothing is wrong Yuri. Jessica, I’m really sorry but now it’s time for you to leave.” Chae walked away from the girls and out of the room, carrying the plates from dinner with her. Jessica quickly grabbed her bag and stormed towards the door.

Whatever just happened, she couldn’t understand why Yuri had stood there but as the blonde opened the front door and exited the house she heard Yuri follow her.

“Wait! Sica! Don’t go, don’t worry about my mom, she doesn’t know what she’s saying.” Yuri grabbed the retreating blonde’s hand and spun her around.

“What the hell was that about Yuri?” Jessica was embarrassed beyond compare and she was even angrier at Yuri.

“How should I know? I’m just as confused as you!” Jessica quickly pulled her hand away from Yur’s and continued to walk back to her car. She wasn’t in the mood for excuses.

“Sica! Seriously! Stop running away when it gets a little hard.” Yuri didn’t chase after the blonde. She knew then that if Jessica wanted to truly hear what Yuri had to say, she would stay. But she didn’t, Jessica was too angry and let her pride get in the way of her other feelings. She knew Yuri had no clue what was wrong with her mother and she knew that it wasn’t her fault. Yuri had been perfect the whole evening but as Jessica got in her car and drove away Yuri looked on with astonishment, she couldn’t believe Jessica left again. She did know her mother’s outburst was definitely uncalled for but so was Jessica’s leaving.

Yuri turned around, heading towards the front door. Slamming it closed and stormed her way to the kitchen.

“Mom! What the hell was that about?!?” Yuri asked her mother when she walked into the kitchen. Her mother was flicking through sheets of old papers. Yuri didn’t know what they were but she was too upset with her mother to bother asking what was she doing. “Mom?” Yuri became frustrated but when her mother turned around she handed Yuri a few pieces of paper held together with a staple.

“Read it.” Chae said and then she waited as Yuri flicked through the files.

District Court of Philadelphia

Final documented notes:

Case File: Kwon against Wu

Court No: #1563

Presented to the court on the date shown in first document*

Court found in favour of the Defence (Wu) due to contempt of court

Victim’s (Kwon) testimony was never filed

Yuri couldn’t read any further, her eyes stop at the names written. She knew this document was about her and what had happened over 8 months ago, but what stood out more was who the documents said she was against. Many times Yuri read the papers over and over trying to find any other names written. But deep down she knew, the name “Jungs” stood out in the paper, it was written all over every page. What stood out the most of all was what she read at the very end of the document.

Defence Attorney: Woo Jung