*Clack*

"Oh? Miss Jung? Hi!" 

Jessica flinched. She turned to the voice and was greeted by an opened door and a grinning face. The girl definitely looked better with such cheerful vibe. Jessica smiled and greeted back.

"Hi, Choi Sooyoung." 

"Where are you going?" Sooyoung stepped out and closed the door. 

"Searching for dinner and getting to know the area, I guess." Jessica shrugged.

"I see... Do you want me to accompany you? I'm going to eat too, anyway. I can bring you around and maybe treat you as a thanks for what you did back then. I'd also like to get to know you more."

"You don't need to though... that's fine." the shorter girl scratched her neck. She assumed the girl in front of her was younger than her. Why would she treat her?

"Nah, I want to." Sooyoung beamed, "Let's go?"

"Okay, then..." well, a treat of food never hurt. 

They took a walk to go to Sooyoung's favorite restaurant around. The walk was not filled with much conversation, but it was not an uncomfortable one. This was only their second encounter and it was just five days after, so awkwardness still pretty much existed in the air. They never met each other since, despite being neighbors.

They talked little about what they did during the day and found out each other's jobs. Jessica was a music teacher at a famous art school in the city, meanwhile Sooyoung was still a university student majoring Korean literature. They had 6 years which didn't surprise Jessica, because she had thought the taller girl was younger. It did surprise Sooyoung though, because the older girl looked really young that she thought she just graduated and had the first job.

"So, should I call you Jessica unnie?"

"It's up to you. I wouldn't mind you calling me without 'unnie'." Jessica shrugged and Sooyoung chuckled.

"You're quite of a carefree character, yeah?"

"Well, I'm just giving choices to you. Either way, I'd be fine, you'd be fine as well."

"Since I'm given a chance, I want to call you Jessica, then." Sooyoung winked.

"Okay, Choi Sooyoung."

"Drop the Choi." 

"Okay, Sooyoung."

"Good." Sooyoung grinned proudly.

After some few more walks and Sooyoung's introduction to some places along the way, they arrived at a Noodle restaurant Sooyoung often visited. Sooyoung found out Jessica really loved noodles, so it's such a fortunate thing her favorite place was this. They got inside and a waiter immediately recognized and greeted Sooyoung. She's truly a regular. 

They were then brought to a 2-person table and they took a seat. Sooyoung ordered her usual and Jessica just followed along since it's her first time. If Sooyoung often ate it, it should be good? That's what Jessica thought.

"This place is quite... I'm not sure should I say it near or far?" Jessica started a talk.

"Haha let's just say it's near." Sooyoung winked.

"But the place feels good and I think we're lucky to get a table because it's quite packed here." Jessica looked around the restaurant and sure thing, the restaurant was really busy. There were many youngsters whom Jessica assumed were mostly students like Sooyoung. From the prices she looked at the menu earlier, it seemed pretty good for students.

"What if I said I reserved a table?" that made Jessica turned her focus to the girl in front of her.

"What? Seriously? This doesn't look like a restaurant where you can do that." Jessica widened her eyes,

"Nah, let's just say the heaven reserved this table for us because their one precious angel was going to have a meal." Sooyoung winked. Again.

Jessica raised her eyebrow at that. The younger girl sure was a daring girl. The certain glint of mischief on her eyes did wonder to Jessica. She had to admit the girl was attractive. Added with how smooth she did her things, Jessica felt that having such traits should be given red card. It's not fair. Smooth-talker was bad news. The girl was nice though. She pushed the elevator's button for her, she opened the doors for her, she smiled a lot, she talked really well (could it be because she's a literature student?), just... overall she had gentle mannerism. It's not that Jessica was feeling the cliche love-at-first-sight thingy, but she just felt really attracted to the other girl, despite it being only their second encounter. She's having a good vibe with her and wished to know her more. They were neighbors, anyway. Hopefully this Choi Sooyoung was really a nice person.

"Is smooth-talking taught in your curriculum?" Sooyoung had a good laugh at what the older girl asked.

"Uhm... not really taught, but... let's just say being honest in our words was emphasized. You're beautiful." 

Jessica was taken aback by the sincere look directed at her. She didn't know how to respond to that and was saved when their food arrived. She might give some tips to the waiter later.

"Well, Jessica. Let's dig in!" 

----//----

*DING*

They had arrived at their apartment and their floor. They stopped at Sooyoung's door to say goodbye. However, Sooyoung remembered something as she was about to enter her passcode.

"Oh, right... I want to know how you knew my passcode."

That caught Jessica off-guard.

"Uhm... that's... You know what? You should be careful on whom you should tell your passcode to. You can't just trust other people easily. What if I was some burglar?"

"But you're not." Sooyoung grinned playfully, "So?"

"Well... I was about to go back to my place that night, but I also wanted to make check your condition in the morning, so... I asked you and you told me... yeah. Like that." Jessica looked away.

"You're worried about me?" the lanky figure smiled slyly.

The woman in front of her was a beauty inside out. She's grateful to have a new neighbor like this. She was so kind to her even when she's just a mere stranger, a drunk and depressed stranger. She offered her helping hand to her even when she's wasted. She's too good for her own good. Who knew if it's not Sooyoung, but some jerkass drunkard who could take advantage of her? Be it a man or woman, a drunk was never that trustworthy, but this woman in front of her still helped her. She felt it's a waste if they couldn't know each other better, so she hoped they could get to spend more time together. 

"What? I just- I- I just didn't want to hear there's a dead body next door when I just moved in. That's it." 

"Sureeeeeeeee." Jessica could feel the smugness overflowing from the other girl. She's really shy and she wouldn't want to tell what actually happened inside Sooyoung's room that night.

"So, that's that. I'm going. Good night! Thank you for the dinner." the blushing girl waved a bye and headed toward her place. She could hear an adorable cackling behind her.

"Good night, Jung Jessica."

----//----

*Heave-ho heave-ho*

Jessica was struggling to drag the Choi Sooyoung inside the apartment. The passed-out girl might be skinny, but her tall figure sure was a problem for her. She just wanted to rest after moving in! Why was she involved in something outrageous like this? But the girl sure looked really sad and it kinda, just kinda, melted her heart. She's not a heartless person, afterall. 

"Oof!"

Jessica somehow managed to put the Choi Sooyoung on her bed. She took a seat on the edge of the bed to have some air. Then she looked at the silent person, and sighed.

"What happened to you?"

She brushed the girl's hair off her face. The girl was actually really pretty. What could ruin this beauty appearance? She must've drank a lot of alcohol. Heartbroken girl? But who could have had the heart to bring a pain to this beauty?

She looked around the room and found a half-filled glass of water with hungover medicine beside it on the bedside table. Maybe this girl had known she would end up like this? Well, whatever it was, it made things easier for Jessica. 

"Unhgg"

Jessica was startled. The supposedly passed-out girl just whimpered. Could a passed-out person regain consciousness this fast or was it not passing out, but she fell asleep??

"Hey... You're awake?" 

"Ugh..." 

The tall girl didn't open her eyes, but she seemed restless. She kept turning her head on the pillow and her feet kept moving. It was all slow, but she seemed to be in discomfort. Then she lifted up her T-shirt and-

"WAIT!" Jessica panicked and held the girl's left hand which was halfway opening her cloth. She gulped at the situation. Her heart beat really fast, so did her breath. The restless girl stopped her movements.

"Uhmn..." she opened her eyes a bit.

Jessica didn't know what to do and looked at the bedside table. She took a seat near the other girl's head and she propped the head with her thigh. Her hands took the glass and the medicine on the bedside table. 

"Sorry, but take this." she helped the drowsy girl to quench her thirst and take the medicine. Hopefully this could help to sober the girl up. Choi Sooyoung closed her eyes again though. 

"Are you okay?" Jessica asked. It seemed like the girl was not aware of what was happening and fell asleep. Again. 

Jessica sighed and slowly propped Choi Sooyoung's head back to the pillow. She stood up to leave. 

"Yul-" Jessica was startled when she felt a hand held her wrist and she heard some sniffling.

Then it happened so fast. She was suddenly pulled and she stumbled on to the bed, on to the girl, in an awkward and uncomfortable position. She was definitely flustered and blushing. And panicking. 

"W-wait, Choi-" she tried to get up.

"Don't go." the girl at bottom sobbed.

Jessica was embraced tightly. The cries on her ear wrenched her heart and she felt sad too. She just lay still in the embrace, waiting for the girl to calm down in her unconscious condition. Jessica sighed and turned her head to look at the crying girl's face. Her hand moved to the girl's hair. This was why the loud music was played. This was why she had a messy appearance and wasted. This 'Yul' person might be the reason.

After some time, the crying died down. Jessica tried to slowly release herself from the embrace. She sat down and looked at the somber face.

"I'm sorry, but..." she poked the girl's cheek.

"Hey..." she poked again.

"Hey..." she shook the shoulder this time.

"Huh?" the other girl opened her eyes a bit, but she still looked somehow out of this world.

"What's your passcode?" Jessica felt she should check up on the girl the next day.

"0210..."

"Okay, thanks. Sleep again." Jessica moved her hand to close the opened eyes and tucked her in the blanket. Then she left the lone apartment.

A/N:

Thank you for reading!

You might have noticed that the date of this ff was made was back in 2016. I had written till part 3 actually, but I still wasn't satisfied with the third one, so I kept stalling to publish this haha now I have a new idea for the next part, but it might take some time to finish it. So, stay tune!

Your feedback is very welcomed! Feel free to point out if I made some mistakes/error :)

p.s. it's not gonna be a long on-going just like my previous stuffs here