Clueless

It started again with, 'Hi. How have you been?' then it never happened again.

Yuri thought it was just a mistake. A message wrongly sent. A slip of the thumb. An accident.

Like how they started.

Or rather, like how they finally figured they already started.

'I think I'm in love.' That was Jessica's text to her. It was never really intended to be sent. It got Yuri running to Jessica's room, nonetheless. Her eyes were worried, troubled... jealous. Yuri was pacing as soon as Jessica opened the door and let her in. She looked at the ground then at Jessica then back at the ground again, stopping only when Jessica urged them to sit on the edge of the bed.

"With who?" Yuri didn't mean to sound bitter but she did. Jessica looked at her like a deer caught in the headlights. "Who are you in love with?"

Then Jessica opened to tell but Yuri didn't give it a chance to even start.

She cupped her face and kissed her. ""Whoever that was, I loved you first."

The memory came in and replayed in her mind without even trying. Her cheeks reddened, a smile threatening to form on her lips. How unrestrained and careless she was back then. Young, gay and deeply in love. Almost the complete opposite of who she was now.

She looked at the message again. It's been there for two weeks now. Read and un-replied. Her younger self wouldn't have hesitated to answer, 'I'm not okay. I still miss you,' to the text but that wasn't so easy now. They grew up. Learned that every action had its consequences. Learned that not everything sweet is for keeps. Learned that love is never an easy thing. Learned that it could hurt. Learned that it could fade. In growing up, they learned to be afraid.

Yuri put her phone down and then crouched to pick up Hani, who was circling her feet the whole time, barking excitedly like she knew exactly who was taking Yuri's time. "Your rival asked how are we, Hani-yah."

Hani answered her with three barks, tongue sticking out at Yuri happily.

"Yes, but we're both trying to live happily now, aren't we?"

Hani barked again.

"It's better this way, Hani-yah. It's better this way." She said more to herself than to her dog. "She didn't need to know."

They went out for a walk then Yuri went and dropped Hani to her brother's house. The girls and she would be flying to Hong Kong early tomorrow. She didn't want to wake up earlier just to drop Hani off. She went to buy groceries before getting something for dinner. She went to the gym and was very tired once she finally got home.

What a perfect excuse to forget to delete Jessica's message again.

--

Yuri really should have listened to her manager more attentively when she explained the program format to her. She should've read more into that script, so at least she knew what their topic was going to be and who else were going to come. She shouldn't have been so careless. She blamed her long years in the industry. They made her too comfortable. Too confident. Being a member of a top group gave her neither the need to try to stand-out nor the need to prove herself useful to variety programs. She knew she could do them well, rehearsed or not.

Oh, how wrong she was.

Because, this one, she knew, regardless of how much she rehearsed it beforehand in her mind, was something she wouldn't be ready for.

No number of years of experience could have prepared her to be in the same room as her again. No number of ex-lovers after them would have made it easier to look at her without wanting to look away. And nothing would have stopped the painful clenching of her heart while talking about this topic when her first heartbreak was sitting only one person away from her.

The guest from the audience continued ranting over her first love. How one could never really forget them. How it broke her and continued breaking her and everything she tried to build, even when it was so far away from the past.

One of the MC's cracked a joke to help make the mood of the show lighter. The audience laughed, and with them, Yuri heard that familiar melodic laughter joining in. Yuri smiled in default, her mind already flying away from there.

Her eyes wandered by themselves, accidentally catching a glimpse of a person blatantly watching her.

Yuri focused her gaze on the audience, tried to ignore the fact that she could see Jessica's showbiz expression fade from her peripheral vision, and failed at it miserably.

Like a magnet, her head turned to Jessica's way eventually. She couldn't stop it.

Jessica gave her a smile, tight-lipped and hesitant.

Yuri couldn't return it.

--

Yuri really should have abandoned her foolish professionalism for once and said she wouldn't do the program anymore.

But no, she didn't.

She couldn't.

--

Yuri hurriedly changed out of her sponsored outfit and gathered her things. She wanted to get out of there as fast as possible. She cursed herself for being too picky and bringing too many personal things with her. She never understood why Tiffany nagged her about it before but now, it finally made sense. But maybe, not in the sense that Tiffany wanted.

"I can see you're busy."

Yuri looked up from packing her bag abruptly.

Jessica was leaning outside the door of the dressing room, looking at her like she'd been there for a while. One of her hands held onto the arc of the door. She tilted her head, sporting a sheepish smile. "Hi."

Yuri could only stare, still surprised. She's aware that Jessica had always got more guts than her but the girl also had the highest pride among them. Yuri didn't expect for her to actually come and find her first.

"May I come in?" She didn't wait for Yuri to answer and let herself in. She had her arms crossed below her chest, hands holding just under her elbows as if to try and shrink herself, as she casually looked around and examined Yuri's dressing room. "Uhm, nice dressing room." She commented awkwardly, obviously nervous as she walked towards Yuri. She gestured to the nearby seat and said carefully, "May I?"

Yuri could only nod and boggled her mind for reasons why would Jessica want to come here for. Remembering the bag on her lap, she put it down on the space beside her and looked at Jessica expectantly.

There was silence.

Yuri waited for Jessica but Jessica looked everywhere but her. She looked uncomfortable, holding on the edge of her seat, feet fidgeting against the floor. Unsure. She's still wearing the elegant clothing she used for the show; the ones that exuded class and wealth, her trademark look. Yet as confident and as sure as she looked when she was standing by the door, for some reason, there, sitting one meter away from Yuri, she looked like the Jessica who Yuri knew from before.

"Is there... Is anything wrong?" Yuri asked, unsurely.

Jessica smiled, her gaze sad when she finally looked up. "Should something have to be wrong first before I come to you now?"

It was a teasing reply, though lacking the usual confidence in Jessica's voice. And Yuri couldn't find herself to be amused by it.

Yuri remembered the last time she met Jessica in person. The woman's wild expression when Yuri opened the door of her unit and found her standing outside. The desperation in her lips when she kissed Yuri. The tears she cried and the way she whispered Yuri's name when they made love. The woman was a mess and she messed with Yuri's heart then. She was gone when the morning came and then a week after that, the confirmation of her relationship broke the internet.

Yuri thought Jessica decided to come back, but it turned out the woman only wanted to make sure.

"You already know the answer to that, Jessica," Yuri answered, with a resigned smile. Jessica didn't need an excuse to come to her. Yuri would be there, even though Yuri herself didn't want to be there anymore.

"The answer might not be the same as I knew before."

Yuri sighed. She stood up, gathering more of her things to create distance between them. She hated it when Jessica's being testy. She could feel Jessica follow her with her gaze. Putting the last thing she brought with her inside her bag, Yuri gave out a long sigh and finally faced Jessica. "Why are you here, Sica?"

Instead of a reply, again, all Yuri got was silence. Jessica just kept looking at her with an expression that Yuri couldn't read, in a way that made her want to look away and come near her at the same time. She hated the ambiguity of what she felt. Hated how she never get the clues and Jessica liked to use that to her advantage.

A sudden surge of irritation crept up and reached the surface. Yuri couldn't hide the bite in her voice. "If you don't have anything else to say, I need to leave."

"Did you receive my text?" Jessica finally spoke just when Yuri turned to go.

She stopped in her tracks, hesitated to answer and then she asked, "What text?" her voice louder than normal. She hated herself for looking behind.

The disappointment in Jessica's eyes made her want to confess.

Jessica shook her head, smiling but not really. "Nothing. See you, Yuri."

"Yeah. See you," Yuri answered curtly, just wanting to go out of there fast.

"And, Yuri?" Jessica called out to her just when she was about to get out the door.

"Hm?"

"I-... Nothing. I'm sorry. Just- Good job today."

"You, too."

She closed the door.

--

'I haven't been well without you.'

--

This time, it's impossible to see it coming.

Jessica looked like a rich wife from the country in the outfit she was wearing. She wasn't wearing particularly pretty clothes; just another variation of the farming clothes they normally wear on the program, but as usual, Jessica looked beautiful in it. Her hair was kept on a braid, covered by a cheap straw hat, which suddenly looked luxurious on top of her head. She came in with her team trailing behind her. She's their special guest.

And even though they're trying to be discreet about it, Yuri still felt the eyes of the crew around them focus on them.

Yuri watched Jessica went around and bow to the crew and introduce herself to the other members of the show. All the time her eyes seemed half-focused, smiling and responding but her mind on elsewhere. Yuri knew. She'd seen that look too many times not to.

Then finally, their eyes met.

Jessica's eyes lighted up when she spotted her. She smiled and gave a little wave of the hand, and like an impulsive reaction, Yuri lifted her own hat up slightly and smiled back, portraying an image that she was happy to see her and that she wasn't surprised to see her there at all. Yuri then reasoned it was variety instincts and not a recurrence of a past habit.

Yuri could clearly see the surprise register on Jessica's face from the unexpected welcoming response. Even from afar, Yuri could see her face glow a shade of pink and her ears turn red. Jessica looked away reluctantly when one of her managers called her attention.

Remembering the eyes on them, Yuri went back to reading her script like nothing happened, ignoring Hara's wide- grin.

--

"Did you hear?"

"What?"

"I heard it was Jessica's team who requested to come here."

"Oh, really?"

"Yeah! Can you imagine how lucky the PD's are? A lot of shows had practically been begging her to visit but she chose this one."

"It was probably a gimmick. Yuri is here. They knew a lot of people would be curious to see her interact again with her ex-member. It'll increase ratings for sure."

"But can you imagine how awkward this could be for them?"

"Yeah. It probably feels weird."

Leaning against the wall she was hiding behind, Yuri turned to where Jessica sat in the distance. The woman quickly looked the other way when their eyes met.

No, Yuri answered for them. This was just like the way they were used to.

--

As what she predicted, Jessica was put in her team. Yuri tried to be patient as she taught her what they should do. It was a hard job. Especially, when Jessica watched her with an unreadable expression on her face when sat down beside her, put her hands in the basin of beans Jessica was rinsing and washed them with her, while she explained how they would turn them later into tofu. With the amount of time, Jessica spent stealing glances of her face, Yuri could bet Jessica didn't learn a thing.

--

Jessica clearly didn't have any idea what she had gotten herself into. She practically melted in the sun, tumbled over running when one of the chickens escaped the pen, and almost set the kitchen on fire.

But, she kept smiling.

--

The night was deep when they finished filming. They were the last to go.

Jessica sat quietly across her while Yuri waited for her carpool.

Yuri wanted to ask her why Jessica couldn't go yet when Yuri's pretty sure she saw Jessica's manager drinking coffee outside.

In the end, they didn't talk.

Jessica sent her off with a shy smile.

--

Everyone was acting weird around her from the moment she stepped inside the practice room. Questions were careful. Answers were too long. Topics were mundane and shallow.

Yuri knew they were curious; just too respectful to open it up.

Or maybe a part of them fear the answers to their questions as well.

Her group members might haven't felt for Jessica in the way Yuri did but Yuri knew they loved her almost as much.

--

'Hello.'

Yuri deleted the text as soon as she read it, but that didn't stop the stupid thoughts from circling her mind afterward.

--

She was their special guest again the week after. She brought food for everyone this time. Yuri muttered a thank you when Jessica unnecessarily put a piece of meat on top of her bowl during lunch time. Then, she brought out another bento box from her bag and set it right in the middle of them before taking out a steel flask and placed them on Yuri's side.

"Takoyaki and Ma juice," Jessica explained when Yuri gave her a questioning look. "We passed by a shop that sells them, so I thought maybe I should get some for you."

"Hmm. You didn't have to."

Jessica smiled on her plate and said quietly, "I know."

Yuri didn't say anything more. She was too nice to tell Jessica she didn't like takoyaki or ma juice anymore. She ate them, anyway.

She raised an eyebrow when she noticed Jessica was looking at her expectantly.

"So? Did they taste nice?" Jessica inquired, sounding a little nervous.

"Hmmm." Yuri nodded as chewed on her food. She turned to the other side of the table when Jessica smiled even wider than before. She didn't get to say the, 'but please don't do something like this again.'

She didn't want to.

--

Yuri didn't mean to reach for Jessica's hand when she saw Jessica slip and almost landed face-first on the mudflat, but she did. Didn't mean to pull her too close to her, when the latter stood unsteadily on her feet, but she didn't move. She didn't mean to notice Jessica flustered face or how tight she was holding on to her.

Jessica was reluctant to let go when Yuri pulled away. "It's okay. You can let go now," Yuri whispered. She went to where Shinyoung was sitting as soon as Jessica loosened her grip on her.

The others laughed at them, having just noticed, and began teasing Jessica.

"Take care you don't slip, Jessica. Yuri might not be able to catch you next time."

And maybe, it was just Yuri, but something in Jessica's eyes suddenly screamed terrified.

--

'I miss you.'

The text came out of the blue. She looked at it again before throwing her phone carelessly down the VIP room's table.

Yuri downed another shot of tequila and leaned her head back on the couch to give the girl, who's now kissing her neck, more access to her skin. She could see the top of her blonde hair as her kisses traveled lower. Like instinct, Yuri reached out and ran her fingers through the girl's hair, only to end up grabbing a handful when it didn't feel right. Pulling the girl by the hair, Yuri tilted her head to give her a sloppy kiss. She gasped against the kiss, feeling the fingers undid her button and the naughty hand that s inside her jeans. Hips gyrating and panting air against the girl's mouth, Yuri smiled, almost mockingly so, as the girl tried so hard to hold her intoxicated gaze. Pity. She was pretty. But no matter how great of a woman she was, she would always be just a cheap imitation to Yuri.

--

They saw each other again at a fashion event. Jessica came as a designer while Yuri came as an idol promoter. They acknowledged each other with a courteous nod across the runway.

Then the Korean model sitting beside Yuri whispered something to her ear while pointing on something about the dress of the model.

When Yuri looked back, Jessica wasn't there anymore.

--

'You've forgotten me.'

--

Jessica came out of nowhere, dragging Yuri by the elbow. Yuri quickly hid her phone behind her back, obscuring it from Jessica's view. The next thing Yuri knew, they were at the secluded part of the bar where the afterparty was held, and Jessica was nursing her sixth glass of vodka. Yuri only held her by the wrist to stop her, when she got to her ninth.

"That's enough."

Jessica let out a laugh like what Yuri just said sounded stupid. "I know," she slurred, pulling away from Yuri's grip. "But what can I do? I can't seem to stop wanting more."

Yuri held her by the waist to support her when she almost fell on her.

"The more I see you, the more I don't want to go back to him."

She pretended not to hear her for the sake of both of them.

--

'I think, you took care of me again today. I wish you didn't do that. You promised me that we won't do this again, Yuri. You promise you wouldn't let me do this again.'

Yuri deleted the text and slept. She'd say sorry to Jessica in her dream.

--

Yuri hoped they wouldn't bug her about it. And, they didn't. Still, Yuri felt their concern, anyway.

Taeyeon was oddly cheerful whilst Tiffany was too much. Sooyoung offered her food while Sunny kept touching her . Hyoyeon put effort into her jokes. Seohyun brought sweet potatoes for her every day while Yoona made sure to keep her on close watch. Yuri tried to act happy and unaffected for the sake of keeping them satisfied.

"So, I have this friend..." Hyoyeon suddenly blurted out when she sat beside her during practice, Sooyoung in tow. They both looked oddly too encouraging as they tried to spark Yuri's interest in dating this friend.

Taking a sip of water, Yuri got up, slinging her towel on her shoulder as she said dismissively, "Just send me her number and we'll set the date."

By how quiet both of their 'OKs' were, Yuri knew she didn't convince both of them.

Sometimes, Yuri hated the fact that they knew her too well.

--

There was an eerie feeling when Yuri rode the elevator up to her unit. Something foreboding. Something.

She leaned against the elevator walls, hand on her temple, nursing her head that was starting to ache. It might have been their anniversary but it was always a bad idea to drink too much. She took a note not to sit in between Hyoyeon and Tiffany next time. She felt sorry for their Seohyun for making her drive her home when it's so late at night.

The elevator door opened on her floor. She braced her hand against the adjacent wall, walking unsteadily down the corridors. Gosh, she didn't even drink as much as used to but her world was already spinning. Just how tamed had she been living these days that her body wasn't used to alcohol anymore?

Turning to the corner, Yuri stopped, suddenly feeling 50% sobered when she saw who was standing outside her unit.

Jessica raised the box of chicken and bottles of alcohol she was holding, looked at them and then on the watch on her wrist before shrugging her shoulders.

"I guess, belated happy birthday to us?"

--

Like always, Yuri let her in.

And Jessica walked in her unit like she owned the place. She set the food and the alcohol on the coffee table while Yuri went to the kitchen to get some water and took some pain medicine. She put some extra inside her pocket. She's going to need a lot of them.

Jessica was sitting comfortably on the floor when Yuri went back.

"Thank you for this. I hope it wasn't much trouble with you. Just- Soojung is in Japan."

I don't want to spend today alone.

Yuri heard it the way Jessica's voice got smaller. She gave her a curt nod and sat down across her. She poured some alcohol in their two glasses on the table quickly emptying hers. "It's nothing."

Jessica just watched her for a few seconds before taking her glass and drinking it all in one shot.

Then, they didn't speak.

Yuri poured. They drank. Yuri spun her glass on the table in between pauses while Jessica watched her.

Yuri didn't ask the where is he. Jessica didn't ask the did you miss me. Yuri didn't say the why here, why me. Jessica didn't say do you still want me. Yuri swallowed down the let me go with another shot of alcohol while Jessica held in the look at me again on the tip of her tongue.

Instead, they settled with stolen glimpses, on longing gazes, and in the comfort of just hearing each other breathe. The way they were used to. The only way they could love.

Jessica asked do you still love me by reaching for her hand across the table, and Yuri answered always by pulling away.

--

Yuri fell asleep with her head on the table. Jessica scooted next to her and placed her head on her lap, smoothing her hair with her hand. She smiled and leaned back so she was leaning on the edge of Yuri's couch. She closed her eyes and pretended to sleep. She didn't dare budge when Yuri's hand reached for hers.

It almost felt like they were back to the way they were before.

--

'I think I ed us up again.'

--

Then the messages kept coming. An influx of hi's, hello's, how are you's, good mornings, and goodnights. Yuri never replied to any of them.

She wasn't even surprised when the news broke a month after Jessica last sent her a text.

For a week, the news about Jessica's engagement was all Yuri could see and hear; as if she needed more reminders.

--

When they met again, Yuri was kissing another woman. Jessica stood frozen by the door of her dressing room, looking suddenly paler than her already pale complexion.

"I..." Her voice trailed off, eyes alternating at looking at Yuri and then to the older woman who had Yuri pinned against the wall. Yuri didn't bother to pull away. "I'm sorry. I'll just-" she pointed her thumb awkwardly at her back before letting her hand fall down on her side. "I should go, I'm sorry," she mumbled before turning around and closing the door behind her.

"Was that her?" Her unnie asked, gently pushing Yuri away, to give them some space, before reaching down to fix her crumpled skirt.

Yuri nodded, wiping and erasing the traces of their kisses with the back of her hand. "Yes."

"I heard she has a boyfriend." She smirked, buttoning her shirt on her way to get them glasses of wine.

"She does. They're getting married soon."

"But she kept coming back." It was said as a statement but Yuri knew what she was insinuating.

Yuri found herself nodding, "She keeps coming back."

Her unnie studied Yuri's face for a moment. As if coming to an understanding, she smiled smugly, "I see. So, that's how it is," and took another sip of wine. "She looked hurt. Shouldn't you go after her?"

Yuri shook her head. "That's not needed, unnie. This is for the better."

She shrugged her shoulders, walking towards Yuri to give her the other glass of wine. Yuri probably needed more than one glass, though. "Ok, if you say so." A pregnant pause. Yuri downed her wine like it was tequila. "I don't understand you, younglings. If you love each other, then stay together. You make everything so complicated. Can't you just choose?"

"We already did," Yuri said with a laugh, "Or at least, I did. She wanted me back but she didn't want to have us, so I let her go. I don't want to be an option. Not again. That was my choice."

"Was it? It looks more to me like you're pushing her away but you didn't cut the leash you still had on her."

"I had."

"Really? If you have told me everything and I'm seeing your situation here correctly, she still had some doubts. Hence, she kept coming back. And you're not helping her decide what she really wanted at all. If it was you who let go, don't you think it's just fair that you make it clear to her that she's not getting you back? Because if you already did that for her in the past, she probably wouldn't be trying to push herself back in your life, would she?

"I really don't think I'm one to blame here."

"Maybe you weren't, but you cannot blame Jessica alone for this. You also kept the space that Jessica left behind empty. Yes, you dated around but when Jessica comes back, no matter if she's going to stay or go, you lend her that space again, almost as if you have them reserved just for her. If you truly don't want her in your life, keep her out. Don't give her mixed signals. Don't let her cling to the useless possibility of having a second choice. Let her see her choices clearly so she could find out what the she really wants. And, you, too. Let go of all of her if you want to let go. Keep all of her if you want to keep her. Choose. That's the only way you get to keep something, Yuri."

Yuri kept quiet as her unnie took her bag and headed to the door.

"I personally think Jessica wasn't the real coward here, Yuri. It was you."

Yuri winced, smiling bitterly at her half-empty glass. The comment stung, but Yuri was thankful for the honesty.

"And by the way," her unnie turned around just before she was out the door, "I think it's better we don't do this again. Don't be offended. You're a very attractive woman but you have too much emotional baggage for me."

Yuri just smiled and nodded. She had expected it. This happened to her a hundred times before.

"Non-ing friends, then?" Yuri offered.

"Non-ing friends."

She thought about what the older woman said as she finished the rest of the wine.

--

Jessica was already standing outside the door of her unit when Yuri got home. She didn't look drunk. She didn't look helpless. She didn't look confused at all when she pushed herself against Yuri and pulled her face into a desperate kiss. But with the uncoordinated way she pulled their clothes off, the moment they're on the other side of the door, with the urgency in her hand when she pulled Yuri's to the space between her legs, and with every gasped that left her lips and the way she looked at Yuri when she finally filled her, Yuri felt all of them. She didn't know what she was doing and why the hell she was giving in to Jessica now of all the time, but it felt right. Jessica's body pulsed when Yuri pulled out of her in order to lift the woman's legs and anchor them on her waist. Walking them to the room, Yuri set Jessica carefully down the bed before climbing up on top of her. Yuri made love with Jessica that night, whispering sweet nothings in the latter's ear as she took her slowly and gently like she was still the young Jessica Yuri first fell in love with. Raw and vulnerable. And maybe that wasn't much, but it was an act of bravery if she's scared of being hurt again the whole time, wasn't it?

--

"I love you, Jessica."

It was said when all the high from the faded.

Yuri sat on the edge of the bed, her back turned to Jessica. She couldn't have herself look at her, scared of how she was going to react. Like all those times before, Jessica stayed quiet.

"I know, you know that. I'll always feel the same for you, remember? I promised you that. I could never treat you like a total and there would always be a space for you in my life no matter how much you've hurt me, so if you're looking for proof that I don't want you anymore just so it would finally be easier for you to decide what you want, I'm telling you to give up now. You'll find nothing like that, Jessica. The only thing you'll find here is me. I am all that I could offer you. Not clarity. Not better choices. Not answers. Only me. And, if you kept going back to me, and still haven't found out what you've really been looking for, then maybe, you'd never find it here. Maybe, you were looking at the wrong place this whole time. And that's okay. Maybe, I'm only one of those people that were just passersby in your life and I'm thankful for that. Maybe, we had different destinations in the end. Maybe, we thought we knew enough but the truth was that we were clueless, running in circles because it's the only way we knew we could do to stay together. But, let's not hold each back like this, Sica. Love is not supposed to be this way. If you don't see me in the place you wanted to be in the future, just leave me here now."

Jessica didn't answer but it's fine. Yuri didn't need any this time. 

--

The texting stopped all at once and Yuri finally stopped running into Jessica. The times she went out for dates went down from 10 to 0. She realized she only ever needed another set of skin against her to fill the void she felt, whenever Jessica was around but she couldn’t have her.

Staring at her phone which was lying on her coffee table, Yuri leaned back and pet Hani's fur while Dooe cuddled against her side. It was too quiet for her liking and it made her miss the stress that Jessica's reappearance in her life used to give. She looked down when she felt Hani her hand. "Do you think it's really better this way, Hani-yah?"

Unlike her usual barky self, Hani just stared at her, tail wagging behind her.

Yuri sighed, she guessed, like Jessica, she really had to answer this by herself.

--

Time passed. The offers and projects offered to Yuri got lesser and smaller. Another peak subsided in her career just like that, but this time, she wasn't too restless. For once, it felt like she was finally catching up on her usually fast-paced life.

--

Jessica Jung admitted to being gay. The news broke and it shocked Korea like a storm. There would be no wedding. Tyler Kwon and Jessica Jung will remain partners in business. The one and a half years long of planning for the perfect wedding went to waste just like that.

--

Yuri found her in a bar. Their bar. It was where Jessica first broke up with her; it was their company that forced them apart back then. Yuri found her sitting on the farthest seat, looking so small and vulnerable, circling the glass of wine on her palm. She sat down on the seat next to her, turning her seat so it was facing Jessica. Jessica didn't look up. She just stared down at her drink while tears rolled down her cheeks.

"Sica."

Jessica's laugh sounded pitiful despite how wide she was smiling. "I can't believe I actually picked you this time."

Pushing herself off her seat, Yuri stood next to her and pulled Jessica's head to lean it on her shoulder. She closed her arm around her, leaning down to put kisses on her hair.

"We'll be alright."

--

Sitting outside a cafe, Yuri took a sip of her macchiato. Yuri watched Yoona from the cafe's glass window while the latter walked to the counter and ordered another plate of chocolate waffles, so she could eat something while they waited for Jessica and Tiffany to come back from shopping for Sooyoung's wedding gift. The sun was high up in the sky and things felt perfect this time; like she was where she needed to be.

Yuri smiled to herself, remembering all the she and Jessica went through to get where they were now. The path they took was rough and steep, and it scarred and tired them both in torturous ways. It was a surprise that they weren't on the wrong way after all. They were just at the wrong time. 

In the end, fate intertwined their hands back together.

They wouldn’t let go this time.

A/N: Wasn't I nice this time? Feedbacks and upvotes are very much appreciated. I hope you enjoyed reading this fic.

(I just love writing post 9/30 fics coz it's always easy to imagine what happens next to something that didn't get a closure. Ha ha haha haha ha huhu huuu. Bye~)