You Love Her

2/?

28th June 2015, 18:39pm

There was something about Jessica, Yoona discovered quickly. It was warm, endearing and left her insides feeling like summer nights and orange-pink skies.

The hood shut with a note of finality.

“Well, that’s it.” Pulling a rag from her pocket, she began wiping her hands clean. “All fixed.”

“Really?”

“Really.” Yoona confirmed, smiling proudly at the newly polished car.

“Thank you, Yoona.”

The sun was setting, she thought briefly, before turning her eyes to Jessica - pretty, gentle colours casted all over her pretty, gentle face.

“How much do I owe you?”

She blinked at the thick wad of cash that suddenly appeared in Jessica’s hand, before laughing a little.

“Nothing.” Yoona replied. “You owe me nothing.”

“But you can’t just fix my car for free-“

“Oh, but I can.”

“Yoona.” Jessica reprimanded gently with a deadly serious expression.

“Jessica.” She mimicked, earning a playful push to her shoulder.

“I mean it. Take it.”

“I’m not-“ She blocked Jessica’s attacking claws that were trying to stuff the bills into her pocket. “Taking it- Jesus, you’re strong.”

Jessica huffed and blew her hair out of her face. “I have to give you something for all the work you’ve done.”

“I don’t want your money.” She said and stepped forward. Jessica watched without complaint as Yoona took her hand carefully and enclosed her fingers back over the money. “All I need is for you to enjoy the car.” She smiled wide at the shorter woman. “That, and your undying friendship.” She added dramatically.

Jessica slotted the money back into her jeans. “I know we’ve only known each other for like two weeks, but I can already tell you’re an .”

Yoona chuckled. “An adorable . Don’t forget the adorable part.”

“I’m going to repay you, Im. And you’re going to accept it!” Jessica said, marching back toward the house.

Yoona watched fondly. “I’d like to see you try, Jung!”

Her eyes lingered for a moment as the door closed. She took a last glance at the car and ran her hand along its side before meandering back to her own house.

She put the dirty rag into the washing machine, and couldn’t quite help but smile, knowing that if she’d gotten anything out of fixing Jessica’s car, it was friendship.

She hoped she was right, but at the same time, she hoped she wasn’t. She was in need of more than just a friend.

* * *

22nd October 2016, 19:23 pm (Present)

She really ing hates Jessica.

Okay…maybe she doesn’t. The amendment comes shortly after taking a messy gulp from the wine bottle clutched in her hand - Jessica’s favourite wine at that.

Yoona stares at the fancy French label and can’t help but feel incredibly asinine. She spent a good thirty ing bucks on this stupid alcohol and she can’t even stand the taste of the stuff.

She should’ve seen this coming. Why didn’t she see this coming?

Did she honestly think that one day Jessica would miraculously come to her senses and see that she and Yoona were meant to be, elope and drive off into the sunset?

No. Jessica is too sensible…too stable for that. Yoona doesn’t really know what she expected, honestly. She guesses she just wanted to ride it out, squeeze her eyes shut and hope for the best. But the best definitely has not found it’s way to her.

As her phone screen lights up on the coffee table, she groans, slinks forward and grabs it before considering the text staring back at her carefully:

“Let’s get rekt tonight. I’m feeling wild. – Sooyoung, The Wank”

She chuckles slightly at the nickname she’d saved Sooyoung under, but another glimpse at the wine bottle has the smile falling quickly from her face.

She hasn’t spoken to Jessica in a week. No texts. No waving from the opposite side of the fence. No nothing. Regardless of how much she hates to admit it – a life without Jessica is not one she wants to live. The sentiment scares her, and she knows she’s in too deep.

Cursing, she grabs the now lukewarm wine bottle and trudges over to the window. She takes a clumsy swig and grimaces, wondering why on earth anyone would enjoy this nasty . She shakes off the shivers crawling down her spine before clinking the bottle down onto the windowsill and looking out at the tranquil evening.

All is quiet on the small suburban street. She watches the steady glow from the streetlamps before her eyes fall to the house next to hers. The light in Jessica’s bedroom is on, seemingly shining brighter than any other light from any other window.

She holds her breath as Jessica’s shadow comes into view, her petite silhouette pottering around here and pottering around there. Suddenly, the shadow pauses at the window. Slowly, gently, quietly, Jessica draws the curtain back. Even through the darkness Yoona can make out her face staring, almost longingly, at Yoona’s house.

The sight of her almost makes Yoona consider going over, sorting things out like mature adults should, but then-…but then another person comes into view, and any sense of calm or forgiveness Yoona has dissipates into thin air.

Five-head.

Her blood begins to boil like that of lava as she watches his arms slip around her waist and their lips touch, locked in a loving kiss. it. If Jessica can forget about her…then she can definitely forget about Jessica.

She snatches her phone from her pocket and taps out a hasty reply to Sooyoung’s message.

“I’m ready to get ed up, SooWank. Brace yourself. – Im Yoona a.k.a Leader of the Patrol.”

* * *

5th July 2015, 11:03 am

It’d been a week. Yoona knew she shouldn’t have been keeping track but she kind of just was.

“Have you got a secret for windows that I don’t know about?”

“Totally. Next time I’m gonna force you to try it out.”

Hyuna stood at her side, nursing a cooling cup of black coffee, shaking her head at Yoona’s antics. “Remind me again why I put up with you?”

“Because I’m the y Goddess of Lovemaking and you can’t get enough of me?”

“Ah, that’s the one.”

She laughed a little to herself as Hyuna sipped lightly from her mug. She looked back out to observe the quietness surrounding Jessica’s house.

She’d finished work on Jessica’s car seven days prior, and she hadn’t heard from the brunette since. She was thinking about it more than what was normal. She couldn’t help but question…maybe Jessica had just used her for a free car repair? Yoona wouldn’t have blamed her. Garages were expensive these days. On the other hand though, Jessica seemed too nice. There was no way-

“Something is telling me that you might just have a little thing for that new next door neighbor of yours.” Hyuna said suddenly, offhandedly.

“That something must be wrong. Because I don’t.” Yoona deflected, sounding slightly more abrupt than she’d meant to.

“Could’ve fooled me with that sad, wounded puppy look you keep casting over at her place. But hey – I’m only observing.”

“Yeah, well…don’t. Keep your nose out of my . There’s nothing going on.”

Hyuna and Yoona didn’t discuss their personal lives, generally, unless drunk. What they had was purely physical, complemented by flirty, harmless banter. Nothing more, nothing less.

“You’re getting awfully riled up by something you say is nothing.”

Yoona closed her eyes, the symptoms of her hangover worsening at Hyuna’s annoying prodding. “Can we not-“

“Hey, I’m not judging. I say go for it. She’s hot and judging from the way she reacted when I kissed you on the cheek the other week, she seems interested.”

“She has a boyfriend.” Yoona deadpanned, fighting away the curiosity that was urging her to ask Hyuna exactly what kind of reaction she’d seen from Jessica.

“All spaghetti is straight until wet.”

She couldn’t hold back her snort of laughter. “I’m keeping that one.”

Hyuna smiled into her cup. “Have it. I’ve got plenty more where that came from.”

They fell into a gentle quiet, watching as the morning faded to noon. Yoona mulled over Hyuna’s words reflectively. “…she seems interested.” But what did that mean? Jessica couldn’t be interested – she was currently in what seemed like a very committed relationship. You don’t just move in with someone you’re not committed to, right?

“Can I ask you a question?”

“Shoot.”

“Would you date me?”

Hyuna lowered her mug. “Are you asking me out?”

“Don’t flatter yourself.” Yoona scoffed slightly. “I’m just curious. Am I someone you would ever consider dating?”

The other woman shrugged, her black hair in stark contrast with her pale complexion. “I’m married to my job, and I’m not a fan of adultery.”

“Is that a backhanded way of saying no?”

She smiled at Yoona, soft and genuine. “I think, in some alternate universe, if I wasn’t so focused on my career, we’d have a fling. But we wouldn’t last.”

“What makes you say that?”

“Because…” Hyuna swallowed down the rest of her coffee and pushed the empty mug into Yoona’s empty hand. “You’re not the type for commitment.”

“That’s not true.”

“When was the last time you had a long-term girlfriend?”

Yoona opened to respond, but closed it again. She’d never had a long-term girlfriend.

“Exactly.” Hyuna pushed a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “You’re a drifter. You go from here to there. And I don’t think I could ever be the thing to make you stay in one place.”
There was no upset in her eyes, Yoona noticed. There were only facts – facts that she couldn’t argue with.

Hyuna checked the time on her phone. “I should go. The office is calling.” She said, grabbing her handbag from the couch. “Later, Yoong.” And, as usual, she pressed a chaste kiss to her lips and left.

The front door closed. Yoona slumped down onto the sofa and stared at the bare ceiling, realising, suddenly, how empty her house felt.

* * *

22nd October 2016, 22:56 pm (Present)

“Yoona, you’re drunk.”

“I’m not drunk.” She says, but she knows she’s drunk.

“Yes you arreeeee.” Sooyoung drawls. Sooyoung is drunk too. Pre-drinks really ed them over tonight, didn’t they?

They tumble into an overstuffed nightclub, where the air is thick with heavy bass and alcohol. In the midst of flashing strobe lights and hot bodies, Yoona almost forgets about her beautiful,