23 | The Pretenders

***

"Wait, Unnie, why are we taking the back door?" Yeri is confused. Instead of heading straight, her older sister is taking them to the back door. And she looked like she doesn't want to be caught with how light her steps are and she is even lowering her head. As if someone will catch them. "Yah, Unnie!"

"Jessica obviously did not want us catching her. So I'm bringing a surprise. Hehehe... " Seohyun laughs like a witch.

"Okay... " Yeri nodded. But they just the back door and instead, going to the basement. "Yah, Unnie, are you kidding me?"

"I have to get a white cloth first." Seohyun explained as went straight to room and took that white cloth they usually use for table clothing. "Put this on as well." She didn't warn her sister and throw it on her head.

"Aish! What the heck is in your head again?" Yeri put the cloth down and follows her sister as they went out the room. This time, her sister is heading out. She hasn't even asked where are they going when her sister stopped in front of the breaker. "Omo."

"Let's enjoy the night fellas." Without hesitations, Seohyun pulled the switch down and everything in the house turned off.

"Kyaaa!!!"

"NO POWEEERRR!!!"

"What the ?!"

"JESSICA JUNG DO SOMETHINGGGG!!!"

And a lot more reactions can be heard around. Seohyun hastily opened her phone's torch and ask her sister to do so before putting on the white clothing. Yeri can't argue with her sister's silliness and did the same. They stood at the back door, like a white lady waiting for their victim while listening to squeals and complain from the inside. Under the cloth, Seohyun is like an evil, smiling from ear to ear.

Meanwhile, Jessica is holding flash light while asking everyone to calm down, especially Yuri who seems to be afraid in the darkness and is apparently on the couch, hugging two pillows on both arms and is trembling in fear. She seriously couldn't believe it but there's nothing she can do if she has fear with darkness. So as the only brave in the house, she headed to the back door, where she knows the breaker is located. She was calm at first but as soon as she gets closer and closer to the door, her heart is starting to beat faster than ever. Especially that the door is ajar and she can see lights from the outside. "Oh Lord, don't freak me out... " she prayed while she keeps her steps slower and once she's one reach away, she hold her breath and slowly opens the door. "AHHHHHH!!!!" Only to be greeted by two white ladies. She frantically runs back.

Seohyun and Yeri didn't waste their time and they chases the blonde girl, but the scream got double, triple, until all of the people inside the house are screaming and running around, while others are running out of the house due to fear. Both Seo's are chasing them around, bumping left to right, right to left, forward and backwards to everyone.

Jessica was too wise and she went upstairs, close the door lock and hides under the bed, praying hard that no one is going to be hurt outside. She was too busy and she forgets Yuri is still on the living room, who is one of her guests that can't calm herself down.

Outside, Yoona had been struggling to let go from Krystal to let go of her, as the girl is trying to drag her inside the house. She's is still in shock and confuse mood that she doesn't want to go inside. She wanted to grasps all the stuffs she just learned first before going inside. But it stopped when they realized people inside the house are running out, screaming in fear.

"What is going on?" Krystal wonders.

"They... seemed to have seen some ghost?" Yoona guesses, hearing all of them are mentioning 'white lady'. She looked up and finds out the power of off. "Omo, it seems something is really going on."

"My Unnie." Krystal got worried that instant and she let go of the doe-eyed girl, running inside like it doesn't matter if she meets a ghost or something.

Yoona was about to follow but she suddenly is having second thought and she turned. "Seohyun... " but the thought of the Seo bothers her. "Aish." So she brave herself and follows the little Jung. Dim lights immediately greeted her but two ghots that was shooing the guests cause her to stop from her tracks and raise her brows, finding it funny rather than scary. She giggles, watching continuously while people are now bumping into her as they tried to leave the house. She then spotted Krystal running frantically upstairs. "Sheesh." And she's sure the latter is also afraid. "Wait, Seohyun-ssi... Yeri-ssi... " Heck, her thought about the Seo's immediately returns to her, she opens her own torch over her phone and look around in search for the two.

Meanwhile, Yuri got herself outside, couldn't stay longer anymore. But much to her surprised, one of the 'ghost' follows her outside, which causes her to panic and keeps on stepping backwards while the latter is getting closer and closer. "Y-Yah! I don't know what I have done but please... please... spare my life. I... I was just... enjoying my life and I didn't hurt anyone. Okay... Okay.... I admit, I did one. But the was a long time ago and I have regretted all of them. I mean, you can't be perfect... " she wasn't able to continue when she felt the edge of the pool and her balance is losing. Her eyes widened and she unconsciously grabs the ghost's hand, pulling her along with her as they both ends up on the pool with a big splash.

"Yeri?" Yoona on the other hand finds out one of the ghost is Yeri after she playfully pulled the cloth down.

"Seohyun Unnie!" Yeri however heard a splash from outside and instinctively went out. The deer follows and both of them confirmed there are two people on the pool with the cloth.

"W-Wait... something is going on." However, Yoona is noticed the girl inside the cloth is having a hard time getting off of the cloth while that unknown person is helping her get off of it.

"That's freaking my Unnie!" Yeri exclaimed and was about to dive when the deer beats her to do that. She clasps her two hands and prays for her sister's safety.

Meanwhile, Yoona widened her eyes under the water when she recognized the person along with Seohyun. But Yuri is not an exemption, as they both looked into each other's eyes and pointed at each other. Heck, their attention immediately returned to the person trapped inside the cloth, as they help her together; Yuri on her feet that got tangle while Yoona is on her upper. It was hard because Seohyun keeps on moving but things got easier when she slowly loses her strength. But the moment she got freed, they both figured it was because she has drank a lot of water and has loses her consciousness.

'Seohyun.' In Yuri's case, she is more than shock to see who was behind the cloth. She helps Yoona pulled her up however and into the marbled floor. She's just in the side, sitting, watching Yoona pumping on ex-girlfriend's chest and gives her CPR from time to time. She's weak, coward and couldn't move, due to the fact that it's Seohyun that pulled with her along on the pool. And there's this ache in her heart, as she unconsciously recalled the night she broke up with the girl. 'I'm... I'm so sorry, Seohyun. I'm... so sorry.' She thought, feeling so bad for the latter. She's trembling not in fear but because of the cold air that's now brushing her wet skin.

Jessica and Krystal are coming in a rush outside after learning what is happening. Both however is surprised to see Yoona, trying to save Seohyun, doing all that mouth to mouth resuscitation to Seohyun.

The blonde have noticed Yuri on the side and took that white cloth from Yeri almost immediately, putting it to her shoulders. "Are you alright?" and she asks her in concern. Being with Yoona on the same place as Yuri suddenly doesn't bother her, seeing the tan girl is sitting on the floor, wet like her best friend.

"I am but her... she's... not." Yuri pointed although her arm is still trembling.

"She'll be fine." Jessica reassured and pulled the tan girl into a comforting and warm hug, which the latter returned and whispers 'thank you' to her ear. But it didn't last long when they heard Seohyun is coughing and seems to be gaining back her consciousness. They parted and check on them.

"Unnie, you alright now?" Yeri crouch down and help her sister sits up.

"I'm alright... There's no need to worry." Seohyun reassuringly smiled to her sister. And she turns to Yoona who is heavily breathing but is smiling. "Thank you also, Yoona." But her attention swiftly turned to two silent spectators, just to see Yuri, sitting next to her best friend. And it got her confused and anxious, having eye-contact with her ex-girlfriend.

Yoona is as surprised as Seohyun, but at the same time, she's anxious upon having eye-contact with Jessica, after so many years have passed. Little did she know, both Yuri and Jessica are having the same feeling to them.

Krystal looked down to Yeri, as the girl also looked up to her. Both are wondering why everyone are just staring at each other without saying a word. Not to mention, they can see their obvious anxiousness.

The silence was only broken Seohyun sneezes so hard, followed by Yuri and Yoona, earning giggles from Krystal and Yeri except the blonde woman.

"Ugh, this is freaking a night." Jessica gets up and pulled her best friend up, dragging her along with her inside the house right away. "You guys will catch a cold if you don't follow!" she yelled, giving them an advice.

Getting up, Yoona hold out her hand which Yuri took and pulled herself up. Both of them has these nervous smiles as they awkwardly follows Seohyun and Jessica.

"I sense something is not right." Yeri said, while watching her sister and her employer's back.

"But I'm glad Yoona Unnie is back." Krystal added in a soft whisper.

"Eh? You know her?"

"Wae? You know her too, Yeri?"

"Yes. She's my employer."

"Chincha?"

"Why do you know her too?"

Krystal was about to reveal when something tells her it will ruin her plan. "I just know her through the article online." So she decided to keep it and quickly went inside.

"Wait, do you know that tan stranger? Why is she with Jessica Unnie?!" Yeri asked as loud as she follows everyone.

***

The table is awkwardly quiet, ever since the four of them sits down and drinks hot choco milk. It was Jessica and Krystal who made it for everyone but only four of them sat down, as Yeri and Krystal decided to clean up the whole mess in their house.

All four of them are busy thinking on how they will speak, on how they will start it, on whether they will actually introduce their exes or not. But all of their eyes couldn't stop from stealing glances to their respectively exes.

After 30 minutes, someone broke the silence.

"So... care to introduce your company, Seohyun?" And it's none other than, Jessica, pretending she doesn't know the doe-eyed girl. As much as she wanted to tell everyone she used to date the choding, thinking about how will Yuri reacts scares her. She and her, are just starting and she doesn't want to break that. Especially that, the tan girl is her ex too.

"Yes?" Seohyun is surprised to hear it and turned to face the deer next to her. She awkwardly smile to her before she responded, "She's Im Y-Yoona. Um, Yoona-ssi... she's the best friend I was talking about. J-Jessica Jung. She's honestly Yeri's employer. And, she's the one who we accompanied in search for someone." she shared, so her best friend wouldn't think she is starting to date anyone.

"It's nice to meet you, Miss Im." Jessica surprised the doe-eyed girl when she holds out her hand, smiling friendly towards her. 'Don't you dare open your damn mouth, Choding!' her head is however different.

"Y-Yes, It's nice to meet you as w-well... Miss Jung." Yoona couldn't grasp what is going on but she somehow needs to pretend as well and flashes her friendly smile, as she shakes their hands together. She glance to Yuri and the latter sends her brief glares, which causes her to hold her hand back and quietly looked down to her own mug. 'Aish, that dork, what is she doing?'

"Yah, Jessica Jung. Mind me introducing to your company as well?" Seohyun's turn to pretend, as she flashes Yuri a friendly yet fake smile. 'Kwon Yuri, don't you dare tell her the truth. Or you're going to make your own grave.' In her head, couldn't stop from feeling hatred towards the girl who broke up with her.

"Oh, Kwon Yuri. Her name is Kwon Yuri. Um, she's that pest was talking about."

"What?! A pest?" Yuri almost immediately turned to Jessica on her side and questioned her.

"Bwahahahaha!!!" Yoona couldn't hold it and exploded into a big laugh. "Excuse me." But she quickly covered and has a drink.

"I think you... haven't mentioned it?"

"Chincha? Oh yeah, It was Krystal. You guys are already out of the town and I was dealing with her. Um, she honestly crashed on my car and that's when it started... our friendship." Jessica explains, nudging Yuri and smiled so fake towards her.

"I see... " Seohyun nodded. "It's nice to meet you as well, Miss Kwon." And she held out her hand to Yuri, who is across her.

Yuri sighs in defeat and pretends she doesn't her ex-girlfriend as well. "My pleasure, Miss Seo." She hold her hand and lightly shake them.

"Hey, can I talk to you somewhere private?" Yoona whispers to Seohyun out of a sudden.

"What's going on?" Yuri and Jessica both ask in unison.

"She wanted to say something to me. Can we excuse for a while?"

"Yeah, s-sure." Both girls responded together again.

With that, Yoona and Seohyun left their seats and it was only the two of them.

"Aigoo, I was really scared earlier." Yuri said as she heaved a sigh.

"Scared? For Yoona?" Jessica guesses.

"No. For your best friend. I mean, I was the one who pulled her to the pool. Thankfully Yoona saves the night." Yuri explained and gives the blonde a weird look. "Wae? Why would I scare for Yoona?"

"Nothing. I just thought of it." The blonde shrugs her shoulders and took her mug to have a sip of her drink.

"Well, I also cared for her though. But Seohyun was the one drinking all the water, so I got... worried for her more than my cousin." Yuri confessed, sighing afterwards.

Jessica literally spits her drink to Yuri's face after hearing it.

"What the... " Yuri stood up, moving away from the one who wet her again. Thankfully her drink isn't that hot anymore.

"Omo, s-sorry." Jessica tried to apologize and wipes the tan girl's wet face but the latter had enough and declined all of it.

"I can take care of myself! Aish!" Yuri snatched the tissue paper from the blonde and wipes her own face.

"But... wait... let me confirm it. Y-Yoona... she's your... cousin?" Jessica feels like some thorn is being pulled from her chest after she learned it, but she couldn't still believe it.

Yuri nodded. "Wae? Are you interested with her?"

"Hell NO! I was just... happy."

"Eh?"

"I mean, Happy that you are not going to be alone now. Now that your cousin is back. Hmm?" Jessica took her mug and offers it. "Toddles~!" but drinks it on her own, smiling like a fool. 'So this means they're not exes. Why didn't I ask her about it right away? I'm so stupid. But yay! I'm free now. I don't have to - wait, she still doesn't know Yoona is my ex. But who cares. Hehehe...' She got excited, now that it clears for her that Yoona is a 'cousin', and there's no way cousins will date each other.

Yuri scoffs, couldn't say a word while she's making sure she's not wet again.

"I just want to apologize." Meanwhile, Yoona is apologizing for Seohyun outside the house.

"For what?" Seohyun is confused.

"I mean, my cousin. She seems to have caused some trouble. I want to apologize in behalf of her." The doe-eyed bowed this time.

"She's your cousin?" The new revelation gives Seohyun chills down her spine. 'So I've been seeing Yuri's cousin? What a small world.' She thought, as it gives her chills a little.

"Yes. She's my dork cousin." Yoona sighs. "And that idiot seems close to your best friend now."

Seohyun raise her brows. "Why are you calling her idiot?"

"Because obviously she is." Yoona replied instantly. "Your best friend should be warned."

"I think she knows what she's doing. I am not worried at all."

"Really?"

"Jessica Jung, you don't