ihatecucumbers: so there was this new girl in math today

prettyinpink: and???

ihatecucumbers: and she invented pi what do u think i was going to say

prettyinpink: i’m pretty sure pi has already been invented

prettyinpink: or rather discovered

ihatecucumbers: ur so lame how do u even

prettyinpink: okay so there was a new girl

prettyinpink: is she pretty??

ihatecucumbers: ofc since when do i talk about non pretty girls

prettyinpink: idk maybe you grew out of your shallow worldview

prettyinpink: and started to appreciate inner beauty

ihatecucumbers: i appreciate inner beauty. some girls look really pretty inside. esp when im inside them

prettyinpink: oh my gawd jessi

ihatecucumbers: anyway her name is taeyeon and she looks all innocent and cute and i heard shes a rly good singer

ihatecucumbers: u know what they say abt singers ;)))

prettyinpink: i can’t even talk to you

ihatecucumbers: and the innocent looking ones always surprise you

prettyinpink: so you met a girl and you want to screw her

prettyinpink: and here i thought today was going to be different

ihatecucumbers: today WAS different. there was a new lunch lady and she put pickles in my burger and i almost threw up

ihatecucumbers: i was this close to going home

prettyinpink: oh you poor thing

ihatecucumbers: but good thing i didnt cuz i wouldd have missed math

ihatecucumbers: and taeyeon

prettyinpink: don’t you have a test coming up?

ihatecucumbers: geez tiff ur such a killjoy

prettyinpink: somebody has to remind you there are more things to life than girls

ihatecucumbers: there are also more colours in the world than pink

prettyinpink: …

prettyinpink: that was a pretty lame comeback

ihatecucumbers: i know

ihatecucumbers: give me a break im lustsick

prettyinpink: what on earth is lustsick?!??

ihatecucumbers: you know, like lovesick but with lust

prettyinpink: LMAOOOOO

prettyinpink: oh noooo that sounds serious

prettyinpink: do you need to see the doctor

ihatecucumbers: i dont like doctors

ihatecucumbers: or needles

ihatecucumbers: or swallowing pills

prettyinpink: the list of things you don’t like could be made into a book

ihatecucumbers: be careful or ull end up on it

prettyinpink: oh i’m not worried

prettyinpink: you can’t live without me

ihatecucumbers: yeah cuz i need ur hwk to copy

prettyinpink: don’t tempt me to cut you off

prettyinpink: i don’t get how you never do your hwk and sleep your way through class and always end up with straight As

ihatecucumbers: sry i cant reveal my ways

ihatecucumbers: but i appreciate the hwk copying, ty

ihatecucumbers: omg that reminds me of taeyeon

prettyinpink: and here she goes…

ihatecucumbers: no srsly i tried to talk to her but my tongue cramped up

prettyinpink: can tongues even cramp?

ihatecucumbers: yeah didnt u always complain abt urs cramping when u went down on me for too long

prettyinpink: OKAY TMI

ihatecucumbers: wdym too much info

ihatecucumbers: u were there for it

ihatecucumbers: u werent shy when u were doing it

prettyinpink: JESSICA JUNG

prettyinpink: SHUT UP

ihatecucumbers: what just bc we dont do that anymore means i cant even mention it??

prettyinpink: SERIOUSLY CAN YOU JUST STOP TALKING

prettyinpink: TYPING*

prettyinpink: JUST STOP IT

ihatecucumbers: okay okay geez

ihatecucumbers: isnt it enough u yell when ur talking, do u have to YELL THROUGH CAPS TOO

prettyinpink: i hate you

prettyinpink: why are we even friends

ihatecucumbers: because i was the only one who understood ur horrible korean when you moved here

prettyinpink: my korean was not horrible

prettyinpink: i just had a bit of an accent okay

ihatecucumbers: uh huh

ihatecucumbers: mushroom

prettyinpink: seriously i hate you

ihatecucumbers: u love me

prettyinpink: with the passion of a thousand suns

ihatecucumbers: <3

prettyinpink: ooh vampire diaries is on, gotta go, ttyl!

ihatecucumbers: kay have fun drooling over damon

ihatecucumbers: or is it stefan now??

prettyinpink: geez jessi how many times have i told you

prettyinpink: it’s klaus all the way

ihatecucumbers: how do u expect me to rmb

ihatecucumbers: u switch celeb crushes every other day

ihatecucumbers: anyway lbr caroline is so much hotter

prettyinpink has logged off

 

“Here.”

Jessica looks from the brown paper bag held in front of her face to the person holding it. She blinks at Tiffany. “What is that?”

“Lunch.”

“You’re giving me lunch?”

“Yeah.”

“Aren’t one word replies more my thing?”

Tiffany smiles. “I felt bad that you had—a bad experience with lunch yesterday, so I brought you some food.”

It’s really too early in the morning for Jessica to be smiling, not to mention so widely. “You don’t have to do that. You know I was just exaggerating.”

“Of course I do.” Tiffany rolls her eyes. “You’re always exaggerating. And you call me a drama queen.”

Jessica snatches the bag from her before she can change her mind and take the food away. “So what’s in here?”

“I went to that sub place you like last night, so I got you one. And don’t worry, there aren’t any pickles.”

She throws an arm around Tiffany. “I knew I kept you around for a reason.”

“To buy food for you and give you homework to copy?” Tiffany says wryly.

“Those are the foundations to a strong and lasting friendship, Tiff.”

Tiffany rolls her eyes again, but she doesn’t try to move out of Jessica’s hold and Jessica knows she doesn’t really mind. After Jessica puts her lunch away and grabs her bag, they head off to class together – Jessica has math, and Tiffany has history in the room next door, which is a very good thing because Jessica might not get to class on time if Tiffany didn’t drag her there.

“So how was seeing Klaus last night?” Jessica asks conversationally. She figures that since Tiffany brought her lunch, it’s only fair that she lets Tiffany talk (rant) about her newest TV/movie/band crush.

“Oh my God, Jessi, for the hundredth time, it’s pronounced Klaus, not Claus. He’s not Santa.”

“Well, I don’t think Santa goes around murdering people. That would be a bad message to send to kids.”

“Anything that comes out of your mouth would be a bad message to send to kids,” Tiffany mutters.

“And that’s why I don’t plan on being an elementary school teacher.”

“Thank God for that.”

“Hey, for your information, I would be a wonderful teacher…except for possibly morally corrupting my students.”

“Yeah, except for that tiny, unimportant part.”

Jessica just pouts at Tiffany, who sighs. “Don’t make that face at me.”

“I’ve thought about it. Teaching, I mean.”

They’re seniors, and even though the year has barely started, there’s already plenty of talk about applying for universities. Jessica isn’t really sure what she wants to do, beyond living with Tiffany, but she’s thought about her options and she’s considered teaching as one of them.

“I don’t know.” Jessica hesitates. “Do you think…”

“Jessica,” Tiffany says seriously. “I think you’d be a great teacher. I think you could do anything you set your mind to.”

Jessica bites her lip so her smile wouldn’t take over her face. “Tiff,” she starts softly, but then someone walking by collides into her and she loses her balance and the rest of that sentence.

“Oh, I’m so sorry!” A hand grabs her elbow, steadying her. She looks up, her scowl dissipating slightly at the contrite look on the very cute face of her seatmate. “Sorry,” Taeyeon repeats, taking out her earphones. “I don’t always watch where I’m going.”

“Are you trying to take me out so you can take over my seat?” Jessica asks jokingly. She has a seat close to the back by the window, which is perfect because it offers a view outside when she’s bored and sufficient coverage to hide from the teacher when she naps.

“I don’t think I’d be willing to commit assault to get a window seat in math class,” Taeyeon says dryly. Tiffany laughs, and Taeyeon turns to her.

Jessica clears . “This is Tiffany.”

“I’m this loser’s best friend,” Tiffany says, which earns her a glare from Jessica and a smile from Taeyeon.

“I’m Taeyeon. I—sit next to her in math.”

“Poor you,” Tiffany says sympathetically. “I offer you my condolences.”

“Tiff,” Jessica hisses. “Stop embarrassing me.”

“I’m sorry.” Tiffany smiles sweetly. “You make it so easy.”

Taeyeon laughs. “Come on, Jessica, we should really get to class if we don’t want to be late. Where’s your class, Tiffany?”

“Next door,” Jessica and Tiffany reply at the same time.

“I should go,” Tiffany says, seemingly to the both of them, but her eyes are on Jessica.

“Are you still working on that English project at lunch?” They usually eat lunch together, but Tiffany has this Hamlet presentation to work on, so she’s been meeting up with her group members every day this week. Jessica would be lying if she said she didn’t miss her.

“Yeah, today’s the last day. We’re presenting tomorrow.”

“Good luck with it. You’ll rock as Ophelia.”

Tiffany smiles. “Thanks, Jessi.”

“You already have the crazy part down.”

Tiffany makes to elbow her, and she twists to avoid it, almost tripping over her own feet in the process. In the end, she has to grab onto Tiffany to regain her balance.

Tiffany just sighs. “Honestly, you’re just…” She stops there with a shake of her head that’s somehow affectionate and exasperated at the same time. “Pay attention in class today,” she says sternly. “The quiz is coming up soon.”

“Yes, Professor Hwang.”

She just sighs while Jessica smiles – she always gets the last word in. “Okay, I’ll see you in chem!”

“See you,” Jessica says with a lazy wave, and then Tiffany’s heading off to history. When she turns to go to math, she finds Taeyeon looking at her with an expression torn between amused and bemused. She’d totally forgotten Taeyeon was there.

“So…” Jessica rubs the back of her neck. “That was Tiffany.”

“Your best friend,” Taeyeon says, clearly amused this time.

“Yeah, can’t you tell by the BFF vibes we were radiating?”

“I was almost blinded by them,” Taeyeon says very seriously.

Jessica grins – she loves girls who give as good as they get, in more than one sense – and feels like this is going to be a good day. It’s rare that she feels that way in the morning, but a free lunch and Taeyeon warming up to her – these are totally signs.

It’s totally going to be a good day.

 

It’s not a good day, because in gym class she sprains her ankle, which wouldn’t be a huge deal normally except that they have a soccer match coming up in three days. And not just any match, but a match against their top rivals.

“It’s just a minor sprain,” Yuri soothes while holding an ice pack to Jessica’s ankle because Jessica’s too busy sulking to do it herself. “I’m sure you can still play.”

“The game is in three days, Yul.”

“Tell that to coach.”

“He’s going to kill me,” Jessica groans.

“I don’t think that would help your recovery.”

She levels her best glare at Yuri, who actually looks a bit cowed. “You’re not helping my recovery.”

“Okay, I guess I’ll just leave and take this with me…” Yuri says slowly, pulling the ice pack away. Jessica’s ankle throbs more immediately. Damn it, it’s not something she can just shrug off. Her frustration must show on her face, because Yuri puts the ice pack back immediately and looks at Jessica with a serious expression.

“Hey, don’t look so down. Remember when you hurt your knee and you bounced back in a week?”

“We don’t have a week,” Jessica says, trying to keep a whine out of her voice.

“We have three days. That’s like, a month in dog years.”

Jessica smiles despite herself. “You seem to be forgetting that we’re not dogs.”

“Our school mascot is the jackals. That’s close enough.”

“Weird animal to have as a high school mascot, if you ask me.”

“Well, we’re a school with weird people,” Yuri says, and Jessica can’t argue.

 

prettyinpink: you okay? you looked a little off this afternoon and i wanted to ask you what’s wrong but i had that student council meeting

ihatecucumbers: im okay, i just sprained my ankle in gym

prettyinpink: oh no, is it serious??

ihatecucumbers: its feeling better now, i think its not as bad as i thought

prettyinpink: that’s good. are you icing it?

ihatecucumbers: yeah. gotta get better by the match

prettyinpink: you can do it! i know you won’t let a sprained ankle keep you down. i bet you’ll get a cap trick against yg

ihatecucumbers: looool its a hat trick* but thanks. im surprised u remember were facing yg

prettyinpink: of course i remember! you know i looooove soccer

ihatecucumbers: ofc ms cap trick. according to u, soccer has backwards, cap tricks and ppl should be able to use their hands whenever they want

prettyinpink: doesn’t that sound like a much more exciting game??

ihatecucumbers: i hope u can see me rolling my eyes at u

prettyinpink: keep rolling them and i won’t come to the match

ihatecucumbers: u mean u were gonna come?

prettyinpink: of course! i come to all your matches. you’re my favourite forward, remember?

ihatecucumbers: and ur my fave backward

prettyinpink: <3

 

ihatecucumbers: do u even know any other forwards on the team?

prettyinpink: ummmm is yuri a forward?

ihatecucumbers: …she’s a defender

prettyinpink: yoona?

ihatecucumbers: she isnt even on the team anymore

prettyinpink: oh. well you’re my favourite player*, how about that?

prettyinpink: also, stop rolling your eyes at me ><

ihatecucumbers: lmao sure ill take it

prettyinpink: it’s the truth, you ARE my favourite player!

prettyinpink: i like it when you do that cinnamon thing

ihatecucumbers: the what thing?

prettyinpink: you know, when you put the ball between the other person’s legs. you taught me that term!

ihatecucumbers: i taught u how to put something else between a pair of legs too ;)

prettyinpink: JESSICA JUNG

prettyinpink: okay that’s it i’m not talking to you anymore

prettyinpink has logged off

 

ihatecucumbers: oh and jsyk its called a nutmeg. the move where you put the ball between another players legs

ihatecucumbers: as always, im impressed at ur version of soccer vocab

ihatecucumbers: never stop being you, tiff

 

prettyinpink: don’t forget to keep icing your ankle!

prettyinpink: you’d better recover in time for the game or i’m going to replace you with yuri as my favourite player

ihatecucumbers: but yuri isnt a forward. or backward

prettyinpink: she can be a sideway

ihatecucumbers: LMAO

prettyinpink: get better soon, okay?

ihatecucumbers: is that a wish or a command

prettyinpink: both

ihatecucumbers: well then id better get on it

prettyinpink: :)

 

“Morning,” Taeyeon says when she takes her seat. She’s wearing a loose white blouse that looks really nice on her. Jessica thinks that it would look even nicer if it was off her.

“Hey,” Jessica says through a yawn.

Taeyeon smiles a little. “Tired?”

“Always. I need a lot more sleep than a regular person.”

“Does that mean you’re irregular?”

“Extraordinary, maybe,” Jessica says airily, and Taeyeon laughs.

“I’m pretty sure you can take a nap right now and Mr. Han won’t even notice.”

“Oh, I know he won’t.”

“Then what’s stopping you?

Jessica locks eyes with Taeyeon and smiles, slow and just the slightest bit suggestive. “Maybe there’s something worth staying up for here.”

Taeyeon blinks. “Well, I do find his lectures pretty helpful. And we have that quiz coming up.”

Jessica can’t tell if she’s being purposefully or actually dense. She’s not discouraged; after all, she’s always liked a challenge.

“Do you have to take the quiz?” she asks in a neutral tone. “You just transferred here.”

“Yeah, I do,” Taeyeon says. “I’m a bit worried because we didn’t cover this unit yet in my old school.”

“I can help you,” Jessica offers. “I’m co-president of the tutoring club. We have weekly meetings at the library on Wednesdays after school.”

Taeyeon perks up, but then she deflates. “I have chamber choir Wednesdays after school.”

“Oh.” Jessica almost joined chamber choir, but auditions were at 7:30 a.m. and she slept right through them.

“That’s really nice of you though.”

“We can do another day,” Jessica says. “It doesn’t have to be officially part of the tutoring club. It can be—on our own time.”

Taeyeon looks at her for a long moment, her expression entirely inscrutable. “If it’s not too much trouble,” she finally says.

“It won’t be,” Jessica says, “unless you’re really bad at math. Are you?”

“If I am, are you going to take back your offer?”

“Well no, but I might have to charge you. I’m not a charity.”

“You have such a great attitude for someone who’s co-president of the tutoring club.”

“I know.” Jessica grins. “That’s how I got the position.”

Taeyeon laughs, and Jessica notes with avid interest that she has a dimple. Not in her cheek like most people, but in her chin. Very cute, indeed.

Maybe today will be a better day.

 

“How was your presentation?” Jessica asks later in chemistry.

Tiffany is combing her fingers through her hair, which is still rather messy from when she had played Ophelia. “It was good! Everyone did their part well. I was nervous about that one line I always mess up, but I delivered it right this time.”

Jessica smiles. “That’s good. I told you that you could do it.”

Tiffany grins. “Thanks. How’s the ankle?”

“A lot better today. I think it’ll be fine by the match.”

“Great! I see my wishmand worked.”

Jessica blinks. “Wishmand?”

“Yeah, you know, wish plus command. Wishmand.”

Jessica bursts into laughter. “Thanks, Genie.”

“Any time,” Tiffany says. “Hey, my pencil’s out of lead. Can you lend me one?”

“Sure.” Jessica holds up two. “So – 2B or not 2B?”

“Jessi, you are so lame,” Tiffany snorts and elbows her, but her face lights up with laughter and Jessica can’t help but stare. “How’s that history project coming along?”

“The what?” Jessica asks, finally remembering to jerk her eyes away.

“Your history project. The timeline. Have you still not started yet?”

“Oh, that. I worked on it the other day.”

“And by worked on it, you mean you wrote your name, the course number and the date?” Tiffany asks dryly.

“And the title,” Jessica adds. “That’s the most important part.”

Tiffany sighs and claps a hand to her forehead. “Jessi,” she starts, already in lecture mode.

Jessica clears . “Come on, give me a break. I’ve had a lot of practices this week because of the match.”

“You’d better make sure they pay off by scoring a hat trick. See, I remembered it this time!” Tiffany looks so proud that Jessica wants to pat her head. “Hat trick, forward, nutmeg. I remember them all.”

Jessica chuckles and gives in, patting her head, thumb slipping down idly to her temple. “Good job. You’ll be working in sports commentary any day now.”

Tiffany wrinkles her nose, but leans into Jessica’s touch. “No thanks. I think I’d fall asleep watching matches.”

“Speaking of that, I’m feeling pretty sleepy. Cover me when I nap?”

Tiffany looks confused. “Like, with a blanket?”

Jessica bursts out laughing. “No, I mean – don’t let the teacher see. And if he does, wake me up.”

“Oh.” Tiffany reddens. “Okay.”

“You’re so cute,” Jessica can’t help saying.

Tiffany scowls, but it only makes her look cuter.

“Never stop being you, Tiff,” Jessica says, and Tiffany gives her an unreadable look.

“You should take that nap,” Tiffany says, and if her voice is a little shorter than usual, Jessica doesn’t question it. She puts her head down and closes her eyes. The last thing she registers is a gentle hand running through her hair before sleep washes over her.

 

kim_ty: hey i forgot to write down the hwk q’s today

kim_ty: helppp

 

ihatecucumbers: TAEYEON ASKED ME FOR THE MATH HWK

ihatecucumbers: QUICK TELL ME WHAT IT IS

prettyinpink: …

prettyinpink: so NOW you care about hwk

ihatecucumbers: tiffany. not. helping.

prettyinpink: tiffany is* not helping

ihatecucumbers: omg dude this is like my chance

prettyinpink: to get into her pants?

prettyinpink: by telling her the hwk?

prettyinpink: wow the courting traditions have really changed

ihatecucumbers: courting traditions lmao

ihatecucumbers: ur so precious sometimes

prettyinpink: only sometimes??

ihatecucumbers: the rest of the time ur ruining my hearing and/or blinding me with pink

prettyinpink: if i tell u the hwk will you promise to do it?

ihatecucumbers: sure ill promise

prettyinpink: AND DO IT

ihatecucumbers: by it do you mean taeyeon?

ihatecucumbers: bcuz its not nice to call people it

prettyinpink: oh my gawd

ihatecucumbers: really, i expect better from you, tiffany

prettyinpink: …why do i even talk to you

ihatecucumbers: weve been over this already

ihatecucumbers: you love me

ihatecucumbers: now seriously

ihatecucumbers: whats the math hwk???

 

ihatecucumbers: p. 271 #1-3, 5-7, 11, 13, 15

kim_ty: wow only odd numbers

ihatecucumbers: …

ihatecucumbers: ur odd

ihatecucumbers: 16-21 are optional, theyre harder

kim_ty: it’s okay i like hard ones

kim_ty: that sounded kinda wrong

ihatecucumbers: lmaoo no that was totally innocuous

kim_ty: innocuous

kim_ty: big word

ihatecucumbers: do u like them big AND hard? ;))

kim_ty: remind me why i talk to u again

ihatecucumbers: bcuz of my biting wit and amazing sense of humour, clearly

kim_ty: clearly

 

Jessica isn’t a hundred percent by the YG match, but she’s at least eighty five and the coach puts her on the starting list.

“You’ll be great,” Tiffany says, with a Jackals shirt and even a big J painted on her cheek.

Jessica stares. “You look like the walking embodiment of school spirit.”

Tiffany grins. “That’s the idea. Sunny helped me paint this. What do you think?”

“I think…it looks like it stands for Jessica.”

Tiffany laughs, and Jessica stares for a different reason. “That’s not egotistical of you at all. Sure, you can pretend it stands for Jessica, but you have to put in a performance deserving of that.”

“I will,” Jessica promises. She always wants to win, of course, always wants to score, but this time she wants it more than ever before. She wants to prove herself, wants to prove that she can score past even the iron defences of YG, wants to prove that even an injury can’t hold her back, wants to prove that she’s worthy of that faith in Tiffany’s eyes.

Tiffany takes her hand and cups it between her own. “I believe in you, Jessi,” she says solemnly, that faith never faltering. “Injury or not, YG or not, I know you can do it.”

And Jessica walks onto the pitch feeling like she can take on the world.

 

It’s a tough match, a gritty match, like they expected. YG don’t play dirty, exactly, but they don’t hesitate with physical play and hard tackles either. In the end, they manage to carve out a win. Only by one goal, and Jessica didn’t score it, although she did provide the assist. Her ankle had also bothered her more and more as the match went on, and she had to ask to be substituted early into the second half, when the pain became too much to push through.

It’s a performance nowhere near a match-winning one, nowhere near the one she expected of herself.

“Cheer up,” Yuri says after the match. “You did a good job. And you gave the game-winning assist.”

“We had a penalty that wasn’t called,” Jessica says gloomily. “I could have had a goal.”

“Goals aren’t everything,” Yuri says, and Jessica looks at her like she’s crazy.

“Well, of course not to you,” she scoffs. “You’re a defender.”

“I’m also your friend who’s trying to cheer you up here, but if you don’t want to listen…”

“Okay, okay, I’m listening.” Jessica sighs. “I just wanted to have a better match.”

Yuri gives her a knowing look. “Because you promised Tiffany you’d win the game for her?”

“What?” Jessica splutters. “I never said that!”

“You basically did. And you wanted her to tattoo your name on her, so you’d have—”

“Okay, what drama have you been watching because it’s clearly messed with your head.”

“No drama,” Yuri says innocently, “unless you two count as a drama.”

Jessica gives her a hard look. “My ankle’s hurting again. Can you get me another pack of ice?”

“Okay, princess.” Yuri rolls her eyes. “I didn’t see you taking such good care of me when I was injured.”

“You fell off a fence you were climbing – onto me! You’re lucky I didn’t sue you for that.”

She gets no reply. Either Yuri’s too far away to hear her or just plain ignores her. Jessica would bet it’s the latter.

 

“Here.”

Jessica looks from the small plastic packet held in front of her face to the person holding it. She blinks at Tiffany. “What is that?”

“They were selling ice cream sandwiches in the stands. I know you like these. Sorry it kind of melted.”

Jessica doesn’t reach out to take it. “I—”

“You don’t like them anymore?”

“No, I do. It’s just—” Jessica bites her lip. “I don’t know if I deserve it.”

Tiffany frowns. “What do you mean?”

Jessica lowers her head. “Well, I didn’t get a hat trick. Or a brace. Or even a single goal.” Tiffany doesn’t say anything, and Jessica keeps her eyes down. “You should really wash that face paint off.”

“Jessi, you did great. Their defence was so good, even I could see that. Plus, you got an assist. Did I say that right? An assist?”

“Yeah, you got it.” Jessica raises her head. Tiffany is still looking at her with eyes full of faith, like she just had the match of a lifetime.

“Does your ankle hurt?” Tiffany asks with concern.

“Should I use that to ice it?” Jessica says jokingly, pointing to the ice cream sandwich. The appalled expression on Tiffany’s face makes her laugh for the first time since the match. She takes the treat from Tiffany. “I do like these, a lot. Thank you.”

“Any time,” Tiffany says, as Jessica takes a big bite. “Be careful, don’t let it drip on you.”

Jessica reaches out and touches her cheek, gently, right above the stem of the J. “Aren’t you going to wash that off?”

“I’ll keep it for now,” Tiffany says, eyes on hers. “I kind of like it.”

And even though Jessica is biting into a mouthful of ice cream, she feels an inexplicable warmth flood her cheeks.

 

Jessica doesn’t know what to think of Taeyeon. They’re definitely friends, close enough to make fun of each other and share snacks and copy each other’s homework. (Well, Taeyeon lets Jessica copy her homework anyway; she never needs to copy Jessica’s.) Taeyeon’s joined their friend circle and fit easily into it.

Taeyeon is funny and quick-witted, and Jessica likes bantering with her. However, when she takes that a little further into flirting, Taeyeon… Well, therein lies the confusing part. Taeyeon doesn’t flirt back, exactly, but she doesn’t reject Jessica either. Jessica doesn’t know what to make of that.

She also doesn’t know what to make of the awkwardness in the air when she, Tiffany and Taeyeon hang out together. It’s fine if Yuri or Sunny or another person is there, but when it’s just the three of them, something is off. It’s not that either Tiffany or Taeyeon is rude to the other, but…something is off. That’s the only way Jessica can think of it.

 

ihatecucumbers: is it just me or has tiffany been acting a bit off lately

kim_ty: how so?

ihatecucumbers: idk sometimes when the 3 of us are together she acts a little funny. dont you think?

kim_ty: i think u shud tlk to tiffany

ihatecucumbers: i will, but so are u saying that u dont think anything is off?

kim_ty: i think sth is off w/ u. maybe u shud try opening ur eyes

ihatecucumbers: is this a dig at how i lost a double eyelid the other day? leave me alone i only got to sleep for 7 hours that night

kim_ty: uh no thats not what i mean at all

ihatecucumbers: then what do u mean?

kim_ty: i mean… talk to tiffany. and learn to read btw the lines

ihatecucumbers: there arent any lines to read

kim_ty: r u illiterate?!??

ihatecucumbers: are you*

ihatecucumbers: and the answer is no

ihatecucumbers: i am not only literate but supremely intelligent and well-read

kim_ty: yea sure u r

ihatecucumbers: what lines are you talking about?

kim_ty: hey ur good @ math, rite?

ihatecucumbers: there are very few things im not good at

kim_ty: understanding ppl seems to be 1 of them

ihatecucumbers: too much work

kim_ty: even tiffany?

ihatecucumbers: tiffany is…different

ihatecucumbers: shes worth the work

kim_ty: ah ha

ihatecucumbers: what?

kim_ty: hold on a sec

kim_ty: brb

 

kim_ty: hey

prettyinpink: hi!!

prettyinpink: what’s up

kim_ty: jessica keeps hitting on me

prettyinpink: okay…?

prettyinpink: aren’t you used to it by now?

kim_ty: ur the only person i no who properly punctuates while texting

kim_ty: its adorable

prettyinpink: thank you??

prettyinpink: i try to speak and write korean as properly as possible

prettyinpink: it’s easier for me

kim_ty: ur adorable

kim_ty: no wonder jessica is so into u

prettyinpink: ???

prettyinpink: that was a typo, right?

kim_ty: oh yeah

kim_ty: i meant

kim_ty: you’re adorable, no wonder jessica is so into you*

prettyinpink: taeyeon

prettyinpink: not funny

kim_ty: not tryin to b funny

prettyinpink: jessica is not into me

prettyinpink: she’s into YOU

kim_ty: maybe she wants me

kim_ty: but she likes you

prettyinpink: you dont know what ur talking abt

kim_ty: tiffany

prettyinpink has logged off

 

ihatecucumbers: hey tiff are you going to that sub place tonite

ihatecucumbers: im craving the meatball one :(

ihatecucumbers: tiff?

 

kim_ty: im back

ihatecucumbers: yay

ihatecucumbers: let me put on my party hat

kim_ty: i want to be serious with you for a minute

ihatecucumbers: whoa proper spelling

ihatecucumbers: this IS serious

kim_ty: i like you a lot as a friend but i’m not into you like that

ihatecucumbers: ok

ihatecucumbers: dont worry im not heartbroken

ihatecucumbers: ill live to see another day

kim_ty: jessica

kim_ty: i’m being serious

ihatecucumbers: what? what do you want me to say?

ihatecucumbers: im not going to cry over u

kim_ty: well of course you wouldn’t

kim_ty: you’re not even into me

ihatecucumbers: taeyeon ur proper typing is srsly starting to freak me out

ihatecucumbers: especially the apostrophes

ihatecucumbers: i didnt even know u knew they existed

ihatecucumbers: wait what do u mean im not into u??

kim_ty: maybe you want to get into my pants

kim_ty: but you don’t actually LIKE me

ihatecucumbers: why does have to be about liking someone?

ihatecucumbers: and i like u just fine

kim_ty: as a friend

ihatecucumbers: what, do u want me to be desperately in love with u??

kim_ty: god no

kim_ty: keep ur love to urself plz

ihatecucumbers: AHA THERE IS THE REAL TAEYEON

kim_ty: lmao i give up on tlking properly

kim_ty: my point is, were friends

kim_ty: and fany is my friend

kim_ty: and i just want u two to stop being so dumb

ihatecucumbers: i dont get it

ihatecucumbers: what does tiffany have to do with this

kim_ty: …

kim_ty: i just cant with u

kim_ty: how r u even

kim_ty: r u playing dumb or r u actly this dumb?

ihatecucumbers: i dont get it

ihatecucumbers: rly what are u saying??

kim_ty: for someone “intelligent and well-read” ur denser than a brick

kim_ty has logged off

 

kim_ty: jeti r KILLING me

imursunshine: with their , or…?

kim_ty: jessica is a brick

imursunshine: yeah she is

imursunshine: you just discovered this now?

kim_ty: there killing me

kim_ty: they’re*

kim_ty: god tiffany is rubbing off on me

imursunshine: jessica wont be happy to hear that

kim_ty: dont even

kim_ty: just kill me now so i can escape from their dumbness

imursunshine: wait til my nails dry first

kim_ty: how r u typing w/ wet nails??

imursunshine: toenails

kim_ty: oh

imursunshine: kay sica is a brick but fany is smart

kim_ty: so she nos??

imursunshine: that jessica is madly in love with her?

imursunshine: no i don’t think so

imursunshine: she would have done something by now

kim_ty: well jessica doesnt know

imursunshine: weve already established that jessica is not the brightest crayon in the box

kim_ty: but i thought tiffany was a bright crayon

imursunshine: tiffany is a pink crayon

kim_ty: pink is bright

imursunshine: so are other colours

kim_ty: yeah like what?

kim_ty: lmao r we rly talkin abt our friends love lives through a crayon analogy

imursunshine: okay tiffany is smart

imursunshine: but not so much when it comes to her own life

kim_ty: thats often how it wrks

imursunshine: not everyone can be me

kim_ty: u mean not smart when it comes to anyones life??

imursunshine: im gonna let that slide bcuz my toenails look beautiful

kim_ty: i told tiffany jessica likes her and she just left the convo

imursunshine: oh my god you did what?!

kim_ty: subtle wasnt working!

imursunshine: taeyeon you cant just slap people in the face with the truth like that

kim_ty: y not?

imursunshine: because it can hurt

kim_ty: how does it hurt in this case

kim_ty: j likes t, and t likes j

kim_ty: if this was chemistry theyd be like a compound by now

imursunshine: you didn’t even take chemistry

kim_ty: thats not the point!

 

imursunshine: what about jessica

imursunshine: have you talked to her

kim_ty: i tried but i cant get thru to her

kim_ty: unless i tell her straight that tiffany likes her

imursunshine: i dont think straight is the way

imursunshine: no pun intended

imursunshine: ill handle jessica

imursunshine: you fix the mess you made with tiffany

kim_ty: its not a mess

kim_ty: i was trying to help

imursunshine: i know taeng

imursunshine: just talk to her dont spook her off

kim_ty: i shudnt hv said that to her, huh

imursunshine: maybe not

imursunshine: but maybe if you didnt, she would never know

imursunshine: and if we let them try to figure it out themselves, well never get anywhere

kim_ty: ur great, u no that

imursunshine: yes :)

imursunshine: but tell me anyway

kim_ty: k im gonna tlk to fany

imursunshine: ill take sica

kim_ty: good luck

imursunshine: you too

imursunshine: hwaiting!

kim_ty has logged off

 

“Hello?” Tiffany sounds unusually subdued when she answers the phone. Taeyeon isn’t surprised, exactly, but she’s—chagrined. She shouldn’t have blurted things out like that. Jessica’s feelings are obvious to anyone with eyes, except Tiffany, but that doesn’t mean it’s Taeyeon’s place to reveal them.

“Hey, it’s me,” Taeyeon says. “Don’t hang up,” she adds immediately.

Tiffany sighs, and there’s weighted silence over the phone for a few seconds. “What do you want, Taeyeon?” she asks in a tired tone.

“You weren’t answering online, so—”

“Yeah, because I didn’t want to talk.”

“I think it would be good for you if you did.”

“Broccoli’s good for me too, but I wouldn’t eat it.” Tiffany sounds so childishly petulant that it makes Taeyeon smile.

“You’re so cute.”

“Really, if I didn’t know any better, I would think that you’re flirting with me.”

“I wouldn’t flirt with you,” Taeyeon says easily. “I don’t go after people who are into other people.”

Tiffany sighs again. “Taeyeon.” It sounds like a warning.

“Are you going to tell me that you’re not into anyone?”

“Jessica’s my best friend.”

“I know.” Taeyeon pauses. “Who said that best friends can’t be into each other?”

“It’s not like that,” Tiffany says. Taeyeon can’t read her tone. “We’re not like that. Just because we used to fool around doesn’t mean—”

“Wait, what? You used to what?”

“I always liked guys,” Tiffany says, “but when I was sixteen, I got…curious.”

“Bi-curious?”

“Sure, if you want to call it that.”

“And you and Jessica…experimented?”

“If you want to call it that,” Tiffany says again, but with a different inflection. “It was just friends helping each other out. I wanted to try being with a girl, and she—had already been with a few girls, so.”

Jessica and Tiffany used to be friends with benefits. Or something like that. Taeyeon can’t quite wrap her head around the idea.

“Is she good?” Taeyeon blurts out before her mind fully processes the words.

“In bed?”

Taeyeon clears . “Uh, I didn’t really mean to say that out loud.”

“I’m sure you could find out if you wanted to,” Tiffany says casually.

“And that wouldn’t bother you?”

“You sleeping with Jessica? Why would it?

“You don’t have any feelings for her at all?”

“Of course I have feelings for her. She’s my best friend.”

“Tiffany, I know your Korean isn’t always the best, but you know what I mean and that’s not the question I asked.”

“Jessica doesn’t like girls like me.”

“What do mean, ‘girls like you’? Pretty? Nice?”

“Jessica doesn’t like me,” Tiffany corrects. “She never has.”

“Jessica doesn’t like you?” Taeyeon has to gulp in a breath, she’s so astonished. “Tiffany, Jessica is crazy for you. I’ve never seen her look at anyone the way she looks at you.”

“That’s because we’re best friends. I know she likes me. As a friend. But what you’re suggesting—”

“She’s so obviously in love with you, Tiffany, and you know it. Why are you denying it?

“She’s not in love with me,” Tiffany says stiffly. “She can’t be.”

“Why not?”

“It’s not like that,” Tiffany repeats, and then, “I’m done with this conversation, Taeyeon. I appreciate what you’re trying to do, but you’re misunderstanding the situation.”

“Then tell me how to understand.”

“Believe me, I wish I could.” Tiffany makes a sound somewhat like a laugh, and then the line goes dead.

Taeyeon leaves the phone pressed against her ear for a long moment before she puts it down.

 

ihatecucumbers: tiffanyyyyyyy

ihatecucumbers: talk to meeeeeee

ihatecucumbers: im lonelyyyyyy

prettyinpink: and repeating the last letter is really going to get my attention

ihatecucumbers: hey ur here so clearly it worked

ihatecucumbers: where were u

ihatecucumbers: i saw u were online but u were ignoring me :((

prettyinpink: sorry i had something important to talk about with someone else

prettyinpink: i wasn’t ignoring you

prettyinpink: i would never ignore you

ihatecucumbers: i know

ihatecucumbers: u love me

prettyinpink: of course i do

prettyinpink: do you love me too?

ihatecucumbers: what is this confession time??

prettyinpink: without the booth

ihatecucumbers: haha i always found the idea of that creepy

ihatecucumbers: i wouldnt tell some random dude behind a screen my darkest secrets

ihatecucumbers: not even my light secrets

prettyinpink: do you have a lot of secrets?

ihatecucumbers: idk, do i? ;)

ihatecucumbers: u already know most of them

prettyinpink: i do?

ihatecucumbers: duh. ur my best friend. who else would i tell?

ihatecucumbers: and yes

ihatecucumbers: ilu too

prettyinpink: jessi

prettyinpink: i need to tell you something

prettyinpink: and i need you to listen to me

ihatecucumbers: i always listen to u

prettyinpink: i know, i just mean

prettyinpink: this is really important

ihatecucumbers: is something wrong?

prettyinpink: no

prettyinpink: well

prettyinpink: i guess you could say that

prettyinpink has sent you a video call request

 

Jessica clicks accept, and Tiffany’s face fills up her screen, pale and wan and strained.

Jessica frowns. “You sure nothing’s wrong?”

Tiffany bites her lip. She has that expression on her face that means something’s really troubling her and she doesn’t know what to do about it. “I have a secret,” she says slowly, “to tell you.”

“Okay…? You don’t have a literal skeleton in your closet, do you? Because you kind of sound like you want me to hide a body with you.”

Tiffany smiles, and it bothers Jessica because she knows that’s not her real smile. “Would you do that?”

“Cover up murder for you?” Jessica stops to think about it for a moment. “Depends on who it is. If you killed like, the president, I’m not sure I can help you much.”

Tiffany’s smile is genuine this time, and it makes Jessica smile back.

“Jessi,” she says quietly, not quite like the start of a sentence but like a phrase all itself.

Jessica finds herself lowering her voice too. “Yeah, Tiff?”

“I have something to tell you.”

“You said that already. What is it?”

“Do you really want to sleep with Taeyeon?” Tiffany blurts out.

“Uh… It doesn’t really matter because she rejected me.”

Tiffany’s voice is quiet. “She rejected you?”

“Yeah, but it’s okay.” Jessica shrugs. “There are plenty of fish in the sea.”

“And you like…fishing?”

“Yeah,” Jessica says lightly. “I mean, it’s fun.”

“What if I were on the hook?” Tiffany’s voice is barely audible by this point.

Jessica frowns. “Is this—Tiff, I love you and all, and you’re totally hot, but—”

Tiffany in a breath. “You think I’m hot?”

“Well, duh. I have eyes.”

“And…” Tiffany’s voice almost fades. “You love me?”

“Uh. Yeah.” Jessica laughs uncomfortably. “Obviously. You’re my best friend. And I just told you that in our IM. And you told me that too.”

“But I didn’t mean it in a best friend way.”

“What?” Jessica asks dumbly.

“I didn’t mean that I love you as a friend. Well, I do – you’re my best friend, and I love you as that, but… I don’t just love you as a friend.”

Jessica, being the intelligent and well-read person she is, comes up with the very eloquent response of, “Huh?”

“I don’t like the thought of you being with Taeyeon. I don’t like the thought of you being with anyone, anyone except me.” Tiffany takes a breath. “The thing is—I think I’ve been in love with you all along and I just haven’t realized it until now.”

Jessica just continues to gape at Tiffany. She heard and processed each individual word Tiffany said, but she finds herself incapable of putting them together and understanding them as a whole.

“I shouldn’t have said what I did about the fishing. I don’t want to sleep with you. Well, I don’t just want to sleep with you.” Tiffany’s determined expression falters and is replaced by a concerned frown. “Jessi? Are you okay?”

“I’ll be right back,” Jessica chokes out and clicks the red X button before she blurts out something she’ll regret.

 

ihatecucumbers: HELP

ihatecucumbers: SOS

kim_ty: what did u choke on a cucumber

kim_ty: has air con been made illegal

kim_ty: did tiffany say smt to u

ihatecucumbers: the last one

ihatecucumbers: wait why is tiff in the same category as cucumbers and broken ac

kim_ty: am i wrong??

ihatecucumbers: WHAT DID YOU DO

ihatecucumbers: SHE TOLD ME SHE LOVES ME

ihatecucumbers: HOW DID THIS HAPPEN

kim_ty: she told u shes in love w/ u?

kim_ty: wow i wud have thought it wud be the other way around

kim_ty: guess ur too dumb to see that tho

ihatecucumbers: kim taeyeon. explain yourself.

kim_ty: tiffany likes you. you like tiffany. you two should get together and be disgustingly cute together and why am i using proper grammar oh my god see what you’ve done to me

kim_ty: ANYWAY

kim_ty: i am so done with being ur love guru

kim_ty: just go kiss her or bang her or something

kim_ty: trust me, she wants you to

kim_ty: and you want to

ihatecucumbers: kim taeyeon this is the WORST ADVICE EVER

kim_ty: whatever im not a relationship counsellor

kim_ty: and you asked

ihatecucumbers: i hate you

kim_ty: look if she loves you and you clearly love her back, whats the problem?

ihatecucumbers: who said i love her back?

kim_ty: me

kim_ty: and sunny

kim_ty: and everyone else with eyes and a functioning brain

kim_ty: that can see you two making goo-goo eyes every time you look at each other

ihatecucumbers: we do NOT do that

kim_ty: yes you do

ihatecucumbers: no we dont

kim_ty: yes you do

ihatecucumbers: no we dont. and what are you, five?

kim_ty: wait she told you she loves you and then

kim_ty: what did you say back?

ihatecucumbers: i…may have hung up on her

kim_ty: omg you did WHAT

ihatecucumbers: i didnt know what to do!

ihatecucumbers: how do you react to something like that

kim_ty: not by hanging up and skyping someone else!!!

ihatecucumbers: oh o h oh

ihatecucumbers: she must hate me

kim_ty: i dont think fany could ever hate you

kim_ty: just…talk to her

kim_ty: tell her how you feel

ihatecucumbers: i cant i at feelings

kim_ty: you dont at tiffany

kim_ty: that sounded vaguely dirty but i totally did not intend it that way

kim_ty: go. call her. dont put it off any longer

ihatecucumbers: okay i will

ihatecucumbers: thanks, taeyeon. ur a good friend

kim_ty: i expect at least a box of chocolates for my awesome friendship

ihatecucumbers: you can have a box of pears

ihatecucumbers: my moms friend gave it to us and theyre rotting on the counter rn

kim_ty: i feel so appreciated

ihatecucumbers: good. you should

ihatecucumbers: going to talk to tiff now

ihatecucumbers has logged off

 

Jessica thinks about calling Tiffany, or Skyping her, but she’s too jittery and ends up pacing around her room with her phone clutched in a white-knuckled grip.

In the end, she grabs her keys and rushes out the door, her mind whirling with thoughts while her legs take her along a route her body has long memorized. She’s at Tiffany’s house in no time at all. It takes her a second to remember the doorbell is broken, and she knocks instead. Nobody answers the door after her first knock, or her second one, and she raps at the door until her knuckles are sore.

It finally opens, and Tiffany stares at her with shadowed eyes from the doorway.

“Hi,” Jessica manages.

“You’re going to break your hand knocking like that.”

“Don’t worry, I’m not that fragile.” Jessica tries to smile. “Plus, I can still play soccer with a broken hand.”

Tiffany sighs and holds the door open wider. “Is that all you care about, playing soccer? And…fishing?”

Jessica steps inside and closes the door behind her. “No. Soccer is important to me, but not that important. Plus, I’m giving up fishing.”

“You are?”

“Yeah,” Jessica says, and then she kisses Tiffany.

Tiffany freezes against her at first, seeming shocked, but then she responds heatedly, hands coming up to frame Jessica’s face and pull her closer. Then, just as suddenly, she pushes Jessica away.

“Don’t,” she says quietly, turning her face away. “Don’t kiss me if you’re just looking for a rebound after Taeyeon rejected you.”

Jessica in a breath. “Tiff. I would never do that to you. Plus, I don’t care if Taeyeon rejected me. In fact, I should thank her for it.”

“Right, because there are plenty of other fish in the sea, right?” Tiffany says bitterly, eyes down.

“Didn’t you hear me?” Jessica puts a finger under her chin and makes Tiffany look at her. “I’m done with fishing. You’ve made an honest woman out of me. That is, if you want.”

Tiffany looks at her with an expression on the cusp of disbelief. “What are you saying, Jessi?”

Jessica doesn’t take her eyes off Tiffany’s. “I’m saying… I love you too.”

 

“We were both pretty dumb, huh?” Jessica says, pulling the blankets over them.

Tiffany’s hair is so thoroughly mussed (Jessica is completely unapologetic about that) that she has to brush it quite a bit to clear her eyes. “I think it was mostly you.”

“Hey.” Jessica pouts. “You didn’t tell me how you felt either.”

“I didn’t realize for the longest time.” Tiffany sighs. “I guess I am dumb, after all.”

“I’m sorry,” Jessica suddenly says.

“For what?”

“For talking about other girls in front of you all the time. It must have been…hard for you to listen to that.”

Tiffany looks thoughtful. “It wasn’t so bad, I guess because I didn’t realize my feelings. Honestly, for the longest time, I just wanted you to find someone to make you happy. I thought maybe Taeyeon could be that person. When she became actual friends with you, and then with me, I thought that she’s a good person, she could be good for you, but then it also started to bother me even though I didn’t know why.”

“I guess we should thank Taeyeon,” Jessica says with a chuckle, “for being our unintentional matchmaker.”

“I’d say it was pretty intentional,” Tiffany says with a quirk of , and Jessica acquiesces.

“She did tell me to read between the lines. But I guess I was being kind of illiterate.” So much for being intelligent and well-read…

“It’s okay,” Tiffany says. “I’ll teach you how to read.”

She smiles, and Jessica lets herself stare freely. And when Tiffany leans in, she meets her halfway to taste that smile.

 

prettyinpink: i think i owe u a thanks

prettyinpink: this is jessica btw. im just on tiffanys phone

kim_ty: she surrendered it to u?

prettyinpink: she fell asleep

kim_ty: my my u got far

prettyinpink: shut up

kim_ty: thats a weird way to say thank you

prettyinpink: ty ty

prettyinpink: hahahaha

kim_ty: its that funny to thank me?

prettyinpink: its not that. i just remembered something

prettyinpink: anyway. thank you, really. and i’m sorry if i ever made you feel uncomfortable with my flirting

kim_ty: your proper punctuation is freaking me out too

kim_ty: it’s okay. i’m just glad you two knuckleheads sorted it out. sunny and i were getting really worried

prettyinpink: sunny and you? what do you mean sunny and you? explain, kim taeyeon

prettyinpink: this is tiffany again, by the way

kim_ty: ummm why don’t you ask her?

prettyinpink: i gtg ttyl -j

pretttyinpink has logged off

---

A/N: My headcanon of soccer player Jessica (and Yuri) rears its head again haha. I had a little too much fun with the puns. Credits to moonrise31 for the "backward" one.

At this rate, with the IM convos here and in otp = online typing pal?, I might develop an addiction to chatfics. They're definitely fun to write, although it pained me to type like Jessica and Taeyeon. Hope you had some fun reading this :)