Since that night of her emotional outburst, Jessica and Taeyeon finds themselves falling in a routine of sharing more about how each other's day went over dinner. Taeyeon usually does the cooking for them, making the effort to cut back on overtime at the office to make it on time at home to make dinner while Jessica would sit idly by the breakfast counter talking to her.

Jessica finds her heart skipping a beat whenever Taeyeon catches her looking while she cooks, she'd turn to wink at her and Jessica would pretend it's not causing a riot in her chest, or a flutter in her stomach.

Jessica contents herself with watching as Taeyeon cooks while making small talks; and Taeyeon enjoys how Jessica praises her cooking like she's a five-star chef even when dinner is just a simple dish of kimchi stew and beef bulgogi. They'd eat heartily and Jessica would complain about gaining weight, that's when Taeyeon would laugh at her and ask her to join her morning sessions in the gym. Jessica would always refuse, she's just not cut out for exercise she'd say.

It's the company that makes Jessica feel at ease. The banters at home while watching a movie and sharing a popcorn that goes naturally, or the casual invites for dinner outs when they feel like it's a nice time to enjoy Seoul. Everything is simple, it's easy, it actually felt so good 

And because it's too easy, it's something that doesn't make sense to Jessica.

-

After a dinner of fried chicken and beer, more talking on the couch, until things got a little heated and then there was less talking more removing of clothes until nothing was left just flushed skin on skin and moved things towards the bedroom, Jessica finds herself waking up engulfed in a warm embrace by Taeyeon who is sleeping soundly, spooning her. The bedside clock displayed that the time is already a quarter past one am. Jessica slipped out of Taeyeon's embrace, carefully laid the woman in a more comfortable position in the bed before tiptoeng back to her room after making sure Taeyeon wont wake.

Jessica sank against the door after closing it. Admittedly she's comfortable around Taeyeon, and she's grateful how understanding the older woman is towards her. For the past months, everything is smooth-sailing for them, it's like living with a new-found roommate but even better.

But every time it gets a little too close and personal with Taeyeon, something is holding her back. Jessica is not sure how long she had leaned against the wall thinking about this jumbled mess in her mind when it comes to Taeyeon.

Jessica walks to her bed, free falling on her back. Her comfortable bed smelling of lavender offers no help to calm her erratically beating heart just by the mere thought of Taeyeon.

She needed to talk to someone, and her mind latched on to one name. Sooyoung.

-

The morning after, Jessica woke up with a start, she is a woman in a mission. She hates not being able to figure things out, especially her feelings. She plans to avoid seeing Taeyeon and wants to come into terms with her inner conflicts first. Seeing Taeyeon just messes her mind all the more.

So Jessica is quick on her feet, moving around getting ready to go to school. By exactly seven am she's dressed to go.

Taeyeon usually goes to work at seven-fifteen, that gives her fifteen minutes headstart. Half expecting Taeyeon to still be at home, Jessica heard nothing but silence greeting her in their living room. There is no trace of their dinner takeouts last night, it's all tidied up. Moving to the shoe rack to pick her shoes, she felt a slight sense of disappointment to find Taeyeon's work shoes already gone.

Jessica puts her shoes on and tries to shrug the feelings away. She can't wait to meet with Sooyoung.

But before she completely missed it, Jessica finds a carefully wrapped sandwich and a tumbler full of coffee with a note on stuck on its cap. "Dont let Sooyoung eat this." She smiles.

-

"In summary everything is going great so you're running away, and in conclusion you're being a chicken." Sooyoung drawls, picking on a lint on her shirt, sparing a glance on her friend. They're walking side by side in the hallway after spending over an hour in the library, nothing to do with studying, but more on letting Jessica talk on and on about what's gotten her worked up. Sooyoung finds it both amusing and frustrating. Jessica Jung was always sure of herself be it in past relationships or anything else. Never a day blown out of her equilibrium. Not until today, or rather, the past weeks if Sooyoung recalls correctly when she first started to notice some change of behavior in her best friend.

Jessica huffs "I'm not li-" but Sooyoung didn't let her finish. Her friend with limbs that makes her feel like a drawf by her side stood taller as they make their way outside to the library's