A Conversation With The Ice Princess

"Where's Yuri?"

"Getting food," Taeyeon answered without looking up from the traveling pamphlet she was reading. Jung Jessica did not seem to be in a friendly mood this morning. It was best to keep their conversation short.

"We should have taken the jet." The ice princess mumbled, spraying hand sanitizer to her hands then rubbed them together. "No waiting. No snack scavenging. Just punctuality and comfort."

Taeyeon glanced at the girl who had just come back from the restroom. Jessica looked every bit of a spoiled princess frowning like this. Taeyeon was not a princess, never felt like one too. To her, the commercial flight was a much more reasonable choice despite Jiyong's offer of a private jet. It wasn't her fault that Yuri insisted to join her in boarding the commoners' transportation. No one forced Jessica to join them too.

"You've known Yuri forever, right?" The ice princess broke the few seconds of silence.

Feeling Jessica staring at her, Taeyeon put the paper down and looked at the girl sitting across her. "We were practically conjoined twins."

"Do you think she loves me?"

"Huh?' The question caught Taeyeon off guard.

"Do you think there's a chance for us to actually be real?"

"Why did you say that? Is this not real enough for you?" Taeyeon asked back after a good few seconds of deliberation. Despite the gloomy winter morning, Jessica had a pair of sunglasses on. Taeyeon couldn't read her expression at all.

"Why is she so complicated?"

Groaning inwardly at the unclear direction of these questions, Taeyeon took a deep breath and craned her neck to see if Yuri was coming. She didn't know how to handle Jung Jessica. This felt a lot like walking on a landmine-invested territory.

"I keep on thinking that she is a butterfly with wings so delicate they will break apart in my hold. At the same time, I can't also loosen my grip without the risk of her flying away."

"Butterfly?" Taeyeon snickered. "Did you just compare Kwon Yuri to a butterfly?"

"I'm being serious here. Why is she so confusing?"

"Sorry. Sorry." Wary of the death glare probably hiding behind the designer sunglasses,  Taeyeon straightened up on her chair. She swept a look at the particularly quiet lounge, plumping for the best response. "The thing about Yuri is, she acts on impulse. Most of the time there's not much deliberation in her decision." She smiled a little, thinking of all the countless stupid stuff Yuri had done before. "But that's what makes her special, don't you think? She's the kind of person that will jump off a building just to save you. A literal ride-or-die. A lover that will stick with you through thick and thin."

"She didn't stick with me. She frolicked!"

"Because insecurities often get the best of her."

"That makes no sense at all."

"There's not much sense in love, isn't it?" Taeyeon tilted her head, reflecting on her own situation. "She's falling for you. Hard. That's all I can say."

"Sometimes I think we won't work at all."

"Nothing will ever work if you don't give it a try."

"This is our third try, mind you."

"And I'm sure Yuri has learned her lesson." Taeyeon grinned, reaching for the forgotten pamphlet but ended up putting it back on her lap. "Jessica, may I ask you one question?"

"Yeah."

"Why did you leave Shinye at the altar?"

Jessica didn't immediately answer. Sun rose over dark clouds outside, hitting her face with a gossamer of morning light. "I don't think Shinye can save me."

"From Yuri?"

"From myself."

"Yuri saved me from me so many times I have lost count," Taeyeon squinted at the sun. Nothing can be compared to the gratitude she felt for her best friend. "In fact, I think there wouldn't be me without one stupid Kwon Yuri."

"She's so damn stupid, isn't she?" Jessica shook her head, finally taking off her glasses. Her eyes showed no hint of anger at all. No sadness too. "That clueless friend of yours?"

"Adorably so." Taeyeon smiled as she saw Yuri walking in with a cup holder, bags, and boxes in her hands. She glanced at Jessica again, smiling wider when she saw layers of adoration in the Ice Princess' eyes.

"What?" Yuri let Taeyeon reached for the cup holder before setting the bags and the boxes at the table in front of them. "Why are guys smiling?"

"Nothing." Jessica put her sunglasses back on, grabbing one box, and peeked inside.

"Taeyeon?" Unconvinced, Yuri quirked her eyebrows at Taeyeon.

"I'm just happy you come with enough food to feed an army battalion." Taeyeon grinned, grabbing one cup of coffee from the holder. "Why are you buying dessert for breakfast? There's only one spoon too."

"Damn it, I forgot to take more spoons. Wait!" Yuri dashed back out.

"See?" Taeyeon grinned at Jessica behind her coffee cup. "Adorable."

"Hmmm." Jessica ran her spoon through the slice of red velvet, bringing it to . Apparently, the sweet treat matched her tastebud so much she had to close her eyes savoring the feeling. "Oh, this is nice. Perfectly light. I hope she didn't just buy one."

"She bought three." Pushing the boxes closer to Jessica's side of the table, Taeyeon smiled. She never ate dessert for breakfast. Yuri too. That fool must have brought the spread for Jessica without the girl even asked to. Sipping her coffee slowly, Taeyeon leaned back on her chair and watched the sunrise with a little more ease.

These two fools would work this time. She was willing to bet on it.

Truth

"I'm so glad we're not staying with your grandma." Yuri landed her on the fluffy hotel bed, refreshed and ready for a nap after a good wash up. The clock said two o'clock and they both just had a hefty lunch at a teppanyaki joint where Yuri got awed by how the chef cooked a quality steak on the table.

"She demanded to." Coming out of the bathroom in a hotel robe, Jessica shrugged. "I refused. I'm here for a vacation. A better one than the last."

Stacking a few pillows and leaned on them, Yuri watched as Jessica sat down at the dresser. The beautiful girl gazed at the mirror, applying skincare to the skin that Yuri had already deemed too flawless. "Vacation? Aren't you here to be put on trial before her royal highness Grammy Kwon?"

Chuckled a little, Jessica reached for a hairbrush and started to mind her long lush hair. "So many things happened to our family this year. It's time for her to listen to me."

"Whoa." Yuri grinned, watching Jessica's every move from the mirror. "How brave?"

"Times are changing. " There was a wistful smile tugging at Jessica's life as her hands stop mid-air. "There are only three of us left now and I don't know how much longer grammy will stay around. We need to function better as family."

The fact that Jessica mentioned three, which meant counting Jiyong in, tugged at Yuri's heartstring. She and Jessica had a long conversation regarding family in Bahama. They spent nights pouring out each other's hearts and she could see how awful it was for Jessica to grow up in such a dysfunctional environment. The ice princess was actually lonely inside, torn between her ignorant parents and her overbearing grandmother.

"Thank you." The comfortable bed suddenly didn't feel that appealing anymore, Yuri got out of it and stood behind Jessica. "For choosing me to walk with you through this path."

"Hmmm." She continued brushing her hair.

"Let me." Yuri took over the ivory-colored brush, gently running it through the soft satiny locks. Everything about Jessica was soft and satiny. Every fiber in Yuri's body wanted a touch of her. "So you are planning to tell her about us?"

"Maybe," Sadness flashed in Jessica's eyes. "I want her to see the real me."

"What if she doesn't take it well?"

"It's the fear I've been keeping my whole life. What if my mom hates me? What if my father never wants me? What if my grandma stops taking care of me?" Jessica drew a heavy breath and closed her eyes for a brief second. "I don't really care anymore. I'm strong enough to live on my own."

"You won't be on your own." Setting the brush aside, Yuri hugged her from behind. "You'll have me."

"Don't say words you can't keep."

"Right. Let me rephrase." Yuri grinned at their reflection in the mirror, gently resting her chin on the top of Jessica's head. "I will try no never leave you on your own."

"That's more like it." Jessica reached up to touch Yuri's cheek.

"You look so beautiful, you know?" Yuri gazed deep into those eyes. "So precious."

"I know right?"

Yuri laughed. "This should be the point where you compliment me back. Say something nice about my pearly skin, perhaps."

"You want a compliment?" Jessica gave out a small chuckle. Standing up, the girl turned around to hold Yuri's hand. "I know the highest compliment a woman can have."

"Yeah?" Excitement ignited itself within Yuri when she was being led to the bed. She had been holding herself back, waiting for Jessica to actually put the canceled wedding behind. If this was the day for them to finally have each other again, she was more than ready.

"It starts with kisses." Jessica pressed their body together, holding onto Yuri's shoulders then tip-toed to kiss Yuri's cheeks left and right.

"And?" Yuri grabbed Jessica's waist, dragging her along as she fell onto the bed.

"This." She kissed Yuri's lips. Slow and steady. Gently with barely a hint of urgency.

Of course, Yuri kissed back. Tongue slithered out, traveling the short trip between Jessica's bubblegum lips, before dancing in her warm mouth. "Is that all?' She asked one long minute later, panting slightly.

"No." Jessica started ing the top of Yuri's loungewear pajama. "The real compliment starts here."

"I figured." Yuri pulled the sash of Jessica's robe first, tugging at the silky fabric until she could throw it off somewhere. Dark red bras and matching greeted her, calling for her fingers. She let her hands roam along the milky thighs, up to the slim waist where she hooked two fingers at each side of Jessica's .

"Shouldn't I be the one complimenting?" Jessica quirked an eyebrow, not done with the buttons yet.

"There's nothing wrong about two women build each other up." Yuri laughed, pulling the down and off with newfound expertise. "Girl power?"

"Girl power." Jessica laughed too, moving so fast with the buttons she practically ripped Yuri's top open.

"Hey." Yuri spanked the . "That's my first hotel pajama."

"I'll get you a billion more."

"Don't say words you can't keep." She teased.

"Shut up." Jessica sealed Yuri's mouth with a kiss. "Just shut up."

"Hey, beautiful."

Taeyeon could feel Jiyong's arms slithering around her waist from behind. She had heard him entering the spacious studio apartment. She knew he had called her name three times. She had been waiting for Jiyong to come back. Standing in the balcony for quite some time her anticipation had melted into apprehension."Where have you been?"

"A meeting." He kissed her cheek. "It's so cold out here. Come inside."

"What meeting?" She turned her head. She was totally fine with Jiyong sending a driver instead picked her from the airport himself. It was the fact that he didn't reply to her text that upset Taeyeon.

"Just stupid business stuff. Let's get inside."

"No. Tell me where you have been." Her body went rigid. As much as Taeyeon understood the importance of acceptance in their relationship, she still felt entitled to a little bit of prejudice. Jiyong hadn't told her where he had been and to be honest, she had spent the last hour thinking of the worst probabilities. What if he had been with the woman he just ed last week?

He took a deep breath, letting her go. Keeping their distance, he grabbed the railing and looked away at the snow that had started to grace the afternoon sky. Staring at his side profile, fear suddenly grew in Taeyeon's heart. Jiyong was here as a student. He said he doesn't want to get involved in his family's company until the end of his study. What kind of business meeting he could possibly attend? He had been with that ing woman. She knew it.

"You can tell me." She said, couldn't do anything to the hint of anxiety riding her sentence. "If you were with her, you can tell me."

"Her