Waking up to the morning sunshine was refreshing. The cold wind kissed my cheek to greet me. It's a start of another day and life repeats itself. Isn't that the life of being an adult. It's mundane. Work, sleep, and repeat. That's all there is to it.

"Good morning Taeyeon!"

But alas, sometimes life throws you a little bit of something to break the boring cycle.

"Good morning Jessica."

"That's the first time you greeted me back without retaliation. Am I progressing here?"

I have known Jessica for months now ever since she moved in as my next door neighbor. The sleezeball hasn't changed her ways. She continues to include sleezy remarks here and there whenever we get the chance to have a conversation together. But nonetheless, the more I speak to her, the more I get to know this mysterious person. That's how you get to know someone right? When you talk to them, they'll spill something about them here and there.

"Why don't you come in? I'll make you a cup of freshly brewed coffee?" she insisted.

I guess a cup of coffee won't hurt.

I went back inside to brush my teeth. Meanwhile, Zero was by my feet, barking at me. He must really want to go outside. As soon as I finished brushing my teeth, I put on a jacket to keep me warm and put the leash over Zero's harness. Jessica and coffee can wait.

As I exited my apartment, Jessica was waiting outside her door. I tilted my head sideways, wondering what she was waiting for.

"Should we keep going?" she asked, as if she already knew what I was about to do.

"You're joining me downstairs?" I asked.

"I already knew you were going to take Zero outside first," she answered and turned to Zero, "isn't that right?"

Zero barked cutely, as if replying to her.

We headed our way to the dog area and sat beside each other on the bench. I leaned over to Zero and took off the leash so he could freely roam around and find a spot to go potty. The cold wind blew once again, sending shivers all over my body.

"Ya..." Jessica hit me lightly, "... who told you to underdress in this condition?"

"It's about to be spring. Why the heck is it still this cold?" I complained.

"It's okay," she sighed as she took off her bubble jacket.

"What are you---"

Jessica enveloped me with her jacket, keeping the cold wind from my body. She was still wearing a cotton hooded jacket, but I would figure she would still be cold through that. If I couldn't even survive with mine, how could she? Even so, it feels nice to feel warm.

"Better?" she asked with a smile, crossing her arms to cover her bare hands from the cold breeze.

"I think you should take it back," I told her as I was about to remove the jacket off of me, "it's my fault I didn't bring mine in the first place."

"It's okay," she nodded, "it's better you keep warm and don't get sick."

"And you're not going to get sick?"

"Who knows if I will. But it's better that you're warm. I'll survive," she nodded again and taunted, "if you try to take that jacket off, I'll place it back on you."

I don't know who she thinks she is. I don't want to feel guilty if she does indeed get sick. It's nice of her eitherway to lend me her jacket, even for just a moment.

Back inside the complex, Jessica led us inside her building. Zero immediately ran to a dog bed placed on the floor by the TV stand. I wonder why there was a dog bed there all of a sudden. The last time I was here, there was no dog related stuff at all.

As Jessica exited the kitchen with two cups on her hands, she must have seen me looking at the dog bed by the TV when she immediately stated, "I bought that for whenever Zero comes in. I even have dog bowls just in case."

"Ah! I have to feed Zero!" I said aloud.

"You could bring his food over and he can eat here instead if anything," she told me as she put the two cups gently on top of the coffee table.

"Sounds good, I'll run over to my apartment real quick!" I told her and turned around to exit. But she stopped me before doing so.

"Take my card with you, I'll go make us some quick breakfast," she told me as she flung her key card towards my direction.

I caught the card with my hands and smiled before exiting her apartment to get the dog food.

As I was about to get the container of dog food, I looked over to my side table and noticed the picture laying on top of it. It was the photo that Jessica had taken on our day trip months ago. I remember how she just all of a sudden gave it to me out of the blue.

"Here," Jessica presented something wrapped in a gift wrapper.

"W-What is this?" I asked, wondering why I'm getting a gift all of a sudden.

"It's my present to you, silly," she chuckled.

"But it's not even my birthday yet..."

"Aish," she grabbed my hand in frustration and placed the gift upon them, "you don't need a special occasion for someone to give you something. Anyway, it's been a day. I'll go take a rest now. Have a good night and I hope you like it!"

Jessica was the first one to give me a gift out of the blue. No special occasion was involved that day. Usually, gifts are given on special occasions like birthdays, Christmas, anniversaries, and so on. However, gifts given when there is no special occasion at all is a bit unheard of, especially when it is coming from a friend.

I hurried back to Jessica's apartment carrying the dog food container with me. As soon as I opened the door, I was greeted by the smell of food. I placed the dog container down by Zero and I saw that Jessica had already prepared the dog bowls for Zero. I scooped up some dog food for him and poured it over his bowl while he waited excitedly and patiently.

"Go!" I told Zero and he lept onto his food.

I decided to walk over to the kitchen to see what Jessica was preparing for breakfast. Instead, she pushed me out of the kitchen.

"Your coffee is getting cold. You should drink it up immediately!" she scolded me and went back inside the kitchen.

I propped myself down the couch and grabbed the cup of coffee laid out in front of me while I kept my eyes on the TV. Morning news was playing out and it seems like more cold fronts are coming in through the week. I would think that spring is coming near but I guess winter has other plans.

Soon enough, Jessica walked over to the living room carrying two plates with both her hands. She placed them carefully on the coffee table and went back to the kitchen to grab some more stuff. I looked over and I saw she had prepared toast and omelettes for the both of us.

"Here you go," she said as she handed over a plate to me while she went around the coffee table to sit herself beside me.

I placed the cup of coffee away for a minute to accept the plate and utensils she was handing over to me. Afterwards, I helped myself with a piece of toast and one of the omelettes on the plate. I took a bite on the omelette and I can taste that she had put cheese, onions, and bell peppers on it.

"Is it good?" she asked.

"Yup," I nodded as I helped myself with another spoonful.

"Alright, thank goodness," she chuckled nervously.

"What's wrong?" I wondered.

"Ah," she chuckled nervously again, "it's just that I'm usually bad at cooking. But since I've been living alone for a good bit now, I've been cooking more often and have been asking my mom for help."

"Are you that spoiled that you were being served food by your mom in the US?" I teased.

"Ya!" she pushed me a little, "I can't help it that cooking is not really something I like doing. But we all must learn somehow."

"Maybe I should start coming over more often to force you to cook even more," I teased some more.

"You keep saying that or I will not invite you inside my apartment again," she taunted.

"But wouldn't you prefer if I come here more often?" I giggled.

Over the months, Jessica and I have gotten a lot more closer. I picked up on her antics and vice versa. I heard that's what happens when you're with someone all too often. I haven't really noticed how close Jessica and I have gotten since the time I first met her. It's not like I can avoid her since we live next door to each other and we work at the same location. Back then, I would want to avoid her but I'm slowly getting used to her presence all too much. Maybe I should take a step back...

"Say Taeyeon, when's your actual birthday? I don't think I've ever asked you about it before," she asked.

"March 9th," I answered, "I don't think I ever asked you about yours either."

"April 18th," she replied, "I see that our birthdays are close together. Yet, you're older than I am."

"Is that something the matter?" I chuckled, "it's only a month apart."

"I know, but I kind of wished that I was older," she pouted.

"Why so? To feel superior over me?" I laughed.

"Not at all," she shook her head, "I feel that you could depend on me more if I was older."

Ah... there it is. Normal Jessica is back.

"Is it wrong for me to think like that?" she chuckled.

"Eat your food, Jessica."

"Yes ma'am."

After eating breakfast, I stood up from Jessica's couch and went over to Zero so I can place the leash on his harness while Jessica was washing the dishes. It was time to go back to my apartment to get some time to myself before I prepare myself for work for tonight. After all, I'm used to getting some time alone to myself before I am surrounded by a lot of people at work.

"I'll get going," I said aloud so Jessica could hear me from the kitchen, "I'll meet you at work."

"Going already?" she replied as she ran to the doorway, "you don't want to stay a bit more? You're more than welcome to."

"I need some time alone to myself to prepare for the crowd tonight," I scratched the back of my head, "thanks for having me over. It was nice of you."

"I see, don't mention it," she smiled, "I'll see you later."

I headed out the door while holding onto the leash and carrying the dog food container with me. Come to think of it, it was nice of Jessica to make sure there was something for Zero. I have been coming more often to visit her in her apartment and she's been cooking more often for breakfast or brunch. Maybe I should invite her to my apartment some time. However...

I opened my apartment just to see how messy it was compared to hers. Not a lot of people really know how messy I could get. Sometimes, I just don't want to do anything after staying up all night working. I would rather play games on my computer or lay down on my couch with the TV playing on the background while I frolick on my phone. Maybe I should clean up my apartment instead of playing games before work.

As usual, even on this cold day, a lot of people had gathered at Flower Power. Everyone was having a good time while I busied myself serving drinks to customers under Yuri's supervision. Seohyun was out serving this time as Hyoyeon was elevated to becoming a DJ during Saturday nights. Who knew how much talented people we had in Flower Power. Indeed, there has been a lot of changes that went on the past few months. I was asked to sing during Sunday nights as a special performance while Seohyun played the piano behind me. Yuri and Yoona would have Dance Break Wednesdays to promote the business during the middle of the week. Meanwhile, Soo Young and Sunny preferred to stay in the back as they would rather not meddle with customers. They bicker enough on their own. Tiffany, herself, was doing well enough entertaining customers by charming them with her eye smile but she does perform during Fierce Day Fridays where she sings in a y manner. Jessica on the other hand... she hasn't opened up about an idea she could do besides entertaining guests and cleaning around.

"Hey Taeyeon," Yuri nudged me, "have you figured anything yet about Jessica?"

"In what aspect?" I asked her as I wiped some glasses.