---

 

Jessica had just finished preparing her simple late dinner of soup and salad that was accompanied by her favorite vintage. She was about to take her first bite when the doorbell rang.

The blonde sighed and gazed at her meal for several seconds, contemplating whether or not to just ignore whoever was at the door (it was already ten in the evening), when the bell rang again, three times in rapid succession. She placed her fork down and sauntered her way towards the entrance of her apartment, not really looking forward to unwanted guests.

She opened her door to be greeted by an unusual sight.

“Omo, what’s wrong with Taeyeon?”

Hyoyeon smiled sheepishly at her friend as she struggled to hold up a semi-conscious and obviously intoxicated midget. Jessica scrunched up her nose but hurriedly held on to the other limp limb when Hyo almost toppled over from the dead weight she was carrying.

“Sorry, Sica-ya. We decided to go out for a few drinks after work with the bride and some other workmates, kinda like pre-wedding jitters shots.”

“Just a few?” Jessica asked, slightly amused at the comical spectacle Taeyeon made. Everyone knew she was a lightweight, so the blonde assumed she got stupidly roped into some kind of game or bet for the older woman to end up like that.

“I thought it’d be best to bring her here since Soo already moved out of their apartment and because you guys are neighbors. My boyfriend just got back so I can’t take her home with me, so I was hoping you can take care of her instead so she won’t be alone,” Hyoyeon proclaimed unabashedly and deftly left the short girl to her shocked friend’s capable hands.

“What – “

“Thanks, Jessica! Don’t be late tomorrow! And you’re welcome!” Hyoyeon hollered as she made a swift exit from the vicinity.

 

 

Jessica cursed her luck.

She didn’t really deal well with surprises, and suddenly being thrown for a loop in the form of an inebriated Kim Taeyeon definitely topped the blonde’s list of “What Not to Expect on a Friday Night.”

She just wanted to eat a normal dinner and rest after a tiring day at her firm, but instead was given the responsibility to take care of a dorky, adorable midget.

Which wasn’t really the best of ideas, considering the pair’s love-hate relationship with each other.

“Omo!”

Jessica almost lost her footing as the brunette she was holding grumbled something and threw her hands around the younger woman’s neck and unconsciously (or consciously, she wasn’t sure anymore) started to sniff her sweet scent.

The blonde blushed furiously at their close proximity as she tried her hardest to maneuver them from her foyer to at least the living room without any casualties. It proved futile when Taeyeon’s legs suddenly intertwined with the other’s, ultimately making them fall down.

Jessica closed her eyes as she waited for the impact but felt none. Well, none that could possibly leave her audibly cussing in pain. She carefully opened her eyes as she heard groaning underneath her and was startled to find that Taeyeon broke her fall. It was a very good thing that she had carpets installed.

“Tae! Are you o - ”

Before she could finish her sentence or even attempt to get up, Jessica was left sputtering when Taeyeon skillfully wrapped her arms around her waist, preventing her from leaving. The blonde’s mouth was agape as she stared at the older woman’s half-lidded eyes, a mischievous smirk on her sleepy face.

“You’re so very pretty, Sica.”

All rational thoughts fled the younger woman when their lips met.

Jessica’s eyes widened as Taeyeon drunkenly took charge of the kiss, gently nibbling on the blonde’s lower lip, prompting a sensual moan from the woman above.

At the back of Jessica’s mind, she knew that she should stop whatever it was they were doing, that she was probably taking advantage of a drunk person despite said person initiating their lip-lock in the first place, but couldn’t help reciprocate eagerly when Taeyeon was eliciting wonderful sensations in her with her talented mouth and tongue.

Taeyeon’s mouth then went south towards the blonde’s collarbone, and a particularly hard bite on her skin had the blonde coming back to her senses, pushing the older woman away and scrambling to stand up.

Taeyeon groaned but stayed still, and when Jessica looked down to see if the midget was alright, she scoffed when she noticed the light snoring coming from the stupid girl.

Frustrated, Jessica thought of just leaving the girl sprawled on her floor, but really didn’t have the heart to, so she mustered all her strength and heaved and dragged Taeyeon straight to her room, eventually dropping her unceremoniously on top of her bed.

“What the hell were you thinking, drinking until you passed out like this?” Jessica grumbled as she removed the older woman’s shoes and socks, deciding against changing her into more comfortable clothes, until –

“!”

It was a good thing she readied a basin and a towel beforehand, intending to wash the midget’s face, because it would really piss the hell out of her if Taeyeon soiled her bedsheets, too. Jessica was lucky her reflexes kicked in and she got to spare the bed from the mess the older woman made.

“I guess I need to change you now, huh?” Jessica said, shoulders drooping, as she stared at the chaos that was Kim Taeyeon.

 

 

It took her a while to coax the semi-dead woman into the bathroom just so Jessica could clean her up properly. It was a wonder her floor remained clean, but she wouldn’t dare question small miracles, given her luck that night.

She had Taeyeon wobbly sitting on the toilet bowl and prepared another washbasin as she hurriedly fetched new towels and some spare clothes for the other woman to change into.

When everything was ready, Jessica took in a deep breath and swallowed her shame before carefully removing Taeyeon’s clothes, starting with her filthy shirt.

Sponge-bathing a buzzed Taeyeon was proving to be quite the challenge (but highly entertaining) when the short girl would repeatedly slap at her hands and giggle, mumbling in gibberish that sounded like “shtap eet” and “eet ticklez” while Jessica tried to wash her face and torso.

She then forced Taeyeon to lean by the sink and brush her teeth while Jessica thought of how to go about removing her pants but decided to just throw caution to the wind and speedily ped and pulled it down, revealing smooth and silky legs that had the blonde blushing feverishly, trying hard to not stare too much especially on certain areas.

She quickly assisted the midget into wearing the pajama bottoms before any other thoughts entered her mind and hastily stood up after to check if the brunette was done with her task.

She was caught off-guard when, as soon as she stood up, Taeyeon turned around to face her, the same playful grin she was previously wearing visible on her then fresh face.

“You’re a very naughty girl, Sica-ya…” Taeyeon huskily whispered and immediately leaned in to capture the blonde’s moist lips. Again and again.

That was when it hit her.

She seldom had the opportunity to go out drinking with the midget even though they had known each other for a long time, and even rarer to actually see her drunk since she had low alcohol tolerance, but now Jessica knew that Kim Taeyeon would turn into a (kissing) byuntae when stoned.

The thought was actually very amusing and downright hilarious if it wasn’t her who was subjected to the older woman’s erted “attacks.”

Before she could even consider pushing her away (or a chance to return any of the kisses), they broke apart and Jessica suddenly had her hands full with the older woman who was once again in her semi-conscious state and leaning heavily on her chest.

“You really are something, Taengoo,” Jessica mumbled as she led the other back to her room.

 

 

The blonde sat beside her sleeping guest as soon as she finished cleaning the bathroom and putting the dirty laundry inside the washer. She was honestly too tired to eat and would rather just crawl into bed but was unfortunately currently occupied, so she decided to just wash up and deal with everything else the next day.

Jessica stared at Taeyeon, noting how peaceful her face was and how adorable her snores were. She reached over and gently the girl’s soft cheeks, careful not to wake her up.

Their parents became fast friends, the two families becoming neighbors ever since the girls entered high school, their ages only a month apart. Taeyeon was the dorky, studious, semi-serious player type while Jessica was the school’s mysterious Ice Princess. They had the same circle of friends but their relationship with each other had always been weirdly seen by many.

They were close but leaning more on frenemies than actual best friends (although their friends begged to differ). Taeyeon loved to tease Jessica, the two able to pick a fight with each other almost daily. Sometimes their petty arguments were harmless, other times crying was involved (mostly on Jessica’s end, which was definitely a huge feat).

Sadly, Jessica’s family had to move to a different town right after high school, and the two studied in different universities and barely kept in touch nor saw each other aside from the occasional gatherings with friends, but fate apparently liked to play with them and, after landing jobs, placed them inside the same apartment building, on the same floor, with their units right across from each other.

And they didn’t even notice until they somehow entered the same elevator.

Almost six years had passed since then, their cat-dog relationship an excellent fodder for their shameless, teasing friends who dubbed their unconventional friendship as some sort of in a romantic sense, seeing that the two would always gravitate towards the other, bickering aside. And everyone could see that Taeyeon was protective over Jessica in her own, flippant way but would outright deny when asked.

In Jessica’s case, her friends weren’t exactly far from the truth, since the blonde had been harboring secret feelings for the older woman for years, unsure of when it actually started. Sometimes Taeyeon would be sweet to her, but most times would turn into a jerk of a monster, so she really couldn’t tell if the feeling was mutual.

Their friends just assumed they’d realize their feelings in time, the two involved preferring to humor them just so they could get them off their backs.

Jessica sighed and gave Taeyeon’s forehead one last affectionate before moving to stand. She couldn’t help but shriek when a hand caught her mid-rise, and she suddenly found herself sprawled on top of a supposedly knocked out midget, their eyes immediately locking with each other.

“I’m hungry.”

As soon as the words registered in her weary brain, Jessica huffed loudly and tried to get loose from Taeyeon’s surprisingly tight grip.

“Feed me, Sica! Feed me!!”

The blonde gritted her teeth in annoyance at the extremely unnecessary aegyo but acquiesced just to stop Taeyeon from fussing.

“Argh! Fine, you stupid midget! Let me go so I can get you your stupid food.”

Taeyeon let her go but not before offering a silly grin and planting a quick peck on Jessica’s pink lips.

Jessica, to be honest, wasn’t exactly all that surprised anymore, not when Taeyeon already stole multiple kisses at the course of the evening.

She just prayed to all the deities she knew that the older woman wouldn’t remember anything when she woke up, then left the room to reheat some soup.

When she returned (after chugging down her forgotten glass of wine because the blonde definitely needed liquid courage that night), Taeyeon was already propped up properly and was zoning out, and Jessica wished she could grab her camera and capture the funny moment, but the midget already turned her head towards her and smiled brightly, her hands and arms reaching out as she imitated a child when wanting something.

Just like in the bathroom, an immense amount of patience was needed when trying to feed a drunk Taeyeon.

“Could you please sit still? You’re going to spill everything!”

Jessica would try to hand over the spoon so Taeyeon could feed herself, but the midget would just protest loudly until the blonde finally got exasperated and started feeding the older woman instead.

The thing was, for every spoonful, Taeyeon would then lean over and kiss Jessica smack on the lips and would start whining again when the younger woman threatened to stop and leave.

After about the tenth spoon, Jessica decided to just play the submissive prey. It wasn’t like she was entirely opposed to having Kim Taeyeon’s lips on hers even for one night. She could feel guilty for taking advantage of the situation some other time.

It wasn’t long before they were done and Taeyeon finally went back to sleep, hopefully for real. But knowing the girl’s sleeping habits, Jessica guessed it was safer for her to ready the keys and lock the door from the outside, just in case the idiot decided to sleepwalk and assault her on the couch during her sleep.

 

---

 

Jessica stared disbelievingly at her reflection.

“Oh, crap crap crap!”

It was the day after the strange night Jessica and Taeyeon shared, the latter having woken up with a splitting headache and just thanked the blonde for having her before stumbling out of the apartment and into her own.

It was the day of Sooyoung’s wedding and Jessica was starting to panic as she continued to observe herself in the mirror.

She didn’t notice the night before, but she could definitely see and feel how red and swollen her lips had gotten. It wouldn’t have mattered much (she could easily cover it with lipstick) if it wasn’t also for the angry mark smeared on her collarbone.

Jessica tried to recall when it happened and then slapped her head hard, finally remembering that Taeyeon did indeed bite her when they made out on the floor near her entryway.

She could think of ways to kill the midget after the wedding since there was no time for regrets at that moment.

The blonde had fair skin, and she knew that concealer could only do so much, so she needed to look for another dress pronto to help hide the mark, but then remembered that she was one of the bridesmaids and that the dress was made specifically for the ceremony.

Jessica groaned aloud. Of all the days to have a hickey, made by the unlikeliest person on the planet, and somewhere so visible, too!

Her friends would surely have a field day when (not if) they found out.

She grudgingly prepared herself for the event, wore the dress that completely exposed her slim collarbones, and tried to cover the hideous patch with a thick amount of concealer, also styling her hair down in loose curls and sweeping it over her shoulder for added protection.

Her hair helped, but as soon as the wind picked up or if someone or herself would accidentally brush it away, the hickey would be out on display for everyone to see.

The incessant pounding on her front door got her moving again.

“Jessica!! Hurry up! We need to go!”

Jessica cursed. Taeyeon was outside her apartment and was obviously getting impatient.

“I’m coming!” she shouted back and hurriedly wore her shoes and grabbed her purse. She was deliberating whether or not to bring a shawl for more coverage and just took it with her when Taeyeon knocked again.

She allowed herself one last glance to make sure she was presentable before making her way out the door.

Taeyeon whistled appreciatively. “You look beautiful, Jung.”

Jessica blushed and almost flipped her hair but luckily was able to restrain herself.

“Not bad yourself, Kim,” the blonde returned, definitely appreciating the view, subtly looking for any hints that the brunette remembered what happened the night before.

“Let’s go.”

As they made their way down to the basement, Jessica noticed that Taeyeon was fidgety and decided to call her out on it, but worried that she might’ve remembered something.

“Anything wrong?”

Taeyeon blushed and smiled sheepishly at the blonde.

“I haven’t properly thanked you for not throwing me out last night. I can’t really recall what the hell happened aside from leaving with Hyo, but thanks all the same. If I did anything remotely embarrassing and you caught it on cam, just give me a bit of heads up before you unleash the evidence to our friends, okay?”

Jessica laughed loudly but was internally thanking the gods for the good fortune.

“Don’t worry, Kim. I’ll be sure to put the “evidence” to good use someday,” Jessica bluffed and cat-walked her way towards Taeyeon’s car.

Taeyeon just scratched her head and shrugged, swiftly catching up to the blonde beauty.

 

 

The chapel was a sight to behold, the picturesque view befitting the soon-to-be-wed couple’s aesthetics to the T. The weather also seemed to be in a good mood with just the right amount of clouds to block the sun’s rays, and just the right amount of breeze to keep the area cool, which Jessica was terribly grateful for.

The pair arrived at the venue with lots of time to spare. Jessica, even with the ride being uneventful, immediately bolted and tried to look for some of their friends, leaving a confused Taeyeon behind at the parking lot.

The blonde should be happy that Taeyeon was a forgetful drunk, and she was, but being in such close proximity to the older girl, especially in that dress, did things to her heart that was supposed to be kept buried forever.

“Jessica!”

The blonde whirled around, glad that she found Sunny of all people, but bit her lip when she saw Stephanie right behind her.

It wasn’t like she wasn’t pleased to see the preppy girl, but Stephanie was such a gossip hound that even with the still three-meter distance between them, she could already feel her sniffing around, particularly where her collarbone was.

Or she was just really, really paranoid.

“You look very beautiful, Jess. But are you cold? Why are you wearing a shawl?”

‘.’

She could definitely feel Fany’s eyes zeroing in on her shoulder and neck area almost instantly.

“O-oh, it’s just that it was really cold in Taeyeon’s car and I guess I forgot to remove it.”

Jessica faked a cough and grabbed ahold of Sunny’s hand, somewhat relieved that the mention of her best friend was enough to distract Stephanie for a second.

“Taeyeon’s at the parking lot, Steph! You should check her dress for any stains or whatnot. Sunny and I will just head to the ladies’ room.”

Jessica, with Sunny in tow, hightailed towards the nearest restroom, locking the door after making sure no one else was inside.

“Okay, mind telling me what this is about, Sica? You’ve been really nervous ever since Fany and I approached you,” Sunny stated as Jessica started pacing in front of her.

Fany might be a gossip hound, but no one could beat Sunny’s observational skills. And between the two, she could definitely trust the shorter girl more with her dilemma.

Jessica slowly unwound the shawl from her shoulders and brushed away her luscious locks, Sunny’s eyes widening as she stared at the red blot that marred her friend’s smooth skin.

“Who… wait. Taeyeon?!!”

The blonde nodded glumly. Her phone wouldn’t stop pinging that morning because Hyo tattled in their group chat that Tae got her sorry drunk over a few bottles of beer. So that meant their friends knew that she stayed over at Jessica’s place that night.

“Did you guys do it?!” Jessica’s eyes bulged out of their sockets and quickly vanquished the accusation altogether.

“Are you crazy?! Of course, not! She was drunk! We tripped as I was dragging her stupid self to my living room since Hyo just left her by my entrance and I accidentally fell on top of her and she just bit me. Oh, remind me to kill Hyo later, along with the midget. Stupid eggheads!” Jessica explained, purposely leaving out the steamier parts of the night.

Sunny chuckled, knowing full well that their friends were such a handful for the allegedly calm and collected Jessica Jung.

“Okay, no need to get so defensive about it. You’re lucky I always bring my super thick, super-effective concealer with me. Great for covering up those bruises from Yuri’s kickboxing torture classes.”

“Oh gosh, thank you! I’ve been stressing about it since this morning. You’re the best, Sunny Bunny!”

 

 

The wedding was simply beautiful and everything went smoothly. Sooyoung was breathtaking and was absolutely glowing next to her husband.

And thanks to Sunny’s super concealer, no one even noticed the mark on Jessica’s collarbone. Although she did notice that Juhyun’s older cousin, Yongsun, a friend of the groom, was stealing glances her way. But he, too, didn’t look like he saw the mark either.

The day turned into night with the festivities underway. Everything was perfect; from the décor to the food to the newlywed’s first dance.

She wasn’t openly romantic, but Jessica was still a teenage girl at heart in one way or another, a part of her that still dreamt of love and kisses and forever.

Too bad the only person that her heart wanted only seemed to know of her existence whenever they were teasing or fighting with each other. Taeyeon hadn’t even looked her way once the whole evening.

Seeing how radiant Sooyoung was in her special day, the blonde couldn’t help but fantasize her own happy ending. Although she hoped that the stupid bouquet and garter toss weren’t some sort of sign from above since she was the unfortunate one who caught the flowers while Yongsun, likewise, the ridiculous piece of fabric.

But the mortification she felt from the activity of having some guy’s hands under her skirt and touching her leg couldn’t compare to the hurt and embarrassment she felt when she found her blissfully ignorant heart mercilessly crushed and stepped on.

She was on her way to the restroom with Sunny when they heard some of their friends talking at a secluded corner of the venue. The two didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but Jessica heard her name being mentioned and curiosity got the better of them as they hid behind a pillar.

“Sooyoung finally got hitched. Can’t believe she beat you to it, Tae.”

Taeyeon scoffed. “We will not be forced into a marriage, or a relationship for that matter, just because it’s expected of us.”

Jessica felt an awful pang in her stomach, knowing full well what the conversation was about and where it would possibly lead. She felt Sunny also tense beside her and quickly clasped their hands together for support.

“Why do you sound like she has you trapped? Well, if you don’t hurry and make a move, someone else will sweep her off her feet. I’m sure you noticed the fair amount of people that turned her way the whole night,” said Yuri.

“Maybe they’ll help her loosen up a bit.”

Hyo snorted. “You should be careful of what you say, Taeng. And it’s not like they were the ones who got along really well with our dear Ice Princess last night. Didn’t think you had it in you.”

Taeyeon scoffed. “That dare was stupid. And you guys are stupid for getting me drunk just to get me to agree to it. It’s obvious that she’s awkward around me now.”

The others laughed. “If there’s one thing that makes you, you is that you don’t really back out from a dare, Taeng.”

Taeyeon didn’t bother to answer, and Jessica had enough of listening, anyway.

Silent tears sprang from her eyes, Sunny hurriedly leading Jessica away from the idiots they called friends.

 

---

 

From a delightful evening to a despondent night, Jessica didn’t think that the next time she would get wasted was because of a broken heart.

Stephanie and Juhyun, unfortunately, couldn’t join them, but Juhyun asked her cousin to drive the girls to wherever they wanted to go which the girls were grateful for since he readily agreed. So Jessica along with Sunny, Yoona, and Yongsun made an early exit from the party without informing anybody else.

“Sica-ya, we think you’ve had enough.”

Jessica was gulping down shot after shot like they were water, willing for the pain she was feeling to go away. She always knew that she shouldn’t expect anything from the insensitive jerk, but it didn’t make the situation hurt less.

She knew her love was one-sided despite her friends’ continuous teasing slash hidden reassurances. She knew that it was impossible her feelings were reciprocated from the way Taeyeon and her interacted, but they had been telling them how they’re it for each other for years that their words somehow unexpectedly bled into her heart, a small part of her imagining that the midget’s feelings for her were the same.

It was obviously just wishful thinking, and reality sure packed a pretty mean punch.

Sunny and Yoona tried to take away her glasses but Jessica wouldn’t let up until she finally passed out.

“Unnie, what are we going to do now? I don’t think Sica-unnie would want to go back home knowing that Tae-unnie is there, but our places are too far away.”

Yongsun stepped in. “Let me take her home with me, then. My place is nearer, and Hyunnie’s staying with me for the weekend. And it’s obvious that Jessica needs her rest. I’ll drive her home as soon as she wakes up tomorrow.”

Sunny and Yoona were skeptical, not because they didn’t trust Yongsun, but because, despite her stupidity, Taeyeon would surely be against it and would be worried sick.

Nevertheless, the girls agreed and helped load Jessica inside Yongsun’s car.

“Do you think we should tell her?”

Sunny sighed. “Stupid Kim Taeyeon and that stupid bet. We should just let her worry her off, but we know that she truly does care about Sica. I’ll call her when I get home.”

 

 

Taeyeon continued to check her phone every five minutes for the past two hours, waiting anxiously for a call. Any call.

It was already way past midnight, and she decided to camp by her entrance with the front door wide open, waiting and hoping that her neighbor would finally show up.

It didn’t take her long to notice that Jessica wasn’t at the reception hall anymore. At first, she thought the girl was mingling about or went outside with Sunny and Yoona, but when thirty minutes to an hour passed by without any sign of them, she finally decided to ask around.

It was only then that Taeyeon found out from Fany that the girls had left with Yongsun as acting driver and chaperone, but didn’t know where exactly they went.

It was unlike Jessica to just leave without telling her. Their parents had entrusted them with each other when they were young, and telling the other of their whereabouts was second nature, so not knowing where the blonde was was making Taeyeon antsy, especially since she neither received a call nor text from the girl the whole time she was gone.

When she finally couldn’t take it anymore and was about to call all their friends, her phone rang to which she answered almost immediately.

“Sooyeon!”

A sarcastic chuckle answered her. “Sorry to burst your bubble, Taetae, but this is Sunny.”

Taeyeon checked her phone and sighed, replacing it back to her ear.

“Hey, Sunny. Glad one of you finally decided to call,” Taeyeon answered with a hint of frustration laced in her voice. She wasn’t really one to shout at someone even if she’s clearly pissed. Well, unless it was Jessica when the midget would deliberately try to get under her skin.

“What do you mean? We just got home from my uncle’s bar. I called because Yoong asked me to tell you that she’ll drop by tomorrow and return the polaroid she borrowed earlier.

“Oh, yeah. She can return it whenever. Thanks, though.”

“No problem.”

An awkward silence followed, Sunny waiting for the other to snap and ask while the other was still contemplating whether to ask or not.

“Uhh…”

“Aren’t you going to ask where Sica is?”

Taeyeon, indignant, went on the defensive. “I know where she is.”

Sunny snorted. “Well, good for you then, because she’s neither with me nor with Yoona.”

Taeyeon was clearly confused. “Fany’s?”

“Nope,” Sunny answered with a pop. Taeyeon’s eyes then narrowed, her nose flaring.

“Where the hell is she, Sunkyu?!”

“Better late than never, I guess,” Sunny mumbled but was still clearly heard by the older girl, pissing her off even more.

“Yongsun-oppa took her home with him.”

Sunny smirked as she heard the very reaction she was expecting from her overprotective friend, the dial tone her only reply.

 

 

It only took thirty ing minutes from Sunny’s uncle’s bar to their apartment complex, which added to her ire because it was entirely possible for Seo Yongsun to drive Jessica back to her own home.

“To what do I owe the pleasure of this late-night visit, Miss Kim?” Yongsun asked as he answered the door, internally surprised to see Taeyeon at his doorstep at such an ungodly hour.

“I’m here to take Jessica home.”

Yongsun frowned. “It’s late, Taeyeon, and Jessica is already fast asleep. Couldn’t you have waited until morning?”

“Just let me have her, Seo-ssi.”

“Look here – “

“She’s at the room at the end of the hallway, Tae-unnie,” a gentle voice said from behind Yongsun.

Taeyeon smiled gratefully at Juhyun and quickly went inside to fetch Jessica.

Yongsun turned towards his cousin and hissed, not pleased that she allowed Taeyeon to take Jessica away.

“Why’d you do that, Hyunnie? It’s already so late!”

Juhyun sighed and patted her cousin’s arm sympathetically. “Tae-unnie is a black belter, Oppa. You should really be thanking me for saving you since she looked ready to kick you senseless.”

Yongsun paused then let out a deep sigh before accepting defeat.

 

 

Taeyeon finally arrived back at her apartment and carefully carried Jessica inside, placing her gently on the bed. The midget sat beside her and caressed the younger woman’s cheeks, worried and curious about the blonde’s puffy eyes, red nose, and swollen face. It was obvious that she had cried herself to sleep.

Jessica stirred when she felt the bed dip beside her, and she woke up to a very familiar scent.

“Where am I?” she asked groggily to no one in particular.

A sigh. “What’s your problem, Sica? You know better than to drink too much. And what were you thinking about letting a man take you home while you’re drunk? Are you stupid or what?!”

The hurt that she tried to keep in resurfaced once again as Jessica realized that she was in Taeyeon’s apartment, in Taeyeon’s room, with Taeyeon in front of her, mad about something she couldn’t quite comprehend yet.

 “It’s none of your business where I go or what I do, Kim Taeyeon,” Jessica said, her frustrations for the older woman seeping out.

An eye for an eye.

“What do you mean, none of my business? Your parents asked me to keep an eye on you, Sooyeon, so that means you’re my responsibility.”

Jessica sneered. It sure hurts to be reminded that she was just a responsibility. No more, no less.

“Do you see me as just that, Kim Taeyeon?”

“Huh?”

“Because I’ve had enough. Your actions, your mean words. The many times you’ve made me cry, intentionally or not. I’m tired of all of it. And I finally realized that having feelings for someone who sees you as nothing but an obligation is taxing.”

Jessica wobbly stood up, took her purse, and unsteadily walked towards the door. She turned back slightly and smiled sadly at her neighbor who was still as a statue, still taking in the blonde’s parting words.

“I’m tired, Taeyeon-ah. Let’s just stop this.”

And she left.

 

---

 

Jessica answered on the fifth ring.

“Hello, Jessica?”

The blonde forced a smile. “Hey, Yongsun-oppa.”

“Uh, hi! I hope you got home alright. How are you?”

“I’m fine, Oppa. Thanks for letting me stay at your place for a bit, by the way. And I apologize for the hassle Taeyeon and I gave you.”

“Don’t mention it, Sica. As long as you’re okay.”

Jessica just smiled again, more genuine than the first. “Is that all, Oppa?”

There was a few seconds of hesitation from the other line before Yongsun answered.

“Uh, I was actually wondering if you’d like to have dinner with me tonight. That is if you’re not busy or anything.”

Jessica internally sighed but made a decision only after thinking about it for several seconds. “Sure, Oppa.”

“R-really?” Yongsun asked, perplexed at hearing a positive answer.

Jessica giggled. “Yes, just as long as it’s your treat.”

“Of course! Great! Then I’ll see you tonight then. Seven sound okay? I’ll pick you up.”

Jessica quickly shook her head. “Oh, no need, Oppa. I’ll just meet you there. Send me the address later when you’ve picked a place.”

“O-oh, okay, then. I’ll see you later, Jessica. Bye!”

“Bye, Oppa.”

The blonde sighed as she placed her phone down on her nightstand. She didn’t know if accepting the date was the right thing to do, or if she was just salvaging whatever pride she had left after what Taeyeon did to her.

A dare. Getting pitifully played at just because of a drunken dare.

Her friends sure knew how to play dirty. They should all be punched for the damage they did to her heart. Or staked. Or burned.

But Jessica didn’t get to where she was currently in life by being weak. She was a tough cookie, and it didn’t matter anymore if Taeyeon loved her or not. She was still young, and she would move on and learn how to love another in time.

But for that moment, she would let herself grieve. Grieve for her unrequited love, because, like the blemish on her skin, she couldn’t just force it to heal immediately, just as she couldn’t force her heart to forget easily.

 

 

She was going to be late and she knew it.

It was fifteen minutes before seven o’clock, but it would take her approximately twenty minutes to reach the restaurant even if she rushed.

Clad in an elegant see-through blouse and her favorite skinny jeans and modest heels, Jessica looked really hot. She might be broken-hearted, but that didn’t mean she would start dressing shabbily, especially on a date.

The blonde already informed Yongsun that she’d be late, the latter replying that it was fine and that he’d wait for her. He was really such a sweetheart.

Jessica admired herself one last time before setting off, but not intending to rush since it wasn’t really in her nature to do so.

As soon as she opened her door, though, she wanted to slam it back shut and hide. But cowering also wasn’t in her nature, so she stood her ground as she came face to face with the very last person she wanted to see.

“Taeyeon, hi. You need something?” Jessica casually said as she stepped out and made a show of locking her door.

Taeyeon eyed the younger woman’s attire appraisingly, gaze turning hard at how y and revealing it was (it really wasn’t).

“You going somewhere?”

Jessica nodded. “Yes, and I’ll be home late, so if you need anything just get it yourself.”

Taeyeon pushed. “You going to one of the girls? I don’t remember getting an invitation.”

Jessica snorted. Even though they had the same friends didn’t exactly mean that it was mandatory for everyone to meet at the same time.

“No. I’ll just text you when I’m there. Bye, Taeyeon.”

A hand deftly grabbed her arm before Jessica could leave. “Where exactly are you going, Sooyeon? I think I deserve a straight answer, seeing that you’re dressed like that and going out this late.”

Jessica let out an irritated sigh that made Taeyeon’s skin bristle.

“If you really must know, I’m going on a date. So do you mind? I’m already late as it is,” Jessica said as she forced her arm out from the midget’s grip, but Taeyeon just walked in front of her and blocked her path.

“You’re not going anywhere, Jung Sooyeon.”

Jessica scowled. “My parents only said to look out for me, but I don’t think it’s in your job description to dictate where I want to go, Kim.”

“Regardless, you’re still not going anywhere.”

“Oh my gosh, Kim Taeyeon! What the hell is your problem? I’m also entitled to go out on dates, you know!

Taeyeon’s eye twitched at that. “You are, but what if this dude’s just playing with you?”

Jessica scoffed and rolled her eyes. “You, of all people, really don’t have the right to tell me that. Now if you’ll excuse me.”

The blonde side-stepped the older woman and tried to make her way towards the elevators, but was once again stopped by a hand on her arm.

Jessica was about to shout and give the stupid girl a piece of her mind when she suddenly found herself hauled over a thin shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

Too stunned to react, struggle came late as Jessica was carried back inside the midget’s apartment and thrown down unceremoniously on the couch without an ounce of remorse.

“Yah!! Are you crazy?!”

Before she could even collect herself, Taeyeon bent down and trapped the blonde within her arms, a menacing look gracing her usually charming features.

“You are not stepping out of this place until I say so, Jung Sooyeon. And that’s final!”

Jessica also refused to back down. “You’re not the boss of me, Kim Taeyeon! I can go wherever I want, whenever I want. Do you hear me?!”

“You’re really testing my patience, Sica.”

Jessica scoffed again. “Try a decade in my shoes and you’ll know what patience means, you insensitive prick!”

Stunned, the midget let down her guard and Jessica chose that moment to escape and made a beeline for the door.

“I’m sorry, Sooyeon-ah,” Taeyeon suddenly whispered, but Jessica heard it just the same and that made her pause by the entrance.

“I know it was wrong of me to mislead you, but I could still remember everything that happened that night. And yes, it started as a dare, and I willingly went along with it because I wanted to test the water between us for myself, but I drowned and decided to pull you in with me. I couldn’t decipher your reaction the next day so I decided to keep my distance for a bit, but that seemed to backfire.”

“I didn’t want anyone to dictate what our relationship should be. And I may have gone about it in the most idiotic way possible, but I don’t really need to get wasted to want you, Sooyeon. We’re not little kids anymore to be playing pretend.”

Taeyeon walked over to the blonde as she finished talking and internally laughed. Jessica, still struggling to fully grasp the meaning of the older woman’s words, had confusion written all over her face.

Taeyeon smirked. “You’re still as clueless as ever, Princess. Let me spell it out for you.”

And their lips met again.

It was like the first time, only more passionate and definitely more sober.

Jessica, albeit still confused, eagerly reciprocated as Taeyeon’s mouth locked hotly on hers, the midget expertly dominating the other’s lips in a demanding and needy kiss.

The sound of Jessica’s ringtone broke them out of their bubble, and the younger woman frantically searched for her phone and quickly answered it, out of breath.

“Jessica?”

Jessica’s eyes widened as Yongsun’s worried voice wafted through the receiver.

“O-oppa! I – “

“Seo-ssi, something suddenly came up and Jessica won’t be able to make it. We’re sorry for the trouble and for not informing you sooner.”

“I-I see. Thanks, Taeyeon. I’ll just talk to her some other time. Bye.”

Taeyeon handed the phone back to the blonde, Jessica biting her lower lip and looking extremely guilty.

“I hurt him, Taengoo,” Jessica whispered, almost in tears. Yongsun was a very nice and sweet man, and even though she didn’t mean to stand him up, she was still ashamed for keeping him waiting and leading him on. She’d definitely get an earful from Juhyun if she ever found out.

“Let’s just make it up to him, Sica. I’m sorry I got carried away,” Taeyeon said, also feeling slightly guilty. But only slightly.

Jessica shook her head and offered a small smile to the brunette who wrapped her arms around the younger girl.

Taeyeon led them back to the couch with Jessica comfortably nestled against her chest.

“Hey, Tae?” The brunette hummed. “Why did you really accept the dare?”

Taeyeon sighed and dropped her head on the back of the couch, not willing to answer.

Jessica persisted. “Answer me, Taengoo.”

Taeyeon sighed again, lifted her head, and stared back at the blonde with a twinkle in her eyes.

She smirked mischievously. “It was an excuse to do this…”

Jessica rolled her eyes but kissed back anyway and savored the midget’s lips on her own. At least now she also knew that Taeyeon could turn into a kissing byuntae even without the alcohol, and it made her giddy all of a sudden.

Taeyeon broke the kiss after a while but didn’t move away from Jessica’s lips.

“It’s because I love you, Sooyeon-ah,” she sincerely confessed.

And Jessica just giggled before being swept in another searing kiss.

“I guess that’s reason enough.”

 

---

 

A/N:

Okay, so someone flamed me recently, but even though I got slightly offended, I decided to dig this story up from my basement and continue and finish it to make me feel better (coz who doesn’t like taengsic fluff?)

I don’t mind constructive criticisms when they’re due, but if anyone has any problems with a writer’s storyline, plot, or even word choice, feel free to not read nor support our stories instead of flaming and being offensive, especially since we’re writing and sharing them for the sake of (1) writing for our own pleasure, (2) contributing something for the fandom, (3) our readers’ enjoyment.

My stories are purely fictitious, and I don’t see the need to fully censor myself. That’s what descriptions and tags are for. So please respect us and our stories, since we spend our personal time writing them and don’t even earn anything from them by choice.

Anyway, sorry for the rant and thank you to those who appreciate the fics I write even though they’re far from perfect.

Stay safe, dear ones! <3