I was in Seoul yesterday, but now I was already in Jessica’s penthouse in New York. She said it’s better to stay here for few days until we fly to California; to face Jessica’s parents and Hara the witch.

 

It was such a good morning, being in New York and having Jessica next to me when I woke up. How I missed the warmth of her body surrounding mine last night. Jessica looked so tired and I let her sleep a little longer. Don’t want to wake the sleeping girl, I slowly removed the blanket and walked out of the room to get a cup of coffee or tea. Probably Jessica has one of them beside cans of beer in the fridge.

 

I made my way to the balcony as I stirred the coffee, mixing the powder with hot water as one. Chrysler Building was straight in front of my eyes, proving me that I was really in New York. I put down the cup on the desk before crossing my hands on the railing, enjoying the morning breeze of New York. My eyes wandered around to the busy city from the terrace before raising my head to see the blue and vast sky above me.

 

This time, I can felt my heart was already in peace. No longer confusion, afraid of choosing the wrong choice because I was really sure that I perfectly hit the center of the bullseye. I made a right choice because she was the one I wanted all the time. Although we still have something to do first, but at least we already finished sixty-five percent of the mission.

 

I let out a relieve sigh through my nose to the air, lowering my shoulders from the tensed to the relaxed one.

 

It wasn’t long until I felt a pair of hands already locked around my waist, a face buried on my neck; her breath somewhat tickles my neck.

 

“Good morning,” she said as she planted a chaste kiss on my cheek.

 

I smiled, holding her hands on my stomach. “Good morning. Had a good sleep?”

 

“Yes, I had, for the first time after three years.”

 

“You’re so cheesy. Who taught you that?” I smiled even wider than before.

 

“Learnt it from books.”

 

I turned around, meeting her beautiful dark blue eyes with a small smile on the corner of her lips. Our eyes locked at each other until Jessica broke it by placing her head on my shoulder without letting her hands off of my waist. Her eyes wandering the city, her mind slightly drift away in this silence before she whispering in my ear.

 

“Do you know how grateful I am right now for having you this morning after I went through those horrible mornings, afternoons, and nights?”

 

I swore to god Jessica had become so cheesy and I started wondering who taught her those stuffs. It was either Yuri or Taeyeon, or neither of them, because I didn’t believe it easily that she learnt it from books—but I believe she does read books.

 

And I tightened the hug by pulling her closer, smelling her scent of her hair. “I do, because I feel it right now.”

 

But then a question crossed in my mind. I pushed her away, making her to look at me with those huge and dark blue eyes, slightly disoriented.

 

“Wait, did you ever have with Hara?”

 

“I didn’t, not even once.”

 

My eyes furrowed, narrowing my eyes toward her.

 

“What? You don’t believe me?”

 

“Not even once? Are you serious?”

 

A grunt escaped from her lips, crossing her arms as she look at me. “I don’t have with someone whom I don’t love.”

 

“Did Hara not force you to do that? And how the hell did you control your lust for not having ?”

 

Jessica blushed hearing those words. Was it normal for a twenty-five years old to blush over word ‘’ ? A kid obviously trapped in her body. I didn’t say anything until she does.

 

“She did, but I always reject her.” She muttered.

 

“Thank you, but you forgot the last question.”

 

She buried her face against her palms, feeling confused how to answer my questions. I meant, she is a beast when we were having and how the hell she can control the desire for not having one for the past three years?

 

“I can do that because I made myself busy and not thinking about anything.”

 

“Nonsense but I accept the answer.”

 

Jessica let out a ‘tsk’ before turning around to the living room, but then she dashed out to the terrace again when she remembered something left behind in her mind.

 

“And how about you, Miss Hwang? Did you ever do that with your ex-fiance?” She smiled with a pride on her face as she place her hands on the waist.

 

My eyes widened because I had no idea that she will attack me back.

 

“Making out was the furthest thing we did.” I answered honestly.

 

When I said that, I can feel that Jessica was literally hurt through her eyes. Her smile slowly disappeared and changed to a fake one. It was pretty obvious that she had stifled questions after she heard my confession. She was going to throw some questions at me, but eventually she threw them to the back of her mind.

 

“I see.” Jessica turned back and walked to the living room, until her back was the only thing I can see.

 

Jessica was jealous and a conclusion about she was two-year younger than me popped out in my mind, and apparently she wasn’t matured enough to know that it was a past.

 

I followed her to the living room, where she just sat in the sofa and stared absentmindedly at the television. She didn’t move a bit when I sat next to her—for god’s sake, she doesn’t even turn her head to me when I kept my gaze at her, patiently waiting for her to look at me but it didn’t happen eventually.  

 

And I grabbed her face with my hands, forcing her to look at me.

 

“Jessi, it was a past. Please, don’t start another problem when we just finished the huge one.”

 

“I know. I was just kidding anyway.” She showed me her wide grin, following with a mehrong and left me speechless.

 

“Yah!”

 

Jessica laughed her off as she get up of the sofa and ran along the penthouse, trying to runaway from me when I tried to chase her.

 

“It’s not funny, Jessi!”

 

“It is! You should look at your face when you were panic!” Her laughter filled the entire room and made me blushed.

 

I can’t believe it that she was twenty-five, but she act like a ten years old. She just fooled me! Acting like she was upset and then she gave me a stupid grin and a mehrong ? This woman sure thing needs a punishment. How I grinned evilishly when she trapped in the terrace of the bedroom, obviously don’t know where else to go—unless if she was insane and decided jump out of the building. Meh, it won’t happen.

 

“Uh-oh…” Her smile slowly faded away. I walked closer to her.

 

“Sure thing you are a kid, Jessi.”

 

“I’m not!”

 

“A boss of a huge company doesn’t play a tom-and-jerry game with her girlfriend, and we just did it.”

 

I can see her grip on the railing was getting tighter as if she was scared with each steps that I took. I was getting closer and closer to her, planning to punish her by tickling her. But then I looked at her eyes that switched to something behind my back and they were changed into horror ones.

 

“H-Hara…”

 

I immediately turned my head to see if Hara was here with us, but I saw nothing; until I caught a glimpse of Jessica running to the bedroom. She was fast as lightning but I was way faster. I caught her wrist, pulling her until we fell to the ground with me on top of her. Ouch, I pulled her too hard.

 

“Unnie, are we going to continue the game?” She smirked, obviously teasing me. Jessica knew that I hate it when she called me unnie.

 

“Stop talking, kiddo. You have to get the punishment for fooling me.”

 

“I hope the punishment will be on bed. I don’t mind if you tied me with handcuffs.”

 

“Dammit, since when did you become dirty-minded?”

 

“Did I mention what are we going to do on bed? I didn’t say that we are going to have , did I?” And I blushed hearing her utterance.

 

“Now who’s the one who have a dirty mind?

 

Her hands started trailing behind my back, grinding against my shirt. The smirk on her face never leaves and her eyes were gazing at me with nothing but lust—it was the only thing I could see in her eyes. Probably she was just releasing all the needy for the past three years toward me. I wasn’t planning to reject if she wanted that, though.

 

Jessica pulled me closer to her and our lips crashed together. Her arms around my neck were tightened as the kisses slowly going to the higher level, where both of us started .

 

“Wait,” I pulled my head away from her.

 

“Oh my goodness, did you really have to ruin that, Tiffany?” She groaned and rolled her eyes in the same time. Her hands fell to both of her sides and her eyes never meet mine since that.

 

“We are in the terrace.”

 

“So?”

 

“It’s not sweet, at all.”

 

“Whatever,” Jessica pushed me away and got up off the ground, leaving me alone in the terrace as she walked in to the bedroom.

 

Oops, she was really mad this time.

 

*

 

“I didn’t know your hair was more light than it used to.” I said as my eyes went to Jessica’s figure who’s standing by the dressers, eyeing her from head to toe and admiring her y figure with that white blouse—not wearing pants was a bonus for me so I can see her glorious legs.

 

She looked at me through the mirror, smiling as she buttoning her blouse. I patiently waiting for her reply but it never come, until I pulled up the blanket over my shoulder; covering my exposed chest. Her smile signed for two possibilities; it’s because of my exposed chest OR she was smiling toward my stupidity for late in realizing her hair was more light than in those old days.

 

It can be both.

 

“You are so late at realizing a stuff.” A chuckle followed in the air, breaking the silence between us. “I dyed it a few weeks ago.”

 

“Don’t blame me, my eyes are always focuses on you.” I said defensively.

 

“Does my hair doesn’t count in the part of my body?” She turned around, with those buttons covered her front part entirely. Jessica dragged her feet toward the bed and jumped to it. “Am I bald to you?”

 

“No, I was just not really pay attention to your hair color.”

 

“Meanie.”

 

Jessica leaned closer to get her prize, but immediately stiffened when she heard her phone ringing on the dressers.

 

“What a mood ruiner,” I muttered that get a chuckle from Jessica. I was being honest. I already missed those lips of Jessica and when she was about to kiss me, her phone rang. I said the right thing, didn’t I?

 

Not sure what they were talking about, but I only heard a ‘yes’, ‘okay’, and ‘I’ll be there soon’. Unconsicously a sigh escaped from my lips as I realized that Jessica would probably leave me for work. For a moment, I forgot that I was dating that big boss again, not an ordinary worker anymore. And that was the risk of it.

 

Jessica put down her phone and slid on the bed, pulling the blanket over her shoulder as her eyes remained on me.

 

“Are you going to work?”

 

“Yep, at eleven. There’s a meeting that I have to attend.” I turned my head to where the clock was and it showed me nine in the morning. Still two more hours. “Is that okay?”

 

“Of course it's okay. Why did you ask me about it?"

 

"I heard your sigh,"

 

"Oops, I’m sorry it was reflex. What time will you get home?"

 

"Depends,"

 

"Can’t you just ask Taeyeon to replace you in the meeting?"

 

Jessica snapped her head and opened her eyes after closing them for a few seconds. She eyed me with that kind of what-the-hell-are-you-talking-about look.

 

"What?"

 

"Taeyeon is in Korea, Tiffany. What are you thinking?"

 

The staring battle continued for a few seconds, until my mind started working properly and realized that Taeyeon was in Korea. I forgot that Jessica owned a different company here.

 

"Sorry, I forgot."

 

Jessica merely smiled as she snuggled closer to me, placing some kisses on the shoulder. And we ended up cuddling for like fifteen minutes, enjoying the silence of the room until I realized Jessica fell asleep next to me when I heard her soft snore.

 

As my eyes locked at the sleeping girl, I realized that this was what I call heaven on earth. I got Jessica next to me, sleeping soundly with her head on my chest and hands around my waist. I felt secure when I’m with her, just like in those old days. From now on, probably Jessica will be the first thing I see in my mornings and she will be the last thing I see before going to the dreamland.

 

It was such a bittersweet feeling when sometimes I felt so happy—like I was the happiest person alive when I remember that Jessica was mine now, but my heart immediately felt like it was squeezed by something hard when I remember that we still have two more things to be finished. She wasn’t completely mine and I had to make it. I knew it wasn’t yet over, but let me enjoy what I have right now.

 

Well, I had asked God for so many things back then and if He let me, I wanted to ask for one more thing.

 

“Although I got her by my side now and it was more than enough, but I want her to be mine again. Completely mine.” I slightly whispered as I kissed Jessica’s temple.

 

*

 

“Fany-ah,”

 

“Hm?”

 

Not a single word come out from her in the next seconds, just an action of her planting kisses on my bare shoulder as her arms wrapped tighter around my body. We were taking a bath together, drowning ourselves in a large and white bathtub that located by the windows. An hour left before Jessica has to go to the office.

 

“Do you know I was miserable without you?”

 

“Were you?”

 

An ‘I was’ followed in a faint whisper as her lips moved to the place where shoulder meets neck.

 

“I know you didn’t feel the same way.”

 

This time, I turned my head to look at her. She moved her eyes from somewhere in this bathroom to meet mine. I completely didn’t understand why she said that when she doesn’t know anything about my feelings back then. How I sometimes desperately wanted her to be mine again. How I wanted her to know that deep down in my heart I still wanted her to chase me without looking at my stupid moves; pretending that I was finally gave up hoping on her and chose Khun. And how sometimes I secretly crying in the office just because she was crossed in my mind.

 

I looked at her intently, “you know nothing about my feelings back then, Jessi.”

 

“Then kindly to explain why you chose your ex-fiance? The wedding will continue if I weren't there and you probably wouldn't in this bathtub with me if that happens.”

 

“What did you expect me to do? Trying to chase you where you could be anywhere in this world?”

 

“Trying to chase you was like a commit suicide plan.” I added without breaking the eyecontact with Jessica. My hand held hers tighter than ever under the water. “It was like I am an ordinary girl without power or anything and she is going to break through a huge fort, searching for my princess with a lot of chasers behind me, trying to chase me in no time. And they are none other than Hara’s messengers.”

 

“And you were just telling me that you weren’t willing yourself to die in the middle of the battle just for getting me.”

 

She was true. I apparently acted that way back then, while Jessica was always all prepared to get into the battlefield—fighting for me in anytime and doesn’t know the word of death as long as she can get what she wants. I was her ultimate prize.

 

Another sigh escaped from my lips. I finally breaking the contact with Jessica while she kept her eyes on me. The room was surprisingly very quite and it made me feel uncomfortable. The sound of water crashed against the bathtub was the only sound in the bathroom; low and gentle.

 

“You won’t do something unless I did, right?” Jessica muttered. From the corner of my eyes, I could see that she was staring at somewhere in the bathroom and from her tone, she was slightly disappointed knowing that fact.

 

“If you were in my position, you would understand how hard it would be.” I said defensively.

 

“MY position was harder than yours!”

 

How shock I was hearing the emphasis in her tone.

 

“I know. I know it, Jessi, and I'm so sorry for that,” I shut my eyes, holding back my tears. “But I also was in a position where I couldn’t do anything. Khun was the only choice I had. Life goes on and I had to choose it as soon as possible.”

 

“If you really love me, you would do anything for me, Tiffany. But you didn't."

 

"It was like my chance to be with you was decreased to zero percent since you are married! Just like I said, Khun was the only choice I had, Jessica." I couldn't hold it anymore. This was the first time I yelled at her but I immediately said 'sorry' when I saw her. Her eyes were so sad. It was more like she was disappointed. "I tried to forget you, but I can't. You were always there, haunting me."

 

"You were scared of Hara and my family, weren’t you?”

 

“Yes. They were the main reasons why I didn’t do anything to get you back.”

 

Jessica leaned back to the bathtub, letting her back to touch the cold material as she sighed through her nose. I knew she will say something and somehow it scare me.

 

“It was hard when I have to fake my smile in front of all the relatives. I didn’t want to do that but I had to.” I turned my head to see Jessica who was locking her eyes to the ceilings, thinking for the words she is going to say. “And there was a time where I felt tired fighting for you, knowing the risk wouldn’t be easy as getting scolded and being told not to repeat it again.”

 

I was lying if I said I didn’t feel hurt when I heard that from Jessica, but that was the truth. Jessica was more hurt than I was. Finally she acknowledged everything out of her chest.

 

A murmur followed, “but if I really do that, it means I'm letting you go with that man and I don't want that to happen.”

 

“Then I heard a whisper that I should fight for you again because deepest in my heart, you are the one I wants. I promised to myself if it didn’t work, I will let you go out of my hand for real.”

 

“But it worked very well, didn’t it?”

 

“Luckily goddess Fortuna was on my side. I couldn’t ask for more.” She shut her eyes until I can see wrinkles on her eyelids. “I didn’t know if she wasn’t there for me. You definitely will slip away from my grasp, forever.”

 

She gave me so much fears in her words through that tone, imagining if it was happening in real life. I would be Mrs. Horvejkul and Jessica would always trapped with Hara in her life.

 

I leaned closer, kissing Jessica on the lips to ease the fears in her, making her sure that right now I really was with her; in this bathtub, with our bodies and our lips pressed together. I wasn’t planning to let our invisible red strings to be cut off by Hara—not in a million years I would let her to do that, again.

 

Her body was shaking because of fears, tears slid down from her eyes, and her grip on my shoulder was getting firmer. She was scared. Jessica is scared.

 

“Shh, Jessi, it’s okay.”

 

Apparently she was already tired of this as well.

 

“I know you are tired of this, but we still have some stuffs to be done.” I looked at her in the eye as she keep sobbing. “And you have to know that you won’t fight alone this time.”

 

I’m sorry, Jessi. I wasn’t there when you needed me the most.

 

Jessica closed her eyes, slightly smiling as she leaned her forehead to touch mine.

 

Relieved probably was the perfect word to describe Jessica right now.

 

Let me clean up the mess I made.

 

*

 

I sat in the L-shaped sofa in the living room, staring at the dark sky outside through the transparent window glass. It’s going to rain and I’m alone here. .

 

It had been two hours since Jessica left me for work, and it had been two hours since I felt her lips on mine. I unconsciously touched my lower lip. The taste of Jessica’s lip gloss was still there; strawberry. And the feel of her lips massaging mine was still there as well. Was I missing her so much? Or did I act excessive? It was only two hours and I felt so lonely without her here. I had been through those three years without her and I can’t even hold it for two hours? Ridiculous.

 

I looked at the phone that I held as I sweep my finger to unlock it, showing me my favorite picture of me and Jessica that I had been hid it in the hidden folder in my phone (not anymore). A smile unconsciously creeped in the corner of my lips just by looking at it and I felt like a creeper already.

 

I was indeed under Jessica’s spell. I love her too much.

 

My feeling for her was such an intangible feeling. It was invisible, but you can feel it that it was huge. My feelings for Jessica was huge—too huge.

 

I closed my eyes and brought my phone with our picture on the screen to my embrace.

 

Also my feelings for her is have always been real.

 

 

 

 

TBC

a/n: updated! cheesy jeti special chapter lol you don't have to read it, but you did it hahaha x) sorry if it too long...