Chapter Six


There was an invitation delivered to Jessica’s suite from her father by a bellhop. She read the letter and found out there was an event that Saturday she needed to attend since her father’s Financing business was one of the major sponsors of Miss Korea Universe pageant. Not only that, but the event would also be held in Hyatt.

She read the back of the invitation and saw that she had two available VIP seats registered under her name. Saturday, huh? Everyone was going to be back from Jeju, and that meant she would be able to invite Taeyeon. Perfect. It would be one good reason to spend time with the other girl since the latter liked these types of events anyway. Remembering first time she invited Taeyeon to one, she couldn’t help but smile since only the latter was excited to be going to these sort of things.

Looking at the time on her wrist, it was eight minutes before seven, and she would be late to meeting Tiffany if she kept this pace up. She then grabbed her phone and her handbag from the dining table as she headed out. 

Rushing to the elevators, Jessica looked at the time again. Five minutes was all she had so she jogged, impatiently clicked the button, and hopped on the lift. She never liked being late, and she wouldn’t start now - not because of her new friend but more for herself - never did she like being late.

Four minutes, her watch read. 

When the lift opened, she got out and sped walk to the lobby. At least, she made it in time with still a minute to spare. Looking from left to right, she was searching for Tiffany; however, the girl was nowhere in sight. 

Where could she be? This was the only lobby there was in the hotel so the blonde didn’t know if she should stand up or sit somewhere. Had she sat, it would be difficult for Tiffany to find her; had she remained standing, patrons would find her in the way. Well, who were these people for her to care anyway? She decided to position herself in the middle of the hall, so Tiffany could easily see her.

Five minutes passed seven and there was still no lifeguard in sight. There would be no way in hell for the girl to stand her up. It must be something that happened at her work or she simply walked slow. Weird, it never occurred to her that the girl would ditch her despite their odd relationship. It wasn’t like their friendship came from a simple hello. It was more than that, and despite that, the blonde trusted the girl.

She then took out her phone to see any messages, and there was one from Sunny. It was a picture of the whole group in a bar by the beach: Hyomin and Sunny were linking arms; Heechul was lifting a shot of - probably his favorite drink, rum and coke; Taeyang was with Seunghyun; and lastly, at the corner, Taeyeon was standing, smiling at the camera, while Yuri gave her a kiss on the cheek.

The blonde closed her eyes as she immediately shoved her phone in her purse. She didn’t want to see anything relating to Yuri’s and Taeyeon’s relationship. Sure, she knew about it. Sure, she needed to get over the fact that she loved Taeyeon. Sure, she was just hurting herself. But even after knowing and realizing these, she couldn’t help but love her best friend. 

“Sorry to keep you waiting.” Jessica heard Tiffany’s voice from behind her and so she looked over her shoulder. “The manager gave everyone a lecture about the incident earlier.”

“Oh?” Jessica smirked. “About not to mess with me?”

Tiffany nodded a few times. “Yeah. To make your stay the best possible or something like that.”

“So,” Jessica started walking towards the valet and TIffany followed along. “what happened to that guy?”

“He got a write-up.”

“That’s it?!” Jessica looked back at Tiffany in disbelief as she stopped. “After my acting, all he got was a write-up?!” she asked, looking the lifeguard in the eyes, hers wide open.

“Well, Jessica, you do have a bad reputation of causing trouble. Some of the employees even said you’re done making my life hell, and you found a new target.”

Jessica rolled her eyes. “I was not that bad! Really? To say I made your life hell? That’s over the top.” She shook her head and continued walking. “That is too exaggerated.”

Tiffany looked at her in disbelief as she followed. “Really? You wanna go there?”

Jessica laughed and then handed her valet ticket to a male wearing a uniform. “Okay, look. I’m sorry.”

“Well, it’s fine. You’re good to me now,” Tiffany said as she smiled. “But wasn’t I the one who invited you? Why are you driving?”

Jessica shrugged. “I don’t know? Why am I?”

“Let’s go get my car.”

The blonde then shook her head. “No. The guy’s already getting my car.” She then looked away. “And plus, you worked the whole day.”

“I didn’t know you’re this considerate.”

“Don’t get used to it.” Jessica saw her car pulling up in front of them and so she walked towards the driver’s side, the valet attendant opened the door, held it until Jessica got in as she handed him some bills. He then walked toward the other side, opening the door for Tiffany. 

“Do you ladies need direction?” he asked.

“No, thank you,” Jessica said like always. This was usually a protocol for attendants to ask and so the blonde was used to it. She then started to drive towards the exit. “Where are we going?”

“Well, where do you wanna go?” Tiffany asked. 

“You didn’t plan any of this, no?”

The passenger giggled; her hand covered . “No. I just thought I should thank you after keeping me company yesterday.”

“It really was nothing,” Jessica said as she made a U-Turn.

Despite the blonde not seeing her, Tiffany shook her head as she bit her lips. “You don’t know how much you’ve helped me yesterday. If you weren’t there, I’d probably end up crying the whole night because I was cheated. If I was alone, I really don’t know how I’d hold on to whatever’s left or if still want to hold on to whatever with him.”

Jessica sighed. “Tiffany, shut up. Stop pitying yourself, you know? You look great, you’re nice, and you love. He’s the one missing out on you. Okay? Tell yourself that.” Jessica looked at the girl seated at the passenger’s seat when she stopped at a red light. “Tell yourself that every time you contemplate. Maybe, just maybe, you’ll end up convincing yourself that you’re really worth something.”

“You know, for a girl who’s so angry at the world all the time, you’re not bad.”

Jessica snorted a laugh. “I’m angry at the world, eh?” Seeing the stop light turned green, she started to drive to god knew where, even she didn’t know where she wanted to head.

“Well, you seem like it. But then, you’re really nice. I mean, you came to me and helped me last night, even this morning.”

“That was nothing. Anyone would do it.”

“No. Only you did it. So thank you.”

“Aw shut up, Tiffany. Stop with the stupid mushy talk. It’s getting really corny.” She laughed.

“You really like to hide yourself, huh? With all the cuss words, the sarcasm and all?”

“Oh, okay, Doctor Phil. What’s my diagnosis now?” Jessica took her hands off the steering wheel and shook it in the air, making more sarcastic remarks.

“Well, from what I observed, you’re the type of person who is actually very loving, you only want to be loved as well. And for the people who love you, you give them your all. Not only that, you try to hide all yourself by using cuss words to make you look tougher, no? So that people would think you’re a little stronger than what you really are.”

Jessica couldn’t do anything but shrug. She couldn’t believe that someone who she had met only two weeks ago could know so much about her - could notice these things about her. How, she didn’t know. But somehow, she liked it and at the same time, didn’t. It was getting confusing. She already had enough people in her life that knew her, and if she let this new friend in, that meant there would be another person who would know her at her weakest. She didn’t know if she was ready to open up to someone yet, but odd enough, despite how peculiar their first meeting was, she was actually thinking about letting this other girl in.

“Tiffany, do you always try to analyze people?”

“Just the ones I’m interested in,” was said with a grin on her face.

“So you’re saying you’re interested in me right after your break up? Do you even hear yourself? You sound so ing dumb.”

“There you go again cussing. What I meant by that isn’t really romantic interest. Like, I find you interesting since despite having a horrible personality, you still have a lot of friends around you. That tells me that you’re still a good person somehow. At least that’s what I want to believe.”

“I found some friends who can bear with my sh!t attitude, do you want me to celebrate that?”

“Maybe.” Tiffany then pointed at the street. “I remember this place. Turn right here.”

“Where are we going?”

“There’s a really good Italian restaurant around here. My treat.” 

Jessica then followed Tiffany’s instructions until they got to the restaurant. She parked the car, got out, and they both walked towards the entrance. “You know, not everyone eats Italian. What makes you think I do?”

“What?!” Tiffany looked at her in disbelief. “What do you mean? How can you hate pizza and pasta? You can’t hate on those, Jung.”

“That’s Jessica for you, Hwang.”

“Tiffany for you, Jessica.” They both looked at each other and started to laugh.

“Hello, table for two?” The host asked as she stood by the podium, holding two menus. Tiffany answered and so she led them to a booth. “Your server will be here soon. Enjoy your meal.”

“Thank you,” Tiffany and Jessica said at the same time; the former was more enthusiastic than the other. 

After ordering their food, Tiffany then looked at her phone and Jessica noticed the frown on her face. The blonde didn’t know whether to say something about it or what, but she was itching to make sure to keep a smile on Tiffany’s face. 

“H---”

“He texted me,” she sounded so defeated. The blonde then reached out, grabbing the phone from Tiffany’s hand.

She looked at the screen - not bothering reading the message - and she said, “Tiffany, I’d hate it if you’re here and you’re thinking about him.”

“It’s really hard.”

“I know. But you know what’s harder?” Jessica waited for a reply but there was none. “Imagine being in love with someone and they’re with someone else. On top of that, they’re unaware of your feelings and they basically show you how happy they are, and you can’t tell them you’re miserable because they’re happy.”

“Jessic---”

“Imagine yourself being wrapped around his finger, and you just do whatever he wants? Put yourself in that situation, and tell me, you still want to be with him. Or how about he does this to you again, tell me, do you want that?”

Before Tiffany was able to answer, the server had their food ready and placed them on the table. She made sure both of the guests were fine and left with a smile on her face. 

“Tiffany, I know you’re a nice girl. Nice girls usually don’t realize they deserve more than what they really have. And I’m telling you, he’s not that amazing. He isn’t. But you are, so I hope you realize that before you’re in this self-pity pit you’re trying to dig yourself into.”

“You don’t know him, Jessica. Despite the cheating, he was overall good.”

“That’s usually how they are.”

“But---”

“God! You ing annoy me. And we’re just starting this friendship,” Jessica said as she hit her palm on the table, catching the attention of the waitress. The blonde then raised her hand, ordered a shot of Kamikaze.

“I’m sorry.”

“Tiffany, don’t apologize to me. I just don’t want to see another girl crying because of a broken heart, okay? I just don’t want you to go back to him probably because he’s been sweet talking you the whole time. Is he really apologetic? Is he? People like him piss me off.”

“Here you go, ma’am,” the waitress said as she handed Jessica her shot glass. 

“But really, Jessica, I’m sorry. I just don’t know what to do.”

Before saying something, the blonde reached for the shot, and inhaled the drink like it was nothing - gone. “Do something for yourself, Tiffany.”

Tiffany sighed as she started to mix her pasta, and Jessica did the same. “Do you ever feel lonely? Well, maybe not since you’re you.”

“So, since I’m me, I’m not entitled to feel lonely?” Jessica looked at Tiffany in the eyes, not knowing if she wanted an answer or not. “I never asked to be me. And most people don’t understand that being me isn’t always that pretty,” she said with a bitter smile on her face. 

“I didn’t mean it like that, Jessica. I mean, you have a family, you have friends. You basically have everything.” Tiffany reached for the blonde’s hand on the table. 

“Oh?” Jessica slowly flipped her hand over, holding the tip of the lifeguard’s hand. “Then why does it feel like I have nothing?” 

“Jessi---”

Shaking her head, the blonde got back to her senses. She didn’t want this to be about her. “I’m sorry. This is supposed to be about you.” Nodding at the food, Jessica told Tiffany to eat up.

“I’m happy that you’re here for me,” Tiffany said as she smiled at the girl. However, Jessica could still sense the sadness in other girl’s eyes. “I don’t have a lot of people to be here.”

“Then let me be your friend. When you’re lonely, I’ll be here.”

Widening her smile, Tiffany then said, “And when you are, I’ll be here.” She then shoved pasta in , having some sauce on the side of her lips. The blonde smiled and pointed at the sauce, telling the other girl she needed to wipe the side of her lips. Tiffany did what Jessica told her. “Gone?”

“Gone.”

They continued talking and eating at the same time. Right after the meal, Jessica asked Tiffany what they should do next since it wasn’t even nine in the evening yet. “The Han River?” suggested Tiffany.

Jessica nodded, grabbed her purse, and fished for her wallet. Tiffany noticing this, she then looked at the girl and said, “My treat. Stop trying to do everything.”

“For a girl as nice as you, you can be bossy,” Jessica said as she placed her handbag, hung it on her shoulder. She then reached out to grab her keys on the table but the other girl beat her to it. 

“I’m driving.”

“What? No!”

Tiffany shook her head. “You drank. So no. You can’t drive.”

“One shot. That was nothing,” Jessica argued.

“Nope,” Tiffany clutched the set of keys, bringing it closer to her chest. “I’m driving and that’s final.”

“Fine.”


*****


They were strolling at the sidewalk near the Han River, inhaling the fresh air, feeling the breeze. Both of them didn’t speak much, but they weren’t awkward with each other. It was probably because they knew they were both lonely individuals who needed someone with them. 

Jessica was buying some canned juices from a street vendor. “Tiffany,” she called as she tossed one at the girl. Tiffany said her thanks and then they sat on a bench, looking at the bridge and the dark river. 

“Isn’t it odd?” Tiffany asked, eyes not on the blonde, but at nothingness. “I mean, isn’t it odd that we became friends? First, I turned you down when you tried to hit on me at the bar---”

“In my defense, I was forced to hit on you,” Jessica said, also not making eye contact.

Tiffany giggled. “Right,” was said with a hint of sarcasm. 

“It’s true. They dragged me to that bar or club or whatever so I can meet people.”

“Well, whatever. After that, the second time we met was when you’re a VIP at the place I’m working at.” Tiffany then looked at Jessica. “We weren’t the best pair, no? But somehow, look at us now. It seems like we’re made to be friends.”

“Maybe. But we’re just two lonely b!tches who don’t have anything better to do than to complement each other. That’s why we’re here right now. There’s nothing more to it, no?”

Tiffany smiled at the girl, didn’t know what to say. She didn’t want to argue nor did she want to explain more. There was understanding in their relationship - one couldn’t be in pain alone. One shouldn’t be in pain alone, and Jessica was there to help her through that. She didn’t know why, but for some reason, Jessica was nice enough to accompany her.

“I don’t think my friend would want to go to the Miss Korea pageant with me, but do you? It’s this weekend.” After seeing the photo earlier, Jessica sure didn’t want to be alone with Taeyeon. At least, she didn’t want to ruin whatever the other girl had. And maybe, she just needed time apart from her to truly accept that there was nothing she could do anymore. Nothing.

“The one being held at the hotel?” Tiffany then moved her head, looking at Jessica. “But that’s a major event. How’d you even get tickets f---” with just a faint smile on the blonde’s face, Tiffany already understood. Of course. Her mother’s the operation’s Senior Vice President and also a Director of the company, it was only natural for her to have tickets. “But shouldn’t you go with your mother?”

Jessica shook her head. “I’d rather have someone with me there. My father’s company is a sponsor and as well as the company my mom works for, so that means they’ll both be there.”

“And you want me to go with you despite both your parents being there?” Tiffany raised a brow, questioning the other girl.

“Yeah. That’s the very reason I want you there. They don’t have the best relationship, and my mom will probably drag someone from her work, while my dad will have a date.”

“Oh, I’m sor--”

Jessica sighed as she closed her eyes. “I don’t know why I’m telling you things about me. To be honest, I’m usually guarded. I don’t like telling people the bad side of me because I don’t want them to feel sorry for me.”

“I---”

Jessica then opened her eyes, looking at Tiffany. “I don’t want you to be my friend just because you feel sorry for me. I’m not here because I feel sorry for you, so please don’t try to return a favor you never owe.”

“Right.”

“So stop apologizing for whatever sh!t you think you did. You didn’t do anything wrong to me. Okay? You understand?”

“Is this the way you apologize for being mean to me? Because if it is, you’re forgiven,” Tiffany said as she smiled at the girl. “And I’d love to go to the pageant with you.”

Jessica nodded. “Do you want to go to every event or just the coronation night?”

“Up to you.” Tiffany looked at her watch and noticed that it was getting late. She then stood up, looked at Jessica and told the blonde they needed to head back to the hotel and call it a night.