"Does the kiss bother you that much?"

Jessica looked up from a magazine she picked up before they entered the airport. "Huh?"

"Your lips. You're touching them with your hands, and you've been bitting them ten minutes ago," Yesung pointed out. Jessica looked down at her hands, which were, as Yesung had said, on her cherry lips. She flushed her cheeks and put her hands to her side.

"I... No, no. The kiss never bothered me. If Yuri is in love with Jaejoong, then I should be... s-supporting them," she stuttered, unsure of what to say. Yesung smirked and looked down at his watch.

"Anyways, thanks for coming with me. Our parents are going to scream at me, and I don't want things to get awkward when I get back. I'm sure you're on good terms with our parents, right?" Yesung asked, looking back at Jessica. He frowned he saw her in her own world, chewing her bottom lip. "Jessica? Earth to Jessica!"

"H-Huh?" The blond looked back up. "Do we go now?"

Yesung sighed. "Why don't you call him?"

"W-Who?"

"Jaejoong."

"W-Why?"

"Well, you think that Yuri likes him, right? You're not worried over who Yuri likes. You're worried over who Jaejoong likes," Yesung said. "So why don't you give him a call to ease your mind?"

"But we leave in a few minutes--"

"And it takes a few minutes to call someone," Yesung interrupted, waving his hand. "I'm going to call a friend of mine, too. Obviously, I'm not going to come back here."

Jessica paused, then thanked him before fishing out her phone. She quickly looked for a good signal, and when she did, she dialed Jaejoong's number. A second later, as if Jaejoong had been waiting for her call the entire time, she heard his heavy breath.

"J-Jaejoong?" she called.

"Where... are you?" Jaejoong panted, desperate in knowing where she was.

"At the airport--"

"Why are you leaving?" he yelled, causing her to back up a bit. She gasped and tripped over her own shoes, falling backwards. However, a pair of arms managed to grab ahold of her before she fell.

"Idiot!" a clear, frustrated voice shouted. Jessica's heart skipped a beat. When she slowly looked up at the person who saved her, she realized that Jaejoong was holding her in his arms. "You're supposed to tell me when you leave! Don't make it so sudden like this! I'm going to think that you're leaving forever!"

It was strange. Why wasn't she shouting back? 

"Jessica? Do you hear me?" Jaejoong asked, helping her stand back up.

"I... I'm fine," she stammered. He sighed, then took a moment to catch his breath.

"Okay, okay. I'm sorry for yelling at you." Jaejoong put his hand on her shoulder, making her turn around. "So will you look at my face and--"

His eyes widened.

Red. Her entire face was red. Her light, pink blush had disappeared in the warm, scarlet cheeks. The tip of her ears, too, were bright red. Just seeing her blush made Jaejoong's heart race. He nervously cleared his throat and looked away.

"I-I-I... W-What I w-wanted to s-say was..."

"Wait!" Jessica exclaimed, holding up her hand right in front of his face. "Wait! Don't... don't speak."

"But I just got to tell you--"

"T-Then let me talk first." She cleared . "Jaejoong, I'm going to America for a week--"

"I know that! Yuri already told me! I just want to know why you didn't tell me. I--"

"I wasn't even done yet!" Jessica protested. She heaved a heavy sigh. "I... Can I just ask you if you like Yu--"

"Jessica! We're leaving!"

The two looked up to see Yesung pointing at his watch. He had his luggage and Jessica's luggage standing right behind him. When she looked at her small bag, her heart dropped.

"Wait, Yesung," Jessica said. "Let me ask Jaejoong--"

"I gave you time, and that's all I can give you. Hurry up! We have only two minutes."

"But you said--"

"I said come on!" Yeusng shouted, forcefully pushing her luggage into her hands. He gave Jaejoong a cold look. "See you, Jaejoong."

Jaejoong narrowed his eyes. "Why do you have to take Jessica?"

"Family business. Now, let's go, Jessica--"

"Wait! But I wasn't even done--"

"Oh, for goodness sake! She'll be gone in a week, and she'll send you guys e-mails or whatever."

"You promise?"

"I swear that she'll do those things," Yesung said. "Unless she changes her mind, but--"

"Yesung, the time!" Jessica cried out. The two step-siblings panicked, then quickly lefted Jaejoong in a dumbfounded position. He only stared at Jessica, who was heading into a different room. She looked back, tried to smile, but the guards forced her through the doors.

What did you want to tell me? Jaejoong wondered, frustrated. "Send me something soon..."

"Oh. Hey, Yunho."

The first thing Yunho saw when he stepped back inside his house was Yuri in the dining room, blowing on a hot bowl of ramen. He had came back from the hospital early, since he wanted to think about what he was supposed to say to Yuri. He almost tripped over his shoes, too shocked to see her. His cheeks were burning red, and he couldn't find the right words to say.

"Y-You... Why are you here?" he stammered.

Yuri sighed. Looks like he doesn't care much about my feelings. "Uh, Jaejoong invited me for dinner, but when I came, the door was open and he wasn't here. The noodles were still boiling, so I thought that I should just eat ahead. Want some?"

"No... I kind of ate some fruits at the hospital," Yunho said, dropping his keys on the counter. He wasn't sure where he should sit, so he decided to stand behind the counter, where he could face Yuri.

"Oh yeah... BoA can't take over my place in the group, right? Her legs are injured are something?"

"She can't walk," Yunho explained, "so she's going to teach the other dancers."

"That's nice," Yuri said, drinking some soup. "Speaking of the dance group, I'm thinking I should quit."

Yunho widened his eyes. "W-Why? Because of your health condition?"

"How do you know--"

"Is it getting worse? Are you sick? Am I not feeding you--"

"Yunho, Yunho!" Yuri called, slamming down her chopsticks against the table. He looked up to her small scowl. "So were you pitying me?"

He widened his eyes. Pity? No, of course not! He would never pity anyone. Not even the most pitiful soul alive would be able to gain his sympathy. He tried to shake his head, but Yuri was already heading out the door.

"Kwon Yuri, wait!" he shouted, noting her by her full name. Why was he panicking now of all times? "Yuri... Yuri, stop! I didn't do this out of pity or anything!"

"Just... Just be quiet!" she yelled back. "I was going to say that I should quit and take a break since I still have to discuss with Jaejoong about that kiss I did with him, and I have to get him to stop being angry at me. Though maybe I was wrong. Maybe I should just quit altogether and leave the group."

"Aren't you thinking--Wait, what?" Yunho grabbed ahold of her wrist, causing her cheeks to flush pink. "So you're not quitting? Just taking a break?"

"Should I quit now? I mean, I got onto the team out of pity, right--"

"Wait!" he exclaimed, covering her lips with his hand. "I don't want to think about anything for a second. Just... Just answer my questions, okay?"

She raised an eyebrow, but didn't dare to talk back.

"So... That kiss with Jaejoong..." he began, slowly removing his hand.

"Why do you care all of the sudden--"

"Just answer the question!" Yunho said desperately. She nodded her head, suddenly scared. "That kiss with Jaejoong... did you... like it?"

"Like it? Well..."

"Answer it directly. No excuses," he demanded, staring at her with a deep gaze. She pressed her lips, then played with her fingers.

"No, I didn't like it to that extent. It was just a kiss. Nothing more, nothing less."

"So would you feel the same if I kissed you?" he asked. Yuri looked up with wide eyes. Did she hear him correctly?

"What? Yun--"

Something warm made contact with her lips. She stared down at Yunho, who had dove in for a kiss. Her eyes slowly closed as if she was drifting off to a pleasant dream. She could hear his heart race, and felt his hands interwine her fingers. Were kisses supposed to be sudden and silent like now? She couldn't think long enough to answer her own question.

Before she knew it, Yunho had parted away and stared at Yuri with a deep gaze. He was sure that she was mad, but when he saw her face, she looked more surprised and puzzled. Though her eyes cried for more love, and her lips ached for his. Breaking off the silence, Yuri decided to speak in a tiny voice.

"That was exciting. My heart was pounding," she breathed, causing a blush to spread across Yunho's face.

"Y-Y-You... D-Don't say things like that!" he exclaimed, looking away. "It's totally... embarrassing..."

"Well, you're the one who asked if the kiss felt the same or not earlier!" Yuri retorted, turning bright red. She glanced at him awkwardly. "So... Do you like me?"

"Y...Yeah." He paused. "Do you like me?"

She let out a small giggle when she noticed Yunho's anxious look. "I've liked you for quite some time, dummy."

She leaned forward and gave him a peck on his cheek, laughing at Yunho's vulnerable (yet adorable) self.

A few weeks had passed by. Yuri and Yunho were an official couple, and they provided better teamwork for the group. BoA, as assigned before, helped improve the new dances Yunho came up with, and instructed the dancers to do as ordered. Although Yuri had some doubts over BoA (she was Yunho's first love), the two managed to get along and finally became good friends.

Jaejoong, like the couple, was doing fairly well on his own. He frequently went home, avoiding his father like usual. He spent most of his time at school, but when he wasn't at school, he would hang out with Yunho and Yuri. Being the third-wheel didn't matter for him, though. Yuri enjoyed his company, and he liked seeing Yunho get furious over him ruining their little "date" (Jaejoong could never accept going to the dance room to practice as an official date).  However, he would often glance at the window and think about how Jessica was doing, and why she didn't come back. Yuri claimed that she had no information from Jessica, and she had been worried over her friend's absence, too.

Until today.

On a beautiful spring weather, Yuri stormed into Yunho's house with a fairly large cardboard box in her arms. Yunho, who was sitting on the couch reading a magazine, gasped and quickly stood up. Jaejoong came downstairs, hearing her loud footsteps.

"What's up, Yuri?" Yunho asked, looking over at the sweaty girl. She ignored him and dropped the cardboard box on a table. Looking up, she searched for Jaejoong, who finally appeared to the dining room.

"Oh, hi Yuri," Jaejoong said, giving her a small smile. Then, he frowned after seeing her pale face. "What's going on?"

"T-This!" Yuri exclaimed, tapping her hand against the box. "Jessica! She sent us this!"

His eyes widened. Like a rabbit, he swiftly ran out of the room and came back with a knife. He ran his fingers through the rough, brown surface, then began to cut the tape that securely protected whatever was in the box. Yuri clasped her hands together, excited to see what Jessica had sent. Yunho curious looked over her, putting his hands on her thin shoulders.

After a minute, Jaejoong finally got the box to open. He opened the lid, and three heads hovered over the box. Yuri frowned, and picked up a packing peanut. Then, she looked back down and grabbed a small envelope in the corner of the box.

"What does it say?" Yunho questioned her. Yuri shrugged her shoulders, pulled out the letter, and silently read it to herself. The boys watched her eyes run across the letter, wondering what Jessica had said. It was when Yuri's eyes softened that Jaejoong felt his world crumble before him. She slowly looked up at him, then opened her lips.

"She's not coming," Yuri announced.

Yunho frowned. "What? Who?"

"Jessica," she repeated, her eyes still on Jaejoong. "She's not coming back."

"Why?" Jaejoong asked, reaching to grab the envelope. "She promised that she'd come back!"

"But apparently, things are going really well back in America!" Yuri exclaimed, preventing Jaejoong from taking the envelope. "She finally accepted her family. Yesung actually got a job, and he's finally part of the family. Her younger sister is there for her, so she doesn't feel like it's time to leave yet."

"B-But... She just has to come back," Jaejoong whimpered, staring at the box. He looked over it, and began to dig through it.

"Well, she gave us stuff. Um, Yunho, she gave you a hat she thought you might like."

Yunho looked around, then pulled out a white cap. "Well, it's not my style, but I'll give her my thanks."

"To me, Jessica gave me her contact information--"

"Give me that," Jaejoong demanded.

"No way! She gave those to me only," Yuri said, sticking her tongue out. "Let's see... To Jaejoong, she's giving everything else in that box. Check what else is inside."

Jaejoong scowled, then reached into the box to pull out a random object. His hand grabbed something smooth and rectangular. When he pulled it out, it was the empty book Jessica carried around. His eyes widened, and he looked through the box again. The tips of his finger felt something rough and thin, just like a stick--

He pulled the item out, admiring the olive branch.

"Oh, look at this," Yuri said, taking out another piece of paper from the envelope. "This is for you, I believe."

Jaejoong slowly took the piece of paper, and unfolded it.

'When we meet again,' he silently read, 'Let's go and write our story in the book, okay?'

He smiled to himself, then put the branch near his chest. "I'm never, ever going to throw this out."

"And we hope that you won't," Yunho agreed, giving Yuri a small kiss for fun.

Epilogue

Jaejoong let out a puff of smoke after smoking his second cigarette. After seven years,  he finally agreed to meet a few business people his mother set up. He never did things for his mother, since she was always on a business trip and hardly spoke to him, but a few days ago, she gave him an urgent call that needed his assistance. It was quite difficult for him to leave his father, who had been stuck in the hospital after drinking too much alcohol, but he figured that his father needed to think in private rather than ask for his company.

He was outside of a restaurant, waiting for a group of family meet him. He could've waited inside, but his mother made it clear that he should wait outside and then go inside with the family while chatting them up. Jaejoong smirked, then chuckled. He extinguished the small flame with his feet, picked it up, and threw it away in a trash can.

Man, it's so cold, he thought, shivering as a cold autumn breeze passed by him. I wish they'd come already!

"You must be Mrs. Kim's son, yes?" a feminine voice asked. Jaejoong rolled his eyes, glad that someone came. "I am Mr. Jung's sister. My family is supposed to be here, but they have other matters to attend. Therefore, I will be having dinner with you tonight."

"Wonderful!" Jaejoong exclaimed, turning around. "My name is--"

A pause. The same cold breeze swept by, but he did not move. Rather, he made eye contact with the shorter female, surprised to see such a familiar voice in years. Instead of blond, this woman had a wavy brunette style of hair. She wore a rather formal red dress, making it look like the two were on a date. He blinked his eyes, while the lady let out a gentle giggle. She stopped laughing when he didn't smile. A frown appeared and she playfully slapped her hand against his arm.

"Hey! Don't you remember me?" she asked softly, kind of worried. "I'm Jessica, remember? Yuri's best friend in high school? Don't tell me you forgot. I went to America and stayed there with my family--"

She shouted in surprise when he suddenly wrapped his arms around her thin shoulders. She widened her eyes, blushing from the sudden contact. However, Jaejoong kept squeezing and hugging the dear lost friend, whom he almost believed that he would never see again. The lonely portion of his heart felt completed with her presence in front of his very two eyes.

"Don't you ever, ever leave without another word and a useless promise, okay?" he whispered quickly, giving her one last squeeze. Jessica blinked her eyes, then smiled softly as she gave him another hug.

"Okay, okay. I promise--"

"Don't promise! Just... keep that in mind," he mumbled.

Jessica giggled and patted his back. "Okay, okay. I'll remember that. Now, can you let go of me? I think I'm going to be choked out of air!"

He let out a soft whimper, then pulled apart from her. There were so many things he wanted to ask her, and he wasn't sure where to start. Jessica noticed then, so she pointed to the restaurant.

"Let's talk inside, okay? It's getting cold out here," she said, dragging him into the restaurant. 

"Can I ask you a question?" he suddenly asked.

"Of course. You must have a lot to ask."

"How did you set this up?" Jaejoong questioned.

"Yesung promised you that he would let us meet a long time ago, remember? He kept his promise. He worked hard for the family, and managed to get his business to big enough to contact your mother. Apparently your mother was around our country, doing business things. Yesung managed to talk to her about making a contract, and he suggested that we should have dinner."

"Then did you hear about what happened to Yuri? She said that she's been sending you a lot of mails."

"Of course! I still can't believe Yunho proposed to her two years ago. I need to visit her as soon as possible. I heard that she got pregnant three months ago! How big is her belly?" Jessica asked, her eyes twinkling with delight.

Jaejoong rubbed the back of his neck. "Um, not very big."

"Is it a girl? A boy?"

"They can't really tell, but Yuri wants it to be a boy. She wants a strong baby, at the very least."

"Oh, she would want the baby to be a guy. How about Yunho? How's he handling the situation?"

"He's embarrassed, but way too overprotective. I was joking how I should have a child soon, and he suddenly assumed that I was talking about having a child with Yuri. I think he's being the dramatic one rather than Yuri," Jaejoong said, rolling his eyes. He grinned as the two were guided to a table near the window.

"W-Well, having a child would be nice," Jessica commented. Her eyes shyly looked over to Jaejoong. "Are you dating anyone or...?"

He widened his eyes, surprised that she would ask him such a silly question.

"No, definitely! I'm definitely not dating anyone!" He paused, then stared at Jessica. "Are... you dating anyone?"

She let out a loud laugh. "No way! I was actually waiting to date you--"

She stopped abruptly, then covered with her hand. Jaejoong raised an eyebrow in a teasing manner, causing her cheeks to flush red. He pressed his lips to keep himself from smiling, but happiness was vividly displayed on his face. Then, he slowly reached over into his suit, then pulled out two objects. 

"I promised myself that when you come back, I'd return these two you," Jaejoong said, handing her the olive branch. Jessica smiled, glad that he had treasured the items as much as she did. When she grabbed the lower end of the branch, something cold touched her skin. She looked over her hand, then gasped when a silver diamond ring was magically in her hand. She looked up at Jaejoong, who gave her a cheesy look.

"Jaejooong," Jessica whispered to him. However, he stopped her as he pulled out his left finger, which held a similar ring in his ring finger. By now, her entire face was as red as her dress, and she was sure that people were staring at them.

"Jung Jessica," Jaejoong called, raising the corner of his lips into a large smile. "You promised that when you come back, we would start our story with this journal, right?"

He raised the same empty journal, to which Jessica nodded after seeing. Satisfied with the response, Jaejoong placed the book gently on the table, and opened it to the first blank page.

"Well, then. Why don't we continue our story starting from our wedding?" he asked.

She laughed delightfully and nodded her head as Jaejoong slipped the silver ring around her ring finger.

"Of course, Jaejoong. Let's start our story from our wedding," she said.

"Yes, let's."

The End

Author's Note: 

With that, this chapter ends the second JaeSica story I've written. The Olive Branch, I must admit, is quite rushed and unclear. I think if I was more focused on this story, it would've turned out better. Though, I wouldn't have this story any other way since this is how I write my stories. Thank you for everyone who has been with this story! I really appreciate all the support I've gotten. There won't be a JaeSica fanfic from me for quite some time, but I do hope to read some more JaeSica fanfic. So now (with this being one of my earliest tradition since I was on AFF), I will advertise one of my latest fanfic, To Trouble Thee. I think it has a similar feel to The Olive Branch, considering how it has to do with a journal. Thank you, and I hope you all have a wonderful day!