Two people were sitting in a mall cafe, awkwardly. One was shifting constantly in her seat, trying to get comfortable. She knew she wasn't going to ever get there, but still tried. The other was putting up a front of being cold. It would've worked, if the woman sitting before her didn't know her like her favorite, over-watched movie. Jessica was scolding herself for giving in to the invitation for coffee by the shifting woman. She wanted so badly not to be there and wanted to at the same time. Sitting, with this particular woman, in a cafe, drinking her favorite Caramel Coffee, was bringing up memories that she had been trying to suppress for the last three years. 

 

Jessica had thought many a time about how she would react in this very situation. All scenarios in the spectrum of shouting hysterically to out right kissing the woman. None of her scenarios, however, we're like this; two idle people whom have not seen each other in such a long time, sitting together civilly appearing to be catching up on lost time. Appearing, being the operative word here. Neither woman had said a word to the other in the last 40 minutes they had been in the cafe. Tiffany was still shifting an biting her bottom lip, two nervous habits of hers that had developed in high school. With the silence, that they used to be comfortable with, becoming too uncomfortable, Tiffany decided to buck up and break it, knowing full well that Jessica wouldn't. 

 

"So... Jessi, what are you doing here?" Her voice was unsteady. 

 

"It's Jessica. And it's a mall, Tiffany-ssi, people can come here without reason." Jessica was cold on purpose. Defenses kept her from getting hurt, again. 

 

"You don't have to add the honorifics... We're not strangers." Tiffany mumbled looking down at the table. 

 

"Fine, but please don't use that nickname. We're not friends either, or anything else for that matter."

 

Tiffany continued to look down, fighting back her tears. She knew that Jessica was going to act this way, rightfully so, but it still hurts. 

 

 

She was with Seohyun earlier, until her cousin decided to spend the entire afternoon in the bookstore looking for new self-improvement books that were just released. Tiffany got bored and told her cousin she was going to wander around the mall until it was time to leave. While wandering, she too came across the pink store that Jessica had. She saw Jessica with her signature blank stare. Tiffany knew exactly what Jessica was thinking about because she had also thought of the pink Totoro. Tiffany wanted to approach  her and when she finally mustered up the courage to do so, the brunette had bumped into her. She would not let the opportunity pass, she held back Jessica and asked her to talk. 

 

 

Jessica noticed that Tiffany was beginning to cry and that she was nervous because she was biting her bottom lip. She felt bad so, she decided to stop her Cold War and change tactics, remembering what her siblings told her the night before. 

 

"So... Ummm Tiffany, what are you doing here?"

 

'She spoke nicely! Oh, Jessi, you don't know how happy and how much I've missed your sweet voice!' Tiffany thought. Tiffany blinked back all of the years that were threatening to fall and answered happily, "Well, I was here with Seohyun, but she got too wrapped up in her books. I got bored and decided to wander for a bit and then I saw you!"

 

"Oh. You know before yesterday, I didn't know that you were Juhyun's cousin. I've known the kid since she and Krystal stared schooling together and I never saw you." Jessica remarked, but more probing for answers to her curiosity. 

 

"Oh, that's because I didn't move to Korea until I was fifteen. Seo's mother and mine were sisters. When I came here, She was the only family closest to my age and the only one I talked to, even though she was a kid back then. I also didn't know that you were Krystal's sister, Seo talks a lot about her and sometimes mentioned you."

 

"Yeah, Krystal is my little sister that I told you about." 

'Oh way to state the now obvious, Jessica. You are so stupid,' Jessica reprimanded herself. 

 

 

They fell into another span of silence, though not awkward like before, but still a tense atmosphere. 

 

"Jessi-- I mean Jessica, I know I asked you to talk, but not about Seo and Krystal. I just wanted to say that I am sorry for hurting you like that! I was being a know-it-all about friendships because I was the one with more experience in them. I am sorry for saying your feelings were misplaced. I am sorry for being a bad friend." Tiffany spewed out in one breath. 

 

Jessica was beyond shocked, her jaw lazed and dropped an her eyes went wide. She wanted to hear a sorry, but never thought she would ever get the chance. That sorry immediately made her forget the last three years of her heart being in pain. Jessica was happy, but not when she saw tears falling from her angel's eyes. She quickly reacted, grabbing napkins and lifted Tiffany's face by her chin  to wipe away the tears. Jessica really did hate when Tiffany cried. Tiffany was shocked with the sudden contact, she thought that her apology meant nothing because Jessica stayed silent. She cried cried even harder when looking into Jessica's eyes. She so missed the warmth that those smoldering brown eyes always brought to her. 

 

"Shhhh. Please stop crying. You know I hate it hen you do, Tiff." The nickname rolled so naturally off her tongue out of habit, and it felt so right to say after three long years.

 

"Y-you aren't mad? Y-you should be."

 

"I was mad, for a little while, then it just turned into hurt. Look, Tiffany. I want to be friends with you again because I really do miss us as that."

 

"Cheongmal?! You aren't just messing with my feelings to get back at me? I really, really want to be friends with you again too!"

 

"I would never mess with your feelings. Of course I mean it. I don't lie, Tiffany."

 

"Then let's start anew. I'm Tiffany Hwang." She eye-smiled. 

 

"Hi, I'm Jung Jessica. Don't you think it's a beautiful day?"

 

"Nice to meet you. And yes, today is a most beautiful day... Can I call you Jessi again?" Tiffany asked shyly and bit her lip. 

 

"Since we're friends again, sure."

 

"Yay! Let's go for a walk?"

 

"Okay."

 

 

The two newly rekindled friends left the food court, but first Jessica told Tiffany to go wash her face because she 'looked like a wet raccoon after crying.' The young women walked around the mall together, window shopping. It seems that Tiffany learned to manage her money more wisely. Both were thinking about how amazing it felt to be together again. They missed each other. Jessica really did feel like the a solved Sunday morning crossword puzzle with a cup of hot coffee. Tiffany felt like the Rat Pack was resurrected and she loved it. Their time together soon came to an end  when Jessica got a call from Krystal asking for a ride home. She walked Tiffany back to the bookstore where Seohyun was, but also unexpectedly saw her sister there too. 

 

"Hey Krystal. Why call me to meet you in the front, if you're here?"

 

"Oh, unnie, I thought I would come see if there were any books I might like and found Number Two here."

 

"Well, I never asked why you were here with Juhyun, but since you felt the need to defend yourself, it's kinda fishy. Don't you think, Tiff?"

 

"What? Oh yeah! Seobaby, why're you with Krystal?"

 

"Unnie! I was here and ran into the president." Seohyun whined. 

 

"Krys," Jessica cooed, "what kind of books were you looking for? I think this book here would be perfect for you, it's called 'How to confess your love.' Sounds good, right?"

 

"Jessica unnie! I told you it's not like that! Ugh let's go. Smell ya later Number Two!" Krystal said while dragging Jessica out of the store. 

 

"Wait! Tiff, you have my new number, right? Call me or something so we can hang out. Bye!"

 

 

Being left behind were Seohyun and Tiffany, and they decided to go home. Seohyun was living with Tiffany in her apartment to show her parents that she could be independent. 

 

 

In their apartment, sitting on the couch, Seohyun asked, "Tiffany unnie, why was Jessica unnie read a book about how to confess sheer love? It made me confused because the president was asking me for some writing workbooks."

 

"Oh Seobaby, Jessi was just teasing Krystal."

 

"So president has someone she loves? I wonder who it is." Seohyun mumbled to herself. 

 

"You shouldn't think too hard about who she loves because that person is really close to her, in a way." Tiffany answered while giggling. She though she was dense, but Seohyun's innocence takes the cake for oblivious master. 

 

"Is that so? Then it must be Sulli, Amber, Luna, or Victoria. Those are the only people she's close with."

 

"Seobaby, you have so much to learn."

 

"Huh? Aigoo unnie, look at the time. We should get to sleep. It's time for our skin cells to regenerate."

 

"Haha okay. Goodnight Seo."

 

"Goodnight unnie."

 

******

"Unnie! How could you embarrass me like that?!" Maknae Jung yelled once inside their apartment. 

 

"Stop yelling, we have neighbors. To answer your question, because I thought it was funny."

 

"Embarrassing me shouldn't be a funny thing if you really were a caring sister."

 

"Embarrassing you is what a loving and caring older sister does. And why're you embarrassed? Unless, you care about what Juhyun thinks about you?" Jessica asked, but more stated. 

 

"I do not care what she thinks. There were other people that I knew there!"

 

"Whatever. Go order pizza or something, I'm hungry."

 

"Why don't you make food for once?"

 

" 'Cause I'm lazy. If you want to cook, by all means, go ahead. If not, go order you lazy girl! Now!"

 

"Fine you lazy woman!"

 

"Good girl, Soojung!"

 

******

While laying in bed, Tiffany felt the need to hear Jessica's voice one more time before she goes to sleep. She called the other girl up. 

 

"Hey, Jessi."

 

"Hey. You like to call me when I'm sleepy, don't you?"

 

Tiffany laughed, "Sorry."

 

"It's cool. What's up?"

 

"Nothing, just felt like I needed to talk to you."

 

"About anything in particular?"

 

"Nope."

 

"Well then, how about telling me what made today another beautiful day?"

 

"Hmmm... Okay. It started off kinda bad like the song 'Long Lost Friends', but then got better by turning into 'You and I' by Anarbor. Have you hear that one?"

 

"Nope, can't say that I have, but I'll definitely look it up so I know more clearly about your beautiful day."

 

"Good. What about you, Jessi?"

 

"Well, I guess it's because I got some really great shots today. I haven't really taken any people pictures in a while. It felt refreshing, you know?"

 

"That's right, Sunny unnie told me about your great odyssey. How was it?"

 

"Long story short: it was interesting. I'll tell you more tomorrow?"

 

"Tomorrow it is. Soshi Cafe at 9?"

 

"Okay, Soshi Cafe at 9. Wait, 9? Why so early?!" The sleeping princess complained. 

 

"It's not early, Jessi. Normal people get up or earlier."

 

"Normal people . They must hate themselves if they don't want to sleep more."

 

"Normal people have jobs."

 

"Hey! I have a job and its fun!"

 

"Okay, okay. Lets get to sleep so you can get up 'early' tomorrow. Night, Jessi."

 

"Night, Tiff. Sweet dreams."

 

"Sweet dreams."

 

________________

A/N: Title is a song by the band Anarbor. Are your Jeti feels better now? Haha. Thank you for reading.   : )