Chapter 5
My Life Is Secretly A Movie
A/N: Yay! I updated! Hahaha! Told you I'll update soon ^^ Hope I didn't leave you hanging too much in the last chapter :) Anyways, I think this update is long enough. So here you go :D
Chapter 5
"I wonder how Jessica's doing. I hope Tiffany takes care of her well." Yuri was standing behind the cash register, worrying about her friends.
"It feels so lonely without Jessica and Tiffany here." she sighed as she looked outside of the cafe.
"It's raining again." Yuri muttered to herself when it suddenly started to rain. "I don't get the weather nowadays. It's been acting weird. Well, I guess I better close the cafe now. It's getting late."
Yuri went towards the entrance of the cafe and turned over the OPEN sign to CLOSED.
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK
She shrieked in surprise when a man suddenly knocked desperately on the glass door. He was dripping wet from head to toe, and his respectable suit was drenched. It looks as if he ran under the rain.
Yuri immediately unlocked the door and let the poor man in. "Oh my gosh! Are you alright?"
The man nodded and tried to dry his wet hair with his hands. "Yeah. Just a little wet, that's all."
Yuri went to retrieve a towel from her office and gave it to the man who was unsuccessfully trying to dry himself.
"Thank you, miss. You're a lifesaver. My car broke down and this was the nearest establishment that I could find that was still open. Although I think you were already starting to close your cafe just now."
"It's fine." Yuri said as she waved a dismissive hand and smiled.
The man smiled back charmingly, catching Yuri's attention.
"I'm Choi Minho by the way." the man introduced himself as he outstretched his hand towards Yuri.
"Kwon Yuri." Yuri said as she took Minho's hand. It felt warm despite being wet from the cold rain.
"So..." Minho started out and smiled again. "Do you think you could extend your working hours for a few more minutes and have some coffee with me, Ms. Kwon?"
---
Jessica hummed a tune as she listened to the falling of the rain outside.
So they did use the rain machine.
Jessica directed her attention towards the door when she heard Tiffany come into the room. Her eyes never left Tiffany as the latter sat beside Jessica by the edge of the bed.
"Do you feel better now?" Tiffany asked.
"Very much." Jessica replied.
"Good. I hope you get well soon."
"Oh I'll be fine. Just don't let another cucumber get near me again." Jessica joked.
Tiffany sighed. "I'm sorry."
"What for?"
"Well you fainted because of me." Tiffany admitted, embarrassed.
Jessica laughed. "I fainted because of the cucumbers, Tiffany. Not because of you."
"But still..."
"Hey, I'm okay now. You shouldn't be too worried about me, Tiff."
"But I really care for you." Tiffany said as she looked into Jessica's eyes.
Jessica smiled as she heard the sincerity in Tiffany's voice.
"And I really care for you too. Which is why I think I should go home now because I don't want you to worry much about me anymore."
"But it's raining." Tiffany frowned.
"Hmm. It is." Jessica said quietly as she glanced at the window. "But I don't like being a bother to others. Especially to you."
"You're not being a bother at all, Jessica."
"I thought you call me Jessi?"
"Jessi..." Tiffany said slowly. The nickname rolled off her tongue so easily. It tasted sweet, reminding her of caramel coffee.
Jessica smiled. "I really like hearing you call me that."
Tiffany felt her cheeks getting warm as she looked away shyly. "Jessi...you can stay here and wait for the rain to stop."
"But -"
"Stay."
Jessica bit her lip and nodded her head. Tiffany never had this tone before. "Okay."
"Good." Tiffany smiled.
The two girls didn't say anything for quite a while, just listening to the rhythmic pitter patter of the raindrops on the windows.
"I feel like I'm the rain to you." Jessica suddenly spoke.
Tiffany glanced at Jessica, curious. "And why is that?"
Jessica tilted her head to the side thoughtfully. "You can never expect the rain. You don't know when it will happen and how it will affect you. It's usually a bothersome since it prevents you from doing other things or going to other places. The only thing you can do when it rains is to wait for it to stop until you can move on."
There was a few seconds of silence before Tiffany giggled, making Jessica look at her with furrowed brows.
"What's so funny?" Jessica asked.
"Nothing." Tiffany shook her head. "You just sound so dramatic. Even comparing yourself to the rain."
"But isn't it the truth? I'm just like the rain to you."
"But I like the rain." Tiffany answered sincerely. Realizing what she just said, she looked away shyly.
Jessica smiled when she saw Tiffany's flushing face. She could hear the hidden message behind Tiffany's words.
I like you.
---
"So you're a photographer, Mr. Choi?" Yuri asked as she handed a cup of coffee to Minho.
"Yes. And please, call me Minho instead. Mr. Choi sounds so old for me." Minho replied then took a sip of coffee.
"Okay Minho. Then call me Yuri."
"Yuri." Minho nodded as he said the name. "So you're the owner of this cafe?"
"I am."
"I guess my luck today isn't so bad after all. After my car breaking down and running into the rain I think fate has lead me here into your cafe." Minho smiled. "I've been looking for a location all day to use for a photoshoot, you see. And your cafe has the perfect setting! I would like to use it for my photoshoot."
"A photoshoot huh? I guess that would be alright. More exposure for this place. When will you need the cafe?"
"Tomorrow. We'll be having the photoshoot tomorrow."
Yuri furrowed her eyebrows and frowned. "But that's too soon. And the cafe is opened for business tomorrow."
"Yuri, I can assure you that our company could pay you a reasonable amount for this. Maybe even more. We just need the whole place tomorrow for the whole day."
Yuri thought about it. "I'm not so sure..."
"Just one day, Yuri. One day is all I ask."
Minho smiled again. And Yuri just couldn't say no to it.
---
"Taeyeon?"
"Hmm? What is it Sica?"
Jessica took a deep breath before answering. "Tiffany just confessed to me."
"Come again?" Taeyeon asked, unsure if she heard Jessica right.
"I said Tiffany just confessed to me."
Taeyeon frowned. "I was watching the scene a while ago the whole time, Sica. Tiffany didn't confess anything other than caring about you."
"But she said she likes me." Jessica insisted.
"Uh...I think your ears got affected when you fainted, Jessica. But Tiffany said that she likes the rain. Not you." Sooyoung interrupted.
"Exactly!"
Sooyoung and Taeyeon looked at each other worriedly while Hyoyeon took the microphone from Sooyoung. "I believe you, Jessica."
The director and the other scriptwriter looked at Hyoyeon incredulously.
"What are you doing?" Sooyoung mouthed.
Hyoyeon held up a hand. "Relax. I got this."
She brought the mike to and cleared . "So what do you plan to do if Tiffany likes you?"
"I don't know. Aren't I supposed to follow what you tell me? You're the scriptwriter."
"We're temporarily putting the script into your hands, Jessica."
"What?! Why?"
"We want to see how you would want this to be."
"I don't understand." Jessica said as she shook her head.
"We don't either." Sooyoung and Taeyeon mumbled.
Hyoyeon just smiled. "Just do what you want with the situation. If things get out of hand we'll take control again."
"Okay...I guess." Jessica sighed.
As Hyoyeon turned off the microphone and placed it down, Sooyoung immediately scowled at her. "What did you just do, Kim Hyoyeon?! We can't just let Jessica take over the script! What if she messes up the whole story plot?!"
"Chill out, Sooyoung. Here, have some chocolate." Hyoyeon said as she threw a chocolate bar towards Sooyoung which the shikshin skillfully caught with both hands.
"Hyoyeon, as much as I trust you, I think Sooyoung's right. We can't just let Jessica do what she wants." Taeyeon said.
"It's alright Taeyeon. I just figured that this story needed something that's true." Hyoyeon explained.
"I don't understand." Taeyeon frowned.
"Oh I see." Sooyoung said in understanding while chewing her chocolate. "Hyoyeon's point is that this whole movie has been totally scripted so far. Yeah, Jessica usually ad-libs her lines and there have been some unexpected scenes that happened. But nothing has happened that was entirely 'true', something that happened because fate made it happen. We've been controlling the whole movie. And since the purpose of this movie is to capture a person's true and real human emotion on camera then we shouldn't be focusing on Tiffany's emotions alone. How Jessica feels about the situation is also important."
"Yeah. That's exactly what I want to happen." Hyoyeon smiled.
"I see." Taeyeon nodded. "Well then, let's see what happens now."
---
Take the script into my own hands? What am I even supposed to do? I can ad-lib my lines only if I know what's supposed to happen in a scene. But to make a scene my own? I don't know how to do that.
Jessica was troubled. She absolutely had no idea what she was supposed to do right now. But she calmed herself down when Tiffany came back into the room with some food. Tiffany carefully held a bowl of cold noodles while closing the door behind her.
Jessica took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. Just be yourself, Jessica. There's no script. There are no restrictions. Relax. Just be yourself. Drop the acting mask and be yourself.
"What's that?" Jessica asked, noticing what Tiffany was holding.
"Naengmyeon." Tiffany answered before approaching the bed where Jessica was sitting upright with her back leaning against the headboard.
"Cold noodles?" Jessica asked while Tiffany sat beside her on bed.
"Yup. You still have a little fever so I made some cold noodles to cool it down."
Jessica looked at the noodles suspiciously and raised an eyebrow.
"There better be no cucumbers in there."
"Yah! Of course not! Do you think I want you to faint again?" Tiffany frowned.
Jessica chuckled and patted Tiffany's head like a little girl.
"I trust you, Tiffany."
Tiffany could feel herself blushing at Jessica's words and looked down at the bowl of cold noodles in her hands.
"D-do you want m-me to feed you?"
Tiffany mentally facepalmed herself at her suggestion.
Where the hell did that come from, Miyoung?
"I just have a fever, Tiffany. It's not like I'm not capable of eating food by myself." Jessica said.
Tiffany nodded her head sheepishly. "O-okay, I'll just l-leave this here th-"
"But I would love it if you would feed me." Jessica smiled.
Tiffany was surprised by Jessica's request that she almost dropped the bowl on the bed.
"Um....are you sure?" Tiffany asked uncertainly.
Jessica nodded and made the cutest pout she could do.
"Pretty pleaseeeeeeeee, Fany omma?" she asked with aegyo in her voice.
Tiffany became even more surprised. She hasn't seen this playful childish cute side of Jessica before. It seemed to be more of the real side of Jessica. She liked it.
Tiffany smiled brightly as she took the chopsticks and held up the bowl near Jessica's mouth, deciding to play along with the choding Jessica. "Okay then. Say ah, Jessi!"
Jessica opened and ate the noodles while smiling widely.
Hmm, maybe this wasn't as bad as I thought.
---
"See? It's another sweet moment between the two of them. But this one is sweeter compared to the ones they had before." Hyoyeon smiled.
"I understand what you mean now. Jessica shouldn't be acting all the time. She should show her emotions and express herself. It makes a scene more beautiful and true." Taeyeon smiled sadly. "I wish I could express my true emotions openly too."
Sooyoung and Hyoyeon looked at each other knowingly before looking back at Taeyeon.
"Okay Taeyeon, what's up with you?" Sooyoung asked.
"Huh? What do you mean what's up with me?" Taeyeon feigned innocence after realizing the last sentence she said.
"You're not an actress, Taeyeon. You're a director. Now tell us what's bothering you." Sooyoung ordered.
Taeyeon pursed her lips and kept quiet. I couldn't just tell them about my relationship with Sunny! I really wish she was here with me right now...
"I c-can't tell you." Taeyeon said weakly. "At least, not now. Maybe I will but please not now. I'm not yet ready."
Hyoyeon sighed. "Okay. We understand, Taeyeon. We're not gonna force you to tell us. Just tell us when you're ready."
Taeyeon smiled weakly. "Thanks for understanding."
---
After feeding Jessica the naengmyeon, Tiffany went downstairs to wash the bowl. However, she forget to take the glass of water with her as well.
"I think I should give this to her." Jessica thought as she took the glass that only had half of the water left.
Jessica quietly went down the stairs but stopped abruptly when she realized that Tiffany was talking with someone on the phone.
"Hello?"
"Stephanie?" a husky voice similar to Tiffany's said. Jessica could hear the caller since the phone call was on speaker.
"Leo oppa! You called!" Tiffany squealed happily.
"Of course I did!" Leo laughed. "How could I not call my little baby sister?"
Tiffany giggled. "How are you there in the Philippines, Leo?"
"Oh I'm good. Showed up in a game show to support a friend. Been gaming and all. You know, the usual."
"That's good to hear then." Tiffany smiled.
"Yeah. Hey, I also called Michelle noona a while ago!"
"Unnie? How is she?"
"Still in California. She told me that she'll be moving to San Fransisco if she gets accepted into that entertainment agency. What was it called again?"
"SM Entertainment? The one that's also here in South Korea?"
"Ah yes! That one!"
"Did she say anything else?"
"She's been whining to me that you should visit her soon."
Tiffany laughed. "I'll keep that in mind."
"Good. Anyways, I called to ask you how you're doing, Steph. Been pretty busy lately?"
"Not really. Still working at the cafe with Yuri. Nothing much has happened here. In general, I'm doing fine."
There was a moment of silence before Leo had the courage to ask the next question.
"How about Mom and Dad?"
"..."
"..."
"..."
"Steph?"
"They're getting worse, oppa." Tiffany sighed into the phone. "I wouldn't be surprised if they would tell us that they'll be getting a divorce."
"Steph, don't think like that." Leo said quietly.
"But it's very likely to happen, Leo. Face it, they're not how they used to be before. With Mom leaving us to be a famous singer, nothing has been the same ever since."
"Are you mad at her, Steph? You know that she had her reasons. Dad's business was going bankrupt during that time and Mom was given a one-time opportunity to become a big time singer. She just wanted us to be financially supported."
"I know, oppa. I'm not mad at Mom. I could never be. I'm just disappointed." Tiffany sighed.
"Don't think too much about it, Stephanie. There's still hope for our parents."
"Okay."
"Good then. Listen Stephanie, I have to go now. I'll call you again sometime, okay?"
"Okay oppa. Bye."
"Bye Stephanie. Take care of yourself."
Tiffany sighed when the phone call ended.
Jessica hasn't moved from her hiding place. She tried to tiptoe back upstairs when the glass of water slipped from her hand, crashing to the floor into pieces.
Tiffany turned around and saw Jessica stiffen up as she got caught.
"I'm s-sorry. I'll clean t-this mess." Jessica immediately got down to her knees and began gathering the shards of broken glass.
Tiffany didn't say anything and quietly knelt in front of Jessica and started gathering the other pieces as well.
"T-tiffany, let me c-clean this up." Jessica said as she held Tiffany's wrist.
"No. Let me help you." Tiffany said without emotion as she handed a rag to Jessica to help with the cleaning.
Jessica didn't say anything and just nodded, afraid of how hollow Tiffany's voice sounded.
The two of them cleaned the mess without any words being spoken. The glass shards were already thrown away and the floor was already dry but Jessica just couldn't take the cold atmosphere anymore.
"I'm sorry, Tiffany." Jessica said solemnly.
Based on her tone, Tiffany knew that she wasn't just apologizing for the spilled water.
"So you overheard my conversation with my brother huh?" Tiffany said as nonchalantly as possible.
"Tiff-"
"Look, it's alright if you know. You'll probably find out sooner or later anyway."
Tiffany kept on wiping the already clean floor with the towel but stopped when she felt Jessica's hand rest gently atop on hers.
"Tiffany," Jessica called out softly. "It's gonna be okay."
Tiffany couldn't hold it in anymore. She let herself fall into Jessica's arms, burying her face at the crook of Jessica's neck while letting the tears she's been holding back finally escape.
Jessica immediately wrapped her arms securely around Tiffany, soothing her as she rubbed the girl's back gently.
"It's gonna be okay, Tiff." Jessica repeated.
"I just want a happy family. Am I selfish for wanting that?" Tiffany cried harder.
"No, you're not. Everybody wants to be happy, so why can't you?" Jessica said quietly, trying her best to soothe the girl in her arms. But Tiffany kept on crying.
Jessica bit her lip, unsure of what to do. She wanted to hear Taeyeon's voice from her earpiece to tell her what she's supposed to do to make Tiffany stop crying. But the script was in her hands as of the moment. It was all up to her.
I just don't want her to cry. It pains me to see her like this.
Jessica couldn't understand why she feels hurt to see Tiffany cry. Heck, she couldn't understand what's going on in her brain and in her heart or in her stomach whenever it comes to Tiffany.
"I feel like I'm the rain to you."
"But I like the rain."
Suddenly, something just clicked inside of Jessica's confused thoughts.
Now she understands why she feels like there are butterflies in her stomach whenever she stares at Tiffany, why she feels a fuzzy electrical feeling whenever they touch, why her heart beats so loudly whenever Tiffany is near her, why she's the only one who could understand Tiffany's hidden confession, why her heart aches to see Tiffany so miserable. She understands now.
"I'll make you happy, Tiffany." Jessica said as she tightened her hug on Tiffany, making the girl's sobs quiet down. "I'll protect you. I won't make you sad. I'll do everything that I can and give you everything that I have to offer. I'll make you smile when you're sad. I'll always be there for you and I'll stand by your side. I know that I can't promise you all of these things but I'll try my best to do them."
Jessica pulled away slightly and held Tiffany's shoulders, looking straight into her sad eyes. "So please...don't cry anymore, okay? You have me."
Tiffany was totally shocked with the things that Jessica just said. And with that, she also heard the girl's hidden confession.
I like you too.
TBC
A/N: I think a lot of things happened in this chapter (at least I think so). Anyway, I think this this fanfic is being too sweet and happy. Do you want me to put in the drama now? :D
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