“Oppa, wake up. Oppa! Jaejoong oppa!” Jessica shook the unresponsive Jaejoong a little harder. The latter moved but only to turn around and bury his face on the pillow.

“It’s time for breakfast already, oppa! Get up quickly and take a shower!” her voice went to a higher pitch, already torturing his ears at the start of the day.

He groaned lowly under the cover before getting out of it. Jessica was still sitting at the bedside, vibrantly dolled up already. She wore a wide smile that lifted her blossoming cheeks. Jaejoong noticed this as he put himself together. He didn’t bother a bit, though, but she kept looking at him that it irked him.

“Anything good happened?” he asked nonchalantly. Instead of uttering the answer, Jessica unexpectedly planted a kiss on his lips. Flabbergasted, he jolted back and broke the contact just as fast as it came. His reaction surprised Jessica whose eyes were widening.

“What was that?” Jaejoong suppressed his tone along with the urge to yell. He mentally reminded himself of the mistake he did to her and all the mess following after.

“Just a good morning kiss… Why are you so shocked?” she sounded offended.

His almost glaring eyes softened. “Nothing. Just don’t do it again,” he sighed while massaging his temple with his eyes closed.

“Why? It’s a usual thing that couples do, isn’t it?” she was still bewildered, though no longer sulked.

Jaejoong’s jaw hardened at a particular word. Fire aroused inside him, burning everything under his skin. Couple. Pair. He could’ve made it happen, with her. He had only been nothing but sincere and heavens knew that. With both fixed mind and heart, he’d made a vow to himself to leave his desire-driven past and learn to love more. As unfair as it might sound, but just because you wanted to leave the past, it didn’t mean the past wouldn’t come looking for you. Never had it crossed his mind that one of his mistakes from those days would catch his ankles and drag him back to the dark.

“We’re not.” Jaejoong got up but Jessica grabbed his arm before he could walk away.

“What are you talking about, oppa? Why did you say that…” her voice trailed down.

Jaejoong turned around and moved her shaking hand from his arm—hurting both her pride and heart. He was completely aware of that, but for now, he just couldn’t care less. Regret, frustration, and disappointment that he had been holding in were evident in his eyes. The hard line of his jaw was a concrete sign of anger—at the least—suppressed down with all of the remaining sanity he could muster.

“Sica-ya, I know this is all my fault, and I truly apologize. I will take the responsibility. But that doesn’t make us couple,” he said, firmly drawing the line. His restrained voice was totally unfamiliar to her that tears started b on her face.

“You’re mean, oppa! Don’t you think it will hurt me?” she yelled—or tried to, though it was more like a squeak.

“It’s not like that, Sica-ya…” warning punctuated his words for she was pushing him to the limit, and since losing his temper would add one more trouble, it was the last thing he wanted for the time being.

“It's not? Fine, then what is it?” she demanded. “I hope you don’t forget whose baby I’m carrying, oppa! You must not forget your own flesh and blood!” she cried.

“Jung Sooyeon!” Jaejoong snapped under his breath. He had to grit his teeth to hold himself from fuming. He locked his body from making abrupt movements by stiffening the muscles. Jessica fell silent instantly as she never saw Jaejoong in that state of rage.

“Listen, I’ve been holding back because you’re carrying a baby you weren’t expecting, and at some part it was my mistake to begin with. Now I’ve had enough,” he looked daggers at her.

“I never said this because I didn’t want to put more trouble, but I don’t think your baby is mine.” Jaejoong stated.

Jessica turned pale white as her jaw fell. “O-oppa…”

“We did kiss in the club and I took you to my place after the party, but we didn’t do anything else except sharing bed for one night.”

“What makes you so sure? You were drunk! I was the one going through that night with my eyes open!”

“Exactly, I was too drunk. How on earth could I get inside you when I couldn’t even walk and open my eyes?” Jaejoong pierced her with his gaze. He never sounded so cold and firm at the same time.

“Sica-ya, you’re one of the people I’m glad I once had, and I don’t want to hate you. At least for the sake of our past times together, stop what you’re doing. Otherwise, I’m going to find all evidences to proof the truth,” his eyes softened along with his husky voice, though it didn’t sound less firm.

Without a comforting pat or smile, he left her in a daze, or partly state of shock. Anxiety intruding her mind reached the eyes as her gaze kept moving from one random spot to the other. Her head started shaking tentatively. Suddenly, she rummaged the pocket on her skirt and grabbed her cell phone. Trembling, she pressed a speed dial number 1.

"Oppa, we need to talk. I'm coming to your place tonight."

♦♦♦

The sky showed its darkest face as midnight was passed. The chief got tired from tossing on his bed as he tried to get some sleep, so he decided to make himself a hot tea. He was a little bit surprised when the lights on the Dining Room were on and moreover, he found Jaeyeon was enjoying hot milk on the table.

“Jaeyeon-ah,” Chief made his presence known as he came in.

“Chief! What are you doing here?” Jaeyeon was startled.

“Pretty much like what you’re doing, dear,” Chief replied while lovingly ruffled her hair.

There was a temporary silence going on when Chief was making his tea. Chief took his cup to the table and joined Jaeyeon. She hesitated for a while, but decided to bring it up.

“You’re worried about Haejin, aren’t you?” she asked. The chief wasn’t surprised at all, as he already knew just by a glimpse of her eyes a moment ago.

“Of course. Just like you,” Chief answered with his calming smile that Jaeyeon always loved.

Her face turned somber. “Haejin... still smiles and laughs as if nothing happened. She always says she’s okay every time, but I know she’s not. Aish, why does my sister have to be so stubborn,” she snarled out of frustration.

“Well, we always know she’s…” Chief stopped as he noticed another presence coming. “Ed?”

A man with the called name walked in and bowed, “Chief.” He looked at Jaeyeon who was already reaching out her fist. “Jaeyeon-ah,” he casually hit it with his own fist.

“Anything happened, Ed?” Chief asked, already alarmed. Ed hesitated and Jaeyeon noticed that.

“It’s bad news, isn’t it? It must be serious since you never want to come inside the main house unless it's really necessary.”

“It's Haejin,” he said. Chief only sighed while Jaeyeon's response was pretty much the contrary.

“Please don’t tell me that she’s…” Jaeyeon was stopped by the nod Ed gave her. “, not again!” she immediately got up and dashed with Ed after excusing themselves to the chief.

Almost barging her way in, Jaeyeon got inside the center lounge with Ed following. She sighed briefly when she spotted an exact same scene she saw few years ago. Haejin laid her head on the bar while still holding to her glass as she faintly hummed to a random song. Saddened at the sight, Jaeyeon approached and sat next to her. She glanced over the bar and caught two empty bottles of gins. The youngest looked up with her half-lidded eyes.

“Tsk, even Ed is not on my side,” she scoffed at the sight of Jaeyeon, earning a chuckle from her bartender friend. “Anyways, thanks for the gin, man!” she smacked his arm. Ed pinched her cheek a bit hard that she winced, but laughed along after. Jaeyeon helped her to stand and supported her along the way back to the main house.

“Ya, Song Jaeyeon, I said I can walk by myself! I’m still sober enough,” Haejin said for the second time already.

“Shut up, you’re too loud,” Jaeyeon didn’t budge. It wasn’t like she didn’t know how dangerously well Haejin could hold her liquor.

A smile crept up upon the answer. With her lips curling up, Haejin circled an arm around Jaeyeon’s shoulder and leaned on her. “I love you too, Song Jaeyeon!” she said loudly on Jiyeon’s ear, making the latter jolted away.

Haejin grinned from ear to ear at Jaeyeon’s glare. “YA! Come here, you squirrel!” Jaeyeon shouted when Haejin dashed away. It wasn’t hard to catch her though, since she stumbled a few times. Laughing maniacally, Jaeyeon locked the youngest on the neck and dragged her to the main house. Haejin smiled in silence.

Thanks, Jaeyeon-ah.

Thank you for reading, commenting, and subscribing! Welcome oatlover and countingtigers, I hope you enjoy the story :D

No Haejin-Jaejoong contact for this chapter, bear with me a little bit more, okay? I promise things will get better soon. The truth is near :)

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