(Krystal’s POV)

I was in the midst of waking up when everything the night before replayed in my head.

Oh crap! Did I sleep in Jessie’s bed?

But even before I opened my eyes I knew the answer. I could feel her warmth on my body; she still had her arms wrapped around me.

I opened my eyes to see her face right in front of mine. It was so close that just an inch closer and our lips would be touching.

Stop it, Krystal! Why are you thinking like this again?!

I pulled my head back slightly so that I could admire Jessie’s perfect features. I just loved watching her sleep. I remember when I was younger, I used to always sneak into her bed when I was scared, and I used to be afraid of quite a number of things. Just having her beside me always gave me comfort and made me feel safe, especially when she was still Jessica Jung, my protector.

---

(Flashback…)

I was 5 and I was really afraid of the dark, so I always slept with a night light. Every night after mom tucks me into bed and kisses me goodnight, she turns on my night light and switches off my bedroom light. Still I was very scared… monsters… ghosts… creepy crawlies… I was little so I didn’t know better.

One night, the thunderstorm was making it more difficult than usual for me to fall asleep.

I held my eyes shut and pulled the covers over my head for protection, but I was still shivering with fear.

“J, you’re going to protect me right?” I was talking to my teddy bear whom I had named after my protector. I held it close to me.

The thunder rolled loudly.

I forced my eyes open and took a peep from under my covers to see what was happening only to be greeted with a bright flash from the lightning. I jumped out of my sheets.

There was another round of lightning and thunder, then my night light went out and everything went dark.

I screamed at the top of my lungs and started crying.

Suddenly my room door flung open causing me to freak out even more. I let out another scream.

“Kryssie, you okay?!” came the voice of my protector.

Jessie’s room was right next to mine while my parents’ room was all the way down the hall so Jessie reacted the quickest. I immediately bolted towards the door and threw myself into Jessie’s arms.

“Jessie!” I cried.

“It’s okay, Kryssie… It’s just the storm. You’re alright. There’s nothing to be scared of,” she comforted me.

Another flash of lightning and the thunder boomed the loudest I had heard it, causing me to scream yet again. I held onto Jessie’s arm, not wanting her to leave.

“Do you want to come sleep in my bed tonight?” she asked.

Just then, mom came to my room. She must have finally heard my screams.

“Sweetie, are you alright?” she asked, seeing me clung onto Jessie and her arm protectively around me.

“Her night light went out… she’s just feeling a little scared,” Jessie explained.

“Oh sweetie, do you want to sleep in our room tonight?” mom suggested.

“I want to sleep with Jessie…” I told her. I guess this must have been one of those times that mom was referring to when she said I clung to Jessie more than her.

Jessie nodded to mom to tell her that it was okay.

“Alright sweetie, but if you need me just come find me okay?” mom said.

I nodded.

Jessie took my hand and led me to her room.

(End of flashback…)

---

That was the first time I slept in her bed. After that, it became a habit whenever I was scared. She wouldn’t even need to look over whenever I entered her room. She would just lift up her covers for me. As the years past and our roles reversed, I stopped sleeping over. I forced myself to face all my fears and stop being a baby so that I wouldn’t need her anymore. But last night, I felt like I needed my big sister again.

But did I really need my big sister or did I just want to be in Jessie’s arms?

I shouldn’t have done it. I don’t regret it, it’s just that I’ve been trying to keep these feelings under control and this one night of weakness was really pushing it over the edge.

I wanted to tear myself from her but I couldn’t; I didn’t really want to. She started to stir around so I pretended to go back to sleep.

I could feel her draw her head closer to mine again and my heart started to pound.

Please don’t let her feel my heart beating so fast!

“Kryssie…? Are you awake?” she whispered softly.

I didn’t react, pretending I didn’t hear her.

Then I felt her kiss me on my forehead and then my cheek but it was so close to my lips my heart almost stopped.

She stopped moving so I assumed she went back to sleep. I slowly opened my eyes to check if she really did and she did.

This is too dangerous! I need to get out now!

I carefully and gently wriggled out of her grasp and pulled myself off the bed. I made sure to tuck her back into her sheets and tip toed towards the door.

I was just making my way around the bed when I was suddenly yanked backwards and I fell back onto the bed.

“I knew you were up!” Jessie said as she pinned me down by wrapping herself around me.

“Unni!” I yelped as I struggled in her hold. She was surprisingly strong despite having a smaller build than me.

“Are you just going to sneak out after spending the night with me? And didn’t I tell you not to call me that?!” she teased.

I felt really flustered. “I- uhm… Well, I… uhm…” My tongue was tied.

She giggled.

I mustered up all my concentration. “I didn’t want to wake you…” I told her.

“I didn’t say you can leave…” she pretended to scold me.

Why is she being so adorable?! It’s killing me!

“Jessie… I… I need to go…”

“Go where? It’s a Sunday…”

She got me there…

Dammit, why can’t I think right now?!

“You know, when you were younger I couldn’t get you out of my bed even if I wanted to… Now you’re sneaking out even before I’m awake? That hurts, Kryssie…” she pouted.

Oh, why does she have to say things like this?! It’s making me feel so guilty…

“I wasn’t trying to sneak out… I just needed to use the toilet…” I lied.

She gave me a suspicious look. “No, you’re not allowed to leave until I say so,” she instructed. “It’s been awhile since we did this… I kind of missed it. My baby sister in my arms… it feels just like the old times.”

I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t want myself to give in but she wasn’t making it easy for me to leave.

“Jessie… about last night… I don’t think I’ll be going out late anymore…” I said to her.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t protect you…”

I shook my head. “No, it was me who wanted to go…”

“Let’s not talk about it anymore. Just thinking of what that guy did is pissing me off… Are you sure nothing happened?”

“Yes. Nothing happened. He tried but I didn’t let him. There was no way that I was going to give up my first kiss to a drunken sleaze like him.” I said calmly.

“But you already had your first kiss!” she exclaimed.

“What? No I haven’t…” I swear I don’t remember kissing anyone before. How would she know and not me?!

“Yes, you have…” she insisted.

“No way… When...? And with whom?”

“With me you silly!” she giggled. “You don’t remember do you?”

“WHAT?! WHEN DID THIS HAPPEN?!” I shouted out loud in shock.

“It’s not a big deal… you were 5, I was 10… You really don’t remember?”

“No…”

“Well that’s a shame. You were so adorable…”

“So… what happened?”

“I’m not going to tell you…! I’m offended you don’t even remember… When you remember, come back and tell me…”

She finally let go of me and literally kicked me out of her bed. I fell on the floor with a loud thump.

“Owww! Why’d you do that?!” I protested.

“That was my first kiss too… and you don’t even remember… You know you were the one who stole it from me!”

I was flabbergasted. I really don’t remember the incident she was referring to at all. I wrecked my brain trying to remember but I just couldn’t. I might have been a little too young.

“Jessie… I… I’m sorry… I just don’t-“

“Fine! Don’t remember… I don’t care!” she huffed.

“But Jessie… it’s not that I don’t want to remember… I just can’t seem to remember…”

How did I fall into this trap? She’s blaming me for something I can’t even remember.

“That’s exactly why I’m angry…! It was an important memory to me but I guess I’m not that important to you…” she folded her arms and turned away from me.

Oh god! I can’t believe we’re fighting again…

“How can you say that?! There’s no one more important to me than you!” I blurted in the heat of the moment.

Then I heard her starting to laugh. She turned back to face me and fell over onto the bed rolling in laughter.

Oh, she’s so sneaky!

“Jessie! That’s NOT funny! I really thought you were serious!” I said angrily. I couldn’t believe she played me like a fool.

“Oh, I was totally being serious. I wasn’t lying when I said you stole my first kiss… But I’m not mad that you can’t remember. You were only 5 after all…”

I was still so confused. I couldn’t tell if she was still lying or not.

“Wait, so you were lying about being mad but you’re not lying about me kissing you?”

“That’s correct.”

“I’m sorry Jessie but I really don’t remember that…”

“That’s okay,” she ruffled my hair. “Do I wish that you remember it? Yes. But since you don’t I will remember it for the both of us. It’ll come back to you one day…”

“I… I hope so…” I blanked out as I started to imagine what it was like to have kissed her. I ran my fingers along my lips.

“Do you want me to help you remember?” Jessie asked snapping me out of my thoughts.

“WHAT?!”

She laughed again and wrapped her arms around my waist.

“You’re so easy to tease Kryssie… It’s so adorable!”

I blushed like mad.

“Now… go get washed up… We’re going for brunch,” she ordered.

I was still dumbfounded as I left her room.

What the hell just happened?!