(Taeyeon’s POV)

“I’m home!” The unmistakable voice of Fany echoed throughout the apartment.

Even with my bedroom door closed, I could still hear her clearly.

“I’m in my room!” I called back.

My room door burst open and she walked in, towards me.

“Oh, Fany-ah… you look so tired…” I said as I stood up to greet her. She really did look exhausted.

“Taeyeonie…!” she called out as she slumped onto me giving me a giant bear hug.

“Uhm… What’s wrong Fany?” She had my arms pinned to my sides so all I could do was to gently pat her on the back.

She let go of me and collapsed on my bed. “Uggghhhhhhhhh…”

I sat down beside her but then she pulled me down by the shoulder so that we were both lying side by side.

“Rough visit with the family…?” I asked.

“You know I love my family but… sometimes they can be so overwhelming…” she grunted.

“Were they pressuring you to give your firm up again?”

“Yeah… what else?!”

Fany was part of a steel making and construction empire but it wasn’t something she bragged about. Only her closest, most trusted friends knew that. Since I’ve known her, she never wanted to rely on her family fortune and name. That was why she worked so hard when she was in school and then started her own firm. She refused to go into the family business. If she did, she would probably not even really have to work and just live comfortably. That was also part of the reason why she moved out on her own. Fany wasn’t just smart but she was very good with money. By the time she graduated, she was already able to buy her own apartment. Every time she went home though, her family would try and pressure her to give up her firm and return to the family business. It was tough on her. She loved her family and would love to see them more often but she hated that they couldn’t be supportive of her dream.

“Man… I can’t even imagine how that must feel…”

She let out a huge sigh. “You’re so lucky! You’re family is totally supportive of you and love you no matter what you do…”

I was lucky. When I told my parents that I wanted to be an artist, they didn’t even hesitate before giving their consent. They told me to go for what I wanted just as long as I was happy.

“You have me… I will always be supportive and love you no matter what…” I told her.

She took my hand into hers and tilted her head so that it was leaning on my shoulder.

“I know…! I’m so glad you’re here… Otherwise I might be pulling all my hair out right now, or worse… I might actually give up my firm…”

I chuckled. “No you can’t! You’ve worked so hard to make it work and it’s now starting to do well…!”

“You’re right… There’s no way I’m giving up that easily. I just wish they could be a little more understanding.”

“You know what… I think we need some R and R time… dinner, wine and movie?” I suggested.

“Better yet… let’s just skip dinner and go straight for dessert!”

“You and your sweet tooth… Aigoo…”

“What? It’s a girl’s best therapy…” she said cheekily.

“I thought that was shopping?” I joked.

“That too…”

We both laughed.

“Do you want to go out or stay in?” I asked.

“Let’s just stay in… I’m too tired,” she replied.

“Should we just go to the store and get some ice cream and then come back and put on a movie?”

“Sounds like a plan… but let’s throw in that wine you were talking about earlier too…” she grinned sheepishly.

As usual, our trip to the store ended up being a snack food escapade. We came back with ice cream, popcorn, chips, cookies, other snacks, plus 2 bottles of wine, because 1 is never enough.

When we got home, we fixed ourselves on the couch with a single shared blanket, popped open both bottles of wine to let them breathe and dug into the ice cream while we watched the movie. Half the time we weren’t even really paying attention to the movie. We talked about old times and joked about fond memories. I couldn’t even remember falling asleep…

(Krystal’s POV)

“Jessie, I’m going to go get a bubble tea… I’ll be back in a bit…” I told her as I was getting ready to leave.

“And you didn’t think of asking me to come along…?  Or at least if I wanted one too…?” she complained.

“I was going to ask if you wanted something before I left…” I replied in defense.

“So you don’t want me to come with you?” She sounded upset.

“I thought you might be tired so I was just going to buy it for you instead…” Why does she always jump to conclusions…? “But… did you want to come?”

Her expression brightened. “Definitely! I haven’t had one in awhile… and we can just chill out.”

“Okay then, let’s go.”

The shop wasn’t too far from our home so it was a nice stroll through the neighborhood. We had lived in that neighborhood ever since I could remember although mom and dad told me that we lived in a different neighborhood when I was born. When I asked Jessie, she only had a vague memory of it. She always said that she didn’t really remember anything before I came along. Apparently, she really wanted a sister so when mom and dad had me, she was overjoyed.

Unlike my first home, my current home and neighborhood was a treasure trove of my memories, most of them with Jessie.

“Hey do you remember the time you punched out that boy?” I asked. “I think that was my first clear memory of you,” I told her.

“Of course, I remember! That boy was a jerk! How dare he bully my baby sister… Also, it actually really hurts to punch someone…” she answered.

“What?! You said it didn’t hurt…”

“I didn’t want you to worry… You were such a cry baby back then…” she teased.

“Yeah, well… I’m not anymore!” I huffed. “Besides, I was just upset that you hurt yourself because of me…”

“Aww, that’s so sweet…” She continued to tease me as she rubbed my cheeks. “You were such a cute kid back then… There was no way I would let anyone touch my baby sister!”

“You were so cool back then…”

“You mean I’m not cool anymore?”

I just chuckled.

“You little brat!” she pinched my arm.

“Owww…” I rubbed my arm.

She quickened her pace so that she was now walking ahead of me.

“Jessie… don’t be angry,” I said out loud.

She ignored me.

I jogged up to her and reached out for her hand.

“Don’t be mad Jessie. You know I was just kidding,” I told her again.

She pulled me closer to her and interlaced our fingers.

“Why did you grow up so fast…?” she mumbled.

I didn’t know how to respond so I just kept silent.

Not long after we reached the bubble tea shop.

“What would you like?” I asked her. I wanted to be the one who bought it because she was always treating me.

“Hmmm… I don’t know… What are you getting?” she asked me back.

“I was thinking between the coffee one and the green tea one…”

“One of each?”

“Yeah, okay.”

We took our drinks and sat down in a quiet corner. Since we both couldn’t decide on which drink we liked better, we just shared both.

“Do you remember you used to want the exact same things as I had?” Jessie recalled.

“Not all the time…” I protested.

“There was once you cried because dad bought us different teddy bears and you wanted the one I had, so I gave it to you instead.”

“You mean J?”

She nodded. “You named him after me right?” she asked directly.

I blushed. “Uhm… I was young… I couldn’t think of anything else…”

She used her feet to play with mine under the table. “Admit it… you definitely named the bear after me…”

The couple who was sitting in the opposite table started staring at us, so I pulled my feet back.

“Jessie, people are staring…” I whispered.

“So? Let them stare… Can’t I just be affectionate with my baby sister once in awhile?”

I blushed even harder. She doesn’t realize how her affection was really making me feel.

If this feeling doesn’t go away soon… I might have to do something about it…