~And you stood there in front of me, just close enough to touch.
Close enough to hope you couldn't see what I was thinking of.
Drop everything now, meet me in the pouring rain, kiss me on the sidewalk.~ [Taylor Swift]

 

 

 

Occasional giggles erupted from Jessica’s mouth as she listened to the stories Taeyeon is telling her. They just finished eating lunch and are now lazing around a small park near the café.

 

Taeyeon had a smile on her face as she watched the blonde tilts her head back when she laughs, covering with her right hand.

 

The blonde straighten up when she noticed that Taeyeon was staring at her with curious eyes.

 

“What?” She smiled at Taeyeon.

 

“Nothing.” The shorter woman shook her head with a smile.

 

“Thank you.” Taeyeon looked at Jessica with a quirked brow.

 

“For lunch. And this. I seriously need a time out.” Jessica shrugged her shoulders at Taeyeon’s questioning eyes.

 

“I should be the one thanking you, though.” Taeyeon nodded knowingly.

 

It was Jessica’s turn to shoot her a questioning look.

 

“Well, you agreed to have lunch with me and you accepted my apology and now you’re laughing at my stories like it’s the most hilarious ones.” Taeyeon admitted shyly.

 

“But they are!” Jessica giggled again, remembering what Taeyeon told her.

 

Taeyeon again nod her head with a smile before they both fell silent.

 

**

 

“What’s going on between your cousin and Sica?” Key asked his girlfriend as their eyes followed the walking duo that chatted animatedly, giggling every now and then.

 

“Why not ask them yourself?” Hyoyeon smiled and tugged at Key’s hand to follow her.

 

“So..” Key’s loud voice made Jessica and Taeyeon snap their head towards the couple that just appeared out of nowhere.

 

“I see you found company.” Key added in a teasing tone, wiggling his left brow up and down.

 

Taeyeon rolled her eyes at the Chinese-looking guy.

 

“Taeyeon insisted on treating me for lunch and I can’t really say no to free food.” Jessica joked. Taeyeon’s mouth opened slightly.

 

“Just kidding!” Jessica laughed at Taeyeon’s reaction and patted the shorter girl’s head.

 

“Well that’s weird coz the Kim Taeyeon I know wouldn’t treat anybody for lunch, not even me and Key. Unless....” Hyoyeon spoke up, letting her sentence hang in the air. She smirked when she saw Jessica’s questioning look. A reaction she wanted to see.

 

“Unless?” The Jung’s curiosity got the better of her.

 

“Yah! What are you saying?! Aish. Nonsense.” Taeyeon interrupted, causing Hyoyeon to laugh at her cousin.

 

“And aren’t you two late for work?” Hyoyeon rolls her eyes at Taeyeon’s question while Jessica nods her head.

 

The two blondes bid Taeyeon and Key goodbye before they made their way back to their work place.

 

“I have to go back to work, too.” Key said after Hyoyeon and Jessica disappeared inside the sky scraper in front of them.

 

“Right. And I have some sight-seeing to do, too.” Taeyeon happily said, skipping her way to the bus stop.

 

“See you around, Tae!” Key yelled after the short woman. Taeyeon waved her arm, not turning around.

 

**

 

“Hyo?” The receiver’s voice came after three rings.

 

“Tae! What are you doing?” Hyoyeon picked up the papers that were lying on top of her wooden desk.

 

“Just looking around. Why?” She heard the busy street in the receiver’s background as Taeyeon answered.

 

“Around where?” The blonde Kim said, stuffing her thing in her bag.

 

“I don’t know. I forgot the place.”

 

“What?! Are you out of your mind?!” Hyoyeon’s voice came rather loud that Taeyeon had to yank her head away from her smartphone.

 

“Calm down, Hyo. I’ll just ask around. I won’t get lost, I promise.”

 

“You better not.” Hyoyeon sighed, taking a seat back. “Anyway, Key said he’ll be treating us for dinner. You, Sica, Me and Key.” Hyoyeon said, waiting for the other Kim to answer.

 

“Okay, okay. I’m on my way to a bus stop now. Text me the address.” Hyoyeon raised her brow at the excitement in Taeyeon’s voice.

 

“Taeyeon..” Hyoyeon waited for her cousin to say something, when it didn’t came she took it as her cue to continue. “..no funny business this time.”

 

“What?! Of course! No funny business, I swear.” Taeyeon laughed at the absurdity of her cousin’s statement before the line went dead.

 

**

 

A blonde clad in black skinny jeans, white tank top and grey cardigan made her way to the table in the far right corner of the restaurant. A pair of chocolate orbs watching her every move. The short girl’s gaze landed on the pair of simple skater shoes that the blonde flaunted rather elegantly. A smile made its way to Taeyeon’s lips.

 

“Hi.” Her gaze shifted back to Jessica’s face when the blonde spoke. Jessica returned Taeyeon’s smile before sitting down beside the dark haired girl.

 

“So, where were you today?” Jessica asked Taeyeon, oblivious to the observing eyes across them.

 

“I went to this library, it was really big and the interior was nice. I’ve never seen one before. Then to this park that I forgot the name, but it was really nice.” Taeyeon chuckled before continuing. “Then I went to the ice cream parlor near the café we had lunch at. And I had a bet with this kid.” Taeyeon said with a big grin.

 

“And?” Jessica asked, like a mother interrogating her daughter about her first day at school.

 

“And I lost the bet.” The grin on Taeyeon’s face was replaced with a pout. It was Jessica’s turn to chuckle.

 

“I didn’t know pistachios were like cashews, I thought it was something like a coconut. And so I had to buy him two cups of ice cream.” Jessica broke into a laughing fit when she heard Taeyeon’s story.

 

“It’s called pistachio nuts for a reason, you know.” Jessica said, patting Taeyeon’s head while laughing.

 

“I didn’t know.” Taeyeon said, still pouting.

 

“You just patted her head.” Hyoyeon’s shocked voice brought the duo’s attention to her.

 

“Yeah. Why?” Jessica asked.

 

“You freaking pat her head!” Hyoyeon repeated her first statement.

 

“Hyo, stop it.” Taeyeon said, looking at Key, eyes desperately asking for help. Key just smirked at Taeyeon.

 

“And you didn’t stop her.” Hyoyeon added, her index finger pointing at Taeyeon.

 

“What’s the big deal?” Jessica asked curiously, her eyes shifting from Taeyeon to Hyoyeon.

 

“Nobody touches Kim Taeyeon’s head. And I mean nobody. Ever.” Hyoyeon smirked at Taeyeon before looking at Jessica. The older Kim slumped in her seat.

 

Jessica didn’t say anything; instead she let her gaze drop on her lap.

 

“Sorry.” She muttered to which the other three quickly caught.

 

“No no no! Don’t say that. There’s no need to be sorry, really.” Taeyeon said in an assuring voice, patting Jessica’s shoulder lightly. “Hyoyeon’s just messing with you.” She glared at the other Kim, Hyoyeon just rolled her eyes.

 

Jessica nodded, bringing her head up again before looking at Taeyeon who smiled warmly at her.

 

**

 

“I’m going to the restroom for a while.” Taeyeon excused herself when they finished eating. Her companions nod their head.

 

“Was it true?” Jessica spoke after making sure Taeyeon was out of earshot. Hyoyeon quirked a brow at the question that was obviously for her.

 

“Taeyeon.” Jessica added, and a smile appeared on Hyoyeon’s lips.

 

“Ah, yes. What I said was true, though Taeyeon might say otherwise. But yes, for the years that I’ve known my cousin, you were the first to touch her head.” Hyoyeon explained which Key nodded his head to.

 

“Why?” Jessica’s gaze landed on the hallway to the restrooms, making sure Taeyeon was still in the restroom.

 

“I really don’t know. I never asked. She won’t tell either.” Hyoyeon shrugged her shoulders. “Maybe just like you not wanting to be called in your Korean name.” Hyoyeon added and earned a glare from Jessica.

 

“Maybe..” Key spoke, two pair of eyes focused on him. “..maybe she just didn’t like it because it makes her feel small. Maybe.” Key shrugged his shoulders at the questioning looks that were shot at him from the two blondes.

 

“That doesn’t make sense, Key.” Jessica said and Hyoyeon nod her head, agreeing to what the former said.

 

“It’s just my observation. Taeyeon is one brave soul. Heck if I were her, I’d be terrified to travel to unknown cities alone.” Key said, and the two blonde nod their head in unison.

 

“Gay queen.” Jessica teased Key, both her and Hyoyeon broke out into a laughing fit.

 

“Yah!” Key glared at the blondes.

 

“Did I miss anything?” Taeyeon’s voice stopped the two blondes from their laughing fit.

 

“No. Not really.” Jessica said and smiled at Taeyeon that sat back in her chair.

 

**

 

“Are you cold?” Jessica’s eyes shifted to Taeyeon when the latter spoke.  She immediately let down her hands that were unconsciously rubbing her upper arms.

 

The group of four now walked in the park that was located a few blocks away from the restaurant they ate at.

 

“No.” Jessica said with a smile.

 

“Yes you are.” Taeyeon said, taking her leather jacket off and put it around Jessica’s small frame.

 

“But you’ll be cold.” Jessica said, trying to take off Taeyeon’s jacket but the latter stopped her.

 

“I’m fine, Jessica.” Taeyeon said with an assuring smile. Jessica nods her head.

 

They settled on a bench while watching Hyoyeon and Key play around.

 

“Those two act like kids.” Taeyeon snorted at her cousin and her cousin’s boyfriend.

 

“Look who’s talking.” Jessica muttered but the statement didn’t go unnoticed in Taeyeon’s ears.

 

“Yah!” Taeyeon playfully yield, tickling Jessica by the side.

 

“Yah Tayeon sto—stop! I—hahaha.. was—hahaha.. kidding!” Jessica tried stopping the small hands that was tickling her but to no avail.

 

“Oh, look what we have here.” The tickling duo brought their heads up and came face to face with Hyoyeon and Key.

 

“Having fun, Tae?” Hyoyeon smirked when she saw Taeyeon straighten up quickly.

 

“Anyway..” Hyoyeon and Key settled on the left side of the small bench, squeezing Taeyeon and Jessica together. “..we don’t have work tomorrow, right?” Hyoyeon looked at Jessica whose right arm now settled at Taeyeon’s left lap because of the little space.

 

“Ye—yeah. Why?” Jessica stuttered when she felt an arm wrap around her shoulder. She turned to her right and saw a smiling Taeyeon.

 

“We were thinking that we should all go to Adventuredome since Tae’s leaving in two days.” Hyoyeon’s head automatically fell on Key’s shoulder who in response his girlfriend’s blond locks.

 

“Sounds nice.” Taeyeon commented with a nod of the head.

 

“Two days?” Jessica asked Taeyeon who in response nodded her head.

 

“That soon?” She added when her first question was answered.

 

“Actually this is the longest she had stayed in a place. Right, Tae?” Taeyeon opened but got cut off by the other Kim, so she just nodded her head again.

 

“I see.” Jessica said dejectedly which perked Hyoyeon’s interest and looked at her friend questioningly, but Jessica’s eyes were elsewhere.

 

“So.. Tomorrow then?” Key said excitedly when the group fell silent.

 

Three heads bobbed.

 

**

 

“Thank you.” Jessica said as she took off Taeyeon’s jacket and handed it back to the dark haired woman that stood in front of her.

 

“No biggies.” Taeyeon answered with a grin.

 

“I should get going now. Good night, Jessica.”

 

“You don’t want to come in? I think I have coffee. At least drink something warm before heading back to your hotel.” Taeyeon started turning around but stopped midway when Jessica spoke again.

 

“Should I?” Taeyeon asked with a smile.

 

“Definitely.” Jessica returned Taeyeon’s smile and opened the door of her apartment.

 

When they settled inside the small kitchen, Jessica busily started to boil water while Taeyeon looked around the interior of the modest apartment.

 

“I like your place. It seems warm.” Taeyeon commented.

 

“Hm.” Jessica answered with a hum and a nod of the head.

 

“You seem warm.” Jessica’s head quickly turned to look at Taeyeon when the latter’s comment came rather randomly.

 

“What’s that supposed to mean?” She asked, bringing her head back to the pot she was currently boiling.

 

“I don’t know. That’s just how I think of you.” Taeyeon continued, not noticing the smile that had crept its way to the blonde’s lips.

 

When Jessica finished making coffee, she sat across Taeyeon on the dining table and handed the shorter woman her coffee.

 

“Hmm. This is good.” Taeyeon commented after sipping from her cup. Jessica smiled at the compliment.

 

“Thanks.” Jessica shyly said.

 

As the night progressed, Jessica and Taeyeon found their selves engaged in a friendly chatter, talking about things they like and things they don’t like. Jessica asked Taeyeon about the cities she was able to visit through her trips and the latter happily obliged, answering the blonde’s inquiries with much delight.

 

But like Cinderella, when the clock struck quarter to twelve, it was the shorter woman’s cue to bid Jessica good bye.

 

“Thank you, Jessica. I really had a great time.” Taeyeon bowed as she stood outside the blonde’s apartment.

 

“You’re welcome. And thank you, too, for your stories.” Jessica smiled warmly at the shorter girl.

 

“Sleep well, princess.”

 

“Sleep well, kiddo.” Jessica responded before Taeyeon strolled her way to the stairs and out of the apartment building.

 

Jessica closed her door with a smile.