Taeyeon stood outside the Jungs' front door as Jessica fumbled with her keys. It was an old house, not so big but not too small either. It was a modest house to live in, actually.

“Stupid keys!” Jessica hissed as she tried a bunch of keys to the keyhole. After trying five identical keys, the door finally opened.

“Why do you have so many keys, anyway?” Taeyeon asked. She was really curious as to why the small house had many keys.

“Uh, they change the door locks every now and then. My parents could sometimes get so paranoid.” Jessica explained and Taeyeon just nods. Rebel teens.

They put their shoes on the shoe rack beside the door and went inside the house. The house was small for Taeyeon’s liking, but it should be enough for a family of four or five. There was a small living room to the right and the dining table to the left. A kitchen, a back door, two rooms and a bathroom (she know this because she read the 'bathroom' sticker on the door) upstairs. No LED TV, no home theater, not the latest sound system. A simple house for an Ice Princess. Interesting.

Jessica beckoned her to follow and she did as told.

They climbed the stairs to the two bedrooms. Jessica opened the door at the far end just beside the bathroom door.

The room was filled with duplicated things. Two beds, blue and purple, and a spacious study desk and two chairs. A large closet by the wall facing the beds. A glass window beside the purple covered bed. The room was actually clean. Cleaner than Taeyeon’s.

“So, what do you want to learn first?” Jessica spoke as she sat on the purple bed. She pats the space beside her, beckoning for Taeyeon to sit.

Taeyeon hesitated, but obliged nonetheless.

“Err. Kiss?” Taeyeon answered, scratching her thigh. She was nervous alright.

“I know. I mean, what kind of kiss do you want to learn?” Jessica asked coolly.

“Huh?” Taeyeon eyed her with a puzzled look. There are kinds of kiss? She thought.

“There are actually twenty kinds of kisses, as far as I know.” Jessica answered as if she had read Taeyeon's mind.

“That many?!” Taeyeon’s eyes widened. Jessica nodded.

“But you just need a couple of those, I suppose.”

Jessica started pulling Taeyeon closer. The tip of her nose almost touching Taeyeon’s. The four-eyed girl tensed up, her blood rushing to her cheeks.

Taeyeon could feel Jessica’s breath on her lips. Jessica moved closer, until the tip of their noses touched. With eyes closed, she slowly moved her head from side to side, brushing her nose against Taeyeon’s.

“That was the Eskimo Kiss.” Jessica said as she pulls away from Taeyeon.

“You should really breathe now. I don’t want you fainting here.” Jessica added when Taeyeon doesn’t seem to move.

Taeyeon then realized she was actually holding her breath. She immediately exhaled and inhaled.

“Next up,” Jessica said as she leaned closer to Taeyeon again.

Taeyeon again held her breath as Jessica’s face was merely centimeters away from hers, remembering she haven't chewed mint gum earlier like what she had planned.

Her eyes widened in surprise when she felt Jessica’s lips pressed against hers for a moment before the latter pulled away again. Her Strawberry Chapstick lingering on Taeyeon’s lips.

“That was the peck.”

I know that, Taeyeon wanted to say.

“You see, you just touch their lips with yours without parting it. And don’t linger. It should just be a quick and light kiss.” Jessica continued explaining while Taeyeon’s mind was filled with how soft Jessica’s lips felt against hers.

“As for the next kiss, I would need your participation..” Jessica started leaning in again.

“This is—“

The door burst open, revealing a black haired girl. She had light skin just like Jessica. Her features were somewhat like Jessica’s too. Only the girl was taller. She could be a high schooler too.

“Jess?” The newly arrived girl asked and Jessica backed away from Taeyeon. Her expression changes. She looked terrified

“Who’s your friend?” The girl eyed Taeyeon from head to toe before turning back to look at Jessica.

“Oh, this is Taeyeon.” Jessica said as she stood up and moved to the girl’s side.

“And Taeyeon, this is Krystal. My sister.” Jessica wrapped and arm around Krystal’s shoulder.

“H—hi..” Taeyeon awkwardly stood up from the bed, her face beet red.

“Hi. Uhm, are you okay? Are you having a fever? You’re so red.” Krystal asked as Taeyeon stood closer to them.

“Oh, no no. I’m fine. I, uh, have to go.” Taeyeon said as she swung her backpack above her shoulder.

“Oh, you can stay for dinner.” Jessica said and Krystal nodded.

“Uh, thanks, but my mom's going to kill me if I don’t get home early.” Taeyeon said, scratching her thigh again, for the third time that day - a habit she had strangely developed today.

“Oh. Well, I’ll see you at school then.” Jessica said as she led Taeyeon downstairs again.

“Yeah. And, uh, thanks.” Taeyeon said shyly.

“It wasn’t much.” Jessica smiled. Her first smile for Taeyeon ever since they met.

“Take care, Taeyeon unnie!” Krystal yelled from upstairs and Taeyeon just waved her hand at the younger Jung.

**

Taeyeon stared at her books as she sat on her study desk. She’s supposed to be doing homework now, but her mind wandered elsewhere.

Her left thumb, index and middle finger fiddled with her lips for the past minutes.

Soft, soft, lips.

Her right hand held the pencil that had been unconsciously drawing patterns on the empty sheet of paper.

Strawberries. She felt like eating strawberries.

She could still smell Jessica’s Strawberry Chapstick. The scent lingered.

She looked down at the patterns she had made. Strawberries. Lots, lots of strawberries. The once clean paper was now littered with strawberries.