Eunhyuk finally arrived at his girlfriend’s house and parked in front. Jessica had fallen asleep beside me with her head leaning against the window, so I shook her once again and woke her up. She squeezed her eyes tighter together before actually opening them, blinking a few times and stretching as much as she could in the small backseat of the car.

“So… this is that girl’s house? And…I have to come in?” Eunhyuk and I both looked at her dubiously before I responded.

“Uh, I’m sure she’d at least like to know the girl who’ll be borrowing some of her clothes…” Jessica looked everywhere but at me as she snuggled deeper into her blanket.

“Ehh, I’m not so sure she’d want someone like me in her house… and…” Eunhyuk picked up for her.

“Hey, don’t worry, Hyoyeon likes everybody! All ya gotta do is say hello,” he flashed his gummy grin reassuringly, but when I looked back to Sica she’d just become fidgety. I tried to encourage her once more.

“It’s alright, we’ll both be with you the whole time,” I gave her a genuine smile, and she reluctantly nodded.

I got out the car first and she scooted out after me. Eunhyuk then exited and locked the doors before helping me shield Jessica from the street cameras as the three of us scurried up to Hyoyeon’s doorstep. I looked down at her to see if she was holding up okay, but she looked like a statue, a frightened look plastered all over her face. She turned and looked up at me with watering eyes and a quivering lip.

“Donghae, please don’t make me…”

For the life of me I couldn’t fathom why this girl would be afraid of meeting another girl who was even close to her age. She worked with other women all the time, but it seemed she needed even more comforting. Eunhyuk rang the doorbell with some stupid pattern he and Hyoyeon made up to recognize each other before the other even entered the house. Jessica started backing away again. But I reached down and grabbed her hand before she could get any farther.

“You’ll be fine,” I squeezed her hand a bit and she squeezed mine back.

The door flew open the very next second and Sica practically jumped right out of her skin. Hyoyeon jumped up and threw her arms around Hyuk’s shoulders with a squeal of glee.

“Hi, Hyukkie!” the two clung to each other for another moment before she even acknowledged me. “Hey, Hae~” she tittered to herself at the rhyme. Then Eunhyuk refocused her attention to himself as she let him go.

“Hyoyeon, we need your help with something, and it’d be super appreciated,”

“Of course, anything for you guys, what’s up?” Hyuk looked to me and I nodded to my side.

“Well if you would be so gracious, my friend here would like to know if she could borrow and outfit or two?” Hyoyeon looked to where I gestured with my head. She seemed confused and then looked back to me. What’s the problem?

“Donghae… please tell me you don’t have an imaginary girlfriend again.” Huh? Sure enough when I looked down to my side there was no blanket-clad girl standing next to me. I did a double-take before turning around in a circle and then searching the front yard for the little runaway.

“Jessica? Jessica, come back here! Where did you go?!”

I moved the branches of a bush out of the way as I peered inside. How could she just disappear like that?? From behind me I heard the couple having a conversation.

“Hyukkie, has Hae oppa really snapped this time or what?”

“No, don’t worry, she’s real this time! Just kinda shy…”

“Hmph.”

“Oh, and there’s something you should know about her, she may or may not be a—”

I couldn’t hear the rest as my attention was diverted to a call from the side of the house.

“Psst, Donghae! Donghae!” I pulled my head out of the greenery and looked to the silhouette of my supposed “imaginary girlfriend”. I ran over to where she was signaling me.

“Why’d you leave, now they think I’ve gone mad!”

“I’m sorry bu—”

“You’re making this way more dramatic than it needs to be.”

“I know, but—”

“What if someone sees you creeping around out here? They’ll think you’re a criminal or something!”

“But Donghae!”

“No buts, now come on, everything will be alright,” She complied and I wrapped my arm around her shoulders and guided her back to where the front door was still open. Eunhyuk and Hyoyeon who had heard our entire exchange looked at us expectantly. Hyoyeon’s eyebrow rose when she saw the girl draped in bed clothing. She was the next to speak.

“So… nice to meet you?” she offered with a hand extended for a shake. Jessica stopped and stood there emotionlessly. Hyoyeon got the message. “Maybe we should get you inside, c’mon, I won’t bite,” she smiled warmly at the stranger, and I was grateful my best friend was dating such an angel.

The four of us walked inside and Hyoyeon shut the door behind us. She gestured for us to have a seat on the sofa in the living room before starting a conversation.

“So, who wants to tell me exactly what’s going on here?” She and her boyfriend only looked at me, and Jessica, still freaked out about being in a total stranger’s house, found a way to scoot closer to me for some sense of security. Even though she was already impossibly close and practically attached to me.

“I guess I should start then,” I spoke up. Someone needed to get the ball rolling, but I wasn’t exactly sure how much Jessica was comfortable with me telling. I went for it cautiously.

“Uhmm…” this moment defined awkward, “Well this is Jessica, and… she’s come from a situation… where uh…” I had no idea where I was going. Luckily, Jessica saved me from floundering.

“Donghae just helped me escape from a strip club at which I was a dancer. I’m really sorry to impose on you like this, but things were kind of rushed, and I wasn’t able to obtain any… adequate clothing. Long story short, I’d be really thankful if you could lend me some? Even though we just met and you know nothing of whom I am…” Her eyes fell to her feet. I still had my arm around her, so I slightly rubbed her arm reassuringly. How could she speak so well if she was so nervous before? The other two just looked on before Hyoyeon finally said something.

“Don’t worry, I don’t mind. Any friend of Hae oppa’s a friend of mine,” she winked at us before standing up and dusting imaginary dirt from her pants. “Now, would you like to shower before changing? And I wouldn’t mind cooking you something if you’re hungry,” Sica shook her head so quickly you’d think it would fly away.

“I’m not hungry but thanks a lo—” Hyoyeon cut her off.

“Don’t be silly, I’ll fix something,” she started for the kitchen,” Eunhyuk, go run her a bath,” he didn’t even say anything as he jumped off the sofa to fulfill orders. “And I’ll have some clothes waiting for you outside the door for when you’ve finished. Would you like to spend the night here?” God, this woman was being forcefully hospitable! Jessica stood up so quickly the blanket fell down around her feet as she waved her hands in protest.

“No, that’s really too much, but thanks for the… multiple offers,” Hyoyeon raised her eyebrow again at the now half- girl standing in front of her. Jessica followed her gaze and then became self-conscious as she uselessly moved her arms to cover as much of her torso as possible. Hyoyeon didn’t comment on it.

“Well then where are you going to sleep? It’s already eleven,” now that was a good question. Jessica was silenced, and Hyoyeon just stood with her hand on a cocked hip. Sica never produced an answer. “Yeah, you’re staying here for tonight; it’s too late to go anywhere else anyway,” with that she turned back around and went to prepare dinner. Jessica looked down at me before heavily sighing and sitting down again.

“Donghae, do I really have to stay here? I never really got along too well being with other girls for too long,” the random statement of truth kind of caught me off-guard, but I responded nonetheless.

“Hyo’s different from those girls you worked with, she’s super caring, and she likes you already!”

“That’s not what I meant… you don’t know about where I’ve come from…” That intrigued me, but just as I was about to ask what she did mean, Eunhyuk poked his head in the room from around the corner.

“Bath’s ready, Jessica! Hope you like strawberry-scented bubbles!” the man actually giggled before disappearing into the kitchen to look for his girlfriend. I looked back to Jessica, ready to inquire about where she came from exactly, but she was already standing and walking away in the direction Eunhyuk had come from. I sighed and leaned more into the sofa. This girl is a serious mystery.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Jessica had marinated in the bathtub for about half an hour before she walked back out into the living room wafting the scent of strawberries in her wake. She was nicely fitted in a lightly-colored set of Hyoyeon’s pajamas. I’d been killing time channel surfing as Hyoyeon tortured me with the smell of beef stew coming from the kitchen, and Eunhyuk had accompanied me in my suffering after he’d been “kicked out” for snooping at Hyoyeon’s secret recipe.

Said man scooted away from me on the sofa, leaving a whole cushion for Jessica to sit between us, and she was unhesitant to take the offer. However, she didn’t take advantage of the whole cushion like I thought she would, instead, she insisted on fitting herself into my side again, so I just let her and draped my arm around her again. It’s not like I minded; I actually was happy she felt safer around me.

“Hey, Hyukkie, could you—,” Hyoyeon had emerged from her food-filled den and immediately noticed Jessica sitting neatly in her pajamas. “Oh, yay, you’re out. Y’know, those look really nice on you, I might just let ya keep ‘em,” she said with a wink. Jessica shivered a bit before returning her attention to the TV muttering barely-audible thanks. “Anyway, Eunhyuk, could you go turn down the sheets in the guest room? Hae, you won’t mind sleeping on the futon, would you?” I noticed Jessica’s eyes widen at Hyoyeon’s request of her boyfriend, but I didn’t think twice about it.

“Nah, that’s cool. I could sleep on the roof if you want me to,” I joked and Hyuk, Hyoyeon, and I all laughed at my lame attempt at humor, but Sica just sat in silence and didn’t move a muscle. What’s her problem? She seemed fine a second ago…

Eunhyuk got up to go fix the guest room for the night. I stopped him before he could round the corner, “Hey, Hyuk? You keep extra clothes over here right?” he nodded, “Mind if I borrow some sweats or something for the night?”

“Sure, dude, not a problem,” with that he left into the back of the house again. Hyoyeon spoke up again.

“Oh, and dinner should be ready within the next ten minutes or so, you guys,” she didn’t wait for acknowledgement as she turned and walked back to finish cooking. Jessica tugged on my shirt sleeve as soon as we were alone.

“Donghae oppa,” Wow, that’s a first. I like it. I smiled inwardly at how the formality sounded coming from her and being directed at me, “I-I… I can’t be alone, bad things always happen when I’m by myself…” that made me curious about her past again, but I didn’t know if it would be okay to bring up such a sensitive topic.

“So you want me to stay with you?” she looked down again and nodded ever-so-slightly.

“Please?”

“That’s alright, I don’t mind accompanying you until you fall asleep,” I was being honest. She sighed and thanked me as her head lolled onto my shoulder in relief. I chuckled. First she’s cursing me out and insulting me, and now she doesn’t want me to leave her. Do people normally change this quickly?

Hyuk returned then, right on time, too. Hyoyeon called out at that moment, “Food’s done!” My best friend and I automatically levitated to the set table. I’d forgotten all about Jessica for a second as I looked behind me and saw her seething at me from where she’d flopped onto the sofa. I held in a laugh. She’s cute when she’s scary… If that’s not a contradiction I don’t know what is. The girl is a walking Starburst.

All four of us were gathered around the table: Hyuk and Hyoyeon on one side, Jessica and I together on the opposite. Four steaming bowls of goodness stared up at us, just waiting to be devoured. Minutes later, we all dug in.

“Mmph, babe, this beef is cooked to absolute perfection!” Eunhyuk tried to speak between slurps of the amazing stew. I was mentally complimenting her every time I tasted a spoonful of this magic. It even managed to extract admiration from Sica.

“Yeah, Hyoyeon, this is delicious. I’ve never tasted beef stew this… fantastic before,” she spoke to her with a small smile before consuming another mouthful. The chef thankfully returned it, except a bit larger, of course.

“Well I’m elated you all like it,” she didn’t even need my conformation. She’d gotten that a year ago when I’d scarfed down an entire pot by myself.

It took about twenty minutes to finish dinner, and then we all dispersed to get ready for bed. Hyoyeon and Eunhyuk departed to their sometimes-shared bedroom, as Hyoyeon was in the shower, Eunhyuk picked out some clothes for me to sleep in for the night before getting some for himself.

Jessica was brushing her teeth with a new toothbrush Hyoyeon gave her in the bathroom closer to the guest room we’d be sleeping in tonight. I walked back to the room to wait for her to come out before I went in there to shower.  I couldn’t wait to be rid of any Fry Palace remnants.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o

The clock read 1:26am by the time everyone finally got to bed.  I was freshly dressed in Eunhyuk’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles tee and a pair of gray sweatpants. Since Jessica and I occupied a guest room together, it was kind of cramped as the twin-sized bed was only meant for one person. Yet she still insisted I stay. Of course, I obliged.

Neither of us slept for a while so much as just lied there in such a close proximity to each other. It wasn’t as awkward as I’d predicted, but it still was as one of my arms was pressed up against the wall and Jessica had to position her legs in such a way as not to disturb me too much.

“Oppa, what happens in the morning?” another good question. I lay silent for a minute while I thought something up.

“I guess I take you with me, unless you want to go somewhere else? Do you have family you could live with or…” I trailed off, but she understood the question well enough.

“I… I don’t. But I don’t mean to be such a burden on you. I can find somewhere else if it’s any inconvenience—”

“No, you’re fine. It’s nothing I can’t handle,” she visibly relaxed and closed her eyes, preparing for sleep finally. I couldn’t help myself from thinking aloud, “Though I’m gonna have to go job hunting tomorrow…” Jessica groaned and her side to face me.

“See? I knew I shouldn’t have let you drag me into your life! Now I’m gonna be nothing but a pain and you’re gonna get sick of me and—” I cut her off by shushing her and hugging her closer.

“No you’re not, I can handle it,” I was trying to be as reassuring as possible, and maybe the extra skinship would aid in that, “And hey, after we go shopping and get you a few outfits you can come job hunting with me,” I smiled at her even though I wasn’t sure she could see it in the darkness of Hyoyeon’s guest room. Jessica didn’t say anything else, but I assumed she’d agreed to the plan since she’d decided to nuzzle herself into me. I hugged her a bit tighter, and pretty soon I heard her soft little snores.

Yeah, I’m keeping you. Then I drifted off to sleep along with her.

A/N: Hey there! Okay, ONE more chapter, and then I promise this will be done! I’m so sorry about the really late update, but did you like it? Eh? Well please lemme know what you think, guys. Should I change something, or add something… I’m open to suggestions. I’ll update again this weekend~ Later!