"Omo," Himchan said as his eyes settled on the girl who just stepped into the room. "Yongguk!" Himchan tirelessly tugged on the elder's sleeve, "Who is that girl?"

The short blonde with Yongguk snorted and then under her date's fierce gaze apologized mutely. "It's Jessica, Himchan. I've been telling you about the cute new interpreter in our company for about four months now."

"I--you said no such thing!" Himchan sputtered, refusing to believe he could have known that angel earlier. 

Yongguk grew one of his big, signature grins, "You said something along the lines of: Anyone not on my side of the camera usually isn't very cute."

Himchan turned a pout towards the only female there. "You have to introduce us. You have to. She is my soul mate."

Laura shook her head in disbelief, "I don't think I want to introduce you anymore. And how do you know she is your soul mate?"

"Look at her!" Himchan shouted. He pointed incessantly down. Jessica was milling with Jongup and Junhong. She laughed behind her gloved hands  and Junhong was chewing on his lip. "She is my type."

Laura looked over her glasses at Yongguk. She read her partner well. She sighed and pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose. "Alright. Wait here. I'll bring her up to meet you guys."

Without any further words exchanged, Laura was clutching the ballista and descending into the entrance of the huge ballroom. Jongup had induced Jessica into groans because she had never laughed so hard in her life. "Hey Jessica. Remember that dream you were inspiring to attain?" She hissed to the brunette through the side of her lips. 

"Excuse me?" Jessica exclaimed, eyebrows shooting up into her fringe. 

"Jongup, please tell me you didn't get into any hard stuff," Laura laughed delightfully and then turned her back to the two younger boys. "Listen to me. I'm only down here because Himchan saw you up there with Yongguk and I and he's referring to you as his soul mate." Laura held the urge to roll her eyes. "Come up with me right now. Or I'll have to deal with a pouty Himchan for the rest of the evening."

"Junhong, Jongup, it's been a pleasure, as always," Jessica chirped and then shot towards the staircase. 

"Jessica!" Laura smiled tentatively at the boys and jolted after her. "God damn woman, you're going to bang into him at this rate."

"Okay, I'm fine," Jessica smoothed down her dress.

Laura quirked an eyebrow, "Should I summon the trumpets or...?"

"Don't you dare ruin this for me, Laura," Jessica said flatly.

"Come on. Your soul mate is waiting for you," Laura strode purposely to the two boys she entered this party with.

"Yongguk, Himchan, this is Jessica. Since we're both apart of the staff, we get to see each other a lot and chat and exchange jokes and she's a doll," Laura gushed immediately.

Jessica blushed a rosy pink, making Himchan's heart skip a beat. She was an angel. "I'm Himchan, he's Yongguk, Laura's date."

"I know Yongguk's with Laura, Himchan," Jessica's eyes fluttered downwards in a shy, flirty method.

"Speaking of which, Gukkie, you owe me a dance," Laura cleared expectantly.

"As you wish," rumbled Yongguk, struggling to keep a straight face as he offered his hand to his date.

Both Jessica and Himchan watched their friends fondly and with a touch of jealousy. They were happy for their friends but they wanted what they had with all of their hearts. Watching Yongguk assist Laura down the stairs, worrying about her high heels, was like a stab to the heart. Each wanted that sense of love, the security and the warmth.

"Himchan--"

"Jessica--"

"I'm--"

"--Sorry"

Himchan ducked his chin, not sure when exactly his confidence had left him. "Did you want to go out on the balcony? Some fresh air would be nice."

Jessica nodded curtly and followed Himchan's lead. The cool night air was perfect to settle both their nerves, although Jessica wasn't quite dressed appropriately. Himchan didn't hesitate to lift off his jacket and drape it along Jessica's shoulders. Then he tugged on the lapels and also tucked a stray piece of hair behind Jessica's ear. She wouldn't meet his eyes, fearful that one misstep would sent Himchan galloping away like a spooked horse.

"You're so lovely," Himchan murmurs softly in the moonlight.

Jessica's eyes shoot upwards, shocked the words she dreamt of were spilling from Himchan's lips. "I'm nowhere near your level."

Himchan laughed in embarrassment. The adoration that beamed from Jessica's remarkable baby blues made him want to bonk himself on his head. He was never going to tune out Laura ever again, he swore right here and now. 

"We're on the same level," Himchan reassured Jessica before gently pursing his lips against hers. She sighed into his mouth, relief flowing through her body. Himchan drew her body closer, feeling the need to protect her. The moment grew from chaste to heated in a matter of minutes, the newly-found love flames to passion.

"Is...that...?" Laura's mouth dropped to the floor. When Yongguk didn't reply quickly enough, she pounded on his back, "Bang Yongguk!"

"I see!" Yongguk giggled, making Laura pause. "I don't think they'd really--" Yongguk closed his mouth as the two snuck away into one of the abandoned glitzy rooms this huge manor sported. 

"Stop them!" Laura screeched. Yongguk's large hand wrapped around Laura's upper arm to stop her from interrupting what was most likely going to scar her for life.

"Babe," Yongguk said quietly and Laura quickly deflated. She was just going to have to let this run its course and hope that it ended for the better. That still didn't mean she wasn't going to wave Jessica down the minute she saw the younger girl at the company's building.

"Jessica Mitchell!" Laura yelled and the name owner cringed in the middle of the hallway. She wouldn't yet turn around to acknowledge her friend.

"You know I'm not one for details, especially when it comes to Kim Himchan, but did you really--" Laura gasped when Jessica dropped her purse and then she knew. Her voice grew in gusto, "You did! I cannot believe, you of all people, the one person who said ' oh Laura I'd love to just be his friend, even that' bull and the first night that you talk to him you--" Laura choked because she couldn't bring herself to say the obvious.

"I don't even know how it happened," Jessica wailed over a cup of tea that Laura insisted on at lunch. "We were just kissing and then the next thing I know I see all his glorious skin, Laura," Jessica's eyes practically rolled into the back of her head. "I couldn't say no! But now what is he going to think of me. I have to avoid him like the plague."

"I don't think--" Laura tried to protest her friend's brain rambling but Himchan turned the corner. Jessica squeaked and shot to the escalator they had just went up. 

Himchan stared after Jessica with a mixture of puppy love and its deeper cousin. "I love that girl," Himchan stated simply.

"I think you should probably tell her that before she quits her job," Laura said snarkily.

"Quit her--but then we wouldn't be able to see each other--oh no, I won't let that happen," Himchan vowed.

Of course, Himchan did have quick words with their chief of staff, ensuring him that under no particular duress was he to allow a certain translator to resign from this position. So when Jessica did indeed try to take that step, she was literally shoved out of the chief of staff's office in fear of Himchan hearing about it.

"I told you it was a dumb idea," Laura pointed out, snacking on some Pocky when Jessica joined her that Saturday at her apartment.

"It's going to be so awkward," Jessica wailed into her hands.

"She doesn't know?" Yongguk called from the living room, shaking a towel through his hair.

"Are you kidding me?" Laura shot back, "You're getting water all over our nice couch, Yongguk."

"Himchan deserves a sweet girl who will match him in attitude and heart," Jessica declared.

"See--YAH!" Laura squealed as Yongguk shook his long hair over her, sprinkling her with cold droplets and annoying the out of her. "You better start running or I swear to God--"

Yongguk covered Laura's mouth so that he could finally say what needed to be said. "Himchan has been upset for the past week because he can't seem to find you anywhere in the company building. He's worried you've been assigned to help our dongsaeng's now that he's shown favoritism. What you need to do right now is let him see you." Yongguk pulled out his phone and offered it to Jessica. "Call him. Please."

Jessica fiddled with the phone as Yongguk removed his hand on Laura's mouth and replaced it with his lips. Laura melted into his body as Jessica timidly pressed SEND and listened to Himchan's cute waiting music. She chewed her lip, sure this was going to fail.

"Hello?"

"Oh god, I woke you up didn't I? Please hang up on me Himchan, I'm out of my mind. Please dream well~" Jessica chirped and waited for the line to go dead.

"...Jessica?" Himchan paused, double checking that his phone did recognize the caller as Yongguk. The odd thoughts disappeared when he remembered the girl he was talking to had not been in his life lately. "Where have you been? I've been looking all over for you? I thought ...after That night ...don't You want to see me more?"

Jessica moaned softly at the sound of venerability that came from Himchan currently. "I do! But I thought you wouldn't because we just slept with each other and we hardly know each other and what type of girl does that make me but Himchan--"

"Where are you?" Himchan cut Jessica off. "I will come to get you. Can you cook? I could, maybe, but you should come over."

Jessica swallowed, not sure if she understood correctly, "You want me to go over to the apartment you share with Yongguk?"

"He's not here if you're speaking from his phone," Himchan pointed out then laughed at his own forwardness.

Jessica glanced over her shoulder, and almost burnt up at the image of Laura pressed up against Yongguk's body eagerly. It was most definitely time to leave. "Okay but if you change your mind--"

Himchan never changed his mind. Soon Jessica was wrapped up in a whirlwind romance with him. Any spare moment they were with each other. Whispers of endearment became a common past time. Lovely messages when they couldn't be together. Snatched hand holding with either Yongguk or Laura as lookouts. Jessica almost got caught leaving the dorms by a very suspicious Youngjae. But Jessica's heart could never settle that she was really the one for Himchan. 

Evenings popped up when Himchan had to talk Jessica down from leaving him for good. "I get so convinced that I'm not good enough for you," she hiccuped, now in the firm arms of Himchan.

"How many times do I have to tell you you're beautiful?" Himchan said into the crown of Jessica's head. "You're even beautiful when you cry. Why don't you believe me?"

 Jessica turned around in Himchan's embrace, desperate to get a solid read on her love. "I love you so much, Himchan. I worry that there's no way you could love me back that much."

"Jessica, you didn't!" Laura tittered at the booth, as Himchan told of the night when he finally convinced Jessica that they were dating during a double date.

"Shut up," Jessica grumbled, not entirely happy Himchan was recanting one of her weakest moments.

Himchan smiled to himself and continued his story, "And I said to her, Jessica, my heart is only full of love for you. If you feel the same way as I do, then you better understand that you're my girlfriend now."

"Himchan always knows exactly what to say," Yongguk said happily and Laura gagged loudly at his side. Yongguk poked her side to get her to stop and she collapsed into laughter. 

"He does, doesn't he?" Jessica agreed dreamily.

"Except when to agree with Laura says hey Himchan I think there's a cute girl you might like," Laura could not leave the conversation on the note that Himchan the almighty was always correct.

"Noona, I will always listen to your wise council!" Himchan gushed and Laura pressed a smile down because of Himchan's eyes genuinely shining with love. Not towards her but towards his life right now. He was happier because of Jessica. 

"Well then listen to me now, Kim Himchan. You better keep Jessica forever and buy a house beside me and Yongguk because we've got it in blood that our first children will marry each other, so perhaps you should get on that too and--" Laura had to shut quickly because there was Himchan, gently coaxing a kiss from Jessica and almost sweeping Laura off her feet too.

"I--" Laura turned to Yongguk but he was already offering her her jackect. 

"Come on, we'll pay the bill." When Laura didn't get up, Yongguk shook her coat at her. "Don't you remember when we first got together. You couldn't keep your hands off of me."

Laura stood up straighter by the time she left the booth. "I have no idea what you're talking about. I'm driving home."

Yongguk turned from thoughtful friend to pouty boyfriend, "Wait. You'll be safe in the passenger seat. Please, just one time!?"

Soon, it years later and the four of them couldn't be seperated. The houses didn't get bought but that was okay. Laura found it charming to take the subway to see Jessica. Himchan loved driving to his and Laura's apartment and shoving it in Yongguk's face good-naturedly. They went out for dinners, they enjoyed vacations together. They shared the moment when Yongguk asked Laura to marry him.

It's funny though. Neither Jessica or Himchan were looking at Yongguk bend his knee to his girl. Himchan and Jessica were staring at each other. They once looked onto the other couple with envy but now they had everything they wished for and more. Himchan accepted that sometimes Jessica just need to be assured that he loved her and only her. Jessica's look of adoration never left her eyes. Himchan was completely fine with that.