Nobody's POV

"Would you and Yoona please come over my place on Saturday night for a pizza night with me and my best friend?" Soo asked.

"Sure I'd love to come and I'll just have to see if Yoona's free. Is this you trying to take another small step?" Jess asked.

"Um no this is more like a my best friend wants to meet you kind of step." Soo smiled.

Jess smiled back at her. "Is your friend worried about you spending time with me?"

"No she just wants to meet the person responsible for helping me try to have fun again."

"Oh I see ...... hey Soo but there's still a spare day tomorrow before your pizza night so what will be your small step for tomorrow?" Jess asked.

"You said that seeing couples in the movies together was a big step so that means I don't have to take a small step tomorrow. I actually get a day off." Soo smiled.

"Ah no cause you told me it was fine and that you're okay to go back and watch the movie. So that makes today a small step." Jess smiled.

"Wow you really are pushy."

"I'm not being pushy. I'm just being assertive." Jess smiled.

Soo smiled back at her. "Yeah because there's such a big difference between being pushy and assertive." Soo poked her tongue out.

"You nearly had me convinced to give you a day off but then you poked your tongue out at me. Cleary you don't need the day off."

"Oh I swear I wasn't poking my tongue out at you. I was just trying to catch a rain drop, that's all." Soo grinned.

Jess looked up at the roof then back at Sooyoung. "Oh yeah because there's just so many raindrops that normally fall when you're standing inside a movie cinema." Jess smiled.

"Exactly I'm glad you understand this. Did you want to try and catch some with me?"

"No and you're not funny and you're not getting out of taking another small step tomorrow."

"Hey Jess it was a little bit funny wasn't it?" Soo grinned.

"No it wasn't funny at all."

"Then why do you look like you're about to burst out laughing then?"

Jess faced away from Soo and started laughing.

"See it was funny." said Soo.

"I wasn't laughing that was me coughing." Jess smiled.

"That was not coughing."

"Well if you want me to believe that you poked your tongue out to catch raindrops then you'll just have to believe that I was coughing and not laughing."

Soo shook her head and then smiled at Jess.

"So let's get back to the movie and while you're in there think about what your small step will be for tomorrow."

"Yes Miss Pushy." Soo said while trying not to laugh.

"That would be Miss Assertive to you." Jess smiled at her before they went back to watch the movie.

After the movie finished Jess drove Soo home. Sooyoung opened the door then turned back to Jess.

"Thanks for taking me out today." she smiled.

"You're welcome, so what's happening tomorrow?" Jess asked.

"I couldn't think of anything to do and I'm not sure I'm ready to go out by myself yet. You know besides going to the library."

"So you are sick of me already?"

"No."

"But you're talking about going by yourself somewhere tomorrow."

"I just thought that's what you wanted me to do." said Soo.

"No I still want to take your small steps with you." Jess smiled.

"Good, well what should we do then?"

"Well do you want me to go visit Fany's grave tomorrow?" Jess asked.

"Oh..... um..... no I'm still not ready to take you there yet."

"Okay no worries we'll do something else together then."

"I promise that I will take you there......... eventually." said Soo.

"It's okay when you think you're ready to go there just let me know."

"I really can't think of anything to do." said Soo.

"Well let me see if I can think of anything for us to do. How about I call you tonight and let you know if Yoona can come on Saturday night. Hopefully by then I would of thought of something for us to do, okay?"

"Okay, I'll talk to you later then." Soo said as she got out of the car and waved goodbye.

That night Jess called Soo :

"Hello."

"Hi Soo, just wanted to let you know that Yoona said she'll come to your pizza night."

"Oh that's great and did you think of something for us to do tomorrow?" Soo asked.

"I've got some meetings on tomorrow, so how would you feel about going out to dinner with me?"

"Um....... I..........I......... I'm not sure."

"Okay well what arn't you sure about?" Jess asked.

"I think if we get dressed up and go out like that it'll seem like a date."

"No not a fancy dinner. Just a casual dinner, maybe japanese or chinese. Which ever you prefer?"

"Could we just get takeaway instead?"

"But that's not taking your next small step. That's you hiding away again. You're just worried that somebody's going to see us and think that we're on a date. Am I right or am I right?"

"Yes...... you are right."

"Soo I promise if you see somebody you know and they come up to you, I will let them know I'm your friend, okay?"

"Um........"

"You're allowed to have dinner with friends Soo. It's just like when we went to the ice cream shop and you enjoyed yourself there. So please let me take you out for dinner."

"...................."

"Soo please?"

"Um......okay." said Soo.

"So you'll come?"

"Yes I'll come to dinner with you." 

After Soo finished talking to Jess on the phone she started to search the house looking for Fany.

Sooyoung couldn't see her anywhere. She then grabbed a photo of Fany from her bedside table and walked back out and sat on the sofa. She looked at the photo and her finger gently along Fany's photo.

"Fany I had fun today." Soo shed some tears. "Is it bad that I had such a good time without you?"

She the photo a few more times before clinging to it tightly against her chest.

"I love you......... I miss you.......Fany I'm going out to dinner tomorrow night with your favourite author."

Some more tears fell as she clung even tighter to Fany's photo.

"It's not like a date though, you know just as friends. I'm going to take her to your grave one day so that you can get to meet her." 

Soo then lay down on her sofa still holding on to Fany's photo. After a few minutes she drifted off to sleep.

The next night.......

Soo was waiting outside her house for Jess to arrive. After a few minutes she pulled up in her car. Soo hopped in the car.

"Hi Jess."

"Hello Soo, um so where should we go for dinner the Chinese or Japanese restaurant?"

Even though it's not, this kind of feels like we're going on a date, thought Soo. She smells so nice but do I tell her that. I mean would she take that the wrong way. Or what if I told her how good her hair looks right now or even how cute her nose looks when she smiles so brightly......... Oh my god why am I even thinking about these things.

Soo quickly got out of the car and shut the door. Jess turned the car off before getting out of the car too.

"Soo what's wrong?"

"I..... I think this next step is too big for me."

Jess walked over to her and stood in front of her.

"Why what are you feeling right now?"

"What sort of question is that?" Soo asked.

"It's just you seemed okay when you first got in my car but then something changed. I'm just wondering what's going through your head right now."

Soo didn't say anything.

"Soo please talk to me?"

Soo looked at her face but still didn't say a word.

"What is it, what's wrong?" Jess asked.

"You smell nice, that's what's wrong. Why do you have to smell so good?" Soo asked as she took off back upstairs to her house.

Jess followed her upstairs.

"Please don't come in." said Soo.

"Why?"

"Because you smell too good."

"So I'm not allowed in your house because I smell too good. So can I go downstairs and roll around on the grass for awhile until I smell bad, then would you let me in?"

Soo giggled. "Can I watch you roll around on the grass?"

"No because I'm not going to do it. Do you know how ridiculous its sounds when you say I can't come inside because I smell too good. Now let me come in."

"No."

"Well I think you smell good too but I didn't tell you not to come in my car because you smell too good."

"You think I smell good?" Soo asked.

"Yes I do."

"Do you think my hair looks good?" Soo asked.

"Yes but your hair always looks good. Doesn't my hair always look good?" Jess asked.

"It looks the best tonight." Soo smiled.

"Oh so that's your way of gently trying to tell me that it didn't look good on the other days you saw me."

"No it's just tonight's the first time I've ever really noticed your hair properly."

She only noticed my hair tonight, why tonight, thought Jess.

"What about my nose?" Soo asked.

"Um what about your nose?" 

"Do you think my nose looks cute when I smile brightly?" Soo asked.

"I don't think you've ever smiled brightly in front of me before. So I don't know."

"Well yours does."

Jess smiled at her. "Oh so you think my nose looks cute when I smile brightly?"

"Yes and it shouldn't look cute to me, should it?"

"Why what's wrong with my nose looking cute to you?" Jess asked.

"Because I'm.......... I'm.........."

"Just tell me Soo."

"Because I'm married."

Is it really possible that Sooyoung likes me. I mean I know I like her way more than I should but I never thought that she could possibly like me back, Jess thought to herself.

"Hey Soo just try not to overthink things. Like it's okay to think I smell good and have nice hair even if you are married. It doesn't have to mean anything more than that."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes I'm sure, so can we go out and have some dinner now?" Jess asked.

"Um...... okay, do you want to have Japanese?"

"If that's what you want then yes I want to have Japanese." Jess smiled.

At the restaurant both of them were enjoying eating their meal.

"So are we watching movies at your pizza night or are we just eating pizza all night?"

"Eating pizza all night sounds great to me but I guess we can watch some movies." Soo smiled.

"Well I'm looking forward to it but will you let me inside your house tomorrow night?" 

"Are you going to smell so good tomorrow night?" Soo asked.

"Yes I do intend on smelling good." Jess grinned.

"Well I guess you can eat the pizza outside and I can just let you know what's happening in the movie while you're outside." Soo laughed.

All of a sudden Soo's smile turned into a frown.

"What's wrong now?" Jess asked.

"One of the nurse's that helped look after Fany just walked in."

"It's okay Soo, remember we're just friends enjoying some dinner together."

"Oh my god, she's walking over here."

"Soo just breathe, take a big breath in and then breathe out again."

"Hi Sooyoung." she said.

"Oh hi, um this is.....um......"

"Hi my name's Jessica and I'm a friend of Sooyoung's." Jess said with a smile.

"Hi nice to meet you and it's good to see you again Sooyoung."

"Nice to see you too. I hope you enjoy your meal." said Soo.

"I'm sure we will, see you later."

"Bye." said Soo.

Jess stared across at Sooyoung proudly.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Because I feel so proud of you right now." Jess smiled.

"Well please don't smile like that."

"Why?"

"I already told you that your nose looks so cute when you smile brightly." said Soo.

"Well sorry for having such a cute nose then."

"Yes and so you should be sorry. How dare you let your nose be just so cute. You need to train it better, I'm really disappointed in you." Soo grinned cheekily.

"Looks like someone thinks she's really funny again."

"It was pretty funny though." said Soo.

"Well do you see me laughing right now?"

"I can tell that you're laughing on the inside." Soo smiled.

"So you have magical powers now that can see me laughing on the inside?"

"Why yes I do." Soo grinned.

Jess smiled at her. "I think it's time I took you home then I won't have to put up with you thinking you're funny anymore."

Soo smiled at her.

"Are you really ready to go home though?" Jess asked.

"Yes I'm ready."

Jess drove Soo home and pulled up in front of her house.

"Well that's another small step taken care of and you managed to survive it without too much drama." said Jess.

"There was a bit of drama."

"Yes but you still made it through didn't you?" said Jess.

"I did thanks to you." Soo smiled at her.

"Oh so you're being nice to me now. Is this the same girl that wouldn't let me inside her house earlier?" Jess asked with a smile.

Soo giggled. "That was pretty funny that I wouldn't let you in because you smelt too good." 

"It wasn't funny at all, it was mean."

"Okay so it was really funny and just a little bit mean." said Soo.

"No Soo, it was a little bit funny and really, really mean." said Jess.

Soo looked at Jess. "Um did you want to..........um like......um......"

"Soo what are you trying to say?"

"Because I didn't let you inside my house earlier um.....would you like......um you know.....um would you like to come inside now for some coffee?"..................