|17|

“Oh, Soonkyu… Soojung…”

“Unnie…” Krystal blurted, eyes set on the familiar dark orbs staring right at her and Sunny.

Taeyeon slowly pushed Jessica’s wheelchair towards the two younger women.

“Have you girls eaten?” asked the eldest after she and Jessica stopped before the two astounded women.

Sunny stared at the youngest in the room before she nodded, eyes shifting from Jessica to Taeyeon after making her wordless reply.

“Soojung,” Jessica’s voice sounded fragile and tired, “have you eaten?”

The simple question tugged at Krystal’s heartstrings, hearing it from her older sister. Tears began welling up her eyes as she knelt before her sister, lightly hugging the woman on the wheelchair whilst replying a simple “yes, unnie” amidst sobs and sniffles.

Jessica, on the other hand, was more than startled at her younger sister’s sudden outburst into tears. The older Jung could feel her shirt getting wet thanks to her sister, but she reciprocated the hug, nonetheless. Jessica had missed this moment – caressing Krystal’s raven tresses, running her other hand over her maknae’s back, inhaling her dongsaeng’s beloved scent. It had been years when she last got to hold her sister like this, and be the pillar of support that Krystal had always looked up to.

Jessica somehow felt guilty for having to make her sister cry like this – for being the reason why the ever strong and impenetrable Krystal was a crying mess right now. A soft hand landed on her shoulder, lightly squeezing her guilt out of her. And when Jessica looked up, she saw her own pillar of support assuring her.

“She missed you a lot, Sooyeon.”

 Oh, Kim Taeyeon. What would I become without you and the other eight?

Jessica smiled, leaning in to Taeyeon’s arm before mouthing the leader a sincere “thank you.”

Then, her gaze shifted back to Sunny, assuring the worried CEO that she’ll be fine and that she’ll be handling this matter. Sunny gave her a nod, eyes giving the eldest a knowing look before the two women disappeared into the kitchen to wash Krystal and Sunny’s dishes.