“Whoa no no. Not like that. What is with you today?”

Jessica bent down and breathed in the precious oxygen that was lacking in her lungs, “N-Nervous.”

Taeyeon reached over for some water to hand to the panting girl, “What is there to be nervous about?”

Jessica took a swig of the water before finding a seat next to the wall, “What if I fail?”

Taeyeon started laughing, “You can’t really fail exactly. Also it is only the first examination in your training. They just want to see progress. They aren’t expecting you to be at my level with only a month of training and studies.”

Leaning her head against the wall, Jessica closed her eyes, “I am tired of being in here. I just want to get out there like you.”

Taeyeon took a seat next to Jessica, “3 months of training goes by fast trust me. This is only your first of three exams at the end of each month. Think of it as a warmup for your final one.”

“Ah don’t get me more on edge. That last one will give me placement and it is only two months away!”

Taeyeon laughed, “Have some confidence in yourself.”

Jessica pulled her legs up to her chest, “I do...this...just means a lot to me.”

Taeyeon crouched down in front of Jessica, “Hey do you want to ditch dinner with me tonight?”

“Where are we going to eat then?” Jessica was surprised by the proposition.

“Is that a yes?” Jessica nodded, “Great! Now let’s get back to training for your exam tomorrow.”

Jessica took Taeyeon’s hand to get up, “I hope the exam is easier than training with you.”

Taeyeon took her stance, “I am only pushing your limits. I know you can do it. Now come at me to do a double counter.”

Jessica examined Taeyeon’s stance to find the attacking points like she was taught before lunging forward for an attack. Of course Taeyeon countered but Jessica put her foot behind Taeyeon’s ankle to double counter and take her down. Jessica smiled when she saw that she finally brought the girl down, “I did it!”

“I told you it was easy if you focused.” Taeyeon loved the way the girl smiled above her but a few seconds later, she only noticed the warmth of the girl’s body pressed on her and the scent of Jessica practically hugging her body, “Ahm...you have to get off me to practice more.”

Jessica blushed a deep red before taking her arm off Taeyeon’s clavicle to push up from the floor, “Sorry...”

Rubbing the back of her head, “No worries. I will attack this time okay?”

--------------------------------

After a quick shower, the girls met up near the dining area, “So where are you taking me?”

“That is for me to know and you to find out,” Taeyeon said cheekily.

The girls went up a set of stairs to the market section of the underground, “The market is closed during dinner.”

“Exactly.”

Jessica raised her brow in confusion, “Okay?”

Taeyeon reached for Jessica’s hand, “Come on. A friend is letting me use their shop but only for dinner time.”

Jessica smiled thinking the girl was doing one of her random and sincere gestures again. Since she met the girl, Jessica noticed that Taeyeon liked to be spontaneously sweet. Never once did Jessica understand how to reciprocate the kindness because Taeyeon could read her needs so well but Jessica was clueless to what Taeyeon would like.

“Surprise!” Taeyeon said as they entered the kitchen of the shop.

Jessica looked around to see some vegetables spread out and a frying pan on the burner, “What is this?”

“I am going to cook for you silly! You have an exam tomorrow so you should eat something that will give you energy! Took a little while to get all the ingredients to make my famous ‘battle-ready’ meal, but I managed.” Taeyeon went over to the cutting board to start preparing the meal but gentle sobs stopped her actions, “Jessica?” She saw the girl trying to hold back her tears with her arm, “Jessica? Did I do something wrong?”

Jessica covered her face and shook her head, “No. Never.”

Taeyeon walked up to Jessica to gently touch her forearm, “Then what is wrong?”

Jessica sniffled and huffed a bit to regain her composure, “I-It is...this is...just more than I can ask for.”

Taeyeon looked at the girl in concern, “It is just a meal.”

“You don’t get it...”

“Can you help me understand then?” Taeyeon went to guide Jessica to sit down on a stool.

“W-when my family was still alive...I would return from school to my mom always preparing dinner...I just...”

“This makes you think of her doesn’t it?”

Jessica nodded.

“We can always go to the dining hall if you want?”

“No! That isn’t what I want...”

“Then what is it?” Taeyeon said in concern.

“I am just happy....”

“Happy?”

“My mom used to say that food brings home a family.” Jessica wiped away her final tears, “To prepare food for someone else shows concern and love...I think I understand now...”

Taeyeon gulped, “Understand what?”

“That you...I mean the Resistance in general...is my new family. I see how much you care for each other and I must say it is overwhelming. Gaining a new, larger family is something I am not used to having but...it makes me happy. Taeyeon I am so happy that it is scary.”

Taeyeon gave a sad laugh, “Happiness is a scary thing. It makes you more concerned that it could vanish and the happiness will be lost.”

Jessica nodded, “After losing my family...my happiness...I thought it would be better to live life without something to hold onto so that if I lost it, there would be no pain. However, after meeting you and coming here, I realized that being happy...is something I want even more despite the pain that could follow.”

Taeyeon managed to look up into Jessica’s eyes that were shinning from the tears, “I think human emotion is something we can’t fully control even if we want to build walls to protect ourselves from a past pain. Happiness, sadness, loneliness, anger, and jealousy come naturally as it is part of our human nature. Even the strongest wall can be broken with the smallest crack and we humans are full of cracks and imperfections. Even if you say, ‘I don’t want to find happiness,’ you can’t stop yourself from feeling it when you find it. So don’t fight it. Embrace it.”

Jessica looked at the fire in Taeyeon’s eyes, “How can you say that? You lost so much...”

Taeyeon smiled, “I will try harder to not lose it again then.” Finally breaking the heated gaze, Taeyeon turned her back, “I-I should start cooking...we don’t have that much time here.”

‘I will try harder to not lose it again,’ Jessica thought were the strongest words anyone could tell her.

Taeyeon was busy cutting up the vegetables when she saw Jessica come next to her, “So...when did you learn to cook?” She heard Jessica ask.

“Anything can be learned with dedication and discipline. The owner of this shop taught me since I was young.”

Jessica looked around the tiny kitchen, “You seem to know many people around here.”

“Mmm well I have been roaming around here for quite a long time now. I was bound to make friends here and there throughout the years.”

“But why cooking?”

“It is relaxing. Not to mention it builds knife skills,“ Taeyeon said jokingly.

 “Is this another scheme to kill me?”

Taeyeon laughed, “Why do you think someone is going to kill you every time you are alone with them?”

“Well first off, I didn’t know you in the beginning and now you are wilding a sharp object made for killing.”

Taeyeon slammed down the cleaver into the pork, “I only plan on butchering this piece of pork. Also, knives are messy and the Resistance doesn’t...”

“I know. Doesn’t kill innocents.”

Taeyeon smiled, “Exactly.”

Jessica sat on the counter when Taeyeon turned to add the ingredients in the pan, “Do you cook for all your mentees?”

“Does it matter?”

Jessica shrugged, “Just wondering. I was told you had others.”

“I did.”

“Are they still here...in the Resistance?”

“I had two others before you. One dropped out shortly after I brought them in. The other was relocated undercover for the Party. You might meet that person in time.”

“Name? My father worked for the Party...I might know.”

Taeyeon had her back faced to Jessica as she cooked, “I can’t...undercover operations are sensitive subjects.” After a few more minutes, Taeyeon turned off the burner, “Done.”

Jessica handed Taeyeon the plates, “This smells amazing.”

Taeyeon handed Jessica a plate with a mixture of noodles, vegetables and pork, “Noodles will give you carbs for energy, the vegetables are antioxidants to prevent cramping and pork is a great protein to give you strength. Eat up.”

Jessica blew on the noodles before in the burst of flavors, “Oh my...how am I going to eat food in the dining hall after this?”

Taeyeon smiled widely, “That good?”

“Were you a chef in a past lifetime?”

Taeyeon let out a hefty laugh, “It might be my long lost calling.”

“I might force you to cook for me again after this.”

Taeyeon in her noodles, “I don’t mind. I can cook for you any time.” With that, the two girls enjoyed the rest of their meal with a happy mind.

-----------------------------------

Taeyeon threw herself down on the bed tiredly and was ready to drift off until Yoona came in, “Hey Tae. Where were you at dinner?”

“Went somewhere else.”

Yoona caught a familiar scent in the room, “Do I smell pork?”

Taeyeon opened her eyes as she took her coat to smell it, “I didn’t notice...but yea.”

Yoona sat down on Taeyeon’s bed, “How did you get pork?”

Taeyeon sat up on her bed to cross her legs, “It wasn’t easy...or cheap.”

“The last time I smelled pork on you was when...” Yoona went to look at the picture near Taeyeon’s bed, “She was still with us.”

Taeyeon reached over to flip the photo down, “I guess.”

“Now that I think about it...Jessica wasn’t at dinner too. Did you cook...for her? Pork?”

Taeyeon rolled her eyes before throwing her pillow at the deer-eyed girl, “Why does it matter?”

Yoona dodged the flying pillow before giving the older girl a pout, “Why does she get your cooking? Yuri and I never got to try your food before...and pork! How could you two just eat that yourselves?”

“She has an exam tomorrow.”

“Is that the only reason Tae?” Yoona raised her brow in suspicion.

“Yes.” Taeyeon said emotionless.

Yoona looked at the girl questionably, “Humm if you say so, but no matter how much you deny it, the pork never lies.”

Taeyeon sighed before throwing off her jacket, “Whatever. I am going to shower.”

“Yea you better before Yuri catches the scent of pork. She is going to ask you the same questions.”

“And I will give her the same answers since that is the truth.”

Yoona laughed, “Whatever you say, but I am telling you the pork never lies!”

Right as the bathroom door closed, Yuri walked in and immediately caught the scent of pork lingering in the room, “Meat?”

Yoona returned to her bed to lie down, “Taeyeon cooked for Jessica.”

“Pork?”

“Yep.”

“How many years has it been?”

“Almost 4 years now.”

Yuri sat down on her bed in disbelief, “Wow...” Looking over at Taeyeon’s table she saw the photo down, “Why is the photo face down?”

“Taeyeon has so many secrets these days.”

Yuri smiled, “But I like these kind of secrets.”

Yoona also smiled, “Yea...me too.”

Author's Note

Well Olivert and irfy_isml requested I update this story next since I wraped up My Drug. I listen sometimes :P

Hello new readers!!! I really didn't know that advertising would add over over 100 subscribers in one day but it did so thanks for the interest!

I hope you enjoy ^^

It is also a Happy Taengsic day update!! ^^