Chapter 2

“Sica! When did you reach? How did you find us in this crowd?” Taeyeon exclaimed, in an effort to change the topic.

“You girls were so loud, I heard you from way back there.” she responded indifferently.

“Omgawd. 3 years in the States and the Ice Princess is still as cold as ever.” Sooyoung stated, inciting laughter from everyone.

In between faking a laugh and catching breaths, Yuri couldn’t help but stare breathlessly at the girl. She had been too engrossed in coming to terms with the fact that the girl was back to notice what Sooyoung said. It had only been 3 years, but the girl definitely looked different. Her hair was now dyed a pretty shade of blonde, but she kept her trademark fringe swept to the same side. She was dressed in a stylish outfit which served to emphasize her curves and her slender legs. Jessica had been naturally pretty since young, but tonight she was gorgeous, at least to Yuri. That familiar feeling from high school was slowly creeping back to her. It was warm and fuzzy, it was tugging at her heartstrings, and it took Yuri’s breath away. She was almost glad that she could camouflage her breathlessness in the situation.

“Kwon Yuri. Are you done checking me out?”

“Hmmm??” Yuri replied, still spaced out. Taking her eyes away from Jessica’s legs, she looked up to meet the familiar glare from high school, and it sent chills down her spine. She quickly responded with an almost awkward laugh. “Hahaha! Hello Sica! It’s been a long time!” she blatantly ignored Jessica’s question and changed the topic.

Crap! What a way to leave an impression, Kwon Yuri.

There was a round of awkward silence as everyone’s eyes were on Yuri. Yuri felt smaller suddenly.

“Fany! So what’s been going on with you?” Sooyoung broke the weird atmosphere.

“Same old, lectures, tutorials, labs. But I have practically all my classes with Tete--”

“Tete?” Yoona interrupts.

Tiffany giggled, while clinging onto Taeyeon’s arm.

“MUAHAHAHA!” Taeyeon suddenly burst out in laughter.

“She’s such a dork isn’t she? How cute!” Tiffany says as she hugs Taeyeon from the side.

“Urgh, Kim Taeyeon. Wipe that smirk off your face, sheesh.” Sooyoung said.

“Congrats! I knew you could do it!”

Getting all flushed from Yoona’s comment, Taeyeon flashed her goofy smile and gave a thumbs-up, causing everyone present to laugh sarcastically.

“It’s time to go in.” Jessica suddenly interrupted, before dragging the happy couple in with her. Yuri’s eyes followed the blonde girl as she disappeared into the club.

“Yuri, THAT’S what I wanted to tell you.” Sooyoung said as she pointed at the girl who was entering the place.

“When did she come back?”

“I don’t know. I only knew she was back when Taeyeon mentioned it over the phone just now.”

Yuri kept silent. A million things were running through her head.

“Yuri, just go in and find out more.” Yoona said as she dragged the girl in.

-----

After the girls got a table, they ordered a round of drinks, and of course, food for the shikshins.

Noticing that Yuri was getting all jittery and nervous, and resultantly silent in the presence of Jessica, Yoona decided to help out a bit. “Sica, when did you come back?” she asked. Yuri literally shot up at her question.

“Last week.”

Sooyoung snickered. “Why?”

“Because I felt like it.”

“How mysterious.”

“Jessi transferred over from San Francisco, she’s our aspiring dentist.” Tiffany added.

“WOW! That makes two doctors. Yuri’s our aspiring veterinarian!” Yoona roared.

Yuri shot a look at Jessica, who did the same. She looked away immediately. I got caught again!

“So why didn’t you complete your course there before coming back?” Sooyoung asked.

“Because I didn’t want to.”

“Sheesh. FINE, Miss Mysterious.” Sooyoung puts an arm over Jessica’s shoulder. “Anyway, let’s toast to her return!”

The rest of the night was spent on drinking games, most of which Jessica lost (possibly due to her slow reflexes) and ended up drinking as punishment. Yuri was starting to worry about her, and also about the fact that they haven’t had a proper conversation.

“Let’s dance!” Tiffany yelled over the loud music, while pulling Taeyeon off her seat. Sooyoung stayed at the table and helped herself to the rest of the food, while Yoona looked as if she had passed out from all the alcohol. Yuri stood up with the intention to check on her, but felt someone tugging her arm and pulling her away from the table.

“You… Me… Dance… NOW.” Jessica slurred, before dragging Yuri away.

The music was blaring and Yuri was starting to get a little woozy from the alcohol as she made her way to the dance floor. She found herself struggling to walk in a straight line, while trying hard to stay as close to Jessica as possible. She wanted to keep a close watch on the girl.

Focus, Yuri, focus!

In the midst of trying to catch up with Jessica, Yuri had lost the hand that was pulling on her arm. She suddenly found herself in the middle of the dance floor, surrounded by strangers. Everyone started to look alike. She mentally cursed herself as she realized that the alcohol had won.

Suddenly, she felt a pair of arms on her shoulders and took a quick glance at the blurry figure in front of her. The person seemed to be dancing rather close to her and she could make out that it was a girl, albeit her poor vision. The alcohol had now taken over Yuri’s body and she found herself being increasingly unable to stand still. She reached out and grabbed onto the figure in front of her for support, unintentionally hugging her by the waist. This somehow prompted the girl to come closer to Yuri and soon their bodies were pressed against each other.

Yuri’s vision was still blurry, and her other senses were failing her. She leaned forward to get a closer look and tried her best to identify the figure she was holding onto.

Hair: Blue. Wait, that’s the lights. Uhhhhh… Crap. I can’t tell.

Scent: Strawberry.

Height: Shorter.

Waist: Really tiny.

Skin: Smooth.

Taste: Strawberry.

Wait. Taste?

She squinted to get a better look at the girl.

It was Jessica. And Jessica was kissing her. Her lips soft and warm, pressed against her own.

It is definitely Sica.

No, it is drunk Sica.

But it is still Sica.

At that instant, she felt a million electric jolts through her body.

Maybe it was the alcohol which made Yuri forget she had a girlfriend, or maybe she knowingly resisted her conscience. She instinctively pulled Jessica in for a deeper kiss, her arms tightened around the girl’s waist. Jessica responded hungrily much to Yuri’s delight, sucking on her lips and then parting her mouth slightly to enable the taller girl to venture into her mouth. The sweetness of the kiss left them craving for more; the closeness of the two bodies was intoxicating, and it was getting hotter with every second. Yuri felt shockwaves through her body; she was totally lost in the moment, it was something she’s never felt before. The music around them gradually diminished into white noise. All she could hear now was her own heartbeat in her ears, thumping to the beat of the club music. It was such an adrenaline rush; her chest felt like it was going to burst.

Taste: Strawberry.

It felt strangely right, despite knowing that the alcohol could have clouded her judgment, despite knowing that she already had a girlfriend. She threw all those thoughts away as she indulged in the moment.

Kwon Yuri was kissing Jessica Jung. It was the best thing in the world.

At that instant, she also acquired a taste for strawberries.

-----

Yuri doesn’t remember when they parted lips, she doesn’t remember when they left the place, and she doesn’t remember how she ended up at the door to Jessica’s apartment.

But she remembers pulling Jessica into an embrace right after she closed the door and telling her that she missed the girl.

And she remembers hearing “I love you, Kwon Yuri” while Jessica laid in her arms. Her voice was distinctively soft and gentle; the voice and its content matched to perfection. It resonated through her ears.

The kiss and the three words. Two best things in one night. It felt too good to be true.

And that was the wake up call. Almost immediately, Yuri broke off the hug and sought refuge in the washroom. She desperately tried to freshen up.

Gawd! You have a girlfriend, Kwon Yuri!

She made a decision. It was best to leave.

Chapter 3

Yuri awoke upon feeling a vibration in her pocket. She groaned while reaching into it and grabbed her phone through half-opened eyes.

I hate hangovers.

“Hello?”

“Yuri! Where are you? I’ve been trying to reach you ALL night!”

“Hmmm?? Sooyoung? I’m… home…”

“Everyone disappeared right after they left for the dance floor! I was starting to wonder if there was a black hole in the club! Yoona passed out and I had to carry her on my back…”

The throbbing in Yuri’s head was escalating and the girl’s seemingly endless ranting only served to make it worse. She was having a hell of a hangover and paid little attention to the screaming girl.

“…not bringing Yoong to a club again!...”

“…puked all over the floor!!...”

“…smelled awful!!...”

“…filthy!!...”

“…I had to clean the whole mess up!...”

“…AHHHHHHH!!!”

Yuri groaned and held the phone away for a while. Sooyoung shrill voice was piercing through her ear drums.

“…managed to contact Taengoo and Fany… they’re home…”

“…Taengoo was panting on the phone…”

“…URGH!!”

“…where Sica is?”

The name jolted Yuri to her senses.

“Sica?”

“Yea, do you know where Sica is? I got her number from Taengoo but I can’t get through.”

“Oh… I sent her home a while ago.”

“Good! Everyone’s accounted for! And where did you go? Why didn’t you return any of my calls-- OMGAWD YOONG’S PUKING AGAIN!! Gotta go!”

The silence that came after was music to her ears. She had never been happier to hear the sound of a disconnecting phone line. Almost immediately, the headaches lessened. Grabbing onto the wall for support, Yuri got off the couch and trudged to the bathroom. She leaned over the basin and turned on the tap. The cool water ran through her fingers as she cupped her hands, and then brought them up to her face.

Strawberries.

She took another whiff. The sweet smell was reminding Yuri of the night’s events. She smiled, and instantly felt guilty about it.

“I love you Kwon Yuri”

Yuri was confused about how she was supposed to feel. Reminding herself that she had a girlfriend, she dismissed any signs of positivity derived from those words.

“I love you Kwon Yuri”

“ARGHHHH stop thinking!!” Yuri mumbled.

Stepping out of her clothes, she noticed the familiar scent again. Shaking her head, she hastily dumped them in the laundry basket before entering the shower. She tried to rid the scent off her body, hoping that it’ll at least put a stop to her memories of the night.

Ridding the scent was easy, stopping the memories was definitely hard. She gave up halfway.

When she was done, she headed to the kitchen to grab a glass of water. Glancing at the clock, she noticed it was already 6am. Although it was early, and she hadn’t gotten enough sleep, she decided to have her daily morning drink. She figured it might help with the hangover. As she took out the necessary ingredients, she smiled at the fresh batch of Ma that Hyomin had gotten for her.

I have Hyominnie.

At that instant, the sound of the door opening garnered her attention. She peered out of the kitchen and saw the familiar tall figure entering the apartment. The girl looked fatigued. A sudden wave of guilt overcame her.

Kissing someone else was definitely cheating. She contemplated on telling her about it.

“Yuri? You’re up early!” the girl flashed a smile immediately upon seeing Yuri’s face. She swiftly made her way to Yuri and hugged her, giving her a peck on the cheek.

Yuri hugged her girlfriend tightly, as a single tear escaped her eye. The guilt was overwhelming, seeing her girlfriend made her extremely uneasy. The headaches weren’t helping either. She buried her head in the nook of Hyomin’s neck, hoping to find some solace. She wanted to remember that she was in love with Hyomin. She wanted to stop these unexplainable feelings for Jessica.

“Is something wrong?” asked Hyomin, sensing that Yuri was not her usual dorky happy self.

She couldn’t bring herself to broach the subject. “I missed you that’s all…” Yuri replied, refusing to budge from the comfort of Hyomin’s neck. She couldn’t look the girl in the eye and blatantly lie.

“I’m sorry I haven’t been home much.” Hyomin said as she stroked Yuri’s hair. “I have nothing on tomorrow night. I’ll make it up to you over dinner, I’ll cook!”

With her face still buried, Yuri nodded in response. Hyomin hardly had time for her, so cooking was a huge thing. She wanted the time with her girlfriend. It was the only way she could get rid of those feelings she experienced hours ago. She decided that she wouldn’t tell Hyomin about Jessica. At least not yet.

-----

“She WHAT?!”

“Did you tell Hyomin?”

Shortly after, Yuri found herself in her old apartment. The one she used to share with Sooyoung and Yoona since college started, until she met Hyomin and moved in with her. She knew she had to come clean about the night before, just not to Hyomin… yet.

“No, I didn’t dare to.”

“So you’re still in love with Sica?” the shikshin asked while chewing on her bag of chips. It was as if she was watching a movie.

“Sharing is caring, Sooyoung.” Yoona said as she eyed the bag of chips.

“I’m not caring.” she replied with her mouth full. A couple of crumbs fell onto the floor. Yoona looked at her in disgust.

“I don’t know. But I think I felt something last night when I saw her again.” Yuri plopped her head down on her hands. “Besides, I have a girlfriend.”

“And if you didn’t?”

“That’s not the point.”

“Did you mistake Sica as Hyomin?”

“What kinda question is that? I wasn’t THAT drunk.” Yuri said while pointing at Yoona.

“YA!”

Sooyoung rubbed her forehead. “Oh gawd. Don’t get me started on last night, Yoong.”

“ANYWAY, they look really alike and with the dim lights and the alcohol, maybe you did mistake her for Hyomin.” Yoona said.

Yuri shook her head. “Aww c’mon, do they really look that much alike?”

“Uh huh.” the pair said at the same time. “In fact, we always suspected that you fell for Hyomin just ‘cos she resembled Sica.” Sooyoung stated indifferently before stuffing her mouth with another handful of chips.

“WHAT? What makes you think--”

“That’s not important now. Anyway, why do you think Sica said those words to you?” Sooyoung interrupted. Her question effectively rendered Yuri speechless.

“I’m just saying. She was the one who said those 3 words you’ve been longing to hear years ago.”

Sooyoung was right. Yuri had been so wholly focused on the cheating and the guilt part, she almost forgot that it was Jessica who took the initiative for most of the night.

“She’s right. Maybe you should talk to Sica before telling Hyomin anything. At least hear what she has to say. Don’t you wanna know more?”

“Yoong, wiser after a night of hurricane puking!” Sooyoung said, patting the doe-eyed girl on the head.

“Stop it!” Yoona pushed her hand away and tried to steal the bag of chips.

“Ask her out now Yuri! The sooner the better!” Sooyoung said in the midst of a head tapping, chip stealing battle with Yoona.

“Arghhhhhh how should I do this……” Yuri whined and leaned back against her seat, hands cupping her face. “It’s embarrassing! I get the jitters when I talk to her!” she spoke through her hands. The pair stopped their fight and looked at her with incredulous faces.

“Stop being such a wuss and just ask her out!! Tonight!” Sooyoung exclaimed and smacked Yuri’s head, before grabbing her phone book. She took Yuri’s phone from the table and punched in some numbers.

“B-B-But…” Yuri was hesitant. “Wouldn’t it be better to just pretend that nothing happened? What if she meant it? What’s gonna happen?”

“Then we’ll take it from there. One step at a time, Yuri.” Sooyoung assured before passing Yuri the phone. “Now press the call button!” she ordered.

Feeling intimidated, Yuri took the phone held it with both hands. She glanced nervously at the two hawks who were staring at her as if she was prey. Slowly, she raised her thumb over the phone. It hovered above the green button for a while. She was hesitating.

“OMGAWD YURI!!! JUST… CALL!!” Sooyoung’s overzealous finger appeared from the side and tapped down on the green button, and then proceeded to activate the speakerphone. Yuri’s jaw dropped as she the word ‘calling’ flashed on the screen. Shortly after, the room was filled with ringing sounds, which went on for a few seconds, each one of them wrecking Yuri’s nerves.

It went on for a few more seconds.

Twenty seconds had passed.

Then thirty.

“Okay she’s not picking up. It’s fated. We’re not supposed to—“

“Hello?”

All eyes shot wide open.

“Hello? Who’s this?”

The pair got up and frantically shook Yuri, who appeared to be stuck in a trance. When she came to her senses, she looked over at the duo. They were staring at her wide eyed and pointing at the phone in her hands while mouthing “Sica” repeatedly. The coordination was almost perfect.

“Hello? I’m gonna hang up if you don’t resp—“

Yuri inhaled deeply.

“Hey Sica.”

“Who are you, and why are you addressing me in that way.”

The room seemed to have been frozen over all of a sudden.  

“It—It’s Yuri.”

There was no response.

“Hello? Sica?”

“Yuri? I didn’t know it was you. I’m glad you called.” her response caused Yuri to break into a huge, dorky smile. Sooyoung looked at her in disgust.

“Sorry I took so long to pick up, I was sleeping when you called.” The trio glanced at the clock on the wall, eyebrows furrowed. It was 3pm.

“How did you get my number by the way?”

“Oh Sooyoung gave me your number.”

“Sooyoung? How did she get my number? I’ve only been back for a week.”

Yuri looked at Sooyoung, who was mouthing something to her. Unable to catch what it was, Yuri mouthed a “What?” in reply.

It went on for a few seconds. Why are you so thick today Kwon Yul!!

“Taeyeon!!” Yoona said in frustration. Instantly, two jaws dropped.

“Hello?”

“Uhhh Taeyeon! Taeyeon Taengoo Taeyeon Taeyeon!!” Yuri blabbered. “She got it from her last night. ‘Cos you went missing after a while so…” Yuri paused, silently cursing for hinting about last night’s event.

“Oh. So what’s up?” she was relieved that Jessica didn’t probe further.

“Well, uhh…” She took a deep breath. “Areyoufreefordinnertonight”

There was silence again.

Damn, did she get what I said? Yuri tried again, this time more slowly. “Are… you… free…”

“Yes.”

“…Huh?”

“Yes to dinner.”

“G-Great! I’ll pick you up from your place at 7!”

Yuri stared at her phone for a few seconds before the call got disconnected. It felt surreal.

Omgawd I’m gonna see her later...

“Sorry Yuri! I was too anxious!” Yoona said apologetically.

“Nah it’s okay.”

“Well you got through that! Now we just have to get you ready for tonight!”

“I wonder how I’m gonna get through tonight though.”

Sooyoung smiled and patted Yuri on the back. “No worries, Kwon Yuri! I have a good feeling about this!”  

“I hope you’re right.” Yuri said as she leaned back against her seat.