Chapter 21

Yuri's POV

Ding dong...

Ugh... Who could possibly be at the door. The sound of the doorbell disrupted the peaceful slumber that me and Jessica were in. I feel Jessica stir beside me before snuggling closer to the point where her lips were almost touching my neck. For some odd reason, I didn't feel like answering the door. I just wanted to go into the 9th hour of lying here on the couch doing nothing but sleep and listen to Jessica's soft breathing. However, whoever was at the door rang the bell again the second time giving me no choice but to answer it.

Untangling our legs so I can climb over Jessica, I hurriedly walked over to the door to look through the peep hole. It was an oddly dressed mailman carrying an unusually large box. Could it be another gift package sent by our fans? Or is it... Oh my god! Maybe it is!

I run back to where Jessica was lying on the large white couch and start shaking her to wake up.

"Sica! Wake up! You have to answer the door!"

She pulls the blanket over her head and mumbles her unwillingness. I shake her some more, this time more rigorous and urgent in case the chubby red suited man outside leaves.

"Sica baby, I can't walk to the door." I pretend to sound faint. "I feel dizzy when I walk." Hopefully that will get her butt moving.

"Ugh... Didn't you just go?"

"I felt dizzy halfway. You never know, maybe there's a surprise on the other side of the door..." I try to persuade again.

She throws back the covers, but instead of getting up, she rolls onto the ground and into me. I prop her into a sitting position, then pull her up with all my strength. Giving her a push, I direct her towards the door.

Jessica marches over like a drunk zombie. With her eyes barely opened, she unlocks the door and opens it slightly while resting her weight on it.

"Good morning! Package for Miss Jessica Jung?" the jolly round man said.

Jessica rubs her eyes and blinks in amazement. "Santa Claus? Is this real? Am I dreaming?"

The mailman laughs with a deep chuckle. "No ma'am, too early now... not the season for it. Now could you sign here please?"

He places the shipping document on top of the box for her to sign.

"Here." He passes the box over. "Have a good day ma'am."

I watch Jessica from my sitting position on the couch with blankets covering me. She comes over with the large box in hand, struggling to balance it.

Seeming more wide awake, she asks, "I wonder what this is... It's weird because fans usually get us all something."

She unwraps the outside paper followed by cutting the tape on the sealed box. Just watching her open the box is making me feel giddy and I can't help but smile retardedly with anticipation, keeping my cheeks from moving so my gums don't hurt.

Finally removing the last of the bubble wrap, Jessica's gasp and shocked expression was as expected. She had the biggest smile while pulling her gifts out of the box one by one.

"Do you like it? I asked my friend who's in the States right now to help me get it."

"Ahhh!" she shrieks excitedly. "I can't believe you got me the whole line of my kiwi shower products!"

Jessica drops the bottle of kiwi exfoliator back into the box to give me a hug so unexpected and powerful that it knocks me back into the couch's arm rest.

"Like it? I LOVE it!" She gives me a quick peck on the cheek before placing her head at the nook of my neck again. "Thank you, thank you, thank you! You're the best! I'm going to take a shower now."

She jumps off me and scoops up all the bottles like a kid who just got a new set of toys. Not a moment later after she dashed off into the bathroom that running water can be heard.

Kicking off the covers, I crouch down on the floor to clean up the mess that the little girl made. Aish, how did she manage to get wrappers scattered in a 2 meter radius all in one sitting. Only Jessica.

After putting the box with wrappers aside, I lie back down on the couch. My body was feeling flushed from the cleanup --and the kiss, so I had the blanket wrapped only around my legs.

Even though I went through a lot of trouble to track my high school friend who's living in the States, the decision to buy Jessica back her shower gel and shampoo was a wise one.

Good thing my friend is a big SNSD fan, so asking for the favor was easy. Listening to her mother talk to me for almost half the night was not. There was about a 12 hour time difference and she talked to me until my friend got back from her class. So for about 3 hrs or until 4am, I learned about all the types of plants they've been growing in their well-cultivated backyard, the crazy one-shoe lady in Chinatown, the expensive water that their city has, and ironically, the ridiculous phone plans companies offer until my friend returned home and saved me.

But to see Jessica this excited and happy, it was worth sacrificing my rare sleep. Especially after her anger filled and depressing week following our big argument. I have never seen Jessica run into the bathroom this early in the morning out of her own will.

I was about to go freshen up myself after Jessica's shower but she slowly crept up beside me and hugged me from behind, keeping me from getting up off the couch. I turn around to hold her comfortably in my arms. For some weird reason, I've greatly enjoyed the warmth of the Ice Princess since we first started sleeping on the same bed. Although it was awkward at first (at least for me, it was uncomfortable), cuddling in our sleep came so naturally now that the nook of my neck seemed like it was created for her to rest her head in; it fit perfectly.

Holding her this close, the kiwi fragrance that her body was emanating was overpowering, but masked is the distinct scent of another familiar fruit.

"Sica... Your hair, it smells like--"

She cuts me off. "I know. I used your strawberry shampoo."

"But now you have your --"

"I know. Let's just sleep. I'm tired."

M?lange ?? Yulsic? I shake my head to rid myself of these crazy thoughts. Maybe she doesn't want to open her shampoo yet. It is afterall imported. I think I've been hanging out with Ahjumma too much... Yulsic? Since when did I think like that? Or it must be the painkillers that I'm taking. Must be.

-----

After tonight's dinner, Tiffany rounded up my team to have a little meeting in my room.

"I'm so glad you guys made up! Yuwree, you weren't there to see it, but Sica cried for hours! And I hated you for saying all those mean things. You were totally out of line!"

"Fany, I'm really sorry. And thanks for being there for her."

"Anyways, that's all in the past now. OMG! Your live on-air apology was sooo sweet!" Tiffany turns to the other two girls on my bed. "You guys should've seen it! She had the soup and everything!"

"Yeah, we heard unnie on the radio! If Sica unnie didn't forgive you after hearing that, then her heart must've been made out of stone. I wonder if the listeners knew you were talking about Sica unnie," Yoona says with just as much enthusiasm as Tiffany.

"I hope not. That would just give antis more ammunition or it would give off the impression to our fans that the group is having some serious problems." Even though this was my viewpoint, a part of me wanted the world to know how badly I hurt Jessica and I also wanted them to know what kind of a person she is. Not the cold, stand-offish person that the media makes her out to be.

"And the kiwi stuff this morning? Real smooth, Yul." Sooyoung gives me a nod of approval with an added wink.

"So after that, are you guys closer now? When we came in last night, we saw the two of you sleeping together. It was the cutest thing ever!" Tiffany pulls her cell phone out of her pocket. "See, I even took a picture."

Tiffany hands me her phone and on the screen is me holding onto Jessica and her arms are wrapped around my waist. Her forehead was resting on my cheek, but for some reason, I do not recall feeling any sort of pain or discomfort that night. Seeing this image of us makes me feel really happy about how close the two of us have become. Without Fany noticing, I send myself this memory of us together.

"We're much closer than before..." There's even pictures to prove it now. But somehow, something was bothering me... Like as if talking and hugging just wasn't satisfying enough.

"So then you won't be needing our help anymore? Hey, even if you are calling it quits, somebody should still win." Yep, this is the competitive Sooyoung that I know.

"No! Not yet... I don't have any points..." Tiffany whines. I swear, these two American girls sure know how to pout. Tiffany's is cute, but Jessica's pout just makes you want to give her the world.

"Don't worry, Fany. The game's still on because I feel like we're close, but not close enough. Like friendship close. I don't know how to explain it, but you guys know what I mean right?"

"You mean you want to be buddies with her. Be the person that she turns to first... like how she and Fany are and unnie and I are, cuz right now, Sica unnie isn't sharing anything with you," Yoona explains for me.

"Yeah, sort of."

"OMG, Yuwree... Do you guys even call each other? Like on the phone?"

"Um... Not really. Not unless it's absolutely necessary and somebody demands it." Although we all have each other's numbers, she's actually the only person that I've never called to just chit chat.

"Oh boy! Okay, operation Sica is back on. We're going to make you two close like this." Sooyoung crosses her index and middle finger together.

"Ok, well the reason why I called for this meeting is one: how's your gum and jaws, Yuwree?" Tiffany asks me.

"Much better. Less swollen but still can't chew which sucks."

"Good." Umm... Did she not hear how I just said I can't eat solids? How is that a good thing?

"Now two," she continues to list. "How do you feel about having ice cream tonight for dessert?"

"I think that might be one of the few foods I could have."

"Oooh! I want ice cream!!" Sooyoung shouts.

Yoona also joins in. "Oooh! Oooh! Me too! I want too." She raises her hand as high as it can go.

"So how about picking us up some ice cream, Yuwree? You and Sica go. Bond along the way. Get closer."

For the first time, the other 2 girls were speechless. They did not try to outdo or improve Tiffany's idea or put it down to replace it with a better one. Instead, they encouraged me to go... And to hurry it up.

As these girls were rushing me out the door, Tiffany walked over to the whiteboard by my desk to award herself a point.

"Hey! These two here are trying to cheat! Since when did they get one extra point each?" Tiffany exclaimed.

"You know that radio apology? It was Yoona who suggested that I go down there. Apologizing on air was just a spur of the moment though." I'm glad I got the opportunity. "And Sooyoung was the one who suggested that I change my dentist appointment, otherwise Sica would've never came with me."

"Yo, that's still not fair! We all weren't talking then. Plus, I was on Jessica's side. You couldn't expect me to betray her and help you!"

"Sorry hun, all's fair in love and war." Sooyoung says to Tiffany before pulling me out of my room. "Guys! Yuri couldn't eat much tonight... Too many solid foods requiring chewing and chipmunk cheeks here can't chew that well yet. She's going to go down to get some ice cream so you better tell her what flavor you want. Sica?"

"Hmmm?"

"Go with your Kwon Seobang in case she faints or something," Sooyoung instructs.

"Don't tell me what to do," Jessica yells back. "Yuri? Do you want me to come?"

"Sure... Unless you want to stay and sleep."

"No, I'll come. I don't know what flavor I want yet."

Amid all the yelling and excited screams of ice cream flavors, I hear Jessica ask the shy Seohyun what kind of ice cream she wants. It's funny how the Ice Princess was cold to Sooyoung just a minute ago and now she's all soft and warm with maknae.

-----

"Oh Yul, I don't know which one to get. Chocolate mint or strawberry?"

After 10 minutes, we're still at the store choosing ice cream because Jessica couldn't decide on what she wants. At least she mannaged to narrow it down to two from the seven options earlier.

"How about this, I'll get strawberry and you get chocolate mint. Then we'll just share. How does that sound?"

"Hmmm... That works for me."

I should've suggested that 10 minutes ago. As Jessica paid for all 9 of the dairy sweets, I took the two bags from the cashier and pulled out the strawberry while handing the chocolate mint over to Jessica.

With my hands full, I had to ask Jessica to open mine for me. Before giving it back, she took a bite.

"Mmmm... yummy! Here try mine." She quickly unwraps hers and holds it out for me.

"Mmmm! It's good! Let's hurry back before all theirs melt."

We were walking in silence while swapping/feeding each other our ice creams. At one point, when I saw Jessica's hand reach out for my arm, I thought she was going to help me carry a bag. That's the last thing I should've expected. Instead, she held onto my already occupied hand.

I should take advantage of this moment to become 'buddy' close to her.

"So..."

"Hmmm?"

"Umm..." How ironic, I needed an ice breaker (a conversation topic to reduce the awkwardness). "So I noticed you circled your birthday and decorated the date on your calendar. Is there something big happening that day?"

"What were you doing snooping around in my room? If I remember correctly, we only made up two days ago."

"Umm... I left my English book in there." Which was true. But truth be told, I wanted to know what her schedule was like so I could find the right moment to apologize for being a jerk. "So that day, what did you have planned?"

"Well, initially I had wanted to spend the day at the amusement park, but Taeyeon told me how I'm going to have to go spend a few nights on Jeju Island to makeup for missing today's filming."

"Oh! She told me the same thing! You really didn't have to cancel your schedule today for me cuz now you can't go to the amusement park on your birthday."

"Yes, but you said that you were feeling dizzy this morning. With all of us out, something could've happened to you and we wouldn't have known." True... now I feel guilty for lying to her this morning.

"Umm.. Sica? I should probably tell you... I wasn't really feeling dizzy this morning. It was just an act to get you to open the door." I look at the ground while confessing my sin.

"Kwon Yuri!" Judging from her angry yell, I thought she was going to hit me for lying. Instead, the tone of her next words was the same soft and warm one she used with Seohyun earlier. "Thank you for giving me a day off work to just sleep all day," she says with a smile that melted my heart and my now dripping ice cream.

"So next week, you'll be going to Jeju Island with me to film?"

"Yup! Maybe we could find an amusement park there to celebrate your birthday."

"We'll see. I might have something else in mind..."

What could Jessica possibly want to do instead? I thought she wanted to go to the amusement park. From her calendar, it surely seemed like that's what she wanted to do. I think she even drew a ferris wheel and hearts. Is that her favorite ride? Quite boring if you ask me...

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