Skandl! [07]

[checkinyourbra]

Title: Skandl! (Chapter 07)

Pairing(s): TaengSic, side!YulTi

Rating/Genre: PG-13 + Language; AU Idol Romance

Warning(s): MINOR gore. (like, idek)

Disclaimer: I don't own Soshi. I don't own anyone, in fact. All Fiction.

Author's Notes: I see y'all thirsty bishes askin' for the smut. Patience, mah people. <3 Now, bring me a pretzel.

Seven: Jessica

--


Jessica wished she’d recorded Tiffany’s scowl the moment the unsuspecting woman set foot in their bedroom.

“What...the fuck is that monstrosity?”

“Fany, you’re home!” Yoona purred from the floor, catching stray balls of carpet lint on the front of her shirt.

Tiffany stalked around their semi-spacious floor. Her eyeballs connected unwaveringly towards the newest addition. “Tell me that isn’t what I think it is.”

“Pretty awesome, huh?”

“Honestly, that’s the literal opposite of awesome.”

Perched upon Jessica’s lap, gleaming its fresh polish and unmarred keys, sat a piano accordion. Her brand new purchase.

She’d been inspired by her rooftop encounter with Taeyeon. Though harshly pointed out (songwriting, synthesized bullshit, etc.), Jessica truly didn’t consider herself much of a musician and she found this problematic. Idol life minus a healthy passion for expanding her talents seemed...disingenuous. So, in a blaze of determination, she browsed a decked-out instrument shop, hellbent for something to snag her roaming interests.

“I talked myself into it. Isn’t that funny?” Jessica giggled, rubbing out a faint thumbprint, “The store clerk was adamant about the flute--”

“I approve of flutes,” Tiffany mumbled as she tossed her clutch to her bed.

“But, that’s so basic. I need a challenge. Something different.”

Coiling a sly smile, Tiffany nudged at Yoona’s ass with the tip of her shoe. “And you didn’t drill sense into her, Yoongie?”

Yoona yelped and scooted from her reach. “I wasn’t there when she bought it. Besides, wouldn’t Sica look cute in suspenders? And a little dancing monkey on her shoulder?”

“I take it you’re the monkey?”

The youngest of the three rolled her eyes through the immediate snicker. “What’s your damage, Madam Hwang? You and Yul sync up again?”

“Madam Hwang. Has a sexy ring to it.”

“You should invest in a brothel if this idol biz doesn’t pan out.”

“Yoong, hey--” Jessica called out to curtail another routinely vulgar argument. “Take a picture of me with my accordion. It’d make a nice addition to my Picpockette, no?”

“Good thinkin’, Sica!” Yoona’s smirk challenged Tiffany once more as she snatched her smartphone from a dresser. “Smile for me, hot stuff!”

Jessica dipped her head forward and pretended to mash the keys. She avoided Tiffany’s leer, subsequently enjoying Yoona’s best fashion photographer imitation (“Work it, honey. Show daddy some cleav. Wanna be famous, don’tcha!?”). Yoona was Tiffany’s proclaimed “follower”, but she loved around-the-dorm companionship.

Referring to the girls as sisters would be a stretch--more like, ‘friends with distance’. She saw everyone’s sweet side; yet, only Yoona, Seohyun, and Tiffany consistently went the extra mile for her inclusion.

“Sica, you so fine! Charms are gonna flip!” The taller girl handed the phone over for Jessica to peruse.

Though Jessica was slow on the social media track, the Picpockette app--a newest craze in celebrity photo-sharing--was surprisingly fun and easy. Finally, one of JiWook’s ideas produced visible results. Having this tiny window into her world slowly humanized her beyond the “bitchface” comments swirling through their fandom. “How about this one?”

“Hmmm.” Yoona squinted, pulling imaginary hairs on her chin. “I’d give it 2 out of 10 on the bitch-o-meter.”

Somewhere in their walk-in closet, Tiffany cackled.

“Well, it’s settled. We have a winner.”

“I’ll choose your filter, Sica.”

Tiffany slapped the closet door closed. “Let her choose her own filters and hashtags and...whatever else and step out. I have important matters to discuss with your ‘Sica’.”

“You and Yul did sync up, hmm?”

“Get lost.”

Jessica pressed on her most sympathetic smile. She forgot how nice it was to spend whole afternoons with a bestie. Past friendships among trainees--especially as the oldest of the bunch--weren’t the most potent. “Thanks for killing the boredom.”

“Summon me when Fany isn’t menstruating.” Her fingers trapped the door just as Tiffany attempted to slam it in her face. “And I’ll find you sheet music for Hyperballad.”

“Let her breathe, Im Yoona.” Her second try locked successfully.

The blonde slid her cumbersome instrument into its case. “I don’t mind Yoong hanging around. She’s anxious about her big magazine spread next month.”

“Hyperballad?”

“By Björk. Hopefully, the first real song I’ll play on this beast.”

“Hm. That choice is mighty…niche.”

Yuri had been more than giddy to disclose two or twenty of Taeyeon’s favorite artists. The Icelandic singer stuck out the most. “Niche isn’t bad.”

“No, it’s not.”

“Yep.”

She watched Tiffany’s legs leisurely bounce against her mattress. When the dead air spread into its second minute, Jessica couldn’t hold back her curiosity. “Important matters, you said?”

“You still have the hots for Tae. God, you’re transparent.”

“To whom?”

“Only me, I think. That random song selection for a freakin’ accordion is coated in Kim Taeyeon.”

“Would she be into this?”

“Jess, for her, there are two definites: winning and you. Didn’t she make out with you twice?”

Jessica grinned at the memories despite herself. “I wouldn’t call myself a definite.”

“It’s been a week. Have you talked to her since?”

“No.”

“Not even a text?”

The grin fell as quickly as it came. Tiffany’s assertive advice for approaching Taeyeon last time had favorable results...in person. Jessica was so sure that improvised wrist kiss would have earned a call, at the very least. “I’m afraid not.”

“I’d tell you to wait it out, but I don’t think that’ll be necessary. You’re already making ridiculous purchases on monstrosities to impress her.”

“That’s dumb, isn’t it?”

Tiffany shrugged from where she sunk into the covers. “According to Yul, Taeyeon’d been playing her lovesick ukulele before they left for the tour.”

The cute yellow ukulele was hers! Somehow, this gave her more hope than Tiffany’s smug divulgences. A possibility of Taeyeon playing for Jessica, only for Jessica to answer with her own quirky instrument was….so dreamy.

She had to get a grip, though. For her own sake. “What’s the use if I can’t coax out a simple text message?”

“They’ll be back next Saturday. Yell at her.”

“I doubt she responds well to nagging.” Specifically because the last time they were in a shouting match...they ended up kissing. Perhaps, Fany had a point…

“How’s the de-bitching Picpockette going?”

“Fine.” She omitted mentioning how Seohyun appointed herself as the ‘Anti-Anti Brigade’, regularly sifting through hateful comments to keep posts clean and positive. “I’ll be on a talk show tomorrow morning, too.” To ‘boost her likeability, JiWook said.

“I gotta admit, Jess. Your smile’s great. Just--your resting face…” A fake shiver. “Brrr.”

“I know, I know. Nobody warned me, okay?”

“I could hold seminars on the art of fake smiling.” Tiffany yawned into a pillow, eyelids drooping. “It’s another Lucky rite of passage. Practice in the mirror.”

Jessica examined her friend’s softly curled lip.

How many fake smiles had she foolishly received?

…

Im Yoona was no actress, yet she slipped into her chic, camera-worthy skin with startling ease. Like night and day. The lanky woman sat in her on-stage seat with a high-class lady’s posture and dark sunglasses as they waited for filming to commence.

Jessica’s restless fingers tweaked the ends of her hair. She hated shows like this. Her speaking voice, in her head, came out too flimsy. Ditzy, almost.

And the hosts--Kim Heechul from a defunct all-male Elite group and Ace, a gymnast-turned-model famed for his gold medal on the pommel horse--were known to delve deeply into other stars’ private matters on live broadcasts. In an effort to settle Jessica’s nerves, Hyoyeon showed her camera phone snapshots of Heechul performing oral on that very model at a party. Now, rather than merely intimidating interviewers, she pictured intimidating interviewers sucking each other off. “I feel sick.”

Prim and collected Yoona bent her way. “Thinkin’ about those party photos, aren’t you?”

Jessica blushed. There was the Yoong she loved. “I need brain bleach.”

“Hyo has a gay guy fetish. Probably why she keeps that borderline porn on her phone.”

“These guys won’t be too invasive, right?”

Yoona waved at the man approaching--a dapper thirty-something dirty-blonde clad in a tweed jacket and tan slacks. Kim Heechul. “Doubt it. If he tries anything slick, give him direct eye contact and a face that says, ‘I know, bitch’ and he’ll lay off.”

“That helps.”

“Neat. And watch your bitchface or you’ll scare away our viewers.”

A sterile smile sprouted onto Jessica’s lips; the best she could manage while estimating the deviousness in Heechul’s eyes. Yoona handed her shades to a stage hand, fully transformed into ‘Perfect Idol Yoona’. Jessica listened to their friendly banter as she searched the perimeter for cameras, TVs….anti buttons. The studio audience had been hushed and directed to go bananas when ordered. Their faces were shielded in the shadows. She hoped at least a third of them didn’t wish her death.

Ace, in a smedium dress shirt ready to rip from his arm muscles, scooted into his seat and gave Jessica an encouraging nod. The blonde reciprocated, battling the head demons drawing a glittery rainbow heart around him and his co-host. Somewhere in the distance, a woman’s voice gave the set ten seconds.

Heechul offered his cheek to a makeup artist, paging through his small stack of cards. Jessica jumped a bit when he caught her staring. “Let’s make this a fun one, shall we?”

…

Talk shows made Jessica queasy.

Force-laughing felt so lame. Nonetheless, that’s what she did as Heechul and Gymnast-Model Dude howled along with sections of the audience. Yoona covered her chuckles with dainty fingers--a tell-tale sign of fabricated enjoyment. If her mouth was obstructed, Im Yoona wasn’t having a good time.

A new-ish boy group from their label joined the half-moon table. Triple Threat--comprised of Sehun, Luhan, and Taehyung--Numbers 3, 6, and 9. A high-energy sub-section of the gigantic Fifteen group. Jessica practically waded through throngs of sweaty dancing youngsters upon every visit to the Elite practice studios.

“Sehun, have you formally met Jessica?”

The young guy, fingers interlocked upon the tabletop, answered with his eyes straight on the hosts. Protection. Any glance or a smile too wide and fans would get stir-crazy jealous--regardless of the five-year age gap. “Jessica’s great. Really quiet. Um, I met her after a dance class...she was on her phone, reading. I said hi.”

“Reading, huh?” Heechul’s grin grew by a millimeter--enough to turn menacing. “Texts from a lover or…”

“I didn’t spy on her screen.”

Jessica cleared her throat and cut in, “Just chatting with my younger sister.”

“Ooh, younger sister?” Taehyung blurted for the audience to jeer.

Triple Threat, though blessed with ample promotion and a following, were stifled by stardom’s sheltering. Nevertheless, they addressed Jessica with utmost respect, even as peer trainees.

“She’s not interested in idols. Nice try,” Jessica answered with heaps of appreciation in every word. A temporary deflection from the nosy questions.

Ace arched his waxed eyebrows playfully. “Is your sister as pretty as you?”

“Prettier.”

“Crazy talk!”

Yoona tickled Jessica on the shoulder. “You should introduce her to Taehyung anyway.”

And the Triplets and other psycho fans would track her family down like wolves. “Never gonna happen. She barely listens to K-pop. Mostly blasts Western stuff into her ears.”

“Taehyung pretends to be Western,” Luhan chimed in, causing a flash of panic to sweep over his groupmate’s face. “Do your Sean Connery impression.”

“Lu, that’s--”

“The best idea! Let’s hear it!” Ace’s eyes reflected pure anticipation...or attraction.

Jessica refilled her lungs as the crowd cheered on Taehyung to give it a try. She really needed that breather. The measly few sentences she managed took a lot out of her.

“Gonna vom?” Yoona hissed into her ear.

Jessica shook her head. It was nice hearing from her Yoong again. She showed her teeth, realizing she hadn’t smiled in a while.

“Pay attention, Jessica. You’re our resident American and we’ll need your rating.”

‘Til this point, her interviewers had actually been patient, appealing. Until Heechul. “I’m not an expert.”

His flicked the fringe from his face and dismissed her accordingly. “Don’t be a spoiled sport. It’s only fun.”

Luhan pried Taehyung’s hands from his pinkened face and gestured at the waiting audience. At last, he relented and gave the worst impression ever. Half the quote was garbled unintelligibly, deserving a complimentary A for effort. Jessica would say so...or would that make her look like a bitch? What constituted ‘bitchy’ anyways?

“Rate it one to ten. Go, Jessica.”

If possible, the studio stilled to pin-drop silence. Yoona laid a hand on her arm. The fellas on her left blinked expectantly. Sehun’s face spoke many apologies. “I’d um, say…”

Had her voice always been so high? She internally cringed.

“One to ten, Jessica. It’s not that hard.”

Luhan clearly had a low number in his head. “Take no prisoners. Taehyung does English impressions all the time in our dorm and now he’s acting shy. Put him in his place.”

“W-well it was….” Her brain hurried her along. “...a six?”

The hosts groaned and the audience was too loud to decipher their response. Jessica wanted to die. Just, have a heart attack right there at the halfmoon table. That’d teach the hecklers.

“You’re generous, Jessica.” Taehyung raked his copper hair, switching to ham up a dramatic faint for the Triplets.

“Moving on,” Heechul stressed as he thumbed through white topic cards. “Boyfriends!”

“Nope, I’m single,” Sehun replied at once. The fans cracked up, as well as the table of guests.

Oh Sehun was the only fellow rookie privy to Jessica’s sexual persuasion. Back then, as their casual acquaintance status cemented, she came out mostly from a need to tell anyone mildly trustworthy about her day-to-day worries. He’d taken it in stride, naming his own man-crushes. Mostly high-name actors from action movies--typical straight guy role models. Once, Sehun even dyed his hair rainbow to show his support. Wacky fashion choice for the public; signal of an ally for Jessica.

Ace’s chiseled cheeks glowed. “Thanks for clearing that up, Mr. Oh.”

“Jessica!” Every hair on her body stood at the shout. Heechul tapped the card stack in a slow rhythm, his poignant grin rekindling. “You’re in your mid-twenties. If you say you don’t have a sweetheart, no-one in this building--nay--this universe will believe you.”

A sweetheart? The image of a certain someone’s bewitching smirk flashed by her brain and she had to glance down to hide her thoughts. It only ruffled a hushed audience and observant hosts.

“How long have you two been together?”

“I...don’t have a boyfriend.”

“That’s bull--” Heechul lapsed to restrain himself. “--crap. Utter bullcrap.”

“Ease up, Heechoo,” the gymnast-model purred in jest, though his face betrayed frustration. That, and the blatant pet name used to calm his man-friend.

A sharp corner of card pointed straight at Jessica. “More and more idols have revealed themselves dating since Chaerin came clean months ago.”

Chaerin, or the Chaeraptor of Chickasaurus, certainly did not come clean; she was forced out by paparazzi. “No boyfriend. I’ve been bogged down with joining Lucky Six. I wouldn’t have the time.”

“I can vouch for her,” Yoona added, eyes trained on Heechul who’d suddenly paled. “If anybody at this table has a boyfriend, it’s not me and Jessica.”

Subject closed.

Ace took a stab at the next topic, letting his co-host regroup. “In the same boat here. Calling my private life ‘hectic’ is an understatement. Any ideal types? We all have those.”

Oh, did she ever. Ignoring the mental images of tight jeans and long, dark hair, Jessica gave her often-rehearsed description: handsome, loyal, and tall. Then, she named a fifty-something actor from Sooyoung’s first drama. She’d rather model herself as a chick bearing daddy issues than anything that’d draw bad press. It was safer and protected her colleagues.

“Nice choice!” Ace exclaimed, “I’ve met him on many occasions; he’s a class act.”

Gay actor alert! Nearby, Yoona gracefully drowned an “oh god, oh god” squeal in her complimentary water. Jessica’s throat could use a cleanse, but she judged against it. “Drinking water on interviews makes newbies look nervous,” Tiffany warned. Indeed, the members of Triple Threat hadn’t broken the seals of their bottles, either.

“And you, Yoona,” Heechul started, finding his voice, “Your ideal actor’s been married recently. Surely, you’ve moved on.”

“I have.”

Jessica glanced over. She’d never heard a peep about boys from her Yoong.

Delight flowed back to Heechul’s face. “Spit it out, Im. Eligible bachelors are about to be heartbroken.”

Yoona paused with a naughty smirk, quaffing another mouthful of water. Was she baiting for suspense or legitimately nervous? Jessica couldn’t tell, yet her interest had been piqued.

“Please, who’s your ideal idol type?” Ace tried.

Korea’s innocent Im Yoona eyed the audience, then the hosts again before responding, “Loco.”

Jessica racked her mind for his identity while everyone around her reacted accordingly--like starved animals. Instead of sneaking a hand into the cookie jar, Yoona poured its contents onto their laps.

Heechul gobbled up every morsel. “Loco? Rapper Loco?”

“Bad boys are cool. I like a rough-around-the-edges kinda person.”

Oh...him. The solo act from New York made quite of a name for himself--from his rumored history of gang affiliation to his unmatched flow to his ‘¡Muy Loco!’ clothing line. Something, besides the gang rumor, quarreled with Jessica’s lunch.

Ace jogged her memory. “Isn’t he reportedly an item with Kim Taeyeon of Skandl?”

She’d seen the sketchy nighttime photos and Loco’s gushy confession of his type. Though, it’d been speculation. Now, her imagination ran rampant.

Yoona folded long fingers beneath her chin. “She denies dating and Skandl’s hailed to be the truth-tellers of the industry, no?”

“That’s true…”

“As far as I know, they’re only friends. A man and woman can be friends.”

Heechul’s head could go unhinged, nodding at top speed. “That’s true, too! I mean, we’re friends!”

Yoona raised her eyebrows at that.

“Have you two ever talked?”

“Yes.”

Surrounding men vultured in to hear more. Yoona didn’t give them the pleasure.

Luhan snorted. “Don’t leave us hangin’!”

The scandal wrote itself: ‘Im Yoona of Lucky Six steals Loco from Skandl’s Kim Taeyeon’. The media would have a field day. Select studio monitors displayed grainy tabloid photos of Taeyeon and Loco walking through a park. They weren’t touching, but that’s all people needed to see. Jessica could feel the fans running to social media.

Heechul motioned to a monitor with the same stack of white cards. “Im Yoona versus Kim Taeyeon: A Battle of Hearts for Loco’s Affection!”

“There’s a battle I’d like to ref,” Taehyung joked to blaring amusement.

Please, stop going, heart, Jessica pleaded.

Alas, her heart kept pumping blood. She sat noiselessly in her chair as the hosts and Triple Threat struggled to whittle more from Jessica’s friend. Yoona put out a one or two word reply here and there, stoking their intrigue.

Heechul cheesed as if he’d won the lottery. Essentially, he did.

…

“Heechul gives me a splitting headache,” Yoona whined behind her sunglasses once they settled into a company SUV. Her styled chestnut hair mashed into the back of the chair as she slouched.

Jessica had hardly spoken since the show. Time fast forwarded--to bowing goodbye at the other panelists to signing autographs for Charms cunning enough to bypass security. One of them called Jessica her ‘new favorite’ and she couldn’t believe it. She smiled, hugged thank you, and prayed that’d been a passable response despite her mood.

Nothing seemed familiar. Not the stiff seats in the company vehicle. Nor the driver. Idol Yoona--of whom she didn’t recognize save a few instances. Sehun had familiarity, too, until Triple Threat fell into the scandal trap.

She buckled her seatbelt, anxiously pulling the edge of her skirt. How to breach the topic without incriminating herself? Nobody but Fany knew about her and Taeyeon, right?

“Yoong?”

Yoona adamantly typed at her phone. It was tilted her way. Not for meddling eyes. “Yes, Sica?”

The nickname relieved her a bit. “So, Loco…”

“What about ‘em?”

“I’m um, surprised. I thought we were in this together.”


“Sorry, Sica. I had to.”

Jessica narrowed her eyes. Confusing. “I didn’t know you liked him.”

Yoona finished her text and tucked the phone into her jacket. She straightened the shades sliding down her straight nose. And her gaze moved to the window--away from Jessica. With a lick of her lips, she muttered, “I don’t.”

…

Lucky’s front door swung open right as the two of them reached their floor. Where a woman waited, staring shamelessly. Endlessly-coveted hazel eyes bore into Jessica’s. And she sighed, sure that the world was out to get her.

“Jinnieee!” Yoona cried, whipping both arms around the girl’s neck. The shorter woman--though, not shorter than Jessica--spun a cheering Yoong around the room and kissed her firmly on the temple.

“You missed me, Yoonarama?” her raspy voice crooned.

“Fuck yes! Are you back?”

Damn. Jessica disregarded the eager question. She was excited to see her friend, after all. The blonde quietly closed the door and avoided eye contact with the other five girls standing watch, enjoying Yoona’s energy.

Jinnie tucked Yoona’s messier strands behind her ear. “You’d like that, wouldn’t you?”

“She misses your cooking,” Hyoyeon snarked in, grinning.

The girls laughed. Jessica folded her arms, cheeks crimson.

“You’re a skeleton, Yoongs! Does Jessica Jung not cook for you?”

“No, never!”

“I’m learning,” Jessica mumbled only to herself. Her sister gave remedial tips through Skype, but she hadn’t gained the initiative to messy their kitchen with experiments.

“How was the show? I adore Heechul. Gotta call that man up and make a brunch date.”

Of course Bae Jinnie and Heechul were friends.

Yoona stammered. “It was uh, okay, I guess. You’ll...you’ll see for yourself tonight. It’ll be a doozy! Sica did okay; she’s still shy. Her stage fright makes her awk.”


All eyes settled on Jessica and most weren’t sympathetic. The eerie air of resentment returned.

“Bae Jinnie, by the way,” Jinnie relayed over her shoulder, red-hot hair accentuating an already threatening beauty. She didn’t wait for Jessica to introduce herself as she continued to speak, “Now that all six of us are here…”

Jessica’s hold on herself clenched.

“I have news. Yoongs, let go of me; your scrawny bones are deadly.”

Yoona obeyed, settling on the arm of their couch. “What’s wrong, Jinnie?”

“As some of you may notice by my appearance…” She sat on the middle cushion. The girls huddled around her with practiced haste. Jessica stayed put.

Sooyoung stroked the woman’s shoulder. “Jinnie…”

“This is very tough for me and--” The redhead hiccuped, tears dripping from her chin. “It took me weeks to accept it myself. My family wants to book me a psychiatrist, but you girls know how I am about medication.”

“Tell us.”

Jinnie swallowed. “One night, I had these stomach terrible cramps. I thought they were routine pains until they suddenly stopped.”

Seohyun dabbed her eyes with a wrist. “Oh, Soojin…”

“My parents and I decided to go to the doctor first thing in the morning. I-I was so tired and I ached for sleep, girls.”

Jessica might as well had been eavesdropping in on a private conversation. She considered taking leave to her room, yet she didn’t care to bring attention to herself. Plus, a small part of her had to hear the rest of the story.

“I woke up the next morning...” Jinnie reached for someone’s fingers and gave them a kiss. “Shh, Hyo. You have to hear this.”

Hyoyeon shook her head yes. Jessica couldn’t see her face from that angle, but she didn’t expect to witness rambunctious Kim Hyoyeon weak from emotions.

“I woke up in a pool of blood. Worse than a horror movie. Staining my sheets and in my fingernails and...all I could think was, ‘Oh jesus, my baby.’”

So, those weren’t crocodile tears. Jessica felt like shit.

“I lost her. I was having a girl. I couldn’t have been happier.”

Sooyoung tugged Jinnie into a hug, pressing her lips into her hair. “Jinnie, I’m so sorry…”

“I am, too. I should have done more--”

Seohyun waved a hand, hushing her. “Don’t blame yourself. I wish we’d been there for you when it happened.”

“It’s not fair, Juhyun.” Jinnie’s gravelly voice fell more and more defeated. “Her father had the greenest eyes I’d ever seen. Our daughter would have been beautiful. I don’t have a big family; I knew my Lucky girls would fill any gaps and she’d never be lonely.”

“Does the father know?” Tiffany asked, eyes hard. “Like, I think someone should tell him.”

“Scott was stationed in Germany.” Jinnie rubbed at her forehead, deflating. “We split up. He has no clue who I am and it’s better that way.”

Hyoyeon kicked at the rug. “Ugh, that dude can eat a bag of dicks.”

“What now?”

Jinnie laid her head on Sooyoung’s shoulder. “I don’t know, Soo. I’ve lost everything.”

“Hey, Jess?”

Tiffany’s voice. Jessica blinked from the floor, eyes watering. “Hm?”

“You look terrible. Lie down in case you’re catching a cold.”

Her cue to leave. If there’d ever been a moment she fancied to kiss Tiffany flat on the lips, this was it. “I do feel under the weather. Excuse me.”

And just like that, she was closed off into the enclave of her bedroom.

Here, she could freely cry and punish her poor pillow with every wayward sensation pricking at her skin.

Jessica collapsed into the first bed she encountered. Knowledge of Tiffany’s territorial streak moved her to her own side of the room. She owed Fany too much to leave salty puddles on her pillowcase.

Hoping for a chance to vent to Soojung, she powered on her laptop. God, would her sister lose her shit when that episode aired. Girl needed a heads up.

Her browser window curbed her Skype sign-in. Youtube--her homepage--routinely calculated every search she’d made in the past couple days, leaving her with a page full of Björk suggestions. Jessica kind of fell in love with her discography.

Simply good music Nothing to do with Taeyeon.

Albeit, she wondered what abstractions painted themselves in the rockstar’s head for “Human Nature” or if “Declare Independence” gave her a headache, too. “It’s Oh So Quiet” became Jessica’s immediate favorite and she imagined it making Taeyeon smile.

Giving in to temptation, Jessica searched ‘taeyeon southeast tour’ and scrolled through the results. All fancams, of course. She’d have to fork out some dough for the official recording.

A certain “SUNYEON KISSING!!!” title nailed her clicking attention. The faint voice in the back of her mind pitted against it; she declined to heed its warning.

Fancam user’s high quality footage made up for her shaky hand. The minute and forty-seven second-long clip showed and ending segment of ‘Love Cut Open’. Its standard ‘maybe kiss’ session and the once-real peck always put Rumors into a childish tizzy.

It did nothing for Jessica--however, she was biased.

The blonde’s eyelids batted at the screen. Why did Kim Taeyeon have to be such a sexy terror? For that act, she wore a top fashioned like a tuxedo, high-waisted leather shorts, and knee-length boots. The combination of attire would end up a mess, one could argue. Not this. Chill bumps reached her arm by simply knowing they made out.

Then, the ending scene. Her shoulders tensed as Taeyeon flawlessly spun Sunny into their final position, where she bent down….and the lights didn’t go out. All screams from fangirls gurgled into eardrum-rupturing noise as Taeyeon really secured her lips onto Sunny’s. Their eyes closed, mouths parted, and Jessica almost karate chopped her computer from the fear of spotting tongue. No tongue, though the fucking eye contact before they changed to the next set pissed Jessica off.

She bit her lip, pondering how many performances of “Love Cut Open” required that cushy liplock.

Her fingers operated on their own. ‘Sunyeon’ yielded more video responses than she’d anticipated. Duh, fans were going to ship. Although...what if the ship was real?

“Should I?” she asked herself, hovering a cursor over the third most popular video--beneath the real kiss clip and a dance practice compilation.

She had no right to possessiveness. Taeyeon wasn’t even hers.

Jessica waited for the video to load.

“My ideal type has very feminine features. Pretty eyes and kissable lips,” digital Taeyeon said, a mocking smirk tugging at her lips, “They have to smell sweet at all times and keep me guessing. Like Sunkyu.”

Nice to know. Minus the Sunkyu bit.

Still, the kissing video ground a knife into her heart. She claimed those exact lips and she--Jessica regarded the pricey monstrosity collecting dust--spent money to woo Taeyeon. If this whole kissing thing was a scandalous gamble, Skandl hit the jackpot.

Roughly an hour later, the door creaked open. Jessica whined under the sheets.

A ridiculous heard-through-the-walls argument ended with Hyoyeon picking a fast food place for dinner. Tiffany had peeked in, asking her to come with--Jessica refused. No chance in hell she’d put herself in that position.

Tiffany returned to invite her again--at least, she thought so until a weight sagged the edge of her mattress and spicy perfume attacked her nose.

“This used to be my room, you know,” Jinnie mused in her raspiness. “So many memories.”

Jessica tried not to move. Not to breathe.

“I know you’re awake, you bitch.”

“Whah--” Jessica swallowed, hating her thin, weakling voice more than ever. “What do you want from me?”

She scoffed. “I’m offended. How dare you offer to give me what’s already mine.”

“I didn’t take your place on purpose.”

“Yet, here you are in my bed with your fragile feelings and flimsy excuses to avoid me. You’ll never avoid me, Jessica Jung. I am everywhere.”

Jessica’s eyes burned too red to flip over and tell Jinnie what’s what. “I’m...sorry about your little girl.”

“Shut up. I don’t need your sympathy. Will that erase my memory and all these stretch marks?”

“Jinnie! Did you find my phone?” Tiffany hollered from the front door, amongst the buzzing of women prepared to fill their stomachs.

“Still looking!” she shouted back.

Jessica sighed. So much for a nap. “Fany’s phone is on her nightstand.”

“Don’t try to school me. I know that.”

“Then, please, leave me alone.”

The bed shook as Jinnie sprung from her spot. “Very well. Don’t wanna keep my girls waiting.”

“Go.”

“Careful, Jung. I have contacts in high places at Elite. Just say the wrong thing.”

Was she bluffing? Jessica hesitated to answer.

“You take orders well. Don’t have much leader potential, do ya?” Suddenly, warm breath touched her ear. Perfume stung both eyes. “They’ll never love you the way they love me. You’re so damn inadequate it makes me sick.”

“Jinnie?”

“Coming, Yoonarama!” Her elbow stabbed Jessica in the back as she pushed to her feet. “Sleep well. And work on those high notes of yours. You’re nasally as hell.”

Regardless of her mangled mood, the fresh bruise on her spine, and a heart that’d seen better days, when the noise came to a screeching halt, she slugged out of bed. She fumbled for her cell phone, plugged in the headphones, and started a playlist of Lucky Six’s greatest hits. There, in her inherited moonlit room, she sang. At best, she could reap something worthwhile from this terrible day.




Surprise! Didja guess Jinnie would make an appearance?? >:DD

This week’s been cold and stressful as asfdlfdkfd. Thankfully, I have Jessica’s new IG to keep me warm.

Comments

[xsunray.livejournal.com]

SIIIICAAAAA WAE SO CUTE YOU CUTIE PIE LEMME JUST SQUEEEEZE YOUR CHEEKS.

I forgive you hitting on Taeyeon. Because her whole imagining taeyeon+ukulele and piano accordion thing was squeal worthy for me. The cuteness! The fluff! Cuteeeee. Oh, and I see the yoonsic you sneaked in there. I approve. Of course I'd approve.

ALSO. I APPROVE OF THE MULTIPLE MENTIONS OF SOOJUNG. Yes guys, lay off her. She's mine.

Chaeraptor PFFT. I CANNOT. Love your sense in naming, gurl. Totally love it.

Loco caught me by surprise there. I know you've got plans for him but I didn't expect... this. Nice~ Another one that caught me by surprise. Tadah. Jinnie's appearance. That was entirely more shocking.

I can see why she's being evil to Sica and urg everything that happened to her is really gahhhh :( But but but. *wraps protective arms around baby sica* Boo my poor Sica ;____;

You're throwing too much sunyeon in here. I'm scared for my Sunny bb. Nothing good happens to Sunny when she's in your hands. I'm watching you >____>

[checkinyourbra.livejournal.com]

You can squeeze her, but I'M WATCHIN YOUR PAWS. >_>

LOL at her earning your forgiveness. I'm sure she'd lose sleep over that. hahaa FLUFFY FLUFF. RAY LOVESSSS FLUFF, Y'ALL. One should ALWAYS approve of YoonSic. It's the ideal pairing, after all.

CRUSHING OVER A CHARACTER WE HAVEN'T SEEN. THIRSTY RUFFIAN RAY. GAWD.

hahahahah Chaeraptor should be a thing yesterday, tbh.

Loco won't disappear just yet~ And thank you. I like catching people a little off-guard. But, what does it meaaaaannnnn?? And BOOM, JINNIE. Yusss.

:000 You can see why she's evil! But, thank you for that protective love for our Jessica. She's too squishy and bae for that drama.

Nothing good happens to Sunny when she's in your hands.-- <.<

Thank you for readingg >.>

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