Skandl! [09]

[checkinyourbra]

Title: Skandl! (Chapter 09)

Pairing(s): TaengSic, side!YulTi

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

Warning(s): Girls like other girls ohemgee lesbians.

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

Author's Notes: NO BEATBOXING, YOU TROLLS. xD

Nine: Jessica

--


Something about the way Jessica’s phone vibrated intercepted breakfast.

“Absolutely not okay!” Tiffany barked, slapping her hand with a wooden spoon. “Finish your damn oatmeal.”

“I’m not hungry.”

“Like hell you aren’t!”

“It’s burnt and suspect. Miso won’t even eat it.”

Tiffany switched her spoonal punishment to the offending commenter. “Shut up, Hyo. I slaved over a hot stove--”

“For ten minutes.”

Yoona swirled a finger into the thick mixture. “Mine’s not sweet enough.”

“Greedy vegetarian! Touch that honey again and see what happens.”

“You ain’t the Queen Bee! I’ll bathe in honey if I want!”

Jessica tapped at her dimmed screen and shrank from a sharper hit. “Fany!”

“My breakfast; my rules. Any of you starving smart alecks so much as leave a dry oat stuck to your bowl and I’ll force-feed it myself!”

Tiffany clearly hated breakfast duty. But, the bitch was scary. The blonde nibbled at a cinnamon-flavored ball of goo, regretting life.

“Jess,” Tiffany mused, conveniently not eating, “don’t you, Yoong, and Sooyoung have a dumbass variety show this afternoon?”

“Mmhmm.” JiWook’s newest ploy to make Jessica more relatable: Episode #525 of a long-running broadcast packed with opportunities for idols to act like complete idiots. Jessica was not in the mood for dumbassery.

Sooyoung dumped a box of raisins into her mixture. “Thanks for the disgusting start of the day, Fany.”

“You’re welcome.”

Lucky Six’s routine had more or less fallen back into place in Jinnie’s absence. Grateful yet cautious, Jessica threw herself into training, practice, and schedules, but it got dull. Timidly, she eased into the girls’ graces--forever wondering what’d go down when Jinnie made a comeback. And she would.

Until then, she’d bask in the coziness of a normal morning.

Seohyun patted her lips, not-so-subtly wiping her tongue into the napkin. “Your image is improving, Sica. I don’t have to screen as many comments on Picpockette.”

“That’s promising,” Jessica said with a weak grin. “You’ve been a big help.”

“As a word of advice, you should--”

“Watch that bitchface!” Yoona blurted to Hyoyeon and Sooyoung’s entertainment, spitting oats at the table. Tiffany joined their chorus of cackles while Seohyun rubbed circles onto Jessica’s shoulder.

“Think happy thoughts,” Seohyun finished, punctuating the sentence with her own ready-for-cameras smile. Cute lips in a sweet, upward curl.

“I’ll try my best. Thanks.”

“Less chatter. More eating. I want to see those mouths full!” Tiffany snatched Yoona by the cheeks and squeezed them for the others to observe. “Like this! Chipmunk chew.”

They groaned in unison and got chomping.

After a thorough bowl inspection, the breakfast tyrant dismissed Jessica from their kitchen. At last!

The text could have been from JiWook or Soojung, though her heart pounded as she scurried to the bedroom with a stomach packed with edible paste. Her eyes slid closed, preparing for something encouraging.

She wasn’t disappointed.

new single performnce tonite.

-ty

Her gut--no matter how maligned by Tiffany’s cooking--hadn’t let her down. Jessica sighed into her pillow, deciding what to do with this discovery.

“I should leave you hanging, Kim Taeyeon.”

The phone didn’t answer.

“That’s right. I’ll treat you how you treat me--coldly.” Jessica dropped the phone on her duvet, rose to her feet, and stomped to the door.

Only to sprint back onto the bed, giggling maniacally. Taeyeon reached out to her! Out of nowhere! Tiffany would deduct so many cool points (not that she wasn’t already in the negatives) for her excitement over an emoji-less, misspelled text. Jessica couldn’t stop grinning, though. Those screechy hours practicing “Pop Goes the Weasel” on her accordion may actually be put to use.

So, how to reply to Skandl’s honery leader?

“Oh god, oh god yessss, just fuck me,” she drawled faux-breathily, instantly cracking herself up.

Really--how to assess this situation? Jessica thought to flash the Fany Signal, but this was her special chance to be herself. Or, a cooler version.

She silently thanked Madam Hwang for the breakfast lockdown--it pushed in an hour-long period of waiting on Taeyeon’s end. Her legs swung giddily at the image of the cranky woman pacing grooves around their clean apartment, cursing technology every unanswered minute.

Will be busy with variety. I’ll keep my eyes peeled. :)))
-J

Was the triple-chin smiley too much? God, she shouldn’t have replied. Now, the ball was in Taeyeon’s court. She laid the phone at her side, content with that slice of elation.

Then, the device hummed again and she fumbled to the fast reply.

its the midnight perf. see me live.

-ty

Jessica squealed. Could she break away after the taping for a Skandl midnight show? She remembered being so bummed when she missed the sold-out annual event last year. And it was no longer about the whole group. Taeyeon typed “see me live”. An invitation.

She ran to Tiffany with the news, goading her for a JiWook-evading plan. She left the message hanging for one reason: to keep Taeyeon guessing.

…

Anti stress and Jinnie’s lingering effect aside, by noon, Jessica was open to any amount of dumbassery. The cuddliest show yet featured a host with neon orange hair and a Hitler-ish mustache splitting them into groups for The Prettygurl Puppy Relay. In a team of Yoona, Sooyoung, and members of indie band Rosemary’s Babysitter, she raced (mostly stumbled) through a multicolored obstacle course, wrangling the dalmatian puppy nestled within her arms. Sooyoung and a Rosemary’s Babysitter girl were disqualified for losing control of their fuzzy lapdogs, leaving Jessica to suffer the final stretch alone against the other team’s athletic captain, Nana.

She admitted defeat, slumping onto Yoona’s shoulder as the host crowned the winning team as “Puppy Princesses”. It didn’t take much to keep Jessica smiling all episode. This was her kind of public exposure--goofing off without boyfriend questions, nosy digs into her family life, and room to create more scandal.

Taking advantage of the setting, Jessica sucked up the nerve to round both teams in for a group photo. They obliged accordingly and exchanged several Picpockette follows. A big step in the right direction--especially for her progress with Sooyoung.

“Pick that one; we’re the hottest there,” Sooyoung ordered with a long pointer. When the woman’s arm wrapped casually around her neck, Jessica selected the preferred photo at once. She couldn’t remember them ever being this close.

She leaned in, encouraging the skinship. “Done and done.”

“I’m thinking about opening my own account. Looks simple enough.”

“You should!”

“Hyo’s been meaning to get on, too. Prepare for vaguely drunk captions and broken hashtags.”

Jessica snickered as she tagged her new app friends. “She can get away with it. She always does.”

“Skandl’s long-lost fourth member.”

Her breath stilled at the mention of her favorite group. Sooyoung’s eyebrows perked knowledgeably. “It’s true, then? One of the members is your girlfriend?”

Jessica shut their stylist room door, nervously searching the empty space. “I wouldn’t call us girlfriends.”

“Which one, which one?” Sooyoung untucked her paw-printed t-shirt. “Fany forever complained about gay double-dating and out of nowhere, it stops. I knew it!”

“Shh. I--” Jessica squeaked when the door shifted open. It was only Yoona.

Sooyoung charged at the unsuspecting girl, grappling her noisily until she managed a firm headlock. Yoona’s face reddened despite the layers of makeup. “Yoongs, be a dear and tell me who Jessica’s dating.”

“Me! We’re in love!”

“I will pop your fruity head like a grape, Im.”

Choi Sooyoung’s over-the-top shenanigans were growing on Jessica. “Let her go. She doesn’t know, either.”

“That you’re fucking Taeyeon? Yeah, I do!”

She could feel the blood draining from her cheeks. “Why would you think that?”

Yoona elbowed from Sooyoung’s slackened grip to catch her balance. “Saw her sulking past our room backstage. I found it odd, so tracked her down the hall and that’s when you visited Yul and Fany’s fucking closet. Therefore, you’re fucking.”

“Damnit,” Sooyoung groaned, “Taeyeon’s a capital B bitch. Sunny’s superior.”

A fire went off in Jessica’s chest. “For the record, Tae’s not so bad. And we’re talking, not fucking.”

“Same thing, as far as I’m concerned.”

Yoona nodded at Sooyoung’s pseudo-profound statement. “Indubitably. Fucking and your so-called talking are totally synonyms. Are you talking with her tonight?”

“We have a thing,” she rattled off, twisting a curl of her ponytail.

They actually had a thing!

The tall duo tag-team bullied Jessica the whole ride home. Their interests had been piqued, so they flicked her nose, poked her sides, pulled her hair, threatened to tattle to JiWook--anything, really--to weasel out more details. As they bombarded with inquiries ranging from Taeyeon’s income to choice of below-the-belt landscaping (she knew the answers to neither), Jessica’s excitement for the midnight show expanded to ozone-puncturing heights. She’d only sampled a bite of Kim Taeyeon’s less-than-assholic side and it whet her appetite for more.

“You’re so smitten, Sica,” Yoona crooned through teasing lips.

She couldn’t curb her smile. “A little.”

“Ladies,” JiWook interrupted, less-than-pleased by their hushed giggles while he escorted them out the elevator, “You have a late schedule tomorrow. I trust you’ll spend it relaxing in the dorm. No boys.”

“No boys,” they echoed, eyes loris-round and innocent.

The stocky man, baseball cap shadowing his suspicious frown, eyed the dorm’s parameter as though naked men were hidden under every piece of furniture. When, not shockingly, the girls didn’t spill the gay beans on the night time affair, he left.

Sooyoung showily yawned at his suspicion. “Your secret’s safe with me.”

Jessica narrowed her eyes. “Is it?”

“I don’t tell Hyo everything.”

“She’d probably be too drunk to remember,” Yoona added in for a cheap laugh.

“Oh my god, I’m right here!” Hyoyeon grumbled, one hand stroking Miso, the other clutching a bottle of Chardonnay.

“We’re not blind, lady!”

After another chat and a sip of wine, they divided into their respective rooms. Jessica knew a Tiffany Hwang toting a rigid list of outfit choices awaited her on the other side of their bedroom door. The bossy cherry atop a pleasant day. And it’d get sweeter, if their strategy panned out successfully.

…

Reaping benefits of idol status had never felt so good. One onceover from a staff manager and the Lucky two were ushered to VIP balcony seats of the packed auditorium. Though on the second floor, the protruding design of the structure allowed a close, clear view without being whisked away in the sweaty general admission wave. They’d already turned a few heads by their attendance.

“Is this safe, Fany?”

Tiffany busied her speedy thumbs on her phone. “Too late to second-guess. Want to see our girls backstage before it starts?”

Her pulse hammered at the mention of ‘their girls’. “S-sure.”

Security lined a path downstairs to curtains sealing behind-the-scenes action. The CEO of Lim Theatrics owned several of these renovated theatres. They added a unique credibility to special shows under their label.

Her sheer blouse was Tiffany’s donation--straight from the Hwang Shrine of Hotness. Classy to slip on for a shoot; see-through to make impressions. The black silk button-up hid just enough, subtly showing off her upper abs. Jessica rushed past a gawking stagehand, self-consciously crossing her arms over her chest when he lowly wolf-whistled. “Creepers are staring.”

“Where?” Tiffany eyes hardened to shanks. “Point ‘em out and I’ll have them fired.”

Worrying on the sleazeball’s job, Jessica shook her head. “Um, not sure. He disappeared.”

“Damn that coat check.” Tiffany steered the blonde, protective hands seizing her shoulders. “We have to hurry.”

They spotted Yuri first. Tailored in head-to-toe black, she blended into the walls. The musician glimpsed up from her guitar when they approached.

“Groupies, my specialty.”

Tiffany pinched the tiny space between her girlfriend’s shorts and thigh-high boots. “Quiet, you ass.”

Aware of their surroundings, Yuri flashed a smidgen of palpable attraction. She nodded at Jessica hovering nearby. “You made it! Tae swore you wouldn’t.”

Jessica smirked at her small triumph. “Is she available?”

“Sunny!”

She almost swallowed her tongue as the saucy platinum-haired woman materialized in their small circle. “‘Sup, Fany,” Sunny greeted with an air-kiss. Then, she made eyes with Jessica and a heavy moment scraped by.

“Oh shit, have you two met?” Yuri babbled, decimating tension in a flustered snort. “Jess, that’s Sunny. Sunny, Jess.”

Jessica put her best effort into a standard smile. “Hi, Sunny.”

“Sweet top. I can see your bra.”

Yuri looked ready to die. “Sunny! Jeez.”

“Am I supposed to ignore breasts?”

“Sunny, you gotta…” Yuri bowed an apology to the blushing blonde and a very amused Tiffany. “Have you seen Tae anywhere? Jess wants to wish her good luck.”

“There’s time for that?” Sunny’s suggestive pause put Yuri in a comical panic.

“Not like that, or…is it?”

Jessica covered her giggle with both hands. “No! I was--it’d be nice to see her before she goes on.”

Sunny responded less-than-enthusiastically. “She already left for the stage. If you run, you can catch her.”

Was that her cue to dash off? She threw the question silently to her groupmate.

Tiffany’s pretty fingers shooed briskly. “You heard the girl. Go!”

Jessica backtracked through their path and a busy tech crew, praying she wouldn’t bump into that sleazeball again. Clicking in heels as inconspicuously as possible, she realized she chose the wrong side--should have went stage left instead. The jealous corner of her mind swore Sunny omitted that bit of information on purpose. Frustrated, she drew her fingers into her hair and waited for Tiffany.

A blinking array of light tests led Jessica’s curious eyes to the space across the stage. If she squinted, she could make out some people.

That’s when she saw the shock of silver hair. It had to be Sunny, meaning somewhere in the darkness--

“Tae!” she squeaked in a whisper, knowing the woman would never hear her from that distance. Jessica excused herself around some guys pointing at an untaped wire. She was determined to get a clearer view.

And she did. Taeyeon and Sunny moved closer to the stage. A step or two away from giving the audience the best night of their lives. “Come on, Tae.” She honed all her attention to Taeyeon’s averted eyes, attempting her best shot at telepathy.

Slowly but surely, the other woman finally made a connection as a host on-stage talked up the crowd. Jessica grasped into her purse to recover her phone. She lit the screen and waved it frantically. Hopefully, Taeyeon hadn’t put hers away yet.

Taeyeon motioned a “wait a sec” gesture and faded beyond the red curtains. Heartbeats later, she reappeared and displayed her own screen. Jessica hadn’t a chance to think twice until her phone buzzed in her palm.

“Tae! Hi,” she hissed into the receiver, eyes trained to the rockstar’s.

“Hi back.”

Those ‘hi backs’ got her every time. “My manager’s going to piss himself when he finds out I’m here, so impress me.”

“That won’t be hard.”

If only she could cross the stage and suck that smug smirk right off her face. Jessica softened her voice, caressing the edge of her phone. “You’re so hot in leather pants.”

The smugness vanished. Taeyeon angled her head away to whisper. “Listen to the lyrics of the last song.”

“I know all your songs.”

“Then, then…” Sunny said something to her. She nodded. “Listen anyway.”

“I will.”

“Cool. And um--” A cough sounded. “You have on a skirt. It is...gold. Gold is, ya know….”

“I’m sorry?”

“It suits your...you, um...you’re like an opulent jewel thing. Fuck--” She watched Taeyeon tear the phone from her ear to shake her head. “Do you know what I’m trying to say?”

Taeyeon was struggling to make a compliment. Her pride swelled. “I think so. Thank you.”

“Kay, bye.”

The lights dimmed and Tiffany’s hand secured onto her arm. “Let’s get to our seats,” she whispered.

Jessica hazed back into the rest of the world, appreciating the cloud of space the stagehands gave her while she was murmuring through her phone call. She thanked them silently, even the previously busy-eyed creeper who kept his head down this time.

…

The Ave Maria rendition of “Love Cut Open” topped the setlist. Witnessing Taeyeon twirling and lifting Lee Sunkyu with barrels of intimate grace had her mentally fast-forwarding the performance. However, at the end, when she bent nose-to-nose with the woman--no kiss. Tiffany patted her friend’s shoulder while it sank in relief.

Skandl committed every ounce of skill into twelve subsequent songs. And without a doubt, entertaining was her dark-haired favorite’s forte. Taeyeon snarled, jumped in time, threw signed guitar chips, and even shed tears according to the music pouring from oversized speakers. Polar opposite of the stuttering woman using “jewel thing” as a form of praise. Little tickly things in the pit of Jessica’s stomach responded favorably to both Taeyeons.

“Now, for our last song,” she dabbed her forehead with a towel as the audience groaned disapproval. Yuri and Sunny took seats on stage, sipping water bottles. “For our last song, I’ll be singing acapella.”

The edge of Jessica’s seat dug into her ass. She couldn’t help but to slant forward, taking in as much of the lead singer as possible.

Taeyeon stammered. “It’s uh...called ‘Lithograph’ and um, it’s a song about leaping into the unknown and...yeah. Here it goes.”

Her clear voice, stripped of background commotion and dance moves, expressed vulnerability absent from the polished studio tricks. This one was wounded; words cracked in the most beautiful, natural ways. Taeyeon’s eyes remained closed for the entire song, so she couldn’t see...Tiffany couldn’t see...Yuri, Sunny, and the surrounding Rumors couldn’t see…

In the darkness of the balcony, nobody could see the moment Jessica fell in love. She figuratively slipped from that cushioned chair and plunged into every lyric, hum, and quirk of the singer’s tone, absorbing all emotion spilling from her lips. Jessica smoothed a hand over her sheer chest where her heart capered. It’d never occur to her that she’d reach this mark so quickly, so foolishly--especially when she couldn’t answer Sooyoung’s shallow questions or play Hyperballad on a monstrosity. But she knew what she felt--it was love.

Startled by the revelation, she followed Tiffany in a daze after the finale. It wasn’t until they earned privacy in a small dressing room that Jessica shuddered from her trance.

Tiffany and her girlfriend were swept up in a tight embrace. She smiled at their easy exchange. Three years without a hitch. What a blessing.

Sunny showed up for a fleeting minute, packing her duffle bag and tossing a cursory farewell only to the YulTi couple. Jessica had no time to be offended for Taeyeon glided in right after, looking quite pale.

“Tae,” Jessica side-glanced at Tiffany who was too entrenched to notice them. “What’s wrong?”

“How’d you like Lithograph?”

Being face-to-face, all she wanted to do was kiss her. “Perfect. Better than the album version.”

Some color flowed to Taeyeon’s face. “Cool. I was…” Hands balled into tight pockets, she made sure the huggers were out of earshot before lowering her volume. “I was singing to you.”

The tickly things re-animated. “You have a gift.”

“Not underwhelming?”

This asshole. Jessica buried her face into her jacket. “Whatever.”

“I um, I wanted to find you in the audience. I got too shy.”

“You can’t be shy because I’m shy.”

“Why would you be shy?”

“Why would you?”

Taeyeon playfully pursed her lips. “Want food?”

“Oh.” Maybe that fluttering in her stomach was hunger. “I haven’t eaten since this morning, so, yes.”

“Yo, sex bunnies!” the woman called out, “Jinho should be be parked out back. Late night rice run?”

Yuri grinned ear-to-ear, slinging an arm around Tiffany’s waist. “Only the two couples tonight, eh?”

Taeyeon made a choking noise. “Damnit, Yul. Stop being stupid. If you’re asking if Sunny’s not coming to the dorm tonight, that’d be a yes. She’s staying at a friend’s.”

“Couples’ night it is! So gay!”

They lingered in the doorway once Tiffany and Yuri danced out. Jessica braced herself, wondering if a mere kiss would finish the job of Taeyeon’s obvious meltdown.

“After you,” she cooed, pulling at the knob.

Taeyeon studied her for several seconds. Hesitantly, she started walking.

Up close, her hotness was unavoidable. Those leather pants mimicked every contour of her backside and legs. The arch of her high heel boots curved everything in the right directions. Yes, definitely a cute ass. A cute, shy ass.

She knew Taeyeon sensed her eyes running rampant. Therefore, she waited for the moment Taeyeon glanced over her shoulder to shamelessly scope out her goods. With a flicker of a gaze, Jessica met her mildly shocked face and winked.

If the blonde wasn’t so centered on appearing sexy, she would have burst into teeny weeny, dorky laughing pieces.

…

“And in the end, they all die. Like, what the fuck?” Yuri exclaimed as they traipsed into a slightly messier Skandl pad.

Taeyeon growled, exasperated. “Spoiler alert?”

“You weren’t gonna see that movie.”

“Not after your lukewarm summary, I won’t.”

“Who’s thirsty?” Yuri shoved her head into the fridge, narrating its contents. “We got water, some yellow substance in a jar--Jesus, is that urine?--a couple beers, and juice boxes. Bear in mind we weren’t expecting visitors.”

“Babe, put this in the fridge,” Tiffany exchanged eyes with Jessica as she pulled a package from her huge purse. “And grab me a water.”

“Alrighty. One water for my love, a beer for me...who wants the other? It’s pear.”

Jessica and Taeyeon’s eyes connected for the first time since the ass-staring incident. Taeyeon visibly gulped, murmuring, “You can have it.”

Yuri parodied a damsel faint. “Giving it away? You gentle-fucking-lady…”

“Yul, shut up.”

Taeyeon was adorable while flustered, but Jessica tried to soften the blow. “We can share.”

From the redness staining her cheeks, Taeyeon would sooner accept the jar of pee than her harmless offer. “I’m not thirsty anyways.”

Yeah, right.

Switching gears, Taeyeon dumped the contents of a plastic ‘Have a Nice Day’ bag onto the counter. “Okayyy, we ordered a variety of fillings and those assholes didn’t label anything. Because they’re assholes. So, have at ‘em.”

Yuri situated four collapsible stools around their kitchen counter--two on either side. “3:32 in the morning dinner. Feast of champions.”

“Right on.”

“JiWook and Seohyun would have our asses about eating this late.” Jessica snickered, unwrapping the closest bundle.

Taeyeon quietly perched onto the stool at her side. “Is your manager strict?”

Proximity and a question? Reeling, Jessica packed her mouth so Tiffany would answer.

Tiffany didn’t seem to mind. “That man’s so wound up he’d snap if we ate a Tic Tac before bed. So, we behave badly behind his back.”

Yuri spoke with a cheek full of rice. “Narsha wud neva.”

“Jealous.”

“God, Tae. Uncap Jessica’s drink.”

“How ‘bout you choke on them balls, bitch?” Taeyeon clinked a green metal opener to Jessica’s bottle. “I was gonna do this myself.”

“Pfft. You need all the help you can get.”

“I don’t.”

“You do.”

“I don’t.”

“You really do,” Tiffany chimed in, nibbling a piece of radish.

Grumbling, Taeyeon slid the drink over. “Here.”

Jessica snorted at the outward petulance. “Have some.”

“Fine.” The woman knocked the bottle back, taking a generous mouthful. “There. We’re sharing. Happy now?”

Jessica sipped right after and licked her lips. She had to savor any semblance of a kiss at this rate. Taeyeon came out of her shell in the comfort of their home, though having Yuri and Tiffany scrutinize her blunders slowed progress. “Mmm. It’s better this way.” A flirty wink escaped without a second thought.

“You wink a lot. Is it a twitch?”

The couple across the table’s heads sprung up with outrage. Jessica chuckled to diffuse the situation. “I’m just so thrilled about all our sharing. Eat the rest of this rice ball.”

“Why, is that one gross?”

“I found it too plain, a little dry. I don’t know…” And in a moment of insanity, she smashed the mushy substance directly into Taeyeon’s mouth. “Any thoughts?”

“Ah, fuck you,” Taeyeon fussed, though she steadily chewed anyway, “It is pretty dry.”

An emboldened Jessica plucked a couple grains sticking to Taeyeon’s lips and sucked them from her fingertip. “You make this taste better, too.”

“Hoh-kay, weirdos,” Tiffany muttered as she slid out her seat, “we should leave you to your own devices.”

Yuri’s grin couldn’t have been bigger. “But Fany, they’re having fun. We should--”

“You smoosh anything in my face and you’re sleeping on the floor.”

“Damnit.”

Jessica watched Taeyeon’s face mold from mirth to utter panic. “Hold on, you’re spending the night?”

“C’mon, Tae,” Yuri laughed, “they shouldn’t travel at this hour.”

Taeyeon wiped her chin clean, eyebrows creased in distress. “Ah--I should have been briefed or, or--”

“I brought a toothbrush,” Jessica mumbled guiltily, “Sorry to drop this on you.”

“What are you gonna wear?”

Yuri knocked on Taeyeon’s forehead. “Anybody home? You and Jess are practically the same size.”

“Yey, more sharing,” Tiffany teased, dragging Yuri into her bedroom, “Try sharing a bed, too!” Then, the door slammed.

Jessica twisted a stray wrapper between her fingertips. “I won’t mind the couch.”

“Great. I’ll unpack some blankets.”

“You have feelings for me, right, Tae?”

Taeyeon rolled her shoulders, churning out a stifled answer. “Meaning?”

“You’re not...involved with anyone. Like--I don’t know--Sunny...or Loco?”

“Loco!?”

“I have to ask.”

“Jessica...” The blonde’s ears heated at the sound of her name from Taeyeon’s mouth. It sounded so lovely. No accented lisp or non-practiced shakiness. “Loco has a dick. Don’t fall into the hype.”

Her dreaded weak voice returned. “Sunny?”

“A thing of the past.”

Jessica soaked in the short response. When Taeyeon didn’t flesh out an explanation, she went on. “Me?”

“You...you’ve managed to flip my world into something I don’t even recognize. I shouldn’t be so into you.”

“But, you are.”

Taeyeon scooted from the counter, creaking floorboards. “Couch?”

They settled on the worn-in sofa. Jessica took a chance to press their hips together, laying her head upon Taeyeon’s shoulder. She shivered when two soft arms lassoed her into a hug.

“Jessica…”

God, she loved hearing her name like that. “Tae?”

“I poured all my fears in the theatre, but you want an explicit statement, don’t you?”

“It’d help.”

Taeyeon’s cool sigh tickled follicles on the side of Jessica’s head. “You have the potential to destroy everything I’ve worked tirelessly to achieve. And for some wild reason, I won’t get over you. So, I’m going against my general nature to see where this um, takes us.”

The rhythm drumming at Taeyeon’s pulse had a melody of its own. Jessica lifted her gaze, snickered at the long fringe clinging to the woman’s eyelashes. “You’re growing your bangs out?”

“Yes. I fucking hate this hairstyle.”

“I’ve been your fan for years; you’d be an attractive baldy, if you wanted.”

“I’ll cut it off, then.”

“Don’t you dare!” Jessica perked on her rascally smirk, slurring through a sudden bout of drowsiness. “I need something I can hold onto.”

Warm breath licked at her ear. “For what?”

“Make a guess.” Her fingertips threaded through the silky darkness, massaging the woman’s scalp in light scratches and tugs.

Taeyeon’s coy headshake was interrupted by her thick yawn.

Jessica traced her lip with a thumb. “Someone’s sleepy.”

“This is my seduction face.”

“Oh, god.”

“It could use some work.”

Grinning, Jessica drank in Taeyeon’s lightly shaped eyebrows, how her cheekbones jutted out just so, the slight smearing of mascara frosted onto her lashes, the fine slope of her nose, that curved, sensuous jawline. “Will you kiss me goodnight?”

“Don’t you want to get comfortable?”

Jessica crossed her slender legs over Taeyeon’s lap, skin sliding against leather. She tucked her feet into the back cushions. Fencing the woman in, essentially. “This’ll do.”

“Hm.” Taeyeon nudged in a tentative kiss, testing the waters. When Jessica hummed encouragement, eyes twinkling something fierce, she dipped in for a few more barely-there brushes. Air and thin flesh outlined her lips. The tips of their noses kissed, too.

It gave Jessica chills. Having her so close, delicately sketching out the perfect touch. “I’m so happy, Tae.” Translation: I love you.

“Me, too.”

Jessica imagined her words as a mutual confession. “More.”

Gracefully complying, Taeyeon set the speed with lazy, snug snatches of Jessica’s bottom lip between her teeth. Then, she’d work at her top lip, powdering their space with muffled words-- her name, gibberish, lyrics. Agonizingly slow, delicious reverence.

Jessica’s desire to breathe the same breath, nurse each other’s tongues, heightened from want to need. This was Kim Taeyeon, outspoken lead singer of Skandl, and she could drive a girl crazy with the slightest, maddening contact.

Although, she happened to be Jessica Jung, leader of the biggest idol act in Korea. So, when she arched a request into yielding lips, Taeyeon’s tongue came out of hiding, stroked the back of Jessica’s throat, and gave in.




Do y’all see that over the horizon? Looks like Taeyeon and Jessica having sex. :oooo


Bbs tag-teamin' on Skandl. loll