The car slowed down to a final halt next to the sidewalk.

"I… have a few things to take care of," Yuri hesitated, looking at Jessica from the side. "I'll pick you up later. Call me, okay?"

Jessica nodded without saying a word and unbuckled her seatbelt. She exited the car, ignored Yuri's "Bye!" and shut the door. While walking into the huge main building of the hospital, she rummaged her handbag for her phone. She needed to text Sooyoung, Taeyeon and Tiffany before anything else.

-I just arrived at the hospital. Going to see mom now. Yuri wants me to stay at her place… I'll call later and tell you guys what happened.-

The text was sent, and Jessica put the phone on silent. She entered the building through the revolving door, approaching the reception right away.

"Hello, may I help you?" the receptionist asked her with a friendly smile.

"Yes… I'm here to see my mom. Jung Sanghee, please."

It took the nurse just a few seconds to find out where umma Jung was. "She's in the recovery station, it's in this building. You can take the elevator over there. Her room is on the fourth floor, number 418."

"Thank you."

Jessica made her way to the elevator with fast footsteps, having to pull herself together to not actually run. She couldn't wait to see her mom and Krystal again. After all, it had been almost a month that they were apart. She called and talked to her little sister very often, of course, but that wasn't the case with her mom.

Entering the elevator, she started to ponder on whether or not she should tell her mother about Yuri. She was sure her mom had better judgment than Sooyoung and wouldn't just forbid her from seeing Yuri. Besides that, good advice was something she could almost always count on when telling her mother her problems. She was in need of a good advice, now that Yuri’s engagement was driving their relationship to a possible end. She remembered that her mom did like and trust Yuri. A lot. Just like how she and Krystal both did as well.

Her heart was beating fast in anticipation and she couldn't help but to smile as she exited the elevator and immediately spotted room 418. She walked over quickly and opened the door.

"Unnie!"

Krystal jumped up from her seat as she saw Jessica and ran into the older’s arms. The sisters hugged, and Jessica stroked her sister's back comfortingly.

"What are you doing here?" Jessica asked, a hint of worry in her voice. "Shouldn't you be at school today?"

"My classes start late, unnie. I'm leaving in half an hour. When I don't have school, I'm always here with mom."

Jessica released Krystal's arms and proceeded further into the room. She immediately spotted the woman she was longing to see. It went all against her expectations. Her mom looked so weak, so pale, still so sick.

"Mom…" her voice trembled as she sat down next to the bed, taking the sleeping woman's hand into hers. "Mom…"

"She is recovering, but still weak, unnie" Krystal whispered silently. "Yesterday, when they decided to move her to the recovery station, she still had to struggle real hard just to give me a smile. That's why most of the time, she's asleep. When she's awake, though, she barely speaks anyway." Krystal pulled a chair next to Jessica, heaving a sigh. "If she speaks, she always whispers that she wants to see you, unnie."

Jessica looked at her mom and felt her heart aching. She turned around to her sister and hugged her again. She felt so bad for leaving Krystal alone with their mom like this.

"I shouldn't have left," she tremblingly said. "This is too hard for you, Krystal."

"No, it's okay," Krystal patted her unnie's back this time. She released the hug and smiled at her older sister. "I'm used to this. Mom's woken up, the worst days are over. She's getting better now."

Jessica stroke her sister's cheek fondly, her other hand holding tightly onto Krystal's.

"Unnie, I want you to tell me everything that's happened in the hotel. Sunny unnie told me that Yuri unnie came back. Why didn't you tell me?"

Jessica's face expression changed upon the mention of Yuri. "It's a long story, Krys. So many things happened."

"Well, I still have twenty minutes time."

----------

Jessica ended up summing up the story within fifteen minutes. Krystal was silent throughout, not giving a comment, even when Jessica reached the end with Yuri threatening to have her expelled. Instead, younger girl kept quiet and stared on the floor with a pensive look on her face. When Jessica asked her what she was thinking, she stood up and smiled at her sister.

"I don't know unnie. I gotta go to school. I'll call you later."

She gave Jessica a hug before grabbing her jacket and school bag to head out. In the doorway, however, she stopped and turned around the last time. She looked at her sister, sighing.

"I guess… she really loves you, unnie."

Jessica was then left alone with the sleeping patient in the room, her thoughts wandering back and forth between Yuri and her family. She didn't know how long she was sitting there, lost in thoughts, until the hand she was holding suddenly twitched lightly. 

"Mom," Jessica's body jolted up.

Mrs Jung's eyelids slowly opened. She turned her head to the side, and a smile crept up on her face at the sight of her oldest daughter.

"Jessica…" Mrs Jung whispered softly.

"I'm sorry I didn't come sooner, mom," Jessica pulled her mom's hand up to her face, pressing it against her cheek. "I shouldn't have left you and Krystal here. I'm sorry."

"It's okay, dear…" Mrs Jung closed and opened her eyes in a gesture that said Jessica needn't worry. "I want you… to find your dad, Jessica…"

"Dad?"

"I want to see him," Mrs Jung whispered and nodded her head lightly. "I need to see him… before it's too late."

"Mom, what are you talking about?" Jessica asked weakly. "Please don't talk like that. Nothing will be too late."

But Mrs Jung just smiled. The woman stroked her daughter's cheek lovingly, then dropped her arm and heaved a tired sigh. She was still looking at Jessica, even though drowsiness was starting to take over again.

"I love you," the elder said softly.

"I love you too, mom."

Jessica hugged her mother as she laid her head on the woman's chest, her arms wrapped around the blanket. She kept the embrace tight for a while, disregarding the lone tear that rolled down her cheek.

No, she wouldn't let her mom go. Everything was going to be fine. Her mom would recover and her dad would return. Yuri would choose her over her fiancée and take care of everything else. The other Kwons would go to jail instead, and she was going to live a happy, worriless life with the ones she loved.

She suppressed a sob as tears rolled down her cheeks in silence. Reality was going to wake her up soon enough from this dream, inexorable and ruthless at that.

----------

Jessica exited the hospital building and entered the chilly air outside. She had stayed with her mom for hours; it was time to go. Her fingers ran over the keypad as she texted Yuri to come, her feet carrying her to the sidewalk. She waited until the text was sent, then dropped the phone into her bag.

"Jessica!"

Jessica's head turned to the voice, and she saw Sunny waving at her cheerily. They greeted, hugged, and Jessica found herself smiling again.

"I'm so glad to see you here," Sunny said out of breath, fanning herself. "Sooyoungie was urging me to find you, she almost drove me crazy. I rushed to the hospital immediately after work ended. Why didn't you pick up her calls?"

Jessica bit her bottom lip in guilt. "I… I was with my mom."

"Sica," Sunny chuckled. "You don't have to hide it from me. I can see it in your face. You're dreading to talk to her about Yuri, right?"

"You know?"

"She told me. That's why she wanted me to look for you quickly. To stop you from going to Yuri's place."

Jessica sighed, shaking her head. "I can't. She was blackmailing me."

"She what?!" Sunny became alert at once, and Jessica was taken aback by how much the look on Sunny's face resembled Sooyoung at that very moment.

"No, it's okay," Jessica quickly said. "I don't think she really meant it. She was just… desperate. Which I can understand, to an extent."

"But Sica, if she's gone that far, how do you know she wouldn't do anything worse?"

"Honestly? I don't know," Jessica admitted. "But I chose to believe that she won't do anything to harm me."

"Are you sure?"

Before Jessica could answer, a familiar-looking car stopped next to them. The window was wound down slowly, and Yuri's face appeared from the inside.

"Hi Sunny."

"Hi."

Sensing Sunny and Yuri's awkwardness, Jessica opened her bag and took out Sooyoung's letter.

"Yes, I'm sure," she told Sunny with a reassuring smile. "And this is from Sooyoung. For you."

Sunny took the letter, a smile of gratitude on her face. Jessica gave the short girl a hug, whispered into her ear "Don't worry about me," and got into the car.

After watching the car roll off, Sunny remained standing on the sidewalk for a while, thinking whether or not to call Sooyoung and tell her that Jessica was staying with Yuri. In the end, she decided against it and put Sooyoung's letter into her bag, approaching the hospital building. Since she's already here, it didn't hurt to give umma Jung a visit.

----------

Yuri opened the apartment door and stepped aside, beckoning Jessica to enter first as a gesture of chivalry. The blonde didn't seem to be impressed, however, and just followed the gesture with an indifferent look.

A breeze of nostalgia grazed Jessica's heart at the sight of the familiar foyer. Everything from the shoe rack to the mirror was still the same. She glanced into the apartment and realized the familiarity applied to just about everything else. How many times had she been to this apartment already? She had lost count. It was like her second home.

"Are you hungry?" Yuri asked as she helped Jessica taking off her coat.

"A little."

"I've made dinner." Yuri picked up Jessica's luggage bag and they went inside. "Why don't you go wash up a little? I'll set the table in the mean time."

Jessica nodded and slowly made her way towards the bathroom. She couldn't help thinking: so this is it? Yuri was going to marry someone else, she was never going to forgive her for that, and here they were, together for a dinner that Yuri prepared, acting like nothing was wrong with their relationship. She could feel how Yuri was trying to hold onto everything that still existed between them, but it wasn't going to work this way.

She took her time to wash her hands, then splashed cold water on her face, sorting out the chaos in her head. When she came into the kitchen, Yuri was already waiting for her, the table set with inviting food and red wine. Jessica took the place on the opposite of Yuri, and they started eating in silence.

"Do you like the food?" Yuri asked after a while, refilling Jessica's wine glass.

"I do."

Yuri smiled. The compliment seemed to have given her a little more courage to believe she would be able to get them out of this ridiculous awkwardness, and so she wiped her mouth with the tissue next to her, placing the cutlery on the table. Jessica's chewing got slower and slower as Yuri clasped her hand above the plate, watching the blonde eat.

"How's your mom?" Yuri asked.

"She's better… but so much weaker than I expected." Jessica chewed and swallowed, contemplating whether or not to tell Yuri more. "She… wants me to stay in the city." She went with half the truth.

"Then stay."

"I will. But I'll move to Sooyoung's parent's house tomorrow, you don't have to—"

"Sica." Yuri's voice was soft with an undertone of plead. "Don't do that to me."

"Do what, Yuri?" Jessica retorted sharply, putting her cutlery down. They both looked at each other, neither of them feeling like eating anymore. "Do you think I enjoy being here?"

Even though the tanned girl didn't show it, Jessica knew Yuri was hurt by those words. She kept her blank and emotionless face as Yuri heaved a sad sigh.

"I'm sorry," Yuri quietly said. "For threatening you with Krystal earlier. But I had no other choice."

"That doesn't justify it," Jessica shook her head. "I'll never forgive you if you ever do something like that for real."

"I… I just don't want you to leave me."

"It's not about me leaving, Yuri. It's about you. You want to have me, but you don't want to leave your grandfather."

Yuri's eyebrow furrowed and she avoided Jessica's eyes by looking away.

"It's not like that, Sica—"

"Then what is it? I don't even know why you're hesitating, Yuri! If you really loved me, you would have already chosen me the moment your grandfather appeared in the hotel. If you really meant what you told me the night before, you wouldn't have trouble choosing at all. But here I am, insecure again because I don't know what's going on in your mind, because you obeyed every word your grandfather says instead of listening to me, because you're going to have a fiancée and she is not me, and because you promised to straighten things out but you aren't. Are you just lying to me again, Yuri? Is that it?"

"No it's not!" Yuri exclaimed as her eyes automatically returned to stare into Jessica's. "I didn't lie. I mean every word I say, Sica. But I can't. I can't do anything against my grandfather right now. It's complicated… you don't understand."

"I really don't. But I don't accept this as a reason for you to hold onto your grandfather's side. All I know is you can't have both, Yuri. I love you, but you have to decide. Is it me, or is it your career, your business, and your grandfather?"

"Jessica…" Yuri's voice went weak as she looked pleadingly at the blonde. "You know you are much more important to me than any of those things. But I can't leave them and my grandfather yet. It's not about the money, it's about our own safety. If I left now, grandfather would destroy us both. Just with a snap of his fingers, the Noh Chain will collapse like a house of cards. I can't take seeing all you have shatter again, with me being the reason why it had to happen in the first place. I can't risk it, Sica."

"Then you're just going to do everything he tells you? Do you want to live like that forever? If he destroys us, Yuri, then at least, we'd be still together. Otherwise, you can stand alone at his side. Don't count on my support and trust in you anymore."

Jessica pushed back her chair and stood up.

"Sica, please—"

She turned her back and left the kitchen without another word.

----------

The entire evening, Jessica didn't talk to Yuri again. Yuri tried to approach her, but she made it clear that she wasn't willing to listen to whatever Yuri wanted to say. In the end, Yuri had to give up and just silently grabbed her things and went to the couch in the living room, leaving Jessica alone to use the bedroom for the night.

Jessica didn't want to see Yuri, but eventually had to leave the room to use the bathroom before sleeping. She went pass the living room, only giving herself a second to look at Yuri. The girl had document papers scattered all over the coffee table, the usual image of the old workaholic Yuri. When Jessica was done and exited the bathroom, she saw Yuri sitting on the same spot on the couch, except the girl was now not focusing on work but seemed like to have waited for her.

"Sica, if I can show you the immense power of my grandfather, will you believe that I have no other option?"

Jessica just wanted to quickly walk by, but that made her stop and look at Yuri.

"What do you mean?"

"Be my assistant. Go with me to work. I'll show you everything about the Kwon Enterprise. You'll see then what I mean."

Jessica's eyes widened. "Are you out of your mind?"

"No, I'm not. If this is the only way I can make you believe me…"

Jessica took a deep breath before answering with every word stressed. "I will not go to the Kwon Enterprise and see your grandfather and Jiyong everyday, Yuri." She thought that should have made it clear.

"Then take it as a job I'm offering you," Yuri stood up, just as much determination in her eyes. "I'll pay you daily. How's that?"

"Do you really think money can change my mind?" Jessica snapped angrily. If Yuri was thinking like that, there was nothing left for her to say.

"No. I just want to show you that you won't have any disadvantages by accepting my offer. Please, consider it, Sica. I am serious."

Jessica shook her head. She broke the gaze with Yuri and went to the bedroom, closing the door. That proposal was ridiculous. She had thought about what Yuri said, that her grandfather was powerful and dangerous and everything, and because she was calmer after the talk in the kitchen, she had to admit Yuri did have a point. But the stubbornness in her refused to sacrifice again, it refused to put her in a state of insecurity again, to make her dependent on Yuri again. And now, the same stubbornness declined Yuri's proposal, because working for the family that destroyed her family just plainly went against her common sense. She might have forgiven Yuri because she loved her so much, but not her grandfather, and never Jiyong.

Just then, her phone went off and the caller ID read Sooyoung.

"Hey," she picked up immediately.

"Jessica Jung. You promised to call but you didn't, and then you didn't even pick up my calls. What's the big idea?"

"I'm sorry," Jessica said, sighing. "There's a lot going on, I just forgot."

"How is your mom? I talked to Sunny just now, she said umma is getting better."

"She is, but she's still weak."

And Jessica told Sooyoung about her mother's wish to see her father. She said that she was going to stay in the city for a while, and that she was going to move to Sooyoung's parents' place to live with Krystal, if that was okay. Sooyoung, of course, agreed. Jessica briefed her friend on her conversations with Yuri. She expected the short-tempered girl to go ballistic, but was surprised by a long silence entering as she ended her report.

"What is it?" Jessica asked carefully.

"Actually… I wanted to talk to you about it."

Sooyoung's voice had a strange tone that made Jessica bit her lip in worry. She could sense that something weird was going on.

"I actually think you should accept Yuri's offer."

"What?" Jessica jolted up on her bed. "Are you serious?"

"Yes," Sooyoung sighed. "Look, I've talked to Hyoyeon about the matter between Yuri and us, and she's pointed out several things I didn't notice before. Now I believe Yuri actually has something to do with the disappearance of your dad."

"What do you mean? That she's kidnapped him? That's ridiculous, Sooyoung!"

"I don't know… If Yuri wasn't involved, there's still a possibility of Jiyong or their grandfather."

"What makes you suddenly think they have something to do with my dad's runaway?"

"Your dad wouldn't be able to escape without the help of someone else. You yourself said that it's so out of character for him to do that, didn't you?"

"It's true, but why would he be willing to run away, even if someone helped him? He should have known the court can sentence him without his presence, and that only to his disadvantage. It still doesn't make sense to me."

"The point is, he doesn't have the ability to escape by himself. Whether he did it voluntarily or forced, we don't know. And really, I can't think of a better place to start investigating than the Kwons' place. Everything about them is fishy. They are our number one lead."

Jessica kept quiet as she bit her lip, thinking about Sooyoung's words.

"So… I should accept Yuri's proposal?"

"Yeah… if you can cope with it."

Jessica sighed. "I'll try."

"That's good. Remember to gain as much information as you can. Don't make Jiyong and the grandfather suspect you. The best way is to pretend that Yuri forced you to take the job, so that she'll have to deal with them while you can be the undercover spy."

A tired smile crept on Jessica's face. "You're having too much fun playing secret agent, Soo."

"Pfft," Sooyoung made, a chuckle following afterwards. "I'm serious though. Be careful."

"I will… Don't worry."

"Oh and Sica."

"Yeah?"

"Keep a clear head. Don't let Yuri's sweet words make you weak again."

----------

It was almost midnight when Jessica exited the bedroom. She opened the door as quietly as possible, not wanting to make any noise that would catch Yuri's attention. Her worries, however, faded away quickly as she spotted the tanned girl lying on the couch, already drowned in her deepest dreams. She wanted to tell Yuri she accepted her offer, but seemed like she had to do that next morning.

Nonetheless, Jessica went up to the couch and adjusted the blanket to cover Yuri's body properly. She kneeled down next to the sleeping girl and shook her head at the familiar sight of Yuri's silly sleeping habit. Her hand gently pushed Yuri's chin up, making the girl's tongue go back inside her mouth again. Jessica's lips curved up slightly, her hand moving up to Yuri's cheek as she held it carefully.

I love you, she thought in her head, and her lips slowly aimed for Yuri's. You make me upset most of the time, but I can't seem to stop myself from feeling this way about you…

But when her lips were only an inch apart from Yuri's, Sooyoung's words suddenly popped up in her mind again. She stopped herself in time and sighed against Yuri's lips instead of kissing them. She forced her head to retreat and eventually stood up, grazing Yuri's cheek one last time.

If Yuri really meant everything she said, if Yuri really deserved this second chance Jessica was giving her, then one day, they'd be able to kiss again, to make love, to treasure each other without anybody else coming in their way. Until that day, Jessica knew she needed to wait.

"Good night," she whispered and made her way to the bedroom.

In all honesty, she didn't believe Yuri knew where her father was.