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Krystal wants to be anywhere but here.
SM is throwing a company party at some fancy place for its artists. For a great first half of the year or something stupid like that, she doesn’t know. She hadn’t really been paying attention to what her manager was saying before she’d point-blank turned down the invitation.
She absolutely refuses to play happy label family with the company and the artists who had thrown her actual family out.
And yet here she is anyway, tucked away in a corner all by herself and hating everything.
Because Sulli whined and wheedled for her best friend to come with her to her first SM-related appearance in almost a year. Because Krystal was always weak when it comes to Sulli.
But Sulli had been pulled away almost an hour ago by an overly excited Seulgi and she hasn’t been back since, leaving Krystal by herself since Luna and Amber are both out there socializing, and Victoria is a thousand miles away in China.
And aside from her members, there’s really nobody in this hole Krystal feels like talking to. Maybe Jongin or Irene but Jongin’s recovering from an injury and she hasn’t seen Irene at all since she got here.
She’s been playing with her phone for the better part of an hour and she’s felt a pair of eyes on her for maybe half of that. Her battery is running low and she has an uneasy feeling whoever’s been staring at her might actually talk to her and god, Krystal wants absolutely none of that.
She sends a quick text to Sulli to tell her she’s leaving and to have fun with Seulgi (she tries not to make that last part sound so passive-aggressive) and makes her exit, already dialing Jessica
Her sister sounds exasperated when she picks up. “Soojung, you’re supposed to be at a party, not talking to me.”
“The party blows. And Jinri left me alone,” Krystal pouts. “Where are you? Can you come pick me up?”
There’s a pause and Krystal immediately regrets asking. This whole situation isn’t easy for Jessica, Krystal has seen it first hand, and she can’t have made it any easier just now.
“Unnie,” she starts, about to say that she’ll have Sulli’s manager drive her home instead but Jessica interrupts her.
“I’m about ten minutes away. I’ll be there soon okay?”
“Okay,” she says in a small voice. “Thank you, unnie.”
“See you, Soojung.”
They hang up and Krystal stares at her phone, wondering if she’ll have enough time to drop by Jessica’s favorite pastry shop after her photoshoot tomorrow. Probably not. Whatever, she’ll make time.
“Soojung?”
Krystal stiffens at the sound of that voice and clenches her jaw. Just the person she’d been hoping to avoid. She doesn’t turn around and doesn’t answer, she concentrates on writing a gibberish text to Jongin just so she can have something to occupy her hands. Her whole countenance screams ‘Go away!’ but Tiffany had never let that stop her before.
“I saw you leave. Is everything okay?”
Of course she saw her leave. Tiffany had been the one staring at her like a creep for most of the event.
“I’m fine,” she says brusquely, staring intently at the neon sign across the street. “You should go back inside.”
“Are you waiting for your ride? I can wait with you if you’d like.”
“Do whatever you want,” she mutters.
She hopes Tiffany gets the message. Krystal doesn’t want to talk to her, doesn’t even want to be anywhere near her other than what is contractually required. There used to be a time when she’d have gone running to the older girl, demanding attention and gossip. But that was before her sister spent the better part of a week crying.
Tiffany doesn’t leave but neither does she say anything and for that, at least, Krystal is grateful.
The silence stretches on between them and though she isn’t looking at her, Krystal can sense Tiffany start to say something and then stop herself several times while she studiously fiddles with her dead phone. It’s awkward and strained and Krystal thinks good because she never wants Tiffany to feel comfortable around her again.
It’s not until Jessica’s Mercedes comes through the gates and there’s a sharp gasp beside her that Krystal curses herself for not thinking ahead and sending her away.
“Go back inside,” she orders, whirling on Tiffany.
Tiffany’s eyes are rooted to the car. “Is – is that – ?”
“She doesn’t need to see you,” Krystal bites out harshly. “Now go back inside.”
Like she has for most of the night, Tiffany acts as if she hasn’t heard her. “Jessi,” she breathes.
She looks as if she’s about to start crying and the sight only makes Krystal angrier. She doesn’t get to do that, doesn’t get to say Jessica’s name in that familiar way anymore, not after what her sister has been through for the past year. Krystal takes a step forward, ready to lay into her.
“Soojung!” Jessica’s voice is sharp and stops her in her tracks.
She grits her teeth and with one last baleful glare at Tiffany, she starts towards her sister. Jessica is standing by the driver’s side, regarding her former group member with guarded eyes and a set mouth.
“Jessi,” Tiffany says once again. Normally so talkative, she looks as if she’s lost for words. “I… it’s good to see you.”
Krystal rolls her eyes. “Unnie, can we go?”
“W – wait! Jessi, can we talk?”
“Not really the place for it, Tiff,” Jessica says lightly, as if she’s talking to a polite stranger.
“Please?” Tiffany sounds desperate now, her voice wavering. “You won’t return any of my calls or any of my messages. I don’t know how else to… just… please?”
Krystal glances at her sister. She’d never mentioned phone calls and messages from Tiffany before. But that would be something they would talk about later. If Tiffany thought for one second that Jessica would let her –
“Soojung, wait in the car,” Jessica says, not taking her eyes off of Tiffany. “I’ll only be a minute.”
“No way, unnie!” she protests.
She looks suspiciously at Tiffany. She doesn’t trust her, not anymore. Not with Jessica’s feelings.
“Soojung.”
Jessica doesn’t raise her voice, doesn’t even look at her but Krystal deflates anyway.
“One minute,” she says, more to Tiffany than to Jessica before stomping into the car and slamming the door harder than needed.
Krystal is not sulking. She’s a grown woman, thank you. She doesn’t sulk. But she is slumped over in the front seat, grumbling to herself about being banished to the car like some child.
Her narrowed gaze is fixed on the two women not too far away from her. She wishes she could hear what they’re saying. Or well, what Tiffany is saying. Because so far, Tiffany has done most of the talking, looking so earnest and sincere it makes Krystal uncomfortable. She’s a little pleased to note that Jessica remains guarded with her arms crossed.
Good. No reason to make it easy for her.
It’s been more than a minute now and Krystal is tempted to remind them of the fact but Jessica can take care of herself.
Her eyes widen when she sees Tiffany take a step towards her sister and Jessica’s arms fall to her side and – she leans over the console and presses on the horn, startling the two away from each other.
Jessica gives Tiffany what looks to be a hasty goodbye and makes a beeline for the car.
“What was that?” Krystal demands once Jessica’s inside.
Her sister looks flushed and unsteady, eyes glassy as she starts to pull out of the parking area. Krystal doesn’t like it and dislikes it even more when Jessica’s gaze lingers on the rearview mirror.
“I don’t really know,” Jessica says quietly, five minutes into the drive home.
Krystal is silent for a moment before sighing. “Well, whatever it is, unnie,” she pauses because there are a number of things she can say right now. I hope you know what you’re doing. This is stupid. She doesn’t deserve your forgiveness. None of them seem right. She reaches over to squeeze Jessica’s hand. “I’ll be here for you.”
Jessica smiles and squeezes back. “Thank you, Soojung.”