Yuri was highly concentrating when sudden giggles from outside distracted her. She looked up and was surprised by the familiar mesmerizing sight of the forest. Since she had made the spot behind the desk hers, Yuri hadn't even once looked out as she only paid attention to her documents. She exhaled slowly and leaned back, her eyes never left the additional object that wasn't in the sight this morning. The brown-haired girl was sitting by the waterside, playing with the water like a five year old.
For some reason, she found it undeniably adorable.
Yuri just blinked her eyes once and right the next moment, she saw the girl in the water, her arms and legs flailing around wildly.
"YURI!"
Without wasting any time, Yuri dashed to the balcony and jumped over the handrail. She ignored her not-so-smooth landing and run straight through the garden, her eyes never left the helpless girl crying for her.
"Yuuuuriiii!"
"I'm coming!!"
The garden door almost flew apart due to Yuri's forceful push but again, she could only care less. She didn't even bother taking off her house shoes or any clothes and jumped straight into the water instead.
"Ooowwwww!"
Yuri groaned. The water was only knee-deep. Luckily she didn't take a header. She rubbed her bum and her knee as she stared at the girl still fidgeting wildly in the water.
"What the heck are you doing?!"
But the girl kept on trashing around like crazy.
"Help me! Yuri! Help me!"
Then Yuri saw it. She caught the girl's right foot and couldn't hold her laughter at the sight. To prevent herself from going deaf due to the loud screams, Yuri grabbed the fish that was sucking on the girl's big toe by its end and pulled it away. The fish immediately swam away for his life. Eventually, the girl calmed down even though her body was still trembling in fear.
"It was only a fish hahaha--"
Yuri's laughter subsided when she saw the girl being near to tears again. Yuri put the expressionless face of hers on and stood up.
"Alright, I know it's very frightening."
She grabbed the girl's arm and tried to pull her up. But as soon as the girl had to support her weight on her own two feet, she fell down into the water again.
"What's wrong?"
Yuri couldn't hide her worry as she saw the girl grabbing her right ankle with a painful expression. She knelt down into the water, taking the foot into her hands carefully.
"Does it hurt?"
The girl's wry face told it all. Yuri hesitated for a couple of seconds before, for the fifth time, sliding her arms under the girl's body and lifted her up. She gave the girl a reassuring smile as she saw the shocked and embarrassed expression on her face.
"Don't worry." She cleared her throat. "Actually it isn't my first time carrying you, so you don't need to be shy."
As soon as her sentence ended, Yuri felt hands folding neatly around her neck.
"Please don't let me fall."
The soft voice made Yuri feel dizzy all of sudden. She wasn't sure what was shaking more, her head or her heart. After giving the girl a brief nod, she tried to not look into her eyes. Her feet were carrying both, but her mind drifted away from the path they're taking to get back to the house. That girl was anything but shy. She was bold, very bold - Yuri thought to herself.
As they passed the garden to go to the front yard, Yuri felt the girl tightening the grip a little.
"Just in case you want to know..." the girl said while still holding tightly on her neck. "I am Jessica."
It was just a reflex that Yuri looked down to the girl's face. Fortunately for her, Jessica had closed the eyes already. Yuri felt the grip loosen slowly and knew the girl was drifting into sleep. Automatically, her footsteps became softer and her arms held the other body closer to hers. Yuri looked again at Jessica's sleeping face, which is now becoming pretty familiar but not a bit boring.
"I do want to know it. Thank you."
She whispered softly while gently pushing the front door open with her foot.
----------
Yuri sighed as they made it into the house. Caring was so troublesome. Yuri left a water trail which lead to where they were standing now - in the middle of the living room. Their clothes were soaking wet and water was still dropping down onto the floor non-stop. Yuri was pondering on whether to put Jessica on the couch or carrying her into the bedroom. She realized soon she had to wake the girl up to change her clothes - otherwise she would get sick for sure.
In the end, Yuri decided for the couch. She laid Jessica down and quickly took off her wet shoes and socks. She looked at Jessica once again to make sure the girl was sleeping before taking off her own soaking pants. She run straight into the bedroom, positive that there was no more water dropping on the way, and took out some clothes to change. After that, Yuri picked out some clothes for Jessica and made sure they didn't match hers. It would be awkward to really wear matching couple outfits.
Outside, Yuri put her changed pajamas into the washing machine in the bathroom first before turning back to the sleeping Jessica on the couch.
"Hey..." She gently shook the girl's shoulder. "Jessica. Jessica!"
No response. Yuri used a little more force.
"Come on. You have to change your wet clothes."
She groaned in frustration as Jessica kept on sleeping soundly, showing no sign of waking up. She couldn't believe it. It was impossible for someone to sleep THAT much and every time THAT deeply.
Then Yuri got hit by a brilliant idea. It might be cruel, but it was the only way. It was all Jessica's own fault, leaving Yuri no option.
"Three... two... one..."
"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"
"Finally."
"Are you CRAZY?!"
"You wouldn't want to wake up."
"You still can't do that to my ankle!!! IT HURTS LIKE HELL!"
"Do you want me to undress you then?"
"What?"
Jessica hugged herself defensively. Perhaps that was the moment she realized what Yuri meant with she had to wake up. She realized the necessity of changing clothes.
"Here." Yuri tossed her the clothes. "Change quickly so that I can treat your ankle with medicine."
Yuri went straight into the bedroom. Everything was starting to annoy her again. She saw the unfinished work lying on the desk and felt the urge to sit down behind the desk at once. But she pulled herself together and went to the cupboard on the other side of the bed, searching for the first-aid kit.
As she found it, Yuri went without thinking into the living room again.
"Yah!"
The first thing she saw was a half-naked Jessica. The girl successfully changed into a new top, but obviously she got problems with the pants for her ankle was in pain. Yuri quickly turned around, still hearing the girl struggling
"Sorry."
She said quietly but didn't get a reply from Jessica. Didn't matter - Yuri wasn't longing for an "it's okay" anyway.
"I'm ready."
She heard Jessica saying and confidently turned back. Yuri walked around the couch and sat down at the end of it, putting Jessica's feet on her laps. She quietly applied the medicine onto Jessica's now swollen ankle as she felt a bit guilty. She didn't know if it was her, pinching the ankle hardly, that it now got worse to this. Her touches became softer each time she felt Jessica flinching.
"I'm sorry." She heard the girl saying then. "For yelling at you earlier."
Yuri sighed. This girl and her mood swings. One second she's shy, the next she's bold, then she's bossy, and now she's all gentle and sweet.
"And thank you for carrying me in. And... for... this."
"I don't even know why I'm doing this. Normally, I would just leave you alone and focus on my work."
"Is that your way of saying I'm welcome?"
Yuri looked up to see the sparkles in Jessica's eyes again. She looked down onto the ankle and continued massaging it to get the medicine working before answering shortly.
"I guess so."
She shifted on the couch uncomfortably as she had the urge to apologize as well, but didn't know how to start. Accidentally, she stretched Jessica's ankle a little too much, causing the girl to yelp in pain.
"Sorry!" Yuri quickly rubbed the swell softly with her thumps. "And I'm sorry for earlier as well. Your food..." she hesitated before going on with half of the truth. "Is not awful at all."
Jessica smiled in acknowledgement of Yuri's apologize. Silence entered the room after that. Yuri kept massaging Jessica's ankle and Jessica didn't ask anything further but just flinched in pain every now and then.
After finishing applying the medicine, Yuri stood up.
"Now just rest."
She picked up her luggage of work from the floor and headed to the bedroom. But before Yuri could step inside, Jessica's voice made her turn around.
"Yuri... I'm hungry."
Yuri sighed inwardly. Too bad she couldn't tell her to eat apples again.
---------
Jessica sat by the bar and watched the other girl cooking behind the counter. She had offered Yuri her help, but the girl insisted her to help by touching nothing.
"Be a good girl" Yuri patted her head earlier.
"I want to watch you at least."
"Why? Still afraid I would poison the food secretly?"
"No..." She blushed then. "I'd be bored sitting here while you cook."
Yuri didn't argue with her anymore but helped her up, leading her to the sit at the bar. She had one arm around Yuri's neck as the girl helped her walking in small steps. Jessica couldn't help but to notice Yuri sniffing her several times even though the girl tried to make it not too obvious. A chuckle escaped her mouth but Yuri just ignored it. However, the sniffles were gone after that.
They cooked - or rather, Yuri cooked and Jessica watched - in silence, ate in silence and even remained silent until Yuri was washing the dishes. However, Jessica didn't find it awkward anymore. She actually enjoyed the comfortable atmosphere between them two. With her head resting on her palms and her elbows propped on the table, Jessica's eyes followed Yuri's figure walking around the kitchen.
"You don't have to work anymore?"
"I do. But you keep getting in the way."
Way to ruin the mood, Jessica thought. Now that workaholic was reproaching her for disturbing her work again.
"Thanks for caring for me."
She saw Yuri stopping abruptly. The girl looked her in her eyes, confused.
"I don't care for you. I just do this so that you will be quiet and I can focus on work again."
"Uhh... okay."
Weird, Jessica thought. Why did she have to deny being caring? It's not like it's a bad thing. Unless Yuri wanted to humiliate her.
"What do you understand by 'caring' anyway?" She decided to discuss this out.
"I don't know." Yuri shrugged.
"How can you say you're not caring when you don't even know what it is?"
"I--"
Jessica locked her gaze with Yuri's. She could tell the girl was thinking hard about what to say to keep her denial, but obviously had lost. Jessica smiled and leaned forward, not breaking their eye contact. Let's just provoke her more, she thought slyly.
"You are very caring, Yuri."
She watched in amusement as Yuri frowned, putting down the plate she was drying. The girl opened her mouth to say something, but just closed it again. Jessica's body turned as Yuri walked out of the kitchen grumpily.
"Where are you going?" Jessica called after her as she walked straight through the living room.
"Working."
Yuri went into the bedroom.
"But I need you to help me moving!"
"I don't care."
And the door was shut. Jessica glared hardly at the coldly closed door, as if she thought Yuri would feel the burning heat and run out.
"You're so stubborn!"
She yelled, knowing Yuri would hear it even if she didn't response. Jessica sighed inwardly. The rest of the week until Yuri's friend was supposed to come would be long, long days. Every time Jessica thought they were less awkward with each other, Yuri proved her wrong mercilessly.
---------
"I don't want to!"
"Don't be so stubborn."
"Says the right one."
Jessica crossed her arms, glaring at the girl in front of her. She smirked as she saw Yuri flinching a little at her glares. They were standing both in the doorway of the bedroom, neither one wanted to move.
"It's midnight, Jessica. Stop this nonsense."
"No."
Yuri grabbed the girl's sleeves and tried to pull her to the bed, but Jessica clung onto the wooden doorframe as if her life depended on it.
"Let go of meeee!!!"
Yuri immediately let go hearing the high-pitched shriek and cupped her ears.
"What's your problem?!"
She yelled at Jessica, fuming. The girl was SO impossible. Just a simple thing like sleeping and she had to make it this complicated.
Earlier, Yuri took a pause from her work to stretch her body when she glanced at the clock on the night table. Realizing it was almost midnight, she stood up checking on Jessica. After all, she ignored the injured girl for probably four hours already and it wouldn't surprise her if Jessica was sleeping with her head resting on the bar. Or even better, Jessica might have fallen down the floor and laid there curled up like a worm.
But Yuri's predictions were all wrong. She almost bumped into the girl when she opened the bedroom door. Luckily, Jessica got a grip on her arms just in time, balancing herself.
"Whoa, slowly."
"Not slowly." Jessica pushed her back into the room. "It's almost midnight, we need to sleep N.O.W."
And that was when the discussion begun. Yuri told Jessica to just climb on the bed and rest and not bother about her, but Jessica didn't agree on Yuri to stay up any longer. As Yuri told her she needed to work, Jessica announced she'd wait until Yuri finished. Of course the taller girl didn't agree for she wasn't sure about when she'd feel like sleeping and procrastinating her work to tomorrow.
"Go on the bed sleeping!" Yuri yelled again.
"We can go together!" Jessica yelled back.
Yuri stood frozen for a second. Did she just say she wanted them to sleep on the bed together?
"The bed is too small for two people."
"No it's not. But if you don't like it, I'll sleep on the couch."
"Don't argue with me. Your ankle is injured."
"But I feel terrible sleeping on the bed. I can't sleep when I know you'll overwork yourself again and just fall asleep on the desk like yesterday!"
"That's none of your business!"
"Then me sleeping or not is none of your business either!!"
They looked at each other, fire in their eyes. None of them wanted to give in as they kept shooting each other burning glares. Neither of them really realized what lead them to this argument - they were actually just caring for each other.
"Fine. Do what you want."
Yuri said after a while, tired of the glaring battles. She walked back to her desk, putting her glasses on. She heard Jessica jumping on one foot into one corner of the bedroom and turned her head around. The girl was now sitting on the floor, back leaning against the wall. Yuri turned back again after seeing Jessica crossing her arms, looking at her with the same glare. She knew the girl was still watching her back intently, inwardly throwing insults at her.
But she didn't care, so Yuri told herself. Let Jessica just sit there and do what she wanted. If the girl didn't want to sleep, Yuri wasn't supposed to force her. It was none of her business anyway.
However, it was surprisingly hard for Yuri to concentrate. She didn't know whether it had something to do with the girl staring at her from behind or not, but she had that odd feeling in her stomach which made it impossible to think of work properly.
After a while, Yuri gave up. She closed her pen and arranged her documents that were scattering all over the table. It wasn't until then that she noticed little snores coming from behind. Turning around, she chuckled at the sight of Jessica sleeping. The girl's head was leaned back, resting against the wall, her mouth hung slightly open.
Yuri stood up and knelt down to the sleeping girl. Once again, she got to see Jessica sleeping and again, she couldn't deny how cute the girl looked like. So much cuter when she was being the stubborn girl, Yuri thought, as her hand rested on Jessica's cheek without her knowing it. But as soon as she realized it, Yuri pulled back her suddenly bold hand. She knew Jessica was sleeping tightly, still, she couldn't help but to feel embarrassed. How would Jessica react if she knew--?
Shrugging the thought off quickly, Yuri picked Jessica up and laid her down the bed carefully. She tucked the girl into the blanket before sliding downwards, taking out Jessica's injured ankle. Beginning to massage it as gently as she could, Yuri thought about lying down next to the girl. But as her little massage ended, she decided against it. She would just sleep on the couch later and make sure she'd wake up earlier than Jessica tomorrow morning.
She walked to the desk and sat down. But Yuri didn't take her documents out to work. She pulled the curtains aside and looked out of the window. She didn't feel asleep at all. She couldn't help but to let Jessica occupying her mind. With a sigh, Yuri leaned back relaxing her body.
"...What is that girl doing to me?"
