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taruusmoon · 1 year ago

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I MISS YOU, AND I’M SORRY, BADA LEE

a/n: Dal means moon in kr, and dalbit means moonlight. Used of Minka Kelly as adult Jessica, and Natalia Azahara as young Jessica. English is not my first language in sorry if there is something bad.

Masterlist

Chapter1: The Beginning.

There were two things Jessica could never change about herself, no matter how old she was. And those were that she didn't know how to say no and that she was always going to want to see Bada Lee one last time. And those were the main reasons why she was currently inside a recording room at Nemare Record, with a woman touching up her hair and a guy placing a small microphone in her white blouse, about to tell her worst love story for the documentary of the woman who had broken her heart so many times many years ago.

“Do you feel comfortable?” asked the girl in charge of the interview, who was sitting across from her with a soft smile and a spark of excitement in her eyes. “We'll do this as quietly as possible and I'll go at your pace, okay?”

Jessica nodded without saying anything. The truth was that she felt quite comfortable; she didn't think it would be difficult to tell her side of the story, and also, for some strange reason, the girl gave her a sense of security and confidence, even if she didn't even know who she was, her name, or the relationship she had with the Lee sisters.

“May I know what your name is?” Finally, after thinking about it for a long time, Jessica asked. “I thought the person who was going to interview me was Juliana”

“I've been waiting for that question since you passed that door." the girl with the big round eyes answered with a smile. “But I think I'll tell you later. Juliana was going to be the interviewer, but there were some sudden changes. I hope you don't mind.”

“Oh no, don't worry about me; it's fine” she replied. “It's just that you remind me of someone.”

The girl smiled but didn't answer; instead, she looked at the door of the office.

“You're ready” murmured the girl who was fixing Jessica's hair. “You have very nice hair.”

In a soft way, Jessica murmured a thank-you, accompanied by a smile, and the girl said goodbye with the man who had been in charge of placing the small microphone in her blouse. Soon, Lindsey, the main producer of the documentary and the one who had insisted so much on her participation, approached the interviewer, talked about some other changes in the interview, and handed her a notebook full of notes.

“Hey Jess” the door to the recording studio opened, and in walked Brody Rosales with a big smile on his lips and open arms, ready to wrap Jessica in a tight hug. “It's been so many years; how do you feel about the lights? Don't they make you uncomfortable?”

“The truth is, I don't know how I should feel," she replied with a wrinkled nose. “It’s been a long time since I've been in front of a camera with so many lights.

Brody let out a laugh along with Lindsey, causing a slight smile on Jessica's face.

“Don't worry, you look good” Lindsey said, walking with Brody behind the cameras to sit in the chairs. “I don't want to rush, but it's time to start the interview" she said, looking at Jessica for a few minutes before proceeding. “Whenever you are ready, Jessica.”

With a long breath, she wiped the sweat from her hands on the satin pants she was wearing. “I think I'm ready.”

Brody nodded and raised his hand, giving a signal to the assistant cameraman. The boy placed the clapperboard in front of the lens and made it sound, starting the interview that would give way to all the memories of what Jessica once lived.

“Tell me Dal” The girl began to speak when the man behind the camera indicated her. Jessica felt her heart pound against her chest, surprised that the girl in front of her had called her by a name she had refused to use again. “Tell us about your start in this story: where you were born and how you met the Lee sisters.”

“I was born in Colombia on June 1, 1976” she began after a few seconds, still surprised at what had just happened. “My mother died in childbirth, and I was left in my father's custody until he also died of an overdose when I was eight years old. Since then, my aunt has taken care of me.”

“How did you come to the United States?”

“When I was nine years old, my aunt was given the opportunity to move to Los Angeles because the company she worked for opened a branch here, and they were looking for experienced people to work here. We were not a family that had everything, but my grandparents fought for their children to have an education so they could have a good job.”

“Was it there that you met the Lee sisters?”

“Yes” she said as she tried to remember more accurately how the sisters had entered her life. “First, I met Seoyoung. We went to the same school and the same class, but we didn't share classes, so I didn't talk to her at that time. It wasn't until I met Bada in guitar lessons that my aunt thought of enrolling me. There weren't many of us; the teacher only accepted four students per class, so it was just Bada, two other girls, and me. We didn't become friends right away because she is older than me by three years, nor did we have anything in common except that we were both forced to be there.”

“Didn't you like the guitar?” asked the girl with a smile.

“It's not that I didn't like it” she replied, lifting her shoulders. “I just didn't like it; I preferred other kinds of sounds, and I loved the drums, but my aunt didn't like it very much, and she didn't really listen to my opinion. She also said that the guitar would look better than the drums in my student curriculum, so I didn't say anything back and just obeyed her; after all, I owed her my life.”

“How was your relationship with her? Did you get along with her?”

“Yes, she has been my mother figure since I was born” Jessica said sincerely as she felt a small pain settle in her chest at the memory of her. “I loved her too much, and I will never forget her.”

“My condolences Dal” there it was again—the damn name she hated so much. With a long sigh, Jessica gave a dull smile.

“Don't worry about that; that part of the story comes much later” she denied it in an attempt to erase the melancholic air that suddenly flooded the place. “Let's continue with Bada. As I said before, we didn't talk at first because we had nothing in common. However, she had an energy that captivated you; she made me laugh with her witticisms, so after the first guitar recital we had, I talked to her. I wasn't outgoing, but Bada Lee was outgoing for me, so we quickly became inseparable. And when I entered the same high school as her, then it really started.”

˗ ˏ ˋ ♡ ˎˊ ˗

“Bae Dal, Bae Dal!”

A thin voice that Jessica quickly recognized drilled her ears as she walked through the halls of Westcoast High School. She immediately turned around to find Bada Lee, her best friend and loyal confidant. The girl ran quickly with an excited expression on her face, and when she was closer to Bae Dal, she opened her arms to wrap them around her.

“You finally came, Bada Lee” Jessica told her as she rested her head on her hair. Bada was barely two inches taller than her, despite being older.

“What class are you in? Do you want a ride?” Bada asked with curiosity in her voice.

“No, don't worry" Jessica replied as she separated. “The principal has given a sophomore girl permission to show me around; she's in the cafeteria right now.”

“Okay, then come with me; I want you to officially meet Seoyoung.”

Without a squeak, Jessica nodded quite excitedly, and the two started walking with their arms intertwined to the cafeteria. Jessica knew Seoyoung only by sight; she was a year younger than Bada's younger sister, but they were still in the same grade because Jessica had entered high school a year earlier. They didn't share any classes or the same social circle, but people liked to associate them because they were both of Asian descent, and everyone thought they were family or friends just because of that.

“I've never talked to your sister” Jessica said to Bada when the two of them spotted Seoyoung in the dining room line.

“There's always a first time for everything, Dalbit” she replied, pulling her arm to her sister's side.

When Seoyoung noticed the girls, she looked at Bada with a smile and at Jessica with a surprised gesture. There, Bae Dal understood that she didn't know that Bada and she knew each other, nor that they were friends, but she didn't really care either.

“Lusher, this is Bae Dal” Bada pointed at her, and Seoyoung smiled friendly. "Remember I told you I had a best friend in guitar lessons? Well, it’s her.”

“I know who Bada clearly is” Seoyoung replied. “But I didn't know you were friends. Nice to finally meet you, Jessica.”

Jessica smiled and replied, "Nice to meet you." Bada didn't say anything else, and as soon as Seoyoung took her food, she led them to her group of friends to sit next to them. Jessica didn't have many friends in high school except for Valerie Monroe, a girl she had met in middle school, but at that moment she didn't know where she was, and she didn't feel like looking for her; she would see her in calculus class.

“Are you ready to tell dad today?” Seoyoung asked Bada while peeling a tangerine. "Taeyoung has been so excited that she won't put down the guitar for anything. ”

“Yes, I know. I didn't think Tata would be so serious when we told her we wanted to form a band” Bada laughed.

“What band are you talking about?” Jessica interrupted as she uncovered the small container where her aunt had put the lunch she had prepared for her.

“Lusher and I have been thinking too much about how we want the band to become something real” Bada said.

A long time ago, Bada and her sisters started playing songs from other bands in the basement of their house. The sisters' father had an old drum set inherited from one of his uncles and had taught Seoyoung how to play it; since then, she has insisted that her sisters play some songs together. All three were big fans of rock bands, and with the enthusiasm they had, it didn't take long for them to find themselves wrapped up in the desire to become one of them.

“I firmly believe that we would be one of the greatest rock bands of all time.”

Bada Lee blurted out the words so confidently that Jessica believed her without question. She knew how persevering her best friend was; she knew how hard she would work; and she knew she was capable of sacrificing anything, even what they were about to build.

Three weeks after that conversation, Jessica found herself sitting in the basement of the Lee sisters' house for the first time, listening to the compositions Bada had created.

“It sounds amazing, Bada!” she shouted with excitement as she clapped her hands. “I really think that you guys have something different and that if someone listens to you, then they would make you sign a contract immediately.”

“The problem is that no one listens to us” said Taeyoung, the youngest of the three sisters and the guitarist of the group. “We're too young to play anywhere, and dad still doesn't take us very seriously.”

Taeyoung was right; she was only ten; Seoyoung was twelve; and the only one who could be considered older was Bada, who had just turned fifteen. They had no chance; they couldn't play in local bars; they couldn't play in a high school because Taeyoung hadn't attended one yet; they had no way to make themselves heard in the crowd.

“How about inviting your friends to the Bada rehearsals?” Jessica said with a hesitant expression, receiving a confused look from the girls. “Your friends have more friends; you can invite them to the basement to listen to you, and they will spread the news. You can start creating a small group of listeners.”

The sisters weren't convinced at first, but they agreed anyway, convinced their parents to let them open the basement door, and six months later they had at least twenty-five teenagers sitting on the sidewalk in the garage having fun. At the end of the year, Westcoast High School invited them to play at the prom.

˗ ˏ ˋ ♡ ˎˊ ˗

“You'd never been to her house before then?

“Never” Jessica answered. “Bada and I saw each other only twice a month for guitar lessons, so my aunt didn't know her very well and wouldn't let me go to her house. It was finally in high school that she got to know Bada and her parents; they became close friends, and until then, I was finally able to visit her.”

“Understandable” the girl laughed and continued. “So thanks to you, The Rivers became known in the neighborhood?”

“No, of course not” she shrugged her shoulders and denied. "I only gave the idea; they, with their talent, made sure that Bada's friends brought more friends, and those friends brought more friends. If they weren't good enough, even if I paid all the kids in the neighborhood, they wouldn't see them again.

“What happened after that? Did you and Bada stay friends the whole time?”

“After you played at the prom, a lot more schools wanted them. They played at homecomings, proms, and even started playing at a sweet sixteen for a girl or two in the neighborhood. They were making a name for themselves through hard work.”

“What about you and Bada?” she insisted again with the question in a different way.

“We remained friends, although we spent less time together because she was always rehearsing or studying. We both quit guitar lessons, then Bada entered college, so Seoyoung and I were left alone in high school and stopped seeing each other even more, but we always tried to visit each other anyway. I don't think either of us wanted to leave the friendship, and we were constantly fighting with time to not get separated.” Jessica paused for a moment, frowning in an attempt to remember more accurately everything that had happened in her high school days, then continued. “But there was a moment when I turned seventeen that we parted ways for good. I moved away from Seoyoung in high school and started hanging out with other kinds of friends. I tried alcohol and cigarettes for the first time. And I also left Bada aside because I wanted to shut up the feelings that had suddenly invaded me.

“What kind of feelings Dal?” she was careful to ask, but still, the question took Jessica by surprise. She hadn't expected to get to that part of the story so soon. “If you want, we can stop for a moment.”

“No” Jessica said, looking at the girl straight in the eye as she searched for the right words. “The truth is that I realized that I liked Bada long before when we were still in high school; however, I understood the feelings until that moment, even though I denied it for many reasons, but the main ones were because she was older than me and because she was a woman. And I could not like a woman. I avoided her from that moment on; when she called me, I would tell her that I had somewhere to go, and when she came to visit me, I would tell my aunt to take care of her and tell her I was not there. I am aware of the damage I caused her, and I think that somehow everything that happened afterwards was my karma.”

“How much longer could you avoid her? I have known Bada for a long time and I know how persistent she can be.” At the girl's words, Jessica couldn't help but laugh. She was right; Bada was the most insistent person that could exist in her life.

“It lasted me a little more than a year” she answered with a smile. “And it would have lasted longer if it wasn't for how intense Bada is.”

˗ ˏ ˋ ♡ ˎˊ ˗

“How much longer do you plan to avoid me, Jessica?

As soon as she heard the voice, Bae Dal put down the cup of espresso she was preparing on the table and slowly turned around. Bada had a furious expression on her face that softened a bit when Jessica's round brown eyes looked up at her in surprise.

“When were you planning to tell me that you were working here? Why didn't you tell me that Aunt Lorena has a heart problem?”

Jessica didn't know what to say; she couldn't find the right words to answer Bada’s questions, and she didn't wanted to answer them either. She hadn't started working at Pope's cafeteria because she wanted to; she had done it because her aunt Lorena had been fired from her job and hadn't been able to get a new one because of her illness.

“Are you going to answer me, Jessica?” Bada raised an expectant eyebrow and leaned her arms on the counter. Jessica felt her stomach hurt because Bada never called her Jessica.

“As you can see, I am working, Bada, and if you will excuse me, I have tables to attend.”

She picked up her coffee cup again and walked out to the table area in the direction of an adult couple who had ordered an espresso. Bada, as insistent as she was, walked away from the counter and followed her around the restaurant with furrowed brows, annoyed at being ignored.

“Didn't you want to be like a preschool teacher or something?” Bada said behind Jessica, and Jessica ignored her as she put the coffee on the customers' table. “What are you doing working here? You should be in college; Seoyoung told me you got a scholarship at the University of California.”

Suddenly Jessica started to get exasperated with Bada's words, and without a second thought, she turned around and confronted her. “Enough Bada!”

Bada stopped and opened her mouth in astonishment. The people at the tables looked at them in silence, and then the kitchen door opened, revealing Pope with a spatula in his hand. The man in his late sixties stared at Jessica and then looked at Bada.

“Take a break Jess” he said, and then walked back into the kitchen.

In an attempt to fill herself with patience, Jessica took a long breath, then let the air out and carelessly grabbed Bada's arm to pull her to one of the tables, pulled out a chair, sat her down on it carelessly, and then sat herself in the chair in front of the older girl. Bada folded her arms and raised her eyebrows attentively at what Jessica was going to say to her; she didn't look at all guilty of the scolding they both knew Pope would give Jessica when she left for her interruption.

“Things got difficult, Bada” she finally found the courage to say. “Lorena has a heart condition that makes it impossible for her to continue working at the company, and it's been hard to keep the house. I had to drop out of college because the scholarship didn't pay for one hundred percent of the tuition, and what i earned here at Pope's barely covers the expenses of the house and my aunt's insurance.”

“So when things get tough, do you just disappear?” Bada frowned and leaned her arms on the table to get a little closer to her best friend. “You know my parents would be willing to help you if I asked them. I don't know. We could lend you a hand with buying food every month; you know, it's not something that's impossible for us.”

“You don't understand, Bada” Jessica muttered, taking a long breath. "I don't want people to look down on us; I don't want your parents to deal with this. I know I can do it myself.”

“No Dal the truth is that I don't understand. I know you can do it alone, but you don't have to.” Bada denied and took her hands on the table. Jessica immediately turned to look at the people in the restaurant, but no one was looking at them. “I don't understand why you can't accept our help, and I don't understand why all this has to be a reason for you to stay away from me.”

The older Lee was right; Lorena's illness and leaving college were not reasons for Jessica to stop talking to her. And in fact, they weren't; Dal hadn't distanced herself from Bada because of that. The real reason was that a year ago, in the middle of one of the band's rehearsals, she finally understood why her heart beat stronger every time Bada smiled at her in the middle of a song, and also that her skin prickled every time she took her hands in her to help her move her fingers over the strings of her bass when it occurred to her -out of nowhere- to give her lessons on how to play the bass. But clearly, that was not something she could tell her, so she decided it was best to cut the subject short.

“I'm sorry Bada I..." she stammered knowing that as soon as she apologized Bada would forget everything. “I'm really sorry, it's just that everything has been so overwhelming that I didn't know how to tell you, and I also didn't want you to stop paying attention to the band by listening to my problems. I didn't think about avoiding you my whole life, but then I got into college so I stopped having even more time. I couldn't find the time to talk to you again.”

Long ago Seoyoung had secretly told Jessica about how Bada could forgive her anything and move on. And at that moment she knew she wasn't wrong, because as soon as the apology left her mouth, Bada took a seat in the chair next to her and hugged her. She didn’t asked more questions, questioned her decisions no more and simply forgot that Jessica had avoided her for over a year.

“Just don't do it again Dalbit, please.”

Jessica didn't answer her because she didn't feel brave enough to promise she wouldn't do it again; she wasn't so sure she wouldn't do it again if she felt insecure about her feelings for Bada again. She just let the girl hug her; after all, she had missed her all that time they didn't talk.

˗ ˏ ˋ ♡ ˎˊ ˗

“So you used the "power" you had over her to get her to forgive you?” the interviewer asked, furrowing her eyebrows in confusion.

“It wasn't that I had power over Bada” she clarified. “Neither of us could really resist the other when it came to apologies. I would rather believe that we were each other's weak points.”

“I see, and what happened next? Did everything go back to the way it was before?”

“For the most part yes. I went back to attending her rehearsals whenever I could; her parents helped us with food expenses, and Lorena slowly started getting better every day until she managed to get a job again. Everything seemed to get better all of a sudden.”

“What about your feelings? How did you manage to hide them and go back to acting as her best friend for so long?”

“I guess I was a very good actress because nobody found out or suspected anything; everything went on as normal until Bada turned twenty and I was eighteen.”

The girl didn't say anything; she just looked at Jessica expectantly because she knew what was coming since she had heard that part of the story some time ago, but from another mouth and another perspective.

“Two days after her birthday, Bada wanted to teach me how to play the new song he had composed” Jessica explained slowly, almost not wanting to continue. “Things became more intimate that morning without us noticing, and then Bada kissed me. It wasn't the best kiss; she only pressed her lips against mine for less than five seconds and then broke away. But just those short seconds were enough to change our lives.”

˗ ˏ ˋ ♡ ˎˊ ˗

Even if it had already been two days since Bada Lee's birthday, the cake was not over. The girl's parents had made a big celebration with a huge vanilla cake that was Bada's favorite. And the truth was that Jessica wasn't complaining; she loved vanilla cake, so every time she went to the kitchen, she would take a small piece of cake after asking permission from Bada's mother.

“Jessica, I already told you, you don't have to ask for permission” Bada's mother said with a smile without taking her eyes off the TV, where a concert of a well-known alternative rock band was playing.

Without another word, Jessica went into the kitchen, opened the fridge, and took out a glass tray to cut a piece of cake. She put the tray away again and walked out of the kitchen towards the basement with a plastic plate in her hand. Bada's mom watched her with a smile on her lips until she saw her pass the basement door.

“You're going to make yourself sick to your stomach if you keep eating so much cake, Dal” Bada scolded her, sitting on the old leather couch, as she quietly and patiently tuned the strings of her bass guitar.

That morning, Bada had woken her up very early. After Pope had given her the morning off they had decided to have a sleepover since Bada was very nervous about the performance they were going to have that night. A well-known bar in Los Angeles area had contacted the sisters' father and had hired them for three hours to play at the owner's daughter's twenty-first birthday party. It was by far the biggest event the band had managed to get booked for, and after talking for hours, the girls convinced their parents to accept, although they too had to attend since Seoyoung and Taeyoung were still minors.

“I want to show you something; come here.” Bada took the plate from Jessica and put it on a small table next to the sofa, then took her by the hand and sat her on the sofa. “I've composed a new melody, and I want to show it to you.”

“You know that playing guitar and bass is different, right.” Jessica complained, but she still let Bada put her arm around her waist to place Jessica’s right hand on the strings and her left hand on the neck.

“I know” Bada whispered very close to Jessica's ear, causing a little shiver to run down her spine. “But somehow, you always manage to learn everything I teach you.”

Bada wasn't lying; Jessica had a rare facility for learning to play instruments and could even play some of the band's songs on the drums. Seoyoung always hinted to her that she could be the second guitarist, and even Taeyoung, on many occasions, gave her, her own guitar while she concentrated on the vocal part. However, being part of a band was not within Jessica's desires, nor did she want to be famous; her place was backstage, waiting excitedly for the hugs Bada gave her every time they finished a performance.

When Bada put her hand on Bae Dal's hand and began to move her fingers on the strings, Jessica held her breath. Jessica felt nervous even though the girl always taught her to play her songs in the same position, she still couldn't get used to feeling her breath so close and her arm around her waist. After a few minutes, she managed to feel the direction of the song through the sound caused by the bass strings. It was not a strong song like the ones Bada used to compose; this seemed to be a melancholic song more of the kind that Seoyoung composed.

“Is it a sad song?” Jessica asked with her eyes fixed on her own fingers as she played the bridge of the song without Bada's help. "It gives me a feeling of anguish.”

“I haven't written the lyrics yet; I only have the instrumental” Bada answered, sliding her arm out from Jessica's waist until she left her hand on her back. "But I don't want it to be a sad song” she then added in a whisper.

“And what do you want it to be?” Jessica stopped playing the bass and turned her gaze to Bada, who was already looking at her.

“I don't know yet, but I think it's going to be a stupid love song.” Jessica laughed, and Bada thought it was the most beautiful sound she had ever heard, so she also smiled with her heart pounding hard against her chest.

A while back, Bada began to worry about the sudden path his thoughts began to take regarding Jessica. Bada had always been a physical person, with her family, especially her sisters, and when Jessica came into her life, she inevitably started to be physical with her too. The girl accepted any physical act she gave her and even sought out her touch as well. After all, they were best friends. That was the thought Bada had for a while. Until two weeks ago, when she found herself feeling little butterflies in her stomach every time Jessica gave her a kiss on the cheek or when she suddenly took her hand as they walked down the street. Bada tried to stop her thoughts and sort them out, to limit herself to hiding her reactions and try to see her coherent side, but simply nothing worked because she always found herself thinking about Jessica many times a day—about the tan color of her skin and the thick brown lips with a slight hint of pink.

“Five dollars for your thoughts.”

Suddenly Bada came out of her thoughts when Jessica's words reached her ears. She wanted to reply but didn't know how to explain to her best friend the butterflies that fluttered in her stomach nonstop, so she simply looked at Jessica straight in the eyes. The girl frowned as she noticed the sudden distressed look Bada was giving her.

“Are you okay, Bada?" She asked and directed her right hand to her best friend's cheek. “You can tell me anything you want; you know that.” She gave a soft smile to reassure Bada a little, but even then the girl didn't say anything.

Jessica stared at Bada still with a smile, waiting for her to say something, but instead she watched the girl slowly lean towards her hesitantly until their noses touched. They looked at each other for a moment until Jessica, by inertia, closed her eyes, and Bada took it as an affirmation to move closer, until their lips lightly brushed, staying like that for a few seconds. Then it was Jessica who cut the minimal distance, capturing Bada's lips shyly. Neither of them moved for long seconds; although it wasn't Bada's first kiss, it was Jessica's first, and they both knew it, so the older one didn't want to ruin Bae Dal's first experience. And Jessica didn't want to ruin things with her inexperience.

“Bada Lee you know, wher..." the door’s basement suddenly opened, causing the two girls to separate and turn around. "Sorry to interrupt” Taeyoung blurted out with wide eyes and an amused smile on her face. Seconds later, she turned to run out of Bada and Jessica's sight.

“Taeyoung come here!” Bada immediately got up and ran after her younger sister, leaving Jessica on the couch with a frantic heart.

Without a second thought, Jessica stood up, left the bass on the couch, grabbed her backpack, and then left the basement. She didn't bump into anyone on her walk through the house to the front door, and she was thankful to that; she didn't want anyone to see her flushed face or ask why she was leaving in such a hurry. She arrived at the bus station with bated breath, and it wasn't until she was on the seats with the air in her face that she was able to think things through clearly.

Bada Lee; her best friend, had kissed her. What was that supposed to mean? The question ran through her mind all day; even Pope had asked her if she was okay when he caught her staring at a point on the wall countless times. She didn't say anything though, preferring to keep the event to herself and Bada, as well as to Taeyoung, who had discovered them.

“Jessi” Pope called her with the phone in his hand. "Bada is on the line.”

A little hesitantly, she left the last chair on the table and walked to the man, wiped her hands with her apron, and then picked up the phone and placed it against her ear. At first, she said nothing, but after a few seconds, she took a long breath.

“Hey Bada.”

“Hey Dalbit” Bada called her in an excited voice. “We are about to leave the house, and my parents wanted to know if you need us to pick you up at the restaurant. The girls and I want you to be at sound check."

“Uhm” she thought about it for a few seconds thinking about denying it and making the excuse that she wasn't feeling very well. However, if Bada was acting so normal, why couldn't she do it? “Yeah sure my shift is over; I'll just change and wait for you.”

“Okay, I'll see you in a few minutes. I love you, Dal.”

The call ended after Bada's words, and with a sigh, Jessica took off her apron and then headed to the area where she kept her backpack. She walked to the bathroom to wash her face and change out of her waitress uniform into light baggy jeans and a white t-shirt. When she was ready, she slung her backpack over her shoulder and walked to the exit of the restaurant.

“See you tomorrow Pope” she said with a smile, that the man reciprocated without hesitation.

The cold air hit her body, so she immediately put on the black bomber jacket she had stolen from Bada's closet that morning. It was half past nine in the evening, and the first blizzards of winter were beginning to show. Lazily, she sat on the sidewalk, looking up at the full moon that night, as she thought about what face she would make when she saw Bada again. She didn't have much time to think, though, because thirty minutes later the Lee family car parked in front of her.

“Do you want a ride, pretty girl?” Seoyoung said to her in the back seats with her head out and an amused smile. Jessica suspected that Taeyoung had said something to her.

“Only if you're my guide” she replied with the same flirtatious tone as she sat next to Seoyoung, under Bada's teasing look at the fake flirting between her best friend and sister.

The ride to the bar was chaotic, the sisters' father had put on a tape of the girls' favorite band, and they had been singing the whole way. Bada acted as if nothing had happened that morning, and Jessica did the same. They talked as usual, sang together as they usually did; they treated each other like the best friends they were. Once they arrived at the bar, they carefully put down their instruments. As soon as they entered, they were greeted by the owner of the place, who greeted them with a huge smile and led them to the stage. Almost immediately, Seoyoung sat on the bench behind the drum set with an excited smile and bright eyes at the sight of the almost new instrument. Taeyoung sat on the stage, ready to take her time to tune her guitar. And Bada, along with Jessica, took care of connecting all the wires with the help of the sisters' parents.

“I brought my camera to take some pictures of you” Jessica murmured to Bada as she pulled out the little old camera her aunt had given her for her birthday. “I was thinking we could develop some pictures and send them to some music company, invite them to your events because I think after today a lot of people are going to start looking for you.”

Bada couldn't help but smile as she watched the excitement on Jessica's face. The girl had always been her biggest supporter and the one who supported them first and foremost, so it had been quite easy for her to see herself falling in love with her, had indeed been like a muscle memory.

“Look, Bads, a lot of people are starting to arrive!” Seoyoung reached the table where Jessica and Bada were sitting. “Tonight is going to be our night, I'm sure.”

And Seoyoung was right. The owner's daughter's birthday was attended by many, many people, and since the bar had not been closed for the event, regulars had also come. The sisters played five of their own songs that night, and when the audience asked for more, they couldn't refuse; then they also dropped a cover or two of some of the most famous bands of the moment.

Jessica had her arm linked with the girls' mother the whole night. She felt her heart beating stronger with every song Taeyoung sang, with every beat Seoyoung gave to the toms, and with every look Bada gave her while playing the bass.

And Bada on stage felt like rage ran through her body with every chord she played. She felt like the fear of the first time playing in front of so many people no longer existed, and now she could say that she was capable of anything. That's why once they got off the stage, after hugging her parents and sisters, she took Jessica's hand and slipped through the crowd that congratulated her, until she reached the bathroom of the bar.

“You were amazing Bada Lee” Jessica said, hugging her friend tightly. But Bada grabbed her arms and pulled her away from her body.

“Sorry for telling you this in a bar bathroom, but if I don't, then I'm never going to feel brave enough to say it again.” Jessica frowned in confusion. “I like you, Bae Dal, and this morning's kiss only make me realize that I love you more than just as a friend.”

Jessica smiled slightly, her eyes suddenly began to crystallize and without thinking she cupped Bada's cheeks and stood on her tiptoes to press their lips. A long time ago Bada had gotten taller but it wouldn't be an impediment to kissing her. A little surprised Bada frowned but immediately rested her hands on Jessica's neck and reciprocated the kiss. Jessica was a little clumsy but that was the least of it, Bada didn't mind any of that. After a few seconds they both needed to breathe so Jessica was the first to pull back.

“I like you too Bada Lee, I've liked you since high school.”

˗ ˏ ˋ ♡ ˎˊ ˗

Jessica closed her eyes as she remembered that special night and all the feelings that came over her with that first kiss. The fear of not being reciprocated, the excitement of Bada being the first person in her life, she had many different emotions that day, but they had all been worth it by the end of the night.

“That night was…” Jessica tried to talk, but she couldn’t find the right words.

“Jessica, are you still in love with Bada Lee?” the girl asked. Jessica looked at her with a soft smile.

“I've been in love with Bada Lee since I was fourteen, and i will love her my whole life.”

˗ ˏ ˋ ♡ ˎˊ ˗

Tag list: @jofiels-world @badasgirlfriend @zhivaxo

It’s been a long time coming for… jk.

#street woman fighter 2 #streetwomanfighter #swf2 #team bebe #bada lee #street woman fighter x reader #swf2 x reader #bada lee x oc #bada lee x reader #badaleerockbandau

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