This is what you came for

[Jem Wilson]

"That sounds unbearable." Jem didn't have siblings to worry about or care for but he'd grown up in a community where larger families were fairly common. He knew that when something happened to the parents, the older children were expected to step up, to take on the family responsibilities. Jem was the same; he had to stand and do the right thing for his parents when the time came. Thank whatever deity there was out there that his family had been content enough to adopt only himself. He could only imagine the strife and stress that came with siblings, especially if they were so much younger than Vanessa that she had to be there to care for them constantly.

She was putting her entire life on hold for them. He wondered if they knew how selfless that was. Probably not. As far as Jem knew, kids were pretty damn selfish. Hell, he had been a selfish ass kid. Sometimes he was sure he still was; there was definitely a streak in him. Of something. Something not so good.

But he liked the way he felt around Vanessa. Like she quelled that ever present anger and rage about the world around him, that tension that always seemed to wind him up, knowing what was out there, knowing he'd never be able to get to them all. Honestly, some days he felt like a glorified exterminator. Nothing. Nobody. But he would never tell a soul about that. Not even Vanessa.

"Of course. My offer still stands. Nothing's changed." He smiled at her. "I prefer the present company to the stinky lads I've been hanging out with lately, anyway."

[Min Yoojin]

The pressure was definitely getting to her, but she tried her best to stay positive. Yoojin wasn't the helpless damsel in distress type. She tried to find solutions to problems; she wasn't going to sit and wallow in despair. Even if her mom didn't make it... She still had to carry on. Somebody had to keep them going, keep them strong. It might as well be her.

But she deserved this one night off, she thought. It wasn't selfish to temporarily set aside her troubles and resume the mantle of caretaker later. Yoojin wasn't abandoning them, after all, and her mom would be fine for one night without her. Besides, Lydia was home and as long as her mom took her medicine on time, everything would be all right.

"Thanks, Jem," she sighed, willing herself to relax and to put thoughts of her family away. "You're a life-saver." It was strange how easily Jem's presence led her into a sense of safety and contentment. They hadn't known each other that long, but already she was comfortable with him. She liked that he was easy to talk to; she felt that she could trust him, and that he wouldn't betray that trust.

"Look, the sun's almost gone." There was only a sliver on the horizon now, and up above the heavens were beginning to open up, exposing twinkling myriad points of light. Yoojin tilted her head back, back, back to look at the stars. Then something streaked past and she gasped and grabbed onto Jem's arm tightly.

"Ooh! A shooting star! Make a wish! Quick!"

[Jem Wilson]

"That's a--" He didn't say it. It wasn't a shooting star but an airplane some distance away but he liked Vanessa's enthusiasm so he only smiled and stared up at the light as it moved across the sky. Actually, it looked like something else but he still didn't feel it was relevant to their conversation. So he looked at the light, he silently made a wish, then looked back over at Vanessa with a half smile.

"Did we wish for the same thing?" he asked, cupping her cheek. Good lord, there was never a prettier girl that Vanessa and he'd met girls from every corner of the world by now. They came in different looks and different personalities but a lot of them were either too quiet or too loud. Some were just dead boring, with no real thoughts of their own. Jem could hardly believe such things existed... but they did and he'd met them.

But Vanessa was a thinker. She was smart and good-looking and she was bold on top of that. Too many girls like to play infuriating head-games but not Vanessa. She knew what she wanted and she didn't have to do all those roundabout things most girls did.

Jem pushed her back and rolled over top of Vanessa, a devilish glint in his eye.

"It seems we're already alone, Ness," he said in a quiet tone. "Have you ever done this under the stars?"

[Min Yoojin]

"I wouldn't be surprised if we did~" Yoojin—Vanessa—laughed as she finally took her eyes off of the streak of light. It was gone now, but she'd made her wish in time. It sorta wasn't difficult to guess what she wished for, though. Part of it had already come true.

Suddenly, the world whirled and tilted and she was flat on her back, gazing up at Jem. The stars in the background faded; the only star in her eyes was Jem. "I've never done it under the stars with you," she murmured as she looped her arms around his shoulders, pulling him down.

Slowly, her legs opened and then loosely wrapped around him in unspoken permission. She wanted this. Vanessa, Ness, the bold and daring young woman who moved all the way across the country to find a new life for herself was afraid of nothing—not even getting caught. As her lips met his, thoughts of anything else faded.

Tonight, this secluded spot and these stars up in the velvety sky belonged only to them, the lovers who managed somehow to find each other again. Only this time, Vanessa wasn't letting go of him.