Character Lore | Jessica Kim

“And how’s your love life? Got anyone you’re gonna bring home for Christmas? But wait, you’re too young to settle down. Are you even going out to enough parties, Jess?”

An endless onslaught of questions spills from my sister’s lips faster than the faucet in front of me spills water as I rinse the plate in my hands. I roll my eyes with an exaggerated sigh; doesn’t she get tired of questioning me with the same questions every time we meet?

Still, it doesn’t completely bother me. Ever since we both moved out for college it’s been harder to spend time together, so she has to get her whole “big sister act” out of her system in the little time we have over the holidays.

Which on its own is entirely out of touch with reality.

Maddie might be older than me by a year, but you would never guess just by looking at us.

I turn to face her while I hand her the final dish so she can dry it and give her a tight smile. “Just fine. No. I know. And yes, I am.” I turn off the faucet and my lips tilt into a smug smirk despite my effort to keep a straight face. “Though definitely not as much as you.”

“Oh shut up, Jessica,” she laughs, putting the dish away before turning around to give me a weak glare.

“Are we using our full names now, Madison?”

Her hazel eyes burn against mine, and I make a point of tilting my neck down to stare down at her.

We’ve always known we were adopted, so it comes as no surprise how different we are physically; she’s been a good head shorter than me ever since we were teens, for starters. Her hazel eyes are always hooded and her skin is sun-kissed just enough to make anyone jealous. The only thing we had in common was our hair color, but she’s been in a blonde highlights vibe for a while now, so that’s almost gone.

We’re also polar opposites in our personalities. Suffice to say, I’ve always been the responsible sister.

But honestly? It doesn’t matter. She’s the best sister I could’ve ever asked for.

“Gross, you sound like mom when she’s scolding me,” she says with a shiver. “But seriously now, I worry about you all alone in college. Who’s gonna drag your lame ass out to let loose every now and then now that I’m about to graduate?”

“Are you sure you’re not considered a dropout by now?”

“What kind of girl do you take me for? An amateur?” she scoffs. “I miss just enough classes to get a passable attendance rate, thank you very much.”

“How are you going to survive in the real world, Maddie? I swear to god…”

“Not everyone is an honor’s roll student like you. And I’ve turned out great up until now, can’t see why it’d change once I graduate.”

I chuckle at the way she flips her hair at that, without a single line of worry creasing her face. In fact, I can’t recall a time in which Maddie had been actually worried about anything. I guess that takes talent on its own. “And you don’t have to worry, I do go to parties without you. I’m not a shut in.”

Her smile turns devious at that, and I immediately regret indulging in this conversation.

“Oooh, I know,” she chuckles. “I’ve seen some pictures--”

“What pictures?”

“You know, pictures.” She gestures dramatically with her hands, and I narrow my eyes when she turns around to check the pie we made in the oven. “I was so proud when I saw them.”

“Who sent you? And when?”

I can think of a few things I might have done at a party or two when I needed to relax from all the stress I put myself under, and absolutely none of them are things I’d like my sister to see. There is absolutely no need for me to give her more ammo to torture me with.

“Quit the questioning, Ms. Future Agent,” she ignores my questions. “Pie is about ready, we should let mom and dad know.”

“It should sit in the oven for another five minutes at least, that’s plenty of time for us to go over those pictures.”

With my arms crossed in front of my chest, I get closer to her, trapping her in the corner. “If they are compromising, I need to get rid of them because the Bureau does a very, very thorough background check.”

“Aren’t you pretty much hired already?” The fact that I’m towering over her slender frame now does nothing to deter the mischief in her face. “You told me they made you an offer based on your performance in college and their training.”

“That makes anything of the sort that much worse!” I sigh, running a hand through my hair. “I’ve worked my ass off in college to get this job, do you have any idea the pain in the ass it is to get a double major that’s not even remotely related with each other? And I’m just a woman, I need to let go at a party or two every now and then, but those morons should know that it’s illegal to take pictures of others without their consent and share it--”

“Oh my god, breathe, Jess,” Maddie laughs, pushing me aside to turn off the oven. “I was just messing with you, there are no pictures.”

… Why am I not surprised?

“But it’s very interesting to know you’ve done dubious stuff in college, and it makes me very proud of the woman you’ve become.” She wipes a fake tear away.

I groan, tossing the oven mittens her way. It’s been over twenty years that we’ve lived together, and I still fall for her crap. It makes no sense, I’m great at reading people, but somehow my scatterbrained sister always gets me.

The sweet scent of lemon pie fills the kitchen and my frown melts into a small smile.

It was the first dessert we learned how to make, and it took us a while to get it right. The memories flood to mind with this scent, and I can’t act like I’m upset anymore.

“Besides, I wouldn’t let anyone else have a bad pic of you. I have sole custody of those.”

“As long as you remember all the embarrassing pictures I have of you…”

“I thought you loved me!” she gasps, widening her doe-like eyes at me while at the same time trying to kick my shin.

“I love you just as much as you love me, so you might want to stop trying to kick me,” I say, dodging her with a smirk. “Besides, that’s assault and I could have you arrested in under a year.”

“I’m gonna tell dad.”

I click my tongue and ruffle her hair, yet I can’t help but smile when she offers me a spoonful of meringue with a bright smile on her face.

Maddie has always been like this -- and she probably always will; but that’s why I love her, I guess.

Though I’ll probably only admit that in my best woman speech at her wedding in the future. Yes, getting her to cry on her wedding day and ruin her makeup will be my revenge for all the times she’s played me for a fool.