"Ahhhh, it's soo cold." Tiffany mumbled as she rubbed her hands together. Although she had on comfortable gloves that were supposingly suppose to keep your hands 'warm', the cold weather was too 'cold'; leaving her fingers to turn into icicles. 

"Yah! Don't complain! Winter is suppose to be of wonder and fulfillment! Don't let the cold beat you down!" Sunny scolded, nudging Tiffany's head with her index finger.

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever you say." Tiffany laughed, grabbing a tissue from her bag before attempting to wipe the snotsicles coming from Sunny's nose. 

"...Don't tell Yoona." Sunny groaned, annoyed that she was once again caught in a embarrassing situation by Tiffany.

"You know I won't." Tiffany smiled, giggling once again.

"Tell me what?" Came a soft voice, making the two girls turn around as they finally noticed their friend approaching them from the front entrance of their school.

Classes were finally over for Winter break. While everybody else was celebrating at the local karaoke bar, or in the living room of amazing party 'hosts', the girls were planning to head over to the campus cafe; or turned bar as Siwon and the rest of his band were playing for the night. 

"Ehhhh, nothing! What took you so long?" Sunny mumbled, quickly throwing the used tissue into the garbage can before Yoona noticed.

"Ahh...Mrs. Jung needed me to recommend some activities for the student body after the break so that students won't be so stressed for the upcoming exams in February. So...that's why!" Yoona smiled, hooking her arms with the each of us before leading us towards the snow covered sidewalk to the cafe.

"Mrs. Jung definitely likes you wayyy more than the rest of the student council." Sunny complained, "She hasn't asked me about anything at all! I'm surprised she didn't even ask Siwon."

Hearing Siwon's name, Tiffany secretly smiled to herself. Although she didn't hope for anything to happen between them, and though she was content with just the friendship she received from him, his name still sent her heart beating like a small little drum. He was too good for her.

"Well, she knows Siwon is busy! She told me she would drop by to hear him play tonight-" Yoona started, but was immediatly cut off by Sunny. 

"Wha-wha-whaaaat?! She's coming?! I knew she had a silly crush on the poor boy...but this just...a little..." Sunny trailed, bewildered at first, but slowly looking crazed by the slow transformation on her face. "This is perfect. Siwon won't even know what hit him."

"AH! Sunny! When will you stop with the pranks! You and Sungmin are just so horrible to him." Yoona sputed, attempting to drill her knuckle onto her friends head.

Laughing herself, Tiffany held Sunny as Yoona started to tickle the short blondie when the knuckle drill didn't work out.

"Aish!! Fine!!!!!! I'll at least let him know that Mrs. Jung will be coming!" Sunny screamed, her face streaming with tears as the last of the laughs and giggles left . Tickling was a torture, and Sunny hated it when they all knew her weakness.

"You better." Yoona grinned, nudging Tiffany with her elbow before they highfived.

Life was good.

Really good.

"I am, a flower quickly fading. Here today, and gone tomorrow...A wave, tossed in the ocean...-"

Tiffany gazed in wonderment as she watched the words leave Siwon's mouth. No matter how many times she had watched him, he never failed to amaze her with the passion behind his voice. The audience was entranced by him as she was, and that proved how good a singer really is.

Capturing the attention of the audience.

She smiled gently when he flickered his eyes towards hers; giving a quick wink before he moved his gaze around the audience again. Ohhh, what a wink...

He'll never be yours.

And with that, Tiffany frowned to herself.

She knew she wasn't good enough for him. It was blatantly told to her face every single day. 

'You're not good enough.'

'You don't deserve him.'

'He needs some body special.'

'He needs somebody who's on his level.'

'You're not pretty, you're not smart, and your voice barely scrapes by the local church choir.'

'Just give it up.'

Tiffany knew that it was impossible for her to ever be in a relationship with him, and because of that, she never even hoped or dream that one day...he would look at her like that. She just wanted to be there for him as a friend. Be there for him like he was there for her. She just wanted to cheer, and support him like any friend could and would...

But apparently...she shouldn't even hold the privilege to do that.

It didn't matter to what they said though.

She would never stop being his friend.

Never.

"Hey...I'm going to go the the washroom, okay?" Tiffany yelled, raising her voice a little higher as the screams of the audience were resonating through the cafe. Siwon had just finished his song, and the audience were chanting for a encore. Although she really wanted to stick around for it; her bladder was just not agreeing with her. Seeing as how she had drank 5 sodas, and maybe a little bit of beer...the toilet sounded really good as of now.

"Okay! But hurry back! We're meeting the other's here to go for a late night snack later!" Sunny yelled back, just as she got out of her seat while Yoona gave her a quick smile and nod.

"Be back in five!"

Rushing past the mass of people that were gathered around enjoying the music, Tiffany quickly slipped into the ladies room before heading into a empty stall. Quickly relieving the full bladder she had kept, she cleaned herself before zipping up her light wash skinny jeans.

Never would she attempt to take a bet to finish 5 sodas. 

It wasn't worth it.

Leaving the stall and heading over to the sink, she quickly soaped up her hands and rinsed it with water; careful to not get her sleeves wet. Just as she was about to reach for a towel, the door to the washroom banged open, leaving a loud echo in the small enclosed space.

She felt herself pale slightly as she recognised the long waves that cascaded down the girls shoulders.

Kimbap.

"Well, well, well. What do we have here." The girl sneered, stalking slowly up towards her.

Out of all the girls, Kimbap was still the meanest by far. Always attempting to use brutal violence, unlike Tempura who liked to scream at her with horrible words.

Ignoring Kimbap, Tiffany tried to walk around the girl to get out of the washroom.

She was never into fights.

"I said, what do we have here." Kimbap screamed, blocking Tiffany from walking any further before using her arm to knock her head.

Grimacing at the impact, Tiffany shoved slightly as she tried again to move passed her.

"I wasn't finished talking with you." Kimbap warned, hitting her once again before slamming her towards the towel dispenser. 

Tiffany's pulse raised as she felt a slight bruise forming on the small curve of her back. This is also what she gets for bruising easily...not that anybody could tell. Kimbap made sure of that.

"I don't like it when you walk away from me." Kimbap threatened, pinching her arm with each word that came out of .

"S-stop." Tiffany muttered, angry tears almost falling from her eyes.

If she had to name the person she hated themost right now in the whole wide world...it would be Kimbap.

"No-" Kimbap started, but was cut short when the washroom door was kicked opened.

"I thought I heard something going on in here." Came a voice behind Kimbap.

Looking over the 'monsters' shoulders, Tiffany quickly recognised the girl that had 'saved' her the first time from Kimbap's attacks. Although Tiffany never saw her again after that, she never stopped trying to look for her in the hallways, or the cafeteria during breaks.

"You. Get out." The dirty blonde said, pointing at Tiffany before directing her finger to the door.

Peering at Kimbap's slightly pale face, and the option set before her; Tiffany quickly moved from Kimbap before stopping in front of the girl. Squeezing her quickly in a hug (which still surprised the girl like the first time she had met Tiffany) , Tiffany muttered a small thank you before rushing out the door.

The air in the washroom was thick and scary. She knew she didn't want to stick around for that...

And the power that came from the girls mouth...Tiffany knew it was better to listen to the girl than to not do as she was told...

Something told her she would see this girl again...very soon...

"Umph." Tiffany squeaked, peering up slightly as she had bumped into some one's back just as she was stepping into the main hall way from the washroom.

"Yah...there you are! Do you- ..." Siwon trailed, slightly joking at first but quickly stopped when he noticed the pale and sweaty sheen to her face. "Are you okay?"

Gasping slightly at his sudden appearance, Tiffany tried to cover up, "Ani...I mean...uh...yes! Neh! I-...I'm fine!"

"Are you sure?" Siwon asked, bringing a hand up to her forehead as he noticed a rise in temperature to her body.

"Yes...I'm ...fine!" Tiffany encouraged, trying to steer the conversation away from herself. "You're finished with the performance now?"

"Yah, that won't work on me you know." Siwon scolded, attempting to smile before showing another sign of worry. "Let me ask you again, are you-"

*BANG*

The both of them turned around as the door to the girl's room was thrown open; a blurry figure rushing by. It was Kimbap.

The other unknown girl walked out right after, giving Tiffany a gentle look before her eyes hardened to stare at Siwon as she passed him. 

It felt like minutes had passed as the both of them continuted to stare down the hall to where the girl had passed. Both...for different reasons.

"If you get into any trouble...you know you can tell me about it right?" Siwon suddenly said, turning his body to face her again as the both were snapped out of their trance. "You can tell me if anybody's been troubling you..."

Noticing the sincerity in his voice...Tiffany could only attempt to lie so well before she got caught... "IF, I get into any trouble..." Making sure to not promise to PEOPLE that would be troubling her...

Not that she would notice the gears running in his head.

"Just know that you can come to me for anything." He stated once again, pulling her into a hug; something that was out of style for him because he NEVER hugged anybody. Or that she knew of or seen. 

Although hugs between friends were usually normal, Tiffany felt different for once. 

This was the first time Siwon had hugged her. 

and this was the first time she had seen it happen.

To her.

Slowly bringing her arms around him, Tiffany closed her eyes gently before squeezing tight. Please...

And if only she could've heard the words that ghosted out of his mouth...then would she realize the first sign in the change of their friendship...

'I'll always be here to protect you.'