"And the women's singles champion of the Wimbledon championships is Kim Taeyeon!" The tournament director anmounced. Winning arguably the biggest tournament in tennis, this was the stuff of dreams. I walked towards the court with a big smile planted on my face, shook hands with him, and waited for him to present me with the trophy. However, instead of doing so, he repeatedly patted my shoulder. What is he doing? 

"Tae, are you awake?" I heard Tiffany ask softly while gently tapping me on the shoulder.

Aish...it was just a dream...

Groggily, I turned my head towards her, "Fany-ah, what are you doing? It's like 3 am in the morning..."

"I don't feel well..." 

Instictively, I placed my hand on her forehead. Yikes! It was burning hot! 

"Fany-ah, you're running a high fever!"

"I know, do you have any medicine or whatnot?" She looked at me hopefully.

"No...but I can take you to the doctor."

"It's fine, you have a good rest, I'll go by myself--"

"I'm coming with you." I cut her off abruptly.

"Tae...my head feels heavy and I feel weak...I don't think I can make my way all the way to the clinic..." Tiffany mumbled just as we were about to leave the house. I had considered waking my parents up but decided to let them have a good night's sleep, with a long work day in store for them later in the day.

"I'll piggyback you there then."

"No, Tae, I'll just go there in the morning myself--"

Before she could complete her statement, I grab her legs and lift her off the ground, her arms instictively wrapping around my neck. ...she's heavier than I thought...

I walk as fast as I can down the deserted streets of Seoul towards the nearby clinic. The clinic was completely devoid of customers, with the clinic assistant sitting at the counter even dozing off. 

"Excuse me, she needs to see the doctor!" I raise my voice to ensure the clinic assistant wakes up. She wakes up with a jolt and replies in a panic, "Of...of course, the doc...doctor is in this room,", gesturing towards a room on our right.

I have seen the doctor, Dr Yeom many times before, going to him for whatever medical issue I face, and being a regular customer, he decides to do me a favour and offer Tiffany diagnosis and medicine for free. 

"It's nothing serious, just a high fever, if she rests well and takes medicine regularly she should be fine." Dr Yeom informs me with a warm smile.

I let out a sigh of relief. "Thank you so much, Dr Yeom."

On our journey back home, Tiffany feels well enough to walk by herself and we end up chatting animatedly. Just as I am about to unlock the door to my house, Tiffany wraps her arms tightly around my waist. "Taeyeon-ah, thank you so much, you've housed me for the past 3 weeks, been such a great host, hitting partner and friend, I'm so lucky to have you in my life, I really cherish every second we spend together."

I felt extremely touched by her statement...I had never really opened up to anyone that much before for them to become an integral part of my life, and I probably wouldn't have opened up to Tiffany...had fates not conspired to seemingly pull us together no matter what, my friendship with Tiffany, it felt like destiny.

"Fany-ah, you are the first person who has really appreciated me for who I am, you bring so much more colour into my life, you bring me happiness, I'd call you the best friend I've ever made in my life. Without you, it'd be like losing my happiness. Thank you for being in my life." I turn around, stare into her eyes and return the hug. We stay locked in an embrace for a long time before I pull away.

"To be honest,  I don't always like having you in my life though." 

"Why not?" Tiffany asks, looking upset.

"I hate it when you're on the opposite set of the net in a match. Just like an annoying pest refusing to go away." I answer cheekily.

"Well, you better get used to it, you're going to see me there many more times."

With Tiffany still running a fever, although her condition did seem to improve, I had to head to school myself, with only 3 hours of sleep under my belt. Usually, the journey to school would be filled with animated chatter, light banter, hearty laughter, but now it was just silence. Something I hadn't encountered for quite a while, ever since Tiffany came into my life. It struck me just how big a part Tiffany played in my life, before she came into my life silence was all too familiar, I preferred to be alone most of the time. However, Tiffany was one of the few people who I thoroughly enjoyed the company of and I hadn't been alone for a long time, Tiffany was always right by my side.

That day of school seemed to last an eternity. There was no Tiffany to rant about lessons with, no Tiffany to struggle to complete work with, no Tiffany to brighten up my day, in a nutshell. Lessons were painfully boring and uneventful, even recess was boring, having to eat alone, as I virtually had no other friends besides Tiffany in the school, being naturally introverted to a great degree.

Only now did I realise the extent of the importance of Tiffany in my life...I was essentially a loner without her...

"Kim Taeyeon! Daydreaming again! Do you want to fail your final exams this year? Let me remind you that the final exams play a huge part in which university you can enter!" Mr Park yelled, glaring at me sternly. 

"Sorry sir..." I hung my head apologetically.