“Hey partner” Taeyeon says with a smile. A day have passed since her conversation with Sunny, she tried several times but every time she’s about to say something to Tiffany she just couldn’t go through with it. But today is different, because she’s lab partners with the girl, unless she wants to come off as totally bipolar she’s got to grow a bit of that backbone.

Sunny is grinning like the Cheshire cat from the other end of the room, adding up to Taeyeon’s nerves, if only she could hit her best friend in the head right now.

“It’s the first time we got to work on something together. Please take care of me” Tiffany is almost blinding her with her eye smiles.

Moments later, everyone is concentrating on the experiment, even Taeyeon and Tiffany looks focused, except for the stolen glances when they think the other is not looking.

“Are you dating someone?” Tiffany blurts out all of a sudden.

"Item number 5??? Oh my Gosh, Oh my Gosh!!"  Despite being in a state of total panic inside Taeyeon thankfully did not drop the glass jar she’s holding. She can be mistaken as calm at the moment, but it’s actually her frozen in shock look.

“I’m not. Are you?” Taeyeon managed to reply.

“I’m not too. Sorry it got awkward, I was just trying to make this less serious, don’t know why I asked that of all things” Tiffany laughed awkwardly.

“It worked. It got totally less serious” Taeyeon smiled sincerely trying to make the other girl feel better, the smile she got in return made her feel she’d just been paid back at least a hundredfold.

A little while later and the experiment progressed nicely, another thirty minutes and they will finish it.  Taeyeon is racking her brain on what to say next, something that would be a move forward, she knows she’ll lose momentum once class ends and approaching Tiffany will again be hard tomorrow if she don’t do anything about it while she have the chance. By now she is slightly aware of the glances directed at her when Tiffany thinks she is not paying attention.

"It is not exactly item number 1 per Sunny’s list but it’s still something. Gosh I’m getting way too giddy, get a grip Kim Taeyeon! " 

Tiffany looks like she wants to say something several times, the suspense is killing Taeyeon and she honestly thinks she can’t take Tiffany’s eye smiles and increasing friendliness with the questions and possibilities that Sunny had successfully put on her mind.

"I have to say something. I have to make further progress. Who knows when I’ll get a chance like this again? God this is so nerve wracking."

She does not aim to take a huge leap, she would be content if she manages to muster the courage to fill up the close-friend-meter a little more by the end of the day. She silently takes a deep breath and opens to speak.

“Uhm you do volunteer work for the student council before freshmen representatives gets officially chosen right?”

“Yes I do, actually all three of us who were year representatives last year does. It feels like we have to do it until the official ones get elected, nobody said that of course but it feels that way and all three of us agree.”

“Ah I get that. So how often do the student council meet up?”

“Tuesdays and Thursday are regular meetings, and the president can call up special meetings on top of that. The school year just started so there haven’t been any special meetings yet.”

“You have to stay after class on those days huh? Jessica-ssi waits up for you?”

“Jessi doesn’t, she insists on getting out of school premises as soon as you can after classes get dismissed for the day.”

“How long do student council meetings last?”

“Forty five minutes to an hour and a half max. Why are you asking me these things? It’s the most words we’ve exchanged and it’s about student council of all things” Tiffany laughed softly.

“I was thinking… uhm you know… I could go home with you on Tuesdays and Thursdays if you like...” Taeyeon managed to say barely above a whisper, a deep blush creeps its way up her cheeks.

“Why would you do that?” Tiffany replies just as softly.

“I and Sunny never go home together as we live in opposite directions, though we wait for her ride together. And I spend time reading at the library almost every afternoon before going home. So if it’s not a bother to you we could go home together whenever you have student council meetings after class. We take the same bus right? I’ve seen you and Jessica-ssi a few times. My stop’s a few ones after yours.” Taeyeon smiled shyly at the other girl.

“Okay class time to wrap things up. Make a short report with your partner regarding the experiment due Monday. Thank you, class dismissed.” Mrs. Choi announced before Tiffany can say something to the other girl.

The both of them dropped their conversation and concentrated on getting ready to leave. A couple of minutes later and they’re both ready to go.

“Hey Tiff, I’m going ahead. See you tomorrow, bye.”

“Bye Jessi.”

Tiffany looked around for Taeyeon and caught a glimpse of the other girl walking out of the classroom with Sunny.

"Oh no did I miss my chance? She must have thought I didn’t want to go home together, I should have said yes immediately" With a downcast look Tiffany left for the student council room.

An hour later and the door to the student council room opened up and momentary chatter filled up the hallway. “Thanks again everyone, take care getting home.” The student council president bid everyone goodbye and one by one the students went their different ways.

Tiffany walks slowly to the school gate still feeling down. It’s not that late but it has gotten dark enough for the lights to be . She’s deep in thought, endlessly replaying the conversation she had with Taeyeon earlier, coming up with alternate happy endings, opposite of the one that actually went down. She has just stepped at the bottom of the stairs when she felt a hand on her shoulder.

“ahhhhhhhhhh!” Tiffany’s first instinct was to run but she was firmly grabbed on both arms.

“Sorry, sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you, It’s Taeyeon.”

“What are you doing here? You scared me so much.”

“I’m very sorry. I was waiting for you. I called you but you walked right past me. I was sitting there the whole time.” Taeyeon pointed up the stairs.

“I thought you went home already.”

“I forgot it was Thursday. Right after Sunny went off, I saw Jessica on her way home too. I hurried back to our classroom but you weren’t there. I didn’t want to bother your meeting so I waited here instead. I’m so sorry I scared you, I didn’t mean to.”

“I’m okay now, you’re forgiven. Thank you for waiting for me. Let’s go home?” Tiffany smiled sincerely at Taeyeon, she is very touched that the girl waited for her.

"She sat here the entire time, alone, just to wait for me."

“Yes let’s.” Taeyeon can’t help but blush, Tiffany’s smiling sweetly, staring at her.

"Her smile’s a killer."

Tiffany turned and resumed walking to the gate, Taeyeon trailing closely behind. They arrived at the bus stop and stood side by side without a word, each avoiding looking at the other, careful not to get caught with the blush on their faces still not letting up, each not knowing the girl beside her is just as nervous but elated to be going home with her crush.