“Did I mention how much I hate field trips? They take up my sleeping hours.” Sooyoung grumbled, placing a hand over her yawning mouth as she leaned against the yellow bus. Both hers and Taeyeon’s classes were going on a field trip for the weekend.

“You sleep too much — wait, no, you literally hibernate.” Sunny said, rolling her eyes remembering that one time Sooyoung had slept for four days straight without as much as lifting a finger. She had panicked and went to confine herself in the four walls of their room occasionally checking for Sooyoung’s pulse. She thought she had accidently killed her lover with excessive bunny .

“No I don’t.” Sooyoung scoffed.

“Yes you do. You’re like a hippo.” Sunny added.

“I don’t hibernate like a hip— wait, you’re not saying I’m fat, are you?” Sooyoung’s eyes narrowed into slits. “It’s my thighs, isn’t it?”

“Just what are you on about?” Sunny rolled her eyes and started walking away but Sooyoung quickly followed, already yelling at her in discontentment.

“Admit it! You think I have jumbo thighs!”

“Good morning!” Taeyeon appeared out of nowhere, a bright smile on her face that quickly disappeared when she saw the look on her friends’ faces.
Sunny looked at Taeyeon with hooded eyes. “Well, somebody’s awfully cheery this morning.” She commented.

“I’m-” Taeyeon stopped herself and scanned her surrounding before turning back to her friends and whispered, “Let you know the details as soon as we get on the bus.”

“Taeyeon, do you think I’m fat too?” Sooyoung whimpered, obviously not paying attention to whatever Taeyeon was saying.

Taeyeon wasn’t listening so she just nodded, confirming Sooyoung’s nightmare.

Lips quivering and eyes watery from the impending tears, Sooyoung averted her gaze and started sobbing into her hands. Sunny turned to look at Taeyeon in disbelief and mouthed an angry ‘thanks?’.

Before Taeyeon could react, she spotted Jessica in a distant and quickly forgot about her friends’ drama. The blonde was being followed by a girl who looked familiar. Ah, Kwon Yuri, the popular school casanova. Taeyeon was surprised that the two knew each other.

“Please?” Yuri was heard pleading to Jessica as she quickened her pace to walk side-by-side with the blonde. Jessica seemed to be ignoring her.

“Jessica!” Taeyeon greeted the blonde when she got closer to the bus, waving happily at her.

Jessica gave her a dirty look and ignored her, about to step into the bus when Taeyeon called out for her again.

“What?!” Jessica snapped, causing heads to turn. Yuri stopped to look at Taeyeon too, probably wondering who this other midget was.

Taeyeon’s eyes widened. “I’m just surprised you’re tagging along, but I’m very happy that you are. That’s all?” She gulped as Yuri shook her head fearfully.

“It’s compulsory, genius.” Jessica stormed into the bus, but before she got on, turned around and tried to push Yuri away. “And get the away from me, Yuri!”

“Not unless you agree to go to prom with me!” Yuri yelled, rushing into the bus to chase after her dream date.

“Was that intense or what?” Laughing nervously, Taeyeon turned to Sunny and Sooyoung and immediately regretted it.

“No I’m not going to say it!” Sunny yelled.

“But you did say it! You said I was fat!” Sooyoung yelled back.

“I did not!”

“You did! You called me a hippo!”

“Yes, because you hibernate like one!”

“Aha, but hippos don’t hibernate! They’re not cows. Do you really think I’m that stupid, Lee Sunkyu?” Sooyoung rolled her eyes.

Sunny slapped her forehead, wordless.

“Stop monkeying around and get on the bus.” Mr. Gerald appeared in front of the trio, taking a look at the attendance list before signalling the girls to get on the bus.

“At least ‘monkeying’ doesn’t sound fat!” Sooyoung pulled a tongue at her girlfriend and stormed into the bus while Sunny could only shake her head at the giant’s stupidity.

“Tae, you coming?”

Taeyeon decided to wait a while more. Her eyes swept the crowd and fell on Tiffany who just appeared and apologising to Mr. Gerald for being late.

A wave of relief washed over her, and she supressed a smile. “Coming!”

//

Taeyeon and Sunny were leaning out over the aisle, spying on Tiffany who was seated several rows in front of them.

“I’m surprised you didn’t freak her out with your cheesy dancing-in-the-rain move.” Sunny whispered to Taeyeon. “No offense though.”

“At least she was happy, unlike your girlfriend.” Taeyeon said. “No offense though.” She added, mimicking Sunny’s voice.

“Okay, I don’t sound anything like that!” Sunny hissed, turning her head around to spot for Sooyoung who was seated several rows behind them. “Also, I refuse to apologise for the I didn’t say.”

Taeyeon merely shrugged. Sooyoung was jabbing furiously at her phone now. “I think she’s drafting you an angsty text.”

“She’s been like that since we started our journey but I’ve not gotten any of her texts. Anyway, enough about me.” Sunny leaned over and pinched Taeyeon’s arm.

“Ouch!”

“So, are you going to make a move on her or what?”

Taeyeon’s face turned bright pink. “No way! Are you out of your mind?”

“Grow a pair. Did you know I confessed to Sooyoung instead of the other way round?” Sunny smirked.

Taeyeon gasped. “But she told me…”

“Yup, I let her lie about it and even played along cos it made her happy.” Sunny said. “It took a lot of donuts — and drugs — but I did it, I poured my heart out to her. It scared her away for weeks but she eventually came back around when she realised the feeling was mutual.”

“Whoa, I’ve never taken you for a romantic.”

“Shut up.”

“Okay, you know what, if you can do it, so can I. I’m doing it!”

“Really?”

“Yes, next year.” Taeyeon said softly, sinking lower in her chair. “Or after we graduate.”

“How about when you turn 40 and she’s hopefully still single then?” Sunny mocked. Taeyeon was about to agree when she noticed the frown on Sunny’s face.

“Fine, I’ll talk to her.” Taeyeon sighed. “But no drugs!”

Sunny nodded. “Hey, who am I to judge?”

“Okay.” Taeyeon slowly stood up from her seat and drew in a deep breath, feeling like she’s about to throw up from the nerves. Carefully she stepped into the aisle, her eyes falling on the back of Tiffany’s head. Be cool, Taeyeon, be cool. 

She turned around to see Sunny gesturing her to move forward, cheering her on. “You can do it!”

Gently tapping on Tiffany’s shoulder, Taeyeon said in a shaky voice as the younger girl turned around to face her, “Hey, F-Fany.”

“Oh, hi Taeyeon!” Came the unusually loud response. Laughing, Tiffany pulled her earphones out and apologised for yelling.

“So, what’s going on?”

Taeyeon stared at Tiffany, frozen, her mind racing with worst case scenarios that could happen if she were to confess to Tiffany right now. She held her breath, didn’t move a single muscle, and was praying the ground would open up at this moment and swallow her whole.

“Taeyeon”

“…”

“Your nose is bleeding.”

“What?”

“Your nose.”

“Oh, you mean, uhm, blood, is actu