Taeyeon tossed and turned in bed, trying to get some sleep. But no matter how hard she tried, she can’t get a particular scene out of her head.

[Flashback]

Taeyeon quickly got off the stage and started walking towards Tiffany.

“So, what do you think?” She asked with a shy smile. Good job, Kim Taeyeon.

“Huh?” Tiffany asked in confusion, looking up to meet eyes with Taeyeon. 

“Did you see me…” Taeyeon gasped in horror as Tiffany unplugged her earphones. “…sing.”

“Sorry, my phone started making this weird buzzing noise and I got distracted.” Tiffany looked at Taeyeon. “You were saying?”

“Oh. It’s nothing.” Taeyeon said with a strained smile before her body turned limp and her world turned black.

[End of Flashback]

The next thing she knew she was waking up in her hotel room. By then, it was a little over 11pm. Since there was no one else in the room and it was late, Taeyeon wanted to go back to sleep but couldn’t because her head kept replaying the horrifyingly embarrassing scene of Tiffany and her earphones.

She dialled Sunny’s number and patiently waited till the line connected before sighing and saying, “Sunny, where are you?”

“I’m with Sooyoung.” Sunny said, giggling. “Uhm, actually, I’m kinda busy. Can I call you back later?”

Taeyeon’s eyes narrowed into slits. “Sooyoung? Aren’t you guys not talking to each other?”

“We aren’t. Let’s just say she’s using her lips for something else.” There were more giggles, then the sound of things being messed about, and finally soft moans before Taeyeon hung up and threw her phone on the ground, horrified.

//

The next morning, Taeyeon woke up feeling like the whole weight of the world was on her. “Sooyoung, get off me!”

Sooyoung turned to look at the moving lump underneath her and started shrieking. “In the name of God, I now pronounce you, wife and wife! Wait, that doesn’t sound right.”

“It’s me, you idiot!” Taeyeon cried, pushing Sooyoung to the other side of the bed as she flipped the blanket over to reveal a body of blue PJs.

“Oh, it’s you.” Sooyoung smiled in relief. “What on earth were you doing down there?”

“I was sleeping? Anyway, where’s Sunny?” Taeyeon asked, rubbing her eyes. “Weren’t you two together last night?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. Been sleeping on the floor the whole time.” Sooyoung shrugged, popping peanuts into . “Besides, I’m still mad at her for saying that I’m fat.”

“She didn’t say that.” Taeyeon sighed. She’s already having enough problems with Tiffany and now her friends were making this worse. “Anyway, I know what I heard. If you don’t believe me, you can ask Sunny yourself.”

The door swung open and Sunny walked into the room with a huge smile on her face. “Good morning, Taeyeon.” She said cheerily. Then she winked at Sooyoung and bit her bottom lip, saying in a raspy voice, “Hey, y.”

“What on earth is going on?” Sooyoung’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion. “You know, I’m heading down for breakfast. You two carry on being weird.”

“What was that?” Sunny threw Taeyeon a quizzical look. “We had such a great time last night and now she’s pretending it didn’t happen just to spite me? I should’ve known when she ambushed me in the broom closet.”

“Wait, what were you doing in a broom closet?” Taeyeon asked.

“I have my needs, okay!” Sunny said tearfully, and the colour drained from Taeyeon’s face.

“Should not have asked.” The older girl muttered to herself, then stood up and wrapped her arms around Sunny, shushing her. “Hey, it’s going to be alright. Sooyoung’s going to be throwing herself on you in no time. You know she can’t stand being apart from you for more than two days.”

“But it’s almost two days.” Sunny said, sobbing into Taeyeon’s shoulder. “I-I don’t understand why s-she’s making a big d-deal over literally nothing.”

“Maybe she’s just in a bad mood.” Taeyeon said as they broke apart. “She’ll never do anything to hurt you.”

//

Taeyeon stared at Tiffany who was sitting right across her at the table and busy talking to Jessica. God, she’s beautiful, and those lips… those soft, luscious pink lips…

She was squashed between her best friends who were still not speaking to each other. Sunny was angry at how Sooyoung was treating her while the taller girl was also pissed and more confused than ever.   

“Taeyeon?” Tiffany waved at Taeyeon’s face, snapping Taeyeon out of her inappropriate thoughts about lips. “Yes?”

“Is there something you want to tell me?” Tiffany asked.

“No, why?”

“Cos’ you’ve been staring at me for awhile now.” Tiffany said as Jessica burst out laughing and Tiffany had to elbow her to shut her up.

“I-I wasn’t!” Taeyeon lied. “I’m just having a case of food coma.”

Tiffany looked at her with a smile like she couldn’t believe Taeyeon’s explanation. “Sure, I was just wondering is all.” She chuckled lightly and turned her focus back on Jessica to continue their conversation.

Heaving a sigh of relief, Taeyeon leaned towards Sunny and whispered, “Look at me. Am I bleeding?”

Sunny took one look at Taeyeon and turned pale. “Just a tiny drop.” She laughed nervously.

“That’s good news!” Taeyeon’s lips curled into a smile as she reached for some tissues and wiped her nostrils only to find out that she had been lied to.

“A drop? This is half a bucket of blood!”

“Oh don’t be dramatic.” Sunny rolled her eyes. “Besides, I didn’t tell you cos’ I didn’t want you to black out again.”

“Hey, you’re right. I’m okay!” Taeyeon stood up quickly and started feeling dizzy so she sat back down. “Maybe I shouldn’t push it.”

“You’re finally getting a hang of it. I’m happy for you, Taeyeon.” Sooyoung said nonchalantly as she slurped up her mushroom soup.

Sunny looked at Taeyeon and mouthed angrily, “What?”

Taeyeon just shrugged and drank her orange juice, not wanting to be any part of her friends’ childish argument.

“What do I have to do to get a cup of hot tea here?” Yuri stood up and stopped a passing waiter. “I need to speak to your manager.”

“No, she doesn’t.” Jessica smiled sheepishly at the waiter and gestured him to walk away as fast as he could. She looked at Yuri and frowned. “What is up with you?”

“Stay out of my business.” Yuri warned, leaving the table.

//

After breakfast, Mr. Gerald the Science teacher, brought them to the orchard to learn about trees and fruits. “And this is a papaya tree.” He was explaining to the students. “You can tell by the length and vein patterns of the leaves.”

“Or by the papayas that are hanging up there.” Sooyoung said a little too loud, causing the other students to burst into laughter. “What?” She scratched her head in confusion, not quite understanding the commotion that she was causing.

“Thank you for that amazing observation, Sooyoung.” The teacher said, looking flustered. “Let’s spot the fruits first for our next tree,