"I'll see you around Soonkyu." Taeyeon said as she broke off from a hug. They were back at the Sment building's lobby after the short break. All four of them had finished having a snack at a nearby ice cream parlor where Sunny and Taeyeon ordered a giant tub of ice cream. All of them shared the treat but it was all of them except the two managers that talked like a chatterbox. Several customers had actually recognized the hallyu star but not one had dared to intrude the table seeing that Taeyeon was busy catching up with someone, plus the aura of the two managers shielding the artists from the public were quite uninviting.

"Of course you will Jumtaeng. I'll be doing my recording next week. You should come and help me out." Sunny said, still holding on to Taeyeon's hand.

"You sure? You've got Sooyoung with you. Plus she's double purpose. Manager and songwriter, what else do you need me for?" Taeyeon remarked, praising Sooyoung to make the taller gal feel at ease but somehow Taeyeon's joke only made Sooyoung glower more.

"Aish. So you're now the one ditching me. Making a payback Jumtaeng?" Sunny friskily smirked, nudging Taeyeon's arm. 

"Anni. Alright. I'll see you then."

"Good. I gotta go, I have dance training with Jaewon-oppa. It was nice to see you again manager Hwang." Sunny replied then turned her head towards Tiffany. Before finally leaving from the lobby, Sunny hugged Taeyeon again, mumbling softly right on the hallyu star's shoulder."Hmmm...thanks for accepting me back Taeyeon. Sarang...I mean..I missed you Jumtaeng."

"I'm just glad you're back. I missed you too Soonkyu." Taeyeon responded, holding Sunny by the waist.

Sooyoung had enough of the skinship. Even though she thought that Taeyeon was acting like a friend, she knew Sunny was interpreting it as more than that. The more they held hands, hugged or poke each other, the more Sooyoung felt her heart was punctured. Unable to tolerate it further, Sooyoung pulled Sunny off Taeyeon and excused themselves. "Ehem..Sunny, we have to go. Taeyeon-ssi, Tiffany-ssi, it was nice meeting both of you."

The rest bid goodbye to each other in sort of a formal manner. Sunny and Sooyoung disappeared to through the lift and Taeyeon and Tifany were left standing at the lobby. They decided to take the stairs since Taeyeon planned to go back to the studio. She had a smile splattered across her face and she felt like a ton has been lifted off her shoulders. Suddenly, memories of her childhood and training days rushed through her brain, reminding her of how happy she was before three years ago. Tiffany noticed Taeyeon smiling like a fool and even though she was feeling a bit jealous of Sunny, she tried to hide it, thinking it was too selfish of her to fee that way.

"Tiffany?" Taeyeon finally asked as they climb the steps. She just noticed how wordless Tiffany had been and the absence of people taking the staircase made the silence even more deafening.

"Hmm?"Tiffany answered Taeyeon with a mere shrug and Taeyeon found it absurd.

"You seem quiet. When we were at the ice cream parlor, you just sat in a corner and listened. Is there something wrong?" Taeyeon asked and stopped Tiffany from taking another step up.

Tiffany tucked her black hari behind her ears and looked down at Taeyeon. "Anni Tae. I'm happy for you. I can't believe you've found your friend again after three years that she abandoned you. It's like a drama, no, some sort of like a fairytale. You know, I'm actually impressed. You forgave her that easy. If I were in your shoes, I would have probably done something else. I'm...I'm just proud of you Tae."

As she explained herself, Tiffany clenched her fist, knowing that she was only telling Taeyeon half of what she feels. She just felt selfish. Sunny was a friend and it was not her right to deprive Taeyeon of that friendship.

Taeyeon smiled upon hearing that Tiffany was actally proud of what she did, for she herself was surprised with her behaviour. She wasn't as cold as before. Tiffany had changed her back to her old self, the warm and loving Taeyeon. "Actually Tifany, now that you mention it. If I was the old Taeyeon, I might have just left too. But then at that moment, I realized that I shouldn't push people away from me anymore. Soonkyu stuck with me through the training days and supported me even though I was already a star and she wasn't. She's a co-trainee, a comrade, a friend who always made me laugh. She's one of the treasures I would like to cherish..............................just like you."

Tiffany blushed at Taeyeon's last words. She felt reassured with her feelings with Taeyeon and vice versa. "That's really very mature of you Tae."

Taeyeon took Tiffany's hand and climbed two more steps above her, making her 'taller' than her manager."Of course. Now, should I get a reward for it then?"

The hallyu star leaned in for a kiss but was blocked by Tiffany's palm instead. "Aish. One moment you're so cool and then you ruin it with your plain dorkiness."

"But still you love it, don't you manager Miyoungie Hwang?" Taeyeon teased as she swiped Tiffany's hand off her face and folded it so she could kiss the back of Tiffany's hand, just like what a prince would do in fairytales.

"Ne." Tiffany kissed Taeyeon as the latter raised her head from pecking the brunette's hand.

"And I thought I was the kiss-napper?" Taeyeon impishly grinned.

"I've fallen in love with my captor..."

"Aaah."Taeyeon blushed at her manager's spot-on response. Taking one hand in hers, Taeyeon turned back around to climb up the stairs, with Tiffany following her right behind. Nothing but the sound of their steps echoed at the staircase and Taeyeon broke the monotonous clanking with her voice.  "Tiffany, let's have dinner tomorrow at your place. I'm getting tired of going back to my villa all the time. It'd be nice to have a change of venue."

"Okay. I'll tell Jess about it too. She can stay at Yuri's if you want to have dinner alone."

"Anni. It'll be nice to meet your bestfriend too."

They had reached the second floor and were walking now on the hallway.

"That's nice of you Tae." Tiffany sheepishly said, referring to Taeyeon's intention to finally come and see her place as well as meet her bestfriend.

"Anything for you Tiffany. Alright, dinner with you tomorrow then. I'll be working back on the song, wanna join me? I need some inspiration." Taeyeon said, pulling Tiffany to follow her back to the recording studio.

Tiffany stayed in her spot and stopped Taeyeon from yanking her. "I'm afraid I can't Tae. I have to leave in 10 minutes to meet with the broadcast manager for MBC. They're asking you to MC again."

"Again? Aish...okay. I'll see you then Tiffany." Taeyeon complained, tilting her head down in frustration.

"Quit whining. It's still your job. Saranghae Tae." Tiffany gently chided, lifting Taeyeon's face by the chin with one hand and pecked Taeyeon on the lips.

"Sarang..." 

Taeyeon was about to reply after the kiss but suddenly BoA came out from one of the larger recording studios. Tiffany immeditely backed off from Taeyeon and looked at the other idol, panicking whether BoA had seen what she just did. BoA glanced from Taeyeon to Tiffany and back at Taeyeon. She had a smirk on her face as she taunted Taeyeon.

"You've got a very affectionate manager Taeyeon. I'm jealous. I don't get that kind of treatment from Chilmoo-oppa."

"BoA-ssi, it's not what you think." Tiffany waved her hand, objecting.

"Don't worry manager Hwang. I saw nothing." BoA replied nefariously and walked past the couple, heading for the lift. Her heels clicked at each step until she paused and looked back at Taeyeon and Tiffany.

I can't wait for the headline news by tomorrow night...Chilmoo-oppa better get those pictures out fast. Let's see what happens to you and your manager Kim Taeyeon. Let's see you give up on being a hallyu star.

"Congratulations by the way on your concert Taeyeon. I heard it was a big sucess. I heard you had a lot of help from your manager too. So nice of you manager Hwang. I'm looking forward to working with you in 2 months for the concert in Japan. I bet there will be more surprises in store for everyone."

Taeyeon did not reply and kept her cool. She didn't want to burst her outrage in front of Tiffany. Her manager was still a fan of BoA and she was older. At least those factors made her keep her respect towards the other hallyu star. BoA pressed the button on the lift and waited for the doors to open up.

"We'll be looking forward to it too BoA-ssi" Tiffany answered for both her and Taeyeon.

"Great then. I'll see you around Taeyeon." BoA said, smiling from ear to ear.

The elevator opened and BoA walked in, clanking her heels against the metal floor. As soon as the doors closed, BoA's smile turned sour and she checked her phone. 

That is if I still get to see you around Taeyeon. Hmm...I wonder how Sooyeon...oh, right..Jessica... would react. Poor girl. She already made the right decision to leave Taeyeon when I told her so. I guess i can't help but drag her again into this. Mianhe...This is what you get when you mess with a real hallyu star Kim Taeyeon.

"I know you're her fan Tiffany but there are some things you still don't know about her. I want you to distance yourself from BoA-unnie." Taeyeon warned, cleching her fist on the side until her knuckles almost turned white.

"But Taeyeon...how could you say that? She's really nice and good at what she does, being a hallyu star and all. Didn't you say she trained with you and Sunny? She's like your older sister. She's not like a devilish person who would plot bad things on you." 

"Sometimes devils can be in disguise Tiffany. I just want you to follow me." Taeyeon's expression was more than serious.She looked at Tiffany with sharp but pleading eyes but Tiffany remained baffled. In her head she had the perfect image of BoA as an idol who she admired since her teens and then there was Taeyeon ripping half of it and saying things that doesn't make sense.

"But Tae---" Tiffany demurred. She was still refusing to go along with Taeyeon's reasoning even though she loved her.

"Just do it for me, okay?"

"Ne...Tae..."

Tiffany agreed but deep inside she still retaliated from Taeyeon's views. 

How could she think that way of BoA-ssi?

-----------------------------

"Are you still at the art studio jagiyah?" 

Yuri was on the phone again talking to her one and only. She just got back from teaching classes from early morning to late afternoon and all she wanted was somehow relax and spend some time with her girldfriend. Her head had been in a jumble ever since Taewoo mentioned about Sica's necklace and her not being able to find the piece of jewelry wasn't helping too. For  couple of days, she tried dissing it off her head but somehow it bothered her more. Her dark thoughts just dispelled away as she heard Sica's voice again over the phone.

"Ne Seobang. But I'll be back home in a while.Tiffany's cooking dinner. She said a special guest is coming over tonight."

"Is that so? Well, do you want to grab dinner with me then?" Yuri plopped up from resting on her couch and quickly brought her feet down to he floor, ready to make a dash from her apartment.

"I'll do a raincheck Seobang. I might just go back at the studio and leave Tiffany with her guest. You could come to the studio and do art together if that's what you want." Jessica replied eagerly at the last part of her spill.

"Eh? Well, that actually doesn't sound bad at all." Yuri replied, catching on to what Jessica had just said.

"I was just kidding Seobang. I can't believe you're a Byunyul."

Yuri snorted and playfully reprimanded her lover. "Byunyul? Gee, you and Taengoo just gave me the same nickname. If it makes you feel any better, I'll only be a byunyul for you and noone else Sica. Okay? Convinced now?" 

"Arasso Seobang." Jessica giggled at the opposite end of the line. "Uhmm...Yuri-ah, I also need to talk to you about something..."

"EH? What is it?" Yuri asked.

"It's about...ah...annya...it's better when we talk about if face to face." 

"Are you sure? You sound serious. Did I do something you didn't like?" Yuri started to worry.

"Anni. No, not at all Seobang." Jessica replied. Although her voice was meek, she reassured her girlfriend. "It's not that important."

-beep beep-

Yuri heard her phone beep a few times indicatinga call waiting in line and she pondered on who it would be. Before answering the second call, Yuri politely asked Jessica first.

"Sica, I got another call. It might be from the school. I'll give you a call back."

"That's okay Seobang. My battery's about to die off too. I'll just try to see you tonight at my place. Love you."

"Okay. Love you too jagiyah."

Yuri waited for Jessica to end the call before swiping her handset to talk to the next person.

"Yoboseyo?"

"Yuri-ssi. It's me Nicole."

Yuri leaned in forward to her coffee table and fiddled with the piled envelopes of bills. She was quite surprised that Nicole would contact her since she and Hyoyeon's lover haven't communicated much on the phone.

"Nicole. You suddenly called. Is there a problem with Hyo?"

"Anni. Hyo's fine. She's actually out of the country for a dance competition judge invitation in Singapore. But that's not the reason why I called."

Yuri scoffed at the news she just heard. She couldn't believe Hyoyeon's popularity have even surpassed hers. Unable to foresee any problem, Yuri asked Nicole in a carefree manner. "Aish. That Hyo's really getting famous now. But yeah, what is it about?"

"It's about Taeyeon-ssi. Well, I think it's Taeyeon-ssi. I have a friend from the media who has some connections with paparazzi people and some scandal photos of supposedly Taeyeon and a certain girl came out."

It was then that Yuri found the situation serious. She had feared about Taeyeon getting hurt when it came to scandals since she was a public figure and now it may also involve not just the star herself but possibly, Tiffany, as her manager too."Is it her and Stephanie?"

"No, it's not manager Hwang. Someone else. Her face had been faded in the photos. I called you so that you can inform Taeyeon and Tiffany-ssi about it. The pictures haven't been released fully out in public so I was thinking SMent could probably do some damage control even before the pictures could go out. I'll send you copies of the photos on your phone so you could verify yourself if it's indeed Taeyeon-ssi."

The tanned girl's head spun in confusion and she was innately praying that it wasn't Taeyeon involved at all. "Okay. I'll check them out and call Taengoo at once. Thanks Nicole."

"No prob Yuri. We look out for our friends. There's no one else to rely on but each other."

"Gomawo. You and Hyo are really a great couple. I'm dropping the line. I'll see you Nic."

"See you Yuri. Keep me posted."

Yuri waited anxiously from her couch in her own living room. She flipped her phone to check on any incoming message from Nicole. The aggravation of waiting for images to download into her phone was more frustrating than seeing her name listed in an audition result.

It might not be Taengoo. She hasn't gone out with any other girl except Stephanie. But if it is indeed Taengoo, could it be the girl she told me about? Taengoo's ex-girlfriend? Could it be? I hope not. Please let it be not Taeyeon.

-beep beep beep-

Yuri swiped her thumb over the screen and let the images disclose. There were only a set of four pictures, showing two girls showing affection to one another. 

"What is this? Wait. This looks like Taengoo. Only younger. It looks like the time Taeyeon was starting out as a hallyu star. Could this be fake? This could be just photoshopped or maybe somebody who just looks like Taengoo."

Yuri concentrated more and even zoomed in the picture on her mobile phone screen. She couldn't really tell whether it was Taeyeon or not but the resemblance is uncanny. There was only one way for Yuri to find out. Yuri then checked the girl's ears. One. Two. Three. Three on the right. Two on the left. A total of five ear piercings, all in the same spots that Taeyeon has. There's even that one purple stud earring in the middle of her auricle which was Taeyeon's favorite. Yuri couldn't brush coincidence anymore. One of the girls in the picture was indeed Taeyeon.

Yuri moved from one picture to another. The first was a photo of Taeyeon wearing wayfarers to cover her eyes and having coffee at a secluded portion of a cafe with the other girl resting her head on the crook of Taeyeon's neck. The second photo was of Taeyeon and the girl hugging inside Taeyeon's previous car. The third was at a beach where Taeyeon was lying on the girl's lap, like how lovers would act. The fourth one was taken at somehow a backstage, both of them wearing SMent shirts and from the shadows, it looked like they were kissing. Yuri panned back to the first picture. She can't recognize the other girl at all.

The other girl's face have all been blurred! It's hard to tell who it is but Yuri was sure that Taeyeon was the other one in all the pictures.

Yuri brushed her silk black hair back and exhaled deeply. She wasn't sure what to do. 

I should call Taeyeon or Tiffany. I should let them know about this immediately.

Yuri grabbed her phone and switched from the photos to her contact list. She immediately browsed for Taeyeon's number and pressed the green telephone icon to call. She waited for the phone to ring and she could hear Taeyeon's voice through her song Devil's cry as the ringback tone. She waited for her buddy to pick-up but there wasn't any reply. Yuri tried once more and waited. There was still no answer.

Where could Taeyeon be? Is she still at SMent? How about Tiffany?

Yuri scrolled down from her contacts and pressed Tiffany's number. It rang a few times then suddenly a husky voice answered her.

"Stephanie?"

"Hmmm...Yuri-ah, if you're calling for Sica, the last she told me was she was already driving back to our place. Her phone's dead by now."

"Anni. I didn't call for her Stephanie. Do you know where Taengoo is? I need to talk to both of you."

"Taetae? She's coming over to my place for dinner. Wanna join us?"

"Okay, I'll be there."

Yuri thought that it was ging to be a special evening of some sort for both Tiffany and Taeyeon so she decided not to tell it over the phone but talk it out with Taeyeon first face to face. If Tiffany knew about it before her buddy, she's sure that Tiffany would feel hurt in some way. 

Yuri picked up her handbag from the corner table and rushed out of her condo unit. Stretching her hand up in the air to withdraw her sleeves, Yuri inspected her wristwatch and looked at the time. It was already past 7 in the evening. She quickly took the elevator from her floor and down to the building's parking lot. Her blue Prius beeped and lit simultaneously as she clicked her key. In one swift stride, Yuri settled into the driver's seat and closed the door. She threw her handbag to the passenger's side and looked up the mirror. Backing her way out of parking, she drove the car out of the building.

The lamp lights had lit the sidewalks and the sky was already the shade of mignght blue. Yuri checked on the cars passing through an intersection when her fuel tank lighht lit on. The gauge for the fuel had its arrow pointed at only one notch above the capital letter E. Her car was in danger of stalling in the middle of the street if she doesn't refill her car's tank soon.

"Aish. I forgot to get gas...just when I'm in a rush."

Yuri swerved her car from the highway and searched for a nearby gas station. Fortunately, one was open not far from where her home was. She quickly got out of her car and slammed the door. After taking care of the gas pump and refilling her car, she went to the passenger side to get her bag. She took out her wallet and picked up her card to pay. When she settled back to the driver's seat, something bothered her. The girl with Taeyeon in the pictures was oddly imprinted in her memory, as if she'd already seen it amongst her pictures.

Why does her outfit look familiar?

As if something was controlling her own body, Yuri pulled out her wallet from the back of her jeans and flipped it open, revealing a few sets of credit cards including the one she just used for gas, some receipts and some wallet-sized photos. She pulled out everything from the billfold andspread it on the passenger's seat. Out of the stretch of bills and papers, she isolated one picture that was torn on one side. It was Jessica's picture that Yuri stole from the art studio. She checked Jessica's outfit of a pale beige one piece dress with ruffled skirt that was sleeveless and paired with a black and white necklace.

Unconsciously, Yuri grabbed her mobile phone from her handbag. Yuri then panned from the photo from her wallet to the one in her phone screen. The angle was surely different since the one in her phone was taken afar but the outfit was exactly the same. The dress was the same, the accessories and even the hair length. The face was blurred but the image of Jessica's face somehow fits into the person's face in the 'scandal' photo.

Jessica?

No. It can't be! This is pure coincidence. That doesn't make any sense.

Jessica can't be Taengoo's ex. 

Yuri didn't bother picking up the contents of her wallet. She sat back on the driver's seat and wrapped the seatbelt across her chest. Swirled in her own thoughts, Yuri pressed on the steering wheel and floored the gas pedal.She zoomed past the gasoline station and into the highway.

The flowers. The purple flowers from Taengoo's fan. Are they from Jessica?

The image of the card that went along with the boquet flashed into Yuri's memory as cars sped past her on both lanes. The speedometer on her dashboard wiggled and panned to the right at a steady increase.

         I'll hope you'll find your happiness.
         I just wish you all the best.
        This is the last time I'll send you these.
        Continue shining like a star.

                                                    -S

S.

The letter S.

The G-clef shaped one letter cursive-written signature.

It's the same signature that Jessica uses to sign her paintings. Anni. People write in cursive in the same manner. It's standard. It can't be just Sica.

Another image flashed in Yuri's head as she overtook a trailer truck. It was the painting that Jessica gave her on the first day she fell in love with her. It was a painting of white lilie and that violet inflorescence. Larkspurs. Flowers that symbolize someone's first love. Taeyeon and Jessica had only had one relationship in their past.

No. Jessica just loves flowers. She just paints them. 

Yuri searched her thoughts for an alternative explanation but things were getting clearer as one revelation appeared in her head after another, like "ice" melting from the "glass" window on the first day of spring.

 'Well, I just heard rumors though. Her previous relationship was also one of of SMent's artists. They said she was going out with this girl while she   was still starting to audition for acting and the other was still a trainee. Then they broke off and Sica left the company or as they said went on a hiatus of some sort. The rumors came from her previous manager, as they say.'

The words from Hyoyeon when she was at the gym just a few days back replayed like a broken record in her head.

Sica was an actress under Sment. Taengoo was trainee under the same company. Could there be somebody else?

Gritting her teeth, she hit the button for the automobile horn and honked past a few more cars. The blue Prius zigzagged across the highway six lanes and her car zipped over the Cheongdam bridge. Some of the men drivers rolled down their windows as Yuri sped by them , shouting cursing words and raising their fists but all were ignored by Yuri, who was trying to deny the reality. She leaned to her right and grabbed her phone from the pile of bills and cards on the passenger seat while maneuvering over the wheel. She glanced intermittently at the screen and scrolled to get Sica on the line. 

Oh . Sica's phone is dead.

Yuri glanced back on the road again and back to her phone. She reviewed the dialed numbers and came across Taeyeon's number. She pressed the green icon again and celled up her buddy.

Pick up the phone Taengoo. I need some answers. I need you to tell me that what I'm thinking isn't true.

A couple more verses from Devil's cry played but there was still no answer from Taeyeon. Yuri stashed her phone into her dashboard's glove compartment finding no use for it at that moment. She suddenly remembered that she was meeting Tiffany and Taeyeon since Tiffany invited her. Jessica was also going home from her studio. Taeyeon and Jessica will see each other.

I have to get to Jessica first. I need to know from her.

From the edge of the glove compartment, something shiny and silvery dangled like a string, swaying as Yuri's car swerved from lane to lane. Her right hand dove down to the pits of her glove compartment as she d for the piece of stuck chain. Her fingers hit a cold set of links and the familiar flower shaped pendant. 

This has to be it. That necklace.

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