It was early in the morning and Jessica’s younger sister, Krystal, was having breakfast with her mother while Mr. Jung had left abroad an hour ago for business affairs.

“Have you met your sister at school?” Mrs. Jung asked.

Krystal shook her head, “We are two blocks apart. It’s hard for me to meet her.” She answered indifferently before bringing a spoonful of fried rice into .

The older woman sighed heavily and sipped her cup of tea.

“Why?” Krystal asked curiously at the sound of her mother’s worried sigh.

“I am just worried about her. It’s too early to let her live independently.”

“There is nothing to worry about. She has her wife. I’m sure Taeyeon is taking a good care of her.”

“Do you think so?”

Krystal nodded confidently.

“I want you to meet her later and see if she is really okay, though. I can’t trust her over the phone.”

“Alright, I will,” Krystal nodded and stood up, “I’ve to go now. I love you!” She grabbed her school bag on the couch and left with her car.

While she was on her way to the school, Krystal slowed down her car as soon as she spotted a familiar girl at a bus stop. The girl was leaning her head against one of the bus stop poles with closed eyes. She looked cold from the way she crossed her arms over her chest and pressed her legs together firmly.

Krystal stopped her car in front of the bus stop when she realized that the girl was none other than Jessica. “Damn it.” She cursed under her breath as she stepped out of her car.

Jessica slowly opened her eyes. She snuffled as she tried to ascertain the person, who was approaching her. It was a little hard for her to see clearly because of her watery eyes but still she managed to recognize her sister.

Krystal stood in front of her sister. Disappointment was written on her expression at the sight of the older girl being in such a pathetic situation, looking all sick and frail.

“Krystal? W- what are you doing here?” Jessica spoke up, flashing a smile at the younger girl in her attempt to look like she was fine.

“I am the one who’s supposed to ask you that. What are you doing here? Where is Taeyeon?”

“Taeyeon...” Jessica was unable to continue her words when the urge to cry instantly hit her.

“Don’t tell me that she left you here and went to school by herself. Don't tell me that!” Krystal raised her voice slightly in exasperation.

“No,” Jessica denied the obvious truth and shook her head, “She did not. It was-” she failed to finish her words as she started to cough.

“Are you sick?” Krystal asked with a deep frown.

Jessica still tried to deny the truth while waving her hand before forcing herself to stop from coughing, swallowing her saliva through her aching throat.

Krystal can’t help but to feel sad seeing her sister in that state. She might had no idea as to why she had to go through that for sure she knew that it had to do with her marital life.

“Can I go with you to school?” Jessica asked weakly.

Without saying anything, Krystal wrapped her arm around her sister’s as she helped her to stand up and walk. She opened the car door for her and they left for school together.

In the car, Jessica only had her gaze out the window, drowning in her own thoughts.

Krystal brought a hand to check Jessica’s temperature by placing it on her forehead. It felt hot. “What the hell is wrong with your temperature?!”

“It rained last night...” Jessica answered.

“Are you living in a wooden house?! You slept on the couch, didn’t you?!”

Jessica laughed bitterly as she brought Krystal’s hand down, “We own a bed, Krystal, why would I sleep on the couch? You’re being too imaginative right now, you know? I should’ve asked mom to prohibit you from watching those ridiculous dramas.”

“I am serious here. You’re my sister and I don’t want you to have the same fate as those who are being tortured by their husbands.”

“But it’s a wife for me though, not a husband.” Jessica continued to blurt out jokes in other to hide the truth. She had no plan to let Krystal or anyone else to know about the reality of her life with Taeyeon.

“I am serious.” Krystal glared at Jessica.

“Sorry.” Jessica smiled at Krystal but the smile faded away as soon as she turned her head to the other direction.

“Is everything really okay?”

Jessica responded with a brief hum.

“Mom is worried about you. She told me to meet you at school. And now I can’t even say whether or not it’s a miracle that I met you at the bus stop in such miserable state. And you don’t even want to tell me why.” Krystal sighed.

“Don’s worry, everything is fine,” Jessica chuckled and patted Krystal’s thigh, “I woke up late today, so I asked Taeyeon to leave first. She didn’t leave me on purpose. Please don’t think badly about her.”

“Are you defending her?” Krystal huffed and shook her head in disbelief, “Just know that I’ll kill her if ever I find out that she makes you suffer. Remember that.”

—

Tiffany was talking with her other classmates outside of the classroom while waiting for Jessica. Taeyeon appeared a few minutes later with her friends, Yuri and Hyoyeon.

“Where is Jessica?” Tiffany asked coldly, standing in front of Taeyeon to stop her from entering their classroom.

“Are you asking me?” Yuri smiled mischievously.

“Shut up! I’m not talking to you.” Tiffany rolled her eyes without taking her eyes off of Taeyeon.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” Taeyeon asked. Her eyes were filled with hatred as usual.

“Didn’t you hear me? I’m asking, where is Jessica? Aren’t you supposed to come with her instead of these two people?”

“I left her and told her to ride a bus because she is a sleepyhead. And I’ve no time to wait for her. I’ve my own life, too. Now get out of my way.” Taeyeon deliberately bumped into Tiffany’s shoulder as she walked into the classroom followed by Yuri and Hyoyeon.

“Hey! Stop- ugh! Crap!” Tiffany took a deep breath to calm her anger.

—

The first period had started around twenty minutes ago and Jessica had just arrived. All eyes turned to her as soon as she made her appearance, including Taeyeon.

“What time it is, Jessica?” The teacher asked indignantly.

Jessica bowed apologetically, “Please forgive me, ma’am.”

“Do you think with your wealth you can break the school’s rules as you please?! Do you know what time is it now?!”

“I am sorry.”

“Now, you guys see. This is why we should avoid from sleeping too much.” Taeyeon commented mockingly. Her words made all of their classmates burst into laughter, except for Jessica’s friends and the teacher.

Jessica felt like her heart was just torn into pieces when Taeyeon mocked her instead of defending her and explaining the real situation. She then bowed her head again and stared with her gaze fixed on the floor, trying hard not to cry. She can’t cry. Especially not in front of Taeyeon.

“I am sorry.” Jessica apologized again, but this time she was actually addressing it to Taeyeon.

“Why would you say that, Taeyeon? Aren’t you two supposed to come to school together?” The teacher frowned.

“I am still a student, ma’am. My education and future are my priorities. And I came to school early because she was still sleeping while I was getting ready so I had no choice but to leave her.” Taeyeon shrugged her shoulders slightly in a nonchalant manner, saying everything that she wanted to say without hesitation, without thinking of Jessica’s feelings and ignoring the fact that she was actually embarrassing her own wife.

The teacher sighed. She knew so well already how hard it was to handle Taeyeon. She turned to Jessica, “Take your seat. We’ll start again.”

“Thank you.” Jessica immediately made her way to her seat.

Tiffany pulled Jessica’s chair out and patted the latter’s back after she took her seat. “Are you okay?” She asked worriedly.

Jessica smiled and nodded.

—

The bell rang, indicating their break time after finishing their last period for the morning lessons. Jessica was sleeping while Taeyeon left the classroom to the practice room.

“Jess?” Tiffany tried to wake up the sleeping girl.

However, Jessica didn’t give any response.

Tiffany placed her hand on Jessica’s shoulder. She could feel the hotness from her temperature.

“Jess, are you okay?” Tiffany gave another attempt to wake Jessica up.

Jessica hummed, struggling to lift her head and opening her eyes. She brought her hand up to lightly massage her temple with a wrinkled face. She was obviously in pain. Her head was hurting terribly.

“Are you sick?” Tiffany placed her hand on Jessica’s forehead and it was confirmed that the latter was in a bad condition. “Where the is Taeyeon?” She asked their classmates who were still in the classroom.

“I think she’s in the practice room.” The class president, Sunny, answered.

With the help of Sunny, Tiffany took Jessica to the health room.

—

In the health room, Tiffany was sitting next to the bed where Jessica was resting while voluntarily cooling the latter’s face and neck with a damp cloth.

“Do you want me to get Taeyeon to come here?” Tiffany asked softly.

Jessica shook her head weakly, “She wouldn’t come anyway.”

“Jess, the one who’s supposed to take care of you here is Taeyeon.”

“It’s okay. I don’t want to bother her.”

“I will bring her here.” Tiffany insisted and stood up with determined look.

“Hey! No, come back here!” Jessica begged but Tiffany had already left the room. She sighed.

—

In front of the practice room, Tiffany took a deep breath. She slowly pushed the door open and she stopped when she spotted Taeyeon, who was sitting in front of a white piano. She can only see her side profile, and Taeyeon was totally unaware of her arrival.

For some reason, Tiffany can’t bring herself to ruin the silent atmosphere and just stood there.

Taeyeon begun to play the piano, pressing the keys with her fingers delicately. A few seconds later, her melodious voice echoed throughout the room.

The sound from the piano accompanied with Taeyeon’s voice reverberated in the room. It was as if she was trying to lull everyone who listened to it, including Tiffany, who was already mesmerized by the sonority.

Tiffany had completely forgotten her real intention for coming over. She had forgotten everything, including Jessica, who was laying and waiting on the bed in the health room.

And it was all because of Taeyeon’s lovely voice despite her well-known cold attitude.

“Miss Hwang?”

Tiffany eventually got back to reality at the sound of a familiar voice calling her from behind. She carefully closed the door and turned around to the owner of the voice, which was belonged to Mrs. Baek, Taeyeon’s music teacher.

“I- I have to go now, ma’am, I’m sorry.” Tiffany hurriedly left the place after she bowed respectfully to the older female.

—

Tiffany arrived in front of the health room in a state where her feelings, for some unknown reason, were in a total mess. She was feeling confused and she can’t think properly. It was to the point where she can feel the headache was coming.

Her heart was pounding fast and she had no idea why but she still can hear Taeyeon’s singing voice playing in her ears and mind. She tried to forget about it by patting her cheeks repeatedly for a few times before she finally found the courage to step into the health room and meet Jessica.

Jessica looked up at Tiffany, who looked restless and was trying to avoid her eyes.

“Jess...” Tiffany greeted the girl in a soft tone and bit her lower lip after.

Jessica elicited a small laugh at the sight of nervousness on Tiffany’s face, which was clearly visible on her expression and the way she tried to avoid from looking into her eyes directly.

“What’s the matter? Did you find her—”

“I didn’t see her. I meant, I don’t know where she is.” Tiffany lied, stuttering while still trying to avoid from making any eye contact.

Jessica just nodded and believed in the girl without any doubt.

“I am sorry.”

“It’s okay. I’m sorry for troubling you.”

“It’s nothing.”

The feeling of guiltiness immediately struck Tiffany as soon as she saw Jessica’s smile. But she can’t bring herself to be honest with her either and she had no idea why.

—

Jessica left the health room after the bell rang. It was finally time to go home. And as usual, she had to walk to the bus stop since Taeyeon was probably waiting for her there again.

Once she was exposed to the bright sun, her headache came back and she suddenly felt nauseous. She tried hard to resist it and continued her walk with the remaining energy she had.

After a few steps, she managed to reach the school gate but her legs were getting weaker and her eyelids kept closing by themselves. She was slowly losing her balance. It didn’t take long until her eyes closed completely and she can see nothing but darkness.

She eventually fell unconscious.