A/N: 'Italics' are thoughts.

“AND HOW CAN YOU JUST FALL ASLEEP ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AT 5:30 IN THE MORNING?! OR AT ANY TIME FOR THAT MATTER?! DO YOU HAVE ANY SORT OF REGARD FOR YOUR SAFETY? OR DO YOU HAVE A DEATH WISH, TAENG? WHY DO WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH THIS EVERY TIME WITH YOU~…”

Taeyeon zoned out the ranting of her best friend. She knew she should be politely listening but her head throbbed and she didn’t want to hear the disappointment in Jessica’s voice anymore. She looked out the back window, placing her hot forehead against the frosted glass, enjoying the cool sensation that helped calm her.

[Earlier: Jessica’s POV]

Jess had been going on non-stop since first picking Taeyeon up. Arriving to see Taeyeon passed out on the sidewalk and slightly splattered in blood didn’t help reassure her that her best friend was okay. It only made her heart race more, imagining all the things that could have possibly happened on her way to pick up her messed up friend. She had to smack Taeyeon lightly several times to get her to wake up. Taeyeon had only looked at her unfocused for a few moments before she was able to comprehend what was going on.

“Hey Jess… Thanks for coming to get me. I owe you one, of course.” Taeyeon tried standing up only to fall back on her . “Ouch. Haha, that hurts.” She looked down at her bruised legs and swollen ankle remembering that something had happened to her earlier.

Jessica came up to her, grabbing her under her armpits and lifting her up gently.

“What happened to you Taeng?”

“Honestly, I don’t remember. I woke up in some alley with everything hurting. Heh, but I’m alright. Don’t worry. Just help me up.”

Yuri stood off to the side, watching the scene with a look of slight humor, sympathy and disappointment. She walked forward, lifting Taeyeon from under her knees, carrying her princess style.

Jessica stood up, “Thanks Yuri. What would I do without you? There’s no way I’d be able to carry this midget myself.”

“Yah!” Taeyeon huffed, indignantly. “Speak for yourself. You’re only a few centimeters taller than me!”

“A few centimeters is still taller, danshin. Get over it.”

Yuri laughed quietly, “Let’s just get her to the car and you guys can argue about your shortness on the way home.”

“Yah, Yuri!” they both yelled in unison.

[Back to Present: Taeyeon’s POV]

Jess was still yelling in the front seat. Yuri, who was driving, repeatedly winced in pain when the shrieking got higher and higher in pitch.

Taeyeon removed her head from the window, finally fed up with all the noise.

“JESS! Okay! I get it!... I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to worry you… I just­-- I needed to get my mind off of some stuff. I wasn’t expecting to end up passed out in an alley.”

“Not that it matters anyways”, she mumbled quietly.

Jessica turned around in her seat, looking at Tae’s downturned face. She couldn’t help it; she could see the sadness and confusion in Tae and for that she could never stay mad at this girl. Especially because she knew it was partially her fault that Taeyeon was in this state in the first place.

“Ughh, Taengoooo… Dammit, I just can’t seem to stay mad at you. I don’t want to scold you but you’re worrying me. I hate to see you like this and I don’t know what I would do if I lost you. I just want you to be safe and happy.”

“I know, Jess. Sorry.” Taeyeon stared at her hands clasped tightly in her lap. She couldn’t look at her. She knew that sorry was all she could say. Even though she hated seeing Jessica hurt because of what she was doing, she couldn’t deal with the reality of her pain when she didn’t drown her mind and body the way that she did. They were at an impasse.

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“We’re here”, Yuri announced minutes later, pulling up to the curb in front of Taeyeon’s apartment building.

“Ahh finally.” Taeyeon opened the door, swinging her legs out onto the pavement below. Shakily, she pulled herself out of the car and stood up.

“Ohh Taeyeon, let me help you.” Yuri offered hurriedly.

“No, no. It’s alright. I’m fine,” she said, shutting the car door with a firm push. “I’ll just head up to my apartment now and take a nice nap. Thanks for coming to get me guys. I’ll see you... later.”

Taeyeon slowly made her way to the doorman, trying not to show her limp too much.

“Good morning, Ms. Kim,” he greeted, as he ushered her through the door.

“Good morning, Nichkhun.”

Taeyeon walked through the simple but beautiful lobby, saying hello to the woman, Ella, behind the front counter and made her way to the elevator doors.

She was impatient and well beyond ready to pass out in the comfort of her own bed. Sleeping on concrete for hours was not something she would recommend.

The elevator sounded with a ‘ding’ and opened smoothly. Stepping in, Taeyeon pressed the 9^th floor and leaned back up against the wall, letting out a tired sigh.

Stepping out onto her floor, she walked to the end of the hall, retrieved her keys and unlocked the door to her suite.

‘Ugh. Must. Eat. Now… But I’m so sleepy.’ Taeyeon thought. ‘Mmm, I’ll just have some ramyun then.’

In the kitchen, Taeyeon set a pan of water to boil and waited. She couldn’t help but to look down at her abused body. What had happened last night; or what was actually early this morning.

Thinking hard, she tried to look back on the night before. All she could remember was getting foolishly drunk at Club Sone.

‘Man, I know something else happened.’ She remembered walking out the back door of the club for some air. The heat and stickiness of the club had been too much for her intoxicated body and she needed to breathe. She remembered a blurred face, but even then, a beautiful angelic face and soft voice that had asked her if she was alright, if she needed help. But that was it.

The timer sounded.

“Mmm. Ramyun!” Taeng yelled, pulling out her chopsticks and digging in. After finishing the entire bowl in less than 2 minutes, full and exhausted, Taeyeon dragged her worn out body to her bed and at 7 in the morning, knocked out. When her sleep was over, she would be ready for another same-old night, drinking and partying away her problems like always. Or so that’s what she thought.

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A/N: Dang...short chapter again. Sorry guys. It seems so much longer on Word lol. I'll try to make them longer next time. These chapters are a bit difficult because its just the beginning and I'm trying to figure out how all the characters should enter and how to give you guys some idea of what the story is going to be about....which I'm still kind of figuring out myself, hehe. I'll work hard though! Hope you guys had a great Thanksgiving or whatever you celebrate during this time =D. Comments and constructive criticism is appreciated! Thanks!

Ohh and Nichkhun's part is super random... I just needed a name for the doorman and wasn't creative enough to think of one myself haha. Thus, his name came in. I dont think he'll have a part in the story but, ehh, you never know. Maybe later on, I might think of adding him in... Idk =P.