{{Tiffany}}

A love that grows powerful over time. 

The sun was rising, and for some reason... This sunrise I've witnessed countless times before seemed hundreds of times warmer, brighter, and beautiful because she was here. Even now, her eyes are still focused on the horizon, somewhere further than where mere eyes meet. Our glass house was still covered in late night raindrops. We could only stare as the newborn sunlight sent dancing colours across the relatively calm ocean. This sight made me forget who I was, only temporarily. The world, the responsibilities, the obligations, the pressure all melted away with the dew. As the seagulls finally settled down in their makeshift nests, the sound of the ocean became clear.

"It's beautiful," she breathed. I nodded wordlessly in agreement. My gaze flickered to Taeyeon. Outlined by the sun’s glimmering rays, her delicate figure became even more astounding. It amazed me, how her eyes are exactly the same as the day we first met. It’s a weird feeling, to think that one day, she may not be by my side anymore. As childish as it seems, I was under the impression that we would be together forever. Perhaps if I was born in a different country, if I met Taeyeon through different means, things would turn out different. Even so, I could not possibly imagine being anywhere else. 

"Say," Taeyeon began softly, our eyes met and she smiled contently.

"Yes?"

I could tell by the way she tilted her head that she was wondering whether or not to say what was on her mind. I nudged her lightly. Taeyeon bit her lip in thought, and as she opened to let those words out, my stomach growled. The leader just laughed in amusement with another effortless brush of her neglected bangs. “Maybe I’ll tell you later.”  

Urgh. Stupid stomach.

This leader of mine smiled perfectly and started the car. She playfully flashed the headlights and reversed the vehicle. "Shall we go eat?" I could guess the next words that were going to slip from her lips.

"Let's go to a good place."

We both laughed to the word said in unison.

“Maybe we need another phrase,” the girl suggested in a lively manner. I just nudged her gently. She the radio and switched to one of those underground indie bands. At first I could not adjust to the slow beats and depressing songs, but now I have begun to see them in another way. Taeyeon sang softly in the background as I rested my head against the window, feeling the odd bump in the road and watching the scenery pass by. The wide roads were practically empty, only an occasional car was spotted. This less fashionable side of Seoul reminded me of my hometown. It was rather grey and dreary, with half-broken neon signs and peeled off posters littering the area. Almost as if a once-lively city had been forgotten. I didn’t mind however. Being far away from the noise of the city was a nice change. The air here was fresher and the scent of the ocean was still present.  I shut my eyes and listened to Taeyeon's voice. 

It has changed. Not in a bad way. It has become more refined. Now when she sings songs about love or heartbreak, it is much powerful than before.

Which makes me wonder, did Taeyeon ever experience the heartbreak she sings about? 

And if so, who was the cause of it? 

And for some reason, when I picture myself asking her the exact same question, I see her pained expression and her hurtful smile. I could imagine the way her eyebrows curve lightly and the way her eyes are overrun with emotions. As if she was saying in the gentlest way possible, “You.”

But I never dared to ask such a question. I could not bear the heartbreak if I heard her answer. 

“Let’s go,” the trainee Taeyeon said eagerly to me one fine summer's day. I could only give her a confused look. Where to? My eyes seemed to be asking her. The girl simply smiled at me, told me to get dressed into something loose and comfortable and dragged me out of the dorms. She had a casual backpack with her, coral shorts and a plain top. The dorm manager interrogated us but Taeyeon told her we were visiting the convenience store. The older woman eyed us suspiciously but eventually agreed. As we rounded the corner for the convenience store, I slowed down. 

"I thought-" I couldn't finish my sentence as the shorter girll pulled me around the corner quickly. She didn't give me time to catch my breath as we rushed onto a random bus. She asked the bus driver something so quick I barely caught it. The friendly man nodded and gave us a small smile as she swiped her gold card twice. The bus that day was practically empty, minus the one or two passengers that rode three stops maximum before getting off. We sat at the very end and I finally asked her. "Where are we going?" 

Taeyeon glanced at the time on her watch before meeting my gaze, a knowing smile played on her lips. "You will find out soon." 

And so, the two of us put the earphones in and sang quietly to some older songs. The scenery was becoming foreign and I soon realised this was the furthest from Seoul I'd ever been. The city was still so new and unknown to me that Taeyeon took on the glorious role of tour-guide, taking me to different restaurants, clubs and boutiques every week. The skyscrapers soon became less overpowering, and the bus took a turn down a more quiet road. I couldn't believe where she was taking me. It had been the first time I'd seen a Korean beach. Although it was different from the ones back home, it had its own kind of charm. The weather forecast was good, not too hot nor too cold, and I couldn't help but love Taeyeon more.

We got off one stop early and walked along. We linked arms and spoke about whatever popped into mind. The second I stepped off the bus, the scent of the ocean hit me. It was then that I remembered my love for the beach, to feel the waves against my skin and the softness beneath my feet. I was the one this time, to drag Taeyeon. She couldn’t resist a laugh as we practically ran down together, like blundering idiots. We dipped in the sea, not too deep as the two of us weren’t actually wearing bathers, but deep enough to feel the cool water come up to our thighs. 

I watched as she stared into the horizon, as if she had seen something I had not. Taeyeon could read my mind as she turned with a gentle smile that melted my heart. I was at a loss for words and perhaps she was too, as the two of us stayed quiet for a little longer, staring into the boundless distance. Her hand brushed mine and I tentatively initiated skinship. She gladly reciporcated. 

The beach reminded me of my home in America, a good few blocks or so away from the ocean. So close that one hot summer’s day the scent of sand and waves can never really be washed away. There were days when I wondered what I would be doing if I had not chosen this. I worry about what would happen after the ridiculous amount of training, whether it is worth it or not. I could be wasting my time, which I was coming to realize as hauntingly important. 

But Taeyeon makes me think otherwise.

She soothes my fear and disposes of those thoughts in an instant. When she smiles at me, it is a genuine smile, a smile that embraces and lifts those with her charming presence. She acknowledges what I do and gives me her support whole-heartedly. Even if I could not make it into the entertainment industry, I like to think that having met a girl like Taeyeon was something millions may never experience in their lifetime. Thus, an experience worth the tears, the long-flight across half the globe, to an unfamiliar place with unfamiliar people, leading an uncertain future.

It will all be worth it. Maybe not in this instant, but surely, in the definite future, I will look back and be infinitely glad I did this. That I met her, that we became friends, that we remained friends, that I received her love. 

If Taeyeon is here, I get the feeling that I am invincible. That I can do anything, and all is possible.

I remember that day in fragments. We built weird-looking castles and laid on the sand, sometimes we spoke and laughed loudly, others, we rested in the shade of the small shrubs and listened to the refreshing sound of the ocean. I still can feel the breeze on my skin and feel the even breaths of Taeyeon on my neck. We remained quiet at times and oddly noisy at others. What amazed me was how normal it felt. 

 When I complained I was tanning, she took my hand and led me to a nearby cafe with a good handful of customers. Taeyeon seemed familiar with the owner, a beautiful brunette who went by the name of Cindy, an America-born Korean. She greeted the two of us with a grin and iced coffees, done the good way. When the lunch crowd cleared, she offered us a tempting deluxe waffle set. Being Taeyeon, she readily accepted and we spent the remainder of the day in the shelter of the vintage-like cafe with all kinds of wooden furniture. The gentle Korean indie bands that hummed in the background only added to the overall atmosphere. The kind lady offered that we help her build a display-shelf in the storage room, so we did that.  It took less than an hour for the two of us to arrange it. As Cindy entered the room with refreshments her eyes sparkled with delight. “Thank you,” she said to me with a New York accent, “It looks wonderful, you guys can relax now, enjoy your day off.” 

Taeyeon was pleased to find that Cindy had some old school gaming consoles, so we challenged one another until the sky was darkening. Cindy had to remind us that we needed to get back. The two of us bade farewell and left on the way. I glanced back to find Cindy watching with a small wave. There were numerous night-markets open, and a fair crowd that wandered close by. 

“We’ll miss the bus if we don’t hurry.” I murmured to Taeyeon as I saw her eyes wandering to the shops. I saw her sigh defeatedly as she shrugged. 

“I know, I know. You know me too well. But it’s a good chance right, just one look.” 

I opened my mouth to complain but instead, I accepted. Taeyeon grinned to my reluctant response and took me by the hand. It was getting chilly and I soon began to regret not following my dad’s advice of always carrying something warm, regardless of the temperature. 

We passed by numerous shops that sold all kinds of interesting goods. The owners were mainly older men and women, but wonderfully kind either way. It didn’t take long for us to visit all the available stalls and admire all the intricate designs and adorable stationary. The two of us entered the last stall and were greeted by one owner. It reminded me of those old scenes from Korean dramas. 

“I love this.” Taeyeon said to me when we were viewing some bracelets. The owner, a slightly plump woman with soft eyes smiled at us. She told us about the special that was going on, the discount we could get and etcetera. Taeyeon made a face and I laughed to myself. 

As she turned to leave, I said to her. “I’ll get it for you.” 

The shorter girl spun around immediately and gave me a hurt expression. “I don’t like using your money.” And I knew that was true. Taeyeon was not the type that freely borrowed cash from others. She didn’t like being in others debt or spending what was not rightfully hers. This was another trait that set her apart from all the others. Even when her parents gave her an allowance, she was always mindful of what she bought.

“It’s a gift,” I insisted. Taeyeon only looked at me with disbelief. Eventually, she sighed and suggested brightly.  “How about, I pick something out for you, and you pick something out for me, then we exchange it on the bus?” 

I knew this was her way of making things fair for both of us. I shrugged and smiled.
“Okay. We only have twenty minutes though. Otherwise we’ll have to sleep on the beach with no tent.”

Taeyeon took one slow step toward me. “I wouldn’t mind that.” 

I saw the playful glint in her eyes and pushed her lightly, earning me another one of her pleased looks. “No following each other though, it has to be like secret santa.” Taeyeon added as I walked out of the stall. She made me swear that I would not spy on her. I told her to do the same. We locked pinkies and went separate ways. I watched as the short girl blended in, almost perfectly with the nice group of Korean families. 

I felt a light pang in my heart. I wish I could be here with my family too, sometimes, despite how irritating it may seem when I am with them. It is the loving bickering that I miss the most, the useless conversations, the daily observations. Things that made me feel normal. 

I sighed and saw Taeyeon again, emerging from the store. She rose one of her brows when she saw me, as if questioning why I was spying on her. I simply stuck my tongue out and she playfully grimaced. She motioned for me to go first, so I did. I felt her gaze on me all the way. 

I already had a gift in mind for her. 

"Not being recognized?" Taeyeon asked quietly once the waitress hurried off to the kitchen with the orders. I gave her a look and sighed. The rain continued to drizzle, causing the scenery outside to look dull and grey, rather disheartening as I was in a good mood. Taeyeon didn't seem to mind the rainy seasons, in fact, she loved them. There was a brief silence before I continued. "I was ambitious but you know, the idea of fame is not all that great." 

Taeyeon's orbs softened ever so slightly as she leaned back, nodding slowly in agreement.  "I can... Understand that." Because the love we receive is based off of what they know, and one day, they'd grow up too and move on from this kind of music. Then we'd just be a few people of a distant past, forgotten within another few years, and the thought of that scared me. The girl rested her chin in her interlaced hands and nodded, as if asking me to elaborate. 

"Sometimes I think it would be nice to... Just be a normal person. Do normal things." I said softly, honest as I could be. It was true, I missed walking down the street without real destination or care, being alone and having privacy. I sighed again. "But other times, I think that I'm so lucky. I got to stand on the stage hundreds didn't. Sones are amazing. When we perform, it's almost as if we're in another world. A better place. It's fun."

"Then, as long as it's fun, you should keep singing." Taeyeon commented with a smile, and I still could not comprehend as to how I was so lucky to have met her. She was here always and her advice kept me going. "If the positives outweigh the negatives, keep going!" 

I couldn't resist a smile in return, "Thank you, you are always my strongest supporter." 

The girl laughed and replied, "Of course! I always was and always will be." 

The bistro was quiet for a few heartbeats before Taeyeon spoke again, this time in a hushed tone, not wishing anyone to catch word of the next words that were about to escape her perfect lips.  "The next lifetime, I will choose Girls' Generation again. If you are there."  I will never be able to settle around her. Ever. 

"I will too.” I whispered. 

I wanted to reach out for her hand that moment, for her to take me to a place where we could be fearless again. Yet, as I reached for her hand the waitress returned with the appetizing meals. I quickly drew back and Taeyeon smirked, amused by my sudden action. The waitress, unphased, placed the two plates down with a smile. 

“Your orders, one soup of the day and one house burger. Is there anything else I can help you with? Anything to drink at all?”

Taeyeon thought for a second and nodded, “I’ll just have a glass of water please. Give her a coffee, a real good blend, something that will wake her up.” she emphasized the last phrase and the waitress chuckled at her comment. 

“Sure thing.” 

With that, the young girl was gone. 

I gave Taeyeon a look. She knew I liked coffee in the morning. Taeyeon motioned for us to begin, partly because she was hungry too. So I did. The soup of the day consisted of legumes, chickpeas, herbs and tomatoes, followed by two slices of freshly baked bread. Taeyeon’s house burger contained one beef patty, lettuce, tomato, mayonnaise, cheese, beetroot and onions. As the two of us hungrily wolfed down our meal, I noticed the waitress returning with the drinks.

“Thank you,” Taeyeon murmured with a gentle smile. She took a sip of her ice water and I took one sip of the coffee. It was not bad for a place in the middle of no where, in fact, quite good. Taeyeon reached for the serviette and noticed an advertisement.  “Oh wow! They even have chain stores in America.” 

I giggled to her awkward pronounciation. She rolled her eyes at my amusement and continued, “have you ever seen one?” I shook my head and she continued with her English. America. Coffee. Random words escaped from and I laughed each time. I knew I probably sounded the same way when I first spoke Korean. Hopefully the accent is gone now. I saw her lips move when the waitress returned to collect the empty dishes. As she was walking away, I saw Taeyeon’s lips move ever so slightly. Mouthing the phrase I wanted to hear over and over.

“I love you.”

“Thank you,” I said to the elderly woman as she finished wrapping Taeyeon’s gift. I handed her a fresh note and she smiled back, unhurriedly giving me the receipt and change. Her store was practically empty, plus or minus a few cheeky children who managed to sneak in without their parents noticing. 

“What brings you to the beach today?” she asked politely. I checked the time quickly. There was still ten minutes so I decided to have a small talk with the lady, considering I had nothing better to do. 

“I’m here with a good friend.” I responded, careful to not let the word ‘skipping’ or ‘bludging’ escape. She looked surprised but nodded slowly. 

“The gift you picked out, is it for her?”

I simply nod. 

Suddenly, a warm smile appeared on her lips. When she did smile, her whole aura seemed to do so. The room instantly became warmer. “She must be very important.” The lady commented gently. Her facial features were less-defined due to age, nevertheless, it was obvious that she was a beauty in her younger years.

I was not expecting those words, I managed a shy nod and she smiled. 

“The gift, you see, has a meaning.” her eyes seemed to glitter, “It’s a long story, so you better lean close and listen carefully...”

I rushed to the bus stop and found Taeyeon talking to the driver. She sounded exasperated. “Look, it’s just two minutes, you can wait-“ it was as if I was watching a tormented feline, her heels were raised and her imaginary fur bristled angrily. 

“Is that your friend?” the driver asked gruffly as he pointed at me. She relaxed to my sight and nodded. He told us to sit down as the bus was running off schedule, so we did. The bus began moving and Taeyeon suggested we swap gifts now. I passed her a tightly wrapped present and she did the same. I insisted that she open hers first and after much persuasion, she agreed. 

“It’s beautiful.” Taeyeon murmured as she took in the view of the bracelet. It was similar to the one she said she had wanted, except it was a charm bracelet. Present on the bracelet was one crystal shell and various other crystal gem stones, each intricately cut and shaped into flowers and feathers. As she raised the bracelet against the shuddering bus window, the raindrops and city lights cast wondrous colours in their mysterious depths, like luminous water or shifting waves of neon lights. 

Taeyeon then fidgeted sheepishly, "I feel bad about my gift now. Your present is so goddamn wonderful that I'm afraid I'll let you down with what I got you."

"As if you could possibly disappoint me more than you had today," I said with a dramatic eye-roll and Taeyeon laughed at my awkward sarcasm. She passed me a small white box and when I opened it, I turned to look at her. She flashed me a shy smile and shrugged. "I try, you know that right? I hope it's OK, I mean, no-" she cut herself off and sighed, "I'm not good with gifts." 

I shook my head and smiled. "I love it, thank you."  There in the white box was a pair of simple but elegant earrings and one suiting necklace. 

Taeyeon's face washed with relief as she pulled me into a tight hug. "It's your birthstone." She said, I felt her hot breath on my neck and I shivered lightly in response. I never remembered telling Taeyeon my birthstone. Perhaps she found out somehow, like the way she always does. 

I think that day we spent more time at the beach than we planned to. The bus ride back to Seoul was long but we quickly passed time by chatting. The younger selves then were fascinated by the idea of adulthood. Did it mean we could party until dawn? Did it mean we could stay out for as long as we wished? Watching the night lights together and familiarising ourselves with the city once dark fell was a first for both of us. One of many firsts. We sat at the very back of the bus, sharing Taeyeon’s brick phone and earphones, discussing whatever came to mind. When a familiar song came on, we hummed to it quietly, still mindful of those around us. 

“The gift,” I began quietly, earning Taeyeon’s attention. “The lady said it had a meaning to it.”

“What does it mean?” she asked, suddenly excited. I considered telling her, but shut my lips in time. 

“Maybe I’ll tell you another day.”

She just rolled her eyes and we laughed. 

We caught the final bus for the night, which meant by the time we returned to the dorms, it was already five hours past curfew. Thankfully, Taeyeon had foreseen that possibility and the two of us managed to sneak in unnoticed. The next day however, we received vicious lashings from the majority of the teachers including the dorm manager and all the coaches. When our activities were dismissed for the remainder of the day, boy were we relieved. I could have sworn my ears had fell off from all the nonstop lectures.

In a way, I knew I shouldn’t have skipped the training, knowing becoming good was really the fruit of hard work. Except, another part of me knew I needed a break, even just a short one, with Taeyeon. 

Unfortunately, Taeyeon had forgotten to apply sun-protection. As a result, her back and legs had become horribly sunburnt. It was about two days after our incident. I woke up and saw Taeyeon was as red as a lobster. The dorm manager refused to give her any special treatment. Although then I was very irritated, looking back, I could understand how reckless we were being, ‘eloping’ to the ocean when we should had been training, skipping practice and returning hours after curfew. That was probably the dorm manager’s way of punishing us. With the little allowance I was given, I bought high-quality aloe vera lotion, cooling pads and moisturising creams.

For the next two weeks, I made sure to take good care of Taeyeon. Following the same schedule of showering, drying, applying cold compression to her skin, giving her a massage and then sleeping. Despite her grumbling, by the fourth day, she had willingly took her clothes off. I could not help but feel happy. 

She always wore that bracelet. Even when she slept or when she showered, when she left on holidays to visit her family, when her dance class went on a road trip- everywhere. By the day she finally took it off because of a rash, she had gotten a pretty obvious tan on her wrist. The younger trainees began calling her “bracelet lady” and “wrist tan”. Of course, Taeyeon didn’t really care. She wore it anyway. When other juniors asked her what exactly the bracelet meant she jokingly said it had a strong meaning, and when they leaned in to hear, the short girl pulled back, declaring it was a secret. In the duration of the first few weeks she continued to ask and pry for what the beautiful crystals symbolized but I insisted that it must not be shared. Not until I was completely sure of it myself. 

"Steady! Steady! Steady!" 

I poked my head into our dorm one day to hear Taeyeon shouting the same words. "Love," the word slipped from my mouth and Taeyeon's head snapped in my direction, a warm smile formed on her soft lips. What did she find out now? I wondered. I like to think that if Taeyeon had not gone down the career of singing, she would've became a detective- considering her logic and means of finding information were as vast as the ocean, and just as deadly. To my surprise, I saw two juniors struggling to carry a birchwood bookshelf into the corner of our shared dorm. "Careful!" Taeyeon yelped when the shelf tipped lightly, scraping a generous chunk of the cheap wallpaper off the wall. The short girl leapt to help and prevented the knocking over of an expensive vase. "This may be cheap Ikea DIY furniture but this took me ages!" It wasn't until that mention that I saw Taeyeon had a tool belt around her waist, with her hair tied back in a ponytail. The two juniors huffed in response, once the shelf was steady, dragged in two boxes full of books and other decorations. Taeyeon took a step back and nodded approvingly, proud of the new decor in our otherwise boring room. This seemed to bring more personality in their sleeping quarters, something Taeyeon had wanted for a while. 

"Pay up," one junior huffed as she finally caught her breath. The shelf definitely looked heavy, and I dreaded what her words meant. Taeyeon was not phased by the sudden words as she shrugged. "Watch your mouth kid, you'll be the one thanking me when your grades make a very suspicious jump." Taeyeon made way to her desk and pulled out a few old textbooks and handed them over to the two juniors. They nodded and each shook hands with Taeyeon once.  "Nice doing business with you."  With that, the two girls dipped their heads in acknowledgement of my presence before returning to their own rooms. 

I gave Taeyeon a questioning look and she shrugged. "You gotta find ways to live, right?" I chuckled at her perspective, and she stuck a calendar on the missing bit of wallpaper. "Does this look dodgy to you?" She asked rather seriously, "we'd kinda be in trouble if they found out I managed to tear off a good bit of their cheap wallpaper."  As I inspected the new coverup, I shook my head. "Not that bad. They won't notice." 

Taeyeon brushed away her stray bangs and smiled in relief, "good, I want to re-furnish a bit. It will make the atmosphere better, no?" 

I nodded and noticed bits of wood and screws lying on the floor. It looked like she was arranging some new bits of furniture to add. I had to admit, it made the foreign room more homely. Though the most welcoming sight was Taeyeon. Now to me, where she was, is home.  "You look good in that tool belt by the way." I gave her a compliment, followed by a smug smirk.

The girl caught on and grinned, "I can fix your dishwasher anytime," she spoke in a husky voice as she spun a wrench impressively with her nimble fingers. 

"Yes, of course." I threw back with a laugh, knowing she had probably heard that lame phrase from a badly scripted comedy. I carefully walked around the bits and pieces lying about in order to get to my desk. I saw Taeyeon stretch and pin up a corkboard with colourful sticky notes and old polaroids of the two of us. It was odd how normal this seemed. 

As I flipped through my Chemistry notes I listened to the sound of Taeyeon hammering away at nails and humming to another song. The occasional flipping of paper could be heard too. I think that those were the days I loved the most. Spending time together with no real meaning, singing songs of unknown origin and doing daily chores together; almost like a married couple. I couldn't help but smile to myself at Taeyeon's obliviousness to the plain hints I dropped about the meaning of her bracelet. 

Steady Love. 

The two of us returned to the dorms a good while later. I unlocked the door and found that the dorm was empty. Hyoyeon had her own things to do too. I slipped in and Taeyeon followed. I knew she had a busy schedule today, unlike me. Our eyes met and she smiled, rather embarassed as she said softly. "I'm glad we met."

"Is that all?" I respond with a dramatic eye-roll. If there's one good thing about being with Taeyeon, it was the fact that she knew how to give compliments. She could make even the angriest, moodiest of members feel like an angel. She had her way with words, although she only used them when she wanted to. It was almost like some kind of sacred gift that was double-edged, she could motivate but also become insincere was a result. 

Taeyeon flashed me a fake-hurt expression and said in mock offence, "What do you mean that's all? There's a lot I want to say to you!" 

“Then tell me.” 

She blinked away a thought and murmured, “I’m afraid there’s not enough time for all that.”

“There’s always time for you.” 

“You know what, Miyoung?” That name again.

“I don’t know, tell me.” She knew I wasn’t pleased with her calling me “Miyoung”, but I also knew it had become a habit of hers. “I love you, a lot.” Our eyes never left each other. This time, unlike the rest, we were both smiling.

“Ditto," I responded and she grinned. As she slowly began to pull away, I found my hand on her wrist. As she turned to face me I spoke softly.

“It means steady love.” 

For a few seconds Taeyeon blinked, then smiled once she understood my words. “So we’re steady now?” 

"Let's see, I said I love you, you love me, we'd been dancing around this moment for a while now, we kissed and I kind of figured I like you better and we kind of slept with each other so I guess we're not really friends anymore so-" she silenced my rambling with her fingers that gently caught my attention. In that breath, I suddenly understood the saying that 'the eyes are the windows of the soul', Taeyeon's eyes were full of warm emotions and I instantly felt calmer. 

"We're steady." Taeyeon said decisively with a nod, almost to assure herself. I gave her one of her beloved eye-smiles and whispered to her.  "We're steady." 

A soft kiss was laid on my cheek as she took one reluctant step back, almost afraid that this moment would shatter like a brittle dream. I assured her with my best smile and she did the same. I watched as she jogged off, her figure growing further away. When she reached her car she waved with the brightest smile in the world, I did the same. Once she was gone, I shut my eyes and sang a happy song. 

She was not physically here, but our hearts were connected, right, Taeyeon? 

I flickered through some other fan posts.  Though the two of us are physically here, we may have only just caught on to these feelings. They’ve known from the start, way before I had begun to acknowledge them. I could only smile to their posts. 

Perhaps we are a little bit too obvious, Taeyeon.

Even if they don’t express their feelings verbally or physically, their hearts are always intimate for one another.  –SONE.

A/N: I know it’s been months guys, sorry for leaving all of you hanging. It's been a year since this fic. You guys are officially a year old now ^^ I'm not extremely pleased with this chapter but oh- you guys deserve an update. Love y'all. -Nanakun

I'm thinking of a fanfic. Any pairing suggestions?