(Yoona’s POV)

Both Yoona and Taecyeon made their way into Yoona’s office room at her gesture. Yoona had designed the room herself, so it said a lot about her personality and her tastes; it made a very comfortable atmosphere to work in. Yet she was nervous; why, because she didn’t clearly know where their relationship stood, but she was determined to correct her mistake, and make him feel at ease. Just as she was about to speak, he interrupted her. “I’m sorry about last time. I shouldn’t have tried to into your business like that, when I could clearly see that it was bothering you…” he stood timidly. A smile crept its way up her lips as she saw him standing there, looking like a school boy apologising to his principal for a wrongdoing. “Hey, it’s no problem. In fact I wanted to apologise since that day. I shouldn’t have been so rude and dry” she said somewhat nervously. They stared at each other for a few seconds, each sizing up the situation, and in a while both ended up laughing slightly at their former awkwardness.

“Looks like we’re going to be working together for a while. Let’s make it easier on each other and become friends” Yoona said holding her hand out at Taecyeon. She noticed his eyes widening at her sudden gesture, before he smiled and shook her hand. They decided to have diner later that night with Yuri and Jessica, in the same diner they had first met, and shared numbers before Taecyeon left to go back to his office.

“Yoona-yah, how do you know Taecyeon-ssi personally?” Yuri said with a very sly look on her face. Yoona was very well acquainted with that look; she had seen it a dozen times when Yuri had teased Jessica, unsuccessfully, about Jay oppa. “Yah, don’t get any messed up ideas in that head of yours. Remember, I told you about that guy who drove me home that one night… well that guy is Taecyeon-ssi” Yoona sighed noticing the slightly disappointed look that Yuri’s eyes suddenly adopted. Yoona knew that Yuri had clearly been wishing for something more, and though Yoona knew it was only out of consideration for herself, she was still slightly upset that Yuri refused to accept reality.

 “And you, Jessica and I are going to the diner again tonight to have dinner with Taecyeon-ssi” Yoona immediately regretted the words that came out of , as she saw hope glimmer in Yuri’s transparent eyes. Aaish, this girl! What am I going to do with her? She’s going to end up making me feel uncomfortable around Taecyeon-ssi. And that’s not going to help with this interview thing. And I just became friends with him… he’s the first person that I’ve made friends with in almost three years. YURI-YAH! How in the world did you and I become friends in the first place…? Yoona sighed inwardly, and hooked her hand in Yuri’s arm and walked out to have their lunch.

After their lunch together, Yoona went to pick MinJae up from her school. “Yoona-imo! Na yeogiiss-eo!” MinJae frantically flailed her hands in the air to catch her aunt’s attention. Yoona chuckled as she made her way over to MinJae. “Hey there little duck; how was your day?” Yoona asked her overly enthusiastic niece. “It was so much fun. My friends and I played all day long, and gave Seonsaeng-nim lots of trouble” Yoona laughed and high fived the little girl, wishing that she would never grow up. Yoona was very attached to and invested in her little niece; she loved kids and MinJae was a really loveable kid. “Wanna get ice-cream, ducky?” Yoona and MinJae made their way to get ice-cream.

At the ice cream parlour, MinJae’s eyes became round with excitement, “Imo, I want chocolate, no wait I want strawberry. No, no I want vanilla” Yoona chuckled seeing her niece’s eyes wander from one flavour to the other. “Sure, duck, you can get whichever one you want” just then a girl bumped into Yoona. “Oh, sorry; I didn’t see you there” the girl said looking a little shaken. “It’s alright. You’re okay? You look a little off, you’re not hurt right?” Yoona asked worriedly, seeing the girl’s shaken frame. “Umm, yes, I am alright. But um, I am in a little trouble…” Yoona noticed the girl hesitating, and reached her hand to pat her shoulder. The girl looked slightly relieved, and continued. “Um, I sort of came here with my friends, but I lost them. I don’t have my cellphone or my purse. And I don’t know how to get back to my dorm…” Yoona took one look at the girl, and decided to help. She quickly paid for the ice-cream that MinJae had finally picked and hurried both girls to her car still parked at the school, about a block away from where they were.

“Let me drop you to your dorm. I’m Im Yoona by the way” Yoona looked at the girl, who sort of looked somewhat similar, but Yoona wasn’t sure from where. “I’m Suzy, and thank you, unnie. I would be in so much trouble if I didn’t get back before the weekday curfew”. The whole ride Yoona, Suzy and MinJae sang along to MinJae’s CD, cracked silly jokes and laughed. “Thanks again Yoona-unnie. I’ll see you later MinJae, let’s meet up soon unnie” Suzy waved bye before running inside her dorm.

Baaah, I’m late. Oh gosh, I’m going to get a beating from Sica-unnie. Yoona drove over to Jessica’s house to pick her up as had been arranged. As soon as she reached, she spotted Jessica tapping her right leg frantically, a clear sign of frustration, but otherwise her face was inscrutable. “Aaish, I’m sorry Sica. I ran into someone who needed a favour. Sorry… I know you hate being late” Yoona said using her aegyo voice and pouted, as Jessica gave her her famous death glare. Jessica, giving in, reluctantly laughed at Yoona’s cuteness, her one weakness.

As the two made their way over to the diner, they sang along to the radio, and chatted about absolutely nothing (random babble). Then suddenly Yoona noticed Jessica becoming silent. Here we go again. Yuri must have talked to her about Taecyeon-ssi. Geez, can’t this not become an issue! “Sica-unnie, spill it, what’s up?” Yoona asked on a second thought, thinking that it might have something to do with Jay-oppa. They sometimes had problems because Jessica found it hard to be overtly attached to others, and though she was very open with Jay-oppa, it was a whole different story when it came to his parents. “Yoona yah, don’t get mad, and refuse to listen to what I have to say… This Taecyeon guy, do you think you could…” she left her statement open-ended, implying exactly what Yoona had first thought. Yoona heaved a sigh, controlled her childish impulse to give Jessica a silent treatment and began. “Sica-unnie… That’s never going to happen, and the sooner you, Yuri-unnie and SunAh-unnie accept that, the easier it will be on all of us. Plus, what does any of this have to do with Taecyeon-ssi in the first place? I mean I’ve only ever met him once before, and he helped me out of a fix. That’s it. I don’t want it to get awkward between us, especially if we have to work together for the next two weeks. So, please, you and Yuri-unnie need to drop it!” Jessica looked at Yoona, her face for once showing such concern, that Yoona almost did a double-take; Jessica’s features soon became impassive again, and she nodded very slightly. There’s no way she’s going to drop this, but at least she’ll hold off for a while. But hopefully she’ll leave Taecyeon-ssi out of this. He doesn’t need to get unnecessarily involved.

Finally, when they made it to the diner, they saw Yuri, who had again saved them a spot, and was waving them over. Yoona gave Yuri a look that said ‘you’re dead, and you better behave tonight’ to which Yuri responded with a sniff and a begrudging nod. “Is he here yet?” Jessica asked showing subtle signs of impatience. “Nah, but it’s only just 8. He’ll be here, chill” Yuri replied nonchalantly. In a couple more minutes, as the girls were looking at the menu indifferently, Taecyeon made his way inside the diner, with someone accompanying him.

“Hi, sorry I’m late; I got held up because of this fool here, who insisted on coming with me. Oh, this is Jang WooYoung, my roommate and best-friend. I hope you don’t mind that I brought him along…” Taecyeon said timidly, looking sort of worried. “No problem, the more the merrier, right? Anyway, this was just a chance to get to know each other better, not for work. By the way I’m Im Yoona, this is Kwon Yuri and that’s Jung Jessica” Yoona said with a bright smile. WooYoung whispered something in Taecyeon’s ears when they were settled and looking at the menu; and Yoona noticed Taecyeon’s ears turning red as he smacked WooYoung lightly on his shoulder. So his ears turn red when he’s embarrassed, how adorable. Wonder what WooYoung-ssi said to him… Yoona was lost in her thought as the waiter approached their table.

After they each ordered their choice of food, there was an awkward silence, where no one knew quite where to begin conversation. Yoona, you have to think of something to say, since Yuri seems unnaturally quiet. You choose this brilliant moment to be at a loss of words! Yoona mentally yelled at Yuri. “So what do you do WooYoung-ssi?” three pairs of heads turned towards Jessica in surprise; Yoona was astounded to hear Jessica trying to start a conversation with a stranger. “I’m a bar-tender at the JYP Club. But basically I hold a degree in lay-on-the-couch-and-do-nothing; it’s an amazing profession, if I do say so myself” WooYoung broke the ice as he set everyone laughing, even Jessica. From there on, their dinner was fun, filled with talking and laughter. Yoona noticed that Taecyeon and WooYoung both had a similar sense of humour as her, and she soon joined in cracking jokes with them. Yuri laughed more than anyone at the table, and Taecyeon was even successful at making Jessica laugh a few times. Thank God Taecyeon-ssi was able to break Sica-unnie’s barrier, even if just slightly; seems like these two weeks will go great.

At the end of their dinner, all five left the diner and stood outside a while, to catch some fresh air before leaving to go their separate ways. Jessica decided to go with Yuri, as she lived closer to Yuri than Yoona. When both of them left, it was just Yoona, Taecyeon and WooYoung in the parking lot. “Do you guys want a ride?” Yoona asked, and just as they were about to refuse, she interrupted them. “Really, there is no trouble in it. Come on, get in the car” she ushered them to her car. Taecyeon got in the front with her, and WooYoung sit right behind her. For a while they drove in silence, with Taecyeon occasionally giving Yoona directions. A look back at WooYoung revealed that he was already asleep, and seeing this, the other two chortled. After that the two conversed freely, just like the night that they had first met.

“Yoona-ssi, I wanted to thank you, for last time. I think that the advice you gave me about my sister really did help turn our relationship around for the better” Yoona was slightly caught off guard when he brought this up so suddenly. But she felt happy for him, and glad that she was able to help, so she just smiled and continued driving.

When they reached Taecyeon’s and WooYoung’s apartment, Taecyeon woke his friend up by smacking him on his head. “Arggh, damn OWW, Taec that hurt man!” WooYoung complained groggily as he rubbed the spot on his head where he got hit. Yoona giggled seeing their childishness. “Thank you for dropping us Yoona-ssi” Taecyeon smiled and waved at Yoona. Suddenly, Yoona said, before Taecyeon left; “I think we should drop formalities with each other. Is it okay if I called you Taecyeon-oppa? We are kind of friends aren’t we? You should just call me Yoona” At first Taecyeon looked surprised, but soon grinned in approval. “Sure, then, thank you Yoona…” again he smiled and watched Yoona drive off after waving good-bye. Yoona’s face was unusually bright and lit with a sweet smile as she made her way home humming along to songs on the radio.

NOTE:

Sorry for the super long update..... but I think I'm going to end up making Yoona POV chapters longer than Taecyeon, because it's easier for me :S

Honestly this chapter would have come up yesterday, but I kept including all these characters in it that I had originally planned not to (MinJae, Suzy, WooYoung). But I just felt that adding them would be a little bit more natural...

I wonder what WooYoung whispered to Taecyeon...... but I bet it had something to do with Yoona ;)