A soft breeze tickled Tiffany’s face, and in her half-asleep state she lifted her hand to scratch her itchy nose.

Tiffany was dreaming of her again.

“Taeyeon-ah.” Tiffany mumbled as she looked up at the girl’s face through half-lidded eyes. She reached up to touch the girl’s face but it disappeared from her grasp. Tiffany frowned and rolled onto her side, snuggling up to her Totoro and snoring once again.

Hayeon’s eyes widened when she heard her sister’s name from Tiffany’s lips. She immediately withdrew before Tiffany’s hand could contact her skin.

This is all for you Taeyeon.

Hayeon walked over and crouched down next to the bed. She blew on Tiffany’s face again.

“Aargh.” Tiffany groaned and her eyelids fluttered open.

“Get up.” Hayeon said monotonously.

“Mmmph.” Tiffany opened to scream but was muffled by Hayeon’s hand.

“Be quiet or else.” Hayeon warned.

Tiffany looked up at the girl in fear and nodded her head quickly.

Hayeon slowly removed her hand from Tiffany’s mouth and Tiffany immediately sat up pulling the blanket tighter around her.

“That blanket can't protect you if I wanted to do something.” Hayeon smirked. “So…do you know why I’m here?”

Tiffany lowered her head and nodded once.

“It’s good to see you acknowledging your wrongdoings.” Hayeon placed both her hands on the edge of bed and leaned down to Tiffany’s level. “Do you know what I do to people who do wrong things?”

Tiffany shook her head.

“I like to…” The rest of that sentence was whispered into Tiffany’s ears. Tiffany eyes widened and she shivered when she heard those words.

“But that doesn’t have to happen.” Hayeon stood back up. “You have my permission to be friends with her.”

Tiffany gasped. Was she hearing things?

“If you agree to be my racing partner tonight, I won’t interfere with your friendship anymore.”

Tiffany remained silent.

“Or we could stay here and you know…play.” Hayeon said in a mocking tone.

“I-I’ll go with you.” Tiffany stuttered.

“Good. Get changed.” I’ll be outside, Hayeon jumped out the window.

Tiffany quickly changed and quietly left the house.

“Put this on.” Hayeon threw a helmet at her.

Tiffany did as she was told and climbed on the bike, sitting behind Hayeon.

Tiffany fiddled with her hands, she felt unsafe on the bike and wanted to hold onto something.

Hayeon reached behind for Tiffany’s hands, encircling them around her waist.

“I’ll let you touch me this once.”

***

“You’re late, they’ve already started.” The girl yelled as Hayeon arrived at the starting line.

Hayeon opened her visor and looked ahead to see the other racers in the distance.

“Finally, I have a challenge. It was starting to get boring doing the same thing over and over.” Hayeon flicked her visor down and revved the engine speeding off.

“Who’s the girl she’s with?” Another asked.

“I don’t know but I don’t like her, I was supposed to be Hayeon’s racing partner.” The girl folded her arms.

“Whatever, she would so choose me over you anyday.” The other girl did a hair flip.

“What did you say ?!?”

And they pounced on each other.

***

Hayeon passed the finish line and a girl waved the checkered flag signaling her victory. She drove extra fast today…because the faster she drove, the tighter Tiffany’s arms wrapped around her waist and the closer Tiffany’s body pressed against her back.

Hayeon never glanced back as she crossed the finish line, she knew she had won but she still had some business to finish off, she would be back to collect her prize money later.

“You passed the finish line.” Tiffany pointed out.

“I know.”

“Then where are you taking me?”

“Back home.”

“Oh.”

They both fell into an uncomfortable silence, for Tiffany, but not for Hayeon who preferred the silence. Tiffany watched as the trees became thicker, the distance from one light pole to the next increasing. This did not look like the road they came from.

“Umm…” Tiffany started but was interrupted by the sound of the engine spluttering and then turning off altogether.

“Goddam it.” Hayeon hit the handlebar of the bike, propping her foot on the ground to balance the bike.  “Hop off so I can check the engine.”

Tiffany hopped down and took her helmet off. She was puzzled when Hayeon remained sitting on the bike.

“Hwang Tippani.” Hayeon lifted the visor of her helmet. “You shouldn’t have interfered with her life...with our lives. This is the price you will pay, I could have done much, much worse but I hope you will have learnt your lesson. Keep away from Taeyeon…if you make it back alive.” Hayeon pulled the helmet from Tiffany’s grasp and drove off.

“HAYEO