“I wanna go see the tigers,” said Tiffany while pulling Sooyoung with her. She was walking backwards so she wasn’t aware that she was about to collide to Yuri’s back. When it happened, she turned around to say an apology only to see Yuri’s face. “Sor—“ 

They had their gaze on each other but Tiffany quickly looked away and walked with Sooyoung in tow.

“Sorry,” said Yuri, even though she was clearly not at fault. She followed Tiffany with her gaze and stopped when she felt someone nudged her. 

“You miss talking to her, don’t you?” Jessica asked.

Yuri nodded. “Where’s Taeng?”

“Buying me some snacks.”

“Snacks? We just got here and we had lunch about an hour ago.”

“Well, I’m hungry again. I didn’t get to eat a lot earlier.”

Yuri looked at her in disbelief. “You, Soo and Yoongderella over there,” she pointed her finger at Yoona who was busy chatting with Seohyun, “were already asking for seconds while everyone else hasn’t even finished half of their meal. Oh and FYI, Seohyun is not happy with how you treat the youngest ]Shikshin. You and Soo shouldn’t be ordering her around and telling her to get you guys your food.”

Jessica feigned a hurt expression and gasped. “We weren’t ordering her around. She volunteered to get it for us.”

“Whatever. Stop ordering people around like you’re some kind of princess,” she said calmly.

“She is a princess,” she heard Taeyeon say once the short girl got back from her ‘duties for the princess’.

Jessica grinned. “Practice what you preach, Yul. You’re telling me to stop giving orders to people and yet by doing that, you’re basically doing what you told me not to do.”

Yuri looked at them blankly. She’s been doing that a lot lately. A possible side effect of not talking to Tiffany?

She walked towards Hyoyeon who is supposedly her date for today since they’re the only ones who doesn’t have a significant other.

“So…where are we supposed to go now?” Yuri looked at Hyoyeon who was checking something inside her little backpack. “Hyo, are you trying to be Dora the Explorer or something?”

Hyoyeon looked at her and smirked. “Ohohoho, you’re making fun of me now but by the end of the day, you’d probably want to bow down to me and kiss my feet.”

“What are you talking about?”

Hyoyeon showed her a handful of stuff that seemed to have come from a prank store. Yuri looked at it and picked up the fake bugs and what seemed to be a fake chewed gum.

“You carry these things with you all the time?”

“No, only when I think they’re needed.” 

Yuri could only shake her head at Hyoyeon’s response. “You are such a choding.”

“First up, Yoong and Hyunnie!” she shouted and pulled Yuri with her.


---


Tiffany stopped walking and just stood there to stare at the animals inside their cages. She was supposed to take a picture of the White Bengal Tiger in front of her but was stopped by Sooyoung’s sudden back hug.

“You still refuse to talk to Yul?” she asked as she placed her chin on her girlfriend’s shoulder while staring at the tiger.

“If she doesn’t have any plans to talk to me then I won’t talk to her either.”

“Ignoring her won’t make any difference, Fany.”

Tiffany scoffed and looked at her. “Are you implying that I should say sorry to her even though I didn’t do anything wrong? Even if she’s the one who started this—“

“Remember what you said to me, about a week ago? About her telling you stuff about her mom? She’s never talked to me about her mom. I don’t know about the others but I think that out of all the people in the house, you’re the person she trusts the most. You guys argue a lot because she’s more comfortable with you, I think. I mean, I argue with Hyo…a lot.” Sooyoung smiled and turned her head to face Tiffany. “Am I making sense?”

“No.”

“What I’m trying to say is that you, out of all the people that she’s living with, should be able to understand her more since you know something about her that others don’t.”

“How can I understand her, Soo? She just decided to not talk to me one day and asked me if I wanted her to switch rooms with you.”

“And you said yes,” she said faintly. “You know why an argument escalates into something bigger? It’s because the people involved would let their anger take over. You told me that night that you said some things to her that you didn’t mean. You only said it because you were upset. If only you tried to understand her more then, this ‘cold war’ between you two would’ve been over.”

“No. She would still ignore me.”

“You cannot be sure about that.” Sooyoung took her hand and pulled her towards one of the benches nearby.

She sat down and motioned for Tiffany to sit next to her. She placed her bag beside her and put an arm around Tiffany’s waist. The latter leaned her head on her girlfriend’s shoulder and they stayed that way for a while before Sooyoung spoke.

“I’m not sure if I should tell you about this or not but I think Hyo wouldn’t mind since I’m using the story for a good cause.”

Tiffany shot her a confused look. “Story? What story?”

“It happened when we were in middle school. We had a fight that was very similar to what you and Yuri are having at the moment.”

“You were ignoring each other, too?” asked Tiffany who snuggled closely to Sooyoung.

“Yeah, one day she started to avoid me. She wouldn’t pick up my calls, wouldn’t answer even if I’ve buzzed her on YM for about a hundred times and she wouldn’t even go with me to school and to think that we’ve been doing that ever since we started going to school.”

Tiffany chuckled. “So she’s the Yuri in the story and I’m you?”

Sooyoung nodded and continued, “So I did what you did and I confronted her. She was worse than Yuri though. Instead of saying something she just shrugged and started walking away. Before we knew it, we were already shouting at each other and saying hurtful things that we both know we wouldn’t be able to take back.”

“The fight you had with each other was worse.”

“It was because both of us were ill-tempered. We couldn’t keep our mouths shut. So after that day, we decided not to talk to each other anymore. It went on for about a month and my mom noticed it so one night she talked to me and asked me why Hyo and I weren’t talking to each other anymore and why we weren’t having sleepovers. Sleepovers were like a weekly thing for us. I told her everything and she told me to just walk up to her and talk to her like nothing happened.”

“You followed your mom’s advice?”

“Yup. The next day I sat next to her and offered some of my snack that my mom packed for me. Then, we started talking again. We didn’t say sorry at that time and we acted like nothing happened. All the hurtful things we said were just forgotten and I made a note to myself never to bring up the things I’ve said to her ever again. I told her some pretty mean things.”

“So you never found out why she did it, why she ignored you?” asked Tiffany.

“I did. In our junior year in high school, she brought it up while we were playing video games in my room. She said she ignored me because the guy that she had a crush on for about a year told her that he liked me and I was surprised that she even apologized for what she did. That’s when I realized that my mom was right when she said that maybe Hyo just needed time and space. Instead of giving her that, I confronted her and forced her to tell me why she was ignoring me.”

Sooyoung chuckled at the memory of what her mom told her that night. “She even said that I should’ve used reverse psychology on her. She said that I should’ve told Hyo some dramatic stuff like, ‘I don’t know why you’re avoiding me considering that we’ve been best friends since we could even start walking and talking but I want you to know that even if you don’t want to talk to me anymore, you’re still my best friend. I would even tell my future kids about you. Tell them that they shouldn’t ask for toys and unimaginable wealth but true friends',” she finished her sentence in a melodramatic voice.

When Tiffany didn’t give her any response, she spoke again. “Maybe…no, I think Yuri has her reasons of why she ignored you for the past two months and maybe, just like Hyo, she’ll also tell it to you someday. You just have to let it slide for now and try not to be so hot-headed. Yuri seems to be very…secretive but she’s really nice and I know you know that.”

“So you’re saying that I should just talk to her again like nothing happened and hope and pray that she won’t ignore me anymore and that someday she’d tell me her reason for ignoring me?”

“Exactly. Oh and don’t tell anyone about that story. Hyo wouldn’t want that since she’s embarrassed of how stupid and childish our argument was.”

“But what if she still doesn’t want to talk to me?” 

“No idea but it’s worth the shot. Don’t you miss talking to her?”

Tiffany didn’t answer her but pondered on whether to do what Sooyoung said or not.


---


“That was…if Seohyun had a heart problem, she would’ve been in the hospital right now,” said Yuri as they looked for the others.

“I actually did Yoona a favour. Didn’t you see her smirking when Seohyun clung to her like a little kid? The exploding lighter is jjang. I should use it on Sica and maybe Taengoo would bow down to me, too.”

Yuri shook her head and told her that it wasn’t a smart idea since angry Jessica means end of the world for both of them.

They saw Sunny and Hyomin walking to where the polar bears were.

“Sunny-ah,” Hyoyeon called her sounding overly excited. If that wasn’t enough, the gleeful smile plastered on her face was a dead giveaway.

Way to be obvious, Hyo.

“Want a gum?” she asked as soon as she approached the couple.

“Sure.” 

It was a childish prank but Hyoyeon couldn’t help but be giddy to see Sunny’s reaction. Much to her dismay, Sunny just looked at her blankly when she pulled out the gum.

How can she have a straight face after being shocked by the gum? 

Yuri was trying hard not to laugh her off. After a few more failed attempts to scare Sunny, she gave up and pushed the two away.

“What the hell is wrong with Sunny?” she asked Yuri.

“I don’t know. She’s just not scared of anything. Your attempts were useless.”

“Let’s try pushing her off the railings and have her face to face with that bear,” Hyoyeon suggested. Yuri wasn’t sure if she was kidding or not.

Yuri tilted her had to the side and narrowed her eyes. I think this girl’s crazy.

“You’re not going to scare her that way. You’re gonna kill her.”

“I’m kidding,” she said but her facial expression stated otherwise. “I bet she would still be calm even if she’s faced with a crocodile and other beasts.”

Yuri nodded. “I agree. I bet she’d just shrug and stare at them blankly.”

“And Hyomin would go ninja slash Bruce Lee on them and save her Sunny.” Hyoyeon laughed at what she said but stopped when she spotted Sooyoung and Tiffany.

“Do you usually do this when you go on group dates? Bug the couples and have fun on their expense?”

“No, only when Soo drags me on her dates.”

“Why would she drag—“

“Because I got her back and she’s got mine. If something goes wrong, she’d have me. She does the same for me,” she answered. “Good thing I don’t have to do it anymore since she seems fine with Fany. I think Fany’s spoiling her too much though.”

Yuri looked at what Hyoyeon was staring at and saw Sooyoung who was rummaging through her bag. She then looked at Hyoyeon and saw the glint in her eyes. This choding is going to do something childish again.

The said choding broke into a sprint and ran towards the two. 


---


“Soo, why did you have to bring snacks? We could buy snacks here,” said Tiffany as she watched the taller girl.

Sooyoung was looking for her last piece of Chocopie. She swears on the god of Twinkies that she packed five of those. She ate three of them on the way to the park and gave Tiffany one. Her girlfriend ate only half of it and she ate the other half. She’s not stupid in math and that’s simple arithmetic, for crying out loud. She has one more Chocopie and it has to be inside her bag.

“I had to bring snacks since the last time we went out as a group you guys didn’t let me eat. Remember that time when all of us went to the mall and I was almost begging for you guys to let me eat but they used YOU to distract me instead.”

Then all of a sudden, someone snatched her bag. She blinked a few times and tried to take in what just happened. Her precious snacks were taken away from her by none other than Hyoyeon. “YAH! KIM HYOYEON, COME BACK HERE RIGHT NOW! YAHHHHHH!” She started chasing her best friend.

Hyoyeon looked back and saw Sooyoung. She chuckled at how she ran after her so to more she pretended to be running in slow motion. She pretended that she was in one of those commercials that featured triathlons who were close to reaching the finish line.

Tiffany just stood there and watched them goof around. She noticed someone standing next to her. It was Yuri. The girl was looking at the direction where the two ran off to.

She remembered what Sooyoung told her. It’s worth the shot.

“You’re going to move back to our room tonight,” she said sternly. It was not a request so why should she make it sound like one?

Yuri, on the other hand, was shocked that Tiffany was talking to her again. The tone of her voice might not be welcoming but it’s better than not hearing her talk to her at all.

“I don’t know your reason for ignoring me and I don’t care anymore but you are not allowed to do it anymore. I’m making that a law and that law is effective immediately,” she said using the same tone and stared at Yuri straight in the eyes. She waited for Yuri to respond but nothing came. She was only staring at her. “Well, say something.”

“I don’t know how your mom talks to her subordinates at work, you know, when she gives orders but you just gave me a pretty good example of how she does it.” 

Yuri smiled when she saw Tiffany’s reaction. The girl was clearly pissed off but she knows it’s not serious. She’s just being Tiffany.

“Take that back now! I do not sound like a military officer!”

“Fine. Geez, no need to be all worked up,” she said calmly although she was spazzing on the inside. Yuri wasn’t sure why Tiffany was suddenly talking to her again but she didn’t really care. If Tiffany’s not going to bring it up anymore and was talking to her again like nothing happened, then so be it. She’s willing to do the same thing.

Call her a martyr, a stupid masochist, call her whatever you want but she’s not going to avoid Tiffany anymore. She’s also arrived at the conclusion that Nichkhun’s advice was just plain stupid and ineffective.

From now on, she’ll try and be happy for Tiffany and Sooyoung, as well. She loves Tiffany, seeing her happy should be enough. Go ahead and shoot her if you think her thoughts are so cliché. 

“Shut up,” said Tiffany and turned her back on Yuri. 

Yuri just smiled and walk away only to hear Tiffany calling her again.

“Yuri-ah.”

She misses Tiffany’s unique way of calling her and saying her name. It only added up to her reason as to why she’s not going to follow Nichkhun’s stupid advice anymore.

She looked back, flipping her hair in the process and smiling gently as she asked Tiffany, “Why?”

For Tiffany, the whole scene just went into slow motion. In her point of view, it was like Yuri was starring in a CF all of a sudden. She was stunned for a few seconds but quickly regained her composure.

She smiled, making her eyes smile, as well and said, “Hi.”

Yuri chuckled, “Hi to you, too.” She turned around to walk away but was once again stopped when Tiffany called her. She’s doing this again.

“Yuri-ah.”

“Hi,” Yuri said, thinking that Tiffany was going to say ‘Hi’ to her again so she was quite surprised when Tiffany said something different.

“I miss you.”

Yuri just smiled. Damn it face, don’t blush!

“What? You’re not going to say ‘I miss you, too’?”

“Why would I miss you, bella?” teased Yuri. Why she used ‘bella’ to refer to Tiffany, she wasn’t sure.

Tiffany smirked. “You do find me pretty.”

“I’d probably get punched by Soo if I called you ugly.” 

Tiffany stuck her tongue out and started to chase Sooyoung. 

Yuri was left there, wondering how their stupid cold war ended. Fany-ah, I’ll tell you my reasons for ignoring you someday. I promise you that.


---


“I’m tired,” complained Jessica.

“Let’s go home then. Where’s Soo and Fany?” asked Taeyeon. 

“Hey guys,” said Tiffany popping out of nowhere.

“Great. Everyone’s here so let’s go.”

Jessica, Taeyeon, Yuri, Tiffany and Sooyoung were riding in one car. The tallest one was driving, her girlfriend was in the passenger’s seat and the rest were in the back seat although they almost placed Taeyeon in the compartment for being so damn annoying. She wouldn’t stop talking about the damn baboons and their butts.

The car halted as the traffic light changed from yellow to red. Tiffany and Sooyoung was acting all mushy again, feeding each other and saying sweet nothings. It annoyed the hell out of Taeyeon and Jessica and knowing that Yuri’s witnessing it, they cleared their throats to make the couple stop.

“Tiff, could you remove your finger out of Soo’s mouth. That’s gross.”

“But the Chocopie is finger-in’ good!” Tiffany teased. Yes, the Chocopie that was missing was finally found. It was at the bottom of Sooyoung’s bag.

“You could get sued by KFC for using their slogan without their permission,” said Yuri.

The three girls turned their head to Yuri. 

“You two…you guys are talking again?” asked Sooyoung.

“Yes, now drive,” answered Tiffany and placed a chaste kiss on Sooyoung’s lips.

Jessica looked at Yuri’s expression and the latter just gave a reassuring smile. 

When they got home, she pulled Yuri to their room along with Taeyeon. She asked her things and Yuri answered. She told her everything that happened in the park.

“I’ll be fine, Sica. I’m sure that there will come a time when I will be immune to seeing them like that. I don’t want to be selfish anymore. I don’t want to disregard how she feels. I don’t want her to feel like she’s done something wrong. I was the one who fell for her and it's not like she knows that.”

Jessica and Taeyeon just listened to their friend as she said all those things. 

They were quiet for a while until someone broke the silence.

“You really love my sister, don’t you?” 

Jessica looked at Taeyeon weirdly. “Your sister?”

Taeyeon shrugged. “What? Why can’t I call her that? After you gave me that moving speech weeks ago, I’ve realized that I can’t let you go anymore. I’m determined not to let you go. Never. So that means Tiffany will be my sister-in-law in the future.”

She watched as the two argued and got out when she felt like she wasn’t needed there anymore. She got back to her room. Her real room. Sooyoung and her switched rooms with her again and now she’s back to being Tiffany’s roommate.

She plopped herself onto her bed and stayed that way. Tiffany looked at her for a few seconds then went back to what she was doing.

After revising her project, she switched off her laptop and stood up. Before going to the bathroom to brush her teeth, she looked at Yuri who was about to doze off.

“Yuri-ah,” she called.

Yuri got up and smile. “Hi, Fany-ah.”

Tiffany giggled. “I meant what I said earlier. I really miss you. I’ve missed talking to you. Good night.”