- Taeyeon's POV -

"J-Jess..." I placed my shaking hand on Jessica's shoulder as I gently shook her. She wouldn't budge. "Sooyeon ah..." My voice was trembling badly. "A-answer me Jung Sooyeon..." I was having difficulty breathing as my crying turned to sobbing.

"I told you...to stay away... I TOLD YOU TO STAY AWAY FROM MY JESSICA!" Mrs Jung screamed at the top of her voice as her tears flowed non-stop.

"Mom... Mom! Get a grip... It's not her fault..." Krystal tried to hold her mother back, even though she herself was crying badly.

"Jessica... Don't scare me..." I ignored everything as I continued shaking her. "S-Sooyeon ah... W-wake up... Stop...stop sleeping..." I pulled her closer so that I could see her face. She was motionless. No... This wasn't supposed to happen... I thought I could protect her... No... Dear death, if you're going to choose her, please just...please just wait for a little while more... I haven't told that girl that I love her... It's already tiring enough to live... Please don't choose her just when I have her company... Please don't take her away...

"Taeyeon ah..." The noise from everywhere was fading out, as her familiar voice reached my ears. I turned to look towards the direction of that voice. She was in a little beautiful white dress, and she was somewhat shining. She was smiling at me.

"Sica ya..." She smiled even wider when she heard me.

"I love you." My tears welled up once again as she said those words. "Live well. You have to be happy." She gave me a teethy smile after that. But...why is she...fading away?

"Sica ya." I called out to her. "Sica ya!" I wanted to reach for her, but I couldn't. Why can't I reach her?!

"...yeon ah wake up! It's just a nightmare. Taeyeon ah!" My eyes shot open when someone shook me vigorously. "Are you awake? Kim Taeyeon!" I blinked slightly at the loud voice.

"A-ah Tiff..."

"Why are you sleeping in the afternoon?"

"I didn't... I just...fell asleep or something. What time is it...?" I sat up on the couch as I rubbed my eyes.

"It's 4. I told you I'd be coming over at this time didn't I!"

"Ah yes you did..."

"Are you okay...?"

- Story view -

"No." Taeyeon stared at the floor blankly. "I'm not. I'm not okay at all."

"Does it...really have to be like this?"

"Tiff."

"Yup...?"

"What would you do if it were you?" Taeyeon finally turned to look at Tiffany.

"As in, if I were you, or if I were Jess?"

"Me." Tiffany stared at her friend for a while, before she looked down on the floor as she thought hard about it. "I want you to think it through, very thoroughly." The Korean American bit her lip as Taeyeon's words sunk in. A minute or two had passed, and Tiffany didn't say anything. She was at a loss for words. "So...?" Her eyes finally met Taeyeon's again. "Would you stay by her side?" Tiffany maintained eye contact with Taeyeon for a while, before she shook her head.

"You'd be scared too wouldn't you. That she might just die, for real." Taeyeon's words were weak, as she looked away, and Tiffany nodded her head, the sadness in her eyes was obvious. "It's weird. This feeling. It's like..." The older girl stopped for a while, as her lips trembled a little, her tears threatening to fall. "It's like...every second that passes, it's a second nearer to losing her. I'm like...waiting for my world to come crashing down. Like...seconds before disaster." The first stream of tears flowed down Taeyeon's cheeks as she said those words. "I told her...that I will always love her. I told her to remember that. Do you...do you think that she will remember...?"

Tiffany didn't know what to say, as she stared at Taeyeon with her tear-filled eyes. "Ah... This is...harder than I thought." The older girl said, before letting out a small laugh, although her tears were still flowing. "She's gonna...be so heartbroken... What am I to do...?" Taeyeon couldn't hold it in any longer as she burst out crying. "What am I to do Tiffany... I don't know any more..."

Two hours passed in a flash and Taeyeon was already done preparing herself for the dinner, and whatever was going her way after that.

"Do I...look fine?" Taeyeon casted a worried look at Tiffany.

"You look good, buddy. My baby girl..." Tiffany smiled sadly as she placed her palm on Taeyeon's cheek. The older girl gave a sad smile in response as she let out a huge breath.

"Let's go."

***

Tiffany stopped the car by the road, outside the restaurant Taeyeon and Jessica planned to meet at. She turned to look at Taeyeon, who was way paler than she was when she just got onto the car.

"Will you be okay...?" She placed her hand on Taeyeon's.

"I...guess." Letting out a huge breath yet again, she gave Tiffany one more look before she opened the door.

"I'll just park the car and I'll be in the restaurant somewhere okay?" Tiffany said, and Taeyeon weakly smiled at her and nodded before closing the door.

***

"Mmm this is so delicious!" Jessica smiled happily as she ate her food. "Taengoo why aren't you eating?" She stopped and asked when she saw Taeyeon leaving more than half of her food untouched.

"I...have no appetite."

"Huh? Are you okay?"

"Don't worry about me. I had too much food before dinner. Just eat." Taeyeon tried her hardest to smile.

Jessica finished her food in the next half an hour or so, and she gave a satisfied smile.

"This is awesome!" The Korean American said while she put the serviette down after wiping . Taeyeon's heart started to thump wildly as the time to break the news approached her. "Taengoo you okay? You look pretty pale."

Kim Taeyeon, do it.

"Claire." Taeyeon swallowed her saliva as she forced herself to look into Jessica's eyes.

"Hmm? It feels like a long time since I last heard you call my name." Jessica let out a laugh, not knowing what was going to come her way.

"Can you promise me a favour?"

"A favour? Sure. Anything. What?" The smile on Jessica's face was ripping Taeyeon's heart apart. Biting hard on her teeth, Taeyeon finally said it.

"Break up with me." Jessica stared at Taeyeon, with agape, as her eyes widened.

"W-what...?" Taeyeon wanted to repeat herself. But she couldn't, as she stayed where she was, not being able to say a word nor move an inch. "What did you...just say...?"

Hold it in. You have to hold it in Taeyeon.

"You heard me." Taeyeon was clenching her fists under the table so hard that her nails were almost cutting her palms.

"W-what are you saying T-Taengoo...?" Jessica's eyes flickered as tears began welling up. "What b-break up...?"

"I can't get over her - Jessica. I'm sorry."

"Y-you're lying to me right...? We... The past few weeks... Y-you're kidding...aren't you...?"

"I'm sorry."

"I-I can give you more time if you can't forget her. Taeyeon it's fine with me. I can take that. I can give you more time. I ca-"

"It's not fine with me." Taeyeon looked away, thinking that it would be easier not seeing Jessica's expression. "I'm letting you break up with me, Claire."

"Y-you... You slept with me yesterday and you...you're...doing this to me?"

Hurt her. Hurt her hard so that she won't forgive you again this time. Hurt her so hard so that you won't go running back into her arms again.

"I just...missed sleeping with her. But I felt really bad afterwards. So we should break up. You should break up with me."

"You asked me for a chance Taeyeon... You..." Streams of tears fell relentlessly down Jessica's cheeks.

Don't cry... Jess please don't cry...

"I guess you shouldn't have given it to me." I'm sorry... Sooyeon ah I'm sorry...

The two of them fell silent for a while, until Jessica finally spoke up.

"I get it... I get it now. I'm afraid you will have to settle the bill." Jessica stood up, emotionlessly. "T-thanks for the meal. I ate well." She continued, without looking at Taeyeon. "I..." Her lips trembled as she tried to stop herself from crying. "I'm breaking up with you, Kim Taeyeon." Taeyeon bit hard on her teeth as tears welled up her eyes. "I don't want to see your face. Ever again." Without looking back, Jessica turned and walked out of the restaurant, her tears escaping her eyes the very moment she turned her back on Taeyeon.

I...love you...Jessica, very much...

Taeyeon's tears burst out as she watched Jessica's back getting further and further before disappearing. Her whole body was shaking badly as she sobbed. Tiffany who was watching from a few tables away quickly stood up and ran towards her best friend before hugging her tightly. "It's okay... It's okay..." She repeatedly said as she patted Taeyeon's back. The girl was crying so badly as she clutched her heart which was aching so much she felt like she could die.

***

Krystal was waiting at the office when a message arrived.

The younger sister furrowed her eyebrows as she quickly packed her things and made her way to the lobby.

"Hey sis. Why are you here so early? I thou-"

"I'm tired."

Krystal stopped asking any more questions when she sensed something wrong with her sister and the journey home was a dead silence. When they finally reached home, Jessica went straight into her room before slamming the door shut and the loud sound caused their mother to walk out of the kitchen to check things out.

"What happened?" Mrs Jung asked Krystal, who was as confused as she was.

"I don't know..." Krystal replied as she casted a worried look at Jessica's door.

It didn't take Jessica long before she was hidden under her blanket as she cried badly.

"Claire."

"Hmm?"

"Will you be my girlfriend?"

She clenched her fist as her body started shaking too.

"G-Give me some time Claire... I promise you that I'll love you right... I'm sorry for being such an ..."

"Promise... What promise?!" The girl screamed into her pillow as her tears flowed relentlessly.

"Stop saying you're sorry now, okay? I need you to know that I'm really glad that you weren't acting this way because you don't want me any more."

"Don't say that. Please don't say that. I won't do that, really."

...

"Don't...go..."

"Why do you not want me any more after telling me not to go...? Taeyeon... Why...?" Jessica's lips quivered as she questioned the Taeyeon who was no longer by her side.

"I love you. And I will always love you. Remember that."

"Tae...Taengoo... Taengoo why...?"

"I love you so much, baby. I'll never love another like you. Remember that."

"Were those...just lies...? Lies to get me into bed with you...?"

***

Taeyeon wasn't bawling her eyes out, nor sobbing loudly. She was just sitting at desk, her hand covering more than half of her face, her tears silently dropping as her eyes stayed fixed to the photo of her and Jessica.

Tiffany who was sitting on her bed finally turned Taeyeon's chair and made the girl face her.

"Kim Taeyeon." Tiffany's eyes were glistening with tears too. "You made the decision. Then live with it. If you have already decided to leave her, then move on with your own life. I...I don't want to see you being like this. It hurts me a whole lot to see you like this do you know that?!"

"Then...leave me... I'm not worth anyone's love anyway..." Taeyeon replied, refusing to look back at her best friend.

What happened next shocked Taeyeon, and probably Tiffany herself, as Tiffany's palm automatically went for the older girl's face with a loud smack. The older girl herself didn't move as inch, as if she was just a lifeless doll. The Korean American had so many things to say, to yell at Taeyeon, but she couldn't say a word as her tears choked her.

"Je...Jessi will be so disappointed in you, Kim Taeyeon." Tiffany managed to say, before she stood up and stomped out of Taeyeon's room, slamming the door behind her before she took big steps out of her house.

Tiffany was a few steps away from the door when she stopped as she breathed heavily from the anger that was boiling inside of her. She wiped away her tears with the back of her hand, before she found herself running back to her best friend's house. When Taeyeon heard her door clicked open, she turned to look, only to find a Tiffany who was looking at her with angry, yet loving eyes.

"Say sorry to me." Taeyeon's eyes widened a little in surprise as Tiffany's words. "Say sorry to me because of those stupid words you said!" Before Taeyeon could react, Tiffany's hands were already tightly wrapped around her and the older girl's tears flowed once again.

***

Taeyeon lay on her bed in the pitch dark room. She had finally stopped crying. Her eyes were so sore from all the crying.

"Sooyeon ah... My heart is telling me that I want to love you, instead of loving myself... Do you know that...? That one word that you have drawn in my heart... That one word that I can't give you any more... Love...is too difficult for us... But I love you...so much..."

[A/N] The only good thing about this chapter to you readers is...that there are no cliffhangers. Why do I get a feeling that I'm gonna get "scolded" by some of you soon... I'm...sorry if I made you sad. Please don't hit me. Because...I cried countless times while writing :'(

If nothing goes wrong, the next chapter will be a really major one. It may be related to Jessica's memories returning, or maybe not. But first, I'll be reading your comments :) Oh, and I was thinking of something interesting, for you and for me. Like, maybe...you would like to direct your comments to the characters in this story and I'll reply accordingly, so it will be as if you're talking to the characters themselves. How does that sound? But if you're doing that, please address who your comment is for, or I may feel that the scoldings that are meant for Taeyeon are meant for me... *heart shatters*

Once again, stay with me, and trust me. Because I love TaengSic as much as you do, or even more ♥

© Sky Blue Tales ✍