CHAPTER 3

"Hi, Sooyeon, good morning."

"Mom? What are you doing here?” I said when I saw my mother was preparing breakfast.

"Sooyeon, have I ever tought you to say good morning like that?" she said without answering my question.

"Sorry," I said, bowing my head slightly. "Good morning, Mom."

I walked towards her and kissed her cheek.

"What are you doing here?” I repeat my question. "It's not mean to be rude, but why are you in my apartment in the morning?"

"Why? Can't I visit my little girl?" She said as she pinched my nose.

"Aw," I rubbed my nose. "Mom, I'm not a kid anymore."

My mother just smiled and my hair then went to prepare breakfast.

"What do you cook?" I asked, sitting down at the dinner table.

"I do not cook, just preparing cereal and a glass of milk," she walked up to me and put a bowl of cereal and a glass of milk in front of me.

"Thank you. Hmm, you're not eating with me? "

"I've eaten here before."

I just nodded and then eat.

"Mom, what date is it today?" I asked as I watched my mother who was busy cooking our lunch.

"Hmm, what date, huh? I think it is October 13," my mother turned to me and asked, "Why? Do you have an appointment to meet someone?"

"I guess not," I said as I kept thinking, "but I feel that I have to do something tomorrow. Do you know what is it, Mom?”

My mom turn off the stove and walked toward me. "Tomorrow, October 14th, exactly one month after Tiffany...gone," my mom paused and went on, "do you want me to prepare something for you?"

'Ah yes, Tiffany,' I told myself. Then I shook my head and smiled at my mom. "No Mom, I'm just going to buy flowers and visit her."

Mom kissed my forehead and then prepared the dining table.

"Now let's eat. Look at you Sooyeon, you're getting thinner."

"Taeyeon, yesterday I visited Tiffany," I went to Taeyeon who is typing on her laptop.

"Really?" she said, lifting her face. "Ah sorry, I can't be with you yesterday, there was a test that I could not leave."

"It's okay Taeyeon. After all you've often miss your class just to accompany me lazing around in my apartment."

Taeyeon just smiled and continued her assignment.

"What is that?," I said, looking at her laptop screen.

"Hmm, just an article review. It won't be long, it may be completed within 15 minutes."

Taeyeon is smart. She had always been the best in our class since elementary school. Since elementary school to college, she always helped me studying. She always insisted that I should go to same school with her, that school for all those smart and brilliant children in Korea even though she knows that my brain is just as slow as snail. She would force me to learn together every day before the enrollment test. Then surprisingly I would pass it along with her and she was very proud of it.

Although that thing about her, forcing me to do something was sometimes annoying, actually I was very thankful about it. Therefore I was able to meet Tiffany, my high school sweetheart. Tiffany as smart as Taeyeon. At first, when I was with them I always feel like the most useless person in this world, but they kept helping me to study. Until the end, I still followed Taeyeon studying English literature and Tiffany decided to continue studying art because she likes to paint.

"Sica, I'm done," Taeyeon suddenly spoke and patted me on the shoulder.

"Huh?" I said a little confused.

"Haha, Sica, you've been zoning out for 15 minutes I've finished my work," Taeyeon laughed then continued, "Now what do you want to eat? I will cook for you."

"I'm want to eat ramen, can you make it for me?” I said showing my aegyo.

"Sure," Taeyeon patted my head and ruffled my hair as if I was a child.

"You're just like my mother, Taeyon-ah," I straightened my hair again, "a few days ago my mother was also here and cooked for me."

Taeyeon laughed then opened the fridege door, "Sica, are you just going to eat ramen for the rest of your life? Look at this, there are only ramen and instant noodles."

I furrowed my forehead. I thought a few days ago my mother brought vegetable and my favorite beef. Did i eat them all, all by myself? Maybe I should go shopping tomorrow.

"I will accompany go shopping if you want," Taeyeon offer while turning on the stove and other cooking utensils to prepare.

"No Taeyeon, thank you. You know what? You're starting to act like my wife."

I was surprised when the words were out of my mouth. But it was true, since Tiffany's gone, Taeyeon became a little bit softer and gentler to me. She treated me like a child, like a person who always needed help. I meant, she would come to my house and cooked for me, shopped with me, and stayed with me until I fell asleep and then she went home. My mother also did the same.

"Wife? Pfft..." Taeyeon laughing like ahjumma and wiped her tears. "In your dreams Jessica! You may be my best friend, but I will never make you my wife. "

"What do you mean?" I feel a little offended. "A lot of people out there might want to wait in line if I told them I held a contest to choose my future husband or wife. Don't you see me as a beautiful woman?"

Taeyeon stopped laughing and continued cooking, her tone suddenly turned serious. "You know, when I first saw you I thought that you were the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. Even you're still a little girl back then, who likes to cry and spoiled. But I think you're very pretty. "

Taeyeon paused for a moment, I waited for Taeyeon continued.

"And with you, watching you grow into a beautiful girl make me like the luckiest person on earth, but I never had the courage to say this to you Jessica," Taeyeon stopped cooking and looked at me with a serious look in her eyes, but still warm.

I did not know that Taeyeon think of me like that. During this time we were always teasing each other, arguing, and laughing at each other. She was never like this.

"I know what's on your mind, Sica. I know this is weird. But I was never told this before you. I mean, say that you are very pretty and such. It is true you are very pretty, but I don't ever want to make you my girlfriend, or worse, my wife," Taeyeon suddenly laughs, seriousness on her face disappeared and changed into the face of the usual Taeyeon. Ugh, you stupid old midget!

"Well! What do you mean?" I threw a cushion right towards her face.

"Sica, you're the most hot termpered women and laziest I've ever met. You can't cook to save your live and you still love to eat cereal every morning. "

"What's wrong with all that," I said angrily. "According to Tiffany it was cute and adorable."

"Yes, only Tiffany said that. She even made your face when you sleep like a pig as her phone wallpaper and proudly showed is to us and said 'Look! Isn't she cute?'" she said as she continued to laugh.

I could only be quiet. Again, I thought about Tiffany, I can't forget it and never will. Tiffany was different, she accepted me the way I am and fell in love with my 'weird' personality

"Sica?" Taeyeon came over and sat beside me. "Sorry, I didn't mean ..."

"It's okay Taeyeon, you're right. I am lazy and spoiled. If only that morning I got up early and told Tiffany that I don't have to eat that cereal in the morning maybe...maybe I could have prevented her to go."

"S-Sica," Taeyeon cut me off but I still continued to talk.

"I always behave like spoiled kid, annoyingly kept saying things like 'I want to eat this' or 'I don't want to eat if i don't eat this,'" I could feel tears running down my cheeks.

Taeyeon just kept quite and let me continued.

"I never even helped her cook, or cleaned the house. You also never let me do it all. So did my mother. You're just going to let me watch you work as if I was just a annoying naughty child who would just make a mess if I touch something."

"Sica, sorry, I didn't mean it. Your mother and Tiffany as well," Taeyeon hugged me and rubbed my back.

I cried in her embrace. Again, I could do nothing but crying.

"Jessica, nothing's wrong, you're not wrong. What happened that morning was not your fault, it's all inevitable."

We just kept silent for a moment. There was only the sound of my sobs that slowly disappears.

"Taeyeon, what about your ramen? I think it's already cold," I said, muffling on Taeyeon's chest.

Taeyeon laughed but did not let go of her arms. "Hmm, maybe we could eat somewhere tonight, sounds good eh?"

"Jessica, are you ready to go back to college next semester?" Taeyeon asked when we eat at a fast food restaurant where the three of us along with Tiffany would usually eat after class back then.

"I'm a little bit lazy, I'm actually very happy when my mother said that I should take a break this semester even she knew that this semester will end in just two months. Ah my struggle in the past four months earlier is useless now. But still I'm happy though because you know, I'm just too lazy, all those stuffs in college just made ​​me confused," I said, grinning like a fool.

Taeyeon laughed and shook her head, "I know, you never like school, that's why I always have to force you to study together."

"It's true, and it's annoying. You didn't even hesitate to interrupt my nap in the weekend just to make me studied together," I said while pouting.

"Aigoo," Taeyeon ruffled my hair like I was just a kid, "you should be grateful for it, at least as long as you live you always went to the best schools."

"Yes, yes, thank you Kim Taeyeon, I owe you much and will always remember it until I die. Satisfied? "

Taeyeon just laughed and raised her thumb right in front of me and then continued eating.

"Uhm, Taeyeon?” I suddenly spoke, there was one thing I always wanted to ask her.

"Hmm?" Taeyeon muttered.

I was a little hesitant to ask this. After that day one month ago, everyone's attitude to me changed. Taeyeon became very gentle and cared for me a lot, well it didn't mean that she never cared for me before, she had always been cared for me like a best friend should but this time it was different. My mother visited me so often, as well as Yuri, my neighbor. She came to my apartment to ask if I was okay or needed help. Why was everyone like that?

"Do you happen to know the reason my mother asked me to take a break this semester? This is not because I'm sick right? I-I mean usually only those who are sick or those exchange student who went out of the country that usually would take a break in college, while I'm perfectly fine now."

I stopped and waited for Taeyeon replied. She also seems doubtful.

"Well, you're not sick Sica, o-of course not, but... but you're just..." Taeyeon more hesitant and stuttered.

"What is it, Taeyeon?" I said, impatient.

Taeyeon held her fork tight in her hand and started playing with her food. She didn't even look at me when talking.

"Y-you just missed some important lessons and exams when you didn't attend the classes, you know you didn't come to class a few days after Tiffany's gone. Your mom might think that it would be better if you repeat the course next semester to catch up, yeah you know, what I mean right? The dean of our faculty also told to your mother. Yes, yes just like that," Taeyeon said as she continued to play with her food.

"Is that true?" I push my body forward and narrowed my eyes.

"Y-yeah, of course," Taeyeon said as she lifted her head and was surprised to see my face right in front of hers.

I turned to my previous position and folded my arms in front of my chest. "Haaah, that's good," I said, pretending to be relieved. "You know, every night before I sleep, I always wondered, 'Am I sick?' or 'Is it just me or am I in a TV's drama now? You know, when you're sick and no one told you'"I laugh at that ridiculous thought.

"Haha, true, stupid dramas," Taeyeon said, scratching the back of her neck and pretended to laugh.

"Anyway, like I said, I'm very happy that I don't have to go to college. I also feel that there is no hope anymore for me this semester, I mean I'm pretty sure that I would fail all those class. So it's better to stop now and take it again later."

Taeyeon continued eating and just nodded.

"And the best part is, I could borrow your notes this semester so I don't have to take notes next semester. Aaaah so much fun," I said, imagining a more leisurely course with the help of notes and tasks Taeyeon.

"Yah! But you still have to learn! I will continue to tutor you, got it?"

"Yes, yes, Professor Kim. I'm going to learn," I said jokingly. "Ah! I remember! That means you'll graduate first!"

Taeyeon seems to also forget about it. She was shocked.

"You're right! Aish! It's useless now!!! Seriously, all those past years I kept forcing you to go to the same schools and college with me, and now I have to graduate and leave the stupid Jung all alone,” she faked a sob and wiped her invisible tears. ”Though I had thought to graduate together, work together, and live together with you," Taeyeon stopped talking and closed with her hand as she bluntly said those words.

"What?" I asked, confused. "What do you mean?"

"N-no, I mean, it would be nice if we could graduate and work together instead, right?" she said with a red face.

"Yes, yes, of course. Admit it Tae, from the first time, you've always wanted to be together with me. Haven't you?” I laughed, slapped the table and clutched my stomach.

Taeyeon looked very cute now. Her face looked panicked and red. She smacked my head and tried to talk with full of food.

"Well! You should thank me. If there is no me, you would be forever bullied by those stupid boys and you were just going to cry. Crybaby! "

"Yah!" I snapped at her and we looked at each other with angry stares like two dragons who breathed smoke from our noses.

We were silent for a minute then suddenly laughed like two mad womens. People looked at us weirdly.

"Hey," Taeyeon stopped laughing then patted the empty seat next to her. "Come here my stupid friend."

I nodded and sat beside her. Taeyeon then hug me with all his might, until I felt like I can not breathe and my bones broke.

"Jessica Jung, you have no idea what will happen in your life if there is no me by your side."

Chapter 3 done!!!

Hehe, what do you think?

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